QUESTIONVIII. 303 soul, by some constant original law of creation or nature, and acting as uniformly as gravitation on matter, we answer the diffi- culty of the soul's becoming subject to the sensations of painand anguish: At its creation and union to the body, it becomes a child of Adam, and is exposed to the pains of nature, as a part of the curse coming on the first sinner, and on all his natural posterity, whose representative he both stood and fell. But there is hope ofdeliverance in the gospel from the pains as well as thesins which came into human nature from our first parents; blessed be God for this relief. To conclude ; as I have acknow- ledged this tobe the very chief point of difficulty in all the contro- versiesabout original sin, so I am doubtful whether this solution sets the matter in such a sufficient light, as to take away all re- maining scruples from a curious and inquisitive mind. I confess it is the most probable hypothesis Ican think of, and shall be glad to see this perplexing enquiry more happily answered. But if the case itself be matter of fact, that souls are defiled, and expos- ed to pain, by being united to human bodies so vitiated, we are sure it must be just and equitable, because God has thus ordered it, though we should not find out a happier solution of the diffi- culties that attend it, in this dark and imperfect state. QUEST, VIII.Suppose it were granted, that this Representation of Things, if it were true, would in a great Measure account for that Universal Deluge of Sin and Misery which has overspread Mankind, yet what Reason have we to believe it to be true? Does the Word of God, which is our truest and safest Guide, give us the same Representation of Things, or support this Scheme ? Answer I. The difficulties and darknesses which attend this important question, how came sin and misery into theworld? are so many and great, that if, by reasoning On these subjects, we can but find any hypothesis, or supposed scheme of transac- tions between God and man, which will give a tolerable,solution of these difficulties, and lead us through this dark scene of pro- vidence, without any just imputation or reflection upon the wis- dom, justice and goodnessof our Creator, it ought to have con- siderable weight with every reasoning and enquiring mind, if it be not contrary toscripture, thòugh it should not be asserted, and expressly maintained in scripture. It was this same perplexing enquiry that led several of the heathens and Greek, philosophers into many vain imaginations, and betrayed someof thoseuro- fessors of wisdom into various wild fooleries and atheistical impieties. Some of them thought that all things werepròduced by merechance, others ascribedit to a necessaryfatality'and irre-
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