N06399:631
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 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.
From these Things it appears, how unreasonable, and contrary to the utmost Degree of Scriptural Evidence, is Dr. T—r's Way of explaining the Old Man, and the New Man▪ *as tho' thereby were meant Nothing personal; but that by the old Man were meant the Heathen State, and by the New Man the Christian Dispensation, or State of professing Christians, or the whole collective Body of Professors of Christianity, made up of Jews & Gentiles: When all the Colour he has for it, is, that the Apostle once calls the Christian Church a new Man, Eph. ii. 15. 'Tis very true, in the Scriptures, often, both in the old Testament and new, collective Bodies, Nations, Peoples, Cities, are figuratively represented by Persons: particularly the Church of Christ is represented as one holy Person, and has the same Appellatives as a particular Saint or Believer; and so is called a Child and a Son of God, Exod. iv. 22. Gal. iv. 1, 2. and a Servant of God,Isai. xli. 8,9. & xliv. 1. The Daughter of God,and Spouse of Christ, P•al. xlv. 10, 13, 14. Rev. xix. 7—Nevertheless, would it be reasonable, to argue from hence, that such Appellations, as a Servant of God, a Child of God, &c. are always, or commonly to be taken as signifying only the Church of God in general, or great collective Bodies; and not to be understood in a personal Sense? But certainly, this would not be more unreasonable, than to urge, that by the Old and the New Man, as the Phrases are mostly used in Scripture, is to be understood Nothing but the great collective Bodies of Pagans and of Christians, or the Heathen and the Christian World, as to their outward Profession, and ⟨p. 308⟩the Dispensation they are under. It might have been proper, in this Case, to have considered the Unreasonableness of that Practice which our Author charges on others, and finds so much Fault with in them,