633 / 652
WHY BACKSLIDINC
IS
PERMITTED.
627
in the Gospel.
Thus
the instance
of
his fall
and
his
re-
covery,
and
that
of
David,
have
been methods whereby
the divine Spirit
has
released
souls
that
were sinking
under
the weight
of despair. David himself
cries
out
from
the
depth
of
distress,
and
the Lord
heard
'him
;
and then
he
saith,
let Israel
hope
in
the
Lord,
for
the
Lord
will
have mercy.
These are
some
of
the reasons
for
which
God
goes
now
and
then out of
his
ordinary
Kay
to reclaim
transgressions
:
but
remember,
that
this
is
not God's
usual method
;
I
would have this
inculcated
upon
all
our spirits.
It
may be where he
recovers
one
sinner
that
runs
on
at
this rate,
there are many thousands
hurried
along
to
their eternal
misery.
s
,47