Sermon XX (continued, part 3)
tions: He helps them in prayer,by supplying matters of request to them, teaching them what they should ask of God : He af-
them in the manner of prayer, supplying them with suitable affections, and helping them to be sincere in all their desires to God. It is he that humbles the pride of their hearts, dissolves, and breaks the hardness of their hearts : Out of deadnessmakes them lively; out of weakness makes them strong. Mmm 2
452 The Method of Grace. SERM . XXIV. He assisteth the spirits of believers after prayer, helping them to faith and patience, to believe, and wait for the returns, and answers of their prayers. O reader, reflect upon thy duties, consider what spirituality, sincerity, humility, broken-heartedness, and melting affections after God, are to be found in thy duties : Is it so with thee ? Or dost thou hurry over thy duties as an interruption to thy business, and pleasures ? Are they an ungrateful talk, imposed upon thee by God, and thy own conscience ? Are there no hungerings, and thirstings after God in thy foul? Or, if there be any pleasure arising to thee out of prayer, is it not from the oftentation of thy gifts ? If it be so, reflect sadly upon the carnal state of thy heart; these things do not speak the Spirit of grace and supplication to be given thee.
Evidence 6. Wherever the Spirit of grace inhabits, there is an heavenly, spiritual frame of mind accompanying, and evidencing the indwelling of the Spirit,Rom. viii. 5, 6. " For they that areas- " ter the flesh,do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are
" after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit : For, to be carnally " mindedisdeath; but tobespirituallyminded is life and peace." By the mind, understand the musings, reasonings, yea, and the cares, fears, delights and pleasures of the soul, which follow the workings, and meditations of the mind. As these are,so are we ; if these be ordinarily, and habitually taken up, and exercifedabout earthly things, then is the frame, and state of the man carnal, and earthly : The workings of every ereature follow the being and nature of it. If God, Christ, heaven, and the world to come, engage the thoughts, and affections of the soul, and the temper of such a soul is spiritual, and the Spirit of Goddwelleth there ; this is the life of the regenerate, Phil. iii. 20. " Our conversation is in heaven;" and such a frame of heart is life, and peace : A serene, placid, and most comfortable life. No pleasures upon earth, nogratifications of the senses do relish, and favour, as spiritual things do. Confider, therefore, which way thy heart ordinarily works, especially in thy folitudes, and hours of retirement. These things will be a great evidence for, or against thy soul. David could say, "How precious are thy
" thoughts unto me,OGod ! How great is the sum of them: " If I should count them, they are more in number than the " sand; when I awake, I am Oill with thee," Psal. cxxxix. 17,
18. Yet it must be acknowledged, for the relief of weaker Christians, that there is a great difference and variety found in this matter, among the people of God: For the strength, steadi.
andconftancy ofa spiritual mind,result from the depth, and improvement of sanctification: The more grace, still the more
SERM . XXIV. The Method of Grace. 453 evenness, spirituality, and constancy, there is in the motions of the heart after God. The minds of weak Christians are more easily entangled in earthly vanities, and more frequently diverted by inward corruptions ; yet still there is a spiritual Pond us, inclination, and bent of their hearts towards God; and the vanity, and corruption which hinders their communion with him, is their greatest grief,andburthen under which they groan in this world.
Evidence 7. Those to whom the Spirit of grace is given, are led by the Spirit, Rom. viii. 14. "As many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God:" Sanctified fouls give themselves up to the government, and conduct of the Spirit ; they obey his voice, beg his direction, follow his motion, deny the follicitations of the flesh and blood, in obedience to him,Gal.
i. 16. And they that do so, they are the sons of God. It is the office of the Spirit to guide us in all truth ; and it is our great duty to follow his guidance. Hence it is, that in all enterprises, and undertakings, the people of God so earnestly beg direction, and counsel from him. " Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteous66 ness, (faith David) make thy way straight before my face," Psal. viii. 5. They dare not, indoubtfulcafes, lean to their own understandings; yea, in pointsofduty,and in points off in, they dare not neglect the one, or commit the other, against the convictions, and perfuafions of their own consciences ; though troubles, and sufferings be unavoidable in that path of duty, when they have balanced duties with sufferings, in their most serious thoughts, the conclusion and result will still be, it is better to obey God, than man, the dictates of the Spirit, rather than the counsels of flesh and blood .
But, before I leave this point, I reckon myself a debt or unto weak Christians, and shail endeavour to give satisfaction to some special doubts and fears, with which their minds are ordinarily entangled in this matter ; for it is a very plain case, that many fouls have the presence, and sanctification of the Spirit without the evidence and comfort thereof. Divers things are found in believers, which are so many fountains of fears; and doubts to them. And, Objection 1. First, I greatly doubt the Spirit of God is not in me (faith a poor Christian) because of the great darkness, and ignorance which clouds my soul; for I read, 1 John ii. 27. that he enlightneth the foul which he inhabiteth. " The anointing which 66 yehave received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that anyman teach you, but as the fame anointing teacheth you " of all things," Gr. but, alas, my understanding is weak and
454 The Method of Grace. SERM . XXIV. cloudy, I have need to learn of the meanest of God's people : This only I know, that I know nothing as I ought to know.
