then he had fome fight of his fins, and of the wages that were due thereto. Hope. I am of your mind, for (my house not being a bove three miles from him) he would oft-times come to me, and that with many tears. Truly I pitied the man, and was not altogether without hopes of him; but one may fee it is not every one that cries Lord, Lord. Chr. He told me once that he was refolved to go on pilgrimage, as we go now; but all on a fudden he grew acquainted with one Save-felf, and then he became a stranger to me." Hope. Now, Gnce we are talking about him, let us a little inquire into the reafon of the fudden back-sliding of him and fuch others. Chr. It may be very profitable, but do you begin. Hope. Well then, there are in my judgment four reafons for it. 1. Tho' the confciences of fuch men are Reasons why awakened, yet their minds are not changed; corvardly ones g therefore when the power of guilt weareth back. away, that which provoketh them to be re ligious ceafeth. Wherefore they naturally return to their own courfe again, even as we see the dog that is fick of what he hath eaten, fo long as his fickness prevails he vomits and cafts up all; not that he doth this of a free mind (if we may fay a dog has a mind) but because it troubleth his ftomach; but now when his ficknefs is over, and fo his ftomach eafed, his defires being not at all alienated from his vomit, he turns himself about and licks up all. And fo it is true which is written, The dog is turned to his own vomit again. Thus, I fay, being hot for heaven, by virtue only of the fenfe and fear of the torments of hell, as that fenfe of hell and fear of damnation chills and cools, fo their defires for heaven and falvation cool alfe. So then it comes to pals, that when their guilt and fear is gone, their defires for heaven and Happines die, and they return to their courfe again." 2. Another reafon is, they have flavish fears that do o ver-mafter them. Ifpeak now of the tears that they have of men; for the fear of men bringeth a Snare. So then, tho' they teem to be hot Prev. 29. 2. for heaven, so long as the flames of hell are about V about their ears, yet, when that terror is a little over, they, betake themfelves to fecond thoughts, namely, that 'tis good to be wife, and not to run (for they know not what) the hazard of lofing all ; or at least of bringing themfelver into unavoidable and unneceffary troubles; and fo they fall in with the world again. 3. The fame that attends religion lies alfo as a block in their way; they are proud and haughty, and religion in their eye is low and contemptible; therefore when they have loft their fenfe of hell and wrath to come, they return again to their former course. 4. Guilt, and to meditate terror, are grievous to them; they look not to fee their mifery before they come into it; tho' perhaps the fight of it first, if they loved that fight, might make them fy whither the righteous fly and are Lafe; but because they do, as I hinted before, even faun the thoughts of guilt and terror; therefore when once they are rid of their awakenings about the terrors and wrath of God, they harden their hearts gladly, and chufe fuch ways as will harden them more and more. Chr. You are pretty near the bufinefs, for the bottom of all is, for want of a change in their mind and will: And therefore they are but like the felon that ftandeth before the judge; he quakes and trembles, and feems to repent most heartily; but the bottom of all is, the fear of the halser, not that he hath any deteftation of the offence, as is evident,, because let but this man have his liberty, and he will be a thief, and a rogue ftill; whereas if his mind was changed he would be otherwife. Hope. Now I have fhewed you the reasons for their going back, do you fhew me the manner thereof.. Chr. So I will willingly. 1. They draw off their thoughts, all that they may from the remembrance of God, death, and How the apoftate judgment to come. goes back. 2. Then they caft off, by degrees, pri vate duties, as clofet-prayer, curbing their lufts, watching, forrow for fin, &.c. 3. Then they fhun the company of lively and warm chriftians 4. After that they grow cold to public duty, as hearing, reading, godly conference, and the like, 5. Then 5. Then they begin to pick holes, as wè fay, in the coats of fome of the godly, and that devilishly, that they may have a feeming colour to throw religion (for the fake of fome infirmities they have 'pied in him) behind their backs. 6. Then they begin to adhere to, and associate themselves · with, carnal, loose, and wanton men. 7. Then they give way to carnal wanton difcourfes, in fecret; and glad are they if they can fee fuch things in any that are counted honeft, that they may the more boldly do it thro' their example. 8. After this they begin to play with little fins openly. 