consequence of that captivity to sin and Satan, under which the fall left him. This mortal, captive, disabled condition, did Adam, without help or hope in himself, entail, as the representative of mankind, on all his posterity. "Thus in Adam all died."

Such is the account of man's original condition, prior to, and immediately subsequent to the fall; as it is to be collected from the pages of divine Revelation. The devil, in consequence of rebellion, had lost his first estate; and was left without any hope of its recovery. His sin, in consideration of his exalted nature, it is presumed, was of that aggravated kind as to preclude all idea of pardon. The devil therefore found no Redeemer. Thus circumstanced, his malice and envy were exerted against God's newly favoured creature, with the view of frustrating the design of his creation. Having therefore succeeded against Adam in drawing away his allegiance from his Maker, he triumphed in the thought, that he had rendered his condition equally desperate with To the justice of God, under

his own.

which he was suffering, he found himself unable to make any satisfaction; he flattered himself therefore that his rival creature man, whom he considered less able to do it, was rendered at least as miserable as himself.

pre

But the event of the devil's malice having been foreseen, a remedy 'had, in the wisdom of the divine councils, been pared against the effects of it. According to an eternal purpose, the great mystery of Godliness settled before the foundation of the world, had for its object, to counteract the evil the devil should work; by providing for the recovery of God's fallen creature. It had been graciously determined, that man should be delivered from his bondage under sin and Satan; and restored on certain conditions to his forfeited inheritance.

For the accomplishment of this gracious purpose, one of the three Persons in the Godhead took on himself the office of Redeemer; that in that character he might pay down the ransom necessary on the occasion. "We were redeemed, (says the Apostle) with the precious blood of Christ,

as

as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world. 1. Pet. i. 18.

according to the divine purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began." 2. Tim. ii. 9.

The devil thinking, it is presumed, that as justice must be unchangeable, and cannot acquit without adequate satisfaction being made to it; and that satisfaction must be proportionate to the condition of the party against whom the sin has been committed; knowing at the same time that God was an infinite being, and that Adam was far from being such; consequently that no satisfaction in this case could be made; his conclusion, it is probable, might be, that the situation of fallen man was without a remedy; and that therefore he had prevailed against God, in becoming instrumental to the ruin of his new creation. But the devil was permitted thus far to triumph, in order that the inexhaustible riches of divine grace, wisdom, and power might be more fully manifested, in the perfect recovery of fallen man; and the final overthrow of that spi

.

ritual enemy who had prevailed against him. The ever adorable mystery of God manifest in the flesh, removed all those insuperable difficulties, which the sanguine thoughts of the devil had thrown in the way of man's recovery to his lost estate. For according to this mystery of Godliness, satisfaction was made by the same nature that had transgressed; and that satisfaction was full and adequate to the purpose, because the person who made it, was God as well as man: and though the Godhead cannot die, yet that Person, in whom we are told, "the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily," actually did die; and by that death in the character of the second Adam, recovered what had been lost by the first. In this sense, "the last Adam," that second representative of human nature, "the Lord from heaven," "was made a quickening spirit."-" For as in Adam all die; even so, in like manner, or to the same extent, in Christ shall all be made alive." 1. Cor. xv. 22. 45.

To this gracious plan of Redemption from the bondage of sin and Satan, all communication between God and man

subsequent

subsequent to the fall had a marked reference. Considered as the great hinge on which the whole economy of man's Salvation turned, it was to be expected that it should be brought forward to notice on every possible occasion; with the view of making that impression on the human mind, which might prepare it for the actual accomplishment of the Redeemer's work, when the fulness of time should arrive. From the first revelation therefore of the future Redemption of man delivered to Adam in Paradise, when God vouchsafed to him a short declaration of the gracious provision that had been made in his favour, in that appointed Seed which was to bruise the serpent's head; under every Dispensa→ tion, references accommodated to the condition of the parties, and in terms more or less obscure, were continually made to this important event.

The bondage of God's chosen people in Egypt was an emblem of the state of fallen man; as their delivery from the destroying angel through the sprinkling of the blood of the Paschal Lamb, was a type of the deliverance of the redeemed from the

bondage