This is manifest, not only from the most of the arguments, advanced in the preceding chapter, which prove no less, that Adam was the public representative of his posterity, than that a covenant of works was, in that capacity, made with him; but also, from the following considerations:
First, As the spiritual seed of the second Adam, are called after his name, to show that they were all included in him, as their glorious Representative; so, the natural posterity of the first Adam are, in the original language of the Old Testament, more than four hundred times, called Adam. On the other hand, as Christ the second Man, to show that in the covenant of grace he represented his spiritual offspring, is in the Old Testament, denominated Jacob and Israel...
Further, This is also evident, from these words of the apostle Paul: "For since by man came death, by man came also, the resurrection of the dead; for as in Adam, all die, even so in Christ, shall all be made alive." By the one man here, is evidently meant Christ the second man, and by the other, is understood Adam the first man. By the one, comes the resurrection of the dead, for in him, shall all his spiritual seed be made alive; by the other, came death, for in him, all, that is, all his natural descendants die. But, how could all his posterity die in Adam, if they had not all sinned in him, as their natural head, and federal representative? and, how could they have sinned in him, as their covenant-representative, when he sinned, by eating the forbidden fruit, if when the Covenant of Works was made with him, he had not been their representative?...
Again, The wrath of God which, Adam, by breaking the covenant of innocence, deserved and incurred, falls on all the human race. The elect of God are naturally under it, even as others. The believers in Ephesus "were by nature children of wrath, even as others." They were naturally chargeable with original sin, and from their very conception, were infected with it. On that account, they were condemned, and exposed to the eternal wrath of Jehovah as really, as those are, who are chargeable with actual transgressions. The first sin of Adam is imputed to the persons of his posterity, and the corruption of nature, under which he thereby fell, begins, as soon as they are conceived or formed in the womb, to be interwoven with their nature. They, therefore, as soon as they are conceived and born, before they can be capable of committing any actual sin, deserve, and are justly exposed to, the wrath of God. The obvious consequence is, that all the offspring of Adam, were comprehended or comprised in him, as their covenant-head and representative, when he sinned, and so became liable, to the sin-avenging wrath of the most High...
In the last place, The great Apostle of the Gentiles writes thus: "The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second Man, is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also, that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." The second Man is the second or last Adam; the first man, is the first Adam. The Lord Jesus Christ is the second Man, in respect that, in the covenant of grace, he is a public Person, the Representative of his elect-seed. Adam therefore is the first man, because in the covenant of works, he was not only the natural, but the moral root, the public representative of his posterity. Since then there is a second Man, representing all his spiritual children, the opposition in the passage requires, that there be also a first man, a public person, representing all his natural offspring. When the covenant of works then was made, it was made with Adam, as—a holy and upright man; as the natural root;—and as the moral head or representative, of all his natural descendants...
Summation:
It is evident from what hath now been advanced, that it is not enough that we assent, simply to the truth concerning the Covenant of Works, but that we believe and consider it well, with application to ourselves. We cannot consistently, take hold of God's covenant of grace, or apply to ourselves any of the promises of it, unless we previously believe with particular application, his covenant of works. Be persuaded, reader, that this covenant was made with the first Adam, in thy name, or for thee in particular. Consider it attentively, and with application to the state of thy own soul. Lay to heart, O, lay to heart, without a moment's delay, thy own case in relation to it. If thou be still under the dominion of sin, thou art as really, as completely, under that covenant, as if thou hadst in thy own person, consented to all the articles of it. O, do not any longer doubt of the reality of it. Thou and I, reader, have sufficient evidence even within ourselves that a covenant of life was made with our common parent. Nothing is more natural for us than to do, that we may live; than to think, that our performances will entitle us to the favour and enjoyment of God; and that if we do our part, God will do his.
O do not flatter thyself, that, by thy own righteousness or strength, thou wilt be able to discharge, and dissolve the obligations of this covenant. Thy violation of it in Adam, instead of setting thee free from it, lays thee effectually and completely, under the dreadful penalty of it. Thou canst not otherwise be delivered from it, than by a discharge obtained from Jehovah himself, the other contracting Party: and such a discharge cannot be granted, but upon full satisfaction given to all its demands. Thou canst not have thy discharge, from the hand of Divine justice, till the very last farthing, of thy debt of obedience and suffering to the law be paid. — "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." It is impossible for thee, O sinner, ever to satisfy the demands of the law as a covenant, otherwise than by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, as Jehovah thy righteousness, and counting to the law, all that he did and suffered, as done and suffered for thee. Assure thyself, that if ever thou "become dead to the law" in its covenant-form, it must be "by the body of Christ." Accept Him, then, as the end of the law for righteousness to thee in particular; and having received abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, thou shalt reign in life by one Jesus Christ, the glorious Head of a new, and a better covenant.
John Colquhoun, Treatise
on the Covenant of Works, pp. 34-41
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