N06399:181
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.
Now I leave it to be judged by every One that has any Degree of Impartiality, whether there be not sufficient Grounds to think, from what appears every where, that it is but a very small Part indeed, of the many Myriads and Millions which overspread this Globe, who are of a Character that in any wise answers these Descriptions. However, Dr. T. insists, that all Nations, and every Man on the Face of the Earth, have Light and Means sufficient to do the whole Will of God, even they that live in the grossest Darkness of Paganism.
Dr. T. in Answer to Arguments of this Kind, very impertinently from Time to Time objects, †That we are no Judges of the Viciousness of Men's Character, nor are able to decide in what Degree they are virtuous or vicious. As tho' we could have no good Grounds to judge, that any thing, appertaining to the Qualities or Properties of the Mind, which is invisible, is general or prevailing among a Multitude or collective Body, unless we can determine how it is with each Individual. I think, I have sufficient Reason, from what I know & have heard of the American Indians, to judge, that there are not many good Philosophers among them; tho' the Thoughts of their Hearts, and the Ideas and Knowledge they have in their Minds, are Things invisible; and tho' I have never seen so much as the thousandth Part of the Indians; and with respect to most of them, should not be able to pronounce peremptorily, concerning any one, that he was not very knowing in the Nature of Things, if all should singly pass before me. And Dr. T. himself seems to be sensible of the Falseness of his own Conclusions, that he so often urges against others; if we may judge by his Practice, and the Liberties he takes, in judging of a Multitude himself. He, it seems, is sensible that a Man may have good Grounds to judge, that Wickedness of Character is general in a collective Body; because he openly does it Himself. (Key, P. 147.) After declaring the Things which belong ⟨p. 66⟩to the Character of a true Christian, he judges of the Generality of Christians, that they have cast off these Things, that they are a People that do err in their Hearts, and have not known God's Ways. P. 259, he judges, that the Generality of Christians are the most Wicked of all Mankind,—when he thinks it will throw some Disgrace on the Opinion of such as he opposes. The like we have from Time to Time in other Places, as P. 268. P. 258. Key, P. 182.