Talk about

Hope. I know fomething of this myself; before I knew myself, it was fo with me.

Chr. Well, we will leave, at this Time, our Neighbour Ignorance by himfelf, and fall upon another profitable Question.

Hope. With all my Heart, but you fhall ftill begin.

Chr. Well then, did you know about one Tempo- ten Years ago, one Temporary in your Parts, who was a forward Man in Religion then?

rary.

Where be davelt.

He was torardly once.

Hope. Know him! yes, he dwelt in Gracelefs, a Town about two Miles off of Honesty, and he dwelt next Door to one Turnback.

Chr. Right, he dwelt under the fame Roof with him. Well, that Man was much awakened once; I believe that then he had fome Sight of his Sins, and of the Wages that were due thereto.

Hope. I am of your Mind, for (my House not being above three Miles from him) he would oftentimes come to me, and that with many Tears. Truly I pitied the Man, and was not altogether without Hope 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 Savefelf, and then he became a Stranger to me.

Hope. Now fince we are talking about him, let us a little enquire into the Reason of the fudden Backfliding of him and fuch others.

Core

Chr. It may be very profitable, but do you begin.

Hope. Well then, there are in my Judg ment four Reasons for it.

back.

1. Though the Confciences of fuch Men Reasons why are awakened, yet their Minds are not towardly ones changed: Therefore, when the Power of 8° Guilt weareth away, that which provoketh them to be religious ceafeth: Wherefore they naturally return to their own Courfe again; even as we fee the Dog that is fick of what is eaten, fo long as his Sickness 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 Stomach; but now, when his Sickness is over, and fo his Stomach eafed, his Defires being not at all alienated from his Vomit, he turns him about and licks up all; and fo it is true which is written, The Dog is turned to his own 2 Pet. 2. 3. Vomit again. Thus, I fay, being hot for Heaven by Virtue only of the Senfe and Fear of the Torments of Hell; as that Senfe of Hell, and Fear of Damnation chills and cools, fo their Defires for Heaven and Salvation cool alfo. So then it comes to pafs, that when their Guilt and Fear is gone, their Defires for Heaven and Happiness die, and they return to their Course again.

2. Another Reason is, they have slavish Fears that do over-mafter them; I fpeak now of the Fears that they have of Men: For the Fear of Men bringeth a Snare. So then Prov. 29. 2. though they seem to be hot for Heaven fo long as the Flames of Hell are about their

Ears, yet when that Terror is a little over, they betake themselves to fecond Thoughts, namely, that it is good to be wife, and not to run (for they know not what) the Hazard of lofing all, or at leaft of bringing themselves into unavoidable and unneceffary Troubles, and fo they fall in with the World again.

3. The Shame 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 Senfe of Hell, and Wrath to come, they return again to thir former Courfe.

4. Guilt, and to meditate Terror, are grievous to them; they look not to fee their Mifery before they come into it, though perhaps the Sight of it first, if they loved that Sight, might make them fly whither the righteous fly and are safe; but because they do, as 1 hinted before, even fhun the Thoughts of Guilt and Terror, therefore when once they are rid of their Awakenings about the Terrors and Wrath of Gop, 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 Halter; not that he hath any Deteftation of the Offence, as is evident, becaufe

because, let but this Man have his Liberty, and he will be a Thief, and fo a Rogue ftill, whereas, if his Mind was changed, he would be otherwise.

Hope. Now I have fhewed you the Reafons of their going back, do you fhew me the Manner thereof.

Chr. So I will willingly.

How the

1. They draw of their Thoughts, all Apoftate goes. that they may, from the Remembrance of back. GOD, Death, and Judgment to come.

2. Then they caft off by Degrees private Duties, as Clofet-Prayer, Curbing their Lufts, Watching, Sorrow for Sin, &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 they begin to pick Holes, as we fay, in the Coats of fome of the Godly, and that devilifhly, that they may have a feeming Colour to throw Religion (for the Sake of fome Infirmities they have efpied in him) behind their Backs.

6. Then they begin to adhere to, and affociate themselves with carnal, loose, and wanton Men.

7. Then they give Way to carnal and wanton Difcourfes in Secret; and glad are they if they can fee fuch Things in any that are counted honeft, that they may the more boldly do it through their Example.

8. After this, they begin to play with little Sins openly.

9. And then being hardened, they

04

fhew

Ifa. 6z. 4.

Cant. 7.

10, 11, 12.

fhew themselves as they are. Thus being launched again into the Gulf of Mifery, unless a Miracle of Grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish 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 pleafant, the Way lying directly through it, they folaced themselves there for a Seafon. Yea, here they heard continually the Singing 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 Sun fhineth Night and Day: Wherefore it was beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and alfo out of the Reach of Giant Defpair, neither could they from this Place fo much as fee Doubting-Caftle. Here they were within Sight of the City they were going alfo here met them fome of the In'habitants thereof: For in this Land the ANGELS. Shining Ones commonly 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, Ifa. 62. 5. fo did their God rejoice over them. Here they had no Want of Corn and Wine; for in this Place they met Abundance of what they had fought for in all their Pilgrimage. Here they heard Voices from out of the City, loud Voices, faying, Say ye to the Daughter of Zion, Behold thy Salva-. tion cometh Behold his Reward is with·kim !

Ver. 8.

Ver. 11.

to;

Here