N06399:550
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 2
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.
SECT. II.
Some Observations on the Connection, Scope and Sense of this remarkable Paragraph in Rom. v.—With some Reflections on the Evidence, which we here have of the Doctrine of Original Sin.
THE Connection of this remarkable Paragraph with the foregoing Discourse in this Epistle, is not obscure and difficult; nor to be sought for at a Distance. It may be plainly seen, only by a general Glance on Things which went before, from the Beginning of the ⟨p. 272⟩Epistle: And indeed what is said immediately before in the same Chapter, leads directly to it. The Apostle in the preceding Part of this Epistle had largely treated of the Sinfulness and Misery of all Mankind, Jews, as well as Gentiles. He had particularly spoken of the Depravity and Ruin of Mankind in their natural State, in the foregoing Part of this Chapter; representing them as being Sinners, Ungodly, Enemies, exposed to divine Wrath, and without Strength.—No Wonder now, this leads him to observe, how this so great & deplorable an Event came to pass; how this universal Sin and Ruin came into the World. And with Regard to the Jews in particular, who, though they might allow the Doctrine of original Sin in their own Profession, yet were strongly prejudiced against what was implied in it, or evidently following from it, with regard to themselves; in this respect they were prejudiced against the Doctrine of universal Sinfulness, and Exposedness to Wrath by Nature, looking on themselves as by Nature holy and Favourites of God, because they were the Children of Abraham; and with them the Apostle had laboured most in the foregoing Part of the Epistle, to convince them of their being by Nature as sinful, and as much the Children of Wrath, as the Gentiles:—I say, with Regard to them, it was exceeding proper, and what the Apostle's Design most naturally led him to, to take off their Eyes from their Father Abraham, who was their Father in Distinction from other Nations. and direct them to their Father Adam, who was the common Father of Mankind, and equally of Jews and Gentiles. And when he was entered on this Doctrine of the Derivation of Sin and Ruin, or Death, to all Mankind from Adam, no Wonder if he thought it needful to be somewhat particular in it, seeing he wrote to Jews and Gentiles; the former of which had been brought up under the Prejudices of a proud Opinion of themselves, as a holy People by Nature, and the latter had been educated in total Ignorance of all Things of this Kind.