N06399:135
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.
II. The Sum of our Duty to God, required in his Law, is Love to God; taking Love in a large Sense, for the true Regard of our Hearts to God, implying Esteem, Honour, Benevolence, Gratitude, Complacence &c. This is not only very plain by the Scripture, but it is evident in it self. The Sum of what the Law of God requires, is doubtless Obedience to that Law: No Law can require more than that it be obeyed. But 'tis manifest, that Obedience to God is Nothing, any otherwise than […] a Testimony of the Respect of our Hearts to God: Without the Heart, Man's external Acts are no more than the Motions of the Limbs of a wooden Image; have no more of the Nature of either Sin or Righteousness. It must therefore needs be so, that Love to God, or the Respect of the Heart, must be the Sum of the Duty required towards God in his Law.
II. The Sum of our Duty to God, required in his Law, is Love to God; taking Love in a large Sense, for the true Regard of our Hearts to God, implying Esteem, Honour, Benevolence, Gratitude, Complacence &c. This is not only very plain by the Scripture, but it is evident in it self. The Sum of what the Law of God requires, is doubtless Obedience to that Law: No Law can require more than that it be obeyed. But 'tis manifest, that Obedience to God is Nothing, any otherwise than 〈…〉 a Testimony of the Respect of our Hearts to God: Without the Heart, Man's external Acts are no more than the Motions of the Limbs of a wooden Image; have no more of the Nature of either Sin or Righteousness. It must therefore needs be so, that Love to God, or the Respect of the Heart, must be the Sum of the Duty required towards God in his Law.
III. It therefore appears from the Premises, that whosoever withholds more of that Love or Respect of Heart from God which his Law requires, than he affords, has more Sin, than Righteousness. Not only he that has left divine Love, than Passions & Affections which are opposite; but also he that don't love God half so much as he ought, or has Reason to do, has justly more Wrong, than Right, imputed to him, according to the Law of God, and the Law of Reason; he has more Irregularity, than Rectitude, with Regard to the Law of Love. The sinful Disrespect or Unrespectfulness of his Heart to God, is greater than his Respect to him.