into the world, and death by fin; and so death paffed upon all

tion, or happy Change of State, I have another Ar

men,for that all have gument to advance, wherefinned. by the Grace of the Gospel will appear to be free to all Mankind, and to be rightly founded upon the Death, or Obedience of the SON OF GOD. To this Purpofe, let it be obferved, That by one Man, Adam, Sin entered into the World. He begun Tranfgreffion, and through his Sin Death

-

alfo

thus, with relation to this affair, namely, of the underftanding, and receiving Inftruction, which he had been fpeaking of juft before] Mat. xxiii. 34. Mar. xii. 24. Luke xi. 49.-xii. 22. John vi. 65.-vii. 22.-ix. 23. -xii. 18. xiii. 11. 1 Cor. iv. 17.-xi. 30. Epb. i. 15. -v. 17. 1 John iii. 1. In all thofe Places it fignifieth, I think, in relation to which Affair, viz. that is fpoken of before; not by way of Inference from it, but to denote a further Inlargement upon it, or the faying of fomething which may enforce or explain it.

*Obf. Death could not enter into the World in the fame manner as Sin: because Death and Sin are in their Natures effentially different. Death being a natural Evil, may come upon us by natural Neceffity, or the Will of God; but fo cannot Sin, which is a moral Evil: Because where-ever Neceffity begins, Sin ceafeth, feeing it is no other than the free Choice of a wicked Mind. And therefore it is obfervable the Apoftle doth not fay, and fo Sin paffed upon all Men, but, and fo Death paffed upon all Men. For in its own Nature Sin could not come upon all Mankind in the fame manner as Death.

Spoken of in the foregoing Verfe; where Atonement [xalarλan] fhould have been render'd Reconciliation, or rather, Change of State, meaning, the Gentiles being admitted into the Family and Kingdom of God, and having the Affurance of eternal Salvation.

alfo entred into the World; and so, in this Way, through his Sin, Death came upon all Mankind, as far even as which all Men are Sufferers, through his one Offence.

13. For until the law fin was in the world: But fin is not imputed when * law is not in being.

13. THAT Men are fubject to Death not from their own perfonal Sins, but from the Sin of Adam, I thus prove. Before the Law of Mofes was given, and therefore while the Law, which threatens Tranfgreffion with Death, was not in Being, Men, 'tis true, were guilty of various Sorts of Sin. But those Sins of theirs were not the Reafon of their common Mortality: Becaufe, whatever Sin may deferve, it is not taxed with the Forfeiture of Life, when Law, or the Conftitution which alone fubjects the Sinner to Death, is not in Being.

14. Nevertheless, death reigned from

Adam to Mofes, even

over them that had not finned after the fimilitude of Adam's the figure of him that tranfgreffion, who is was to come.

14. AND yet Death all the long Space from Adam to Mofes, had an uninterrupted Dominion over Mankind, even over thofe who did not fin, as Adam did, against LAW, making Death the Penalty of their Sin: Becaufe, during that Period Mankind were not under LAW. And therefore it is evident, that every fingle Man did not, in this manner,

for

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Grace, overflowing in a rich Provifion of Means, and the free Grant of a Right to Life and Salvation, how much more fhall they be exalted to reign in Life eternal thro that one great and moft excellent Perfonage, JESUS CHRIST?

18. Therefore as by the offence of one [ judgment came ] upon all men to condemnation: even fo by the righteoufnefs of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto juftification of life.

18. THUS it is true, that all Mankind are subject to Death, not through their own perfonal Sins, but the one Offence of Adam: and thus it is true also that the Grace of God, founded upon the Obedience of Jefus Christ,

now flay to affign Reafons. That, perhaps, will be done, if I live to publifh a Paraphrase upon the whole Epiftle.

*The Words in this Verfe included between the Brackets are not in the original Text. And if the Verse be read without them, it will plainly appear, the Apoftle's main Design is to ballance the Confequences of Adam's Offence, and Chrift's Obedience fo far as they relate to ALL MEN without Exception; in order to fhew the Proportion and Fitnefs of the Latter with refpect to the Former. Thus; As through one OFFENCE upon ALL MEN unto CONDEMNATION of Death: so through one RIGHTEOUS ACT upon ALL MEN unto JUSTICATION of Life. The great Strefs or Emphafis lieth upon ALL MEN, as in the next Verfe, upon THE MANY, or all Mankind. For the grand Point of View is the Extensiveness of the Grace of the Gofpel, in Oppofition to the narrow Principles of the Jews, who would have confined Salvation within the Pale of their Peculiarity. And 'tis with refpect to this Extenfiveness that the Apoftle confiders Adam as the Type or Pattern of Christ.

Christ, overflows in Benefits for our Salvation. far beyond the Confequences of that Sin, or the mere reverfing of the Mortality which that Sin brought upon Mankind. Thefe Things being established, I return to my first Argument in the 12th Verfe, which now will turn. out very clear and ftrong. I fay then, with Relation to the Affair of our Reconciliation or Change of State, through the Death of Chrift, that it must be allowed to reach, in a Senfe, to all Mankind; not only to the Jews, but alfo to the Gentiles. For fince upon the Account of one Man's Lapfe, the Sentence of Condemnation extended unto all Men; it must be true and fit, that the revoking that Condemnation, by the righteous Action of one, should likewife extend to all Men, to deliver them from the Mortality to which they were adjudged, and to reftore them to Life at the Refurrection. [Which, next to a Life of Obedience in this World, is the first and fundamental Step in the Gofpel-Salvation +.]

19. FOR

+ According to our Saviour, John vi. 39. And this is the Father's will, which hath fent me, that of all which he hath given me, I fhould LOSE nothing [fhould suffer nothing to PERISH. It is the fame Word that is ufed 1 Cor. xv. 18. "Then they which are fallen afleep "in Chrift, are PERISHED."] but should raife it up again at the last day. Ver. 40. And this is the will of him that fent me, that every one that feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raife him up at the last day. Ver. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father, which hath fent me, draw him:

and

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19. For as by one man's difobedience many were made finners: fo by the obe

19. FOR as, upon the

account of one man's Difobedience, Mankind were

dience of one shall judicially conftituted Sinmany be made righte

ous.

ners, i. e. fubjected to Death by the Sentence of God, the Judge: So it is proportionably right and true, that, by the Obedience of one, Mankind fhall be judicially conftituted righteous, by being raifed to Life again. [And not only fo, but, according to my Argument, in the 15th, 16th, and 17th Verfes, all Mankind have, at prefent, a Right to the ABOUNDING Grace of the Gospel, and upon their receiving, and duly improving it, to ETERNAL LIFE.]

Now we have gone over all the Places in Scripture, which do certainly speak of the

and I will raife him up at the last day. Ver. 54. Whofs eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raife him up at the last day. Rev. i. 18. I am be that liveth, &c. and have the keys of Hell [the Grave] and of Death. And the Apoftles always fuppofe the Refurrection from the dead as the firft and neceffary Step to eternal life. It is of no Weight to object; But the Refurrection is no Benefit or Bleffing to the wicked: For no other Inftance of divine Goodness is a final Benefit, or Bleffing to the wicked. The Resurrection is revealed and affured as a Motive to Piety and Virtue; and it is our own great Fault if it turn not to our eternal Happiness. -But to what Purpofe are the wicked raised from the To this the Wisdom of God will give a fatisfactory Answer in that great Day.

dead?

Confe