"in its true Nature, always connotes, or "includes Guilt, but guilty of their Sin, we "neither are, nor, in the Nature of Things, any ways poffibly could be. We may fuffer by their Sin, and actually do fuffer by it; but we are not punished for their "Sin, because we are not guilty of it. Further, it is true, from the whole Current of Scripture, which reprefents Sufferings and "Afflictions as Means of our fpiritual Benefit, that though Afflictions and Death are "the Confequences of Adam's Sin, yet they really are a Benefit to us, as they are a great Advantage to our Virtue, by mortifying our Lufts, and leading us to the Fear "s and Obedience of God, and the Defires of "a better World. This ftandeth upon a "folid Bottom. For it appeareth evident in

our World, That the Increase of natural "Evil (at least in fome Degrees) is the lef fening of moral evil,"

THUS, my Friend, I have led you through this Part of Scripture as plainly and clearly as I can, without concealing any thing to our prefent Purpose, without colouring or wrefting any thing.

WHAT We have hitherto found is this; God threatened Adam with Death in cafe he finned. Adam finned and fell under Guilt, Shame, and Fear. God gracioufly purposed

to continue his Race, to appoint his Son, the Mefiah, to oppofe the Kingdom of the Devil, now begun by the Sin of Adam; but withal fubjected the Man to Sorrow, Labour, and Death.

IN the Old Teftament there is nothing more to be found certainly relating to the Confequences of Adam's firft Tranfgreffion. The Places in the New Teftament, which remain to be examined, are two; the one not without Difficulties, the other eafy and obvious. Which then do you think we should begin with? Certainly that which is eafy and obvious. Ever carry all the Light you can before you in fuch Inquiries, and you will fee your Way more clearly through that which is dark and intricate,

THE eafy and obvious Place is,

I CORINTH. Chap. XV. Ver: 21. For fince by man came death, by man came alfo the refurrection of the dead. 22. For as in Adam all die, even fo in Chrift fhall all be made alive.

Now it is plain beyond all Difpute,

I. THAT

+ A like Expreffion fee in Eccluf. xxv. 24. Of the woman came the beginning of fin, and through her we all

die.

1. THAT the Apoftle in this Chapter is fpeaking of, proving and explaining the Refurrection, or our being raised after we are dead, and restored to Life again: That Refurrection, and Reftauration to Life, without which they who are fallen afleep in Chrift are perished, ver. 18. Without the Hope of which, Chriftians, fuffering Chriftians, have hope in this life only, and fo are of all men most miferable, ver. 19. And without which the Apoftle expected no Advantage from all his fevere Conflicts and Sufferings in the Body, ver. 32. He fpeaks manifeftly of that Refurrection of Chriftians which is oppofed to fleeping in Chrift, or being dead in a State of Relation to Chrift, ver. 18, 20. Of that Refurrection, of which Chrifl's rifing from the Dead on the third Day, ver. 4, was the First-fruits, the Pledge and Pattern, ver. 20. Of that Fact and Event of the Refurrection which will happen at the coming of Chrift, ver. 23. And which Fact or Event fome in the Corinthian Church queftioned or denied, ver. 12. It is this very Fact or Event, and no other, which the Apostle here affirms and demonftrateth.

2. IT is quite undeniable, That ALL, all Mankind, die, ALL are mortal, ALL lofe their Life in Adam. From him our Mortality commenceth; Death was by him, ver. 21. C 4

that

that is, I fuppofe, by, or in Confequence of his Conduct.

3. Ir is equally clear and indifputable, That by Chrift came the refurrection of the dead: That in Chrift ALL that die in Adam, (that is to fay, all Mankind) are made alive. All thofe who ceafe to live in this World are in and by Chrift restored to Life, who otherwife might never have lived again, and, in fact, would never have lived again, had not God provided for their Revival or Return to Life at the Refurrection. This is very certain from the Apoftle's exprefs Affirmation, twice repeated in the cleareft Language, to prevent Obscurity and Miftake. As by man [Adam] came Death, by man [Chrift] came allo the refurrection of the dead. For as in Adam ALL die, even fo in Chrift fhall ALL be made alive. Which Words directly affirm, That a Refurrection, or being made alive again, is granted, affured, and executed by and in CHRIST alone; and evidently suppose, 1. That the Dead are not made alive till the Refurrection: for the Refurrection of the dead, and being made alive, are here Expreffions of the fame Signification. 2. That, had not a Refurrection been provided, we should never after Death have been made alive,

RE.

REFLECTIONS.

"FROM this Place we cannot conclude, that any other Evil or Death came upon Man"kind in Confequence of Adam's firft Tranf"greffion befides that Death from which "Mankind fhall be delivered at the Refur"rection; whatever that Death be."

THUS far we feem to have advanced upon good and folid Grounds. And the Truths we have found are thefe; That by Adam's Sin, he and his Pofterity were fubjected to Sorrow, and Labour, and to that Death, or Lofs of Life, which might never have been followed with a Refurrection or Revival, had not God in Chrift provided that Mankind fhould be made alive again at the last Day. As in Adam all die, even fo in Chrift shall all be made alive.

Now we are come to the most difficult Place of Scripture, which speaks of this Point; namely,

ROMANS, Chap. V.

Ver. 12. Wherefore as by one Man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and so death paffed upon all Men, for that all have finned.

11. For until the law, fin was in the world: but fin is not imputed when there is no law.

14. Never