Work though Ministers are oft calling on you Sinners to look about you we tell you there 's a Cheat in the case Satan is busie to lay his Brats in God's Bed Counterfeit Coin is common our Warnings now will be thought of these frequent Summons will ring in your Ears our Sermons will have a Repetition in this or in another world Conscience will gall you and you cannot plead Ignorance or say non putâram I thought not of such a day How often do we tell you of the danger of dying in your old state and of that Sulphurous Lake that thousands are scolded in that once lived as securely as you now do and they are in an hopeless helpless Eternity and how can you tell but this may be the last day the last warning or overture of Grace the last knock at your Door God may say Away be gone out of my sight take him Devil I will no more be troubled with such a Miscreant But if after all this you be senceless and lie still while you are nailed in your Coffin you are dead twice dead and this Security is a confutation of that Principle that Adam and his Posterity by the Fall is not dead but sleepeth or only in a swound and languor but life is in him No no this sad Stupor or Spiritual Lethargy shews it 's not an excitation of a principle but an infusion of new Life all our shouting and rubbing and pricking will not recover Sinners we must leave them to a creating Power and to him that can raise the Dead But let me rather persuade you to look after this New-Creation-Work from the Advantage it will be to all sorts of Persons of every Age and Relation Oh! you Old Persons that are going off the Stage of the World dropping into the Grave and Eternity that have been long and not yet lived begin at last to turn over a new leaf seek a New Life that you may have Comfort and not terrour in your expiring Pangs yet there is hope God still waits to be gracious and stands knocking at your Door rise out of your Bed of sloth put back the Barr admit him with all his Graces make out for this Change against your last Change You Young People that have lately step'd into the World and slip'd thus far before you know where you are it may be young in Years old in Sin you are entring into a wicked world with wicked hearts Oh! look after this blessed Antidote that may prevent Infection be sure of a Pilot that may row you through this boisterous Sea safe to the Haven without new hearts you will make this bad World worse and be worse by it rather seek to amend it You that are entring into Callings or for changing Conditions you will be fit for nothing without this you will bring a Curse into every Relation and Vocation without this but this will make you fit for any thing and you will be attended with God's Blessing in all you set about You Married Persons I recommend this New Creature to you that you be sure to marry in the Lord then you will be Heirs together of the Grace of Life and pray praise God together have this sweet Relation perfum'd and meet in Glory You Rich Persons are Beggars without this this will make you rich and honourable the excellent in the Earth God's Jewels Favourites of Heaven And you poor that cannot get daily Bread this will make you rich in Faith Heirs of a Kingdom Oh what a Treasure is this fear of the Lord You poor Athenians that are always inquiring after News new Opinions new Inventions new Fashions here 's a brave and blessed piece of Novelty for you this New Creature will stand you in stead not so much to please your itching Ears as to profit your Languishing Souls Well I have done my poor Endeavour to effect this work upon your Hearts When we have said and done all we can we have done nothing at all except the Eternal Jehovah strike with the great Hammer O thou infinite Almighty God that hast made the Earth by thy Power hast established the World by thy Wisdom and stretched out the Heavens by thy discretion Jer. 10.12 Look into the Hearts of Sinners see what a Chaos of Confusion is by Sin brought upon the noble Soul go o're thy Work again mend what Sin hath marred put Light in the Understanding Power into the Will Rectitude into the Affections make Conscience do its office O that Corruption may be mortified Satan cast out a sound Principle introduced the Soul redintegrated and everlastingly saved I commend these my poor Labours into the Hands of God to use them as he sees good and to you that heard these Sermons and to others that shall take the pains to read them having delivered my Conscience in some measure of Uprightness whether the Effect answer my Pains and Aims or no And in this labour of Love I am willing to take my Leave of the World as to troubling it any further in this kind and commend you my Brethren to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to renew your hearts and build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all them which are sanctified Acts 20.32 which is the daily Prayer of A Poor Watch-man for Your Souls O. H. May 3. 