each of them introduced. For it was by one man, that the general corruption and guilt which I have spoken of, came into the world, and condemnation and death by sin and this dreadful punishment and ruin came on all mankind by the great law of works, originally established with mankind in their first father, and by his one offence, or breach of that law; all thereby becoming sinners in God's sight, and exposed to final destruction.

"It is manifest that it was in this

13. For until the law sin was in

way the world became sinful and guilty; the world; but sin is not imputed when and not in that way which the Jews there is no law.

suppose, viz., that their law, given by

Moses, is the grand, universal rule of righteousness and judgment for mankind, and that it is by being Gentiles, uncircumcised, and aliens from that law, that the nations of the world are coNSTITUTED sinners, and unclean. For before the law of Moses was given, mankind were all looked upon by the great Judge as sinners, by corruption and guilt derived from Adam's violation of the original law of works; which shows that the original, universal rule of righteousness is not the law of Moses; for if so, there would have been no sin imputed before that was given, because sin is not imputed when there is no law

14. Nevertheless, death reigned

"But that at that time sin was imputed, and men were by their Judge from Adam to Moses, even over them reckoned as sinners, through guilt and that had not sinned after the similitude corruption derived from Adam, and of Adam's transgression. condemned for sin to death, the proper punishment of sin, we have a plain proof; in that it appears in fact, all mankind, during that whole time which preceded the law of Moses, were subjected to that temporal death, which is the visible introduction and image of that utter destruction which sin deserves, not excepting even infants, who could be sinners no other way than by virtue of Adam's transgression, having never in their own persons actually sinned as Adam did; nor could at that time be made polluted by the law of Moses, as being uncircumcised, or borr of uncircumcised parents"

Now, by way of reflection on the whole, I would observe, that though there are two or three expressions in this paragraph, Rom. v. 12, &c., the design of which is attended with some difficulty and obscurity, as particularly in the 13th and 14th verses, yet the scope and sense of the discourse in general is not obscure, but on the contrary very clear and manifest; and so is the particular doctrine mainly taught in it. The apostle sets himself with great care and pains to make it plain, and precisely to fix and settle the point he is upon. And the discourse is so framed, that one part of it does greatly clear and fix the meaning of other parts; and the whole is determined by the clear connection it stands in with other parts of the epistle, and by the manifest drift of all the preceding part of it.

The doctrine of Original Sin is not only here taught, but most plainly, explicitly, and abundantly taught. This doctrine is asserted, expressly or implicitly, in almost every verse, and in some of the verses several times. It is fully implied in that first expression in the 12th verse," By one man sin entered into the world." The passage implies, that sin became universal in the world; as the apostle had before largely shown it was; and not merely (which would be a trifling, insignificant observation) that one man, who was made first, sinned first, before other men sinned; or, that it did not so happen that many men began to sin just together at the same moment. The latter part of the verse," And death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that (or, if you will unto which) all have sinned," shows, that in the eye of the Judge of the world, in Adam's first sin, all sinned; not only in some sort, but all sinned so as to be exposed to that death, and final destruction, which is the proper wages of sin. The same doctrine is taught again twice over in the 14th verse. It is there observed, as a proof of this doctrine, that "Death reigned over them which had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression;" i. e., by their personal act; and therefore could be exposed to death, only by deriving guilt and pollution from Adam, in consequence of his sin. And it is taught again in those words, "Who is the figure of him that was to come." The resemblance lies very much in this circumstance, viz., our deriving sin, guilt, and punishment by Adam's sin, as we do righteousness, justification, and the reward of life by Christ's obedience; for so the apostle explains himself. The same doctrine is expressly taught again, verse 15," Through the offence of one, many be dead." And again twice in the 16th verse, "It was by one that sinned;" i. e., it was by Adam, that guilt and punishment (before spoken of) came on mankind: and in these words, "Judgment was by one to condemnation." It is again plainly and fully laid down in the 17th verse," By one man's offence, death reigned by one." So again in the 18th verse," By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation." Again very plainly in the 19th verse," By ɔne man's disobedience, many were made sinners."

And here is every thing to determine and fix the meaning of all important terms, that the apostle makes use of: as, the abundant use of them in all parts of the New Testament; and especially in this apostle's writings, which make up a very great part of the New Testament: and his repeated use of them in this epistle in particular, especially in the preceding part of the epistle, which leads to and introduces this discourse, and in the former part of this very chapter; and also the light, that one sentence in this paragraph casts on another which fully settles their meaning: as, with respect to the words justification, righteousness and condemnation; and above all, in regard of the word sin, which is the most important of all, with relation to the doctrine and controversy we are upon. Besides the constant use of this term everywhere else through

the New Testament, through the epistles of this apostle, this epistle in particu lar, and even the former part of this chapter, it is often repeated in this paragraph, and evidently used in the very sense that is denied to belong to it in the end of verse 12, and verse 19, though owned everywhere else: and its meaning is fully determined by the apostle's varying the term; using together with it, to signify the same thing, such a variety of other synonymous words, such as offence, transgression, disobedience. And further, to put the matter out of all controversy, it is particularly and expressly and repeatedly distinguished from that which our opposers would explain it by, viz., condemnation and death. And what is meant by sin's entering into the world, in verse 12, is determined by a like phrase of sin's being in the world, in the next verse. And that by the offence of one, so often spoken of here, as bringing death and condemnation on all, the apostle means the sin of one, derived in its guilt and pollution to mankind in general, is a thing which (over and above all that has been already observed) is settled and determined by those words in the conclusion of this discourse, verse 20, "Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound: but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." These words plainly show, that the offence spoken of so often, and evidently spoken of still in these words, which was the offence of one man, became the sin of all. For when he says, "The law entered, that the offence might abound," his meaning cannot be, that the offence of Adam, merely as his personally, should abound; but, as it exists in its derived guilt, corrupt influence, and evil fruits, in the sin of mankind in general, even as a tree in its root and branches.*

It is a thing that confirms the certainty of the proof of the doctrine of Original Sin, which this place affords, that the utmost art cannot pervert it to another sense. What a variety of the most artful methods have been used by the enemies of this doctrine, to wrest and darken this paragraph of holy writ, which stands so much in their way, as it were to force the Bible to speak a language that is agreeable to their mind! How have expressions been strained, words and phrases racked! What strange figures of speech have been invented, and with violent hands thrust into the apostle's mouth; and then with a bold countenance and magisterial airs obtruded on the world, as from him!-But, blessed be God, we have his words as he delivered them, and the rest of the same epistle, and his other writings to compare with them; by which his meaning stands in too strong and glaring a light to be hid by any of the artificial mists which they labor to throw upon it.

It is really no less than abusing the Scripture and its readers, to represent this paragraph as the most obscure of all the places of Scripture, that speak of the consequences of Adam's sin; and to treat it as if there was need first to consider other places as more plain. Whereas, it is most manifestly a place in which these things are declared, beyond all, the most plainly, particularly, precisely, and of set purpose, by that great apostle, who has most fully explained to us those doctrines in general, which relate to the redemption by Christ, and the sin and misery we are redeemed from. And it must be now left to the reader's judgment, whether the Christian church has not proceeded reasonably, in looking on this as a place of Scripture most clearly and fully treating of these things, and

The offence, according to Dr. Taylor's explanation, does not abound by the law at all really and truly, in any sense; neither the sin, nor the punishment. For he says, The meaning is not, that men should be made more wicked; but, that men should be liable to death for every transgression." But after all, they are liable to no more deaths, nor to any worse deaths, if they are not more sinful: for they were to have punishments according to their desert, before. Such as died, and went into another world, before the law of Moses was given, were punished according to their deserts; and the law, when it came, threatened no more.

in using its determinate sense as a help to settle the meaning of many other passages of sacred writ.

As this place in general is very full and plain, so the doctrine of the corruption of nature, as derived from Adam, and also the imputation of his first sin, are both clearly taught in it. The imputation of Adam's one transgression, is indeed most directly and frequently asserted. We are here assured that by one man's sin, death passed on all; all being adjudged to this punishment, as having sinned (so it is implied) in that one man's sin. And it is repeated over and over, that all are condemned, many are dead, many made sinners, &c., by one man's offence, by the disobedience of one, and by one offence. And the doctrine of original depravity is also here taught, when the apostle says, By one man sin entered into the world; having a plain respect (as hath been shown) to that universal corruption and wickedness, as well as guilt, which he had be fore largely treated of.

PART III.

OBSERVING THE EVIDENCE GIVEN US, RELATIVE TO THE DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN, N WHAT THE SCRIPTURES REVEAL CONCERNING THE REDEMPTION BY CHRIST

CHAPTER I.

