The Evidence of the Doctrine of Original Sin from What the Scripture Teaches Concerning the Application of Redemption
The truth of the doctrine of Original Sin is very clearly manifest from what the scripture says of that change of s(at€ which it represents as necessary to an actual interest in the spiritual and eternal blessings of the Redeemer’s kingdom.
In order to this, it speaks of it as absolutely necessary for every one, that he be rcgcnerated, or dom again, John iii. S
* See Paraph, oo Ronn. ii. 9, also on vcrtc 1 e. 2 N “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man ysmi% atuBnf, be begotten again, or born again, he cannot see the Ivingdom of God.” Dr. Taylor, though he will not allow that this signifies any change from a state of ?iatural /ii’o/ie7isity to sin, yetsupposes that the new birth here spoken of means a nvan*s being brought to a divine life in a right use and aiifilication ofths natural fioivers, in a life of true holiness ;* and that it is the at” tainment of those habits of virtue and religion nvhich gives us the real character of true Christians, and the children of God ;t and that it is fiutting on the new nature of right action.^
But in order to proceed in the most sure and safe manner, in our understanding what is meant in scripture by being born again and so in the inferences we draw from what is said of the necessity of it, let us compare scripture with scripture, and consider what other terms or phrases are used in other places, where respect is evidently had to the same change.
And here I would observe the following things:
I. If we compare one scripture with another, it will be sufficiently manifest, that by regeneration, or being begotten or born again the same change in the state of the mind is signified with that which the scripture speaks of as effected in true rejientance and co?iversion. I put repentance and conversion together, because the scripture puts them together, Acts iii. 19, and because they plainly signify much the same thing. The word, fAsravota, (repentance) signifies a change of the mind; as the word conversion means a change or turning from sin to God. And that this is the same change with that which is called regeneration, (excepting that this latter terrn especially signifies the change, as the mind is passive in it) the following things do shew.
In the change which the mind passes under in refientance and conversion, is attained that character of true Christians, which is necessary to the eternal privileges of such. Acts iii. 19. “Be/ienf ye therefore, and be converted, that yOur sins ijioy be blotted out, when the times of refieshin;.; shall come from the presence of the Lord.” And so it is with regenera*
* Page 144. i Page 246,248. * PaS’” 5 ’ lion; as is evident from what Christ says to Nicodemus, and &s is allowed by Dr. Taylor.
The chani’c the mind passes under in repentance and conversion, is that in which savinp;/a/V/j is attained. Mark i. 4 5.” The kingdom of Cod is at hand: Repent ye, and believe the p;ospfl.’* And so it is with a being l)oi n again, or born ot God; as appears by John i. 12, 13. ‘• But as many as received him, to them pjave he power to become the sons of God,«ven to them that brlicvc on his rramc, which were ^>or, not of blood, E<c. but of God,’*
Just as Christ says concerning conversion, Malth. xviii. 3. Verily, vcvily, I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kindonl of heaven ;*’ so does he say concerning bein born again, in what he spake to Nicodemus.
By the change men pass under in conversion, they become as little children which appears in the place last cited; and so they do by regeneration, 1 Pet, i. at the end; and chap, ii, at the beginning. Being born again.... Wherefore as neiuborn babes, dedrc, Sec. It is no objection that the disciples, whom -Christ spake to in Mallh. xviii. 3, were converted already: This makes it not less proper for Christ to declare the necessity of conversion to them, leaving it with them to try themselves, and to make sure their conversion; in like manner as he declared to them the necessity o( re/ientanccy in Luke xiii. 3, 5. “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
The change that men pass under at their rc/u.itancc, is expressed and exhibited by baptism. Hence it is called the baptism of rclicnlancc, from time to time, Mallh. iii. 1 1, Luke iii. 3, Acts xiii. 24, and xix. 4. And so is regeneration, or being born again, expressed by baptism; as is evident by such representations of regeneration as those, Joiiu iii. 5. “Except a man be born of water, and of the vSpirii”.... Titus iii. 5. “He saved us by the washing of rejrcneration.” Many other things might be observed, to shew that the change men pass under in their repentance and convcrjpion, is the same with that which ‘.hey arc the subjects of in rcgcncraiion. But these obscrvadons may be sufiiciciu.
