selves, abstracted from any consideration of that remedy the sovereign and infinite grace of God has provided.

Having premised these things, I now proceed to say, That mankind are all naturally in such a state, as is attended, without fail, with this consequence or issue; that they universally run themselves into that which is, in effect, their own utter, eternal perdition, as being finally accursed of God, and the subjects of his remediless wrath through sin.

From which I infer that the natural state of the mind of man, is attended with a propensity of nature, which is prevalent and effectual, to such an issue; and that therefore their nature is corrupt and depraved with a moral depravity, that amounts to and implies their utter undoing.

Here I would first consider the truth of the proposition; and then would shew the certainty of the consequences which I infer from it. If both can be clearly and certainly proved, then, I trust, none will deny but that the doctrine of original depravity is evident, and so the falseness of Dr. Taylor's scheme demonstrated; the greatest part of whose book, called The Scripture Doctrine of Original Sin, &c. is against the doctrine of innate depravity. In page 107, S. he speaks of the conveyance of a corrupt and sinful nature to Adam's posterity as the grand point to be proved by the maintainers of the doctrine of Original Sin.

In order to demonstrate what is asserted in the proposition laid down, there is need only that these two things should be made manifest: One is this fact, that all mankind come into the world in such a state, as without fail comes to this issue, namely, the universal commission of sin; or that eyery one who comes to act in the world as a moral agent, is, in a greater or less degree, guilty of sin. The other is, that all sin deserves and exposes to utter and eternal destruction, under God's wrath and curse; and would end in it, were it not for the interposition of divine grace to prevent the effect. Both which can be abundantly demonstrated to be agreeable to the word of God, and to Dr. Taylor's own doctrine.

That every one of mankind, at least of them that are capable of acting as moral agents, are guilty of sin (not noy VOL. VI.

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taking it for granted that they come guilty into the world) is a thing most clearly and abundantly evident from the holy scriptures. 1 Kings viii. 46. “If any man sin against thee; for there is no man that sinneth not." Eccl. vii. 20. "There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not." Job ix. 2, 3. "I know it is so of a truth, (i. e. as Bildad had just before said, that God would not cast away a perfect man, &c.) but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand." To the like purpose, Psalm cxliii. 2. "Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." So the words of the apostle (in which he has apparent reference to those of the Psalmist) Rom. iii. 19, 20. "That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin." So Gal. ii. 16, and 1 John i. 7.... 10. "If we walk in the light, the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." As in this place, so in innumerable other places, confession and repentance of sin are spoken of, as duties proper for all; as also prayer to God for pardon of sin; and forgiveness of those that injure us, from that motive, that we hope to be forgiven of God. Universal guilt of sin might also be demonstrated from the appointment, and the declared use and end of the ancient sacrifices; and also from the ransom, which every one that was numbered in Israel, was directed to pay, to make atonement for his soul, Exod. xxx. 11.... 16. All are represented, not only as being sinful, but as having great and manifold iniquity, Job ix. 2, 3, James iii. 1, 2.

There are many scriptures which both declare the universal sinfulness of mankind, and also that all sin deserves and justly exposes to everlasting destruction, under the wrath and curse of God; and so demonstrate both parts of the

proposition I have laid down. To which purpose that in Gal. iii. 10, is exceeding full. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." How manifestly is it implied in the apostle's meaning here, that there is no man but what fails in some instances of doing all things that are written in the book of the law, and therefore as many as have their dependence on their fulfilling the law, are under that curse which is pronounced on them that do fail of it? And hence the apostle infers in the next verse, that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God; as he had said before in the preceding chapter, verse 16, "By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." The apostle shews us that he understands, that by this place which he cites from Deuteronomy, the scripture hath concluded, or shut up, all under sin, as in chap, iii. 22. So that here we are plainly taught, both that every one of mankind is a sinner, and that every sinner is under the curse of God,

To the like purpose is that, Rom. iv. 14, and also 2 Cor. iii. 6, 7, 9, where the law is called the letter that kills, the ministration of death, and the ministration of condemnation. The wrath, condemnation and death, which is threatened in the law to all its transgressors, is final perdition, the second death, eternal ruin, as is very plain, and is confessed. And this punishment which the law threatens for every sin, is a just punishment, being what every sin truly deserves; God's law being a righteous law, and the sentence of it a righteous

sentence.

