Thirdly the want of this blessed worke strippeth us of all comfort at once and better were it to be no creature as no new creature First for the present if we be not new creatures wee usurpe all that we have because we have nothing in and by Christ For looke what tenure we had in the old Adam we have forfeited all nay the more endowments wee have of knowledge riches meanes place authority if not in Christ the greater will the abuse of them and consequently our owne damnation be Secondly for time to come it strippeth a man of all comfort of heaven of happinesse for except a man be borne a new hee shall never see the Kingdome of God To him that is not in Christ there is no hope of salvation and that not as a professed member but as one tied to the head first flesh and bloud shal not inherit the Kingdome of God Hearken silly people that have nothing more ordinary in your mouthes than this That God that made me will save me God saveth thee not because he made thee once unlesse hee make thee againe God saveth no man because he is his creature for who is not but because hee is a new creature if thou beest not created againe in the second Adam as thou wert once in the first thou canst not be saved Fourthly every wise man will lay out most diligently for that which will most bestead him and that which hee esteemeth best for himselfe and for his good and lasting estate Now if a man aske the Word what is the best thing in all the world it answereth us a new Creature Looke upon the heavens earth man beasts or any other creatures they are all old creatures and waxe old as a garment and tend all to dissolution they being not lasting themselves cannot yeeld a lasting happinesse Looke upon Princes Nobles Friends Wives Children where a man looketh for most content all flesh is grasse waxeth old and withereth Looke upon all the meanes and supports of life suppose it were Mannah from heaven and water out of the rocke this cannot preserve us from waxing old nor from dissolution the Fathers did eate Mannah and are dead onely the worke of sound grace in us which frameth us to be new creatures shall outlast the world The poorest man in the world with the least measure of sound grace shall outlast the Noble and Rich with contempt of the honours and profits of the world seeing this workemanship is ever new and falleth not to ruine as the former doe Secondly this is that which wee must sticke unto in time of temptation and triall for this creation and workemanship no created force can deface or demolish no more than any kinde of creature can be destroyed out of the world by all the power and art of men The gates of hell cannot prevaile against it he that giveth this creature a being continueth it in being Sometimes Sathan would make the childe of God beleeve that the whole worke is defaced and fallen to pieces Object Oh thou hast no grace at all but a vaine conceit of it or if thou hast any faith it is so weake it shall not hold out Ans. Yes but first I have faith and grace for I desire to beleeve and will hope above hope and above all that I can feele A sincere desire of good argueth a presence of that same good desired in some measure Secondly this smoaking Week shall not be quenched but dressed to clearenesse Thirdly though my selfe bee weake to hold any grace that I have yet I know that God who created it will uphold it his covenant is that as certainely as he created the heavens so certainely he will save Israel and put forth as mighty a power for the saving of his new creation as hee did in spreading the heavens at first Jsay 45. 17 18. Fourthly though I feele and confesse my grace to bee weake yet grace is not a ground of comfort to me as it is great or little but as it is an argument that I am in Christ who is my strength and salvation and in whom I have right to a new heaven and a new earth in which dwelleth righteousnesse Thirdly this is that which we must sticke unto for solid comfort in the day of death and of judgement first when thou gaspest for life this new workemanship will onely make thee able to commend thy selfe confidently to him as unto a faithfull creator a new death attendeth a new life secondly in the day of judgement this will make thee lift up thy head for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ but thee the Lord will then bring with him to take possession of that new heaven wherein they shall be ever with the Lord. Fiftly without this new creature is no salvation Revelat. 21. 27. No uncleane thing can enter without holinesse no man shall see God O then stand not on any thing else Many things may bring thee in account with men but nothing but this into account with God not temporall or carnall but spirituall and internall First stand not on kindred that is a respect of old Adam no comfort in being of that old house but of a new family of the bloud of Christ. Maries highest priviledge was to beare Christ in her heart Secondly nor upon wealth if not rich in God in grace in good workes for that is a piece of the old earth Thirdly nor upon calling if Kings Prophets Apostles if not Kings and Prophets to God in Christ all are one Fourthly nor upon Circumcision Baptisme if a broken vow nor in profession as did the foolish Virgins wanting oyle Fifthly nor upon illumination and hearing the new Creature is not only illumination of mind but renovation of will See there be a new heart Sixthly nor an idle and fruitlesse course in Christianity Look to a new life that thou be a new lumpe and to a new course else thou art no new Creature When I see a Christian stand as an image in the Church without the powerfull motion of godlinesse can I thinke him a new Creature No as God inspired a living soule into the old Adam so here and motion is inseparable to life and all the motion is towards heaven Now having heard first what this new Creature is secondly the notes of him thirdly the meanes to be one fourthly the reasons of this new creation The Vse is first for instruction The worke of grace is a worke of Almighty power for it is a Creation and so peculiar to God alone To regenerate a man is as mighty a worke as to create a world nay more howsoever in Gods power simply considered nothing is easier or harder who could as easily have made so many worlds as creatures yet quâ—ad nos in respect of our judgement it must require a stronger power to create a new heart than to create a new world For as it is more easie for a Potter or Glasse
