On Original Sin in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - III - Chapter 1 of Part I concluded

Required readingThe great Christian doctrine of original sin defended in Volume I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sections VII, VIII and IX from Chapter 1 of Part I.

My summary.

Now. in Section VII. Edwards demonstrates from Scripture and church history that mankind is depraved because of their:

(i) wicked character (Section VII);

(ii) corruption despite means to restrain sin (VIII).

Section IX is devoted to answering evasions of the arguments for the depravity of humanity.  The five evasions are:

(i) Adam's nature was very far from being sinful; yet he sinned;

(ii) man only make themselves corrupt by their own free choice;

(iii) mankind only sins because of bad examples;

(iv) man only sins because the animal passions get the start of reason.;

(v) by conflict and victory our virtue may be refined and established.

What grabbed me

I appreciated the point about humanity's continual sin despite being given many means of restraint.  

Even from the beginning, this has been the case: 

'Here is a mighty alteration: mankind, once so easy and happy, healthful, vigorous, and beautiful, rich in all the pleasant and abundant blessings of paradise, now turned out, destitute, weak, and decaying, into a wide barren world, yielding briers and thorns, instead of the delightful growth and sweet fruit of the garden of Eden, to wear out life in sorrow and toil, on the ground cursed for his sake; and at last, either through long and lingering decay, or severe pain and acute disease, to expire and turn into putrefaction and dust. If these are only used as medicines, to prevent and to cure the diseases of the mind, they are sharp medicines indeed; especially death; which, to use Hezekiah's representation, is as it were breaking all his bones. And, one would think, should be very effectual, if the subject had no depravity—no evil and contrary bias, to resist, and hinder a proper effect—especially in the old world, when the first occasion of this terrible alteration, this severity of means, was fresh in memory. Adam continued alive near two-thirds of the time before the flood; so that a very great part of those who were alive till the flood, might have opportunity of seeing and conversing with him, and hearing from his mouth, not only an account of his fall, and the introduction of the awful consequences of it, but also of his first finding himself in existence in the new-created world, of the creation of Eve, and what passed between him and his Creator in paradise.

But what was the success of these great means, to restrain men from sin, and to induce them to virtue? Did they prove sufficient?—instead of this, the world soon grew exceeding corrupt; till, to use our author's own words, mankind were universally debauched into lust, sensuality, rapine, and injustice.'

Despite countless warnings and helps, humanity continues to sin.  

Is humanity totally depraved?  Absolutely! 

Next week's reading

Read Chapter 2 of Part I.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.