95. THE CONTENTS Chap. I. THe Text opened a Doctrine raised and handled Page 1 Chap. II. What is meant by a New Creature Doctrine raised Page 13 Chap. III. Why this is called a New Creature A Parallel betwixt the Old Creation and this New Creation Page 30 Chap. IV. Wherein the New Creature is available to Souls Page 43 Chap. V. Some Inferences by way of Question and Answer from the Premises Page 56 Chap. VI. An Use of Reproof and Conviction of sundry sorts Page 69 Chap. VII An Use of Correction for Reforming Sinners Mistakes Page 94 Chap. VIII Some Objections of Sinners answered against their Endeavours to be New Creatures Page 110 Chap. IX Instructions for the Tryal of our Spirits whether we be indeed New Creatures Page 124 Chap. X. A further Tryal of the New Creature as to the Will and Affections the Subjects of it and its Properties Page 138 Chap. XI A Tryal of the New Creature by its Effects Consequences and Proper Operations Page 152 Chap. XII Directions what Means may be used for the obtaining this New Creature Page 164 Chap. XIII Instructions how those must behave themselves that are indeed New Creatures Page 177 Chap. XIV An Answer to some Cases of Conscience Page 189 Galatians vi 15. For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature CHAP. I. The Text opened a Doctrine raised and handled SOme Interpreters think that this Text comes not in so much as a proof of the Assertion immediately preceding of the Apostle's glorying in Christ's Cross and his being crucified to the world ver 14. As it is a
Christ his infinite and co-eternal Son All things were made by him i. e. by this Essential Word and without him was not any thing made that was made John 1.3 By him were all things created visible and invisible By this Heir of all things he made the Worlds both according to the Matter and Form thereof Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.2 And thus it is in the New Creation for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Eph. 2.10 As Christ is the First-born of the Creatures after whom the New Creature is formed for God in his naked Majesty is invisible not obvious clearly either to corporal Eyes or humane Minds but Christ is the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 and manifests the glorious Perfections of the infinite God That as we have born the Image of the earthly Adam we should bear the Image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.45 49. That is Christ thus in the Incarnation God was Man in Regeneration Man becomes like God 4. God created all things with a Word So saith the Apostle Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the VVord of God Heb. 11.3 God's Fiat or Let it be produced the whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the Breath of his Mouth Psal 33.6 Art needeth many Helps Nature needeth few God needeth none nor doth use any Instrument in the Creation for nothing can intervene betwixt the First Cause and the First Effect it is an immediate Product of his arbitrary Will and Pleasure So it is in this New Creation James 1.18 Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth God speaks the Word and the Sinner is converted If it be said That Ministers are Instruments in Conversion I Answer But still they are nothing neither is he that planteth any thing 1 Cor. 3.7 They need God God needs not them he can do his Work without them yea in the first Infusion of a Principle of Saving Grace there 's nothing of Instrumentality it s done Immediately 5. God made all things good and perfect at first 1 Tim. 4.4 Gen. 1.31 Every Creature of God is good And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good quia nec temere nec frustra factum nothing was made either unadvisedly or to no purpose A thing may be said to be good as it is correspondent to the Idea of the Divine Wisdom or as it is fit for that use to which it is designed and for which it serves It needs not be enquired whether God could not have made the World or its parts better or more perfect for if we consider the World in respect of the whole so it is perfect both as to its degrees and parts But as to its parts severally God could have made them better as in a Camp there are Captains Souldiers and a General in some respect if a Souldier were a Captain he were better but in respect of the whole Camp which consists of Superiors and Inferiors he is better as a Souldier So in this New Creature it is perfect in its kind in subserviency to God's great Ends though defective in point of degree in this World hence God's Children are said to be not perfect as having not attained Phil. 3.12 Yet they are perfect Ver. 15. To be sure this New Creation is good as will appear anon 7. Though God from Eternity purposed to create the World yet the World was created but in Time not from Eternity Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth God worketh all things according to the Counsel of his own Will Eph. 1.11 It s true all things had a kind of Being in God as in the Cause whence all things flow in the Eternal Mind or Idea according to which all things were framed but they had not their real or actual Existence till God in his Wisdom thought good to produce them In thy Book saith David Psal 116.16 were all my Members written Thus it is in this New Creation God hath a Book of Life and such as are in the Book of Life shall in time be savingly Converted Called Sanctified Justified Glorified Thus runs the Golden Chain Rom. 8.29.30 As many as were ordained to Eternal Life shall believe All such as the Father gives to Christ shall come to him John 6.37 He hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy Eph. 1.4 So then this New Creation in time