N06399:520
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 4 › 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.
3. If we should allow the Argument in Dr. T—r's Sense of it, to prove that Death don't come by personal Sin, yet it will be wholly without Force to prove the main Point, even that it must come by Adam's Sin. For it might come by God's sovereign and gracious Pleasure; as innumerable other divine Benefits do. If it be ordered, agreeable to our Author's Supposition, not as a Punishment, nor as a Calamity, but only a Favour, what Necessity of any settled Constitution, or revealed Sentence, in order to the bestowing such a Favour, more than other Favours; and particularly more than that great Benefit, which he says entered into the World by the Sin of the Antediluvians, the shortening Men's Lives so much after the Flood?—Thus the Apostle's arguing, by Dr. T—r's Explanation of it, is turned into mere Trifling, and a vain and impertinent Use of Words, without any real Force or Significance.
3. If we should allow the Argument in Dr. T—r's Sense of it, to prove that Death don't come by personal Sin, yet it will be wholly without Force to prove the main Point, even that it must come by Adam's Sin. For it might come by God's sovereign and gracious Pleasure; as innumerable other divine Benefits do. If it be ordered, agreable to our Author's Supposition, not as a Punishment, nor as a Calamity, but only a Favour, what Necessity of any settled Constitution, or revealed Sentence, in order to the bestowing such a Favour, more than other Favours; and particularly more than that great Benefit, which he says entred into the World by the Sin of the Antediluvians, the shortening Men's Lives so much after the Flood?—Thus the Apostle's arguing, by Dr. T—r's Explanation of it, is turned into meer Trifling, and a vain and impertinent Use of Words, without any real Force or Significance.
VI. The Apostle here speaks of that great Benefit, which we have by Christ as the A••itype of Adam, under the Notion of a Fruit of GRACE. I don't […] that Super-abounding of Grace, wherein the Benefit we have by Christ goes beyond the Damage […] by Adam; but that Benefit, with Regard to which Adam was the Figure of him that was to come, and which is as it were the Counterpart of the Suffering by Adam, and which repairs the Loss we have by him. This is here spoken of […] the Fruit of the free Grace of God; as appears by v. 1, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21. This, according to our […] the Restoring of Mankind to that Life which they loss in Adam: and he himself supposes this Restoration of Life by Christ to be what Grace does for us, and calls it the Free Gift of God, and the Grace & Favour of the Lawgiver.