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are our fault or sin, that alters not the case; and to say, they are not our sin, is still begging the question. Yea, it will fol low from several things asserted by our author, put together, that notwithstanding men are born in such circumstances, as that they are under a very great improbability of ever becoming righteous, yet they may have reason to be thankful for their being. Thus, particularly, those that were born and lived among the Heathen, before Christ came. For Dr. Taylor asserts, that all men have reason of thankfulness for their being; and yet he supposes, that the Heathen world, taken as a collective body, were dead in sin, and could not deliver or help themselves, and therefore stood in necessity of the Christian dispensation. And not only so, but he supposes, that the Christian world is now at length brought to the like deplorable and helpless circumstances, and needs a new dispensation for its relief; as I observed before. According to these things, the world in general, not only formerly, but even at this day, are dead in sin, and helpless as to their salvation; and therefore the generality of them that are born into it, are much more likely to perish, than otherwise, till the new dispensation comes: And yet he supposes, we all have reason to be thankful for our being. Yea, further still, I think, according to our author's doctrine, men may have great reason to be thankful to God for bringing them into a state, which yet, as the case is, is attended with misery, as its certain consequence. As, with respect to God's raising the wicked to life, at the last day; which, he supposes, is in itself a great benefit, procured by Christ, and the wonderful grace of God through him: And if it be the fruit of God's wonderful grace, surely men ought to be thankful for that grace, and praise God for it. Our doctrine of Original Sin, therefore, no more disparages God's goodness in man's formation in the womb, than his doctrine disparages God's goodness in their resurrection from the grave.

Another argument which Dr. Taylor makes use of, against the doctrine of Original Sin, is what the scripture reveals of the process of the day of judgment; which represents the judge as dealing with men singly and separately, rendering to

every man according to his deeds, and according to the im provement he has made of the particular powers and talents God has given him personally.*

But this objection will vanish, if we consider what is the end or design of that public judgment. Now this will not be, that God may find out what men are, or what punishment or reward is proper for them, or in order to the passing a right judgment of these things within himself, which is the end of human trials; but it is to manifest what men are, to their own consciences, and to the world. As the day of judgment is called the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God; in order to this, God will make use of evidences, or protfs. But the proper evidences of the wickedness of men's hearts, (the true seat of all wickedness) both as to corrup tion of nature, and additional pollution and guilt, are men's works.

The special end of God's public judgment will be, to make a proper, perfect, open distinction among men, rightly to state and manifest their difference one from another, in order to that separation and difference in the eternal retribution, that is to follow: And this difference will be made to appear, by their personal works.

There are two things, with regard to which men will be tried, and openly distinguished by the perfect judgment of God at the last day; according to the twofold real distinction subsisting among mankind, viz. (1.) The difference of state; that primary and grand distinction, whereby all mankind are divided into two sorts, the righteous and the wicked. (2.) That secondary distinction, whereby both sorts differ from others in the same general state, in degrees of additional fruits of righteousness and wickedness. Now the judge, in order to manifest both these, will judge men according to their per sonal works. But to inquire at the day of judgment, whether Adam sinned or no, or whether men are to be looked upon as one with him, and so partakers in his sin, is what in no respect tends to manifest either of these distinctions.

*Page 65, 66, 111, S.

1. The first thing to be manifested, will be the state, that each man is in, with respect to the grand distinction of the whole world of mankind into righteous and wicked; or, in metaphorical language, wheat and tares; or, the children of the kingdom of Christ, and the children of the wicked one; the latter, the head of the apostasy; but the former, the head of the restoration and recovery. The judge, in manifesting this, will prove men's hearts by their works, in such as have had opportunity to perform any works in the body. The evil works of the children of the wicked one will be the proper manifestation and evidence or proof of whatever belongs to the general state of such; and particularly they will prove, that they belong to the kingdom of the great deceiver, and head of the apostasy, as they will demonstrate the exceeding corruption of their nature, and full consent of their hearts to the common apostasy; and also that their hearts never relinquished the apostasy, by a cordial adherence to Christ, the great restorer. The judge will also make use of the good works of the righteous to shew their interest in the redemption of Christ; as thereby will be manifested the sincerity of their hearts in their acceptance of, and adherence to the Redeemer and his righteousness. And in thus proving the state of men's hearts by their actions, the circumstances of those actions must necessarily come into consideration, to manifest the true quality of their actions; as, each one's talents, opportunities, advantages, light, motives, &c.

