QUESTION VI. 299 in the flesh and blood, are conveyed down from the original sin.. ner, in greater or less degrees*, to all his offspring in continual succession ; and the soul, in its infant-state, is perpetually im- pressed and allured by these vicious motions, appetites and pas- sions of the flesh ; and it asreadily complies with those that are ac- counted criminal, As with thosethat are innocent. Itis true indeed; that in the mere infant-state, the soul has no knowledge of God, or his law, of virtue or vice, of its own duty or sin ; and there- fore, in its mere infant- state, theactionsare not properly human or moral ; nor can they be actually criminal in the sight of God, so as tocontract actual guilt, till years of knowledge and under - standing, and till the mindand will are capable of knowing, chu- sing and refusing moral good and evil ; and at what time this is to be determined, the great God only knows : But when it is capable of exerting any actions of the will with understanding, and such as are properly human and moral, it contracts actual and personalguilt, by these sinful compliances with the flesh and animal nature. Thus original sin, especially that part of it which consists in the corruption of our nature, is evidently conveyed and communicatedby the flesh ; and thence it comes to,pass, that the principles of sin in mankind, and the evil habits both in the soul and in the body, are so often called the flesh in scripture, because the flesh is the means of the propagation of sin, and be- cause thevicious motions and ferments which are in the flesh, lead thesoul astray to forbidden actions. It isgranted, the soul has rea- soning and reflecting powers, and is furnished with judgment and conscience, yet these are very youngandfeeble in childhood, and the soul seldom calls them into counsel to enquire or advise ; for it finds it much easier to comply with every animal appetito re Though original sin, se far as it is imputed, is equal in all the race of Adam, for it is the imputation of Adam's sin, or condemnation by it to suffer sorrow and death; yet original sin inherent, or the corruption of nature which is propagated from the first man to all his offspring; has various degrees in differ- ent persons. The very animal juices andferments, in the formation of particular human bodies, may have more or less of the vicious tincture in them. And this maybe partly owing to the virtues or vices of immediate parents, orother ances- tors, or the particular tempers, humours and constitutions of the father or mother. Hence we say of some persons, they have more natural virtues than ethers, that is, good temper, compassion, moderation, temperance, &c. And others have more natural vices, such as, cruelty, envy, pride, drunkenness, wantonness, &c. The reason of this seems to be founded in the present nature Of things, though we may not always descry the immediate and particular causes. But the general cause and ground of the propagation of particular vices to children, must be referred originally to their common interest in the guilt or condemnation of Adam's first sin. Without this I Cannot vindicate the providence, of God in the propagation of any particular vices by the appointed laws of nature. And if it be enquired, why some have more native vices than others, since the ground or demerit of all, is one and the satne : I answer, That it is awing to themere mercy of God that every child has not as vile andcorrupt and vioieus a nature or temper, as the worst; and if, every one were equally vicunas is their animaltemper, the government of God would be justified in the permissionslit,
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