N06399:591
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 3 › Chapter 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.
III. It will follow on Dr. T—r's Scheme, that Christ's Redemption, with regard to a great Part of them who are the Subjects of it, is not only a Redemption from no Sin, but from no Calamity, and so from no Evil of any Kind. For as to Death, which Infants are redeemed from, they never were subjected to it as a Calamity, but purely as a Benefit. It came by no Threatening, or Curse, denounced upon or through Adam; the Covenant with him being utterly abolished, as to all it's Force & Power on Mankind (according to our Author) before the pronouncing the Sentence of Mortality. Therefore Trouble and Death could be appointed to innocent Mankind, no other Way than on the Foot of another Covenant, the Covenant of Grace; and in this Channel they come only as Favours, not as Evils. Therefore they could need no Medicine or Remedy; for they had no Disease. Even Death itself, which it is supposed Christ saves 'em from, is only a Medicine; 'tis preventing Physic, and one of the greatest of Benefits. It's ridiculous, to talk of Persons needing a Medicine, or a Physician, to save 'em from an excellent Medicine; or of a Remedy from a happy Remedy! If it be said, tho' Death be a Benefit, yet 'tis so because Christ changes it, and turns it into a Benefit, by procuring a Resurrection:—I would here ask, What can be meant by turning or changing it into a Benefit, when it never was otherwise, nor could ever justly be otherwise? Infants could not at all be brought under Death as a Calamity: for they never deserved it. And it would be only an Abuse (be it far from us, to ascribe such a Thing to God) in any Being, to make the Offer, to any poor Sufferers, of a Redeemer from some Calamity, which he had brought upon them without the least Desert of it on their Part.
III. It will follow on Dr. T—r's Scheme, that Christ's Redemption, with regard to a great Part of them who are the Subjects of it, is not only a Redemption from no Sin, but from no Calamity, and so from no Evil of any Kind. For as to Death, which Infants are redeemed from, they never were subjected to it as a Calamity, but purely as a Benefit. It came by no Threatning, or Curse, denounced upon or through Adam; the Covenant with him being utterly abolished, as to all it's Force & Power on Mankind (according to our Author) before the pronouncing the Sentence of Mortality. Therefore Trouble and Death could be appointed to innocent Mankind, no other Way than on the Foot of another Covenant, the Covenant of Grace; and in this Channel they come only as Favours, not as Evils. Therefore they could need no Medicine or Remedy; for they had no Disease. Even Death itself, which it is supposed Christ saves 'em from, is only a Medicine; 'tis preventing Phyick, and one of the greatest of Benefits. It's ridiculous, to talk of Persons needing a Medicine, or a Physician, to save 'em from an excellent Medicine; or of a Remedy from a happy Remedy! If it be said, tho' Death be a Benefit, yet 'tis so because Christ changes it, and turns it into a Benefit, by procuring a Resurrection:—I would here ask, What can be meant by turning or changing it into a Benefit, when it never was otherwise, nor could ever justly be otherwise? Infants could not at all be brought under Death as a Calamity: for they never deserved it. And it would be only an Abuse (be it far from us, to ascribe such a Thing to God) in any Being, to make the Offer, to any poor Sufferers, of a Redeemer from some Calamity, which he had brought upon them without the least Desert of it on their Part.