hee were only an instrument to helpe us to save our selves this were to cease to bee a second creator But Christ remaineth a Saviour and hath not resigned his worke over to us to bee Saviours of our selves Conclus 3. Nothing in us either in being or foreseene to bee in us was any cause of Gods decree thus to create us the second time more than the first for Creatio est causa totius entis that is Creation is the cause of the whole beeing secondly what faith or good workes could bee foreseene in them who were all in a forelorne and lost estate All the sonnes of the first Adam must needes bee beheld in the state of sin and death before the second Adam take them in hand thirdly Non ens nihil agit adens that is That which hath no beeing doth nothing to a beeing How can that which hath no beeing at all perswade to the being of it selfe Concl. 4. Neither the Word nor Sacraments have any power in themselves to conferre grace This were to Idolize them and to set them up for gods The Minister may allure and perswade grace but Gods power must worke it For what is Paul what is Apollos if God give not the increase In the ministery may bee suavis motus but in God only is fortius tractus that is in the ministery is a sweet motion but God onely strongly drawes us and then wee run after him Cant. 1. 3. Objection The Gospel is the power of GOD to salvation Rom. 1. Answer That is only when the Lord in it putteth forth this creating power else it becommeth a savour of death unto death For in this ministery God onely must bee depended on for working and increasing of Grace He must bee of infinite power that can conferre grace for it is a creation Is creation to bee ascribed to any power which is not almighty Gods grace raiseth dead men in sinnes can any but the almighty power do this It rescueth us from the strong man that keepeth hold till a stronger come and must it not bee an almighty power that must doe this It lifteth us to an unutterable glorious estate in heaven must not this be the working of an almighty power Esteeme therefore the ministery Gods instrument but all the power to be from God as in Lazarus raising the principall efficient was Gods Almighty power the voyce was his instrument which power by his voyce restored the spirit of naturall life to this dead body Conclus 5. It is not in our owne power to repent when wee will nor so soone done as wee thinke nor so easie a thing as most conceive For it is a creation a worke of almighty power A worke of as much difficulty to make a new heart as a new world There needeth no such power to worke such a fancie as men dreame Repentance to bee to this worke the same power is required as commanded light out of darkenesse the same power which raised Christ out of the earth and lifted him to heaven Colos. 1. 12. Tellest thou me that thou canst repent when thou list I will assoone beleeve thee to tell mee thou canst make a world when thou listest Conclusion 6. Whosoever is a new creature may finde in himselfe the effects of this mighty power When God had created the world a man could looke nō where but hee should espie the effects of God his Almighty power in severall kindes of creatures First a number of things which were dead were now quickned with life so must every new creature bee called effectually out of the death of sin and finde in himselfe a new life that he may truly say after a sort as Christ I was dead but am alive Revelat. 1. 18. Though it be with him as it was with Lazarus after hee was raised that hee carry a while the bands and napkins of death about him yet hee hath heard the voyce of Christ quickning him and hee is alive againe Secondly Gods power appeared in inlightening of the world at first so must thou finde this second creation powerfull in the understanding changing it and inabling it to discerne the things of God though contrary to sense and nature yea foolish and absurd to reason Every new creature must truely say with the blinde man Iohn 2. Where as I was blinde I am sure I see and get his eyes daily cleered to see Gods favour smiting killing to espie righteousnesse in a cloude of miserable earth heaven in the midst of hell In looking upon the creatures the nearer Adam could behold them the more did the power of God shine in every part of every creature so in this new creature The greatest power is most observable in the most noble faculties and abilities Thirdly what a power discovered it selfe in the change of that confusion in such rankes or orders of the creatures And no lesse power is seene in the change of the new creature Of a Lyon hee is become a Lambe of a proud rebell hee is become humble and lowly as hard a thing as it is for a Cammell to passe through a Needles eye a stronge is come to cast out those confusions of lust and concupiscence once so powerfull commanders over us Fourthly What a power is discovered in upholding the creatures in their kinde so here in the new creature to continue and uphold the worke of grace in the middest of our corruptions is as strange and powerfull as to make fire burne and increase in the water Fifthly what a power is put forth in ordering the severall wils of the severall creatures So in the new Creature who readily denyeth his owne will reason wisedome liberty life and all to give up it selfe to Gods will in all things How marveilous is it that of so rebellious a will it should bee framed to cheerefull obedience of Gods commandements thinking none of them grievous Sixthly what mighty and divine power is that that over-ruleth all the motions of the creatures which else would turne to the dissolution of the whole The same is put forth in the motions of the new creature inward and outward To quicken us with heavenly desires and affctions is not lesse wonderous than to see lead flying upward or iron float on the water as to love GOD and his Word and ministers all which set themselves against the swinge of corrupt nature of his deare and profitable sinnes To make Gods ordinances worship Sabbath his delight to which hee was as heavy as a Beare to a stake To rejoyce in losses and crosses for Christ rather than feare them which nature in times past hated above hell To hate the workes of the flesh which formerly were meate and drinke and sweet morsels under the tongue and thought it as necessary as water to a fish Here is Digitus Dei Gods finger a workemanship of God a new creature Seventhly how mightily did Gods power manifest it selfe in over-comming all
