A treatise of original sin ... proving that it is

Fourthly, The necessary of Education and Chastisement to young children, doth also declare, that they are prone to vice. It cannot be denied, but supposing Adam had continued in integrity and procreated children, they would have needed instruction and information, but then withal it must be granted, that this was a mere innocent nesciency in them, and therefore as the body had been prepared, so the soul without any difficulty would with all aptness and readiness have received all the good seed sown into it, whereas now in young ones there is a difficulty to understand holy things, they are unteachable and untractable, yea there is also a contrariety and an averseness to that which is good. Now if they were in a mere purity of nature, as the Adversaries suggest it, they were in such an equal indifferency and capacity of virtue or vice; Why should not they need education and Masters to teach them evil, as well as good? Yea, why should they not be more ready to good then evil, seeing they say there are igniculi virtutum, sparks of virtue lying hid in the soul, which by education and instruction are blown up into a flame? So that the Schools which are generally provided for youth, do declare, That the nature of man of it self, will bring forth weeds, but there must be much ploughing and sowing, much cost and labour ere any good seed will grow up. That known Text of Scripture will for ever bear record against these patrons of nature, Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it away, Prov. 22. 15. No less powerful is that counsel, Prov. 23. 13. With-hold not correction from the child, if thou beat him with the rod, he shall not die; if thou beat him, &c. thou shalt deliver his soul from hell. Doth not this proclaim, that every child is set to damn it self, if left alone? It is not more prone to run into the fire, then it is to fall into hell, and this maketh chastisement so necessary. How necessary is it for parents to consider this, either education or hell, either chastisement or damnation? And whence is all this, but because of the impetuous nature in every child unto evil? As the horse and mule need the bridle, being carried out only by sense; Thus doth the child need admonition, being unteachable and untamable of himself, even like the wild Asses colt, Job 11. 12.