Page:The works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford (IA worksofrevjohnwe3wesl).pdf/292

 whole human nature, of every man born in the world, in every faculty of his soul, not so much by those particular vices, which reign in particular persons, as by the general flood of Atheism and idolatry, of pride, self-will and love of the world. This therefore is the first, grand, distinguishing point between Heathenism and Christianity. The one acknowledges, That many men are infected with many vices, and even born with a proneness to them; but supposes withal, that in some the natural good much overbalances the evil. The other declares, That all men are conceived in sin, and shapen in wickedness: that hence there is in every man a ''carnal mind, which is enmity against God, which is not, cannot be subject to his law'', and which so infects the whole soul, that there dwelleth in him, in his flesh, in his natural state, no good thing; but ''all the imagination of the thoughts of his heart, is evil'', only evil, and that continually.

2. Hence we may, secondly, learn, That all who deny this, call it original sin, or by any other title, are but Heathens still, in the fundamental point which differences Heathenism from Christianity. They may indeed allow, That men have many vices: that some are born with us: and that consequently we are not born altogether so wise or so virtuous, as we should be: there being few that will roundly affirm, "We are born with as much propensity to good as to evil, and that every man is by nature as virtuous and wise,