I am of your mind, for, my house not being above three miles
from him, he would ofttimes come to me, and that with many tears.
Truly I pitied the man, and was not altogether without hope of him;
but one may see, it is not every one that cries, Lord, Lord.
CHR. He told me once that he was resolved to go on pilgrimage, as
we do now; but all of a sudden he grew acquainted with one Save-self,
and then he became a stranger to me.
{375} HOPE. Now, since we are talking about him, let us a little
inquire into the reason of the sudden backsliding of him and such
others.
CHR. It may be very profitable, but do you begin.
HOPE. Well, then, there are in my judgment four reasons for it: --
{376} 1. Though the consciences of such men are awakened, yet their
minds are not changed; therefore, when the power of guilt weareth
away, that which provoked them to be religious ceaseth, wherefore
they naturally turn to their own course again, even as we see the
dog that is sick of what he has eaten, so long as his sickness
prevails he vomits and casts up all; not that he doth this of a
free mind (if we may say a dog has a mind), but because it troubleth
his stomach; but now, when his sickness is over, and so his stomach
eased, his desire being not at all alienate from his vomit, he turns
him about and licks up all, and so it is true which is written,
"The dog is turned to his own vomit again.
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