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THE
POWERS
AND
CONTESTS OF FLESH AND SP1RP7.
Question IV. Whether
all
persons
are equally
-defiled
with original
sin
?
Answer. We
must here distinguish
between the
guilt
of
sin
belonging to the person,
and
the power
of
sin
that
is
in
the
nature.
Now whatsoever guilt
is
derived
to
any person from
Adam,
by
communion
with him
in his
first apostasy,
the
same
is
derived
to
all the
posterity
;
noris
this the thing
.
thatis"
doubted
or
enquired
here.
But
as to
the power
of
sin
in
the
nature,
it
is
evident,
that
there are not
the
same
degrees
of
sinful
propensity,
vicious
appetite, and
passion,
in
the bodies
of
all,
even
from
their
very
birth and
infancy.
The constitution of
.
arimál
or
fleshly
nature
in
some,
is
much
more
stillen
or
greedy, more wanton
or peevish, more slothful,
or
proud
and haughty, than
it
is
in
others,
according
to
the various.
mixture of
the blood and humours, and the
dif
erentrfer-
ments that
arise
thence; whereby
the
soul
is
early im-
pressed
and governed, and
habituated
to
particular
vices:
betimes.
Though
we
are
all
"
conceived
in sin,
and shapen
in
iniquity
;"
Ps.
7i.
5.
yet there
are some
who
are empha-
tically wicked
in
their
very constitutions, who are
more
remarkably estranged
to all
that
is
good
from
the
womb,
"
and
go
astray
as soon
as
they are born, speaking
lies
;"
Ps.
lviii.
3.
Whereby the psalmist
may seem
to intimate
that
some
persons
have
wickedness more eminently
run-
ning
through their
families
;
they are born
and bred
utter
strangers
to
God,
honesty,
and
goodness
:
and
they
have
a
sort
of
craft
and knavishness
mingled with
their
temper,
that
they
practise
lying as soon
as
they
can.
speak,
It
is
evident
enough to the observation
of
every man,
that
some
persons are
of
a
more temperate, more
chaste,
more
modest, more friendly and kind disposition,
even
in animal
nature
;
they are more
plain- hearted, and of
a
more honest' and sincere make from their
very
infancy;
they
have
more of the dove and
of
the lamb
in
them,
than
of
the
fox,
the bear, or the lion
;
and the
soul
is
not
led
astray
to
the practice
of
the
contrary
vices,
either
so
far,
or
so
early, as those
who,
perhaps,
from
their immediate
parents,
have received
flesh
and blood more tainted
with