II. The change which a man passes under when kain again, and in his repentance and conversion, is the same that the scripture calls the circumcision of the heart* This may easily appear by considering,
That as regeneration is that in which are attained the hab* its of true virtue and holiness, as has been shewn, and as is confessed; so is circumcidon of heart. Deut. xxx. 6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine hearty and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.**
Regeneration is that whereby men come to have the character of true Christians; as is evident, and as is confessed; and so is circumcision of heart; for by this men become Jews inwardly or Jews in the spiritual and Christian sense (and that is the same as being true Christians) as of old firoselytes were made Jews by circumcision of the flesh. Rom. ii. 28, 29. “For he is not a/<?w,which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: But he is a J^w, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the hearty in the spirit and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
That circumcision of the heart is the same with conversion, or turning from sin to God, is evident by Jer. iv. 1....4. If thou wilt return, O Israel, return (or, convert unto me)....aVcumcise yourselves to the Lord, and put away the foreskins of your heart.’’ And Deut. x. 16. “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your hearty and be no more stiffneclted.”
Circumcision of the heart is the same change of the heart that men pass under in their repentance; as is evident by Levit. xxvi. 41. “If their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they accept the punishment of their iniquity.”
The change men pass under in regeneration, repentance, and conversion, is signified by baptism, as has been shewn; and so is circumcision of the heart signified by the same thing. None will deny that it was this internal circumcision, which of old was signified by exlernul circumcision; nor will any deny, now under the New Testament, that inward and spiritual baptism, or the cleansing of the heart, is signified by ex* temal wasliin or baptism. Hut s|>iritual circumcision and Bpirilual baptism arc the same Ihinj?; bolh being the fxuttiu riff the body of the sins of the flesh; as ifc vtry plain by Col. ii. 11, 12, 13. “In whom also ye ar« circumcised wiih ihc cir* aimcisio7i marie without hands, in fiutti-nf off the bvfi, of th$ ins of the fleshy by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in bafitism. wherein also yc arc risen wilh him,” kc.
III. This inward chani;c, called regeneration and circumiision of the hearty which is wrought in re/ientance and convert won, is the same wilh that spiritual resurrection so often tpoken of, and represented as a dying’ unfa sin, and liinng unto righteousness.
This appears with great plainness in that last cited place, Col ii. ‘<■ In whom also ye arc circumcised, wiih the circumci:iion made without hands. ...buried wilh him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him, throu5^h the faith of the operation of God, Sec. And you, being; dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision ofyourHcah hath he <juickencd togeth’ er luith him; having forgiven you all trespasses.
The same appears by Rom. vi. 5, 4, 5. *’ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Cnrist, were baptized mio his death? Theref<jre we are buried wiih hira by baptism into death; that, like as Christ was raised ufi from the deady by the glory of the Father, even so ive also fthoiildnvalk in newness of life h:c. Verse 11. ‘* Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin out alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In which place also it is evident, by the words recited, and by the whole context, that iliis spiritual resurrection is that change, in which persons arc brouri:ht to habits of holiness and to the divine life, by which Dr. Taylor describes the thinc!^ obtained in being born again.
That a sfiiritual resurrection to a new divine life, should be called a being born agaiuy is agreeable to the lanyuage of scripture, in which we find a resurrection is called a b.-ing bortiy or begotten. So those words in the 2d Psalm, “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee,” arc applied to Christ’s resurrection, Ac’s xiii. 33. So in Col. i. 18, Chriil ij called {he ^/irsi borfi from the dead; and in Rev. i. 5, Thejint begotten of the dead. The saints, in their conversion or sfiiritual resurrection are risen nvith Christy and are begotten and born loith him. I Pet. i. 3. “Which hath begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the deady to an inheritance incorruptible.” This inheritance is the same thing with that kingdom of heaven which men obtain by being born again, according to Christ’s words to Nicodemus; and that sanne inheritance of them that are sanctified spoken of as what is obtained in true conversion. Acts xxvi. 18. “To turn them (or convert them) from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance aynong them that are sanctified through faith that is in me.’* Dr. Taylor’s own words, in his note on Rom. i. 4, speaking of that place in the 2d Psalm* just now mentioned, are very worthy to be here recited. He observes how this is applied to Christ’s resurrection and exaltation, in the New Testament, and then has this remark, “Note, Begetting is conferring a new and happy state: A son is a person put into it. Agreeably to this, good men are said to be the sons of God, as they are the sons of the resurrection ta eternal life which is represented as a itcuKYY^n9%, a being be* gotten or born again regenerated.”
