N06399:679
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 4 › Chapter 3
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.
I. It signifies Nothing, to exclaim against plain Fact—Such is the Fact, most evident and acknowledged Fact, with respect to the State of all Mankind, without Exception ⟨p. 334⟩of one Individual among all the natural Descendants of Adam, as makes it apparent, that God actually deals with Adam and his Posterity as One, in the Affair of his Apostasy, and it's infinitely terrible Consequences. It has been demonstrated, and shown to be in Effect plainly acknowledged, that every Individual of Mankind comes into the World in such Circumstances, as that there is no Hope or Possibility of any other than their violating God's holy Law (if they ever live to act at all, as moral Agents) and being thereby justly exposed to eternal Ruin.* And it is thus by God's ordering and disposing of Things. And God either thus deals with Mankind, because he looks upon them as one with their first Father, and so treats them as sinful and guilty by his Apostasy; or (which won't mend the Matter) He, without viewing them as at all concerned in that Affair, but as in every Respect perfectly innocent, does nevertheless subject them to this infinitely dreadful Calamity. Adam by his Sin was exposed to the Calamities &Sorrows of this Life, to temporal Death, and eternal Ruin; as is confessed. And 'tis also in Effect confessed, that all his Posterity come into the World in such a State, as that the certain Consequence is their being exposed, and justly so, to the Sorrows of this Life, to temporal Death, and eternal Ruin, unless saved by Grace. So that we see, God in Fact deals with them together, or as one. If God orders the Consequences of Adam's Sin, with regard to his Posterity's Welfare, even in those things which are most important, and which do in the highest Degree concern their eternal Interest, to be the same with the Consequences to Adam himself, then he treats Adam and his Posterity as in that Affair one. Hence, however the Matter be attended with Difficulty, Fact obliges us to get over the Difficulty, either by finding out some Solution, or by shutting our Mouths, and acknowledging the Weakness and Scantiness of our Understandings; as we must in innumerable other Cases, where apparent and undeniable ⟨p. 335⟩Fact, in God's Works of Creation and Providence, is attended with Events and Circumstances, the Manner and Reason of which are difficult to our Understandings,—But to proceed,