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The great Christian doctrine of original sin defended
by Jonathan Edwards
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Excerpt:
ORIGINAL SIN
DEFENDED.
PART I.
Wherein are considered some Evidences of Original Sin from Faffs arid Events, as found by Observation and Experience, together with Representations and Testimonies of 'holy Scripture, and the Confession and Assertions of Opposers. ^
CHAP. I.
'The Evidence of Original Sin from what appears in Faff of the Sinfulnefs of Mankind.
Se C T. I.
All Mankind do constantly, in all Ages, without Fail in any one Instance, run into that moral Evil, which is in Effect their own utter and eternal Perdition,- in a total Privation of GOU's Favour, and suffering of his Vengeance and Wrath.
:Y Original Sin, as the Phrase has been most commonly used by Divines, is meant the innate sinful Depravity of the Heart. But yet when the Doctrine of Original Sin is spoken of, it is vulgarly under*
B stood stood in that Latitude, as to include not only the Depravity of Nature^ but the Imputation of Adam's, first Sin; or in other Words, the Liableness or Exposedness of Adam's Posterity, in the divine Judgment, to partake of the Punishment of that Sin. So sar as I know, most of those who have held one of these, have maintained the other; and most of those who have opposed one, have opposed the other: both are opposed by the Author chiefly attended to in the following Discourse, in his Book against Original Sin: And it may perhaps appear in our future Consideration of the Subject, that they are closely connected, and that the Arguments which prove the one establish the other, and that there are no more Difficulties attending the allowing of one than the other.
I shall, in the first Place, consider this Doctrine more especially with regard to the Corruption of Nature; and as we treat of this, the other will naturally come into Consideration, in the Prosecution of the Discourse, as connected with it.
As all moral Qualities, all Principles either of Virtue or Vice, lie in the Disposition of the Heart, I shall consider whether we have any Evidence, that the Heart of Man is naturally of a corrupt and evil Disposition. This is strenuoufly denied by many late Writers, who are Enemies to the Doctrine of Original Sin; and particularly by Dr. Taylor.
The Way we come by the Idea of any such Thing as Disposition or Tendency, is by observing what is constant or general in Event; especially under a great Variety of Circumstances; and above all, when the Effect or Event continues the same
through through great and various Opposition, much and manifold Force and Means used to the contrary, not prevailing to hinder the Effect, — I do not know, that such a Prevalence of Effects is denied to be an Evidence of prevailing Tendency, in Causes and Agents; or that it is expressly denied by the Opposers of the Doctrine of Original Siny that, if, in the Course of Events, it univerfally or generally proves that Mankind are actually corrupt, this would be an Evidence of a prior corrupt Propensity in the World of Mankind; whatever may be said by some, which, if taken with its plain Consequences, may seem to imply a Denial of this j which may be considered afterwards. -— But by many the Fact is denied ± that is, it is denied, that Corruption and moral Evil are commonly prevalent in the World: On the contrary, it is insisted on, that Good preponderates, and that Virtue has the Ascendant.
To this Purpose Dr. Turnhutt says *, "Witrt ** regard to the Prevalence of Vice in the World, "Men are apt to let their Imagination run- out '' upon all the Robberies, Pyracies, Murders, Per"juries, Frauds, Massacres, Assassinations they i •* have either heard of, or read in History; thence "concluding all Mankind to be very wicked. As"if a Court of Justice were a proper Place to "make an Estimate of the Morals of Mankind, ** or an Hospital of the Plealthfulness of a Climate, "But ought they not to consider, that the Num"ber of honest Citizens and Farmers far surpasses "that of all Sorts of Criminals in any State, and ",-that the innocent and kind Actions of even Cri*' minals themselves surpass their Crimes in NurnB.z *, bersj.
