the 4: file to the Galatians. Chap. 4. 303 Touching their ignorance ofGod , it may be demaunded, how theycan be laidnot to knowGod , whereas Paul faith, that whichmay be known of Cod, ismade maniferi into the Gen- tiles?from. r.zo.and that Goddwinot lame him%elfe withont wit- nef fe?At t. r 4.1 7. Anfir.I(nowledgeofGod is twofold , Natu- rall,or revealedKnowledge. Naturall is, that whichall men haue in their minds by the light ofnature , which alto they may ga- ther by the view and obferuation of the creatures. This know- ledge bath two properties.The firfl,itis imperFeet: becaufe by i 0 it we knowTome fewe and generali things ofGod: as namely, that there is a God , and that he is to be worfhipped, &c.ln thisrefpeet,this knowledge is like the ruines of a princely pal - lace. Again: it is weak:: becaufe it ferues onely to cut off ex- eufe,and it is not fufficient to dire& vs in the worfhip of God. 15 Nay,when by it we beginne to let downe the worfhip ofGod, we thenrunne headlong into fuperflition,and vanitte. R,enea- ledknowledge is , that which is fet downe in thewritten word, . wherebywe mayknowe what God is in himfelfc, and what he is to vs: aamdy,a father in Chrifl, giuing pardon of finne, and a.0 life cuerlafling.This knowledge the Gentiles altogether want: nay by reafon ofthe blindencs and impotencie ofthcir minds, . they fudge it foolifhnefíe.Thus thenin efeaf,though the Gen- tiles by nature know fome things of God, yet doe theynot knowe God,as hewill be knownofvs. 2`5 Againe,it may be demaunded, whether this ignorancebe a 1 Finn: in the Galatians? finrw. Yea. For all men are bound tol knowGodby the farfl commandement. And this ignorance is -i a want of the image ofG od in the minde,Col. .1o. And euery ¡ defeE} ofthe image of God,is a branch oforiginali finne. AndH 3o vengeance is the punifhment ofthisfinne, -2.Thefl 1.8. It may be obieC1ed , that Paul here excufeth theGalatians by their ignorance.Anfw.It excufeth ,i tanto, son àtoto,that is, the degree and meafurc of thefinne, and not the finne it felfe, Lulc. t 2.48. Againe,it may be faid,that this their ignorance is intaincihle, ' becaufe as the Gentiles doe not knowGod , fo they cannot know him. Anf That they cannot know I:irn,it is not Gods- fault,but the fault oftheir firfl parenrs,and conicquently their fault:and this ignorance fpreads it felfe euer all naankinde,as a,' alaialmcnt ofthe fill'. offence. The
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