N06399:428
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 3 › 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.
When Christ says, Joh. iii. 6. That which is born of the Flesh, is Flesh, he represents the Flesh not merely as a Quality; for it would be incongruous, to speak of a Quality as a Thing born: 'tis a Person, or Man, that is born. Therefore Man, as in his whole Nature corrupt, is called Flesh: Which is agreeable to other Scripture-Representations, where the corrupt Nature is called the Old Man, the Body of Sin, and the Body of Death. Agreeable to this are those Representations in the 7th and 8th Chapters of Romans: there Flesh is figuratively represented as a Person, according to the Apostle's Manner, observed by Mr. Locke, and after him by Dr.T—r; who takes Notice, that the Apostle, in the 6th and 7th of Romans represents Sin as a Person; and that he figuratively distinguishes in himself two Persons, speaking of Flesh as his Person. For I ⟨p. 202⟩know that in ME, that is, in my Flesh, dwelleth no good thing. And it may be observed, that in the 8th Chapter, he still continues this Representation, speaking of the Flesh as a Person: and accordingly in the 6th & 7th Verses, speaks of the Mind of the Flesh, [Greek or Hebrew] and of the Mind of the Spirit, [Greek or Hebrew] as if the Flesh and Spirit were two opposite Persons, each having a Mind contrary to the Mind of the other. Dr. T. interprets this Mind of the Flesh, and Mind of the Spirit, as tho' the Flesh and the Spirit were here spoken of as the different Objects, about which the Mind spoken of is conversant. Which is plainly beside the Apostle's Sense; who speaks of the Flesh and Spirit as the Subjects and Agents, in which the Mind spoken of is; and not the Objects, about which it acts. We have the same Phrase again, v. 27. He that searcheth the Hearts, knoweth what is the MIND OF THE SPIRIT, [Greek or Hebrew] the Mind of the spiritual Nature in the Saints being the same with the Mind of the Spirit of God himself, who imparts and actuates that spiritual Nature; Here the Spirit is the Subject and Agent, and not the Object. The same Apostle in like Manner uses the Word, [Greek or Hebrew] in Col. ii. 18. Vainly puffed up by his fleshly Mind, [Greek or Hebrew] by the Mind of his Flesh.
When Christ says, Joh. iii. 6. That which is born of the Flesh, is Flesh, he represents the Flesh not meerly as a Quality; for it would be incongruous, to speak of a Quality as a Thing born: 'tis a Person, or Man, that is born. Therefore Man, as in his whole Nature corrupt, is called Flesh: Which is agreable to other Scripture-Representations, where the corrupt Nature is called the Old Man, the Body of Sin, and the Body of Death. Agreable to this are those Representations in the 7th and 8th Chapters of Romans: there Flesh is figuratively represented as a Person, according to the Apostle's Manner, observed by Mr. Locke, and after him by Dr.T—r; who takes Notice, that the Apostle, in the 6th and 7th of Romans represents Sin as a Person; and that he figuratively distinguishes in himself two Persons, speaking of Flesh as his Person. For I