Wesley Corpus

(3.) The new covenant was given, whereby all mankind were put into a state of personal trial; yet, still, (4.) Death, the penalty of the old covenant, came (more or less) on all mankind. Now, all this is well con sistent with itself, as well as with the tenor of Scripture. 11. Mankind is represented as one collective body in several verses of the 5th chapter to the Romans. You answer: “St. Paul always distinguishes between Adam, and all men, his posterity, and does not consider Adam with all men, as one creature.” (Page 211.) What then? This does not prove that he does not repre sent mankind (Adam’s posterity) as one collective body. 12. All that is contained in the blessing given to Noah is consistent with the curse which came on all men by the first sin. But that curse is not consistent with the original blessing which was given to Adam. You answer: “The blessing given to Noah was the very same which was given to Adam.” (Page 212.) This is pal pably false. The blessing which was given to Adam included, (1.) Freedom from pain and death. (2.) Dominion over the whole brute creation. But that given to Noah did not include either. Yet you affirm, “It is renewed to Noah, without any manner of alteration, after pain and death were introduced into the world !” And do pain and death then make no manner of alteration? 13. The dominion over the brutes given to Adam was not given to Noah. You answer: “Our killing and feeding upon them is the highest instance of dominion over them.” (Page 213.) It is no instance of it all. I may shoot a bear, and then eat him; yet I have no dominion, unless it be over his carcase. I HAVE now considered what is material in your “Doc trine of Original Sin,” with the “Supplement, and Reply to Dr. Watts.” And this I purposely did, before I read the Doctor's book. But how was I surprised on reading it, to observe the manner wherein you have treated it, of which I could not be a judge before ! The frame which he had so beautifully and strongly connected, you have disjointed and broken in pieces, and given us nothing but mangled frag ments of it, from which it is impossible to form any judg ment of the whole.