That they might prove what the will of God is, as if he should say, This shall be the fruit of your regeneration, when your minds are renewed, you shall know many things, which are hid from you; you shall be able to judge doctrines, who preach truth, and who preach error; and you shall understand the will of God, what he would have you do, and what he would have you fly, as if you were in his bosom. As new wine will not abide but in new vessels; so this new knowledge will not abide but in new minds.1 The mind renewed knoweth God; so that this Scripture may be called the path to knowledge, or the way to sound the mind of God, which is a secret ⟨p. 508⟩that every man longs to know, but the most turn a wrong leaf to find it, as Paul saith of Peter,2 He looks a wrong way to the Gospel. When the serpent taught knowledge, he said If ye eat the forbidden fruit, your eyes shall be opened, and you shall know good and evil: but Paul saith,3 If ye will not eat the forbidden fruit, your eyes shall be opened and you shall know good and evil. This is one reason why Paul would have them renew their minds, That they might know the will of God Why? doth not the word of God teach us the will of God? Yes, but no man doth understand this word, but he which hath a new mind: because as the Sun is not discerned by any light, but by his own light: so no spirit can interpret the Scripture, but the same spirit which wrote it,4 which is called the holy spirit, because it is holy, and because it makes holy. Sin was the first veil which obscured mans understanding,5 and till the cause of this eclipse be taken away, the Apostle saith, that we shall see but in part:6 that is, as the Sun may be seen in his eclipse, but he seems liker to darkness then to light: so understanding may be seen in the wicked, but it is liker ignorance then knowledge: therefore Paul makes knowledge one of the fruits which bud out of righteousness.
That they might proue what the wil of God is, as if hee should say, This shall be the fruit of your regeneration, when your mindes are renued, you shall know many thinges, which are hid from you; you shall bee able to iudge doctrines, who preach truth, and who preach error; and you shall vnderstand the will of God, what he would haue you doe, and what hee would haue you flie, as if you were in his bosome. As new wine will not abide but in new vessels; so this new knowledge will not abide but in new mindes.1 The minde renued knoweth God; so that this Scripture may be called the path to knowledge, or the waie to sound the minde of God, which is a secret ⟨p. 508⟩that euery man longs to know, but the most turne a wrong leafe to finde it, as Paul sayth of Peter,2 He lookes a wrong way to the Gospel. When the serpent taught knowledge, he said If ye eate the forbidden fruite, your eyes shalbe opened, and you shall knowe good and euill: but Paul sayth,3 If ye will not eate the forbidden fruite, your eyes shal be opened and you shall know good and euill. This is one reason why Paul would haue them renue their mindes, That they might know the will of God Why? doth not the word of God teach vs the wil of God? Yes, but no man doth vnderstand this word, but hee which hath a new minde: because as the Sunne is not discerned by any light, but by his owne light: so no spirite can interpret the Scripture, but the same spirite which wrote it,4 which is called the holy spirite, because it is holy, and because it makes holy. Sinne was the first vaile which obscured mans vnderstanding,5 and till the cause of this eclipse be taken away, the Apostle sayth, that we shall see but in part:6 that is, as the Sunne may be seene in his eclipse, but he seemes liker to darknesse then to light: so vnderstanding may be seene in the wicked, but it is liker ignorance then knowledge: therefore Paul makes knowledge one of the fruites which bud out of righteousnes.
- 1Mat. 9. 17.
- 2Gal. 2. 14.
- 3Gen. 3. 5.
- 41. Cor. 12. 3.
- 5Gen. 3. 7.
- 61. Cor. 13. 9.