scorch and burne up the plants and fruits of the earth Herein our Lord in the Parable hath directed mans eyes to behold the persecution and affliction of the Church which often scorcheth the greennesse of grace and maketh many professors wither and fall away Cant. 1. 5. I am blacke for the Sunne hath looked on mee and indeed 1 The Sunne doth not more ordinarily or daily arise than persecution daily waiteth on the Word 2 As the Sun-beames diffuse and disperse themselves into every place and no man can hide himselfe from the heate of the Sunne Psalme 19. 3. So doe the beames of this Sunne of persecution dart into every place where the Sunne of grace shineth in the Church No godly man can hide himselfe from the heate of this Sunne but one time or other it will finde him out 3 The Sunne hath not more beames to scorch and dry up the moysture of the earth than Sathan and the wicked world have to dry up the moysture of grace where it is not sound sometimes by armies of inward and spirituall temptations sometimes by open tyranny and hostility That is not a true marke of a true Church which Bellarmine designeth outward splendor and prosperity but the Crosse and Persecution 7 But above all other the sweetest use of the Sunne is to see in it Iesus Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. Rev. 1. 12. For 1. As there is but one Sunne in the heavens so but one Sonne of righteousnesse the onely begotten Son of God Ioh. 1. 14. and as this Sunne is not onely light but the fountaine of light and in it selfe a body of most surpassing and shining light So Iesus Christ is light in his essence an heavenly light as the Sunne a light that none can reach or attaine the light of the world as the Sunne is a light in whom is no darkenesse so his face shineth as the brightest Sunne Rev. 1. 16. and as in the middest of Planets inlighteneth those that are about him 2. I see of all creatures the Sunne most admirable all the world admireth it A great part doe idolatrously adore it And the whole Church must admire her Sunne yea let all the Angels of heaven adore him as tenne thousand times passing the Sunne of the world For 1. That is but a meere creature though very glorious but this is the mighty God the maker of that 2 That serveth the outward man in things of this life But this the inward man in things spirituall and eternall 3 That riseth and shineth on good and bad but this onely on the good onely on his Ierusalem Esay 60. 1. 4 That rising obscureth the starres but this inlighteneth all beleevers who by his presence shine as lights in the worlds darknesse 5 That may be eclypsed and darkened and though it rise every day it every day setteth but this Sunne of the Church being eternall shall never lose or lessen his shine and glory and once risen shall never set more Esay 60. 20. 3. I admire the sunne for his purity and piercing nature the sun is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of many eyes who disperseth from himselfe on all sides infinite beames of light as so many eyes on every creature and none can hide it selfe from this great eye of the world and so pure that looking on all filthinesse contracteth none But how much more am I to admire the surpassing purity of Christ whose most piercing eye none can avoyde for all things are naked to him with whom we have to deale and so pure is this son that though hee was borne of sinners lived and conversed with sinners yea died with and for sinners and as a sinner yet no man could justly accuse him of sin but hee remained in his nature and life purer than the sun in his strength And must not the Saints imitate this their Son though they live amongst sinners and see much foule behaviour amongst men yet to keepe themselves pure in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation 4. I behold the Sunne a most powerfull creature for though his body be in heaven yet his comfortable beames reach to the extreame parts of the earth May I not now behold Iesus Christ being in heaven bodily and ascended thither in that his flesh yet by his spirit grace and power present with his Church in all parts of the world unto the end Mat. 28. 10. And as the Sun rising commeth forth as a Gyant to run his course and maketh such haste in his way as no created force can hinder him So this powerfull Sonne of his Church maketh haste in his way to her all created power of men and Angels cannot hinder him Hee skippeth over mountaines and hils in his haste unto her 5 What comfort have we by the sunne and shall we not have the same in Christ 1. Doth the sun drive away the darkenesse of the night and doth not Christ the thicke mists of sinnes the darkenesse of ignorance errour wrath damnation and of hell it selfe But for the sun of the world were a perpetuall night much more by the absence of this sunne of righteousnesse were it so in the Church 2. Doth the sun by his beames give direction for this naturall life c. So doth Iesus Christ by his beames of wisedome and grace directing us worke in us spirituall and heavenly life What can a man doe commendably without the Sunne So what is that wee can doe that can be acceptable without Christ 3. Is the sun under God the life quickner and comforter of the world otherwise dead and see â—e not Christ quickning al the elect dead in sins and trespasses warming them with beames of his love which as sunne-beames doe reflect backe on himselfe 4 Doth the Sun make and preserve the seasons of the yeare Summer Winter Spring Autumne See Iesus Christ having all seasons in his hand the seed-time of grace here that harvest of glory hereafter Hee appointeth the summer and prosperity of his Church and changeth it into a sharpe winter of adversity All vicissitudes and changes of the Church are appointed by his wisedome Daniel 2. 21. Whence wee may learne a number of duties As 1. Doe all creatures rejoyce in the Sun but hatefull Bats and Owles doe they follow the Sun thrive and prosper in the sunne turne after the sun as Mari-gold Dazy Turnesole c. Should not new creatures draw neere and follow this Sun to prosper it it Doe we open our windowes and doores to take in the beames of the Sun and not open the doores of our hearts for the Word that the beames from Christ may inlighten and warme us 2. When the Sun riseth men goe forth to labour When Christ our Sonne is risen and present in his offers and ordinances wee must worke and walke before the night come 3 Men in the Sun walke uprightly in a misty night to stumble and fall is more hurt than shame but to fall at noone is
