An end of doctrinal controversies which have lately troubled the churches

§. 13. It will be said, Because God so Covenanted with Adam that he should stand or fall for himself and his Posterity: I Answer, That there was any such Covenant that if he stood his Posterity should all stand, or be Confirmed and Saved, is more than ever I found in Scripture or can prove, or do believe: But that it would have been to the benefit of his Posterity I doubt not. And that his fall was to the Guilt and Corruption of his Posterity I doubt not; but (as I said) not without and beyond their natural Interest in him, and Derivation from him as the reason of it: And we were as much naturally in our next Parents: And the Covenant of Innocency and the Covenant of Grace do not so far differ as to exempt us from the Guilt of our next Parents sins: For the difference lieth not in this, That the first only made Death the due reward of all Sin, nor that the first did interest Children in the Guilt of their Parents sin: But in this, that the first made us Guilty without a Remedy; But the second giveth us a Remedy presently for Pardon and Recovery, and so our Guilt is not so full, because it is but a half Obligation having the Pardon annexed. The first Law said, [If thou sin thou shalt be filius mortis, and so shall those that are Propagated of thee.] The second Covenant saith, [For thy Original and Actual Sin death is thy due, but I give thee a Pardon and Remedying Grace procured by the Righteousness of Christ.] But note, That this Covenant pardoneth our Original ⟨p. 85⟩Sin as from Adam; And yet it followeth not that we had none because it is pardoned: Even so it pardoneth our guilt of our next Parents sins, and therefore we had it to be pardoned: Both are pardonable to us; therefore we had both.

§. 14. 2. And the Scripture is more copious, and as plain in making punishment due to Children for their next Parents sins, as for Adam's, though Adam's only was the Original of all Sin and Misery. I have elsewhere proved it at large: The Case of Cain's Posterity, and Ham's, and Ishmael's, and Esau's, and Achan's Family, and Ahab's, and many more do fully prove it: And more fully the Second Commandment, and God's declaration of his Name to Moses,