A

SUPPLEMENT

TO THE

Scripture-Doctrine

O F

ORIGINAL SIN, &c.

CONTAINING

Some REMARKS upon two Books,

VIZ.

The Vindication of the Scripture Doctrine of Original Sin,

AND

The Ruin and Recovery of MANKIND.

In which REMARKS are examined fome Sentiments relating to imputed Guilt, the Calamities and Sinfulnefs of Mankind, Adam's being a federal Head, the Formation of our Nature, and the Doctrine of Original Righteousness: Whence refult feveral useful Particulars belonging to each.

ΑΛΗΘΕΥΟΝΤΕΣ ΔΕ ΕΝ ΑΓΑΠΗ. Speaking the TRUTH in LOVE. Ephef. iv. 15.

1

PREFACE.

READER,

THE

PON the Vindicator's recommending the Book, entitled, The Ruin and Recovery of Mankind, as giving the most easy, rational and fcriptural Account of the Doctrine of Original Sin, I procured it, and upon a Perufal found it contained the Vindicator's Principles, and chief Arguments, and was much better than his adapted to the Defign I had formed before I faw it, which was to confider more fully than I had done in my Scripture-Doctrine fome Principles relating to the common Scheme of Original Sin. For as my own Representation of thofe Principles might have been difputed, I could not do without a Voucher; and he seemed to

U

me the best I could have: for he opens those Principles fully and without Reserve, and gives me all the Advantage I could wish to examine their Truth and Solidity, and to fhew how difficult it is for the ableft Pen to write confiftently upon them. This is the Use I have made of this Book; but with no Design to disparage, or malign the Author, whoever he be. For the Candour and good Spirit diffused through the whole Book, and his generous Efforts to enlarge our Thoughts upon fome Particulars, which I have no Occafion to take notice of, induce me to believe he is no Slave to a Scheme, and that he wrote his Book with as much Integrity as I am confcious I have written mine, and with the fame good Intention to explain the Truth,

As for the Vindicator, I wish I had no Reafon to fay, he has done me much Wrong in feveral Respects. He bears too hard (pag. 42, &c.) upon my fhort Account of the glorious Work of Redemption. It is not the Subject of my Book, I only touch upon it by the bye: tho' I believe what I have faid of it will be found to be frictly fcriptural. God forbid I fhould mifreprefent or leffen the Redeemer, or any Part of the Grace of God in him. I truly defire to understand all that is revealed concerning the Redemption in Chrift Jefus, which is the Joy of my Life, and

and the daily Subject of my Thanksgiving to God. However he fhould not have infinuated, pag. 43. as if I excluded Atonement out of the Scheme of Redemption, when in that Part of my Book, which he is cenfuring, (pag. 80.) I fay expressly, Chrift's Worthiness makes ATONEMENT for Sin. And I am perfuaded that it has made Atonement for Sin in the highest and fulleft, in the most proper, perfect and extenfive Sense of Atonement.

He frequently reprefents me as attached to a favourite darling Scheme; as ftudying to evade the Evidence of Scripture; as put to wretched Shifts to keep the Scriptures from testifying against my Scheme, a Scheme which I am refolved at all Adventures to support, &c. This is a heavy Charge: But how true or false must be referred to a future Decifion. The Judge ftands at the Door.

IN In all his Book he very feldom faces my Argument, but plays at a Distance with fome Criticifm or other, upon which, (whether juft or not,) it doth not depend. To give one Inftance. Upon 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22. my Argument is, That we can't from this Place conclude, that any thing came upon us by Adam's Offence befides temporal Death. This he doth not in the leaft contradict; but amufes the Reader with an Attempt to prove, that the Apostle in thofe Verfes is fpeaking

not