N06399:336
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 2 › Chapter 1 › Section 1
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.
II. This Notion of Adam's being created without a Principle of Holiness in his Heart, taken with the rest of Dr. T—r's Scheme, is inconsistent with what the History in the Beginning of Genesis leads us to suppose of the great Favours and Smiles of Heaven, which Adam enjoyed, while he remained in Innocency. The Mosaic Account suggests to us, that till Adam sinned, he was in happy Circumstances, surrounded with Testimonies and Fruits of God's Favour. This is implicitly owned by Dr. T. when ⟨p. 158⟩he says, P. 252. That in the Dispensation our first Parents were under, before the Fall, they were placed in a Condition proper to engage their Gratitude, Love and Obedience. But it will follow on our Author's Principles, that Adam while in Innocency, was placed in far worse Circumstances, than he was in after his Disobedience, and infinitely worse than his Posterity are in; under unspeakably greater Disadvantages for the avoiding Sin, and the Performance of Duty. For by his Doctrine Adam's Posterity come into the World with their Hearts as free from any Propensity to Sin as he, and he was made as destitute of any Propensity to Righteousness as they: and yet God, in Favour to them, does great Things to restrain them from Sin, & excite them to Virtue, which he never did for Adam in Innocency, but laid him, in the highest Degree, under contrary Disadvantages. God, as an Instance of his great Favour, and fatherly Love to Man, since the Fall, has denied him the Ease and Pleasures of Paradise, which gratified and allured his Senses, and bodily Appetites; that he might diminish his Temptations to Sin: And as a still greater Means to restrain from Sin, and promote Virtue, has subjected him to Labour, Toil & Sorrow in the World: And not only so, but as a Means to promote his spiritual and eternal Good far beyond this, has doomed him to Death: And when all this was found insufficient, he, in further Prosecution of the Designs of his Love, shortened Men's Lives exceedingly, made them twelve or thirteen times shorter than in the first Ages.
II. This Notion of Adam's being created without a Principle of Holiness in his Heart, taken with the rest of Dr. T—r's Scheme, is inconsistent with what the History in the Beginning of Genesis leads us to suppose of the great Favours and Smiles of Heaven, which Adam enjoyed, while he remained in Innocency. The Mosaic Account suggests to us, that till Adam sin'd, he was in happy Circumstances, surrounded with Testimonies and Fruits of God's Favour. This is implicitly own'd by Dr. T. when