This corrupt root spoils the fruit, by the transmission of §2its sower and naughty sap into all the branches and fruits that grow on them; they suck no other nourishment, but what the root affords them, and that being bad, spoils all: for the same cause and reason, no mee• natural or unregenerate man can ever do one holy or acceptable action, because the corruption of the root is in all those actions. The necessity of our drawing corruption into all our actions, from this cursed root Adam, is expressed by a quick and smart Interrogation, Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. The sense of it is well delivered us (by Mr. Caryl in loc.) This question (saith he) may undergo a threefold construction; First, thus: Who can bring a morally clean person, out of a person originally unclean? and so he lays his hand upon his birth-sin: Or, secondly, (which speaks to my purpose) it may refer to the action of the same man, man being unclean, cannot bring forth a clean thing; (i. e.) a clean or holy action; that which is originated, is like its Original. And that this sower sap of the first stock (I mean Adams sin) is transmitted into all mankind, not only corrupting their fruit, but ruining and withering all the branches; the Apostle shows us in that excellent parallel betwixt the two Adams, Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man] one, not only in individuo, sed in specie, one representing the whole root or stock, sin entered into the world] not by imitation only, but by propagation? and this brought death and ruin upon all the branches.
This corrupt root spoyls the fruit, by the transmission of §2its sower and naughty sap into all the branches and fruits that grow on them; they suck no other nourishment, but what the root affords them, and that being bad, spoyles all: for the same cause and reason, no mee• natural or unregenerate man can ever do one holy or acceptable action, because the corruption of the root is in all those actions. The necessity of our drawing corruption into all our actions, from this cursed root Adam, is expressed by a quick and smart Interrogation, Iob 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. The sense of it is well delivered us (by Mr. Caryl in loc.) This question (saith he) may undergo a threefold construction; First, thus: Who can bring a morally clean person, out of a person originally unclean? and so he layes his hand upon his birth-sin: Or, secondly, (which speaks to my purpose) it may refer to the action of the same man, man being unclean, cannot bring forth a clean thing; (i. e.) a clean or holy action; that which is originated, is like its Original. And that this sower sap of the first stock (I mean Adams sin) is transmitted into all mankind, not only corrupting their fruit, but ruining and withering all the branches; the Apostle shews us in that excellent parallell betwixt the two Adams, Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man] one, not only in individuo, sed in specie, one representing the whole root or stock, sin entered into the world] not by imitation only, but by propagation? and this brought death and ruine upon all the branches.
