After I have thus prepared them, I then demand, whether they have been ever in this case, or no? Nay, (say they for the most part) the time was, when I was in great joy and peace of conscience I served the Lord, then was I an unhappy person, full of faith, full of hope: But now wretch that I am, I have lost my first love, and there is nothing vexeth me more then to remember those times past. But (say I) whether consideration is more grievous unto thee, the apprehension of Gods judgments, or the dislike of ⟨image 168⟩thy self, that thou shouldest offend so gracious and so loving a father? Both, say they, but especially the latter. Therefore (say I) sin also displeaseth thee in that it is sin, namely, because it is evil, and God who is goodness it self, is offended with it? It is even as you have told us (say they) and I am now ashamed that so vile and wicked a wretch as my self, should come before so gracious & merciful a father. Then I tell them, that no man is offended, but rather is glad when he can injury one whom he hateth: this they grant, and withal say. God forbid, that albeit the Lord hate me, I in like sort should hate him, unto whom if it were possible, I would be reconciled again. Then I ad this: Be of good comfort my deer brother, you are in good case. For who can love God, especially when he was wounded by him, who can bewail the loss of his friendship, who can desire to come again into his favour, but he, whom God still loveth, although for a time he be angry with him? except peradventure you have not learned thus much, that the knowledge of our salvation cometh not from flesh and blood, but from God himself, who first vouchsafeth to instruct us, and from Christ Jesus, manifesting the father unto us: and that is Gods blessing, that we do love God, who loved us first when we were his enemies. You have therefore (my good brother) just cause why you should be greatly displeased with many things past, but there is no cause why you should despair. Briefly you have inwardly, & as it were dwelling with you evident testimonies of your reconciliation with god: ⟨image 169⟩especially if you cease not to pray unto him earnestly, who hath laid the foundation of repentance in you, to wit, a dislike of sin, and a desire to be reconciled unto him. The sheep which wandered out of the fold ceased not to be a sheep, albeit it went a stray for a time:
After I haue thus prepared thē, I then demaund, whether they haue bene euer in this case, or no? Nay, (say they for the most part) the time was, whē I was in great ioy and peace of conscience I serued the Lord, thē was I an vnhappie person, ful of faith, full of hope: But now wretch that I am, I haue lost my first loue, and there is nothing vexeth me more then to remember those times past. But (say I) whether consideration is more greeuous vnto thee, the apprehension of Gods iudgments, or the dislike of ⟨image 168⟩thy selfe, that thou shouldest offend so gratious and so louing a father? Both, say they, but especially the latter. Therfore (say I) sinne also displeaseth thee in that it is sin, namely, because it is euil, and God who is goodnes it selfe, is offended with it? It is euen as you haue told vs (say they) and I am now ashamed that so vile and wicked a wretch as my selfe, should come before so gratious & merciful a father. Then I tell them, that no man is offended, but rather is glad when he can iniury one whom he hateth: this they graunt, and withal say. God forbid, that albeit the Lord hate me, I in like sort should hate him, vnto whom if it were possible, I would be reconciled again. Then I ad this: Be of good comfort my deer brother, you are in good case. For who can loue God, especially whē he was wounded by him, who can bewaile the losse of his freendship, who can desire to come againe into his fauour, but he, whome God still loueth, although for a time he be angry with him? except peraduenture you haue not learned thus much, that the knowledge of our saluation commeth not from fleshe and bloud, but from God himselfe, who first vouchsafeth to instruct vs, and from Christ Iesus, manifesting the father vnto vs: and that is Gods blessing, that we do loue God, who loued vs first when we were his enemies. You haue therfor (my good brother) iust cause why you should be greatly displesed with many things past, but ther is no cause why you should despair. Briefly you haue inwardly, & as it were dwelling with you euidēt testimonies of your reconciliatiō with god: ⟨image 169⟩especially if you cease not to pray vnto him earnestly, who hath laid the foundation of repentance in you, to wit, a dislike of sinne, and a desire to be reconciled vnto him. The sheepe which wandred out of the folde ceased not to be a sheepe, albeit it went a straye for a time:
