A09466:307
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he may discern it, and persevere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set down in the page following.A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he maie discerne it, and perseuere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set downe in the page following.
London: printed by R. Robinson for T. Gubbin, 1590
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Notwithstanding many temptations went over my heart, and the law as a right hangman tormented my conscience, and went nigh to persuade me that my father would thrust me away, and hang me if he catched me, so that I was like a great while to run away, rather then to return to my father again. Fear and dread of rebuke, and of loss of my fathers love and of punishment, wrestled with the trust which I had in my fathers goodness, and as it were gave my faith a fall. But I rose again as soon as the rage of the first brunt was past and my mind was more quiet. And the ⟨p. 145⟩goodness of my father and his old kindness came unto my remembrance either by mine own courage or by the comfort of another. And I believed that my father would not put me away or destroy me: and he hoped that I would do no more so. And upon that I got me home again, dismayed but not altogether faithless: the old kindness would not let me despair, how be it all the world could not set mine heart at rest, until the pain had been past and until I had heard the voice of my father, that all is forgotten.
Notwithstanding manie temptations went ouer my heart, and the lawe as a right hangman tormented my conscience, and went nie to perswade mee that my father would thrust me awaie, and hang me if hee catched me, so that I was like a great while to runne away, rather then to returne to my father againe. Feare and dread of rebuke, and of losse of my fathers loue and of punishment, wrastled with the trust which I had in my fathers goodnesse, and as it were gaue my faith a fall. But I rose againe as soone as the rage of the first brunt was past and my minde was more quiet. And the ⟨p. 145⟩goodnes of my father and his olde kindnes came vnto my remembrance either by mine owne courage or by the comfort of another. And I beleeued that my father would not put me away or destroie me: and hee hoped that I woulde doe no more so. And vpon that I got me home againe, dismaied but not altogether faithlesse: the olde kindnes would not let me dispaire, how beit all the worlde coulde not set mine heart at rest, vntill the paine had beene past and vntill I had heard the voice of my father, that all is forgotten.