534 ( Ephefratu, Chap.+. V E ft.24 Afanetified il- lumination of the morde to know God in Chrifi, is the firn parr of our regeneration. Mat.6.z3. vfe i. Oar bel part, o4z. our 'anode is become cor- rupt. Yfe a: VERSE 24. knowledge ofGod as a Creator, but the knowledge ofhis glory,mer- cy, juflice, as they thine inthe faceof Chrifi , ¡oh. 57.3. This u life eternalito knowthee o be the onely true God, andwhom thou haft`fens lefus Chrtft ; This is the firft and chicle part of mans glorious image to which he is renewed. Wecall it the firft and chiefepart, becaufe that in theworke ofregeneration, the illuminationof the minde withthe true knowledge ofGod, both hath the firft place, and alío is thecauk of all the reft ofmansholineffe,for as Chrift doth reach,lfthe eyehave light in it,itdash enlighten the wholebody,but ifit bedarke, there isno thing but darkeneffe inthe body ; that is, if themind, which is theeye of the foule, be truly fanéìified and renewed with knowledge, there followethholinefTe in all the faculties ofthe foule, and in the whole man : But ifthere be darkneffeandignorance in the minde,there is no- thing but fin in all the parts ofman. Neithercan it be otherwife, for as it is impoffiblethat a man fhould either truft or hope in God, orlove, feare and obey him, or petforme anydutyof holinefl'e untoGod, whom he doth not know in his mer- cy, love, goodnefTe,ppromifes, power, juftice and the reff ofhis Attri- butes: Soit is no lefï'e impoffible that any man fhould know, and bee fully perfwaded that God is true in his promifes, merciful!, bounti full and juft, and not beaffeéted to him accordingly. And therefore thefirft actionof the holy Spirit, framing the new man in the Elea, is totake outof their minds their naturali blindneffeand darknefl'eof ignorance, and tomake them able to conceive, underftand , belceve and knowGod. Thus the Apoftle teacheth, Rom. r2.2. Be yee sranf formedby the renewing ofyour minds. Thushe prayeth for the Color- trans , Col. r. g. That they might befilled with the knowledgeof the will ofGod. This thereforemuff caufeus to confider oftwo things : Firft, how themoft excellent part ofus is corrupted g thefe bodies of ours were manfions of an immortal! fpirit, which had fuch light of grace upon them, that the brighteft ftarre fhincth not fo bright as they. They faw the wifdomeof Godand looked to it as our image in a giaffe loo- keth to us, whole image it is. Now our foulesare incarnate,this divine breathing that camefromheaven, is buried in earth ; now our con- templation isthe Creature, our thoughts areabout earthly things,that ferve for 'our naturali lives,or ourcivill eftates, the very fpirit ofma minds is become earthly and fenfuall. As wemuff bewaile this, fo we muft learne where true Reformati- on muffbegin, not fomuch inconforming out outward man, as in re- forming our inward fpirit. Let us notpaint fheathes, mzkP our felves whited fepulchers,looketo the outward man only,this is good when it followeth and accompanieth the inward reformation which mutt be firft, as here you have ir. VERSE 24. And puton the newman, which after Godùcreated in righteoufne/feand true holinefe. Now followeth the univerfall bodyof this new creature. a. For
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