without any pillar to support it that can bound the sea with his word onely that can sustaine such a masse of creatures 4. His bountifulnesse and goodnesse In his endowments of every creature in this kinde In his large provision for them in their severall necessities In making them all so good in themselves and for our good and benefit All of them call on us to taste and see how good God is in himselfe who is so good in these how good unto us hee will bee in his Pallace who is so good to us in our prison Here bee millions of Ministers and Apostles sent by GOD into the world to preach unto men the inexhaust treasures of their Lords goodnesse wisedome and power All of them teach us to depend upon him as they doe for their being and well-being for their motion or station Psal. 145. 15. The eyes of all things waite on thee and thou givest them food in due season and Psal. 147. â— The young Ravens cry to him for food and hee feedeth them So should wee much more not onely cast our care on him and expect all our good from him which is to knocke at the right doore and to goe to the fountaine but also receive all as from his hand not shifting for our selves by unlawfull meanes and taking our estate at the hand of the Devill in lying deceiving usury c. and to returne all in a sober moderate and sanctified use unto him againe for how unkindly did the Lord take it at Israels hands that they should take his wooll and flaxe and oyle and bestow it on Baals service Hos. 2. 8. Thinke now with our selves how disdainefully wee should heare The Oxe and Asse know their feeder but wee doe not ours All of them teach us to love him and returne all fruits of love to him because 1. They are all fruits of his love his love-tokens to us 2. God loveth us better than all them whom hee made their Lords and should not wee love him better than all creatures 3. All threaten us failing in our love for that turneth them against us and they become revengers of his quarrell the sun will burne up our fruites or deny his comfort and shine the clouds will drowne our fruits the aire pinch them and punish us 4. Shall every creature of which I am Lord yeeld me fruit my cattell my trees my ground and shall my love bee fruitlesse unto my Lord All of them teach us unitie love and peace one with another all of them doe conspire in unity and harmony among themselves for the good of the whole they preferre the good of the universall before the particular good of themselves Fire will descend water will ascend and all to hinder a rupture and vacuum or emptinesse in nature They all have their severall contrary qualities and motions but trouble not one another The fire doth warme the aire the aire preserveth the water the water moysteneth and maketh the earth fruitfull one element is a good neighbour to another though never so contrary in qualities They have all their severall degrees and differences some high some low some light some darke The sunne excelleth all the starres in splendour the starres one differ from another in glory Gold excels amongst mettals In the sensible creatures the heart and vitals are most noble yet nature hath so sowdred them together as there is no disdaine no contention but superiour creatures are bound to the inferiours and communicate themselves in governing the inferiour communicate in obeying Nay they all conspire to set forward mans happinesse and welfare So ought we to preferre the publike before the private good of our selves and bee helpefull to one another in our severall wayes Also in our severall degrees of superiority and inferiority bee beneficiall and communicative of our gifts and services All must conspite and consent to set forward the good of every man and helpe up his happinesse heavenly and earthly All of them teach us to grow weary of our present fervitude of sinne and waite for our promised deliverance Rom. 8. 22. For if they shall sigh under our burthens shall not we our selves shall wee bee more senselesse of our misery than they bee of it shall we goe on in sinne which is so burthensome and dangerous Aske the beasts and they will tell thee sinne is an intolerable burthen and takest thou pleasure in sinne Seest thou not the beasts wanting reason saving themselves from danger as they may Balaams Asse will shun and not goe forward against a drawn sword and shall we against the sword of the Lords hand drawne out against sinne Thus the creation of the world is a Scripture of God and the voyce of God in all the Creatures and by them all speaketh unto us alwaies and every where The whole world is his booke so many pages as there are severall creatures no page is empty but full of lines every qualitie of the creature is a severall letter of these lines and no letter without a part of Gods wisedom in it Thus of the creatures voice in generall Now come we to shew the voce of God in the particular creatures which are so infinite in number so divers in qualities as this discourse would swell to an exceeding great volume Therefore I will onely instance in some few particular creatures which our Prophet here specifies in this Psalme as the heavens the sun the moone and starres c. Holding these instances sufficient samplers whereby wee may patterne out our meditations and as occasion shall serve sucke out the sweet even out of every creature as shall be obvious dealing as Geographers who being to contract the great world in a little sheete for great rivers they draw small lines and for great citties onely a period The first particular creature that the Prophet mentioneth as the subject of his meditation is the heavens and firmament In which consider How the heavens and firmament have a voyce to declare the glory of God is plaine Neither is there any speech or language where this voyce is not heard Psal. 19 3. Let us see what lessons the Spirit will speake to us in them 1. The height of the heavens above the earth sheweth the infinite height and honour of him whose standing house is above all aspectable heavens How great is himselfe that thus stretcheth the heavens with his span Isay 40 5. 2. This may put us in minde of the infinite mercy and goodnesse of God So David in Psal. 103. 3. How much higher the heavens are above the earth so great is his goodnes to them that feare him 3. This mindeth us of the majesty of God Kings have their Palaces to shew their majesty and glory in now heaven above is the pavillion of the Lord Psal. 104. His throne and seate is in heaven 2. The matter of them is so pure subtile and excellent as mans wit cannot reach all this
