strictest sense of the word, with our first parents—that they themselves were the authors of it-that their first act of disobedience, was the very thing itself,—the origin of evil. Indeed, all sin, or moral evil, is the wrong conduct of moral agents acting freely. It was impossible, therefore, that any but man could be the author of man's sin. Neither the Almighty, nor the serpent, nor the devil, was the author of the first transgression. For, whatever power there may be in temptation; and how much exertion soever it may require to resist it; still, temptation is not sin; and it follows, that the origin of evil can be traced to no higher source, than the free, unconstrained actions of moral agents, whilst in a state of probation. And it follows, as clearly, that sin could not be prevented from entering into our world, by any external cause; because such a supposition would lead to the contradictory conclusion, that man was free to do wrong, and not free to do wrong, at the same time.

That the law of God, natural and revealed, has been violated by every human being, capable of committing sin, is a fact, which few, it is presumed, will venture to controvert. Nay, it is a fact, which all are compelled to admit, when they open their eyes to the evidence, by which it is so clearly demonstrated. The proofs, on which this fact rests, are derived from scripture, observation, and experience.

From the pages of divine revelation, we learn that, 11* That, "All we,

"All flesh has corrupted his way.'

to his own way."†

like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one That, "All are gone out of the And that, "All have sinned."§ This appeal to the inspired records, will be regarded as decisive by all who acknowledge the authority of the sacred volume.

way."+

The same lamentable fact lies open to the observation of all men. Which ever way we look, the appalling spectacle presents itself to our view; and, through all ranks of society, we perceive ample confirmation of the statements given in holy scripture, on the subject now before us; and are compelled to acknowledge, that man is a sinner, under whatever circumstances he is found.

Every man, also, who consults his own experience, will receive additional, and, if possible, still more convincing evidence of this awful-this deplorable fact. He knows, as certainly, that he has transgressed the righteous laws of his Maker, and thereby incurred his displeasure, as he knows any thing else. How unwilling soever men may be to acknowledge the fact, and penitently seek for pardon, still they know that they are sinners, and in danger of perdition.

Now, there are but two conceivable methods of deal

* Gen. vi. 12. Isa. liii. 6. Rom. iii. 12. § Rom. v. 12.

ing with transgressors. They must, of necessity, be either pardoned, or punished. We know of no alternative. If, therefore, guilty men do not obtain forgiveness, they must suffer the consequences of their crimes. Of the consequences of transgression, we may form some idea, from those fearful terms, employed by the inspired writers, when speaking of the sinner's doom; and from the alarming apprehensions of the delinquent himself, when contemplating his removal to a future state.

The truth of the proposition under consideration, is so generally acknowleged, and has been so fully, and so frequently demonstrated by writers in general, that we think it unnecessary to enlarge; and shall, therefore proceed to inquire into the cause of this universal degeneracy and apostacy of mankind.

SECTION II.

Men are not sinners merely because Adam was a sinner, or, in other words, the sin of Adam is not IMPUTED to his posterity.

THE sin of Adam, in Paradise, has been represented by many, as though it were, in some way or other, placed to the account of all his posterity-as though his sin was, in some sense, their sin also. We are told that

Adam was the federal head, or representative, of all his children, and that, on this account, all who have sprung from him, are reckoned to partake of the guilt of that crime which brought on him the displeasure and curse of his Creator. We may observe, however,

1. That this notion is entirely destitute of scriptural authority. There is not a passage, either in the old or new testament, which teaches, directly,or indirectly, that Adam's sin was imputed to any but himself. Let the reader turn to his bible, and carefully examine those texts which speak of an action's being imputed, reckoned, or accounted to any person, either for righteousness, or condemnation, and he will invariably find, that, what is so imputed, is no other than the proper act and deed of that person. The following are, perhaps, all the places where imputing, reckoning, or accounting an action to any person, is to be found in all the bible.*

* Gen. xv. 6. Lev. xvii. 3, 4. Num. xviii. 26, 27. 1 Sam. xi. 12 1 Sam. xxii. 15. 2 Sam. xix. 19. Prov. xxvii. 14. Ps. xxxii. 2. Ps.cvi. 31. Rom. ii. 26. Rom. iv 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 21, 22-25. Rom.v. 13. 2 Cor. v. 19. Gal. iii. 6. 2 Tim. iv.16. Jam. ii. 23. An examination of those several passages will at once convince the reader, that there is not the slightest intimation of Adam's sin being imputed, or, in any way transferred to his posterity; or, of any person's being charged with actions except such as were strictly and properly his own.

The scriptures, however, speak of sin and iniquity being laid upon, and borne, in DIFFERENT SENSES, by those who were not guilty of them. The scape-goat bore the sins of the children of Israel away into the wilderness, Lev. xvi. 21, 22. The guilt and punishment, however, which the sins of the Israelites deserved were not IMPUTED, or transferred to the goat. He was turned loose into the wilderness, and there suffered to en

2. To charge the posterity of Adam with the guilt of his sin, would be to lay something to their account which is not true. They could have no participation in his transgression, in any conceivable sense whatever. They had not even then been brought into existence; and, to impute to them the guilt of a crime which had been committed long before they were born, would be the grossest violation of all which is true and equitable, that the mind of man can possibly conceive.

Were we to assert that Adam's children assisted their great progenitor, in his rebellion against God, before they were born, and that God imputes the guilt of that rebellious act to them, as well as to him, we should be

joy his full liberty. The transaction appears to have been a figurative mode of representing the free and total removal of guilt and deserved punishment from the Israelites, whenever they should penitently seek forgiveness at the hands of God.

So also, it is said, "The Lord hath LAID on him [Christ] the iniquities of us all." Is. liii. 6-'He shall bear their iniquities' ver. 11-and, "He bare the sins of many," ver. 12. But, does this prove that the sins of all mankind were imputed to him? or, that the spotless Redeemer of men was thereby made guilty in any sense whatever? Surely not. The fact is, that iniquity and sin frequently signify SUFFERING, and the prophet explains the sense in which our sins were laid on Christ-how he bore the sins of many-or was made sin for us, 2 Cor. v. 21. He tells us, "He was wOUNDED for our transgressions, he was BRUISED for our iniquities, ver. 5. The same exposition is also given by the apostle Peter: "For Christ also hath once suFFERED for sins, the just for the unjust" 1Pet. iii. 18. Hence, it appears, that a person may have iniquity LAID UPON him, or may BEAR sin, to whom iniquity and sin cannot be imputed, or upon whom they cannot be charged. And that this was the case, with respect to our blessed Redeemer, is abundantly evident.