N06399:291
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 2
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.
Abimelech speaks of it as a Thing which he had Reason to conclude from God's Nature and Perfection, that he would not stay a righteous Nation. Gen. xx. 4. By righteous, evidently meaning innocent. And if so, much less will God stay a righteous World (consisting of so many Nations,—repeating the great Slaughter in every Generation) or subject the whole World of Mankind to Death, when they are considered as innocent, as Dr. T. supposes. We have from Time to Time in Scripture such Phrases as—worthy of Death, & guilty of Death: But certainly the righteous Judge of all the Earth won't bring Death on Thousands of Millions, not only that are not worthy of Death, but are worthy of no Punishment at all.
Dr. T. from Time to Time speaks of Affliction and Death as a great Benefit, as they increase the Vanity of ⟨p. 126⟩all earthly Things, and tend to excite sober Reflections, and to induce us to be moderate in gratifying the Appetites of the Body, and to mortify Pride & Ambition, &c.* To this I would say.
- *P. 21, 67, and other Places.
1. 'Tis not denied but God may see it needful for Mankind in their present State, that they should be mortal, and subject to outward Afflictions, to restrain their Lusts, and mortify their Pride and Ambition, &c. But then is it not an Evidence of Man's Depravity, that it is so? Is it not an Evidence of Distemper of Mind, yea, strong Disease, when Man stands in Need of such sharp Medicines, such severe and terrible Means to restrain his Lusts, keep down his Pride, and make him willing to be obedient to God? It must be because of a corrupt and ungrateful Heart, if the Riches of God's Bounty, in bestowing Life and Prosperity, and Things comfortable & pleasant won't engage the Heart to God, and to Virtue and child-like Love and Obedience, but that he must always have the Rod held over him, and be often chastised, and held under the Apprehensions of Death, to keep him from running wild, in Pride, Contempt & Rebellion, ungratefully using the Blessings dealt forth from his Hand, in sinning against him, and serving his Enemies. If Man has no natural Disingenuity of Heart, it must be a mysterious Thing indeed, that the sweet Blessings of God's Bounty have not as powerful an Influence to restrain him from sinning against God, as terrible Afflictions. If any thing can be a Proof of a perverse and vile Disposition, this must be a Proof of it, that Men should be most apt to forget and despise God, when his Providence is most kind; and that they should need to have God chastise them with great Severity, and even to kill them, to keep them in Order. If we were as much disposed to Gratitude to God for his Benefits, as we are to Anger at our fellow-Creatures for Injuries, as we must be (so far as I can see) if we are not of a depraved Heart, the Sweetness of the divine Bounty, if continued in Life, and the Height of every Enjoyment