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difpofed to aggravate, rather than to extenuate his offences, to which this last mentioned confideration would have greatly contributed.

Rom. v. 12, 13, 14. Wherefore, as by one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned, &c.

I think a careful and impartial reader will observe, that the apoftle speaks not here of the death of children, whom he does not once mention, or refer to, through the whole argument. But he fpeaks of those who were not only capable of finning but had actually finned, and refers us to the Mosaic history of mankind in the ages between the fall of Adam and the giving of the law by Mofes. Sin and death entered into the world by Adam, and death hath pafled upon all men, for that all have finned, confequently must have tranfgreffed fome law, v. 14. For, before the giving of the law by Mofes, fin was in the world, but fin is not imputed where there is no law and the law of Mofes they could not fin against before it was given. Neverthelefs, death reigned from Adam to Mofes, even over them that had not finned after the fimilitude of Adam's tranfgreffion, i.e. by eating the forbidden fruit, or violating any pofitive law of life given to them. What law then had they finned againft? Moft evidently, the law of righteousness which God had written on their hearts; the fanction of which they were alfo well apprized of (as the apoftle fpeaks of

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the gentiles in general, ch. i. 32, of this epiftle} Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit fuch things are worthy of death, not only do the fame, but have pleafure in them that do them. Hence it appears that the apoftle does not fpeak of the fin of Adam being imputed to make men finners, and fubject them to death; but of actual and perfonal fins, and of death as the recoinpence of them. Now look into the Mofaic history of this period, and we find before the flood that the wickedness of men was great in the earth.-Gen. vi. 5. The earth alfo was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. For all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth, v. 11, 12. And after the flood, excepting the faith and obedience of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, we have little elfe recorded befides trangreffions of the law of righteoufnefs, fins which men committed, though not after the fimilitude of Adam's tranfgreffion. As to the death of infants; God, the great giver of life, hath, undoubtedly a perfect right to refume it, whenever it feemeth meet to his infinite wisdom. But I do not recollect that the facred writers do any where reprefent it as a punishment either for Adam's fin, or their own. In a few cafes they speak of it as a punishment of the fin of their immediate parents, but then, as a punishment to their parents, who had finned, not to the children who had not finned.

Rom.

Rom. v. 6, 8. For when we were yet without Strength, in due time, Chrift died for the ungodly. But God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet finners, Chrift died for us.

Let the intelligent reader judge for himself, whether the apoftle does not speak here of the ftate of mankind (particularly of himself and the perfons he writes to) before Chrift's death, and the confequent publication of the gofpel to the world, and intimate that the cafe is very different fince that happy event? Doth he not plainly make the diftinction in both verfes, that we might not mistake his meaning, When we were yet without ftrength, and while we were yet finners? But doth the cafe continue the fame, fince Chrift died, with thofe to whom the bleffings of the gofpel are imparted? then hath Chrift died, and the gospel been published in vain. Yet fome writers represent the ftate of thofe for whom Chrift died, and who have received the gospel, as just the fame, as to ftrength, with them who had not received it, and who lived before it was published. Surely, any of us would be difpleafed to have our words wrefted to purposes fo different from our intentions ; especially, when we had endeavoured to guard them from fuch abuse. God our maker hath given us intelligent capacities, fuited to thofe difcoveries which he hath made of his will, whether by the light of nature, or revelation; he hath given us alfo freedom of choice and action for the conduct of ourselves;

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ourselves; he hath granted us the light and motives of the gospel for our fuller inftruction and perfuafion; he is ever present with us and ready to affift our fincere endeavours to know and to do his will: furely then, it is unjust and ungrateful to him to say that we are still without strength; and if we be finners, it is wholly our own fault. As for the gentiles, even the worst of them, the apostle no where afcribes their want of ftrength, to their not having received from their maker fufficient abilities to know and do his will acceptably, but to their having voluntarily corrupted themselves and one another, and thereby loft the abilities which God had given them, and become dead in trefpaffes and fins.

Rom. vii. 7, 8. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

It appears to me that the apoftle speaks here only of perfonal character and conduct, and the effects of them in producing governing habits: but not at all of any corruption or depravity of the nature of man effected by Adam's fin, whereby he is become incapable of doing that which is good, or of pleafing God. Adam, or his fin, is not mentioned by the apostle in treating of this fubject. It is readily acknowledged, that a perfon who attaches him felf to the gratification of his carnal or fenfual appetites and paffions cannot perform the will of God, but

muft

muft daily become more and more alienated from bim and from his duty: but this is faying no more than that a wicked man cannot be a good man, or please God fo long as he continues wicked. But it by no means follows that this man is unable to hear, understand, and receive falutary convictions from the truths of God, revealed by his Son Jefus Chrift, and thereby become changed in his sentiments, difpofitions, and conduct, and from carnally-minded become spiritually-minded. The various forms of fpeech which the apostle ufes in the preceding and following verfes feem only to exprefs one and the fame thing, viz. the change produced in the difpofitions and conduct of men by preaching the gospel to them, and their attention to it, and fincere reception of it, together with the happy effects and confequences of it.

Ephefians ii. 3. And were by nature children of

wrath even as others.

If we compare the paffages in which the apostle ufes the word nature, we fhall find that he did not mean by it that internal frame, conftitution, or condition of being wherewith God our maker hath formed us; but that external condition, or those outward circumftances (especially with relation to God and religious concerns) in which divine providence hath caufed us to be born and live. Human nature, in our fenfe of the phrafe, is the fame in all mankind; but different perfons may be brought

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