N06399:374
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.
Indeed, sometimes our Author seems to suppose, that God meant the Thing denounced in this Sentence, as a Favour both to Adam and his Posterity. *But to his Posterity, or Mankind in general, who are the main Subject, he ever insists, that it was purely intended as a Favour. And therefore, one would have thought, the Sentence should have been delivered, with Manifestations and Appearances of Favour, and not of Anger. How could Adam understand it as a Promise of great Favour, considering the Manner and Circumstances of the Denunciation? How could he think, that God would go about to delude him, by clothing himself with Garments of Vengeance, using Words of Displeasure and Rebuke, setting forth the Heinousness of his Crime, attended with Cherubims and a flaming Sword; when all that he meant was only higher Testimonies of Favour than he had before in a State of Innocence, and to manifest fatherly Love and Kindness, in Promises of great Blessings? If this was the Case, God's Words to Adam must be understood thus: ⟨p. 174⟩Because thou hast done so wickedly, hast hearkened unto the Voice of thy Wise, and hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; therefore I will be more kind to thee than I was in thy State of Innocence, and do now appoint for thee the following great Favours: Cursed be the Ground for thy sake, &c. And thus Adam must understand what was said; unless any will say (and God forbid that any should be so blasphemous) that God clothed himself with Appearances of Displeasure, to deceive Adam, and make him believe the contrary of what he intended, and lead him to expect a dismal Train of Evils on his Posterity, contrary to all Reason and Justice, implying the most horribly unrighteous Treatment of Millions of perfectly innocent Creatures! 'Tis certain, there is not the least Appearance in what God said, or the Manner of it, as Moses gives us the Account, of any other, than that God was now testifying Displeasure, condemning the Subject of the Sentence he was pronouncing, as justly exposed to Punishment for Sin, and for that Sin which he mentions.
Indeed, sometimes our Author seems to suppose, that God meant the Thing denounced in this Sentence, as a Favour both to Adam and his Posterity. *But to his Posterity, or Mankind in general, who are the main Subject, he ever insists, that it was purely intended as a Favour. And therefore, one would have thought, the Sentence should have been delivered, with Manifestations and Appearances of Favour, and not of Anger. How could Adam understand it as a Promise of great Favour, considering the Manner and Circumstances of the Denunciation? How could he think, that God would go about to delude him, by cloathing himself with Garments of Vengeance, using Words of Displeasure and Rebuke, setting forth the Heinousness of his Crime, attended with Cherubims and a flaming Sword; when all that he meant was only higher Testimonies of Favour than he had before in a State of Innocence, and to manifest fatherly Love and Kindness, in Promises of great Blessings? If this was the Case, God's Words to Adam must be understood thus: