first parents should be subjected to some trial of their virtue. In their solitary, unconnected condition, relieved, as they were, from every temp. tation to those sins, which have been most fatal to their descendants, this test could only be some positive injunction or prohibition. That which was imposed, was adapted to their circumstances; of easy observance, and clearly understood. In this trial they failed; and by their failure, evinced an unaccountable spirit of disobedience and ambition, vanity and sensuality, every vice, of which they could be guilty. Thus they violated the condition, on which they held the privileges of their happy situation. We are, accordingly, informed by Moses, that they had been forewarned of the consequence in these words, "in the day, that thou eatest of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt surely die." This implied only, that they should become mortal, subject to death; for by their sentence, it appears, that they were to leave a posterity, though they then had no issue; and Adam actually lived 930 years.

Thus, by the vanity, presumption and disobedience of our first parents sin came into the world; and, in the regular, course of providence, it was transmitted to their descendants. Not that their posterity were answerable for their guilt; for this would be inconsistent with the essential attributes of the divine nature, and repugnant to those

original principles, which may, with peculiar propriety, be called "the inspiration of the Almighty." That one man should be responsible for the sins of another, to which he was not accessary is a glaring absurdity; and that he should be subject to eternal damnation for offences, committed before he was born, is a principle, that equally insults the justice of God, and affronts the common sense of mankind. The only way, in which one man can be involved in the guilt of actions committed by another, is by becoming an accomplice or accessary to his crimes, by co-operation, instigation or connivance. Adam may have been the cause of our sins, but surely we can never be charged with co-operating, instigating or conniving at his.

But though guilt cannot be transferred or imputed the consequences of it may be entailed. It is the order of nature that one person may suffer by the errors or vices of another: indeed, such is the intimate connexion established among us, that a man can hardly be addicted to sin, or even subject to error, without involving others in the consequences of his depravity or frailty. If these, however, befal us without any concurrence on our part, they may be very grievous misfortunes; but no man is so absurd, as to call them sins. If they be absolutely unavoidable, we are absolutely innocent: if they have only a tendency to corrupt our minds, we are only so far criminal,

as we have voluntarily given way to the seduction: and our offence is extenuated in proportion to the strength of the temptation.

Thus the constitutional defects and infirmities of a parent affect a child; thus the ignorance or iniquity of a magistrate is felt by the community: thus the political misconduct of a nation often entails more grievous calamities upon succeeding generations, than were felt by the guilty; and thus we are taught by Scripture, that by the original sin of our first parents, both natural and moral evil come into the world: but it no where teaches, that their guilt has descended, or that we are blameable further than we have been voluntarily active, or passively acquiescing.

As this order of things is a matter of notoriety, we can not doubt, that it is the result of infinite wisdom and as it is, in many respects, inexplica ble, we should not presumptuously canvass a subject, which transcends our powers. When any

ordinance of Providence or grace has been once ascertained, it is folly and impiety to question its wisdom: but still it may be edifying to inquire with due humility, into its final cause; because our knowledge of this may enable us to profit by the dispensation, and to conform to the divine purpose. In the present case, it immediately occurs to the mind, that this appointment is the unavoidable consequence of that intimate connexion, which subsists among the human race;

for that the individuals, of which it is composed, should be so linked together without being af fected mutually by mental and corporeal qualities, is totally inconceivable. The question, then,

appears to be, is it more desirable, that this connexion should be dissolved, or continue as it is: and the answer to this is so plain, that it needs not be stated. It may also be observed, that valuable talents and amiable qualities descend, as well as infirmities and vices: and then the question is, "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" It may be further added, that much wholesome admonition and salutary restraint may arise from this appointment, especially to parents. But to enlarge on these points would divert us too far from the other objects of this discourse.

If the account of the fall be considered as a literal narrative, without implicating ourselves in any conjectural speculations, the transgression of our first parents was an union and combination of sins; a vicious indulgence of sensual appetites; an arrogant and presumptuous attempt at independence; and an impious disobedience of a divine command, under the influence of a slight and trivial temptation. It was the germ and bud of the most heinous crimes, and infamous vices, that have infested the world ever since, and might most justly subject them to death.

Adam being now mortal, his offspring were, of course, mortal and liable to those hardships, which are incident to mortality, agreeably to the sentence passed upon their progenitors. But the sacred historian gives us no intimation, that they suffered any other degradation. Neither is any "original righteousness" or superior wisdom attributed to Adam. Examine his actions, as re corded by Moses, from the dressing of his garden, to his eating of the forbidden fruit, and you will look in vain for "the wisdom, virtue, sanctity, truth and justice, with which he was indued:"* and which divines contrast with the depraved nature of his posterity. As for his being created in the image of God, the same is said of Noah and his family and of all men. This being the whole of the transaction recorded by Moses, and his the only authentic record of it; we are certain, that it contains the whole truth. We may presume, that Paul had no more information on the subject; and that whatever he has said may be interpreted according to the original testimony of Moses. With respect to Adam, death would only signify the loss of that life, which he had just received: there is no allusion to any thing, that was to follow. The sin of the first pair was personal, and confined to themselves. There was

*Calvin Inst. ii. 1.-5.