Wesley Corpus

But our allow ing this, does not make him the author of the pollution. “Objection 4. But do not the vices of parents often infect their children?” (Pages 190, 191.) I think we cannot deny it. “Objection 5. How can we account for children’s beginning so soon to sin, but by supposing they have a natural pro pensity to it? “I answer: Who can tell how soon they begin?” (Page 192.) Then they begin, when they first show wrong tempers; such as plain, undeniable frowardness, revenge, self-will; which is as soon as they have any exercise of reason. So that the use of reason, and the abuse, generally commence and grow up together. As soon as their faculties appear at all, they appear to be disordered; the wrong state of their powers being easily inferred from their continual wrong application of them. “But if parents were wise and virtuous themselves, and then endeavoured to bring up their children virtuously, there would be less wickedness in the world.” There would: But this does not reach the point; nor, that “undisciplined children contract bad habits.” I have known wise and virtuous parents who did earnestly labour to bring up their children virtuously; and disciplined them with all possible care, from the very first dawn of reason; yet these very children showed bad tempers before it was possible they should “contract bad habits.” They daily evidenced the wrong state of all their faculties, both of their understanding, will, and affections; just contrary both to the examples and instructions of all that were round about them. Here, then, these wrong tempers were not owing to “the fault of careless or ungodly parents; ” nor could be rationally accounted for, but by supposing those children to have a matural propensity to evil. It is indeed a general rule, “Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he isold, he will not depart fromit:” (Prov. xxii. 6:) And there is much truth in that observation, “Fool ishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him:” (Verse 15:) That is, prudent cor rection is the most probable means which you can use to remove that foolishness. Yet this no way contradicts, what is matter of daily experience, that we have a natural propensity to evil.