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out advantage, in consequence of the sin of Adam." But in this shape the objection becomes irrélevant; because on that very ground on which Adam was reprieved, a provision was made for the conditional absolution of each individual of his immense family. His reprieve opened indeed the door for their birth and personal existence in a state of thraldom, as it was derived from him; but not without a simultaneous provision for their deliverance. The declaration that "the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head," was not so much a promise to Adam, as a denunciation upon the serpent, the enemy, not of Adam only, but of all his progeny and was a prediction of the conditional deliverance of the whole human race. But it was a benefit to mankind, not indeed through the first Adam, by birth, but through the second Adam, by grace. By that divine declaration, therefore, all mankind were placed on new ground. Each individual has an interest in it, by which he is saved from final and unconditional destruction, and by which, while a remedy is provided for the disorder unconditionally entailed on him, a possibility is secured of its turning to his advantage.Hence whatever, in the present stage of human existence, individuals may suffer through the disobedience of their first parents, no one, merely on that account, can suffer finally and eternally.

Although all mankind are involved in the penal conse. quences of the sin of Adam, the original promise of a Redeemer, which was the ground of the reprieve of our offending parent, or rather the fulfilment of that promise, has arrested the general sentence of condemnation: and while it conditionally saves the whole progeny of man from final ruin, it gives them great advantage. This consolatory truth we learn, not only from the general tenor of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but especially from that paral. lel, or rather antithesis, which St. Paul has produced between the consequences of the offence of the first Adam, and those of the obedience unto death of the second Adam. "Adam was the figure of him that was to come. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead; much more

the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judg. ment was by one to condemnation; but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offence of one, or rather di evoç tapatτwμatos, by one offence, (judgment came) upon all men to condem.nation; even so by the righteousness of one, or devoc dikaiμatos, by one righteousness, (the free gift came) upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's. disobedience many were made sinners, so, by the obedi

ence of one, shall many be made righteous. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ, our Lord," Rom. v, 12-21.

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If this apostolical mode of reasoning be appropriate, the present economy of God, so far from being unjust, is. abundantly merciful. The benefits accruing to mankind through the gift of God, by grace, must not, however,. divert our attention from our subject. If righteousness and life come by Christ, it is because sin and death first came by Adam, verse 12. The grace of God, and the gift by grace, have abounded unto many, because through the offence of one many are dead, verse 15. The free gift is of many offences unto justification, because first the judg ment was by one to condemnation, verse 16. If they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ; by one man's offence death first reigned over them by one, verse 17. The righteousness of one is upon all men unto justification of life; because by the offence of one (judgment came) upon all men to condemnation, verse 18. If by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous; by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, verse 19. And if grace reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life by Jesus Christ, sin had first reigned unto death,. verse 21. The strength and extent of the remedy prove the inveteracy and extent of the disease.

VII. "At this rate you destroy the work of your own hands. You first suppose that all mankind are depraved and ruined, and then that they are all renewed and restored. But if all men are renewed and restored in *Jesus Christ, how can they be depraved and ruined in Adam ?"

We answer :—

1. If mankind were personally justified and sanctified in Christ Jesus, it would imply that they are otherwise depraved and ruined; for if this were not the case, they would not need the mediation of Jesus Christ.

2. All mankind are in such a sense justified through Jesus Christ, as not to perish finally and eternally merely on account of Adam's sin. Hence they are placed in a state of probation, in which they have an opportunity for seeking and finding both a personal interest in "the grace of God," and a personal participation of "the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ." In the meantime, they are not so justified as to avoid all the consequences of the sin of their first parent; as not to need a personal union with Jesus Christ; as not to be called to seek such a union with him; or as not to be finally condemned for their own sin, if they wilfully neglect to embrace the Saviour and his salvation.