Sol. Two things are to be regarded in spiritual knowledge; viz. the quantity, and the efficacy thereof. Your condition doth not so much depend upon the measures of knowledge; for, haply, you are undermanynatural disadvantages, and want those helps and means of encreasing knowledge, which others plentifully enjoy. It maybe you have wanted the helps of education, or have been encumbredby the necessities and cares of the world, which have allowed you but little leisure for the improvement of your minds : But if that which you do know, be turned into practice and obedience, Col. i. 9, 10. If it have influence upon your hearts, and transform your affections into a spiritual frame and temper, 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18. If your ignorance humble you, and drive you to God daily for the increase of knowledge, one drop of such knowledge, of Christ, and yourselves as this, is more worth than a sea of human, moral, unfanctified, and speculative knowledge : Tho' you know but little, yet that little being sanctified, is of great value : Though youknowbut little, time was whenye knew nothing of Jesus Christ, or the state of your own souls. In a word, though you know but little, that little you do know will be still increasing, " like the morning light, which shineth more and more unto the
" perfect day," Prov. iv. 18. If thou knowest so much as brings thee to Christ, thou shalt shortly be where thy knowledge
shall be as the light at noon-day.
Object. 2. I sometimes findmyheart raised, and my affections melted in duties,but I doubt itisina natural way, and not from the Spirit of God: could I be assured those motions of my heart were from the Spirit of grace, and not merely a natural thing, it would be singular comfort, and satisfaction tome.
Sol. First, Confider, whether this be not the ground of your fearanddoubting, because you are fain to take pains in the way of meditation, prayer, and other duties, to bring your hearts to relish and favour the things of God ; whereas, it maybe, you expect your spiritual enlargements and comforts should flow in upon you spontaneously, and drop from heaven immediately of their own accord, without any pains or industry of yours. Here maybe, (and probably is) a great mistake in this matter; for the Spirit of God works in the natural method, wherein affections use to be raised, and makes use of such duties as meditation and prayer, as instruments to do that work by, Ezek. xxxvi . 37. So David was forced to reason with, and chidehis own heart, Psal. xlii. 5. Thy comfort and enlarge
SERM . XXIV. The Method of Grace. 455 ment may nevertheless be the fruit of the Spirit, because God makes it spring up, and grow upon thy duties.
Secondly, Take this as a sure rule, whatsoever rises from self, always aims at, and terminates in self. This strean cannot be carried higher than the fountain; if therefore thy aim, and end in striving for affections and enlargements in duty, be only to win applause from men, and appear to be what in reality thou art not, this, indeed is the fruit of nature, and a very corrupt and hypocritical nature ; but if thy heart be melted, or desire to be melted in the sense of the evil of fin, in order to the farther mortification of it; and, under the apprehenfions of the free grace and mercy of God in the pardon of fin, in order to the engaging of thy foul more firmly to him; if these, or such like, be thy ends and designs, or be promoted and furtheredby thineenlargements, and spiritual comforts, never reject them as themerefruitsofnature : A carnal root cannot bring forth such fruits as these.
Object. 3. Upon the contrary, spiritual deadness, and indispofedness to duties, and to those especially which are more secret,
and self-denying than others, is the ground upon which many spiritual fouls, who are yet truly gracious, do doubt the indwelling of the Spirit in them. O, faith such a soul, if the Spirit of God be in me, Why is it thus ? Could my heart be so dead, so backward, and averse to spiritual duties ? No, no; these things would be my meat and my drink, the delights and pleasures of my life.
Sol. First, These things indeed are very fad, and argue thy heart to be out of frame, as the body is, when it cannot relish the most desirable meats, or drinks : But the question will be, how thy foul behaves itself in such a condition as this is ? whether this be easy orburdensome to be borneby thee ? * and if thou complain under it as a burden ; then, what pains thou takest to ease thyself, and get rid of it ?
Secondly, Know also, that there is a great difference betwixt spiritual death, and spiritualdeadness ; the former is the state of theunregenerate, the latter is the disease and complaint of many thousand regenerate fouls: IfDavid had not felt it as well as thee, he would never have cried out ninetimesinthe compass of one Psalm, Quicken me, quicken me. Besides,
He who inclines to that which is good, and is averse to that which is evil ; has adefire of pleasing God,though fometimesbeing seduced by evil concupifcence,through infirmityhe maycommitthat which isdispleasing to God. Daven.
456 The Method of Grace. SERM . XXIV.
Thirdly, Though it be often, it is not so always with thee; there are seasons wherein the Lord breaks in upon thy heart, enlarges thy affections, and sets thy soul at liberty ; to which times thou wiltdo well to have an eye, in these dark and cloudy days.
Object. 4. But the Spirit of God is the comforter as well as afanctifier : He doth not only enable men to believe, but after they believe, he also seals them, Eph. i. 13. But I walk in darkness, and am a stranger to the sealing and comforting work of the Spirit : How therefore can I imagine the Spirit of God should dwell in me, who go from day today in the bitterness of my soul, mourning as without the fun ?
Sol. There is a two-fold sealing, and two-fold comfort : The Spirit fealethboth objectively in the work of sanctification, and formally, in giving clear evidence of that work. Thou mayst be sealed in the first, whilst thou are not yet sealed in the second sense: If so, thy condition is safe, although it be at present uncomfortable. And, as to comfort, that also is of two forts, viz.seminal, or actual : in the root, or in the fruit; Light is sown for the righteous, Psal. xcvii. 11. though the harvest, to reap and gather in that joy and comfort, be not yet come, And there are many other ways beside that of joy and comfort, whereby the indwelling of the Spirit may evidence itself in thy soul: If he do not enable thee to rejoice, yet if he enable thee sincerely to mourn for fin ; if he do not enlarge thy heart in comfort, yet if he humble and purge thy heart by sorrows ; if he deny thee the assurance of faith, andyetgivethee the dependance of faith, thou haft noreasontocallin question, or deny the in. dwelling of the Spirit in thee for that cause.
" Object. 5. But the apostle faith, "Theythatwalkinthe Spirit, fulfil the lusts of the flesh," Gal. v. 16. but I find myself entangled, and frequently overcome by them : Therefore I doubt the Spirit of God is not in me.