2. The other thing to be manifested, will be that secondary distinction, wherein particular persons, both righteous and wicked, differ from one another, in the degree of secondary good or evil, that is something beside what is common to all in the same general state: The degree of evil fruit, which is additional to the guilt and corruption of the whole body of apostates and enemies; and the degree of personal goodness and good fruit, which is a secondary goodness, with respect to the righteousness and merits of Christ, which belong to all by that sincere faith manifested in all. Of this also each one's works, with their circumstances, opportunities, talents, &c. will be the proper evidence.

As to the nature and aggravations of the general apostasy by Adam's sin, and also the nature and sufficiency of the redemption by Jesus Christ, the great restorer, though both these will have vast influence on the eternal state, which men shall be adjudged to, yet neither of them will properly belong to the trial men will be the subjects of at that day, in order to the manifestation of their state, wherein they are distinguished one from another. They will belong to the business of that day no otherwise, than the manifestation of the great truths of religion in general; as the nature and perfections of God, the dependence of mankind on God, as their creator and preserver, &c. Such truths as these will also have great influence on the eternal state, which men will then be adjudged to, as they aggravate the guilt of man's wickedness, and must be considered in order to a due estimate of Christ's righteousness, and men's personal virtue; yet, being of general and equal concernment, will not properly belong to the trial of particular persons.

Another thing urged by our author particularly against the imputation of Adam's sin, is this: "Though, in scripture, action is frequently said to be imputed, reckoned, accounted to a person, it is no other than his own act and deed!"* In the same place he cites a number of places of scripture, where these words are used, which he says are all that he can find in the Bible.

But we are no way concerned with this argument at present, any further than it relates to imputation of sin, or sinful action. Therefore all that is in the argument, which relates to the present purpose, is this: That the word is so often applied in scripture to signify God's imputing personal sin, but never once to his imputing Adam's sin....So often!....How often?....But twice. There are but two of all those places which he reckons up, that speak of, or so much as have any reference to, God's imputing sin to any person, where there is any evidence that only personal sin is meant; and they are Levit. xvii. 3, 4, and 2 Tim. iv. 16. All therefore the argu

Page 3, &c. 105, S.

ment comes to, is this: That the word, impute, is applied in scripture, two times, to the case of God's imputing sin, and neither of those times to signify the imputing of Adam's sin, but both times it has reference to personal sin; therefore Adam's sin is not imputed to his posterity. And this is to be noted, that one of these two places, even that in Levit. xvii. 3, 4, does not speak of imputing the act committed, but another not committed. The words are, "What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox or lamb or goat in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, and bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the Lord, before the tabernacle of the Lord, blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; that man shall be cut off from among his people, i. e. plainly, murder shall be imputed to him: He shall be put to death for it, and therein punished with the same severity as if he had slain a man. It is plain by Isai. lxvi. 3, that in some cases, a shedding the blood of beasts, in an unlawful manner, was imputed to them, as if they slew a man.

But whether it be so or not, although in both these places the word, impute, be applied to personal sin, and to the very act done by the person spoken of, and in ten more places; or although this could be said of all the places, which our author reckons up; yet that the word, impute, is never expressly ap plied to Adam's sin, does no more argue, that it is not imputed to his posterity, than it argues, that pride, unbelief, lying, theft, oppression, persecution, fornication, adultery, sodomy, perjury, idolatry, and innumerable other particular moral evils, are never imputed to the persons that committed them, or in whom they are; because the word, impute, though so often used in scripture, is never applied to any of these kinds of wickedness.

I know not what can be said here, except one of these two things That though these sins are not expressly said to be imputed, yet other words are used that do as plainly and certainly imply that they are imputed, as if it were said so expressly. Very well, and so I say with respect to the imputation of Adam's sin. The thing meant by the word, impute, VOL. VI. 3 M

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