difficulties in that creation no finite power could turne hand to it So in the new creature this power First maketh him runne through thicke and thinne fire and water sword and bands and thousands of deaths for Christ. In Gods wayes hee can runne scarce interrupted with those rubs that overturne others The cords that binde others hands and feete are Sampsons flaxe to him difficult commandements are easie to him At one word hee can sacrifice his Isaac leave his countrey not questioning or reasoning the case Secondly hee can overcome the most grievous temptations he can wrestle with Iacob till hee have never a limbe left and prevaile with God himselfe The keenest weapons of death cannot conquer this power no water drowne it Let him kill yet it will trust hee may kill the creature but the new creature is unconquerable Vse 2. Content not thy selfe with the first Creation for had that continued good wee had not needed a second and if thou hast no more then the first creation it were better thou haddest never beene a creature Labour therefore to grow up in this workemanship till thou beest wholly new To which purpose thou must dayly First grow up in humilitie and in consciousnesse of thine owne inability to every good word and worke Paul after conversion was much and often in this sense Wee are not able to thinke the least good thought and the good I would doe I cannot For as the power of God in this new creation did put forth it selfe when wee were of no strength Rom. 5. 6. so will it still manifest it selfe more in the sense of our infirmities 2. Cor. 12. 9. My power is made perfect in weakenesse And When I am weake then I am strong verse 10. Secondly grow up in faith by dayly renewing of it and use of meanes Abridge not thy selfe in the use of meanes neither publike nor private the more thou wouldest finde this powerfull worke the more must thou labour in increase of faith Christ could not shew his mighty and miraculous power where unbeleefe hindred and the want of faith hindreth the displaying of this creating power Matth. 13. 10. Thirdly daily decking and adorning thy soule with graces by growing from faith to faith from grace to grace Hereby thou makest roome for Christ in thy heart and fittest it as his Temple wherein hee will reside for the upholding of his owne most gracious worke Thus whereas every other creature waxeth older and older onely the new creature groweth newer and newer more flourishing in his age Vse 3. Let us demeane our selves as new creatures Col. 1. 10. 1. Thes. 2. 12. Walke worthy of the Lord. Quest. How shall we so doe Answ. 1. Manifest and maintaine that new image which is imprinted upon thee In the first creation every creature came forth and appeared in their severall formes and kindes wherein they were created so the new Creature must appeare in his owne likenesse This was Adams advancement above all the creatures that hee was made in the image of God as none of them were And this is the honour of all the Saints that they are advanced to a farre more excellent image of the second Adam for shall the first Adam beget children in his owne likenesse and shall not the second Adam Shall earthly fathers beget creatures like unto themselves and will our heavenly father beget children to another similitude than his owne Who art thou then that professest thy selfe a sonne of God and in thy life resemblest the image of Sathan sin and unrighteousnesse that professest the second Adam but bearest the image of the first Secondly maintaine this image of God thy selfe The first Adam made in the image of God soone departed from this image Satan stole this image from the first creature and is no lesse envious against the image of God in the new creature but will assay whether by temptation hee can rob us againe Take heede of temptation Let not the new creature meddle with forbidden fruit Consider the danger of disordering this workemanship by sin Adam by creation was a most lovely innocent and familiar creature with God yet by one sinne of the most excellent and beloved creature was rejected and punished in himselfe and all his posterity yea behold the whole frame of this goodly world and all the creatures how this excellent workemanship defiled and disordered by sinne was destroyed with an universall deluge Let not the new creature sin against greater grace The Lord knoweth none that want this image but will say one day Depart from me I know you not Secondly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must resigne up our selves wholy to Christ whose creatures wee are for all creatures else resigne themselves to the glory of their maker Man in his first creation had the name Adam imposed upon him to note his frailtie that hee was taken out of the dust of the earth but in his second creation which is from heaven hee hath a more honorable name as the name of Christian of a member of Christ of a brother of Christ to note that as he was taken from the side of Christ so hee should not abase himselfe to the service of sinne Sathan earth or lusts but onely devote himselfe to Christ and walke worthy of this honourable name First desire to know and mind nothing but him In the first creation man was indued with a cleare knowledge of God the Creator and while hee stood all his thoughts and meditations were taken up with sweetest contemplations of God his Creator Now in the second creation hee is indued with the knowledge of the highest mysteries of God the Redeemer and now all his thoughts should runne after Christ and his desires should fixe themselves upon Christ and as Paul I desire to know nothing else but Christ and him crucified and as the Martyr Onely Christ Onely Christ. Secondly desire to be wholly imployed for him The creatures of Kings and great ones as they are abusively called apply themselves wholly to the will of their Masters that have made them so great And they be not their owne their wills their times their motions their actions and themselves are not themselves but wholly their Masters And so here it is the Apostles argument 1 Cor. 6. Yee are not your owne glorifie therefore God in your soules and bodies for they are his Thirdly onely feare to displease him by sin seeing as creatures we depend upon him both fot our being and working If he withdraw himselfe or by sin be driven from us wee stand not in grace one moment Thirdly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must move according to the motion of the new creature Adam in the innocency was not to bee idle but to live in labour and in the exercise of a calling so Cain and Abel Lords of the world were trayned up in a calling so was the second Adam So must wee be
