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ment. Thus according to the iour and his atonement. Thus declarations of the apostle, "By the apostle declares, that believone man's disobedience manyers are "justified freely by his were made sinners: and by the grace through the redemption offence of one, judgment came that is in Jesus Christ." upon all men unto condemna- But since the apostle declares, tion." For it is by means of the that "as by the offence of one, apostacy of Adam, that all man-judgment came upon all men to kind became sinful and condem- condemnation; even so by the ned. But still their own person-righteousness of one, the free al sin is the immediate cause or gift came upon all men unto jus ground of their guilt and con- tification of life:" some have demnation. supposed, that the expression,

II. In what sense are believ-" even so by the righteousness,' ers made righteous, or justified &c. implies, that there is an exby the righteousness of Christ ?act parallel between our being By the righteousness of Christ condemned on account of the is here meant his atonement, in-offence of Adam, and our being cluding both his perfect obedi-justified on account of the rightence to the divine law, and his cousness of Christ. This paralsufferings, by which he support- lel, therefore, it is supposed, reed its authority. When persons quires, that mankind should be cordially receive the Lord Jesus condemned on account of the disas their Saviour, and become uni- obedience of Adam, antecedent ted to him in faith and love; they to their own personal sin, or at then, in a certain sense, become least that their condemnation one with him. Thus they are should be grounded on his ofsaid to be members of his body, fence. and to be one with him, as the To this it may be answered, wife is one with her husband. that persons are not justified by On account of this their union the righteousness of Christ, unwith his beloved Son, God re-til they have personal holiness, gards them with affection, and treats them in a certain sense as one with him, by conferring upon them great favors and honors for his sake: or in other words, he treats them as righteous by pardoning their sins, receiving them into favor, and bestowing upon them eternal life, from regard to the atonement and righteousness of the Lord Jesus, in whom he is well pleased. This cordial union to Christ, or approbation of his character and atonement, by the exercise of a holy faith, is necessary to our justification and salvation. But still our justification in the sight of God is wholly out of regard to the Sav- I

or are united to him by a cordial faith and love. So on the other hand, mankind are not condemned, until they become personally sinful, and thus by their sinful temper or exercises unite with Adam in his apostacy and rebellion against God. And in this respect there is an exact parallel or similarity between the justification of believers and the condemnation of Adam's posterity. For personal sin, and personal holiness or faith are equally necessary to condemnation, and to justification.

There is also a similarity between the two cases in another respect. For as the personal faith, holiness and jus

life. They must therefore be justified by the righteousness or atonement of the Saviour, as the meritorious cause. But when a

then justly merits or deserves condemnation on his own account. Thus from the different nature and desert of holiness in believers, and of sin in the posterity of Adam, it is certain, that there must be a difference between condemnation by Adam, and justification by Christ.

tification of the believer take place in consequence of the righteousness and atonement of the Lord Jesus, and are connected with it by a divine engage-person is once guilty of sin, he ment or constitution; so the personal sin and condemnation of all the race of Adam take place, and are inseparably connected with his apostacy. In view of the striking similarity between the two cases in these respects, the apostle might with great truth and propriety say, "Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."

Besides, the justification of believers is not an act of justice to them; it gives them no legal claim on God for favor. But it is an act of pure, sovereign grace, bestowed on them, because God delights in mercy and happiness. But certainly no one will say, that we are condemned for Adam's sin, not as a matter of justice, but of pure sovereign wrath, inflicted on us, because God delights in wrath and misery. This would be blasphemous; and yet it seems, that persons must be driven to this conse

is an exact parallel in all respects between condemnation through Adam, and justification through Christ, and that the sin of Adam is the meritorious ground of our condemnation; as the righteousness of the Lord Jesus is the meritorious ground of our justification.

But the phrase, even so by the righteousness," &c. does by no means necessarily imply, that there must be an exact parallel, in all respects, between condemnation by the offence of Adam, and justification by the righteousness of Christ. If there is a parallel between them in some particulars, then the expression, "even so," &c. is true and prop-quence, if they assert, that there er, although in some other respects there may be a difference. And that there must be a difference, between the ground of condemnation through Adam, and of justification through the Lord Jesus, is evident from various considerations. It is evident from the different nature and desert of holiness and of sin. Personal holiness and faith are as necessary to our justification by the righteousness of Christ, as personal sin is to our condemnation through the fall of Adam. But although the exercise of faith and holiness unites to the Saviour; yet it does not atone for the past sins of believers, and merit justification and eternall VOL. V. No. 9.

These considerations clearly show, that mankind are not condemned for the disobedience of Adam, as the meritorious ground, antecedently to their own personal sin and demerit : and that the declaration of the apostle, "Therefore as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men unto condemnation; even so by the righteous

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ness of one, the free gift came righteousness of Christ will proupon all men unto justification,' fit us nothing. For it is declared, does by no means imply, that" He that believeth not shall be there is an exact parallel in all damned, and shall never see life respects between condemnation -Without holiness no man shall by the offence of one, and justifi- see the Lord-Except ye repent cation by the righteousness of ye shall all perish." It is thereone. Yea, the apostle himselfde-fore of infinite importance to clares, "Not as the offence, so each one of us that we repent also is the free gift. And not and forsake our sins, believe in as it was by one that sinned, so the Lord Jesus, and cordially is the free gift for the judg-[receive and obey the gospel. ment was by one to condemnation; but the free gift is of many offences unto justification ;" plainly teaching, that there is a difference between the two cases in some respects.

