Ver 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that
had not sinned after the similitude of Adam s transgression, who ts the figure of Him
that was to come.
Nevertheless, or but. That is, though it is a truth that there is no sin
where there is no law, and that where there is no law transgressed there
is no death, yet we see that death reigned from Adam to Moses, as well
as from Moses to the present time. The conclusion from this is self-evi
dent, and therefore the Apostle leaves his readers to draw it,- namely,
that the human race have always been under law, and have universally
been transgressors. Even over them that had not sinned after the similitude
of Adam^transgression. Some suppose that the persons referred to are
those who did not, like Adam, break a revealed or a positive law. But
this is objected to on the following grounds : 1st, There is no strong
or striking difference, and therefore no contrast, between the different
methods of promulgating a law. Whether a law is made known by
being written on the heart or on tables, is to the persons to whom i
comes a matter with which they have no concern. A contrast might as
well be made between those who know a law by reading it themselves,
and those who hear it read, or between those who hear it immediately
from the lawgiver, and those who hear it through the medium of others.
2d, The reason of introducing the persons referred to by the word even,
implies that they are such persons as apparently ought to be excluded
from the reign of sin and death. This cannot designate those who in any
way know the law. But it evidently applies to infants. No one will
cordially receive this except the man who, like a little child, submits to
the testimony of God, Indeed, no man can understand the grounds of
this imputation, so as to be able perfectly to justify it on principles appli
cable to human life. It must always stand, not on our ability to see its
iustice, but on our belief that God speaks true, and that it is just, as the
Judge of all the earth in all things does justly, whether we are able to
see it or not. 3d, The word even supposes that the persons referred to
are but a portion of those generally included in the declaration ^ of the
preceding clauses. These cannot be such as received not a positive law,
for all, from Adam to Moses, are such; but it will apply to infants.
Death reigned from Adam to Moses, over all the human race, even over
infants, who did not actually sin, but sinned in Adam. 4th, Who is the
image, figure, or type. This appears to have been suggested from the im
mediately preceding clause, and to imply that the persons referred to
were sinners, or transgressors of law, just as the saved are righteous
the former sinners in Adam, although they had not actually sinned as he
did, just as the others are righteous in Christ, although not actually
righteous like Him. Those who are saved fulfil the law just as the others
break the law, namely, in their great head or representative. But, 5th,
Even if the persons here referred to were those who did not break a
positive or a revealed law, yet it will come to the same thing. If the
reign of death proves the reign of sin in such persons, must not the
reign of death over infants equally prove the reign of sin? If the
death of adults before the time of Moses was a proof of their being
sinners, then of necessity the death of infants must prove the same thing.
If death does not prove sin in infants, it cannot prove sin in any. If
infants may die though they are not sinners, then may adults die without
being sinners.
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