N06399:109
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 1 › Chapter 1 › Section 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.
So that this Depravity is both odious, and also pernicious, fatal and destructive, in the highest Sense, as inevitably tending to that which implies Man's eternal Ruin; it shows, that Man, as he is by Nature, is in a deplorable and undone State, in the highest Sense. And this proves that Men don't come into the World perfectly innocent in the Sight of God, and without any just Exposedness to his Displeasure. For the being by Nature in a lost and ruined State, in the highest Sense, is not consistent with being by Nature in a State of Favour with God.
So that this Depravity is both odious, and also pernicious, fatal and destructive, in the highest Sense, as inevitably tending to that which implies Man's eternal Ruin; it shews, that Man, as he is by Nature, is in a deplorable and undone State, in the highest Sense. And this proves that Men don't come into the World perfectly innocent in the Sight of God, and without any just Exposedness to his Displeasure. For the being by Nature in a lost and ruin'd State, in the highest Sense, is not consistent with being by Nature in a State of Favour with God.
But if any should still insist on a Notion of Men's good Deeds exceeding their bad ones, and that seeing the good that is in Men more than countervails the Evil, they can't be properly denominated evil; All Persons and Things being most properly denominated from that which prevails, and has the Ascendant in them: I would say further, That
I presume it will be allowed, that if there is in Man's Nature a Tendency to Guilt and Ill-Desert, in a vast Over-balance to Virtue & Merit; or a Propensity to that Sin, the Evil and Demerit of which is so great, that the Value and Merit that is in him, or in all the virtuous Acts that ever he performs, are as Nothing to it; then truly the Nature of Man may be said to be corrupt and evil.