So that I think it is abundantly plain, that the spiritual resurrection sipokcn of in scripture, by which the saints are brought to a new divine life, is the same with that being born again, which Christ says is necessary for every one, in order to his seeing the kingdom of God.
1’. This change, which men are the subjects of, when they are bor7i again and circumcised in hearty wlex they refienty and are converted and spiritually raised from the deadj is the same change which is meant when the scripture speaks of making the heart and s/iirit new or giving a new heart and spirit.
It is needless here to stand to observe, how evidently this is spoken of as necessary to salvation, and as the change in which are att.uncd th.e habits of true virtue and holiness, and the character of a true saint; as has been observed oi regent itation, conversio77, 8cc. and how apparent it is from thence, that the change is the same. For it is as it were selfevident; It is apparent by the phrases themselves, that they arc diflc — cnt expressions of the same ihinir. Thus repentance (^iraroia) or the chanie of the mind, is the same asbcinj; changed to a 77fw mind, or a netv heart and spirit. Conversion is the turning of the heart; which is the same thing as changing it so, that there shall be another heart, or a new heart, or a new spirit. To be born again, is to be born aneno; which implies a becoming wew, and is represented as becoming new born babes: But none supposes it is the bodt/, that is immediately and properly new, but the mindj hearty or s/iin’t. Antl so a sfiiritual resurrection is the resurrection of the spirit, or rising to begin a new existence and life, as to the nwid hearty oP fpirit. So that all these phrases imply an having ^neiu hearty and being renewed in the spirit y according to their plain signification.
When Nicodemus expressed his wonder at Christ’s declaring it necessary, that a man should be born ataiTi in order to see the kingdom of God, or enjoy the privileges of the kingdom of the Messiah, Christ says to him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” i. e. “Art thou one set to teach others the things wriiten in the law and the prophets, and knowest not a doctrine so plainly taught in your scriptures, that such a change as I speak of. Is necessary to a partaking of the blessings of the kingdom of the Messiah?’*... But what can Christ have respect to in this, unless such prophecies as that in Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26, 27? Where God, by the prophet, speaking of the days of the Messiah’s kinidom, Siiys,” Then will I sprinkle clean wntcr upon
you, and yc shall be clean i new heart also will I j.Jve you,
and a new spirit will I put within you. ...and I will put my spirit within you.” Here God speaks of hiving a neio hear; and spirit by being iva-hrd with water, and recciling the Spirit nf God, as the qlialificiition of God’s people, that shall enjoy the privileges of the kingdom of the Messiah. How much is (his rtke the doctrine of Christ to Nicodemus, of being born aain ofvjater and of the spirit? Vc have anoiher like prophecy m Ezek. xi. 19.
Add to these things, that ree:eneration, or a being borfi again and the renenviiig (or niakin?: new) by the Holy Ghostj are spoken of as the same thing. Titus iii. 5.” By the washing of regerieration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.**
V. It is abundantly manifest, that being born again a spiritually rising from the dead to newness of life receiving a neto hearty and being renewed in the spirit of the mind» these are the same thing with that which is called putting off the old ?na?i) and pulling on the new man.
The expressions arc equivalent; and the representations are plainly of the same thing. “When Christ speaks of being born again, two births are supposed; afrst and a second; an old birthj and a new one: And the thing born is called man. So what is born in the first birth, is the old man; and what is brought forth in the second birth, is the Jiew in an. That which is born in the first birth (says Christ) is fesh: It is the carnal man, wherein we have borne the image of the earthly Adantt whom the apostle calls ih first man. That which is born in the new birth, is spii-it, or the spiritual and heavenly man: “Wherein Ave proceed from Christ iht second ma7i, Xhtnew man, who is made a quickening spirit, and is the Lord from heaven, and the head of the neiQ creation. In the new birth, men are represented as becoming new born babes (as was observed before) which is the same thing as becoming new men.
And how apparently is what the scripture says of the spiritual resurrection of the Christian convert, equivalent and of the very same import with putting off the old man, and putting on the new man? So in Rom. vi, the convert is spoken of ns dying, and being buried with Christ; which is explained in the 6th verse, by this, that “the old man is crucified-; that the body of sin might bcjestroyed.” And in the 4th verse, converts in this change are spoken of as rising to newness of life. Are not these things plain enough? The apostle does in effect tell us, that when he speaks of that spiritual death and resurrection which is in conversion, he means the same thing as cr’dcifying and burying the old man and rising a new man.
