206 THE MANNER OF CO dained to be useful unto them for the great ends of their .conviction and conversion. So, in particular, Austin aboundeth in his contemplation on the holy wise provi- dence of God, in carrying of him front Carthage to Rome, and from thence to Milan, where he heard Ambrose preach every Lord's day, -which proved at length the means of his thorough conversion to God. And in that whole course, by his discourse upon it, he discovers excellently, as on the one hand, the variety of his ownprojections and designs, his aims and ends, which oft-times were perverse and froward; so, on the other, the constant guidance of divine Providence working powerfully through all occurrences towards the blessed end designed for him. And I no way doubt, but that God exercised him unto those distinct experiencesof sin and grace in his own heart and ways, because he had designed him to be the great Champion of the doctrine of his grace against all its enemies, and that not only in his own age, wherein it met with a fierce opposition, but also in all succeeding ages, by his excellent labours preserved for the use of the church: see " Confess lib. " 5. cap. 7, 8, 0, &c. Tu spew mea in terra viventium, " ad mutandum terrarum locum pro salute animmmea, " et Carthagini stimulos quibus iode avellerer admove- " bas; et Romre illecebras quibus attraberer proponebas 66 mihi per homines qui dilegehant vitam mortuam, hint " insana lucientes inde vana pollicentes; et ad corri- " gendos gressus mens utebaris occulte et illorum et " mea perversitate," cap. 9. "Thou who art myhope in -" the land of the living, that I might remove fromone country to another, for the salvation of mysoul, didst (t both apply goads unto me at Carthage, whereby I 66 might be driven from thence, and proposedst allure- " meats unto me at Rome, whereby I might be drawn " thither, and this thou didst by men who loved the ' dead life in sin; here doing things outrageous, there as promising things desirable to vain minds, whilst thou 66 to correct and reform my ways, didst secretly make " use of their frowardness and mine." Sect. 23. -3. It must be granted, that many on whom this work hath been wrought producing great resolutions of amendment, and much reformation of life, do lose all the power and efficacy of it, with all the impressions it had made on their affections. And some of these wax worse and more profligate in sinning than ever they were before. For having broken down the NVERSION EXPLAINED dam of their restraints, they pour out their lusts like a flood, and are more senseless than ever of those.checks and fears with which before they werebridled and awed, 2 Pet. ii. 20, 21, 22. So the person lately mentioned declares, that after many convictionswhich he had di- gested and neglected, he was grown so obdurate and senseless, that falling into a fever wherein he thought he should die, and go immediately into hell, he had not that endeavour after deliverance and mercy as he had many years before on lesser dangers. And this perverseeffect is variously brought about. Sect. 24. (1.) It is with most an imtnediate product of the power of their' own lust. Especially is it so with them, who, together with their convictions, receive no gifts of the Holy Ghost: for, as we observed, their lusts being only checked and controlled, not subdued, they get new strength by their restraint, and rebel with success against conviction. Such as these fall away from what they have attained suddenly, Matth. xiii. 5. 21. One day they seem to lie in hell by the terror of their convictions, and the next to be hastening towards it, by their sins and pollutions. See Luke xi. 21, 25,26. Hos. iv. 6. chap. vi. 4. (2.) This apostacy is promoted and hastened by others: As, (I.) Such as undertaking to be spiritual guides and instructors of men in their way towards rest, who being unskilful in the word of righteousness, do heal their wounds slightly, or turn'them out of the way. Seducers also, it may be, interpose their crafty deceits, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and so turn menoff from those good ways o: God whereinto they would otherwise enter. So it fell out with Austin, who be- ginning somewhat to inquire after God, fell into the society and heresy of the Manichees, which frustrated all the convictions which by any means he had received. (2.) Such as directly, and that perhaps with importu- nity and violence, will endeavour to drawmen back into the ways of the world, and the pursuit of their lusts, Prov. i. 11, 12, 18, 14. So the same person declares with what earnestness and restless importunities some of his companions endeavouredto draw him unto the spec- taclesand plays at Rome. And it is not easily imagined with what subtilty some persons will entice others into sinful courses, nor what violence they will use in their temptations under a pretence of love and friendship. (3.) The awe that is put on the minds of men in their
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