following words: “Ye serpents! ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
When these evil roots and branches have been destroyed in the young, and instead thereof something good is implanted, and God is earnestly besought mercifully to give success to the planting and watering, there is hope that with His help something good for the young may be accomplished. The young are themselves at all times most to be excused, since they are like wax which may be moulded in any form. But if such evil roots are permitted to grow up and increase unhindered, there will be evil fruits upon the grown-up trees, and such men will be produced as are given up to woe and hell-fire, since the axe is already laid at the root of the tree, and the tree which produces not good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Now a lie is such fruit as belongs in the fire, it is the den in which other sins are concealed, so that they cannot be seen or found. In order that a deceiver may continue his deception and still be an honorable man, or be so considered, he covers his doings with lies. That a whore may have the honor of a maiden she uses lies. A thief, murderer and adulterer does the same, and if witnesses enough do not appear, may so defend and cover up the affair with lies that he still appears before the world an honorable man. But where, during the time for repentance, such sins are not admitted and repented before God, this cover cannot conceal them. In the end the burden must be borne. He who denies his sins shall not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them shall receive forgiveness. Proverbs 2, 13; 1 Ep. John, 189.
Concerning the means to prevent these evil growths from getting the upper-hand, I see clearly that it is not an the power of man to destroy the root in the ground.