And it is most apparent, that spiritual circinncision and spiritual bafitivny and the spiritual rcnurrcciiony arc all the same wiih fiuttinj; off” the old nan, and fiuttint; on the nevs man. This appears by Col. ii. 11, 12. “In whom also yc arc circumcised with the circiancifticn made without hands, in /tutting qthe body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcihion of Christ, buried with him in tafit:lsm; wherein also yc arc risen with him.” Here it is manifest, that the spiritual circumcision, baptism, and resurrection, all siynify that ch:m;^c wherein men fiut off the body of the sins of the fesh: But that is the same thing, in this apostle’s language, as fiuttini; off the old man; as appears by Rom. vi. 6. Our old man is crucified, that the body of sin may be destroyed.” And that putiing oiT the old man is the same with putting off the body of sins appears further by Ephes. iv. 22, 23, 24-... .and Col. iii. 8, 9, 10.
As Dr. Taylor confesses, that a being b’-.rn again is “that wherein are obtained the habits of viituc, reliijion, and true holiness;” so how evidently is the same thing predicated of [hat change, which is called /iutiinc off the old wan and fmt- ling on the ne-lj man? Ep’n. iv. 22, 23, 24. “That yc put AfF the old man, which is corrupt, Sec. and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
And it is most plain, that ihi.^ putting ofLihe old man, Stc is the very same thing with making the heart and sfiirit nctv. It is apparent in iisell: The spirit is called t?ic man in t!»e language of lliC aposUc it is called the inward many and the hidde7i jnan Rom. vii. 22... .2 Cor. iv. 16.... Pet, iii. 4. And therefore putting off the old man is the same ihi.Mg with the removal of the old hiart; and the pulling on the Jieiu man 15 the receiving a new heart and a Jiciv n/:irit. Yea, putting on. the new nian is expressly spoken of as ike same thing with’receiving a nenv s/iirity or being rcnehoed in s/urit, Eph. iv. 22, 25, 24. »’ That ye put off the old man, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and thni ye put on the new man.”
From these things it appears, how unreason. .ble, and co tnry to the u!ino-»i degree ot scripuiiul e%idence; J Dr. Tayr O lor*s way of explaining the old man and the new man)* as” though thereby was meant nothing personal; but that by the. old man was meant the heathen state, and by the new man the Christian disfiensation, or state of professini Christians, or the whole collective bodij of professors of Christianity, made up of Jews and Gentiles; when all the color he has for it is, that the apostle once calls the Christian church a new man, Eph, ii. 15. It is very true, in the scriptures often, both in the Old Testament and New, collective bodies, nations, peoples, cities, are figuratively represented by persons; particularly the church of Christ is represented as one holy person, and has the same appellatives as a particular saint or believer ;. and so is called a child and a son of God, Exod. iv. 22. ...Gal. iv. 1,2; and iiservanl of God, Isai. xli. 8, 9, and xliv. 1. IVic daughter of God, and sftouae of Christ, Psal. xlv. 10, 13, 14.... Rev. xix, 7, Nevertheless, luld it be reasonable to argue from hence, that such appellations, as a servant of God, a child of God, &c. are always or commonly to be taken as signifying only the church of God in general, or great collective bodies; and not to be understood in a personal sense? But certainly’ this would not be more unreasonable, than to urge, that by the old and the nev) man, as the phrases are mostly used in scripture, is to be understood nothing but the great collective bodies of Pagans and of Christians, or the Heathen and the Christian world, as to their ow?’rwz?Y/ profession, and tfie dispensation they are under. It might have been proper, in this case, to have cen.sidered the unreasonableness of that practice which our author charges on others, and finds so much fault with in them,t” That they content themselves with a /t’7y sera/is of scripture, which, though wrong understood, they make the test of truth, and the ground of their principles, in contradic’ tion to the nvhole tenor of revelation**
VI. I observe once more, it is very apparent, that a being born again, and spiritually raised from death to a state of ncAV existence ami life, having a nerj heart created in us, being renewed in the spirit of our mhid, and being the subjects of that
rage X49, ...133, S. t Page 224,
change by Vvhich wc/?i/r q/fr/jc old many and fiut on the new man, is the same thing with that which, in scripture; is called a beinif created anrii’, or made neh; creatures.