All these things are what Dr. Taylor himself confesses and asserts. He says that the law of God requires perfect obedience. (Note on Rom. vii. 6, p. 308.) "God can never require imperfect obedience, or by his holy law allow us to be guilty of any one sin, how small soever. And if the law, as a rule of duty, were in any respect abolished, then we might in some respects transgress the law, and yet not be guilty of sin. The moral law, or law of nature, is the truth, everlasting, unchangeable, and therefore, as such, can never

be abrogated. On the contrary, our Lord Jesus Christ has promulgated it anew under the gospel, fuller and clearer than it was in the Mosaical constitution, or any where else; having added to its precepts the sanction of his own divine authority." And many things which he says, imply that all mankind do in some degree transgress the law. In page 228, speaking of what may be gathered from Rom. vii. and viii, he says, "We are very apt, in a world full of temptation, to be deceived, and drawn into sin by bodily appetites, &c. And the case of those who are under a law threatening death to every sin, must be quite deplorable, if they have no relief from the mercy of the lawgiver."

But this is very fully declared in what he says in his note on Rom. v. 20, page 297. His words are as follows: "Indeed, as a rule of action prescribing our duty, it (the law) always was, and always must be a rule ordained for obtaining life; but not as a rule of justification, not as it subjects to death for every transgression. For if it could in its utmost rigor have given us life, then, as the apostle argues, it would have been against the promises of God. For if there had been a law, in the strict and rigorous sense of law, which could have made us live, verily justification should have been by the law. But he supposes, no such law was ever given; and therefore there is need and room enough for the promises of grace; or as he argues, Gal. ii, 21, it would have frustrated, or rendered useless the grace of God. For if justification came by the law, then truly Christ is dead in vain, then he died to accomplish what was, or might have been effected by law itself without his death. Certainly the law was not brought in among the Jews to be a rule of justification, or to recover them out of a state of death, and to procure life by their sinless obedience to it; for in this, as well as in another respect, it was weak, not in itself, but through the weakness of our flesh, Rom. viii, 3, The law, I conceive, is not a dispensation suitable to the infirmity of the human nature in our present state; or it doth not seem congruous to the goodness of God to afford us no other way of salvation, but by law, which, if we once transgress, we are ruined forever. For whe

then, from the beginning of the world, could be saved ?".... How clear and express are these things, that no one of mankind, from the beginning of the world, can ever be justified by law, because every one transgresses it ?*

And here also we see, Dr. Taylor declares, that by the law, men are sentenced to everlasting ruin for one transgression. To the like purpose he often expresses himself. So p. 207. "The law requireth the most extensive obedience, discovering sin in all its branches. It gives sin a deadly force, subjecting every transgression to the penalty of death; and yet supplieth neither help nor hope to the sinner, but leaveth him under the power of sin and sentence of death.” In p. 213, he speaks of the law as "extending to lust and irregular desires, and to every branch and principle of sin; and even to its latent principles, and minutest branches." Again (Note on Rom. vii. 6. p. 308) "to every sin, how small soever." And when he speaks of the law subjecting every transgression to the penalty of death, he means eternal death, as he from time to time explains the matter. In p. 212, he speaks of the law "in the condemning power of it, as binding us in everlasting chains." In p. 120. S. he says, "that death which is the wages of sin, is the second death ;" and this p. 78, he explains of final perdition." In his Key, p. 107, § 296, he says, "The curse of the law subjected men for every transgression to eternal death." So in Note on Rom. v. 20, p. 291. "The law of Moses subjected those who were under it to death, meaning by death eternal death." These are his words.

He also supposes, that this sentence of the law, thus subjecting men for every, even the least sin, and every minutest branch and latent principle of sin, to so dreadful a punishment, is just and righteous, agreeable to truth and the nature of things, or to the natural and proper demerits of sin. This he is very

* I am sensible, these things are quite inconsistent with what he says elsewhere, of "sufficient power in all mankind constantly to do the whole duty which God requires of them," without a necessity of breaking God's law in any degree. (p. 63....68. S.) But, I hope, the reader will not think me accountable for his inconsistences.