made sinners by imitation; and much less of that which affirms, we are made so properly and formally. But made sinners' signifies, used like sinners; so as 'justified' signifies, healed like just persons: in which interpretation I follow St. Paul, not the Pelagians; they, who are on the other side of the question, follow neither. And unless men take in their opinion before they read; and resolve not to understand St. Paul in this Epistle, I wonder why they should fancy that all that he says, sounds that way, which they commonly dreani of: but as men fancy, so the bells will ring. But I know your Lordship's grave and wiser judgment sees not only this that I have now opened, but much beyond it; and that you will be a zealous advocate for the truth of God, and for the honour of his justice, wisdom, and mercy.

That which follows, makes me believe your Lordship resolved to try me, by speaking your own sense in the line, and your temptation in the interline. For when your Lordship had said that, "My arguments for the vindication of God's goodness and justice are sound and holy," your hand run it over again, and added "as abstracted from the case of original sin." But why should this be abstracted from all the whole economy of God, from all his other dispensations? Is it, in all cases of the world, unjust for God, to impute our fathers' sins to us unto eternal condemnation; and is it otherwise in this only? Certainly a man would think this were the more favourable case; as being a single act, done but once, repented of after it was done, not consented to by the parties interested, not stipulated by God that it should be so, and being against all laws and all the reason of the world: therefore it were but reason that, if any where, here much rather, God's justice and goodness should be relied upon as the measure of the event. And if, in other cases, laws be never given to ideots and infants and persons incapable, why should they be given here? But if they were not capable of a law, then neither could they be of sin; for where there is no law, there is no transgression. And is it unjust to condemn one man to hell for all the sin of a thousand of his ancestors actually done by them? And shall it be accounted just to damn all the world for one sin of one man? But if it be said, that it is unjust to damn the innocent for the sin of another; but the world is not innocent, but really guilty in

Adam;-besides that this is a begging of the question, it is also against common sense, to say that a man is not innocent, of that, which was done, before he had a being; for if that be not sufficient, then it is impossible for a man to be innocent. And if this way of answer be admitted, any man may be damned for the sin of any father; because it may be said here as well as there, that although the innocent must not perish for another's fault, yet the son is not innocent as being in his father's loins when the fault was committed, and the law calls him and makes him guilty. And if it were so indeed, this were so far from being an excuse, to say that the law makes him guilty, that this were absolute tyranny, and the thing that were to be complained of.

I hope, by this time, your Lordship perceives, that I have no reason to fear that I prevaricate St. Paul's rule: Mǹ úπɛρφρονεῖν παρ ̓ ὃ δεϊ φρονεῖν. I only endeavour to understand St. Paul's words, and I read them, kar' avaλoyíav Tíσrews, in proportion to, and so as they may not intrench upon, the reputation of God's goodness and justice: that is poovεiv eis Tò owopovav, 'to be wise unto sobriety.' But they that do so SovλEVEL ÚTоléo, as to resolve it to be so, whether God be honoured in it, or dishonoured, and to answer all arguments, whether they can or cannot be answered, and to efform all their theology to the air of that one great proposition, and to find out ways for God to proceed in, which he hath never told of, idoì äßarot, ways that are crooked and not to be insisted in, ways that are not right, if these men do not vπφρονεῖν παρ ̓ ὃ δεῖ φρονεῖν, then I hope I shall have less need to fear that I do, who do none of these things.

And in proportion to my security here, I am confident that I am unconcerned in the consequent threatening. If any man shall evangelize παρ' ὃ παρελάβετε, ' any other doctrine than what ye have received,' something for gospel which is not gospel, something that ye have not received,-let him be accursed. My Lord, if what I teach were not that which we have received, that God is just, and righteous, and true: that the soul that sins, the same shall die: that we shall have no cause to say, "The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge:" that God is a gracious Father, pardoning iniquity, and therefore not exacting it where it is not: that infants are, from their mothers' wombs, beloved

