N06399:366
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 3
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.
1. Suffering Death, and failing of possible Existence, are entirely different Things. If there had never been any such Thing as Sin committed, there would have been infinite Numbers of possible Beings, which would have failed of Existence, by God's Appointment. God has appointed not to bring into Existence numberless possible Worlds, each replenished with innumerable possible Inhabitants. But is this equivalent to God's appointing them all to suffer Death?
1. Suffering Death, and failing of possible Existence, are entirely different Things. If there had never been any such Thing as Sin committed, there would have been infinite Numbers of possible Beings, which would have fail'd of Existence, by God's Appointment. God has appointed not to bring into Existence numberless possible Worlds, each replenished with innumerable possible Inhabitants. But is this equivalent to God's appointing them all to suffer Death?
2. Our Author represents, that by Adam's Sin the Possible Existence of his Posterity fell into the Hands of the Judge, to be disposed of as he should think fit. But there was no Need of any Sin of Adam's, or any Body's else, in order to their being brought into God's Hands in this ⟨p. 170⟩Respect. The future possible Existence of all created Beings, is in God▪s Hands, antecedently to the Existence of any Sin. And therefore by God's sovereign Appointment, infinite Numbers of possible Beings, without any Relation to Adam, or any other sinning Being, do fail of their possible Existence. And if Adam had never sinned, yet it would be unreasonable to suppose, but that innumerable of his possible Posterity, would have failed of Existence by God's Disposal. For will any be so unreasonable as to imagine, that God would and must have brought into Existence as many of his Posterity as it was possible should be, if he had not sinned? Or that in that Case, it would not have been possible, any other Persons of his Posterity should ever have existed, than those individual Persons, who now actually fall under that Sentence of suffering Death, and returning to the Dust?