It was not a law which gave life: in truth, there never was a law which could have given life. The law, therefore, did NOT say, do this and thou shalt live; but rather the contrary, for if he did, that is, eat of the prohibited fruit, he should die. The wages, therefore, of sin is death; but we never read of the wages of obedience! The purpose of God concerning election was neither dependant upon, nor to be the wages of Adam's obedience. The fall of Adam made no change in the Eternal purpose of God, which he purposed in himself, and in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Eph. i. 9, iii. 11.) Although the first revelation of that purpose was not made until after the fall of man. We may therefore say, that neither the angels nor Adam in their first or natural estate are ever mentioned as under the covenant of works, which in the scripture is called the old covenant. If it could be shewn, that the elect angels were under the covenant of works, then their election might be said to depend upon their first estate, and was the wages of their obedience. But we have no Divine authority to say, the angels were under the covenant of works: neither have we the divine authority to say, that Adam was under the covenant of works before he fell.

The law under which Adam was, and a covenant, are perfectly two distinct things. The law did not require Adam's assent to give it force. If Adam's assent had been necessary to give it forcethen the law would not have been an act of divine and absolute sovereignty; but a law subject and dependent upon Adam's veto. But the law did not derive its power from man's assent, but from God's absolute will: for if there had been in Adam even a disinclination to the law of prohibition, when it was promulgated, or had he presumed to have expressed his disapprobation thereof, the consequence would have been fatal to him. Whereas, a covenant between two parties, doth necessarily imply a mutual agreement and promise, which mutual agreement is the assent of both parties, and is absolutely necessary to give it force. The truth of what I have stated will more fully appear, if the reader will turn to the Holy Scriptures; for in them he will find the old covenant, or the covenant entered into at Sinai, containing certain conditions or promises of obedience on the part of the people. and certain promises on the part of God. That, when "Moses came and told the people all the words (or promises) of the Lord, and all the judgments; that all the people answered with one voice, and said, all the words which the Lord hath said will we do."

This covenant was made by sacrifice; and Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold, the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words. (Exod. xxiv. 3-8.) On the part of God we read, the Lord promised to bring them (the children of Israel) into the place which he had prepared for them: and to send his fear before them; and that he would destroy all the people to whom they should come; and would make all their enemies turn their backs unto

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them," &c. (Exod. xxiii. 23-31.) Here, indeed, we have the record of a covenant or mutual agreement between the God of Israel and the children of Israel: and that covenant confirmed by sacrifice or blood. But we never read of any covenant between God and Adam, neither was the law, when it was promulgated in Eden, confirmed by sacrifice or blood.

Adam's obedience to the Divine Law would neither suspend the prohibition, nor repeal the penalty. And therefore, as Adam's obedience would not justify him from its command, so by that law he never could be justified. The law would not lose its demand for the future by Adam's past obedience. And therefore, by the deeds of the law, if Adam had never sinned; by his obedience he would have been free from its penalty, but not from its mandate; therefore, by the law he never would have been justified. The consideration of this subject is important, from what lately appeared in the Gospel Magazine, namely, that a human Pre-existerian preacher says, "that the law is a rule of JUSTIFICATION by works to all men by nature.” But, such a doctrine was never taught by the ministration of the Spirit! it may have been taught by those men who are alive without the law; for they have never been made free from the law of sin and death.

But, as Adam could not have been justified by the law, even if he had never sinned; then how shall a sinner be justified? but by the blood of Christ, who died for us while we were sinners! (Rom. v. 8, 9.) Christ was made of a woman, and was made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that they might receive the adoption of sons.

All sin was contained in Adam's transgression. Dr. Lightfoot says, it contained a breach of every one of the ten commandments. And as in Adam all sinned, so in Adam all came short of the glory of God. Then how can man be just with God? The Scripture saith, "We are justified freely by God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus For by Jesus we are justified from all things which we could never be by the law. For he was obedient even unto the death of the cross. He was delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification. He brought in an everlasting righteousness: for eternal is the righteousness of God our Saviour. It is therefore God that justifieth," yea, that justifieth the ungodly. (Rom. iv. 5.)

Abraham's rule of sanctification was the law of faith; and it was also his rule of justification before the brethren: because it was by the work of faith, and not by the law of works, that faithful Abraham offered up his son upon the altar. For the law of works did not allow Abraham to offer up his son as a burnt offering. The law forbid the shedding of man's blood! And we may also observe, there was no law of works to justify Rahab the harlot in receiving the spies, and sending them out another way. (James ii. 21-25.)

The law therefore is not the rule of sanctification to a believer; nor is the law a rule of justification to all men by nature. Indeed, the law is the rule of condemnation, and not of justification, to all men by nature; for it is written, " by the offence of one, JUDGMENT came upon ALL MEN to CONDEMNATION." (Rom. v. 18.) Therefore it is the rule of condemnation, and not of justification, to all men by

nature.

