N06399:681
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.
FIRST Difficulty, That the appointing Adam to stand, in this great Affair, as the moral Head of his Posterity, and so treating them as one with him, as standing or falling with him, is injurious to them, and tends to their Hurt. To which I answer, It is demonstrably otherwise; that such a Constitution was so far from being injurious and hurtful to Adam's Posterity, or tending to their Calamity, any more than if every one had been appointed to stand for himself personally, that it was, in it self considered, very much of a contrary Tendency, and was attended with a more eligible Probability of an happy Issue, than the latter would have been: and so is a Constitution truly expressing the Goodness of it's Author. For, here the following Things are to be considered.
1. 'Tis reasonable to suppose, that Adam was as likely, on Account of his Capacity and natural Talents, to persevere in Obedience, as his Posterity (taking one with another) if they had all been put on the Trial singly for themselves. And supposing, that there was a constituted Union or Oneness of him and his Posterity, and that he stood as a public Person, or common Head, all by this Constitution would have been as sure to partake of the Benefit of his Obedience, as of the ill Consequence of his Disobedience, in Case of his Fall.
1. 'Tis reasonable to suppose, that Adam was as likely, on Account of his Capacity and natural Talents, to persevere in Obedience, as his Posterity (taking one with another) if they had all been put on the Trial singly for themselves. And supposing, that there was a constituted Union or Oneness of him and his Posterity, and that he stood as a publick Person, or common Head, all by this Constitution would have been as sure to partake of the Benefit of his Obedience, as of the ill Consequence of his Disobedience, in Case of his Fall.