diligent in the calling of a new creature that is the calling of a Christian Wee must neither be idle nor unfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. This is a notable meanes to attaine to the perfection of the new creature For as every creature in nature mooveth from imperfect to perfect so it is in grace which our Saviour expresseth by the corne in the field Marke 4. which first riseth to a blade and then moveth to an eare and then to ripe corne in the eare So the new creature riseth by degrees to perfction The exercise of the body causeth growth which is not so much action as strength of action Not the trade but diligence in the trade and calling increaseth the stroke The diligent hand maketh rich so diligence in the meanes of grace and earnestnesse in good things addeth unto the stocke of grace Therefore as Paul forgetting what is behind let us presse hard to the marke and high calling Phil. 3. 13. Fourthly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must converse among new creatures Every creature by nature gather to their likes Birds of a feather Beasts of one kinde For every Creature hath agreement and sympathy with his kinde and things thrive best among their like Even so the new man will be among new men A Dove of Christ cannot affect nor thrive to live among Ravens Nor the Sheep of Christ among the Swine that wallow in earthlinesse and lust The new creature contemneth a vile person but honoureth them that feare the Lord. First joyne thy selfe now to the societie of the Saints For as the Lord at first made man a sociable creature above all the rest so when hee maketh him a new creature it is not to thrust him into a cloyster but to live in holy and fruitfull society and shine as lights not thrust under bushels but set in candlestickes in the midst of a froward generation Secondly admire this new workemanship in the meanest beginnings of grace and that in the meanest professor of godlinesse and honour it above the creation of a Duke or a Prince that professeth against it Esteeme a godly man not according to his first birth but according to his new birth I know no man after the flesh saith Paul that is not according to their minority in the first creation but according to the state into which they are new borne and brought into by a second creation And therefore men despise the new creature because they see nothing but a peece of old earth upon them which is base in outward appearance And so they beheld Christ himselfe and saw no forme and beauty on him They gaze on the earthen vessell but see no hidden treasure Thirdly agreement in judgement and opinion knitteth men in societie Rom. 15. 6. The new Creatures have but one faith one Lord one hope one religion one profession And herein thou must agree with them Gal. 6. 16. They have one rule Hardly shall we finde a new Creature among the Papists who say they are of the old Religion which indeed in sundry senses may be called old though it be a new device and humane policy First because it is every way agreeable to the old man a pleaser of naturall corruption requiring nothing which corrupt nature will not willingly afford Secondly it may be said to be old because it can never beget a new creature Thirdly it is so old and doting as that it is tottering and falling to ruine as it selfe hath shifted long since off the foundation laid by the Prophets and Apostles Fourthly conformity and similitude of manners linke men together in good or evill Phil. 3. 17. Looke on them which walke so walke with the wise The surest band of societie in the new creature is the similitude of manners and converse in the communion of Saints where each one chooseth his companion for the grace of God hee espieth in him and from whom hee may hope to get good He never looketh to gather grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles and therefore his delight is in the fellowship of Saints in Gods house in their houses in publike duties of Gods worship in private duties of edification Who would looke for these new Creatures in Tavernes Play-houses Ale-houses places of riotous meeting and hellish resort where ordinarily is no mention of grace but to disgrace and wound it and all the friends of it Follow the light side of the cloud and not the darke side of it Fifthly to demeane our selves as new Creatures wee must live to the good of others No Creature liveth for it selfe but for the whole The Sunne shineth not for it selfe but for the world Trees beare not fruit for themselves Nor doe clouds breed raine for themselves but to water the earth So the new creature must not onely be good but doe good to others The Commandement is Gal. 6. Doe good unto all but especially to the houshold of Faith These trees of righteousnesse must be laden with fruits that every man may gather and taste A private man but a publike good Light is a most communicative and diffusive Creature and the more it imparteth it hath never the lesse Much more the light of grace it feares nothing so much as a bushell as truth feareth nothing but to be hid Aske thy selfe of what good use art thou in the world that professest thy selfe a new creature Art thou a private minded man a worldling a man without bowels and compassion a man without hands from whom nothing can be wrung for God for his Church his ministerie or any good use thou art farre from a new creature and as yet an unprofitable lumpe of earth without sense of Heaven Christs whole life was in doing good to all Vse 4. Let no man pretend his old man as a plea to maintaine his lusts Oh I was angry saith one and I cannot beare an injury it is my nature to be hastie And I saith another was overcome in company with drinke and my nature is to be soone overcome and so in other lusts But hast thou not now made a good plea is it not all one to say thou art no new Creature who hast nothing but nature in thee Why art thou a Christian and no new Creature Or a new creature without the spirit which lusteth and subdueth the rising of the flesh Others by the same plea excuse the sinnes of their callings Others doe so and I must doe as other men but a new Creature must differ from all old and sinfull courses Others follow the courses of the world with full spirits in every new disguised fashion of apparell in excessive pride in riotous gaming feasting c. and say it is the fashion course and custome of the age and time But wert thou a new creature thou wouldst not then plead for the old corruption of the world A new creature is called out of the world and hath a new constitution and
