The returning again of the backslider gives a second testimony to
the truth of man's state being by nature miserable, of the vanity of
this world, of the severity of the law, certainty of death, and
terribleness of judgment to come. His first coming to God by Christ
told them so, but his second coming tells them so with a double
confirmation of the truth. "It is so," saith his first coming; "OH,
IT is SO!" saith his second.
The backsliding of a Christian comes through the overmuch persuading
of Satan and lust, that the man was mistaken, and that there was no
such horror in the things from which he fled, nor so much good in
the things to which he hasted. "Turn again, fool," says the devil,
"turn again to thy former course. I wonder what frenzy it was that
drove thee to thy heels, and that made thee leave so much good
behind thee, as other men find in the lusts of the flesh and the
good of the world. As for the law, and death, and an imagination of
the day of judgment, they are but mere scarecrows, set up by polite
heads to keep the ignorant in subjection." "Well," says the
backslider, "I will go back again and see;" so, fool as he is, he
goes back, and has all things ready to entertain him: his conscience
sleeps, the world smiles, flesh is sweet, carnal company compliments
him, and all that can be got is presented to this backslider to
accommodate him.
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