If it be asked; as the law demands obedience, as well as satisfaction for transgression; how shall the saints be justified from all things contained in the book of the law? The Scripture saith, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." (Rom. v. 19.) And by the obedience of this one even unto the death of the cross, all that believe are justified from all things which they could not be by the law of Moses." (Acts xiii. 39.) For Christ who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him: (2 Cor. v. 21.) And in him shall all the seed of Israel be justified. (Isai. xlv. 24, 25.) Yea, even now, them that believe are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, (1 Cor. vi. 11.) They are under a law to Christ, and that law is the law of faith, which wrought with Abraham's works; by which works it became evident that Abraham's faith was the faith of God's elect; and that he lived by faith, as it is written, "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

But, before we enter further into the consideration of the rule of a believer's life, or of the old covenant, commonly called the covenant of works, it will be as well to notice, that as in Adam all mankind, in the order of natural generation, sinned, so the penalty of death, condemnation passed upon all men; in proof thereof it is written; that death hath reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. (Rom. v. 14.) By Adam's transgression, the whole of mankind in the order of natural generation became sinful, and what is important to be regarded, namely, that the corruption of our nature is alike in all. The breakings out of sin in outward transgressions, may vary, and be more or less, as temptations and the different circumstances of life vary; but the root is the same in every one; for the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. (Jer. xvii. 9) Many a child of God, after the Lord hath called them by grace, hath found cause to bless the Lord, for preserving them from outward transgressions which they would have committed but for the Lord's restraint or prevention, of which at the time they were wholly unconscious. They know by their own experience it was the Lord that kept them as the Lord said to Abimelech," I also withheld thee from sinning against me." They also know that they have transgressed as much as they could, but not Vol. IV.-No. III.

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as much as they would. Like the men of Keilah, who would have delivered up David to Saul, although they did not; so they and all men would commit the sins they do not! And as the willing mind in grace is accepted by the Lord; so the will to sin must be sinful. It was said by a justified man, "Lord thou hast pardoned those things I have committed, and those sins which by thy grace I have NOT committed. How then shall men be just with God; in whose judgment, the thought of foolishness is sin." (Prov. xxiv. 9) Blessed be the Lord our God, "He justifies the ungodly, (Rom. iv. 5.) for we are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Rom. iii. 24.) "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life!" (Titus iii. 7.)

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To the Editors of the Gospel Magazine.

THE IDENTITY OF POPERY AND ARMINIANISM. DEAR SIRS,

YOUR justly valued friend, the late Mr. Toplady, was in his day, as is well known, a most zealous opponent of this fascinating and wide spread heresy. He laboured incessantly, in the cause of God and truth and liberty, to oppose the pernicious and slavish doctrines of Arminius, which he truly said "came from Rome, and led thither again." In truth the whole fabric of Roman Catholicism has its foundation and support in the universal free-will scheme, first developed by Pelagius, afterwards improved upon by Arminius, and latterly adopted and artfully propagated by Mr. John Wesley and his deluded followers.

However adverse, in the estimation of ignorant and short-sighted theologians, Wesley's specious proceedings appeared to be to Rome, and even to every thing Popish connected with our English Establishment, Toplady, at least, was not deceived by them; and, therefore, he did all that genius, aided by learning and zeal, could do to expose their character and tendency. And nothing galled the Arminians, who affect to be Protestants, more than his short and pithy saying,-" Arminianism came from Rome, and it leads thither again." It is truly, at one and the same time, both the parent and offspring of Papal Rome. But, notwithstanding the incessant labours of this eminently great and good man, the overflowing could not be stopped. LAUD had in the preceding century opened the floodgates, and nothing was then wanting but a man like Mr. John Wesley, canting and sanctimonions to perfection, to contrive and open new channels of communication,-and this he did most effectually in every direction, through the length and breadth of the land, insomuch, that there is now scarcely a single denomination of Christians in England, that is not intoxicated more or less with the poisonous streams of Romish and Wesleyan superstition and Arminianism.

And what makes the signs of the times more fearful, is, that many of our bishops, with certain learned doctors and instructors of youth, in our chief University, are labouring with might and main, by tracts and otherwise, to slope our Established Church's way back into the bosom of Rome, the Mother of Harlots and abominations. Mr. Toplady saw no security for the civil and religious liberties of mankind, except by maintaining the pure Christian doctrines (for distinction's sake called Calvinistic,) which were cordially embraced by Wickliffe, and after him by those distinguished Reformers who, after repeated struggles, rescued this country from the clutches of Papal tyranny. Nor can I now see any other security, for it is evident that the farther we have departed from these docrines, the nearer we have approached to priestcraft and Rome -notoriously lax in morals, and indulgent to her superstitious adherents, whilst most bitter in her hatred of all who protest against her errors and usurped authority. Ecclesiastical tyranny is the most dreadful of all tyranny. Every other has some redeeming quality; but this is full of unmitigated evil. It assumes the sovereignty of God, and therefore tramples on the dearest rights and privileges of men. It asserts its own infallibility in the interpretation of religious doctrines, and denies to men the exercise of conscience and private judgment in matters concerning their spiritual

and eternal welfare.

Assailed as the Church of England is by avowed enemies, she is in less danger from them than she is from the presumptuous and false pretensions of her soi-disant and semi-popish friends-both lay and clerical. They who claim for her bishops and clergy apostolical succession, and power and authority exclusive to expound scripture, forgive sins, and so forth, incur the risk of alienating her more and more from popular support; for it cannot be reasonably expected that the people, in some measure enlightened, and feeling a lively interest in political affairs, will wittingly tolerate a power in the state distinct from, and independent of the state. Deny the Church of England to be the creature of the state, and she will be very soon nothing at all, or a branch of the Papacy. Happily the Articles upon which she was based by her Reformers, are yet intact and entire; and so long as they exist, as the standard of Protestantism among us, they will form an impregnable barrier against Popery and all its Arminian allies. The longer I live the more I am persuaded that nothing but the abiding by the doctrines of grace as they are set forth in the Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Articles of our Reformed Establishment, can preserve us as a nation from lapsing again into Popery under some modification or other for Popery, be it observed, can shape itself a little to the times in order to gain its ends more surely. The state of things in religion is such, that it behoves every Christian Protestant-and Protestant Ministers especially-to be on their watch-tower, for