Wherein are confidered fome Evidences of Original Sin from Facts and Events, as found by Obfervation and Experience, together with Reprefentations and Teftimonies of holy Scripture, and the Confeffion and Affertions of Oppofers.

CHAP. I.

The Evidence of Original Sin from what appears in Fact of the Sinfulness of Mankind.

SECT. I.

All Mankind do cónftantly, in all Ages, without Fail in any one Inftance, run into that moral Evil, which is in Effect their own utter and eternal Perdition, in a total Privation of GOD's Favour, and fuffering of his Vengeance and Wrath.

B

Y Original Sin, as the Phrafe has been moft commonly used by Divines, is meant the innate finful Depravity of the Heart. But yet when the Doctrine of Original Sin is fpoken of, it is vulgarly under

ftood 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 Expofedness of Adam's Pofterity, in the divine Judgment, to partake of the Punishment of that Sin. So far as I know, moft of thofe who have held one of thefe, have maintained the other; and moft of those who have oppofed one, have oppofed the other both are oppofed by the Author chiefly attended to in the following Discourse, in his Book againft Original Sin: And it may perhaps appear in our future Confideration 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 fhall, in the firft Place, confider this Doctrine more especially with regard to the Corruption of Nature; and as we treat of this, the other will naturally come into Confideration, in the Profecution of the Discourse, as connected with it.

As all moral Qualities, all Principles either of Virtue or Vice, lie in the Difpofition of the Heart, I fhall confider whether we have any Evidence, that the Heart of Man is naturally of a corrupt and evil Difpofition. This is ftrenuously 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 fuch. Thing as Difpofition or Tendency, is by obferving what is conftant or general in Event; especially under a great Variety of Circumftances; and above all, when the Effect or Event continues the fame

through

Sect. I. S

through great and various Oppofition, much and manifold Force and Means ufed to the contrary: not prevailing to hinder the Effect. I do not know, that fuch a Prevalence of Effects is denied, to be an Evidence of prevailing Tendency in Caufes and Agents; or that it is exprefsly denied by the Oppofers of the Doctrine of Original Sing 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 cor-rupt Propenfity in the World of Mankind, whatever may be faid by fome, which, if taken with, its plain Confequences, may feem to imply a Denial of this; which may be confidered 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 infifted on, that Good preponderates, and that Virtue has the Afcendant.

*

To this Purpose Dr. Turnbull fays "With "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, Maffacres, Affaffinations they "have either heard of, or read in Hiftory; thence "concluding all Mankind to be very wicked. As "if a Court of Juftice were a proper Place to "make an Eftimate of the Morals of Mankind,

or an Hospital of the Healthfulness of a Climate, "But ought they not to confider, that the Num"ber of honeft Citizens and Farmers far furpaffes "that of all Sorts of Criminals in any State, and "that the innocent and kind Actions of even Cri "minals themselves furpafs their Crimes in Num"<bers >

B 2

• Moral Philof. p. 289, 290.

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"bers; that it is the Rarity of Crimes, in Comparison of innocent or good Actions, which engages our Attention to them, and makes them "to be recorded in Hiftory, while honeft, ge"nerous domeftic Actions are overlooked, only "because they are fo common? As one great

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Danger, or one Month's Sicknefs fhall become

a frequently repeated Story during a long Life "of Health and Safety. Let not the Vices of "Mankind be multiplied or magnified. Let us "make a fair Eftimate of human Life, and fet over-against the fhocking, the astonishing In"ftances of Barbarity and Wickednefs that have "been perpetrated in any Age, not only the exceeding generous and brave Actions with which History fhines, but the prevailing Innocency, Good"Nature, Industry, Felicity, and Chearfulness of the

greater Part of Mankind at all Times; and "we fhall not find Reason to cry out, as Objectors "against Providence do on this Occafion, that all "Men are vastly corrupt, and that there is hardly "any fuch Thing as Virtue in the World. Upon "a fair Computation, the Fact does indeed come "out, that very great Villanies have been very "uncommon in all Ages, and looked upon as "monftrous; fo general is the Sense and Esteem "of Virtue."-It feems to be with a like View that Dr. T. fays, "We must not take the Measure "of our Health and Enjoyments from a Lazar"House, nor of our Understanding from Bedlam, "nor of our Morals from a Goal." (p. 77. S.)

With respect to the Propriety and Pertinence of fuch a Representation of Things, and its Force as to the Confequence defigned, I hope we shall be better able to judge, and in fome Measure to determine, whether the natural Difpofition of the

Hearts