Treatise Doctrine Of Original Sin
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-doctrine-of-original-sin-309 |
| Words | 393 |
Are they not ‘as bullocks unaccus
tomed to the yoke ’’ Yea, it is far easier to tame young
bullocks to the yoke, than to bring young children under dis
cipline. Every man may see in this, as in a glass, that man is
naturally wild and wilful; that, according to Zophar’s observ
ation, he ‘is born a wild ass’s colt. What can be said more? He is like a ‘colt, the colt of an “ass, the colt of a ‘wild
ass; a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the
wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away?’
“2. What pain and difficulty do men find in bringing their
hearts to religious duties ! And what a task is it to the
natural man to abide at them to leave the world but a little,
and converse with God! When they are engaged in worldly
business or company, time seems to fly, and is gone before
they are aware. But how heavily does it drive, while a prayer,
a sermon, or a Sabbath lasts | With many the Lord’s day is
the longest day in the week; and therefore they must sleep
longer that morning, and go sooner to bed that night, than
ordinarily they do, that the day may be of a tolerable length. And still their hearts say, ‘When will the Sabbath be gone?”
“3. Consider how the will of the natural man “rebels
against the light. Sometimes he is not able to keep it out;
but he “loves darkness rather than light. The outer door of
the understanding is broken open, but the inner door of the
will remains shut. Corruption and conscience then encounter;
till conscience is forced to give back; convictions are murdered,
and truth is made and “held prisoner “in righteousness.”
“4. When the Spirit of the Lord is working a deeper
work, yet what “resistance’ does the soul make | When he
connes, he finds the ‘strong man keeping the house, while
the soul is fast asleep in the devil’s arms, till the Lord
awakens in the sinner, opens his eyes, and strikes him with
terror, while the clouds are black above his head, and the sword
of vengeance is held to his breast. But what pains is he at
to put a fair face on a black heart!