SECOND ESSAY. .á Plain Explication, of the Doctrine of Imputed Sin and Imputed Righteousness. THE doctrine of the imputation of sin and righteousness bath been attended with many noisy controversies in the christian world ; And though these things may be frequently met with in common life, and that without any controversy, yet they seem to have created such difficulties in religion, as are hard to be com- promised. Let usmake one more attempt and try, whether these notionsand expressions may not be set in so fair and easy a light, by tracing out the plainest ideas of them in the common affairs of mankind, that when they are applied to religious subjects and texts of scripture, it may vanquish these difficulties, and recon- bile the sentiments of several contestingparties in christianity. When a man has broken any of the laws of his country, and is actually fined or imprisoned, or put to public shame or death, or is condemned to fines or imprisonments, to the pillory or the gallows, it is plain that sin is imputed to him, his wicked- ness is upon him, and he bears his iniquity ; that is, he is ac- counted or reputed a criminal by the court of justice, and he is condemned or dealt with as an offender, he is made liable to, or obliged to bear the punishment, or he is actually punished. On the other hand, if a righteous or innocent man is falsely accused of any crime, and he as acquitted by the court, then sin is not imputed to him by thatcourt, or he is not condemned, but right- eousness is imputed to him, or he is reputed and pronounced righteous, and dealt with as an innocent or as a righteous man ; or, in another scripture phrase, his righteousness is upon him. Or if a reward be either assigned or actually given to a man according to the law upon the account of any righteous or good action he hás done, this act of virtue or goodness is imputed to him, and his righteousness is upon him, he is dealt with as a righteous and deserving' person, the reward of righteousness is given him. If a man has been guilty of a crime which deserves capital punishment, but the punishment is remitted by the mercy of the princeupon his repentance, at the intercession of some nobleman, and he is entirely pardoned, then sin is not imputed to him, he is justified from that crime, and righteousness is imputed to him by 'the free favour of the prince, that is, he is not condemned but absolved ; he is not liable to punishment now, but he has a right
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