Sol. It is possible the ground of your doubting maybe your mistake of the true sense and meaning of that scripture : It is not the apostle's meaning in that place, that finin believers doth not work, tempt, and oftentimes overcome, andcaptivate them; for thenhewould contradict himself in Rom. vii. 23. where he thus complains, " But I fee another law in my members, war- " ring against thelawofmy mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin which is in my members." But two things are meant by that expression, " Ye shall not fulfil the " lusts of the flesh."
First, That the principle of grace will give a check to fin ia
SERM. XXIV. The Method of Grace. 457 its first motions, and cause it to miscarry in the womb, like an untimely birth, before it comes to its full maturity; it shall never be able to gain the full consent of the will, as it doth in the unregenerate.
Secondly, If, notwithstanding all the opposition grace makes to hinder the birth, or commission of it, it doth yet prevail, and break forth into act ; yet such acts of fin, as they are not committed without regret, so they are followed with shame,sorrow, and true repentance: And those very furprizals, and captivities of fin at one time, are made cautions and warnings to prevent it at another time. If it be so with thee, thou dost not fulfil the lusts of the fleth.
And now, reader, upon the whole, ifuponexamination of thy heart by these rules, the Lord shall help thee to discern the saving work of the Spirit upon thy soul, and thereby thine interest in Christ, What a happy man or woman art thou ! what pleasure will arisetothy foul from such a discovery ! Look upon the frame of thine heart absolutely as it is in itself at present, or comparatively, with what once it was, and others still are, and thouwilt find enough to transport and melt thy heart within thee: Certainly this is the most glorious piece of workmanship that ever God wrought in the world upon anyman,Eph. ii. 10.. The Spirit of God is come down from heaven, and hath hallowed thy soul to be a temple for himself to dwell in ; as he hath said, " I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will
" be their God, and they shall be my people," 2 Cor. vii. 16. Moreover, this gift of the Spirit is a sure pledge and earnest of thy future glory : Time was, when there was no such work upon thy foul. And, considering the frame and temper of it, the total aversation, strong opposition, and rooted enmity that was in it; it is the wonder of wonders, that ever such a work as this should be wrought upon such an heart as thine ; that ever the Spirit of God, whose nature is pure and perfect holiness,shouldchuse such an unclean, polluted, abominable heart to frame an habitation for himself there to dwell in ; to say of thy foul(now his spiritual temple) ashe once said of the material temple at Jerusalem, Psal. cxxxii. 13, 14. " The Lord hath chosen it, he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my reft for ever : Here will I dwell ; for I have desired it." O "
" what hath God done for thy soul!
Think, reader, and think again: Are there not many thousands in the world of more ingenuous, sweet, and amiabledifpositions than thyself, whom yet the Spirit of God paffeth by, VOL. II. Non
SERM . XXV. and leaveth them as tabernacles for Satan to dwell in ? Such a one thou lately wast, and hadst still remained, if God had not wrought for thee, beyond all the expectations and desires of thine own heart. O bless God, that you have received not the
458 The Method of Grace.
spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that ye might know the things which are freely given unto you of God.
55 SERMONXXV.
Of the Nature and Necessity of the NEW CREATURE.
2 COR. V. 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature : oll things are paffedaway ; behold, all things are become new.
YOU have seen one trial of an interest in Christ, in our last discourse, namely, by the donation of the Spirit. We have here another trial of the fame matter, from one of the greatest, and most noble effects of the Spirit upon our souls ; namely, his work of renovation, or new creation : " If any man " be in Christ, he is a new creature." The apostle's scope in the immediate context, is to dissuade Christians from a carnal,
partiality, in their respects to men : Not to despise them after the manner of the world, according to the external differences, but the real internal worth, and excellency that is in men. This the apostle presses by two arguments ; one drawn from the end of Christ's death, verse 15. which was to take off from these selfish designs, and carnal ends, by which the whole world is swayed. Secondly, From the new Spirit, by which believers are actuated : they that are in Christ, are to judge, and measure all things by a new rule : " If any man be
" in Christ, he is a new creature: Old things are passed away;" q. d. we have done with that low, selfish spirit of the world, which was wholly governed by carnal interest ; we are now to judge by a new rule, to be actuated from a new principle, aim ata new, and more noble end ; end ; "Behold, all things are become " new." In these words we have three general parts, to be di stinctly considered , viz.
1. The great question to be determined, "If any man be in " Christ?"
SERM . XXV. 459 The Method of Grace. 2. The rule by which it may be determined ; viz. " he is a " new creature."
3. This general rule more particularly explained ; "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
First, We have here the great question to be determined, Whether a man be in Christ ? A question, upon the determination whereof, we must stand, or fall for ever. By [being in Christ] the apostle doth not here mean the general profession of Christianity, which gives a man the reputation of an interest in him ; but by being in Christ, he means an interest in him, by vital union with his person, and real participation of his benefits. Now this is the question to be determined, the matter to be tried ; than which, nothing can be more solemn, and important in the whole world.
Secondly, The rule by which this great question may be determined, viz. The new creation : " If any man be in Christ,
" he is a new creature." By this rule all the titles, and claims made to Christ in the professing world, are to be examined.
[If any man] be he what he will, high, or low, great, or small ; learned, or illiterate ; young, or old; if he pretend interest in Christ, this is the standard by which he must be tried: if he be in Christ, he is a new creature ; and if he be not a new creature, he is not in Christ, let his endowments, gifts, confidence, and reputation be what they will : [A new creature] not new physically, he is the same person he was ; but a new creature, that is, a creature renewed by gracious principles, newly infused into him from above, which sway him, and guide him in another manner, and to another end than ever he acted before ; and these gracious principles not being educed out of any thing, which was pre-existent in man,but infused de novo, from above, are therefore called, in this place, a new creature : This is the rule, by which our claim to Christ must be determined.
