The great work of the renewal and sanctification of the soul is ordinarily accomplished by a progressive growth in grace; during which, the believer is gradually enabled to obtain the mastery over the corrupt affections of his nature, to acquire the graces and perform the duties of the Christian character, and “to set his affections on things above,” ever “pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” {47a} and endeavouring to “come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” {47b} In the life of some of those who have been “brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” {47c} and have never departed from serving their God, there may be no clearly defined transitions, no strongly-marked shades, in the harmoniously-blended colours, in which has been traced the even tenor of their way. But such cases are probably rare—for those who attain to a very high degree of spiritual-mindedness, can generally fix upon some definite period in their religious life, when they obtained clearer views of their personal unworthiness, and of the holiness of God’s law; of the insufficiency of the things of earth to minister to the wants of an immortal soul; and of the inestimable value of the “treasure in heaven,” than they ever possessed before; and when they learnt to rely on their Lord more confidently, to love Him more devotedly, to advance His cause more zealously, and to obey Him more steadily and implicitly. In the case of those, who have either deserted the God of their youth for a “world lying in wickedness,” but, like the prodigal, upon abandoning its vices and follies, have been received and pardoned by a merciful Father; or who have been brought up in ignorance of religion, but have been plucked like a brand from the burning, by one of those afflictive dispensations which God often sends in mercy to awaken sinners; the time and circumstances of their conversion {48a} will be clearly marked and ever remembered: “it is too momentous an event,” observes Paley, in writing of such conversions, “to be forgot: a man might as easily forget his escape from a shipwreck.” {48b}