Wesley Corpus

If, then, the same He brew word does signify to “make righteous,” and to “acquit in judgment,” it does not follow that the Greek word here translated, “made righteous,” means only “being acquitted.” You yourself say the contrary. You but now defined this very gift, “the benefits that are by grace;” (page 44;) and, in explaining those very words, “The free gift is of many offences unto justification,” affirmed, That is, “the grace of God in Christ not only discharges mankind from the conse quences of Adam’s sin, but also sets them quite to rights with God, both as to a conformity to the law, and as to eternal life.” And is this no more than “acquitting them in judgment,” “ or reversing the sentence of condemnation?” Through this whole passage, it may be observed that “the gift,” “the free gift,” “the gift by grace,” mean one and the same thing, even the whole benefit given by the abounding grace of God, through the obedience of Christ; abounding both with regard to the fountain itself, and the streams: Abundant grace producing abundant blessings. If, then, these verses are “evidently parallel to those 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22,” it follows even hence, that “dying,” and “being made alive,” in the latter passage, do not refer to the body only; but that “dying” implies all the evils, temporal and spiritual, which are derived from Adam’s sin; and “being made alive,” all the blessings which are derived from Christ, in time and in eternity. Whereas, therefore, you add, “It is now evident, surely beyond all doubt,” (strong expressions!) “that the conse quences of Adam’s sin here spoken of are no other than the ‘death’ which comes upon all men:” (Page 50.) I must beg leave to reply, It is not evident at all; nay, it is tolerably evident, on the contrary, that this “death” implies all man ner of evils, to which either the body or soul is liable. 15. You next reconsider the 12th verse, which you under stand thus: “Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned,” namely, in Adam.