Thirdly, This general rule is here more particularly explained; " Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become " new." He satisfies not himself to lay down this rule concifely, or express it in general terms, by telling us, the man in Christ must be z new creature ; but more particularly, he shews us what this new creature is, and what the partsthereofare ; viz . Both
1. The privative part; "Old things are passed away." 2. The positive part thereof; " All things are become new." By old things, he means all those carnal principles, self-ends, and fleshly lusts, belonging to the carnal state, or the old man : Nnn 2
460 The Method of Grace. SERM. XXV. all these are passed away; " * not simply, and perfectly, but " only in parts at present, and wholly in hope, and expectation " hereafter." So much briefly of the privative part of the new creature, " Old things are passed away." A word or two must be spoken of the positive part ; "All things are become " new." He means not that the old faculties of the soul are abolished, and new ones created in their room: but as our bodies maybe said to be new bodies, by reason of their new endowments, and qualities super-induced, and bestowed upon them in their resurrection ; so our souls are now renewed by the infusion of new gracious principles into them, in the work of regeneration. These two parts, viz. the privative part, the passing away of old things ; and the positive part, the renewing of all things, do, betwixt them, comprize the whole nature of
which, in other scriptures, is expressed by equivalent phrases; sometimes by putting off the old, and putting on the new man, Eph. iv. 24. sometimes by dying unto fin, and living unto righteousness, Rom. vi. 11. which is the self-fame thing the apostle here intends, by the passing away of old things, and making all things new. And because this is the most excellent, glorious, and admirable work of the Spirit, which is, or can be wrought uponman in this world; therefore the apostle asserts it with an ecce, a note of special remark, and observation, Behold, all things are become new;" q. d. Behold and admire thissurprizing, marvellous change which God hath made upon men; they are come out of darkness into his marvellous light,
1. Pet. ii. 9. out of the old, as it were, into a new world; " Behold, all things are become new." Hence note, Doct. That God's creating of a newfupernaturalwork of grace in the foul of any man, is that man'sfure, and infallible evi dence ofafaving interest in Jesus Christ. Suitable hereunto are those words of the apostle, Eph. iv. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. " Butye have not so learned Christ; if so be that " yehaveheard him, andhavebeentaught by him, as the truth " is in Jesus : Thatye put off, concerning the former conversa- " sat i on, the old man, which is corrupt, according to deceitful " lusts: and be renewed in the Spirit of your mind: and that " yeput on the new man,which after God is created in righte- " ousness and true holiness." Where we have, in other words of the same importance, the very self-famedefcription of them an that is in Christ, which the apostle gives us in this text. Now,
Non fimpliciter, es perfecte, fed partimfpe. Estius in lac.
SERM . XXV. 460 The Method of Graces fortheopeningand stating of this point, it will be necessary that
I shew you,
1. Why the regenerating work of the Spirit is called a new creation.
2. In what respects every soul that is in Christ is renewed, or made a new creature.
3. What are the remarkable properties, and qualities of this new creature,
4.Theneceffityofthis new creation to all that are in Christ. 5.How this new creation evidences our interest in Christ. 6. And then apply the whole in the proper uses of it. First, Why the regenerating work of the Spirit is called a new creation. This must be our first enquiry. And, doubtless, the reason of this appellation is the analogy, proportion, and fimilitude which is found betwixt the work of regeneration, and God's work in the first creation. And their agreement, and proportion will be found in the following particulars.
First, The same almighty Author who created the world, createth also this work of grace in the soul of man, 2 Cor. iv. 6. " God, who commanded the light to snine outofdarkness, hath
" shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of
" the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." The fame powerful word which created the natural, createth also the spiritual light. † It is equally absurd for any man to say, I make my self to repent, or to believe, as it is to say, I made myself to exist, and be.
Secondly, The first thing that God created in the natural world was light, Gen. i. 3. and the first thing which God createth in the new creation, is the light of spiritual knowledge, Col. iii. 10. "And have put on the new man, which is renewed
" in knowledge after the image of him that created him."
Thirdly, Creation is out of nothing; it requires no pre-exiftentmatter; it doth not bring onethingout of another, butfomethingoutof nothing ; it gives a being to that which before had no being : So it is also in the new creation, I Pet. ii 9, 10. " Who "hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light ; " which in time past were not a people, but are now the people
" of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have ob- " tained mercy." The work of grace is not educed out of the power and principles of nature, but it is apurework of creation.
Minus eft, tefecisse hominem, quamfanctum, i. e. We may sooner make ourselves men, than saints.
462 The Method of Grace. SERM . XXV. TheHeathenphilosophers could neither understand, nor acknowledge the creation of the world,because that notion was repugnant to this maxim of reason, ex nihilo nihilfit, out of nothing, nothing can be made. Thus did they infanirecum ratione, befool themselves with their own reasonings; and after the same manner some great pretenders to reason among us, voting it an absurdity to affirm, that the work of grace is not virtually, and potentially contained in nature, the new creation in the old.
Fourthly, It was the virtue and efficacy of the Spirit of God, which gave the natural world its being by creation ; Gen. i. 2.
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters ; it hovered over the chaos, as the wings ofa bird do over her eggs, as the fame word is rendered, Deut. xxxii. 11. cherishing, as it were by incubation, that rude mass by a secret quickening influence by which it drew all the creatures into their several forms, and particular natures. So it is in the new creation ; a quickening influence must come from the Spirit of God, or else the new creation can never be formed in us ; John iii. 8. " So " is every one that is born of the Spirit." And ver. 6. " That " which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.'
