fication, it was not an offer of it, but the bleffing it felf. These words then are not to be understood either of Chrift's dying for juftification for any, efpecially for every individual man; fince all men, in this large fense, are not justified, many will be righteoufly condemned, and eternally punished; and confequently his death, refpecting them, must be in vain, were this the cafe; nor of the procuring of juftification, ftill less of the offer of it, but of the application of it to the persons here mention'd.

II. It is apparent, that the apoftle is here comparing the firft and the second Adam together, as heads and reprefentatives of their refpective offspring, and the effects of fin, to the condemnation of thofe that fprung from the one, with the grace of God to the juftification of such that belong to the other, and not the number of perfons concerned in these things. His plain meaning is, that as the first Adam convey'd fin, condemnation and death, to all his pofterity; fo the fecond Adam communicates grace, righteouf nefs and life, to all his pofterity; and herein the latter has the preference to the former, and in which lies the abundance of grace here spoken of; that the things communicated by the one are, in their own nature, to be preferred to the other; and particularly, that the righteousness which Chrift gives to

his, not only justifies from the in of the firit Adam, and fecures from all condemnation by it, but alfo from all other offences whatever, and gives a right to eternal life; wherefore it is called, the juication or life, which the first Adam never had: Were the comparison between the numbers of tuch who are condemned by the tin of the one, and of thote who are justified by the righte oufnefs of the other, the numbers being the fame, the grace of the comparison would be wholly loft; for where would be the exuberance, when there is a perfect equality?

III. Admitting that the apostle is comparing the condemnation which was procured by the fin of Adam, with the free gift of juftification procured by the fecond Adam, as to the extent of perfons concerned in both. This extent cannot be thought to reach to more than fuch who refpectively spring from them, and belong to them. No more could be condemned by the fin of Adam, than those who naturally defcended from him by ordinary generation. The angels that fell, are not condemned for Adam's fin, from whom they did not fpring, but for their own perfonal iniquities. This fin reached not to the man Chrift Jefus; not was be condemned by it, for hitelf; becaule he defcended not froin Adam, by or N

dinary generation; fo no more can be justified by the righteoufnefs of Chrift; nor does that reach to the juftification of more than those who are Chrift's, that belong to him, and who are in time regenerated by his Spirit and grace, and appear to be his fpiritual feed and offspring.

IV. All men, in the latter claufe of this text, can never defign every individual of mankind; for if the free gift came upon all men, in this large fenfe, to juftification of life, every man would have a righteousness, be juftified, be fecure from wrath to come, have a right to eternal life, at last be glorified, and everlaftingly faved; for fuch who are juftified by the blood of Chrift fhall be faved from wrath through him; and whom God juftifies, them he alfo glorifies. Now it is certain, that all men, in the utmost latitude of this phrafe, have not a justifying righteousness; there is a fett of unrighteous men who shall not inherit the kingdom of God, are not, nor will they ever be justified; but the wrath of God abides on them, and will be their everlasting portion: Could it be proved that the righteousness of Chrift is imputed by the Father, and applied by the Spirit, to the juftification of every man, and that every man will be faved, we shall

f Rom. v. 9. and viii. 30.

readily come in to the doctrine of univerfal redemption by the death of Chrift. But,

V. The apostle is the best interpreter of his own words; and we may easily learn from this epiftle, who the all men are, to whom the free gift by Chrift's righteousness comes, to juftification of life; they are the elect whom God juftifies, through the righteoufness of his Son, and fecures from condemnation by his death, Chap. viii. 33, 34. they are all the feed to whom the promife of righteousness and life belongs, and is fure, Chap. iv. 16. they are the all that believe, upon whom, and unto whom the righteoufnefs of Chrift is manifefted, revealed and applied by the Spirit of God, Chap. iii. 22. and they are fuch who receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, Chap. v. 17. and in a word, the gift comes upon all thofe that are Chrift's, and belong to him, to justification; even as judgment came upon all to condemnation, through the offence of Adam, that belong to him, or defcend from him.

The text in 1 Cor. xv. 22. for aş in Adam all die, fo in Chrift shall all be made alive ; in which the fame comparifon is made between the two heads, Adam and Chrift, and their different effects; and which is fometimes ufed in favour of general redemption, N 2

is