Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

CHAP. ni. The Pelagian Controversy. 8 1
of mind. A certain tendency to evil is indeed no more
than what is necessary to constitute a state of trial, and
does not show depravity or corruption in the moral being.
But it is evident that evil desire, in the degree in which
it exists in human nature, is more than such a tendency as
this, and is in itself a disease ; inasmuch as men feel it as
something sinful in itself, independent of its gratification.
Test even the best of men, with this strength of evil desire
residing in him, by a perfect standard, and it must be seen
that he is a corrupt being, whom we can only think of at
all as good by a kind of anticipation, regarding this as a
transient condition of mind, of which he is one day to be
relieved. In the sense, then, of having concupiscence,
which hath of itself the nature of sin, all mankind are
depraved.
Secondly, the generality of mankind are depraved in
the sense of actual bad life and conduct as the former was
;
a fact of inward experience, this latter being a fact of
observation. The wickedness of the generality of mankind
was acknowledged even by the heath en, and has been gene
rally admitted. It is proved, therefore, in the only way in
which a general fact admits of being proved, viz. by large
general and consentient observation ; observation, more
and meets
over, which, when once made, keeps its ground,
with comparatively little contradiction. It is, moreover,
strongly asserted in Scripture, which refers to it, however,
as a known and ascertained fact, rather than professes to
reveal it in the first instance. Such being the case, it is
evident, even supposing particular persons should say that
their own observation had been otherwise, that their indi
vidual testimony is no counterbalance to the general obser
vation of mankind. And though the reluctance of all
persons to form judgments upon their relations, friends, and
acquaintances may be appealed to, as counter-evidence on
this
subject,
it should be remembered that a judgment of
charity does not supersede that of observation.
Secondly, the defence of the doctrine of original sin, on
the ground of fact, from the objection urged on the score
of the Divine justice, appealed straight to the great fact of
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