Secondly, There are certain internal spiritual effects wrought in and upon the souls of men, whereof the word preached is the imme- diate instrumental cause, which ordinarily do precede the work of regeneration, or real conversion unto God. And they are reducible unto three heads: — 1. Illumination; 2. Conviction ; 3. Reforma- tion. The first of these respects the mind only; the second, the mind, conscience, and affections ; and the third, the life and conver- sation:—
1. The first is illumination, of whose nature and causes we must afterward treat distinctly. At present, I shall only consider it as it is ordinarily previous unto regeneration, and materially disposing the mind thereunto. Now, all the light which by any means we attain unto, or knowledge that we have in or about spiritual things, things of supernatural revelation, come under this denomination of illumina- tion. And hereof there are three degrees: — (1.) That which ariseth merely from an industrious application of the rational facidties of our souls to know, perceive, and understand the doctrines of truth as revealed unto us; for hereby much knowledge of divine truth may be obtained, which others, through their negligence, sloth, and pride, are unacquainted with. And this knowledge I refer unto illumina- tion,— that is, a light superadded to the innate conceptions of men's
232 WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT [BOOK III.
minds, and beyond what of themselves they can extend unto, — be- cause it is concerninof such things as the heart of man could never of itself conceive, but the very knowledge of them is communicated by their revelation, 1 Cor. ii. 9, 11. And the reason why so very few do exercise themselves to the attaining of this knowledge, according to their abilities, is because of the enmity which is in the carnal minds of all men by nature unto the things themselves that are re- vealed. And within the compass of this degree I comprise all knowledge of spiritual things that is merely natviral. (2.) There is an illumination which is an especial effect of the Holy Ghost by the word on the minds of men. With respect hereunto, some who fall totally from God and perish eternally are said to have been " once enlightened," Heb. vi. 4. This light variously affects the mind, and makes a great addition unto what is inirely natural, or attainable by the mere exercise of our natural abilities.
For, [1.] It adds 'perspicuity unto it, making the things discerned in it more clear and perspicuous to the mind. Hence men endowed with it are said to "know the way of righteousness,"' 2 Pet. ii. 21, — clearly and distinctly to apprehend the doctrine of the gospel as the way of righteousness. They know it not only or merely as true, but as a way of righteousness, — namely, the way of God's righteousness, which is therein " revealed from faith to faith," Rom. i. 1 7, and the way of righteousness for sinners in the sight of God, chap. x. §, 4. [2.] It adds a greater assent unto the truth of the things revealed than mere natural reason can rise up unto. Hence those thus illu- minated are frequently said to " believe/' their faith being only the naked assent of their minds unto the truth revealed to them. So it is said of Simon the magician. Acts viii. 13, and of sundry of the Jews, John ii. 23, xii. 42. [3.] It adds unto them some kind of evanid joy. These " receive the word with joy," and yet have "no root in themselves," Luke viii. 13. They " rejoice in the light" of it, at least " for a season," John v. 35. Persons that are thus enlight- ened will be variously affected with the word, so as they are not whose natural faculties are not spiritually excited. [4.] It adds oft- times gifts also, whereof this spiritual light is, as it were, the com- mon matter, which in exercise is formed and fashioned in great variety. I say, this kind of spiritual light, the effect of this illumi- nation, is the subject-matter, and contains in it the substance, of all spiritual gifts. One sort of gift it is when put forth and exercised in one way, or one kind of duty, and another as in another. And where it is improved into gifts, which principally it is by exercise, there it wonderfully affects the mind, and raiseth its apprehensions in and of spiritual things. Now, concerning this degree of illumination, I say, first, That it is not regeneration, nor doth it consist therein,
CHAP. II.] rREPARATORY UNTO REGENERATION. 233
nor doth necessarily or infallibly ensue upon it. A third degree is required thereunto, which we shall afterward explain. Many, there- fore, may be thus enlightened, and yet never be converted. Secondly, That in order of nature it is previous unto a full and real conver- sion to God, and is materially preparatory and dispositive thereunto; for saving grace enters into the soul by light. As it is therefore a gift of God, so it is the duty of -all men to labour after a participation of it, however by many it be abused.
2. Conviction of sin is another effect of the preaching of the word antecedaneous unto real conversion to God. This in general the apostle describes, 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25, "If all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, he is convinced of all : and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God." And sundry things are included herein, or do ac- company it; as, — (1.) A disquieting sense of the guilt of sin W\\h. respect unto the law of God, with his threatenings and future judg- ment. Things tliat before were slighted and made a mock of do now become the soul's burden and constant disquietment. "Fools make a mock of sin;'' they traverse their ways, and snuff up the wind like the wild ass; but in their month, when conviction hath burdened them, you may find them. And hereby are the minds of men variously affected with fears and anguish, in various degrees,^ according as impressions are made itpon them by the word. And these degrees are not prescribed as necessary duties unto persons under their convictions, but only described as they usually fall out, to the relief and direction of such as are concerned in them; — as a man going to give directions unto another how to guide his course in a voyage at sea, he tells him that in such a place he will meet with rocks and shelves, storms and cross winds, so that if he steer not very heedfuUy he will be in clanger to miscarry and to be cast away ; he doth not prescribe it unto him as his duty to go among such rocks and into such storms, but only directs him how to g-uide himself in them where he doth meet with them, as assuredly he will, if he miss not his proper course. (2.) Sorroiu or grief for sin committed, because past and irrecoverable ; which is the formal reason of this condemning sorrow. This the Scripture calls " sorrow of the world," 2 Cor. vii. 10; divines, usually, legal sorrow, as that which, in con- junction with the sense of the guilt of sin mentioned, brings men into bondage under fear, Kom. viii. 15. (3.) Humiliation for sin, which is the exercise or working of sorroAv and fear in outward acts