IN THE INSTANC Itself; that there is no moral evil;in those childish inno- t end es. That good man of another mind. " Instane " est," saith he, innòcentia puerilis? non est Domine non est Oro to Deus meus, nam htec ipsa stint gum a " pmdagogis et magistris, a nucibus pitolis, passeribus, " ad Prefectos et Reges, aurum, praedis, mancipia hoes s' ipso omnino gam succede,etibus majoribus setatibus a' transeunt, lib. 1. cap. 19." This is not innocency, it is not so. The same principle and habit of mind carried over unto riper age, and greater occasions, bring forth those greater sins, which the lives of men are filledwith- al in this world. And who is there who bath a serious reverence of God, with any due apprehension of his ho- liness, and a clear conviction of the nature of sin, who is not able to call over such actiugs in childhood which most think meet to connive at, wherein they may re- member that perversity whereof they are now ashamed? By this means is the heart preparedfora further obdur- ation in sin by the confirmation of native obstinacy. Sect. 5. Idly, -Unto those snore general irregulari- ties, actual sins do succeed; such, I mean, as areagainst the remaininglight of nature, or committed in rebellion unto the dictates and guidance of our minds and consci- ences, the influence ofthose intelligences of moral good and evil, which are inseparable from the faculties of our souls. For, although insome, they may be stifled and over -borne, yet can they never be utterly obliterated or extinguished, but will accompany the nature ofman unto eternity, even in that condition wherein they shall be of no other use but to add to and increase its misery. Amongst those we may call over one or two instances. Lying is such ,a sin, which the depravation of nature in youth is prone to exert itself by, and that on sundry reasons not now to be inquired into: They go astray front the womb, speaking dies. The first inducement of our nature unto sin, was by a lie, and we fell in Adam by giving credit thereunto. And there is in every sin à particular lie. But speaking falsely, contrary unto what they know to be true, is that which children are prone unto; though some more than others, according as other vicious habits prevail in them, whose actings they foolishly think to thatch over and cover thereby. This that holy person whom we instance in acknowledg- eth andbewaileth inhimself; " Non videbam voraginem at turpitudinis in quarts projectus eram ab oculis Luis; "nam in illisquid jam me turpius fuit, fallendo inmmm- E 01+ AUGUSTINE. 899 µ" erabilibus mendaciis, et p:mdagogum et magistros et " parentes amore ludendi, et studio spestandi nugatoria," Lib. t. Cap. 19. " I saw not, O God, into what a " gulf offilth, I was cast out from beforethee; for what " was more filthy than I, whilst out of love of plays, " and desire of looking after vanities, I deceived teach- " ers and parents with innumerable lies." And this the good man was afterwards exceedingly humbled for, and from it learned much of the vileness of his own nature. Andwe find, by experience, that a sense of this sin oft - times accompanies the first real convictions that befal the souls of men; for, when they seriously reflect upon themselves, or do view themselves in the glass of the law, they are not only sensible of the nature of this sin, but also how much they indulged themselves therein, partly whilst they rememberhow, on the least occasions, they were surprised into it, which yet they neglected to watch against; and partly understanding how sometimes they made ittheir business, by premeditated falsehoods, so to cover other sins, as to escape rebuke and correc- tion. The mention of these things will probably be entertained with contempt and scorn in this age, where- -in the most prodigious wickednesses of men are made but a sport.; but God, his holiness, and his truth, are still the same, whatever alterations there may be in the world. And the holy Psalmist seems to have some re- flection on this vice ofyouth, when he prays, that Gay [would take from hint the way of lying. Of the same na- ture are those lesser thefts in despoiling their parents and governors of such things which they are not allow- ed to take and make use of for themselves. They rob their father or mother, andany it is no transgression, Prov. xxviii. 24. So saith the same persons " Farta " etiatn faeiebans cellario perennial et de mensis vet " gala .impuitaute, vet ut haberem quod darem pueris "ludan, swum mihi quo pariter dolectabantur tarnen ",vendentibus." He sometimes stole from his parents, either to gratify his own sensual appetite, or to give unto his companions. In such instances doth original pravity exert itself its youth or childhood, and thereby both increase its own power, and fortify the mind and the affections against the light and efficacyof conviction. Sect.[.-4thly, As men grow up in the state of na- ture, sin.gets ground in themand upon them subjectively and objectively. Concupiscence gets strength with age, and grows in violence, as persons arrived to ability far 25
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