N06399:594
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.
If all Mankind, in all Parts of the World, have such sufficient Power to do their whole Duty, without being sinful in any Degree, then they have sufficient Power to obtain Righteousness by the Law: And then, according to the Apostle Paul, Christ is dead in vain. Gal. ii. 21. If Righteousness come by the Law, Christ is dead in vain;—[Greek or Hebrew], without the Article, by Law, or the Rule of right Action, as our Author explains the Phrase.‡ And according to the Sense in which he explains this very Place, It ⟨p. 295⟩would have frustrated, or rendered useless, the Grace of God, if Christ died to accomplish what was or MIGHT have been effected by Law itself, without his Death. *So that it most clearly follows from his own Doctrine, that Christ is dead in vain, and the Grace of God is useless. The same Apostle says, If there had been a Law which COULD have given Life, verily Righteousness should have been by the Law, Gal. iii. 21. i. e. (still according to Dr. T—r's own Sense) if there was a Law, that Man, in his present State, had sufficient Power perfectly to fulfil. For Dr. T. supposes the Reason why the Law could not give Life, to be, no• because it was weak in itself, but through' the Weakness of our Flesh, and the Infirmity of the human Nature in the present State. †But he says, We are under a mild Dispensation of GRACE, making Allowance for our Infirmities. ‡By our Infirmities, we may upon good Grounds suppose, he means that Infirmity of human Nature, which he gives as the Reason, why the Law can't give Life. But what Grace is there in making that Allowance for our Infirmities, which Justice itself (according to his Doctrine) most absolutely requires, as he supposes divine Justice exactly proportions our Duty to our Ability?