THE REASON OF BACKSLIDING. 161

they are wrought of God) ; and, thinking so, they resist them, as things that directly
tend to their overthrow. 2. They also think that these fears tend to the spoiling of
their faith ; when, alas for them, poor men that they are! they have none at all; and
therefore they harden their hearts against them. 3. They presume they ought not to
fear, and therefore, in despite of them, wax presumptuously confident. 4. They see
that those fears tend to take away from them their pitiful old self-holiness, and there-
fore they resist them with all their might.

Hope. I know something of this myself; for, before I knew myself, it was so with
me.

Curis. Well, we will leave at this time our neighbor Ignorance by himself, and
fall upon another profitable question.

Hops. With all my heart; but you shall still begin.

Curis. Well, then, did you not know, about ten years ago, one Temporary in your
parts, who was a forward man in religion then ?

Horr. Know him! yes; he dwelt in Graceless, a town about two miles off of
Honesty, and he dwelt next door to one Turnback.

Curis. Right, he dwelt under the same roof with him. Well, that man was much
awakened once: I believe that then he had some sight of his sins, and of the wages
that were due thereto.

Hops. 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
eries “ Lord! Lord!”

Curis. 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.

Hors. Now, since we are talking about him, let us a little inquire into the reason
of the sudden backsliding of him and such others.

Curis. It may be very profitable; but do you begin.

Hops. Well, then, there are, in my judgment, four reasons for it:

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 old course again; even
as we see the dog that is sick of what he hath 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,
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