inC6ntaítig g0Ata'# lacteitipÍi®ti. 37 2. An Hereditary Corruption is tranfìnitted to all Chap, HI.. that naturally defcend from him. If Adam had con- L9r-; tinned in his Obedience, the fpiritual as well as the natural Lifehad been conveighed to his Children, but for his Rebellion he loft hisprimitive Rectitude, and contracted an univerfal Corruption; which he derives . to all his Pofterity. And as in a Difeafe there is the defeïl of Health, and a diftemper of the humours that affe&s the Body; fo in the depravation of Nature there is not the meer want of holinefs, but a ftrong proclivity to fin. This privation of original Righteouf- nefs confider'd as a Sin, is naturally from Adam, the principle of lapfed and corrupt Nature : But as a pu- nifhment, 'tis meritorioufly from him, and falls under the ordination of Divine Jufhice. Man caft it away, and God righteoufly refutes to rettore it 'Tis a fol- licitous impertinency to enquire nicely about the man- ner of conveying this univerfal Corruption. For the bare knowlede of it is ineffectual to the cure. And what greater folly than to make our own evils the object of Pimple Speculation ? I (hall confider only that general account of it, which is fet down in the scrip- ture. 'Tis theuniverfal and unchangeable Lawof Nature, that every thing produce its like, not only in regard of the fame nature that is propagated from one indi- vidual to another, without a change ofthefpecies, but in refpe& of the qualities with which that nature is . eminently affected. This is viable in the feveral kinds of Creatures in the world, they all preferve the nature of the principle from whence they are derived, and retain the vein of their original, the quality of their extra5lion. Thus our Saviour tells us that the fruit Mar. 7. ]C, partakes of the rottennefs of the Tree :. and what- Jot:a3, á,. ever is born of the fief/3, is flefh. The title of Flefh Both
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