N06399:697
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.
Now, in the next Place, let us see how the Consequence of these Things is to my present Purpose. If the Existence of created Substance, in each successive Moment, be wholly the Effect of God's immediate Power, in that Moment, without any Dependence on prior Existence, as much as the first Creation out of Nothing, then what exists at this Moment, by this Power, is a new Effect; and simply & absolutely considered, not the same with any past Existence, tho' it be like it, and follows it according to a certain established Method. *And there is no Identity or ⟨p. 344⟩Oneness in the Case, but what depends on the arbitrary Constitution of the Creator; who by his wise sovereign Establishment so unites these successive new Effects, that he treats them as One, by communicating to them like Properties, Relations, & Circumstances; and so, leads us to regard and treat them as one. When I call this an arbitrary Constitution, I mean, that it is a Constitution which ⟨p. 345⟩depends on Nothing but the divine Will; which divine Will depends on Nothing but the divine Wisdom. In this Sense, the whole Course of Nature, with all that belongs to it, all it's Laws and Methods, and Constancy and Regularity, Continuance and Proceeding, is an arbitrary Constitution. In this Sense, the Continuance of the very Being of the World and all it's Parts, as well as the Manner of continued Being, depends entirely on an arbitrary Constitution: for it don't at all necessarily follow, that because there was Sound, or Light, or Colour, or Resistance, or Gravity, or Thought, or Consciousness, or any other dependent Thing the last Moment, that therefore there shall be the like at the next.—All dependent Existence whatsoever is in a constant Flux, ever passing ⟨p. 346⟩and returning; renewed every Moment, as the Colours of Bodies are every Moment renewed by the Light that shines upon them; and all is constantly proceeding from GOD, as Light from the Sun. In Him we live, and move, and have our Being.
Now, in the next Place, let us see how the Consequence of these Things is to my present Purpose. If the Existence of created Substance, in each successive Moment, be wholly the Effect of God's immediate Power, in that Moment, without any Dependence on prior Existence, as much as the first Creation out of Nothing, then what exists at this Moment, by this Power, is a new Effect; and simply & absolutely considered, not the same with any past Existence, tho' it be like it, and follows it according to a certain established Method.