Fifthly, The word of God was the instrument of the first creation : Psal xxxiii. 6, 9. "By the word of the Lord were " the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of " his mouth : For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, " and it stood fast." The word of God is also the instrument of the new creation, or work of grace in man ; 1 Pet. i. 23.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorrupσε
" tible ; by the word of God, which liveth, and abideth for " ever." So James i. 18. " Of his own will begat he us, with " the word of truth :" Of his own will, that was the impulsive cause; with the word of truth, that is the instrumental cause. Great respect, and honour, love and delight, is due to the word upon this account, that it is the instrument of our regeneration, or new creation .
Sixthly, The same power which created the world, still under-props and supports it in its being: the world owes its conversation, as well as its existence, to the power of God, without which it could not subsist one moment. Just so it is with the new creation, which entirely depends upon the preserving power which first formed it ; Jude ver. 1. " Preserved in Christ " Jesus;" and 1 Pet. i. 5." Who were kept by the power of
God, through faith, unto salvation." As in a natural way we live, move, and have our being in God," Acts xvii . 28, foin a spiritual way, we continue believing, repenting, loving,
SERM . XXV. The Method of Grace. 463 anddelighting in God; without whose continued influence upon our fouls, we could do neither.
Seventhly, In a word, God surveyed the first creation with complacence and great delight ; he beheld the works of his hands, and approved them as very good, Gen. i. 31. So this also in the second creation; nothing pleaseth and delights God more than the works of grace in the souls of his people. It is not an outward privilege of nature, or gift of providence, which commends any man to God; " Circumcision is nothing, and
" uncircumcifion is nothing, but a new creature," Gal. vi. 15. And thus you fee upon what grounds the work of regeneration in man, is stileda new creature ; which was the first thing to be opened.
Secondly, Next we must enquire, in what respects every soul that is in Christ, is renewed, or made a new creature : and here we shall find a threefold renovation of every man that is in Christ, viz.
1. In his state and condition. 2. In his frame and constitution. 3. In his practice and conversation. First, He is renewed in his state and condition; for he passeth from death to life, in his justification, 1 John iii. 14. He was condemned by the law, he is now justified freely by grace, through the redemption which is in Christ: he was under the curse of the first covenant ; he is under the blessing of the new covenant: he was afar off, but is now made nigh unto God : an alien, a stranger once,now of the houshold of God, Eph. ii.
12, 13. O blessed change, from a fad to a sweet and comfortable condition ! " There is therefore no condemnation to them " which are in Christ Jesus," Rom. viii. 1.
Secondly, Every man in Christ is renewed in his frame and constitution; all the faculties and affections of his soul are renewed by regeneration: his understanding was dark, but now is light in the Lord, Eph. v. 8. his conscience was dead and secure, or full of guilt and horror, but is now become tender, watchful, and fullofpeace,Heb. ix. 14. his will was rebellious,
and inflexible; but is now made obedient, and complying with the will of God, Psal. cx. 2. his desires did once pant, and spend themselves in the pursuit of vanities, now they are set upon God, Ifa. xxvi. 8. his love did fondlydote upon ensnaring earthly objects, now it is swallowed up in the infinite excellencies of God and Christ, Psal. cxix. 97. his joy was once in trifles, and things of nought, now his rejoicing is in Christ Jesus, Phil. iii. 3. his fears once were about noxious
464 The Method of Grace. SERM. XXV.
creatures, now God is the object of the fear of reverence, Acts ix. 31. and sin the object of the fear of caution, 2 Cor. vii. 11. his hopes and expectations were only from the world present, but now from that to come, Heb. vi. 19. Thus the soul in its faculties and affections is renewed; whichbeingdone, themem bers and leuses of the body must needs bedestinated, and em ployed by it in new services ; no more to be the weapons ofunrightcousnefs, but instruments of service to Jesus Christ, Rom. vi. 19. And thus all that are in Christ are renewed in their frame and constitution .
Thirdly, The man in Christ is renewed in his practice and conversation : the mannerofoperation always follows the nature of beings. Now the regenerate not being what they were, cannot walk and act as once they did; Eph. ii. 1, 2, 3. " And you " hath hequickened, whowereoncedead in trespassesandfins; "wherein ye walkedaccordingto the course of this world." They were carried away, like water by the strength of the tide, by the influence of their own corrupt natures, and the customs and examples of the world; but the case is now altered. So in 1 Cor. vi. 11. the apostle shews believers their old companionsinfin,and tells them, " Such were some of you,but ye are "washed, but ye are sanctified," &c. q. d. the world is now well altered with you, thanks be to the grace of God for it. This wonderful change of practice, which is so universal, and remarkable in all the regenerate, and immediately confequent upon their conversion, sets the world a wondering at them ;
I Pet. iv. 4. Wherein they think it strange, that you run not "with them into the fame excess of riot, speaking evil of you . " They think it strange :" * The word signifies to fstand and gaze, as the hendoth which hath brooded, and hatched partridge eggs, when the feeth the chickens which the hath brought forth, take thewingandfly away from her. Thus do the men of the world stand amazed to fee their old companions in fin, whose language once was vain and earthly, it may be, profane and filthy, now to be praying, speaking of God, heaven, and things spiritual, having no more to do with them, as to fin, except by way of reprehenfion and admonition: this amazes the world, and makes them look with a strange admiring eye upon the people of God.
*Εν ω ξενίζονται, i. e. Then stand amazed, as at the fight of an unseen thing. Bern. Ils se trouvent to us noveaux, etcommeen un autre monde, i. e. They find themselves all new, and as in another world.
