Deep Dive into The Doctrine of Original Sin by Jonathan Edwards - Conclusion

The sources examine the strategies employed by Dr. T. and other contemporary opponents aiming to refute the traditional understanding of the "more peculiar doctrines of Christianity." These crucial doctrines are noted to be revealed most plainly and fully in the extensive writings of the Apostle Paul.

Dr. T.’s methods are calculated to influence readers beyond mere logic, targeting particularly juvenile and unwary audiences. He frequently professes virtues like sincerity, humility, meekness, and charity in his pursuit of truth, yet simultaneously displays magisterial assurance and high contempt for the arguments and opinions of "very excellent divines and fathers in the church of God."

A central tactic involves expressing high veneration for the Apostle Paul, praising his eminent genius, admirable sagacity, strong powers of reasoning, and deep design. This strategic flattery, though seemingly pious, is intended to prepare incautious readers to believe that past generations of divines and common Christians have not rightly understood Paul’s meaning, as his truth supposedly "lies very deep."

The opponents further advance their cause by insinuating that traditional authorities—including the first reformers and common divines—were "too unlearned and short-sighted" or confined by "bigotry and superstition." Conversely, they present themselves as possessing better discernment, having risen up in a modern age of "light and liberty." Through such insinuations, they seek to recommend their novel and sometimes extravagant interpretations of Scripture.

The critique asserts that these new interpretations, especially of Paul’s writings, are frequently extremely absurd and inconsistent with the apostle’s true design. The opponents' criticisms are subtle rather than solid, employing a destructive methodology that analyzes even the plainest discourse until it "dissolves into nothing." This critical "art" subtilizes the Holy Scripture into a mere mist, allowing the manager to shape the text’s meaning at will, effectively neutralizing clear scriptural evidence for the core doctrines.

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