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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
of
his
glory,mer-
cy,
juflice,
as
they
thine in
the
face
of
Chrifi
, ¡oh.
57.3.
This
u
life
eternalito
knowthee
o
be
the
onely
true
God,
and
whom thou
haft`
fens
lefus
Chrtft
;
This
is
the
firft
and chicle
part
of
mans glorious image
to
which
he
is
renewed.
We
call it the
firft
and
chiefe
part,
becaufe
that
in
theworke
of
regeneration, the illumination
of
the
minde withthe
true knowledge
of
God, both hath
the
firft
place,
and
alío
is
the
cauk
of
all
the
reft
of
mans
holineffe,for
as
Chrift
doth
reach,lfthe
eye
have
light
in
it,it
dash
enlighten
the
whole
body,but
if
it
bedarke,
there
is
no
thing
but darkeneffe
in
the
body
;
that
is,
if
the
mind, which
is
the
eye
of
the
foule, be truly fanéìified
and
renewed with
knowledge,
there
followeth
holinefTe in all
the
faculties
of
the
foule,
and
in
the
whole
man
:
But
if
there be
darkneffe
and
ignorance
in
the minde,there
is
no-
thing but
fin
in
all
the parts ofman.
Neither
can
it
be
otherwife, for
as it
is
impoffible
that
a
man
fhould
either truft or hope
in
God, or
love,
feare and
obey him,
or
petforme
any
duty
of
holinefl'e
unto
God,
whom he
doth
not know
in
his mer-
cy,
love,
goodnefTe,ppromifes,
power,
juftice and
the
reff
of
his 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
be
affeéted
to
him accordingly. And
therefore
the
firft
action
of
the holy
Spirit,
framing
the
new man
in
the
Elea,
is
totake out
of
their minds their naturali blindneffe
and
darknefl'e
of
ignorance, and
to
make
them
able
to
conceive, underftand
,
belceve
and
know
God. Thus
the Apoftle teacheth,
Rom.
r
2.2.
Be yee
sranf
formed
by
the renewing
of
your
minds.
Thus
he prayeth
for the
Color-
trans
,
Col.
r.
g. That
they
might
be
filled with
the knowledge
of
the
will
of
God.
This therefore
muff caufe
us
to confider
of
two things
:
Firft,
how
the
moft excellent part
of
us 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 wifdome
of
God
and 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
came
fromheaven,
is
buried
in
earth
;
now our con-
templation
isthe
Creature,
our
thoughts
are
about earthly things,that
ferve
for
'our
naturali lives,
or
our
civill eftates,
the
very fpirit
of
ma
minds
is
become earthly and fenfuall.
As we
muff bewaile
this,
fo we muft learne
where
true Reformati-
on muff
begin,
not
fo
much
in
conforming
out outward
man,
as
in
re-
forming our inward
fpirit.
Let
us
not
paint
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 put
on
the
new
man,
which
after
God
ùcreated
in
righteoufne/fe
and
true holinefe.
Now
followeth the
univerfall
body
of
this
new creature.
a.
For