SERM . XXV. The Method of Grace. 465 Thirdly, In the next placeletusenquire intotheproperties and qualities of this new creature, and shewyou, as we are able, what they are : yet, reader, expect not here an exact and accurate account of that which is so great a mystery; for if questions maybe moved about a filly flie, which may puzzle the greatest philosopher to resolve them ; how much more may we conceive this great and marvellous work of God,the most mysterious and admirable of all his works, to surmount the understandings of the most illuminated Christians ? O how little do we know of the nature, properties and operations of this new creature ! So far as God hath revealed it to our weak understandings, we may speak of it. And, Y First, The scripture speaks of it as a thing ofgreatdifficulty tobeconceivedbyman, John iii. 8. " The wind bloweth where " it listeth, and thou he a rest the found thereof, but canst not " tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth : So is every one " that is born of the Spirit." The original of winds is a question of great difficulty in philosophy : We hear the voice of the wind, feels its mighty force, and behold its strange effects; but neither know whence it comes, or whither it goes. Ask a man, Do you hear the wind blow ? Yes. Do you feel it blow? Yes, very sensibly. Do you see the effects of it, rending and overturning the trees ? Yes, very plainly. But can you describe its nature, or declare its original ? No, that is a mystery which I do not understand. Why just so it is with him that is born of the Spirit. The holy Spirit of God, whose nature, and operations we understand but little of, comes from heaven, quickens, and influences our souls, beats down, and mortifies our lusts by his almighty Power : These effects of the Spirit in us we experimentally feel, and sensibly discern : But how the Spirit of God, first entred into, and quickened our souls, and produced this new creature in them, we understand little more of it, than how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child, Ecclef. xi. 5. Therefore is the life of the new creature called a hidden life, Col. iii. 3. The nature of that life is not only hidden totally from all carnal men, but in a very great measure it is an hidden, and unknown life unto spiritual men, though themselves be the subjects of it. Secondly, But though this life of the new creature be a great mystery, and secret in some respects ; yet so far as it is known, and appears unto us, the new creature is the most beautiful, and lovely creature that ever God made ; for the beauty of the Lord himself is upon it : " The newman is created after God," VOL. II.
466 SERM. XXV. The Method of Grace.
Eph. iv. 24.As the picture is drawn after the man, it isa draught of God himself delineated by the Spirit, that admirable Artist, upon the foul of man. Holiness is the beauty, and glory of God; and in holiness the new creature is created after God's own image, Col. iii. 10. The regenerate foul hereby becomes holy, 1 John iii. 3. not essentially holy, as God is,nor yet efficiently holy; for the regenerate foul can neither make itself, nor others holy : But the life of the new creature maybe said to resemble the life of God in this, that as God lives to himself, so the new creature wholly lives to God; as God loves holiness, and hates the contrary, so doth the new creature ; it is in these things formed after the image of God that created it. When God creates this creature in the soul of man, we are said then to be " partakers of the divine nature," 2 Pet. i. 4. So that there can be nothingcommunicatedunto men, which beautifies, and adorns their souls as this new creation doth : Men do not resemble God as they are noble, and as they are rich, but as they are holy: no gift, no endowment of nature imbellishes the soul as this new creature doth : An awful Majesty lits upon the brow of the new creature, commanding the greatest, and worst of men to do homage to it, Mark vi. 20. Yea, such is the beauty of the new creature, that Christ, its author, is also its admirer, Cant. iv. 9. "Thou hast ravished mine heart with one of thine eyes." Thirdly, This new creature is created in man, upon the highest design that ever any work of God was wrought : the end of its creation and in fusion is high and noble : salvation to the soul in which it is wrought; this is both thefinis operis, and the finis operantis : It is the design,both of the work, and of the workman that wrought it. When we receive the end of our faith, we receive the salvation of our souls ; salvation is the end of faith: as death is the end of fin, so life eternal is the end of grace. The new creature doth, by the instinct and steady direction of its own nature, take its course as directly to God, and to heaven, the place of his full enjoyment, as the rivers do to the ocean ; it declares itself to be made for God, by its restless workings after him; and as salvation is the end of the new creature, so it is the express design, and endofhim that created it. 2Cor. v. 5. " Now he that hath wrought us for the self " fame thing, is God ;" by this workmanship of his upon our souls, he is now polishing, preparing, and " making them meet " to be partakersofthe inheritance of the saints in light," Col. 1.12. Fourthly, This new creation is the most necessary work that ever God wrought upon the soul of man: the eternal well-be-
SERM. XXV. 467 The Method of Grace. ing of his soul depends upon it; and without it no man shall see God, Heb . xii. 14. and John i. 3, 5. " Except yebe regene- " rate, and born again, you cannot fee the kingdom of God." Canyoube saved without Christ ? Youknowyou cannot. Can you have interest in Christ without the new creature ? My text exprefly tells you it can never be ; for, " If anymanbe in Christ, " he is a new creature." O reader, whatever flight thoughts of this matter, and with what a careless and unconcerned eye foover thou readest these lines ; yet know thou must either be a new creature, or amiferable and damned creature for ever.
civility without the new creature could fave thee, why are not the moral Heathens saved also ? If strictness of life without the new creature could save thee, why did it not save the Scribes and Pharifees also ? I fan high profession of religion without the new creature can save thee, why did it not save Judas, Hymenaeus and Philetus also ? Nothing is more evident than this, that no repentance, obedience, self-denial, prayers, tears, reformations or ordinances, without the new creation, avail any thing to the salvation of thy soul : the very blood of Christ himself without the new creature never did, and never will save any man. Oh how necessary a work is the new creation! " Circumcision a- " vails nothing, and uncircumcifion nothing : but a new crea- " ture."
