we should then form our Notions by the plain express Words of divine Revelation; and not labour to twist and diftort the facred Words and Phrases into a Compliance with our own preconceived Schemes: And then would all our Opinions be more confiftent with Truth, and with one another, and our Love would abound more and more in Knowledge and in all Judgment.

A VIN

A

VINDICATION

OF THE

SCRIPTURE-DOCTRINE

O F

ORIGINAL SIN.

From Mr TAYLOR'S free and candid Examination of it.

PART I.

REE and candid are very good Words, and Freedom and Candour are excellent Things, to mix with all our Enquiries after Truth, and in all our Controverfies, especially about Matters of Religion. 'Tis pity fuch good Words fhould ever be abused; and it raises a juft Indignation when, at any time, we fee them put for Bigotry

B

and

and Prejudice, for Ignorance, Wrath, and Effrontery. What they really stand for in the Title Page of the Performance now under Confideration, will appear from the Contents of it. The Doctrine here proposed to our free and candid Examination, is The Scripture-Doctrine of Original Sin. The Author ftyles himself a Minifter of the Gofpel, and affures us he has made the Revelation of God alone the Rule of his Judgment; and also that he has laid out a good deal of Pains upon the Scriptures, with a particular Eye to this Point. These are inviting Confiderations to attend the Progress and Result of his Enquiries about this Matter. One cannot but read him with Candour; or if there be any Danger of a Biafs from Prejudice, it must needs be in favour of his Scheme, which fo apparently tends to flatter our natural Vanity, and to give us a good Conceit of ourselves. No Man, furely, can be prejudiced against his own Nature; Men are generally rather apt to be over charitable to themselves. If this Author then can fatisfy us, that the Notion of Original Sin which has fo long and fo generally prevailed in the World, is nothing but a vulgar Error; That we have no Reafon to be forry, or dread the Wrath of God, for Adam's Sina; that we derive nothing but Benefits from it ; that we

a Page 14.

b P. 21.

are

are born into the World under the Smiles of Heaven, without any moral Corruption, or Propensity to Sin in our Nature. That we are made in the fame Image of God that Adam was, and that to talk of our wanting that Righteoufnefs in which Adam was created, is to talk of nothing we want . It is brave good News; and if he can but prove it is true, fo that we may fafely venture our Souls upon it, we must needs hold ourselves very much obliged to him; and we will promife to transfer much of our thankful Regard from Chrift, (whom we have ignorantly, it feems, looked upon as our Redeemer, and Saviour from the manifold Ruins of the Fall,) to this worthy Minister of the Gospel. He offers to lead us by the Hand in this important Enquiry; and I rejoice that I can fet out with him in perfect Harmony, when he fays, Page 2, that all Truth, neceffary to Salvation, is revealed in the holy Scriptures; and the Scriptures, not the Opinions of Men, no not of good Men, no not of many learned and good Men, are the Rule of our Faith.But it is the Word and Revelation of God alone upon which my Faith is founded. Let us then, by all means, open the Bible, as our Author advises, and keep a ftrict Eye upon it, as we go along.

This

e P. 179.

This Writer finds but five Places, in all the Bible, where the Confequences of the first Sin are certainly and plainly spoke of. However, as he well adds, the Bible is open to every Body; and there, I make no doubt, but any unprejudiced Reader will find a great many Places more, in which the first Sin is certainly and plainly referred to, and the Confequences of it certainly and plainly described; but if Mr T. will not allow that to be certainly and plainly speaking of them, I will not wrangle for a Phrase, nor difpute about Words. He fhall lead me by the Hand in his own Way; and difpofe the many Places of Scripture, that fpeak of Original Sin, into what Claffes he pleases.

The first Place then is Gen. ii. 17. where God threatens Adam with Death, in Case of his eating the forbidden Fruit. Upon which, though here is not a Word faid relating to Adam's Pofterity, yet, our Author juftly obferves, if the Sentence had been in mediately executed upon him, all his Pofterity muft, in courfe, have been extinct with him, p. 8. and fo deprived, even of an Existence, which otherwife was defigned them. Methinks this looks fomething like Adam's being conftituted the fœderal Head of all his Pofterity, that their Existence, or Nonexistence, is made to depend, (by the Original Law, or Covenant, which God gave to

Adam,