of God their Father: that of such is the kingdom of God: that he pities those souls, who cannot discern the right hand from the left, as he declared in the case of the Ninevites: that to infants there are special angels appointed, who always behold the face of God: that Christ took them in his arms and blessed them, and therefore they are not hated by God, and accursed heirs of hell, and coheirs with Satan: that the Messias was promised, before any children were born; as certainly as that Adam sinned, before they were born: that if sin abounds, grace does superabound; and therefore, children are, with greater effect, involved in the grace than they could be in the sin and the sin must be gone, before it could do them mischief:-if this were not the doctrine of both Testaments, and if the contrary were, then the threatening of St. Paul might well be held up against me: but else, my Lord, to shew such a scorpion to him, that speaks the truth of God in sincerity and humility, though it cannot make me to betray the truth and the honour of God, yet the very fear and affrightment, which must needs seize upon every good man that does but behold it, or hear the words of that angry voice, shall and hath made me to pray not only that myself be preserved in truth, but that it would please God to bring into the way of truth all such, as have erred and are deceived.

My Lord, I humbly thank your Lordship for your grave and pious counsel, and kiss the hand that reaches forth so paternal a rod. I see you are tender both of truth and me: and though I have not made this tedious reply to cause trouble to your Lordship, or to steal from you any part of your precious time, yet because I see your Lordship was persuaded induere personam,' to give some little countenance to a popular error out of jealousy against a less usual truth, I thought it my duty to represent to your Lordship such things, by which as I can, so I ought to be, defended against captious objectors. It is hard, when men will not be patient of truth, because another man offers it to them, and they did not first take it in; or, if they did, were not pleased to own it.

But from your Lordship I expect, and am sure to find, the effects of your piety, wisdom, and learning; and that an error, for being popular, shall not prevail against so necessary, though unobserved truth. A necessary truth I call it;

because without this, I do not understand how we can declare God's righteousness and justify him, with whom unrighteousness cannot dwell: but, if men, of a contrary opinion, can reconcile their usual doctrines of original sin with God's justice, and goodness, and truth, I shall be well pleased with it, and think better of their doctrine than now I can.

But until that be done, it were well, my Lord, if men would not trouble themselves or the church with impertinent contradictions; but patiently give leave to have truth advanced, and God justified in his sayings and in his judgments, and the church improved, and all errors confuted, that what did so prosperously begin the Reformation, may be admitted to bring it to perfection, that men may no longer go 'qua itur.' but 'quà eundum est.'

THE

BISHOP OF ROCHESTER'S LETTER

ΤΟ

DR. TAYLOR:

WITH AN ACCOUNT OF

THE PARTICULARS THERE GIVEN IN CHARGE.

WORTHY SIR,

d

LET me request you to weigh that of St. Paul, Ephes. ii. 5. which are urged by some ancients and to remember, how often he calls concupiscence sin; whereby it is urged, that although baptism take away the guilt, as concretively redounding to the person,-yet the simple abstracted guilt, as to the nature, remains: for sacraments are administered to persons, not to natures. I confess, I find not the fathers so fully and plainly speaking of original sin, till Pelagius had puddled the stream: but, after this, you may find St. Jerome saying, "In Paradiso, omnes prævaricati sunt in Adamo."-And St. Ambrose", "Manifestum est omnes peccasse in Adam, quasi in massâ; ex eo igitur cuncti peccatores, quia ex eo sumus omnes ;" and St. Gregory," Sine culpâ in mundo esse non potest, qui in mundum cum culpâ venit."-But St. Austin is so frequent, so full and clear, in his assertions, that his words and reasons will require your most judicious examinations, and more strict weighing of them; he saith," Scimus, secundùm Adam, nos primâ nativitate contagium mortis contrahere; nec liberamur à supplicio mortis æternæ, nisi per gratiam renascamur in Christo "."" Peccatum à primo homine in omnes homines pertransiit, etenim illud peccatum non in fonte mansit, sed pertransiit"; "and"Ubiste invenit? venundatum sub peccato, trahentem peccatum primi hominis, habentem peccatum antequam possis habere arbitrium."-" Si infans unius diei non sit sine peccato, qui proprium habere non potuit, conficitur, utļillud traxerit alienum ; de quo Apostolusi, Per unum

f 39 Hom. in Ezek.

i Rom. v.