Fifthly,The new creature is a marvellous and wonderful creature: there are many wonders in the first creation, " The " works of the Lord are great, fought out of all them that have " pleasure therein," Psal. cxi. 2. But there are no wonders in nature, like those in grace. Is it not the greatest wonder that ever was seen in the world (except the incarnation of the Son of God) to fee the nature and temper of man so altered and changed as it is by grace ? to see lascivious Corinthians, and idolatrous Ephesians become mortified and heavenly Christians ? to fee a fierce and cruel perfecutor, become a glorious confessor and sufferer for Christ ? Gal.i. 23. to see the carnal mind of man, which was lately fully set in a strong bent to the world, to be wholly takenofffrom its lusts, and set upon things that are spiritual and heavenly ? Certainly it was not a greater miracle to fee dead Lazarus come out of hisfepulchre, than it is to fee the dead and carnal mind coming out of its lusts to embrace Jesus Christ ; it was not a greater wonder to see the dead and dry bones in the valley to move and come together, than it is to fee a dead foul moving after God, and moving to Christ, in the way of faith.
Sixthly, The new creature is an immortal creature, a crea 0002
468 The Method of Grace. SERM. XXV. ture that shall never fee death, John iv. 14. it is in the soul of man, a well of water, springing up unto eternal life. I will not adventure to say, it is immortal in its own nature, for it is but a creature, as my text calls it; and we know, that essential interminability is the incommunicable property of God : The new creature hath, both a beginning,and succession; andthereforemight, also, have an end, as to any thing in itself, or its own nature : Experience, also, shews us, that it is capable, both of increasing, and decreasing, and may be brought nighuntodeath, Rev. iii. 2. The works of the Spirit, in believers, may be ready to die; but though its perpetuity flow not out of its own nature, it flows out of God's covenant and promises, which make it an immortal creature : when all other excellencies in mango away, as at death they will, Job iv. 21. this excellency, only, remains : our gifts may leave us, our friends leave us, our estates leave us ; but our graces will never leave us: they ascend with the soul, (in which they inhere), into glory,when the stroke of death separates it from the body.
Seventhly. The new creature is an heavenly creature : " It " is not born of flesh, nor of blood, or of the will of man, but
" of God," John i. 13. its descent and original is heavenly, it is spirit born of spirit, John iii. 6. its center is heaven, and thither are all its tendencies, Psal. lxiii. 8. its proper food, on which it lives, are heavenly things, Psal. iv. 6, 7. It cannot feed, as other creatures do, upon earthly things ; the object of all its delight, and love, is in heaven. Psal. lxxiii. 26. " Whom have " I in heaven but thee ? The hopes and expectations of the new creature are all from heaven; it looks for little in this world, but waits for the coming of the Lord. The life of the new creature upon earth, is a life of patient waiting for Christ ; his desires, and longings, are after heaven, Phil. i. 23. The flesh, indeed, lingers, and would delay, but the new creature haftens, and would fainbe gone, 2 Cor. v. 2. It isnotathome whilst it is here; it came from heaven, and cannot be quiet, nor suffer the soul, in which it dwells, to be so, until it comes thither again.
Eightly, The new creature is an active, and laborious creature: no sooner it is born, but it is acting in the soul. Acts ix. 6. Behold beprayeth ! Activity is its very nature. Gal. v. 25. " If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit." Nor is it to be admired, that it should be always active, and stirring in the soul, feeingactivity in obedience was the very end for which it was created. " For we are his workmanship, created in Christ " Jesus unto good works, " Eph. ii. 10. and he that is acted in
SERM . XXV. The Method of Grace. 469 1 the duties of religion, by this principle of the new creature, or nature, will (fo far as that principle acts him) delight to do the will of God ; rejoice in the way of his commandments, and find the sweetest pleasure in the paths of duty.
Ninthly, The new creature is a thriving creature, growing from strength to strength, 1 Pet. ii. 2.and changing, the soul in which it is subjected, from glory unto glory, 2 Cor. iii. 18. The vigorous tendencies, and constant strivings, of this new creature, are to attain its just perfection and maturity, Phil. üi. 11.
It can endure no stints and limits to its desires, short of perfection; every degree of strength it attains, doth but whet and sharpenhisdefires after higher degrees : Upon this account, it greatly delights in the ordinances of God,duties of religion,and society of the saints ; as they are helps and improvements to it, in order to its great design.
Tenthly, The new creature, is a creature of wonderfulprefervations * : There are many wonders of divine providence, in the preservation of our natural lives, but none like those whereby the life of the new creature is preserved in our souls : There are critical times of temptation and desertion, inwhichitis ready to die, Rev. iii. 2. the degrees of its strength, and liveliness, are sometimes sadly abated, and its sweet and comfortable workings intermitted, Rev. ii. 4. the evidences by which its being in us, was wont to be discovered, may be, and often are darkened, 2 Pet. i. 9. and the soul, in which it is, may draw very fad conclusions, about the issue and event; concluding its life not only to be hazarded, but quite extinguished, Psal. li. 10. 11, 12. but though it be ready to die, God wonderfully preserves it from death; it hath as well its reviving, as its fainting seasons. And thus you fee, what are the lovely, and eximious properties of the new creature. In the next place, Fourthly, We will demonstrate the necessity of this new creation, to all that are in Christ, and by him expect to attain salvation; and the necessity of the new creature will appear divers ways.
First, From the positive and express will of God, revealed'n scripture, touching this matter: Search the scriptures, and you
Grace indeed cannotbetotally intermitted, nor finally lost, but there maybe an omission of the act, though not an omission of the habit, the act may be perverted though the faith cannot be subverted, it maybe shaken, though not shaken out ; its fruits may fall, but its sap lies hid in the root; the effect of justification maybe suspended, but the state of the justified cannot be dissolved. Suffrag. Brit.
470 SERM. XXV. The Method of Grace. 'shall find God hath laid the whole stress and weight of your eternal happiness, by Jesus Christ, upon this work of the Spirit in your souls. So our Saviour tells Nicodemus,John iii. 5. "Ve " rily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water, " and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Agreeablewhereunto are those words of the apostle, Heb. xii.
14. " Without holiness no man shall fee the Lord." And whereas some may think, that their birth-right privileges, enjoyment ofordinances, and profession of religion,may commend them to God'sacceptance, without this new creation; he thews them how fond, and ungrounded, all such hopes are. Gal. vi. 15. " For in Christ Jesus neithercircumcifion availeth any thing, nor " uncircumcifion, but a new creature." Christ, and heaven, are the gifts of God, and he is at liberty to bestow them, upon what terms and conditions he pleaseth; and this is the way, the only way, and stated method, in which he will bring men, by Christ, unto glory : Men may rase out the impressions of these things from their own hearts, but theycannever alter the settled course and method of salvation : Either we must be new creatures, as the precepts of the word command us, or lost, and damned creatures, as the threatenings of the word plainly tell us.
Secondly, This new creation, is the inchoative part of that great salvation which we expect, through Christ, and therefore, without this, all hopes, and expectations of salvation, must vanish : Salvation, and renovation, are inseparably connected. Our glory in heaven, if we rightly understand its nature, con-
in two things ; namely, our assimilation to God, and our fruition of God: and both these take their beginning, and rise, from our renovation in this world. Herewebegin to be changed into his image, in fomedegree, 2 Cor. iii. 18. for the new man is created after God, as was opened above. In the work of Grace, God is said to begin that good work, which is to be finished, or consummated, in the day of Christ, Phil. i. 6. Now nothing can be more irrational, than to imagine, that ever that Cefign, or work, should be finished, or perfected, which never had a beginning.
Thirdly, So necessary is the new creation, to all that expect salvation by Christ, that, without this, heaven would be no heaven, and the glory thereof no glory to us, by reason of the unfuitableness, and aversion of our carnal minds thereunto ;
The carnal mind is enmity against God," Rom. viii. 7. and enmity is exclusive of all complacency and delight : There is a necessity of a suitable and agreeable frame of heart to God, in
SERM. XXV. The Method of Grace. 471 order to that complacential rest of our souls in him : And this agreeable temper is wrought by our new creation. 2Cor.v.5. He that hath wrought us for the self-fame thing, is God:" Renovation, you fee, is the working, or moulding of am an's
into an agreeable temper, or, as it is in Col. i. 12. the making of us meet for the inheritance of the faints in light.
From all which, it follows, that seeing there can be no complacence, or delight in God,without fuitableness, and conformity to him, as is plain, from I John iii. 2. as well as from the reason and nature of the thing itself; either God must become, like us, suitable to our sinful, corrupt, and vain hearts, which were but a rude blasphemy once to imagine; or else we must be made agreeable and suitable to God, which is the very thing I am now proving the necessity of.
Fourthly, There is an absolute necessity of the new creature, to all that expect interest in Christ, and the glory to come;
all the characters, marks, and signs of such an interest, are constantly taken from the new creature wrought in us. Look over all the marks and signs of interest in Christ, or salvation by him, which are dispersed through the scriptures, and you shall still find purity of heart, Mat. v. 8. Holiness both in principle, and practice, Heb. xii. 14. Mortification off in, Rom. viii. 13 : Longing for Christ's appearance, 2 Tim. iv. 8. with multitudes more of the same nature, to be constantly made the marks, and signs of our salvation by Christ. So that either we must have a new bible, or a new heart : For if these scriptures bethe true and faithful words of God, no unrenewed creature can see his face; which was the fourth thing to be opened.
Fifthly,The last thing to be opened, is,how the new creation is an infallible proof, and evidence, of the soul's interest in Christ ; and this will appear divers ways.
First, Where all the saving graces of the Spirit are, there interest in Christ, must needs be certain ; and where the new creature is, there all the saving graces of the Spirit are: For what is the new creature, but the frame, or system of all special saving graces ? It is not this, or that particular grace, as faith, or hope, or love to God, which constitutes the new creature ; for these are but as so many particular limbs, or branches of it: but the new creature is comprehensive of all the graces of the Spirit. Gal. v. 22, 23. " The fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, joy, " long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temper- " ance," &c. Anyone of the saving, special graces of the Spirit gives proof of our interest in Christ : how much more, then,
472 The Method of Grace. SERM . XXV. the new creature, which is the complex frame, or system of all the graces together ?
Secondly, To conclude; Where all the causes of an interest in Christ are found, and all the effects and fruits of an interest in Christ do appear ; there, undoubtedly, a real interest in Christ is found : but wherever you find a new creature, you find all the causes, and all the effects of an interest in Christ : For there you shall find,
First, The impulsive cause, viz. The electing love of God, from which the new creature is inseparable, 1 Pet. i. 2.; with the new creature, also, the meritorious,efficient, and final causes of interest in Christ, and union with him, are ever found, Eph.
ii. 10. chap. i. 4, 5, 6.
Secondly, All the effects and fruits of interest in Christ, are found in the new creature; there are all the fruits of obedience, for we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, Eph.
ii. 10. Rom. vii. 4. there is true, spiritual opposition to fin.
1Johnv. 18. " He that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, " and that wicked one toucheth him not." There is love to the people of God; 1 John iv. 7. "Every one that loveth, is born " of God." There is aconfcientious respect to the duties of both tables ; for the new creature is created after God in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. iv. 24. There is perseverance in the ways of God, to the very end, and victory over. all temptations; for whosoever is born of God, overcometh the world, I John v.4. It were easy to run overall other particular fruits ofourunionwith Christ, and thew you every one of them in the new creature. And thus much of the doctrinal part of this point.
SERM . XXVI. 473 The Method of Grace.