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6r6
THE BACKSLIDER'S
WAYS
EXAMINED.
Fifthly, What
methods God takes
to
heal them,
when
outward methods
of
conversion
have been used
in
yain.
First,
What
are those
ways which
the
text
mentions,
I
have
seen
his
ways,
SSA,
In
general
the
text,hints
at
n,n
immoderate
love
of
some finite
created
object;
"
for
the iniquity
of
his
covetousness
was
I
wroth, and smote
"
him:"
but
what
is
said
of
this one
sin
may
be
said
concerning
many
other
sins,
concerning
any
depar-
ture
from the living
God, whether
the
pursuit of
the riches
of
this world,
or
the
acquiring
of
honours
amongst
men,
or the indulging
of our
flesh
by
sensuality
and
ease,
or
many
of
them together. When
the thoughts
Are
continually running
out after
some created,
good
that
the soul has exalted too
near
to
God
;
when the
will
is
continually pointing out after
it,
the desire and
love
are
fixed
upon
it,
and
it
has
a
greater
aversion
to
what
would
hinder
it
of
this
created
good
than, it
has
to
sin
and iniquity.
When
we
are
more :anxious
about
these things than
those
of
anöther
world
;
when this
continues and abides
on
the mind
for
á season
;
when
all
the powers
of
the body
and soul are exercised
in
the
pursuit
after
it.
For
though
there
is
a
secret
love to
God
kept
alive
in
the heart
of
the saints
through
all
backslidings,
yet
sometimes the spark
is
so
covered
by
ashes,
that it
cannot
be
discovered
by
themselves
or
others.
I
have seen
his
ways,"
saith God,
"
yet
I
f`
will
heal hire."
I
have
seen
that
he
loves the
creature
more than
me,
but
yet
I
love him
more
tltr
I
do
other
creatures
;
his
love
is
weaned
from
me
in
a
great
degree,
but
my
love was to him
from eternity,
and
shall
be
with
him for everlasting
:
it
is
this
eternal
love
of
God
the
creator
towards
us
that
is
the
spring
of
his
healing grace,
when
our
love sinks down from
the
creator,
and termi-
nates upon the creature. This
is
the general
character
of
the
sin
here mentioned, and it
is
accompanied
with
these
four concomitants.
I.
A
forgetfulness
of God
in
the
course
of
his
life.
lie
loth
not
walk with
God
as he
did before.
His con-
versation
is
not in
Heaven
as
once it
was:
One
would
think that
this
is
something strange,
that
a
saint
should
forget
his
God,
that
a child should
forget
his
father
:
but
I have seen
these
forgetful
ways
òf
his
saitli
god,