N06399:377
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.
This is evident from the Curse on the Ground; which if it be any Curse at all, comes equally on Adam's Posterity with himself. And if it be a Curse, then against whomsoever it is designed, and on whomsoever it terminates, it comes as a Punishment, and not as a Blessing, so far as it comes in Consequence of that Sentence.
Dr. T. (P. 19.) says, A Curse is pronounced upon the Ground, but no Curse upon the Woman and the Man. And in P. 321, 322. He insists, that the Ground only was cursed, and not the Man: Just as tho' a Curse could terminate on lifeless, senseless Earth! To understand this Curse otherwise than as terminating upon Man, through' the Ground, would be as senseless as to suppose the Meaning to be, The Ground shall be punished, and shall be miserable for thy sake. Our Author interprets the Curse on the ⟨p. 176⟩Ground, of it's being encumbered with noxious Weeds: But would these Weeds have been any Curse on the Ground, if there had been no Inhabitants, or if the Inhabitants had been of such a Nature, that these Weeds should not have been noxious, but useful to 'em? It is said, Deut. xxviii. 17. Cursed shall be thy Basket and thy Store: And would he not be thought to talk very ridiculously, who should say, 'Here is a Curse upon the Basket; but not a Word of any Curse upon the Owner: And therefore we have no Reason at all to look upon it as any Punishment upon him, or any Testimony of God's Displeasure towards him!' How plain is it, that when lifeless Things, which are not capable of either Benefit or Suffering, are said to be cursed or blessed with regard to sensible Beings, that use or possess these Things, or have Connection with them, the Meaning must be, that these sensible Beings are cursed or blessed in the other, or with respect to them? In Exod. xxiii. 25. 'tis said, He shall bless thy Bread & thy Water. And I suppose, never any Body yet proceeded to such a Degree of Subtlety in distinguishing, as to say, 'Here is a Blessing on the Bread and the Water, which went into the Possessors Mouths, but no Blessing on them.' To make such a Distinction with regard to the Curse God pronounced on the Ground, would in some Respects be more unreasonable, because God is express in explaining the Matter, declaring that it was for Man's sake, expressly referring this Curse to him, as being with Respect to him, and for the Sake of his Guilt; and as consisting in the Sorrow & Suffering he should have from it: In Sorrow shalt THOU eat of it—Thorns & Thistles shall it bring forth TO THEE. So that God's own Words tell us where the Curse terminates. The Words are parallel with those in