56 Put on the whole Amour ofGod' were darknefe, not in the dark, fo one that bath an eye may be. A childe of light is often in the dark, concerning fome truth or promife, but then hath a fpiritual eye, which the Chrifflefre per- fon wants, and fo is darkneffe. And this darkneffe cannot be enlightened, but by its unionwith Chrift, which is expreft in the followingphrafe ; But noW areye light in the Lord. As the eye of the bodyonce put out, can never be reftored by the creatures Art, fo neither can the fpiritual eye, loft by 6.4dowls fin, be re- ftored by the teaching of men or Angels. It is one of the dif- cafes which Chrilt came tocure, Dike q, i 8. 'Tis true, there is a light of reafon, which is imparted to every man by nature, but this light is darkneffe, compared with the $aints. As the night is dark to the day, even when the moon is in its full glory. This night-light of Reafon may fave a perfon from fome ditch or- pond, great and broad fins, but it will never helphim to efcape the more fecret corruptions, which the Saint fees like atomes in the beams offpiritual knowledge. There is fuch curious work the creature is to do, which cannot be wrought by candle-light ofnatural knowledge. Nay more, where the common illumi- nation ofthe Spirit is fuperadded to this light of nature, yet that is darkneffe compar'd with the fan6tifying knowledge of a re- newed foule, which doth both difcover fpiritual truths, and warme the heart at the fame time with the love of truth , having like the Sun a prolifical and quickening vertue, which the other wants; fo that theheart lies under fuch common illuminations cold and dead. He bath no more ftrength to refift Satan, then if he knewnot thecommand; whereas the Chrifflans knowledge, even when taken Prifoner by a temptation, purfues and brings back the foul, as Abraham his Nephew,out ofthe enemies hands; which hints the third. Thirdly, the Chrifflefie Rate is a Rate of impotency, Rom.y. -When we Were Without .firength, Chrifl came to die for the un- godly. What can a difarmid people that have not (word or gundo to (hake of theyoke of a conqueringenemie ? Such a power bath Satan over the foule, Luke II. 21. he is call'd the firongman that keeps the foule as his 'Palace : if he bath no di- -flurbance from heaven, he need feare no mutiny within ; he keeps all in peace there. What the Spirit of God cloth in a Saint, that in amanner doth Satan in a Sinner, The Spirit fills the
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