N06399:392
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.
But there was no Constitution determining concerning the actual Being of his Posterity in this Case; what Posterity he should have, how many, or whether any at all. All these Things God had reserved in his own Power: The Law and its Sanction intetmeddl•d not with the Matter.
It may be proper in this Place also to take some Notice of that Objection of Dr. T—r's against Adam's being supposed to be a federal Head for his Posterity, that it gives him greater Honour than Christ, as it supposes that all his Posterity would have had eternal Life by his Ob• dience, if he had stood; and so a greater Number would have had the Benefit of his Obedience, than are saved by Christ. *—I think, a very little Consideration is sufficient to show, that there is no Weight in this Objection. For the Benefit of Christ's Merits may nevertheless be vastly beyond that which would have been by the Obedience of Adam. For those that are saved by Christ, are not merely advanced to Happiness by his Merits, but are saved from the infinitely dreadful Effects of Adam's Sin, and many from immense Guilt, Pollution & Misery by personal Sins; also brought to a holy & happy State, as it were through' infinite Obstacles; and are exalted to a far greater Degree of Dignity, Felicity & Glory, than would have been due for Adam's Obedience; for aught I know, many Thousand Times so great. And there is enough in the Gospel-Dispensation, clearly to manifest the Sufficiency of Christ's Merits for such Effects in all Mankind. And how great the Number will be, that shall actually be the Subjects of them, or how great a Proportion of the whole Race, considering the vast Success of the Gospel, that shall be in that future extraordinary, exempt, and glorious Season, often spoken of, none can tell. And the Hono•r of these two federal Heads arises not so much from what was proposed to each for his Trial, as from their Success, and the Good actually obtained; and also the Manner of obtaining: Christ obtains the Benefits Men have through' him by proper Merit of Condignity, and a true Purchase by an Equivalent: which would not have been the Case with Adam, if he had obeyed.