Not only is mankind disobedient universally, but its disobedience is universal. That is, not only is disobedience as extensive as mankind, but it pertains to each individual in the universality of his being. The totality of mankind is totally depraved according to Edwards, who, if anything, is more thoroughgoing than John Calvin on this crucial Calvinistic doctrine. For Edwards, though the image of God in the broader sense is intact, the image in the narrower or proper sense is utterly eradicated. There is always room for further wickedness and only the common grace of God limits it.
Sin is against an infinitely worthy being and is therefore infinitely heinous.
He observes in many sermons that an offense against an excellent person is doubtless more serious than against a less excellent person. By a straight line of logical reasoning he concludes that a sin against an infinitely excellent person is an in. He seems to think that though Edwards does not deny that the natural man may be good, Edwards will not permit himself to lose sight of the fact that to be religious and to be moral are indeed two different things. What Haroutunian does not seem to realize is that, for Jonathan Edwards, to be truly moral without being religious is impossible. What is done is only a shadow without substance.