(2.) A second thing which befalls men under this work of convic-
■ tion, is a dread and fear as to their eternal condition. There doth
befall them an apprehension of that wrath which is due to then sins,
and threatened in the curse of the law to be inflicted on them. This
CHAP. VI.] IN THE INSTANCE OF AUGUSTINE. 359
fills them with afEictive perturbations of mind, with dread and ter- ror, consternation and humbling of their souls thereon. And what befalls the minds of men on this account is handled by some dis- tinctly, under the names or titles of "dolor legalis," "timer servihs," "attritio mentis/' "compunctio cordis," "humiliatio animse," — "legal sorrow," "servile fear," "attrition of mind," "compunction," and "humiliation," and the like. And as these things have been handled most of them by modern divines, and cast into a certain series and dependence on one another, with a discovery of their nature and degrees, and how far they are required in order unto sincere conver- sion and sound believing; so they are all of them treated on, in their way, by the schoolmen, as also they were before them by many of the fathers. The charge, therefore, of novelty, which is laid by some against the doctrine of these things, ariseth from a fulsome mixture of ignorance and confidence. Whether, therefore, all things that are delivered concerning these things be right or no, sure enough I am that the whole doctrine about them, for the substance of it, is no newer than the gospel, and that it hath been taught in all ages of the church. What is needful to be received concerning it I shall reduce to the ensuing heads: —
[1 .] Conviction of sin being ordinarily by the law, either imme- diately or by light and truth thence derived, there doth ordinarily accompany it a dee]) sense and apprehension of the eternal danger which the soul is liable unto on the account of the guilt of the sin whereof it is convinced ; for the law comes with its whole power upon the mind and conscience. Men may be partial in the law ; the law will not be partial. It doth not only convince by its light, but also at the same time condemns by its authority; for what the law speaks, "it speaks unto them that are under the law." It takes men under its power, then, shutting them under sin, it speaks unto them in great severity. This is called the coming of the command- ment, and slaying of a sinner, Rom. vii. 9.
[2.] This apprehension will ordinarily ingenerate disquieting and perp>lexing affections in the minds of men ; nor can it be otherwise where it is fixed and prevalent; as, — \st. Sor7-oiu and shame for and of what they have done. Shame was the first thing wherein con- viction of sin discovered itself. Gen. iii. 7. And sorrow always accom- panieth it. Acts ii. 37, hearing these things, xanvjyrjffav rfj xapdici, — "they were pierced with perplexing grief in their heart." Their eyes are opened to see the guilt and sense of sin, which pierceth them through with dividing sorrow. 2dly. Fear of eternal wrath. This keeps the soul in bondage, Heb. ii. 15, and is accompanied with torment. The person so convinced behoves the threatening of the law to be true, and trembles at it; an eminent instance whereof
S60 THE MANNER OF CONVERSION EXPLAINED [BOOK III.
we have in our first parents also, Gen. iii. 8, 10. Zdly. Perplexing unsatisfactory inquiries after means and ways for deliverance out of this present distress and from future misery. "What shall we do? what shall we do to be saved?" is the restless inquiry of such per- sons, Mic. vi. 6, 7; Acts ii. 37, xvi. 80.
[3.] These things will assuredly put the soul on many duties, as prayer for deliverance, abstinence from sin, endeavours after a gene- ral change of life ; in all which, and the like, this conviction puts forth and variously exerciseth its power,
[4.] We do not ascribe the effects intended unto the mere work- ing of the passions of the minds of men upon the rational considera- tion of their state and condition; which yet cannot but be grievous and afflictive. These things may be so proposed unto men and pressed on them as that they shall not be able to avoid their consi- deration, and the conclusions which naturally follow on them ; and yet they may not be in the least affected with them, as we see by experience. Wherefore we say, moreover, that the law or the doc- trine of it, when the consciences of men are effectually brought under its power, is accompanied with a secret virtue from God, called a "spirit of bondage;" which causeth a sense of the curse of it to take a deep impression on the soul, to fill it with fear and dread, yea, sometimes with horror and despair. This the apostle calls the "spirit of bondage unto fear," Rom. viii. 15, and declares at large how all that are under the law, — that is, the convincing and condemning power of it, — are in bondage ; nor doth the law in the administration of it lead or gender unto any thing else but bondage. Gal. iv. 22-24.
[5.] The substance of these things is ordinarily found in those who are converted unto God when grown up unto the use of reason, and capable of impressions from external administrations. Espe- cially are they evident in the minds and consciences of such as have been engaged in any open sinful course or practice. But yet no cer- tain rule or measure of them can be prescribed as necessary in or imto any antecedaneously unto conversion. To evince the truth hereof two things may be observed: — \st. That perturbations, sor- rows, dejections, dread, fears, are no duty unto any; only they are such things as sometimes ensue or are immitted into the mind upon that which is a duty indispensable, namely, conviction of sin. They belong not to the precept of the law, but to its curse. They are no part of what is required of us, but of what is inflicted on us. There is a gospel sorrow and humiliation after believing that is a duty, that is both commanded and hath promises annexed unto it ; but this legal sorrow is an effect of the curse of the law, and not of its command, ^.dly. God is pleased to exercise a prerogative and sove- reignty in this whole matter, and deals with the souls of men in un-