But this, “Why stand ye here all the day idle?” is not said to such as having “begun, in the spirit,” [Gal 3:3] have been “made perfect by the flesh,” as inviting them to return again, and to live in the Spirit. This we speak not to dissuade prodigal sons, who have consumed their substance of evangelic doctrine in riotous living, from returning to their father’s house; but because they are not like those who sinned in their youth, before they had learnt the things of the faith.
Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).