9. And then, being hardened, they fhew themselves as they are. Thas being launched again into the gulph of miféry, unless a miracle of grace prevent it, they everlast10gly perith in their own deceivings, . Now I faw in my dream, that by this time the pilgrims were got over the inchanted ground, and entering into the Country of Beulah, whofe air was very sweet and pleasant the way lying directly thro' it, they folaced themselves there for a feafon. Yea, here they heard continually the finging of birds, and faw every day the flowers appear in the earth, and heard the voice of the turtle in the land. In this country the fun fhined night and day; wherefore it was beyond the valley of the Shadow of death, and alfa out of the reach of giant Defpair, neither could they from this place fo much as fee Doubting Caftle. Here they were within fight of the city they were going to; alfo here met them fome of the inhabitants thereof; For· in this land the Shining Ones commonly ANGELS, walked, because it was upon the borders of heaven. In this land alfo the contract between the bride and the bridegroom was renewed: Yea here, as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, lo did their God rejoice over them. Here they had Ifa. 62.5. no want of corn and wine; for in this place they met a bundance of what they had fought for in all their pilgrimage. Here they heard voices from out of the city, loud voices from out of the city, faying, Say ye to the daughter of Sion, Behold thy falvation cometh! Behold his reward is with him! Here all the inhabitants of the the country called them, The holy people, the redeemed of the Lord fought out, &c. Now, as they walked in this land, they had more rejoicing than in parts more remote from the kingdom to which they were bound; and drawing nearer to the city yet, they had a more perfect view thereof: It was built of pearls and precious ftones, alfo the streets thereof were paved with gold; fo that, by reafon of the natural glory of the city, and the reflection of the fun-beams upon it, Chriftian with defire fell fick; Hopeful also had a fit or two of the fame difeafe: Wherefore here they lay by it a while, crying out because of their pangs, If you fee my beloved, tell him that I am fick of love. But being a little ftrengthened, and better able to bear their fickness, they walked on their way, and came yet nearer and nearer, where were orchards, vineyards, and gardens, and their gates opened into the highway. Now as they came up to thefe places, behold the gardener ftocd in the way, to whom the pilgrims faid, Deut. 23. 24. Whofe goodly vineyards and gardens are thefe? He answered, They are the King's. and are planted here for his own delight, and alfo for the folace of pilgrims: So the gardener had them into the vineyards, and bid them refresh themselves with dainties: He also fh wed them there the King's walks and arbours, where he delighted to be: And here they tarried and flept. Now I beheld in my dream, that they talked more in their fleep at this time, than ever they did in all their journey; and being in a mufe thereabout, the gardener faid even to me, Wherefore mufest thou at the matter? It is the nature of the fruit of the grapes of thefe vineyards to go down fweetly, as to caufe the lips of them that are afleep to speak. So I faw, that when they awoke, they addreffed themfelves to go up to the city. But, asl faid, the reflections of the fun upon the city (for the city was pure gold)-was fo extremely glorious, that they could not as yet with open face behold it, but through an intr.nent made for that purpofe So I faw that, as they went on, there met them two men in raiment that fhone like gold, alfo their faces fhone as the light. These men asked the pilgrims whence they came? and they they told them. They also asked them where they had lodged, what difficulties and dangers, what comforts, and pleafures they had met with in the way and they told them. Then faid the men that met them, You have but two dificulties more to meet with, and then you are in the city.. Chriftian then and his companion afked the men to go along with them; so they told them that they would:. But, fid they, you must obtain it by your own faith. So I faw in my dream that they went on together till they came within fight of the gate. Now I further faw, that betwixt them and the gate was a river, but there was no bridge to go over, and the river was very deep. At the fight therefore of this river the pilgrims were much flanned; but the men that went with them faid, You must go through, or you cannot come at the gate. Death is not welcome to na- The pilgrims then began to enquire if there was no other way to the gate; to which they answered, Yes, but there hath not any, fave two, to wit, Enoch and Elijah, been permitted to tread that path face the foundation of the world, nor fhall until the laft trumpet shall found. The pilgrims then (especially Chriftian) began to defpond in their minds, and looked this way and that, but no way could be found by them by which they might escape the river. Then they asked the men if the waters were all of a depth? They faid, No; yet they could not help them in that cafe; For, faid they, you hall find it deeper or hallower, as you be'ieve in the King of the place. They then addreffed themselves to the water, and enter ing, Chriftian began to fink; and crying out to his good friend Hopeful, he faid, I fink in deep waters; the billows go over my head, ail the waters go over me. Selah. Then faid the other, Be of good check, my brother, I feel the bottom and it is good. Then faid Christian, Ah! my friend, the forrow of death hath compalled me about, I thall not fee the land Chriftian's conthat flows with milk and honey! And with fuct at the hour that, a great darknets and horror fell upon of death. Chriftian, fo that he could not fee before him. Alfo here k1 in a great meafure, lok his fenfes, fo that he could Reither J 1 |