Senfe as an Help to fettle the Meaning of many other Paffages of facred Writ.;

As this Place in general is very full and plain, fo the Doctrine of the Corruption of Nature, as derived from Adam, and alfo the Imputation of his firit Sin, are both clearly taught in it. The Imputation of Adam's one Tranfgreffion, is indeed most directly and frequently afferted. We are here affured, that by one Man's Sin, Death passed on all; all being adjudged to this Punishment, as having finned (fo 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 alfo here taught, when the Apoftle fays, By one Man Sin entered into the World; having a plain Respect (as hath been fhewn) to that univerfal Corruption and Wickednefs, as well as Guilt, which he had before largely treated of.

PART

Chap.I. S

PART III.

Obferving the Evidence given us, relative to the Doctrine of Original Sin, in what the Scriptures reveal concerning the Redemption by CHRIST.

The Evidence of Original Sin, from the Nature
Redemption, in the Procurement of it.

A

CCORDING to Dr. T-r'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 expofed to any Punishment whatsoever, viz. all that die in Infancy. They are the Subjects of Chrift's Redemption, as he redeems them from Death, or as they by his Righteousness have Juftification, and by his Obedience are made righteous, in the Refurrection of the Body, in the Sense of Rom. v. 18, 19. And all Mankind are thus the Subjects of Chrift's Redemption, while they are perfectly guiltlefs, and exposed to no Punishment, as by Chrift they are intitled to a Refurrection. Though, with refpect to fuch Perfons as have finned, he allows it is in fome Sort by Christ and his Death, that they are faved from Sin, and the Punishment of it.

Now let us fee whether fuch a Scheme well confifts with the Scripture-Account of the Redemption. by Jefus Chrift.

1. The

I. The Representations of the Redemption by Chrift, every where in Scripture, lead us to fuppofe, 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 fuppofe, that when he had his Name Jefus, or Saviour, given him by God's fpecial and immediate Appointment, the Salvation meant by that Name fhould be his Salvation in general; and not only a Part of his Salvation, and with Regard only to fome of them that he came to fave. But this Name was given him to fignify his faving his People from their Sins, Matth. i. 21. And the great Doctrine of Chrift's Salvation is, that he came into the World to Save Sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15. And that Chrift bath once fuffered, the Just for the Unjust, 1 Pet. iii. 18. In this was manifefted the Love of God towards us, (towards fuch in general as have the Benefit of God's Love in giving Chrift) that God fent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through Him. Herein is Love, that be fent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins, 1 John iv. 9, 10. Many other Texts might be mentioned, which feem evidently to suppose, that all who are redeemed by Christ, are faved from Sin. We are led by what Chrift himself faid, to fuppofe, 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 Chrift, must first be in a State of Sin, is implied in Gal. iii. 22. But the Scripture bath concluded all under Sin, that the Promife by Faith of Jefus Chrift might be given to them that believe. To the fame Effect is Rom. xi. 32.

Thefe

Thefe Things are greatly confirmed by the Scripture-Doctrine of Sacrifices. It is abundantly plain, by both Old and New. Teftament, that they were Types of Chrift's Death, and were for Sin, and fuppofed Sin in thofe for whom they were offered. The Apoftle fuppofes, that in order to any having the Benefit of the eternal Inheritance by Chrift, there must of Neceffity be the Death of the Teftator; and gives that Reason for it, that without shedding of Blood there is no Remiffion, Heb, ix. 15, &c. And Chrift himfelf, in representing the Benefit of his Blood, in the Inftitution of the Lord's Supper, under the Notion of the Blood of a Teftament, calls it, The Blood of the New Tęftament fhed for the Remiffion of Sins, Matth. xxvi. 28. But according to the Scheme of our Author, many have the eternal Inheritance by the Death of the Teftator, who never had any Need of Remiffion.

II. The Scripture reprefents the Redemption by Chrift as a Redemption from deferved Destruction; and that, not merely as it refpects fome 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 whofoever believeth in him SHOULD NOT PERISH, but have everlasting Life: Implying, that otherwise they muft perish, or be deftroyed: But what Neceffity of this, if they did not deferve to be deftroyed? Now, that the Deftruction here spoken of, is deserved Destruction, is manifeft, because it is there compared to the perishing of fuch of the Children of Ifrael as died by the Bite of the fiery Serpents, which God in his Wrath, for their Rebellion, fent amongst them. And the fame Thing clearly appears by the laft Verfe of the fame Chapter,

A a 3

Chapter, He that believeth on the Son, bath everlafting Life; and he that believeth not the Son, fhall not fee 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 beftowed; the reft are left with the Wrath of God fill remaining on them: The fame is clearly illuftrated and confirmed by John v. 24. He that believeth, bath everlasting Life, and shall not come into Condemnation, but is passed from Death to Life, In being paffed from Death to Life is implied, that before, they were all in a State of Death; and they are spoken of as being fo by a Sentence of Condemnation; and if it be a juft Condemnation, it is a deferved Condemnation,

III. It will follow on Dr. T-r's Scheme, that Chrift'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 fo 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 Curfe denounced upon or through Adam; the Covenant with him being utterly abolished, as to all its Force and Power on Mankind (according to our Author) before the pronouncing the Sentence of Mortality. Therefore Trouble and Death could be appointed to innocent Mankind no other Way than on the Foot of another Covenant, the Covenant of Grace; and in this Channel they come only as Favours, not as Evils. Therefore they could need no Medicine or Remedy, for they had no Disease. Even Death itself, which it is fuppofed Chrift