of thunder which made proud Pharaoh confesse his owne wickednesse and begge prayers as Exodus 9. 21. but also a silent voice every of them being as that pillar of the cloud which was a signe of Gods presence amongst his people as Exod. 13. 21. yea every cloud herein like the cloud of the Tabernacle whereof is said the glory of God appeared in the cloud Exodus 16. 10. I may say as Iob 37. 14. Hearken and give heede to these wondrous workes of God Who is the Father of rame Iob 38. 28. that is besides the Lord what power is there that bindes the waters in the thicke clouds so that the cloud breaketh not Iob 26. 29. And if thou dost know who it is that maketh the clouds to labour to water the earth and who it is that turneth them about by his government to doe whatsoever hee commands them on the world for punishment or mercie yet dost thou know how God disposeth them The varietie of them the wondrous workes of him that is perfect in knowledge Iob 37. from verse 11. to 17. Canst thou tell how the bottles of heaven are filled how they being of infinite weight and magnitude are hung as in a ballance in the soft aire without any other stay than his Word How the windowes of Heaven be open to raine downe fatnesse and plenty Psal. 65. 12. Surely in these things the Lord left not himselfe without witnesse amongst the Gentiles in giving them raine and fruitfull seasons Act. 14. 17. and much lesse among us in the Church to whom by the teaching of grace they proelaime his wisedome power justice mercy as also his glory and majesty who rideth on the clouds as on a horse and turneth them what way soever he pleaseth As they leade us to God so they serve to afford us many excellent meditations 1 Doe I see the raine fall from the clouds to water the earth and returneth not in vaine Isa. 55. 10. I must see the worke of the word preached upon my earthly heart for the moystening softening and changing of my heart for preparing it to fruitfulnesse and preserving it in fruitfulnesse for it shall never be in vaine but doth the worke for which it is sent Never was a greater plague in Israel than when for three yeares and a halfe it rained not on the earth in Ababs time a greater plague cannot be in this life than when the raine falleth not to the moystening the furrowes of our hearts 2. Doe I see the clouds to be as a shadow and cover against the heate parching and burning of the Sun I must herein behold the Lords protection as a covering cloud or shadow saving his Saints from the sunne of affliction and persecution which will burne up those that are not defended Psal. 91. 1. They shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty Here is another manner of shadow than Iona'hs gourd I will run under this shadow saith David Psal. 121. 6. and the sunne shall not smite me by day 3. Doe I see the raine-bow in the clouds I must meditate of Gods faithfulnesse who hath set it as a signe of mercy and patience yea I may carry my mind beyond the temporall and conceive of Gods everlasting mercy in Christ in whom I come to the throne of grace which is described to have a raine-bow round about it Rev. 4. 3. 4. When I see the cloud disperse it selfe upon all grounds and raines fall on good and bad I must learne to distill my goodnesse to all in generall good and bad friends and enemies And so show my selfe a childe of my heavenly Father who letteth his raine fall on the just and unjust Mat. 5. 45. 5. When I see the dewes of small raines which is the joy and life of flowers I must in them beheld Iesus Christ who compareth himselfe unto dew Hosea 14. 5. I will be a dew to Israel the dew presenteth it selfe in faire weather so Christ is neare when Gods face and favour is calme and pacified The dew refresheth and reviveth withering medowes so Christ by his grace refresheth and quickneth drie and dead hearts remitting sinnes and infusing moysture of grace and holinesse to make them fruitfull in all good workes The dewes temper and allay great heate and parching of the sunne so doth Christ coole the burning heate of his Fathers wrath and quencheth the fiery darts of the devill cooleth the heate of persecution and all that wee may become and continue fruitfull Without these dewes from heaven is no expectation of fruits in earth and without Christ and his grace we can doe nothing at all 6. I see a morning dew and suddaine raine soone dryed up I must looke to the soundnesse of my grace faith and comfort that it bee not as an hasty raine or an heritage hastily gotten that it bee not as the righteousnesse of Ephraim Hos. 6. 4. as a morning dew by sun-rising suddenly vanished and gone when is most neede of it Hence learne to strive against hypocrisie 7. In beholding the clouds what a profitable meditation were it to consider them as the glorious charriot of Christ wherin hee ascended to heaven and was taken up in the cloude from the sight of his Disciples Acts 1. 9. And wherein hee shall descend in great glory and majesty to judge the quicke and dead Matth. 26. 64. As also how serviceable the cloudes shall be unto us as unto our head when in the last day we shall be taken up into the clouds to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall bee ever with him 1 Thes. 4. 17. Now come wee to the ayre which is not in vaine but may also leade us to God for it hath expresse impressions of his fingers For It truely and really subsisteth though it bee not seene so hath also the Lord the maker thereof a reall but invisible existence It leadeth us by the hand to the ubiquitie of GOD for it is every where and in every open place and secret in townes and fields and widest deserts it is in the bowels of the earth in the bottome of the Sea within us without us Euen so must I conceive God present at and in all places immediately compassing me every where as the ayre Nay hath place in my heart and minde that as surely as I continually draw the ayre into my body heart and braines so is the Lord much more present within mee This will not let me shut him up in heaven whose essence is not more there than in this inferiour world though his glory and Majesty shine clearer there Neither to thinke him far absent nor by walls doores windowes closets or chambers kept from seeing or knowing my waies no more than ayre but I shall continually stand in awe and feare to offend him I see the ayre the preserver of my life that without it I cannot continue any whit but presently perish so as wee may say of it truly as
