The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

It is true! Death by virtue of the original constitution of the Law, is due unto every sin, when ever it is committed. ⟨p. 470⟩But the present inquiry is, how Death passed at once on all Men, how they came liable and obnoxious unto it upon its first entrance by the actual sin of Adam; which cannot be by their own actual sin. Yea the Apostle in the next Verses affirms, That death passed on them also, who never sinned actually, or as Adam did, whose sin was actual. And if the actual sins of Men in imitation of Adams sin were intended, then should Men be made liable to Death, before they had sinned. For Death upon its first entrance into the World, passed on all Men, before any one Man had actually sinned, but Adam only. But that Men should be liable unto Death, which is nothing but the punishment of sin, when they have not sinned, is an open contradiction. For although God by his sovereign Power might inflict Death on an innocent Creature, yet that an innocent Creature should be guilty of death is impossible. For to be guilty of death, is to have sinned. Wherefore this expression, In as much as all have sinned, expressing the desert and guilt of death, then when sin and death first entered into the World, no sin can be intended in it, but the sin of Adam, and our interest therein; Eramus enim omnes ille unus homo. And this can be no otherwise, but by the imputation of the guilt of that sin unto us. For the act of Adam not being ours inherently and subjectively, we cannot be concerned in its Effect, but by the imputation of its guilt. For the communication of that unto us which is not inherent in us, is, that which we intend by imputation.

It is true! Death by vertue of the original constitution of the Law, is due unto every sin, when ever it is committed. ⟨p. 470⟩But the present inquiry is, how Death passed at once on all Men, how they came liable and obnoxious unto it upon its first entrance by the actual sin of Adam; which cannot be by their own actual sin. Yea the Apostle in the next Verses affirms, That death passed on them also, who never sinned actually, or as Adam did, whose sin was actual. And if the actual sins of Men in imitation of Adams sin were intended, then should Men be made liable to Death, before they had sinned. For Death upon its first entrance into the World, passed on all Men, before any one Man had actually sinned, but Adam only. But that Men should be liable unto Death, which is nothing but the punishment of sin, when they have not sinned, is an open contradiction. For although God by his sovereign Power might inflict Death on an innocent Creature, yet that an innocent Creature should be guilty of death is impossible. For to be guilty of death, is to have sinned. Wherefore this expression, In as much as all have sinned, expressing the desert and guilt of death, then when sin and death first entred into the World, no sin can be intended in it, but the sin of Adam, and our interest therein; Eramus enim omnes ille unus homo. And this can be no otherwise, but by the imputation of the guilt of that sin unto us. For the act of Adam not being ours inherently and subjectively, we cannot be concerned in its Effect, but by the imputation of its guilt. For the communication of that unto us which is not inherent in us, is, that which we intend by imputation.