N06399:277
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 9
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.
And I might here also observe, that this Way of accounting for the Wickedness of the World, amounts to just the same Thing with that Solution of Man's Depravity, which was mentioned before, that Dr. T. cries out of as too gross to be admitted, (P. 188, 189.) viz. God's creating the Soul pure, and putting it into such a Body, ⟨p. 118⟩as naturally tends to pollute it. For this Scheme supposes, that God creates the Soul pure, and puts it into a Body, and into such a State in that Body, that the natural Consequence is a strong Propensity to Sin, as soon as the Soul is capable of sinning.
Dr. Turnbull seems to suppose, that the Matter could not have been ordered otherwise, consistent with the Nature of Things, than that animal Passions should be so aforehand with Reason, as that the Consequence should be that which has been mentioned; because Reason is a Faculty of such a Nature, that it can have Strength and Vigour no otherwise than by Exercise and Culture. *But can there be any Force in this? Is there any Thing in Nature, to make it impossible, but that the superior Principles of Man's Nature should be so proportioned to the inferior, as to prevent such a dreadful Consequence, as the moral and natural Ruin, and eternal Perdition of the far greater Part of Mankind? Could not those superior Principles be in vastly greater Strength at first, and yet be capable of endless Improvement? And what should hinder it's being so ordered by the Creator, that they should improve by vastly swifter Degrees than they do? If we are Christians, we must be forced to allow it to be possible in the Nature of Things, that the Principles of human Nature should be so balanced, that the Consequence should be no Propensity to Sin, in the first Beginning of a Capacity of moral Agency; because we must own, that it was so in Fact in Adam, when first created, and also in the Man Christ Jesus; tho' the Faculties of the latter were such as grew by Culture and Improvement, so that he increased in Wisdom, as he grew in stature.