Here, to pass over many other evidences of this, which might be mentioned, I would only observe, that the representations arc exactly equivalent. These several phrases naturally and most plainly signify the same effect. In the fust hirt/:^ or generation, we are creatcdor brought into existence; it is then the whole man first receive a being: The soul is then formed, and then our bodies avefearjitily and wonderfully made, being curiously wrought bij our Creator: So that a new born child is a new creature. So, when a man is born again, he is created again; in that nciv birth, there is a nc-^ creation; and therein he biicomes as a new born babe, or a new creature. Soj In a resurrection, there is ^ficiv creation. When a man is dead, that which was created or made in the first birth or creation is destroyed: When that which was dead is raised to life, the mighty power of the Creator or Author of life, is exerted the second time, and the subject restored to new existence, and new life, as by a new creation. So giving a new heart is called creating a clean heart, Psal li. 10. Where the word translated, create, is the same that is used in hic fust verse in Genesis. And when we read in scripture of the new creature, the creature that is called new, is via?:; not angel, or beast, or any other sort of creature; and therefore the phrase, new 7nan, is evidently equippolent with 7:er.’ creature; and a putting off the old man, and putting on the new man, is spoken of expressly as brought to pass by a work of creation. Col, iii. 9, 10. “Ye have put off the old man, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the ^mage of him that created him.” So Eph. iv. 22, 23, 21, That ye put off the old man, which is corrupt, 5cc. and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” These things absolutely fix the meaning of that in 2 Cor. V. 17. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: Old things arc passed away; behold, all things are become n?w.”
On the whole, the following reflections may be made;
1. That it is a truth of the utmost cer’ainty, with respect to everij man, born of the race of Adam, by ordinary generation, that unless he be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. This is true, not only of the Heathen, but of them that are born of the professing people of God, as Nicodemus, and the Jews, and every man born of the Jlesh. This is most manifest by Christ’s discourse in John iii. 3. ...11. So it is plain by 2 Cor. v. 17, That every man who is in Christy is a nep creature,
2. It appears from this, together with what has been proved above, that it is most certain with respect to every one of the human race, that he can never have any interest in Christ, or see the kingdom of God, unless he be the subject of that change in the temper and disposition of his heart, which is made in refimtance and conversion circumcision of heart, sfiiritual boptisiiiy dying to siny and rising to a neno and holy life; and unless he has the old heart taken away, and a new heart and spirit given, and puts off the old man, and puts on the new 772077, and o/jrf things are passed away, and all things. ?nade new.
3. From what is j)lainly implied in these things, and from what the scripture most clearly teaches of the nature of them, it is certain, that evc7’y man is bo7m into the world in a state of moral pollution: For spiritual baptism is a cleansing from moral filthiness. Ezck. xxxvi. 25, compared with Acts ii. 16, and John iii. 5. So the washing of regeneration, or the new birth, is a change from a state of wickedness. Tit. iii. y 4, 5. IMcn are spoken of as purified in their regeneration. 1 Pet. i. 22, 23. See also 1 John ii. 29, and iii. 1, 3. And it appears that every man, in his first or natural state, is a sinner; for otherwise he woUld then need no repentance, no conversion, no turnini;- from sin to God. And it appears, that ev ery man in his original slate has a heart of stone 5 for thus the scripture calls that old heart, which is taken away, when a new hi art 2^(lntw spirit is given. Ezek. xi. 19, and xxxvi, 26, And it appears, that men’s nature, as in his native state, is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and of its own motion exerts itself in nothing but wicked deed.9. Fr thus thR scripture characterizes the old man, which is put off, when men are renewed in the spirit of their minds, and put on the neno many Eph. iv. 22, 23, 24. ...Col. iii. 8, 9, 10. In a word, it appears, that man’s nature, as in its native state, is a body of 9iny which must be destroyed, must die, he buried, and ncxer rise more. For thus the old man is represented, which is crw cifiedy when men are the subjects of a spiritual resurrection, Rom. vi. 4, 5, 6. Such a naiure, such a body of sin as this, is put off in the spiritual renovation, wherein we put on the 71^71’ many and are the subjects of the spiritual circumcision, Eph.iv. 21,22,23.
It must now be left with the reader to judge for himself, whether what the scripture teaches of the ap/iUcation of Christ’s redemption, and the change of state and nature necessary to true and final happiness, does not afford clear and abundant evidence to the truth of the doctrine of Original Sin.