The fpecial End of God's publick Judgment will be, to make a proper, perfect, open Distinction among Men, rightly to ftate and manifeft their Difference one from another, in order to that Separation and Difference in the eternal Retribution, that is to follow: and this Difference will be made to appear, by their perfonal Works.

There are two Things, with Regard to which Men will be tried, and openly distinguished by the perfect Judgment of God at the laft Day; according to the twofold real Diftinction fubfifting among Mankind: viz. (1) The Difference of STATE; that primary and grand Diftinction, whereby all Mankind are divided into two Sorts, the Righteous and the Wicked. (2.) That fecondary Diftinction, whereby both Sorts differ from others in the fame general State, in DEGREES of additional Fruits of Righteousness and Wickedness. Now the Judge, in order to manifeft both thefe, will judge Men according to their perfonal Works. But to inquire at the Day of Judgment, whether Adam finned or no, or whether Men are to be looked upon as one with him, and fo Partakers in his Sin, is what in no Respect tends to manifest either of these Distinctions,

1. The first Thing to be manifefted, will be the State, that each Man is in, with Refpect to the grand Diftin&tion of the whole World of Mankind into Righteous and Wicked; or, in metaphorical Language, Wheat and Tares; or, the Children of the Kingdom of Chrift, and the Children of the Wicked One; the latter, the Head of the Apoftafy; but the former, the Head of the Restoration and Recovery. The Judge, in manifefting this, will prove Men's Hearts by their Works, in fuch as

have

have had Opportunity to perform any Works in the Body. The evil Works of the Children of the wicked One will be the proper Manifeftation and Evidence or Proof of whatever belongs to the general State of fuch; and particularly they will prove, that they belong to the Kingdom of the great Deceiver, and Head of the Apostasy, as they will demonftrate the exceeding Corruption of their Nature, and full Confent of their Hearts to the common Apoftafy; and alfo that their Hearts never relinquifhed the Apoftafy, by a cordial Adherence to Chrift, the great Reftorer. The Judge will alfo make ufe of the good Works of the Righteous to fhew their Intereft in the Redemption of Chrift; as thereby will be manifefted the Sincerity of their Hearts in their Acceptance of, and Adherence to the Redeemer and his Righteousness. And in thus proving the State of Men's Hearts by their Actions, the Circumstances of those Actions muft neceffarily come into Confideration, to manifeft the true Quality of their Actions; as, each one's Talents, Opportunities, Advantages, Light, Motives, &c.

2. The other Thing to be manifefted, will be that fecondary Diftinction, wherein particular Perfons, both Righteous and Wicked, differ from one another, in the Degree of fecondary Good or Evil, that is something befide what is common to all in the fame general State: The Degree of evil Fruit, which is additional to the Guilt and Corruption of the whole Body of Apoftates and Enemies; and the Degree of perfonal Goodness and good Fruit, which is a fecondary Goodness, with Refpect to the Righteousness and Merits of Chrift, which belong to all by that fincere Faith manifested in all. Of this alfo each one's Works, with their Circum

itances,

ftances, Opportunities, Talents, &c. will be the proper Evidence.

As to the Nature and Aggravations of the genetal Apoftafy by Adam's Sin, and alfo the Nature and Sufficiency of the Redemption by Jefus Chrift, the great Reftorer, though both these will have vaft Influence on the eternal State, which Men shall be adjudged to, yet neither of them will properly belong to the Trial Men will be the Subjects of at that Day, in order to the Manifeftation of their State, wherein they are diftinguished one from ans ather. They will belong to the Business of that Day no otherwife, than the Manifeftation of the great Truths of Religion in general; as the Nature and Perfections of God, the Dependence of Mankind on God, as their Creator and Preferver, &c. Such Truths as these will also have great Influence on the eternal State, which Men will then be adjudged to, as they aggravate the Guilt of Man's Wickedness, and must be considered in order to a due Estimate of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, and Men's perfonal Virtue; yet being of general and equal Concernment, will not properly belong to the Trial of particular Perfons.

Another Thing urged by our Author particularly against the Imputation of Adam's Sin, is this: Though, in Scripture, Action is frequently faid "to be imputed, reckoned, accounted to a Perfon, it " is no other than his own A&t and Deed *." In the fame Place he cites a Number of Places of Scripture, where thefe Words are used, which he fays are all that he can find in the Bible.

Page 3, &c. 105. S.

But

But we are no Way concerned with this Argument at prefent, any further than it relates to Im putation of Sin, or finful Action. Therefore all that is in the Argument, which relates to the present Purpose, is this: That the Word is so often applied in Scripture to fignify God's imputing perfonal Sin, but never once to his imputing Adam's Sin.-So often!-How often?-But Twice. There are but two of all thofe Places which he reckons up, that fpeak of, or fo much as have any Reference to, God's imputing Sin to any Perfon, where there is any Evidence that only perfonal Sin is meant; and they are Levit. xvii. 3, 4. and 2 Tim. iv. 16. All therefore the Argument comes to, is this: That the Word, impute, is applied in Scripture, two Times, to the Cafe of God's imputing Sin, and neither of those Times to fignify the imputing of Adam's Sin, but both Times it has Reference to perfonal Sin; therefore Adam's Sin is not imputed to his Pofterity. And this is to be noted, that one of these two Places, even that in Levit. xvii. 3, 4. does not speak of imputing the Act committed, but another not committed. The Words are, What Man foever there be of the House of Ifrael, that killeth an Ox or Lamb or Goat in the Camp, or that killeth it out of the Camp, and bringeth it not unto the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, to offer an Offering unto the Lord, before the Tabernacle of the Lord, Blood fhall be imputed unto that Man; be bath fhed Blood; that Man fhall be cut off from among his People, i. e. plainly, Murder fhall be imputed to him: He fhall be put to Death for it, and therein punished with the fame Severity as if he had fain a Man. It is plain by Ifai. Ixvi. 3. that in fome Cafes, a fhedding the Blood of Beafts, in an unlawful Manner, was imputed to them, as if they flew a Man.

But

1

But whether it be fo or not, although in both thefe Places the Word, impute, be applied to perfonal Sin, and to the very Act done by the Perfon fpoken of, and in ten more Places; or although this could be faid of all the Places, which our Author reckons up; yet that the Word, Impute, is never exprefly applied to Adam's Sin, does no more argue, that it is not imputed to his Pofterity, than it argues, that Pride, Unbelief, Lying, Theft, Oppreffion, Perfecution, Fornication, Adultery, Sodomy, Perjury, Idolatry, and innumerable other particular moral Evils, are never imputed to the Perfons that committed them, or in whom they are; because the Word, impute, though so often ufed in Scripture, is never applied to any of these Kinds of Wickedness.

I know not what can be faid here, except one of these two Things: That though these Sins are not exprefly faid to be imputed, yet other Words are ufed that do as plainly and certainly imply that they are imputed, as if it were faid fo exprefly. Very well, and fo I fay with refpect to the Imputation of Adam's Sin. The Thing meant by the Word, impute, may be as plainly and certainly expreffed by using other Words, as if that. Word were exprefly used; and more certainly, because the Words ufed inftead of it, may amount to an Explanation of this Word. And this, I think, is the very Cafe here. Though the Word, impute, is not used with refpect to Adam's Sin, yet it is faid, All have finned; which, respecting Infants, can be true only of their finning by his Sin. And, it is faid, By his Disobedience many were made Sinners; and, Judgment and Condemnation came upon all by that Sin; and that by this. Means Death [the Wages of Sin] palled on all Men, &c. Which Phrases amount to

full