Upon this it may be obferved, that we cannot reafonably infer from this, that spiritual death or finning, was threatened as the punishment of fin; because, for the realons that have been given, there is an impropriety in fuch a threatning, at it is only threatening that if he did fin, he fhould continue to fin if he chose it, and bemot is he left wholly at liberty to do as he pleased. And this is

it

be y natural. refult +

siit - Out really no threatning, for it is no punishment to do and to that he fe have what we chufe. But this is all that would be threat-tainly choose ened in this cafe, that if he once chose to fin, he should be fuffered to fin hereafter, without being counteracted or interrupted. Besides, the firft fin was as great an evil to innocent, holy man, as any after fin, and the most dreadful, as it was connected with all after fin, and introduced it. There is the fame reason therefore, why the firft tranfgreffion fhould be confidered, and threat ened as a punishment, which is given, that any after finans commits with all aftern fhould be fo confidered, and threatened. It will be in? Then it fad, this could not be, as it was improper and impoffi- was to be deradis ble. But it may be faid with as much reason, that it on ant of if con was improper and really impoffible to threaten any after mision; and En, or or any degree of it, as a punishment of the firft fin; 4 commen which appears from what has been faid.

cht sen

the mon draiful

When the Apostle Paul fays, "Sin revived, and Int. If it Wied," he does not mean what is called a spiritual death: For this confifts in fin, or is fin itself: But Paul dify tinguishes the death he died from fin, and speaks of it as the effect of fin. Sin, by the law, flew him: and fin rought and produced death, i. e. brought him under the curfe of the law. He died, that is, found himself dead, being under the threatning and curfe of that law which was given to Adam, and denounced death upon physical the tranfgreffor, even eternal deftruction. Is not the death originally threatened, clearly stated by this Apof le?

Insides was

moval int?

with allufion to it, Chrift fays, "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midft of the paradife of God," which is a promise of eternal life. This is till farther confirmed by what St. Paul fays of the law given to man, in his primitive state, viz. that it was ordained unto life. And that he that doth the things required in it, fhall live by them. This muft refer to the original law given to man when innocent, or before he finned; for no fuch law could be ordained to life, or propose and promife life on this condition, fince fin took place, it being impoffible that man, fince the first apoftacy, fhould obtain life in this way. This the Apostle obferves, in the paffages juft quoted. "The commandment which was ordained unto life, 7 found to be unto death. For as many as are of the works of the law, are under the curfe: For it is written, cursed is every one that continueth not in all the things written in the book of the law, to do them." Therefore the law given to man in his primitive ftate, which threatened death to the tranfgreffor, and curfed him, promised eternal life to him, upon perfect obedience. And as he finned, and fo failed of obtaining this life by obedience, the death and curfe threatened to disobedience is come upon him.

We are not exprefsly told how long man was to continue in obedience, before he might eat of the tree of life, and have eternal life made fure to him: Nor why he might not, and did not, eat of the fruit of the tree directly, and put an end to his probation ftate, and have eternal life fealed to him. But we may be certain there was fome wife appointment and regulation concerning this. And perhaps we are not left to mere conjecture about it. Is it not very probable, if not beyond a doubt, that this tree of life had no fruit on it, when this transaction took

* Rev. ii. 7.

+ Rom. vii. 10.

Chap. x. 5.-Gal. iii. 12.

took place, and the promise was made; or the fruit had not come to maturity, fo as to be eaten : And that man was told, that if he continued obedient till ripe fruit was on that tree, he fhould then eat of it, as a token and pledge of eternal life, being made fure to him? This fixed the time of his probation, in the wifeft and best manner. Man could not tell the hour nor day in which he might eat of this tree, and be confirmed; but he might fee the fruit growing, and ripening every day, which would be a conftant and growing motive and entouragement to perfeverance. Man finned before the uit of this tree was produced and ripe; and therefore s not allowed to live where it might be poffible for im to take and eat of it, when there should be ripe fruit in this tree.

