their former course.

{379} 4. Guilt, and to meditate terror, are grievous to them.
They like not to see their misery 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 I hinted before, even shun 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
choose such ways as will harden them more and more.

{380} CHR. You are pretty near the business, 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 standeth before the judge, he quakes
and trembles, and seems to repent most heartily, but the bottom
of all is the fear of the halter; not that he hath any detestation
of the offence, as is evident, because, let but this man have his
liberty, and he will be a thief, and so a rogue still, whereas, if
his mind was changed, he would be otherwise.

{381} HOPE. Now I have showed you the reasons of their going back,
do you show 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 judgment to come.

2. Then they cast off by degrees private duties, as closet prayer,
curbing their lusts, watching, sorrow for sin, and the like.

3. Then they shun the company of lively and warm Christians.

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 say, in the coats of some
of the godly; and that devilishly, that they may have a seeming
colour to throw religion (for the sake of some infirmity they have
espied in them) 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 and wanton discourses in secret;
and glad are they if they can see such things in any that are
counted honest, 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 show themselves as they are. Thus,
being launched again into the gulf of misery, unless a miracle of
grace prevent it, they everlastingly perish in their own deceivings.

{382} Now I saw in my dream, that by this time the Pilgrims we