the Apostle of God himselfe In it under God wee live move and have our beeing Acts 17. 28. The ayre of it selfe is darke but yet admitteth the sun-beames to penetrate it and lighten it So must I a Chaos of darkenesse in my selfe by nature become a receptacle of light and receive the beames of grace from the sunne of grace and righteousnesse As no creature wanteth a voyce to teach man so no man ought to be ashamed to learne by whatsoever God will teach him Amongst the rest there is not almost any naturall thing which poynteth us out to more spirituall use nor affordeth more sweete matter of divine Meditation than the words which both leade us unto God and into our selves both for humiliation and direction It hath an apt resemblance and image of God in it 1. In the subtilenesse and invisibilitie of the nature of it No man ever saw the winde thou canst notisee it saith Christ the way of the winde is not known so no man saw God at any time and his waies are unsearchable and past finding out The swiftnesse of the windes may note Gods omni-presence who is saide to ride on the wings of the winde 2. In powerfull motion and efficacy of it which no man can hinder or resist For this invisible creature hath a mighty force in tearing rending driving afore it whatsoever standeth in the way trees houses nay the raging seas the ponderous clouds yea the rockes and mountaines and is able to shake the very foundations of the earth And who seeth not here a lively resemblance of the omnipotent power of God whose mighty arme worketh so unresistably in all the things of nature yea of grace rending the hard rockes of our hearts and casting downe lofty mountaines exalted against grace Who art thou that canst resist the Spirit in man 3. In the freedome of his motion the winde bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3. 7. No man can make the winde blow nor leave blowing but it mooveth it selfe and resteth freely And herein should wee cast our eyes on the Lords free working as in all the workes of nature so of grace He will have mercy where hee will and harden whom hee will He will send the windes of his grace and they shall heare the sound of it in this region not in that in this congregation not in another yea this heart in the same congregation shall have the sound and not another Hee will blow a stronger gale a fuller blast a greater measure of grace on some than on another Hee may doe with his owne as hee will And all things worke the same spirit to every one severally as hee will 1. Cor. 12. 11. 4. In the secrecy of his working of mighty worke the winds are invisible but worke wonders in every place open and secret but in a most still and silent manner for thou knowest not whence it commeth or whether it goeth Whereby the Lord leadeth us to the secret worke of the spirit in our conversion As the subtile winde pierceth by the tenuity of his substance into every cranney and no man can keepe it out so doth the Spirit of God blow into the very secrets of thy very conscience The woman at the Well wondered how this winde could so pierce her which brought a sound of all that ever shee did Who is acquainted with the worke of grace in himselfe and hath not woundred after how unspeakeable a manner this winde hath blowne upon him 1. What a still voyce he heard behinde him directing him and perswading him to the good way But stronger than all power of man or Angels and still followed with inward motion to provoke him further 2. How after a secret and unknowne manner these gracious windes have dissolved the clouds of iniquitie and watered the earth of his heart with raines of repentance and godly sorrow and ever since have kept his heart softened and humble 3. He knoweth not how but these blessed windes have dispersed the noysome vapours and corruptions of his heart scattered the clouds of ignorance errour infidelity doubts feares and cleared the heavens to him that now he chearefully beholdeth the sun-shine of Gods favour in Christ and walketh in the light and comfort of it and seeâ—h nothing Why but he heareth a still voyce and sound of this winde the testimony of the Spirit witnessing the pardon of his sinnes and his assurance of acceptance and reconciliation 4. Hee findeth a secret voyce and sound of the winde making requests in him with sighes which cannot be expressed This secret breath and inspiration of the Spirit giveth him breath and maketh him frequent and fervent in prayers to which hee was as heavie as a Beare to the stake 5. He findeth the sound of this winde not onely as the voice behinde him but feeleth the power of it as a strong blast behinde him to drive him forward in the waies of God And whereas before hee was as the shippe that lay wind-bound now having a faire gale of winde he is as a shippe under saile that goeth as swift as an arrow Hee can comfortably pray reade heare meditate admonish watch as an active man in godlinesse As a bird flying with the winde flyeth swifter In all these things wee may and must admire the greatnesse of God who hath laid up the windes in his treasury and rideth upon the wings of the wind Psal. 140. 3. made them the wheeles of his chariot The consideration of the windes leades us into our selves and that 1. For humiliation For who knoweth the nature of the wind the place of the winde the way of the winde He would have us humble not onely by the ignorance of minde in divine things but even in naturall 2. See in the winde our owne vanity Lord what is man Iob 7. 7. Remember that my life is but a winde 1. Inconstant as the winde a short puffe which none can lay faster hold on that on the winde all humane things are as light as the winde 2. Suddenly past away from us even sometime so soone as it commeth 3. It returneth not againe no more than the winde Psal. 78. 39. Hee remembred they were as winde passed not returning againe 2. For instruction shall so fierce a creature bee at a becke and shall not I 1. I see this mighty creature obedient and subject to GOD Mat. 8. 26. Who is this to whom windes and seas obey doe they testifie to Christ that hee is the Sonne of God and shall not I heare his Word and acknowledge him my Lord and my God 2. When I see a boysterous winde and tempest arise and carry away light things as feathers straw chaffe I must take notice of the miserable estate of wicked men on whom destruction and feare shall come as a whirle-winde Prov. 1. 27. They shall be driven away as chaffe and feathers in the winde Psal. 1. Job 21. 18. The wicked shall bee as stubble before the winde