3. Mankind are not necessarily regenerated or sanctified in Christ Jesus. If this were the case, the fall of their parent would not account for their personal sinful. ness. But the means of their regeneration and sanctification are provided and set before them. They are unclean; but a fountain is opened in the house of David for sin and for uncleanness, in which they may wash and be clean. They are not whole, but diseased; and therefore have need of a Physician: and there is balm in Gilead, there is a Physician there, by whom all that come to him, whatever be their diseases, may be made whole. These observations leave room, however, for another objection.

VIII. "If all mankind are guilty and depraved, how can dying infants be made partakers of the kingdom of heaven? You grant the latter, and therefore must give up the former."

There is nothing inconsistent between the ruin and

depravity of infants by the sin of their parents, and their being finally saved by Jesus Christ, "If by the offence of one, judgment came upon them to condemnation; so, by the righteousness of one, the free gift comes upon them unto justification of life." However necessary it may be that they who, by personal sin, have confirmed the original sentence of condemnation, should seek and accept a personal interest in Christ, it cannot be necessary for those who have committed no personal sin, and who have never been capable of a personal application of the merit of the Saviour. As to their participation of human depravity, they have never, by an unholy choice or deed, given them. selves up to its government; and, therefore, dying in personal innocence, they may be renewed by an operation of the Holy Spirit, which does not require, as in the case of adults, their personal co-operation. Their ruin has been effected without their personal fault; and their recovery is effected without their personal choice.

As the depravity and ruin of mankind are clearly and decisively demonstrated, in the sacred Scriptures, to be the natural and judicial consequences of the sin of their first parents, the whole Socinian system must fall to the ground. The rational divines must relinquish their confidence in the infallibility of human reason; grant that a divine Redeemer and Restorer is necessary; submit to the doctrine of a propitiatory sacrifice; and acknowledge their want of a supernatural influence on their minds and hearts, in order to their salvation. They must renounce their boasts of the moral dignity of human nature; rank themselves with publicans and sinners; and condescend to be saved by grace. Nor will they hereby lose any thing but their unreasonable prejudices and their destruc. tive sins.

CHAPTER XIV.

Of the Miraculous Conception of Jesus Christ. To bring this doctrine under suspicion, Mr. G. has given us, from Dr. Watts, "the principles and rules of judgment, by which men are influenced in deciding upon

matters of human testimony." (Vol. ii, p. 372, &c.) His rules are not, however, exactly applicable to the present case. There is a considerable difference between those facts on the evidence of which we receive the doctrines of Christianity, and those of which we are thereby certified. Our Lord and his apostles wrought miracles in confirmation of their testimony. These were public and notorious. But they have related many facts which can be ascertained only on the credit of their testimony; because the nature of them is inconsistent with public notoriety. We cannot expect the same evidence of our Lord's transfiguration which we have of his resurrection: and it would be still more unreasonable to expect that the miraculous conception, a thing necesarily private, should be attested equally with our Lord's public miracles.

The evidence which we have of this part of sacred history is contained principally in the accounts which the evangelists, Matthew and Luke, have given us in the first two chapters of their respective gospels. "If these chapters be genuine, that is, written by Matthew and Luke, their authenticity, that is, the truth of the facts recorded, (as Mr. G. justly observes,) must follow; the general authenticity of these writers being fully established." (Vol. ii, p. 371.)

Whether these chapters be genuine, it shall now be our business to inquire.

I. It is not a matter of small importance that they now make a part of what we receive from our predecessors, as the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Wetstein, Griesbach, and other learned editors of the New Testament, have admitted them without scruple.They make a constituent part of all the ancient versions. With the exception of casual mutilations, such as may take place at the extremity of any manuscript, they are found in all the ancient copies, concerning which we have any information.

II. In addition to all this, the early testimony of the Christian fathers is decisive in favour of their genuineness.

Ignatius, the disciple of John, speaks of Jesus Christ as being "both of Mary and of God." (Epist. ad Eph. sec. 7.) "Jesus Christ (he says again) was, according to the dispensation of God, conceived in Mary, of the seed

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