is always evil and often fatal ; and that the effects of regenera- tion, so far as they reveal themselves in our consciousness, con- sist largely in the spiritual apprehension or discernment of divine things. These representations also prove that in the order of nature, knowledge, or spiritual discernment, is antecedent and causative relatively to all holy exercises of the feelings or affec-
ions. It is the spiritual apprehension of the truth that awakens love, faith, and delight ; and not love that produces spiritual discernment. It was the vision Paul had of the divine glory of Christ that made him instantly and forever his worshipper and servant. The Scriptures, however, do not teach that regenera- tion consists exclusively in illumination, or that the cognitive julties are exclusively the subject of the renewing power of the Jpirit. It is the soul as such that is spiritually dead ; and it is to the soul that a new principle of life controlling all its exer- 3ises, whether of the intellect, the sensibility, the conscience, or
le will is imparted.
Tot a Change of the Higher, as distinguished from the Lower Powers of the Soul.
There is another view of the subject, which falls under this lead of what may be called partial regeneration. It is founded >n trichotomy, or the assumption of three elements in the consti- ition of man, namely, the body, the soul, and the spirit (the i/Aa, \jwxn, and Trveu/Aa) ; the first material, the second animal, the :d spiritual. To the second, i. e., to the soul or if/vxVi are re- hired what man has in common with the lower animals ; life, msibility, will, and understanding ; to the spirit what is peculiar us as rational, moral, and religious beings, namely, conscience id reason. This third element, the irvevpa, or reason, is often died divine ; sometimes in a literal, and sometimes in a figura- ive sense. In either case, according to the theory under consid- eration, it is not the seat of sin, and is uncorrupted by the fall. [t remains, although elouded and perverted by the disorder in the lower departments of our nature, the point of contact and connection between man and God. This at least is one view ol the matter. According to another view, neither the body nor the >ul (neither cr<o//.a nor ^pirf), has any moral character. The seat )f the moral and divine life is exclusively the nvevfia or spirit. This is said to be paralyzed by the fall. It is figuratively dead ; isusceptible of impression from divine things. There are as lany theories of the nature of regeneration among the advocates
18 PART lH. Ch. XV. — REGENERATION.
of this threefold division in the constitution of man, as there are systems of anthropology. The idea common to all, or to a ma- jority of them, is that regeneration consists in restoring the irvevfxa or spirit to its normal controlling influence over the whole man. According to some, this is a natural process in which an animal man, i. e., a man governed by the <pvxn-> comes to be reasonable, or pneumatic, i. e., governed by the 7rvevfxa or higher powers of his nature. According to others, it is a supernatural effect due to the action of the divine (ni/efyia) Spirit upon the human Trvtv/xa or spirit. In either case, however, the Tn/evjuanKos, or spiritual man, is not one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells as a principle of a new, spiritual life ; but one who is governed by his own Trvivfxa or spirit. According to others again, the irvevfxa or reason in man is God, the God-consciousness, the Logos, and regeneration is the gradually acquired ascendency of this divine element of our nature.
In reference to these views of regeneration it is sufficient to remark, (1.) That the threefold division of our nature on which they are founded is antiscriptural, as we have already attempted to prove. (2.) Admitting that there is a foundation for such a distinction, it is not of the kind assumed in these theories. The soul and spirit are not distinct substances or essences, one of which may be holy and the other unholy, or negative. This is inconsistent with the unity of our interior life which the Scrip- tures constantly assume. (3.) It subverts the Scriptural doc- trine of regeneration and sanctification to make the governing principle in the renewed to be their own -rrvevfjLa or spirit, and not the Holy Spirit.
Modern Speculative Views on this Subject.
The modern speculative philosophy has introduced such a radical change in the views entertained of the nature of God, of his relation to the world, of the nature of man and of his rela- tion to God, of the person and work of Christ, and of the appli- cation of his redemption to the salvation of men, that all the old, and, it may be safely said, Scriptural forms of these doctrines have been superseded, and others introduced which are unin- telligible except in the light of that philosophy, and which to a great extent reduce the truths of the Bible to the form of philo- sophical dogmas. We cease to hear of the Holy Ghost as the third person of the Trinity, applying to men the redemption pur- chased by Christ ; of regeneration by his almighty power, or of