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23. Certainly this renewal does not take place in the single moment
of conversion itself, as that renewal in baptism takes place in a
single moment by the remission of all sins; for not one, be it ever so
small, remains unremitted. But as it is one thing to be free from
fever, and another to grow strong again from the infirmity which the
fever produced; and one thing again to pluck out of the body a weapon
thrust into it, and another to heal the wound thereby made by a
prosperous cure; so the first cure is to remove the cause of
infirmity, and this is wrought by the forgiving of all sins; but the
second cure is to heal the infirmity itself, and this takes place
gradually by making progress in the renewal of that image: which two
things are plainly shown in the Psalm, where we read, "Who
forgiveth all thine iniquities," which takes place in baptism; and
then follows, "and healeth all thine infirmities;" and this takes
place by daily additions, while this image is being renewed. And the
apostle has spoken of this most expressly, saying, "And though our
outward man perish, yet the inner man is renewed day by day." And
"it is renewed in the knowledge of God, i.e. in righteousness and
true holiness," according to the testimonies of the apostle cited a
little before. He, then, who is day by day renewed by making
progress in the knowledge of God, and in righteousness and true
holiness, transfers his love from things temporal to things eternal,
from things visible to things intelligible, from things carnal to
things spiritual; and diligently perseveres in bridling and lessening
his desire for the former, and in binding himself by love to the
latter. And he does this in proportion as he is helped by God. For
it is the sentence of God Himself, "Without me ye can do
nothing." And when the last day of life shall have found any one
holding fast faith in the Mediator in such progress and growth as
this, he will be welcomed by the holy angels, to be led to God, whom
he has worshipped, and to be made perfect by Him; and so will receive
in the end of the world an incorruptible body. in order not to
punishment, but to glory. For the likeness of God will then be
perfected in this image, when the sight of God shall be perfected.
And of this the Apostle Paul speaks: "Now we see through a glass,
in an enigma, but then face to face." And again: "But we with
open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed
into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the
Lord." And this is what happens from day to day in those that make
good progress.
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