It may be remarked from the subject,

1st, That none will be condemned by the Most High, unless they justly deserve it, and that he will punish none in the present or future world any more than they deserve for their own personal sins. Some are apt to complain, and feel as if it was hardly just, that they should suffer so many evils, and be exposed to everlasting destruction in consequence of the sin of Adam. But it appears, that we have no just reason to complain of any injustice, since we never suffer any more than our own iniquities justly deserve. Thus every mouth will be stopped at the bar of God, and every conscience will be convinced of the justice and rectitude of the divine proceedings in the condemnation of the wicked, who will receive according to their own works, and will for ever eat the fruit of their own doings.

2d, It appears, that personal holiness, or a cordial faith and love, which unite us to the Saviour, are necessary to salvation. Without these, the atonement or

H. E.

While people continue in the body,

they are to expect no account from the invisible world, but, what is contained in the Bible.

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1. There can be nothing essentially new revealed to men, while in their present state, respecting the condition of the godly or the wicked, after death, in addition to what is revealed in the word of God. This exhibits as clear and striking a representation of invisible and eternal things, as people are capable of receiving and understanding, while in their mortal state.

Christ who came down from heaven, had a far more perfect knowledge of the invisible world and of the final conditions of men, than any common person could have, though he had been among departed spirits. Should one come from heaven, or from hell, we cannot conceive it possible, that he should give a more affecting description of the happiness of the former, or the misery of the latter, than Christ hath given.

that so small a mitigation to his sufferings might be granted as the application of one drop of water, to cool his schorched tongue ?*

Or can we imagine that one sent from that place of misery could use language or metaphors, which would exceed those found in John's Revelation, to set forth the dreadfulness of the punishment, which the wicked suffer after death?

It is there described, by a lake which burneth with fire and brimstone." They are represented, as drinking of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, into the cup of his indignation. And shall be tormented in the presence of God and the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night."‡.

And should one come from the heavenly world, we may not, presume to say, that he could represent the glory and blessedness of the place, beyond what Christ and the inspired penmen of the scriptures have done. No

Had Dives been sent from hell, to testify to men, what he had seen and felt, could he have found language to have painted the exquisiteness of the misery of damned souls, beyond what Christ hath done in his doctrines and parables? What words can be more expressive of their tor-one who had been in Paradise, ment, than to say " they are cast could use words more expressinto a place of outer darkness, ive of the happiness of saints, where is weeping and gnashing than those of David in the xvi. of teeth? Or into a furnace of Psalm 11 ver. "In thy presfire ;† into everlasting fire: the ence is fulness of joy, and at thy fire that shall never be quench-right hand there are pleasures ed; where their worm dieth not, for ever more." and their fire is not quenched." Could one sent from the world of woe, have represented the anguish he there endured, in more lively colors, than to say it was his most earnest petition,

* Matt. viii. 12. † x 50. Mark ix. 45, 46.

The beauty and glory of the heavenly state, are pointed out by the most lively figures and things in nature, in the xxi. chap. of Revelation, under the name of the new Jerusalem. It is sub

*Luke xvi. 24. + Rev. xix. 20. Rev. xiv. 10, 11.

joined," And the nations that are saved, shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it; and the gates of it shall not at all be shut by day; for there shall be no night there." See also chap. vii. 15, 16, 17 verses.

How expressive of the glory and happiness of the saints in heaven, are these words of Christ? "Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father."* A similar passage is found in Dan. xii. 3. "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever."

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2. Should a messenger come from the invisible world, he could set no new motives for repent, ance before sinners. This is implied in the address of Abraham to Dives, Luke xvi. 31. "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." These words denote, that if the means which God hath instituted, lose their effect upon sinners; no others would avail to lead them to repentance. The word of God contains every thing necessary, to instruct and warn mankind and all is there said respecting future and eternal things, that is requisite for them to know, or which they are capable of knowing, until they exchange worlds.

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A person sent from heaven or hell, might cause a momentary surprise, with those to whom he should appear; but would do nothing towards melting the hard heart of a sinner into penitence. He would be far from convincing infidels of the reality and vast importance of eternal truths, or of their sin and fol

And what one from the world of glory, could express his ideas of its joys more fully, than is implied in the promised reward of grace to the godly? They are promised eternal life; a crown of life; a crown of glory that fadeth not away. And that they shall eat of the hidden manna; shall drink of the river of water of life; that the Lamb shall feed them; and lead them to living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. We may therefore be assur-ly in rejecting a crucified Saved, that no saint whose soul had been in Paradise, could add any thing to the glorious representations of the blessedness of that place, already given in the word of God. Nay, we may conclude that what departed spirits experience beyond those representations therein made, is incommunicable to men, in this life. When Paul was caught up to the third heaven, he heard, "un

Matt. xiii. 43.

iour. Nothing would be effected in this way, towards removing the native enmity which exists in the hearts of unregenerate persons against God, and the truths of his holy word. The influences of the divine Spirit alone can produce a change in the moral temper of sinners. And if we may hope for the blessed Spirit to accompany any means, they must be such as God hath instituted.

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