N06399:177
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 7
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.
This may be argued from several Things which have been already observed: as from a Tendency to continual Sin; a Tendency to much greater Degrees of Sin than Righteousness, and from the general extreme Stupidity of Mankind. But yet the present State of Man's Nature, as implying, or tending to a wicked Character, may be worthy to be more particularly considered, and directly proved. And in general, this appears, in that there have been so very Few in the World, from Age to Age, ever since the World has stood, that have been of any other Character.
'Tis abundantly evident in Scripture, and is what I suppose none that call themselves Christians will deny, that the whole World is divided into Good and Bad, and that all Mankind at the Day of Judgment will either be approved as righteous, or condemned as wicked; either glorified, as Children of the Kingdom, or cast into a Furnace of Fire, as Children of the wicked One.
I need not stand to show what Things belong to the Character of such as shall hereafter be accepted as Righteous, according to the Word of God. It may be sufficient for my present Purpose, to observe what Dr. T. himself speaks of as belonging essentially to the Character of such. In P. 203. He says, This is infallibly the Character of true Christians, and what is essential to such, that they have really mortified the Flesh, with it's Lusts;—They are dead to Sin, and live no longer therein; The old Man is crucified, and the Body of Sin destroyed: They yield themselves to God, as those that are alive from the Dead, and their Members as Instruments of Righteousness to God, and as Servants of Righteousness to Ho••ness.—There is more to the like Purpose in the two next Pages. In P. 228. He says, Whatsoever is evil and corrupt in us, we ought to condemn; not so, as it shall still remain in us, that we may always be condemning it, but that we may speedily reform, and be effectually delivered from it; otherwise certainly we do not come up to the Character of the true Disciples of Christ.