The evidence of ORIGINAL SIN, from the Nature of Redemption in the procure ment of it.

ACCORDING to Dr. Taylor's scheme, a very great part of mankind are the subjects of Christ's redemption, who live and die perfectly innocent, who never have had, and never will have any sin charged to their account, and never are either the subjects of, or exposed to any punishment whatsoever, viz., all that die in infancy. They are the subjects of Christ's redemption, as he redeems them from death, or as they by his righteousness have justification, and by his obedience are made righteous, in the resurrection of the body, in the sense of Rom. v. 18, 19 And all mankind are thus the subjects of Christ's redemption, while they are perfectly guiltless, and exposed to no punishment, as by Christ they are entitled to a resurrection. Though, with respect to such persons as have sinned, he allows it is in some sort by Christ and his death, that they are saved from sin, and the punishment of it.

Now let us see whether such a scheme will consist with the Scripture account of the redemption by Jesus Christ.

I. The representations of the redemption by Christ, everywhere in Scripture, lead us to suppose, that all whom he came to redeem, are sinners; that his salvation, as to the term from which (or the evil to be redeemed from) in all is sin, and the deserved punishment of sin. It is natural to suppose, that when he had his name Jesus, or Saviour, given him by God's special and immediate appointment, the salvation meant by that name should be his salvation in general; and not only a part of his salvation, and with regard only to some of them that he came to save. But this name was given him to signify his saving his people from their sins, Matth. i. 21. And the great doctrine of Christ's salva

tion is, that he came into the world to save sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15. And that Christ hath once suffered, the just for the unjust, 1 Pet. iii. 18. In this was manifested the love of God towards us (towards such in general as have the benefit of God's love in giving Christ), that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, that he sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, 1 John iv. 9, 10. Many other texts might be mentioned, which seem evidently to suppose, that all who are redeemed by Christ, are saved from sin. We are led by what Christ himself said, to suppose, that if any are not sinners, they have no need of him as a redeemer, any more than a well man of a physician, Mark ii. 17. And that men, in order to being the proper subjects of the mercy of God through Christ, must first be in a state of sin, is implied in Gal. iii. 22, "But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." To the same effect is Rom. xi. 32.

These things are greatly confirmed by the Scripture doctrine of sacrifices. It is abundantly plain, by both Old and New Testament, that they were types of Christ's death, and were for sin, and supposed sin in those for whom they were offered. The apostle supposes, that in order to any having the benefit of the internal inheritance by Christ, there must of necessity be the death of the testator; and gives that reason for it, that without shedding of blood there is no remission, Heb. ix. 15, &c. And Christ himself, in representing the benefit of his blood, in the institution of the Lord's supper, under the notion of the blood of a testament, calls it, The blood of the New Testament, shed for the remission of sins, Matth. xxvi. 28. But according to the scheme of our author, many have the eternal inheritance by the death of the testator, who never had any need of remission.

II. The Scripture represents the redemption by Christ as a redemption from deserved destruction; and that, not merely as it respects some particulars, but as the fruit of God's love to mankind. John iii. 16," God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life:" implying, that otherwise they must perish, or be destroyed: but what necessity of this, if they did not deserve to be destroyed? Now, that the destruction here spoken of, is deserved destruction, is manifest, because it is there compared to the perishing of such of the children of Israel as died by the bite of the fiery serpents, which God, in his wrath, for their rebellion, sent amongst them. And the same thing clearly appears by the last verse of the same chapter, "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him," or, is left remaining on him: implying, that all in general are found under the wrath of God, and that they only of all mankind, who are interested in Christ, have this wrath removed and eternal life bestowed; the rest are left with the wrath of God still remaining on them. The same is clearly illustrated and confirmed by John v. 24, " He that believeth, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life." In being passed from death to life is implied, that before, they were all in a state of death; and they are spoken of as being so by a sentence of condemnation; and if it be a just condemnation, it is a deserved condemnation.

III. It will follow on Dr. Taylor's scheme, that Christ's redemption, with regard to a great part of them who are the subjects of it, is not only a redemption from no sin, but from no calamity, and so from no evil of any kind. For as to death, which infants are redeemed from, they never were subjected to it as a calamity, but purely as a benefit. It came by no threatening or curse denounced