Wesley Corpus

That verse is a complete sentence, not half of one only. And the particle therefore, prefixed to the eighteenth verse, shows, that the discourse goes straight forward; and that this, as well as the nineteenth verse, are closely connected with the seventeenth Allowing, then, that “the Apostle draws a comparison between the disobedience of Adam, by which all men are ‘brought under condemnation, and the “obedience of Christ,’ by which all men are, in some sense, “justified unto life;’” (page 40;) still it does not appear either that this condemna tion means no more than the death of the body, or that this justification means no more than the resurrection of the body. 12. You affirm, (5.) “The whole of the Apostle's argument stands upon these two principles, that, by the ‘offence of one,’ death passed upon all men; and, by “the obedience of one,’ all are justified.” This is allowed. But I cannot allow your interpretation of, “Sin is not imputed, where there is no law;” or, as you would oddly, and contrary to all precedent, translate it, “where law is not in being.” “The sins of mankind,” say you, “were not imputed, were not taxed with the forfeitnre of life, because the law which subjects the transgressor to death was not then in being; for it was abrogated upon Adam’s transgression, and was not again in force till revived by Moses.” (Page 41.) On this I would ask, (1.) Where is it written, that “the law which subjected the transgressor to death was abrogated by Adam’s transgression?” I want a clear text for this. (2.) Suppose it was, how does it appear that it was not again in force till revived by Moses? (3.) Did not that law, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed,” “subject the trans gressor to death?” And was it “not in force” after Adam’s transgression, and before Moses? (4.) What do you mean by that ambiguous expression, “Were not taxed with the for feiture of life?” Your argument requires that it should mean, “Were not punished or punishable with death.” But is this true? Were not the sins of the men of Sodom, and, in deed, the whole antediluvian world, punished with death during that period? (5.) Was not every wilful, impenitent trans gressor, during this whole time, subject to death everlasting?