N06399:132
The great Christian doctrine of original sin defended
The great Christian doctrine of original sin defended; evidences of it's [sic] truth produced, and arguments to the contrary answered. Containing, in particular, a reply to the objections and arguings of Dr. John Taylor, in his book, entitled, "The Scripture-doctrine of original sin proposed to free and candid examination, &c. / By the late Reverend and learned Jonathan Edwards, president of the College of New-Jersey. ; [Thirteen lines of quotations]The great Christian doctrine of original sin defended; evidences of it's [sic] truth produced, and arguments to the contrary answered. Containing, in particular, a reply to the objections and arguings of Dr. John Taylor, in his book, intitled, "The Scripture-doctrine of original sin proposed to free and candid examination, &c. / By the late Reverend and learned Jonathan Edwards, president of the College of New-Jersey. ; [Thirteen lines of quotations]
printed by S. Kneeland, 1758
The great Christian Doctrine of ORIGINAL SIN defended. › Part 1 › Chapter 1 › Section 5
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Law of God is the Rule of Right, as Dr. T. often calls it: It is the Measure of Virtue and Sin: So much Agreement as there is with this Rule, so much is there of Rectitude, Righteousness, or true Virtue, and no more; and so much Disagreement as there is with this Rule, so much Sin is there.
Having premised this, the following Things may be here observed.
I. The Degree of Disagreement from this Rule of Right is to be determined, not only by the Degree of Distance from it in Excess, but also in Defect; or in other Words, not only in positive Transgression, or doing what is forbidden, but also in withholding what is required. The divine Lawgiver does as much prohibit the one as the other, and does as much charge the latter as a sinful Breach of his Law, exposing to his eternal Wrath and Curse, as the f••mer. Thus at the Day of Judgment, as described Matth. xxv. The Wicked are condemned, as cursed, to everlasting Fire, for their Sin in Defect and Omission: I was on hungered, and ye gave me no Meat, &c. And the Case is thus, not only when the Defect is in Word or Behaviour, but in the inward Temper and exercise of the Mind. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. If any Man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. Dr.T. speaking of the Sentence and Punishment of the Wicked (Matth.xxv.41, 46.) says, It was manifestly for WANT of Benevolence, Love and Compassion to their Fellow Creatures, that they were condemned. And elsewhere, as was observed before, he says, that the Law of God extends to the latent Principles of Sin, to forbid them, and to condemn to eternal Destruction for them. And if so, it doubtless also extends to the inward Principles of Holiness to require them, and in like manner to cond for the Want of them.