transgression. His sin of eating the forbidden fruit is imputed to
virgin. And upon this account he came not in under Adam in the covenant of works; for Christ was not born by virtue of that blessing of marriage given before the fall, (Gen 1:28) but by virtue of a covenant-promise made after the fall, (Gen 3:15). So that Adam could represent none in that covenant, but such as were to spring from him by virtue of that blessing.
2. All mankind besides sinned and fell with Adam in that first transgression. His sin of eating the forbidden fruit is imputed to them; i.e. is reckoned theirs, as if they had committed it. Consider,
(1.) The scripture plainly testifies, that all sinned in him; "By one man's sin, death entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned," (Rom. 5:12). Hence it is plain, that death has not come into the world but in pursuit of sin; all die, for all have sinned. Infants are not exempted more than others. We see graves of an infant's length; yea, sometimes the womb is made their grave, and they get a coffin instead of a cradle. It is long ere infants laugh, but they come into the world crying; a sure evidence of misery. What have they done? What could they do? Yet God is just, and is not pursuing innocents. What then can be the quarrel but this, that they are taken prisoners for the debt contracted by their father? (v. 14).
(2.) All fell with him into misery by that sin. Now, a just God will not involve the innocent with the guilty in the same punishment. Consider,
[1.] All fell under the guilt of eternal wrath for that sin; "The judgment was by one to condemnation….By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation," (Rom. 5:16,18). Now, where there is a communion of guilt there must needs be a communion of sin; for the law can bind none over to punishment but