N06399:306
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.
The destroying the Infants in Sodom, and the neighbouring Cities: which Cities, destroyed in so extraordinary ⟨p. 134⟩miraculous and awful a Manner, are set forth as a signal example of God's dreadful Vengeance for Sin to the World in all Generations; agreeable to that of the Apostle, Jude v 7. God did not reprove, but manifestly countenanced Abraham, when he said with Respect to the Destruction of Sodom (Gen xviii. 23, 25.) Wilt thou destroy the Righteous with the Wicked?—That be far from thee, to do after this Manner, to slay the Righteous with the Wicked, & that the Righteous should be as the Wicked, that be far from thee. Shall not, the Judge of all the Earth do right? Abraham's Words imply that God would not destroy the innocent with the guilty. We may well understand innocent as included in the Word righteous, according to the Language usual in Scripture, in speaking of such Cases of Judgment & Punishment; as is plain in Gen. xx. 4. Exod. xxiii. 7. Deut. xxv. 1. 2 Sam. iv. 11. 2 Chron. vi. 23. and Prov. xviii. 5. Eliphaz says, Job iv. 7. Who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? We see what great Care God took that Lot should not be involved in that Destruction. He was miraculously rescued by Angels, sent on Purpose; who laid hold on him, and brought him, and set him without the Gates of the City; and told him that they could do Nothing till he was out of the Way. Gen. xix. 22. And not only was he thus miraculously delivered, but his two wicked Daughters for his Sake. The whole Affair, both the Destruction, and the Rescue of them that escaped, was miraculous: And God could as easily have delivered the Infants which were in those Cities. And if they had been without Sin, their perfect Innocency, one should think, would have pleaded much more strongly for them, than those lewd Women's Relation to Lot pleaded for them. When in such a Case, we must suppose these Infants much further from deserving to be involved in that Destruction, than even Lot himself. To say here, that God could make it up to those Infants in another World, must be an insufficient Reply. For so he could as easily have made it up to Lot, or to ten or fifty righteous, if they had been destroyed in the same Fire: