and that in this, the universal redemption of mankind by Christ consists. They further pretend that this explanation accords with the words of the article; for the fear of death corrupts men's nature, and inclines them to evil.

2. As to the manner in which this corruption is conveyed to us: they suppose that the forbidden fruit might infuse a slow poison into Adam's body, which might have so inflamed his blood, that by a gradual operation, it finally produced death; and that this bodily disease was transmitted to his posterity, as we see children frequently inherit the disorders of their parents.

3. As to the consequences of it. They say the words "God's wrath and dammation" are frequently used in Scripture for temporary judgments. And in this sense they apply them to our being adjudged to death and all the miseries that accompany mortality.

The

2d. Others conceive there is a prevailing corruption in our nature, derived from Adam. truth of this opinion they support by the following arguments. (1.) Experience proves the existence of that corruption. This can admit of little doubt, every man feels it in himself, and sees it in others. Hence, the philosophers thought it necessary to defend the goodness of God in our

a See Conf. Remonst. c. 7. Limborch. Theol. Christ. 1. 3. c. 2. and Curcellæus, Rel. Chris. Ins. l. 3. c. 17.

creation, by supposing our souls had pre-existed in a former state, and had fallen from it into their present bodies as a punishment for their sins. The Manichees also, held that our bodies had been created by an evil God, and our souls by a good one. These hypotheses, though devoid of proof, yet admit the existence of that corruption for which they thus endeavour to account.

(2.) The Scriptures assert it. "Every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart is only evil continually."-(Gen. vi. 5.) "What man is he that liveth and sinneth not ?"-(1 Kings viii. 46.) "The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked."-(Jer. xvii. 9.) " All that are in Christ must become new creatures." (2 Cor. v. 17.) "The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of "God." (Rom. viii. 7.) These, with many other places of Scripture, fully shew that this corruption has spread over all mankind.

(3.) The Scriptures ascribe this corruption to the apostacy of Adam. We cannot suppose that God created man corrupt as we now find him, for it is expressly said, that he "made man after his own image." What this image was we may

2 This was the opinion of the Platonics. See Stanley's Hist. Phil. Part 5. c. 25. p. 191.

b See Lardner's Works, v. 3. p. 375. et seq.

learn from the description of our restoration to it; "the new man is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."-(Col. iii. 10.) And this new man is elsewhere said to be "created in righteousness and true holiness.”—(Eph. iv. 24.) This then was the image of God, in which man was at first made, which cannot therefore be restricted to the dominion over the creatures, for this is mentioned as a different thing from the former, and seems to be given him as a consequent upon it. This image, however, was by Adam's fall, lost both to himself and his posterity." By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin;"" by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation."

a

By one man's disobedience many were made sinners." (Rom. v. 12.) Here Adam's sin is plainly considered as the means by which the corruption we observe in men, was first produced.

With respect to the punishment of Adam's fall, they who hold the opinion now under consideration, suppose that the death denounced upon it was eternal death; for it is opposed to eternal life, and should therefore signify more than mere mortality. Thus (Rom. vi. 23.) " The

a See Stephens' Three-fold Def. of Orig. Sin, c. 3.

b In these and similar texts, the word rendered by, is the preposition dia, properly signifying the means by which any thing is done. See Schleusner in voc.

wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life." Though the addition of the word "eternal" here, makes the signification of the phrase more express, still when that addition is not made, the same meaning is intended: as, to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Hence, they conceive that God's threatening of Adam with death, ought not to be restrained merely to a natural death.

2. As to the manner in which this corruption is conveyed to us. The following is offered as a rational method of accounting for it since that corruption was produced in Adam by eating of the tree of knowledge, it is evident, that the same act which rendered his nature depraved, also added an improvement to his mental powers. Now, an excitement given to the animal spirits, would naturally exalt the mind to a greater sublimity of thought, while at the same time it would dispose a man to be more easily inflamed by appetites and passions. But as the animal spirits take their quality from the blood, they must therefore be elevated by any strong fermentation in it. If, then, the forbidden fruit contained any poisonous tendency, this would alter the state of the blood, and consequently of the animal spirits depending on it, and thus produce the effects we have mentioned. The corruption of Adam's nature being account

ed for, that of his posterity might be thus caused. It is a general law of creation, that a soul should depend for its purity or impurity on the state of the body, that as one degree of purity in its texture should make the soul likewise pure, so a contrary degree of texture might have contrary effects. Adam's nature, therefore, being corrupt, all bodily emanations from him should be also corrupt, and thus the entire nature of his posterity should be infected by the union established between souls and bodies at their creation.

3. As to the consequences of it. It is questioned how this corruption can be a sin, and deserving of God's wrath and damnation? But this nature is certainly the source of much crime, and cannot, therefore, be the object of God's love. Now, there is no mean in him between love and wrath, acceptance and damnation; if such persons, then, are not in the first order, they must be in the second.

3dly. Others conceive, that besides a corruption of nature, their is also an imputation of Adam's sin to us. This is the doctrine of St. Augustin,

a See Prideaux's Fasc. Cont. Q. 3. p. 115, and Calvin's Inst. 1. 2. c. 1. sec. 8.

▷ See Turretin's Inst. Theol. L. 9. Q. 9. With respect to the imputation of Adam's sin, there has been some difference of opinion. De la Place, Professor of Divinity at the University of Saumer, distinguished this imputation into immediate and mediate. By the former is meant, the doctrine stated in the text, of the direct imputation of