Thus it appears that the law, or moral conftitution ader which man was placed, was of the nature of a couht, between his Creator and him; man's duty, or hat God required of him, was stated, and the penalty failing of his duty was fixed by the law; with a profeof eternal life, on condition of his obedience, through e time of trial, which was appointed. And man conted to this law and conftitution, as good and excelt, and flood engaged to perform the condition, on ich he Thould obtain the promised reward. This he aft be fuppofed to do; for not to do it, when it was realed to him by God, would be rebellion against his vereign.

It has been obferved, that the moral law, which is effento moral government, and by which man was bound boon as he exifted a moral agent, is epitomifed by unft, who fays it requires nothing but love, to love d with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves. hence appears, as well as from the reafon of the cafe, at this law refpects the heart, or will and affections. with the heart, in the exercife of perfect love, that

the

this law is obeyed; and the smallest contrariety to this love, in the exercises of the heart, or the leaft defect in the degree and ftrength of it, is a violation of this law, and must bring the curfe or penalty on the tranfgreffor If there be no degree of exercise of love in the heart, there is no obedience to this law: and where this love is exercised constantly, in a perfect manner and degree, or without any defect, there is perfect obedience. This does indeed neceffarily imply, that this love is expreffed in all proper ways, in external conduct, fo far as it is ir power, and under the government of the will; bu the obedience confifts wholly in the exercises of th heart or will, producing what is external, in proper ex preffions of love. And where there is no love exercise in the heart, there is no real obedience or holiness, what ever be the external appearance, in words or conduc The refolving the whole law into love by Chrift; and S Paul's saying that love is the fulfilling of the law, and th without love, he was nothing, whatever were his externa conduct, fufficiently establish this point, if it were n capable of domonftration from the reafon and nature d things.

This law, being founded in reason, and as perfect an excellent, as is the moral government of an infinitel wife and good Being, must be, in its own nature, un changeable; fo that it cannot be abrogated or fet afid or abated; nor can any moral agent be released from ob ligation to obey it conftantly and perfectly. There ma be particular pofitive precepts, given on special occafion and with reference to particular circumftances; whic may not be always binding, but may be temporary, an cease to be in force, when the end of them is answered and the reafon of their being given ceafes. The law re quiring love to God and to our neighbour, will oblig man to obey all fuch positive temporary commands, while the reafon of these injunctions continues; but when th

reason

of them ceafes, they become obsolete, and the obligation

to obey them is at an end. Many of the laws given to Ifrael by Moses, are inftances, and an illustration of this. But the law requiring love is reasonable and binding on all, at all times, and cannot cease or be made void in any degree. The leaft difregard paid to it, even in thought or heart, by a moral agent, for one moment, in any cirtumstances, must be wrong and criminal. And it would be infinitely wrong, were it poffible, as it is not, for the Legiflator and Governor of the world, to express or show any difregard to this law, and not to fupport and mainhin it at all times, and in every respect, by all his authonity.

Therefore the penalty of it must always be regarded 8 reafonable, important and facred, it being an effential art of the law, and neceffary, in order to guard, support nd enforce it, and clothe it with the authority of the fureme Legiflator. A difpofition not to execute the reatning, or to mitigate the punishment; and confeently, the manifeftation of fuch a difpofition, would infinitely unreafonable and wrong, as it would be. honourable to a most reasonable and righteous law, rthy to be maintained and honoured; and which must regarded and fupported, in order to exercife moral | wernment, in the best manner. In the most perfect excellent government, the penalty of the law must 2 much regarded and fupported as the precept; be ale to difregard, abate, or fet afide the former, is equalhewing difrefpect to the latter, and really repealing A proper regard cannot be fhewn to the penalty, hout manifefting a difpofition and determination to ifh agreeable to the threatning, by inflicting infinite for tranfgreffion, and actually punishing, so as to wer all the ends of the penalty, and fully fupport the atning.