Now, there is scarce any of these instances of the care and watch-
CHAP. VI.] IN THE INSTANCE OF AUGUSTINE. 349
fulness of God over the souls of men whom he designs either to con- vince or convert, for the ends of his own glory, but the holy person whom we have proposed as an example gives an account of them in and towards himself, declaring in like manner how, by the ways and means mentioned, they were frustrated, and came to nothing. Such were the warnings which he acknowledged that God gave him by the persuasions and exhortations of his mothei-, lib. ii. cap. 3 ; such were those which he had in sicknesses of his own, and in the death of his dear friend and companion, lib. iv. cap. 5-7. And in all the several warnings he had from God, he chargeth the want and guilt of their non-improvement on his natural blindness, his mind being not illumi- nated, and the corruption of his nature not yet cured, with the effi- cacy of evil society, and the course of the world in the places where he lived. But it would be tedious to transcribe the particular accounts that he gives of these things, though all of them singularly worthy of consideration: for I must say, that, in my judgment, there is none among the ancient or modern divines unto this day, who, either in the declarations of their own experiences, or their directions unto others, have equalled, much less outgone him, in an accurate search and observation of all the secret actings of the Spirit of God on the minds and souls of men, both towards and in their recovery or con- version ; and in order hereunto, scarce any one not divinely inspired hath so traced the way of the serpent, or the effectual working of original sin in and on the hearts of men, with the efficacy communi- cated thereunto by various temptations and occasions of life in this world. The ways, also, whereby the deceitfulness of sin, in compli- ance with objective temptations, doth seek to elude and frustrate the work of God's grace, when it begins to attempt the strongholds of sin in the heart, were exceedingly discovered unto him. Neither hath any man more lively and expressly laid open the power of effec- tual and victorious grace, with the manner of its operation and pre- valency. And all these things, by the guidance of the good Spirit of God and attendance unto the word, did he exemplify from his own experience in the whole work of God towards him ; only it must be acknowledged that he declareth these things in such a way and manner, as also with such expressions, as many in our days would cry out on as fulsome and fanatical.
Thirdly, In the way of calling men unto the saving knowledge of \ God, the Holy Spirit convinceth them of sin, or he brings them under \ the power of a work of conviction.
It is not my design, nor here in my way, to handle the nature of the work of conviction, the means, causes, and effects of it. Besides, it hath been done at large by others. It is sufficient unto my pur- pose,— 1. To show the nature of it in general; 2. The causes of it;
350 THE MANNER OF CONVERSION EXPLAINED [BOOK III.
S. The wa3^s whereby men lose then- convictions, and so become more and more hardened in sin ; 4. How the Holy Spirit doth carry on the work in some unto complete conversion unto God : —
1. For the nature of it in general, it consists in a fixing the vain mind of a sinner upon a due consideration of sin, its nature, tendency, and end, with his own concernment therein, and a fixing of a due sense of sin upon the secure mind of the sinner, with suitable affec- tions unto its apprehensions. The warnings, before insisted on, whereby God excites men to some steady notices of him and them- selves, are like calls given unto a man in a profound sleep, whereat being startled he lifts up himself for a little space, but oppressed with the power of his deep slumber, quickly lays him down again, as Austin expresseth it; but this work of conviction abides with men, and they are no way able speedily to disentangle themselves from it.
Now, the mind of man, which is the subject of this work of con- viction, hath two things distinctly to be considered in it: — first, The understanding, which is the active, noetical, or contemplative power and faculty of it; second. The affections, wherein its passive and sensitive power doth consist. With respect hereunto there are two parts of the work of conviction: — (1.) The fixing of the mind, the rational, contemplative power of it, upon a due consideration of sin; (2.) The fixing of a due sense of sin on the practical, passive, sen- sible part of the mind, — that is, the conscience and affections, as was said before : —
(1.) It is a great Avork, to fix the vain mind of an unregene- rate sinner on a due consideration of sin, its nature and tendency. The darkness of their own mind and inexpressible vanity, — wherein I place the principal effect of our apostasy from God, — do disenable, hinder, and divert them from such apprehensions. Hence God so often complains of the foolishness of the people, that they would not consider, that they would not be wise to consider their latter end. We find by experience this folly and vanity in many unto an astonish- ment. No reasons, arguments, entreaties, by all that is naturally dear to them, no necessities, can prevail with them to fix their minds on a due consideration of sin. Moreover, Satan now employs all his engines to beat off the efficacy and power of this work; and Avhen his temptations and delusions are mixed with men's natural dark- ness and vanity, the mind seems to be impregnably fortified against the power of conviction : for although it be [only] real conversion unto God that overthrows the kingdom of Satan in us, yet this work of con- viction raiseth such a combustion in it that he cannot but fear it will be its end ; and this strong man ai-med would, if possible, keep his goods and house in peace. Hence all sorts of persons have daily ex- perience, in their children, servants, relations, how difficult, yea, how