PREPARATORY UNTO REGENERATION. 133 diligent use of outward means, men are not able of themselves to attain unto regeneration, or complete con- version to God, without an especial, effectual, internal work of the Holy Spirit of grace on their whole souls. This, containing the substance of what is principally proposed unto confirmation in the ensuing discourses, needs not here be insistedon. (3.) Ordinarily God, in the effectual dispensation of his grace, meeteth with them, who attend with diligence on the outward admi- nistration of the means of it. He doth so, I say, ordi- narily in comparison of them who are despisers and ne- glecters of them. Sometimes, indeed, he goeth, as it were, out of the way, to meet with, and bring home unto himself, a persecuting Saul, taking of him in, and taking him off, from a course of open sin and rebellion. But ordinarily he dispenseth his peculiar especial grace, among them who attend unto the common means of it. For he will both glorify his word thereby, and give out pledges of his approbation of our obedience unto his commands and institutions. Sect. 5. Secondly; There are certain internal spi- ritual effects, wrought in and upon the souls of men, whereof the word preached is the immediate instrumen- tal cause, which ordinarily dó precede the work of re- generation, or real conversion unto fi7od. And they are reduceable unto three heads: 1. Illumination. 2. Con- viction. 3. Reformation. The first of these respects the mind only; the second the mind, conscience, and af- fections; and the third the life and conversation. Sect. 5.The first is illumination, of whose nature and causes we must afterwards treat distinctly: at pre- sent 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 acknowledge that we have in or about spiritual things, things of supernatural revelation, come under this denomination of illumination. And hereof there are three degrees: (1.) That which ariseth merely from an industrious application of the rational faculties 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, andpride, are unacquainted with. And this knowledge I refer unto illumination; that is, a light superadded to the innate conceptions of mens minds, and beyond what of them- selves they can extend unto; because it is concerning such things as the heart of man could never of itself conceive, but the very knowledge of them is communi- cated by their revelation, I 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 revealed. And within the compass of this degree, I comprise all knowledge of spiritual things that is merely natural. (2.) There is an illumination which is an es- pecial 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 various- ly affects the mind, and makes a great addition unto what is purelynatural or attainable by the mere exercise of our natural abilities. Sect. 7. For (1.) It adds perspicuity unto it, mak- ing 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 reveal- ed from faith to faith, Rom. i. 17. and the way of righ- teousness for sinners in the sight of God, Rom. x. 3, 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 illuminated are frequently said to be... lieve; 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. 12. and of sundry of the Jews, John ii. 23, 24. chap. xii. 42. (3.) It adds unto them somekind of sudden joy. These receive the word with joy, and yet have no root in themselves, Luke xviii. 13. They rejoice in the light of it, at least for a season, John v. 35. Persons that are thus enlightened, 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 common matter, which in exercise is formed and fashioned in great variety. I say, this kind of spiritual light, the effect of this illumination, is the subject-matter, and contains in it the substance of all
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