QUESTION V. 297 that their father should be their representative, yet the appoint- ment is so just and so equitable in the Governor of the world, and also there is so much goodness in it, considering that they were to have enjoyed immortality and happiness if he had kept his innocence, that none of the race of Adam could reasonably have refused this proposal. For this father of mankind, as I have shewn, is supposed to have as much wisdom and Wi- tless, and love to hünself, and resolution to maintain his own innocence and happiness, as any single person among them could have; and he would have the stronger motives of benevolence and fatherly pity to make him watch over his conduct, and to guard him from sin, having the whole concern of the happiness or misery of his offspring devolved upon him. The care of thousands, dear to him as his children, and whose peace or pain, whose life or death depend on his conduct, would naturally awaken all his watchfulness beyond the mere care of his single self. And if we suppose all his posterity,to have been endowed with the clear reason and wisdom, the sagacity and solid judg- ment, of innocent man, and to have had this question proposed to them, " whether they would each act for themselves in a dan- gerous state of trial, or have theircommon father appointedas a representative to act for them ;" surely they must have chosen their common father tó have been their representative: For their reason and wisdom Weald have assured them that their inno- ceuc:e and happiness were safer in his hands than in their own, in asmuch as the obligations that lay on him to secure it bgth for himself and for them, Were much stronger than could lie on every single person acting only for himself. Confirmation of this Scheine.To conclude : I think we may venture to say, that this universal mortality and death, Which' even our adversaries allow to be derived from Adana's sin, and all that long train of sorrows and miseries; which are come upon all mankind, young and old,. must arise originally from some ',federal transaction ofthe 'great God, as agovernor, with theirfirstparent, or parents ;" and suino covenant made with him fortheir posterity, 'either expressed or implied, whereby they all justly fall under these evils and disadvantages : Or else it must arise from. the sovereign arbitrary will and appointment of God himself, that upon our first parent's sin, all their posterity should become thus mortal and miserable as themselves. Now those who deny this our scheme or federal representation of things, are generally very tender and fearfúl of allowing any such hardships to conic upon creatures by the mere arbitrary will and appoint- ment of the Creator, lest they cast a blemish on the divine good- ness and equity. And yet I cannot findany possible waytoavoid this imputation on the equity and goodness of God, unless the uni- versal' misèry and death of mankind be derived from some seek
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