is the result and effect of God's determination before all Time see 2 Thes 2.13 7. The Creation of the World was gradual both as to Time and as to Manner In point of Time God made the World in Six Days Gen. 1. Not but that God could have dispatch'd all in a Moment but for sundry weighty Reasons he took every day a moment to do the work of that day in Thus God is perfecting this New Creation all the time of a Christian's Life and for his manner or method of working God proceeded from imperfect to perfect first God made a confused Chaos then he made the Elements then orta ex Elementis what ariseth from them First he made things without Life then things having Life Man that was the Master-piece of the whole Creation he made the last Even thus doth Grace proceed in the New Creation he first forms a Chaos some confusion of Spirit by a legal Work first comes a Spirit of Bondage to fear then a Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 First some glimmering Light in the Mind then the Day-Star ariseth in the Soul 2 Pet. 1. And the Sun of Righteousness comes with healing under his Wings Mal. 4.2 And the Grace of God grows till the Christian comes unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 8. The first thing that God created was Light Gen. 13.4 God said Let there be Light and there was Light In this he proceeds from total Privation to Habit it is hard to describe this Light possibly it was a bright lucid Body like the Fiery Cloud in the Wilderness giving imperfect Light successively moving over the several parts of the Earth and afterwards condensed increased perfected and gathered together in the Sun the Apostle applies this to the workings of God's Spirit in converting a Sinner 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ The first thing a Limner draws in a Picture is the Eye the first Lineament of this gracious new Man is Saving Knowledge God will not dwell in a dark House and therefore first he beats out Windows in his Habitation without knowledge the heart is not good Prov. 19.2 The Devil's Kingdom is a Kingdom of Darkness Christ's of Light Converting Grace
delivers us from the power of darkness and translates us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 which is a State of marvelous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 9. God created some things Actually other things Potentially or Vertually Gen. 1.11 12. And God said Let the Earth bring forth Grass the Herb yielding Seed the Tree yielding Fruit. Some things were made in their first Principles Production of Fruits in their proper kind as from Bees Honey from Vine Grapes and thence Wine Oyl from the Olive c. Thus it is in the New Creation God plants a Seed an Habit of Spritual Life which of its own Nature inclines the Christian to Acts of Holiness In every Habit there is a propensity to act so Faith worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 Repentance brings forth Fruits meet for such a Principle Matth. 3.18 Heavenly Acts are the genuine Fruits of a Saving Grace yea inseparable Companions 10. The same Hand that created doth uphold the Creature also it would crumble into its primitive nothing So God upholds all things by the Word of his Power Heb. 13. He doth not as an Artificer who makes a Clock a Watch a Ship or other Machin and leaves it to others to wind it up or maintain it but a divine Maintenancy is vouchsafed to every Creature which God hath made Creatures are but Shadows to the Body or as the Reflection of the Glass which vanisheth when the Face is turned away Psal 104.29 Thou hidest thy Face they are troubled thou takest away thy Breath they die and return to the Dust. In the Chain of Second Causes God stands at the upper end and actuates every thing thereof by his Influency Hâ—s 2.21 22. I will hear the Heavens and they shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and Wine and Oyl and they shall hear Jezreel Thus it is with the New Creature Assisting-Grace supplies and actuates Received-Grace in every Duty and Exercise without Christ we can do nothing John 15.5 We must lean upon our Beloved every step of the way or we fall Cant. 8.5 Nothing will go forward without a daily Supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Philippians 1.19 11. God had Glorious Ends in the Work of Creation The Lord made all things for himself Prov. 16.4 For his Service and Glory Thus the four and twenty Elders acknowledge Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4.10 11. All Creatures have a tendency towards their Original and thereby declare that God is their Supreme Cause and ultimate End as all Rivers come from the Sea and run back into it Eccels 1.5 6 7. Every Creature leads Man to God for Rom. 11.36 of him as the Efficient Cause through him as the Conserving Cause and to him as the Final Cause are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Yea further The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his Handy-work Psal 19.1 Every Creature hath a legible Character of God's Power Wisdom Goodness ingraven upon it and hath a Mouth to preach something of the Magnificence of its Creator yea the visible Creature leads man to its visible maker nay further by that supply that the Ceature affords to Man it gives him abundant Cause of glorifying God hence saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the glory of God Much more doth the New Creature work directly to the attaining of God's high and glorious Ends as might be demonstrated 1. By its accomplishing God's pleasure Holiness is according to his Will 1 Thes 13.2 By working the Soul Godwards it sets the Affections on things above Col. 3.1 2.3 As it evidently demonstrates all God's glorious Attributes as being the lively Picture of the Deity ingraven on the Soul 4. And doth contribute much to the Soul 's advancing the glory of God as we shewed before 12. The whole Creation shall be burnt 2 Pet. 3.10 12. The heavens shall pass away with a great noise the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Not that this glorious Structure shall be annihilated or turn'd into its first nothing I cannot think so but it shall be purified clarified and defecated from the filthy Dregs that Sin hath stained it with So I find Amesius say De mundi Elementis hoc unum dicam absumptum iri tantum ut novam qualitatem induant manente Substantia Calvin 2. Pet. 3. Elementa â—on erunt sublata sed mutata et â—urgata the Elements shall â—ot be quite taken away but â—hanged and purged the Substance shall remain only â—he corrupt qualities introduced by Sin shall be burged away For 1. In Peter 't is said The Heavens and the Earth are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment Now Fire turns combustible Matter into its own Nature but doth not quite consume its matter it feeds on but purifies things all melting of Metals is not annihilating of them 2. Scripture rather asserts a mutation or changing of these material Heavens and Earth then total abolition Psal 102.25 26. Yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed The 70 render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt fold them and thus the Apostle translates this Text Heb. 1.12 As a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall he changed Alluding to a Garment or a Book or Scrowl of Parchment when it s folded up there 's no Letters or Words visible thus it passeth away by a notable change 3. The whole Creation lies under the Curse and sad Effects of Sin which by a kind of natural Instinct it longs to be delivered from See Rom. 8.20 23 The whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now c. Calvin saith hunc locum accipio nullum esse Elementum nullamve mundi partem quae non veluti praesentis miseriae agnitione tacta in spem Resurrectionis intenta sit there 's no Element or part of the World but is touch'd with the sense of the Creature 's misery and longs for the hoped for Resurrection and surely God will not frustrate its expectation 4. There is something in those Texts that look this way Psal 93.1 The world also is stablished that it cannot be moved Eccles 1.4 The earth abideth for ever Eccles 3.14 Whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever Psal 119.90 Thou hast est ablished the earth and it abideth All these speak the World's continuance Obj. Job 14.12 So Man lieth down and riseth not till the Heavens be no more Answ i.e. Not for the uses they are now for the Heavenly Luminaries are but for the Terrestrial Bodies Gen. 1.15 16. But in that other State there 's no need of Sun or Stars as now Rev.
21.23 Qu. What Use will Heavens and Earth be then of Answ As an Everlasting Monument of God's Power Wisdom and Goodness and possibly righteous Men shall dwell in this New Heaven and Earth and contemplate God in his glorious Works 2 Pet. 3.13 so Righteous is taken for Persons Isa 1.21 That New World shall be possessed only by Saints no Sinners with them Now if we apply all this to this New Creation whereof we are treating it will exactly square thereto Grace shall continue He that doth the will of God shall abide for ever â— John 2.17 This Principle is an immortal Seed and shall be cleansed from all Dregs of Sin and the Fruits thereof and the Spirits of Just Men shall be made perfect Heb. 12.23 Yea their Bodies shall be made like unto the glorious Body of our Lord Jesus Phil. 3.21 And though they may pass through the Fire 1 Cor. 3.13 not of Popish Purgatory of affliction or of the Spirit 's refining yet they shall lose nothing but Dross and shall come forth as Gold Thus I have run a Parallel betwixt the Old Creation and the New But this New Creation is 1. Better 2. More difficult then the Old 1. It s better though the first was perfect in its kind yet this is a more excellent Workmanship being of a more pure refined spiritual Nature and repairs what was decayed in the Old and brought about with more transcendent Love and Good will and hath a tendency to an Everlasting Concernment of precious Souls in the other world But of this more anon 2. This is a Creation in some respects more difficult then the former was This may seem a Paradox that the framing of this new Creation in the Heart of a Sinner is a greater work and of more difficulty then that of making this great Universe Heaven and Earth mistake not this difficulty is not respectu Dei fed rei not in respect of God's Omnipotency to whom all thing are possible and easie but with respect to the thing it self and our consideration of it thâ— appears to our apprehension in these four Respects 1. When God made the World he met with no opposition he Spake the Word and noâ— said no to it by contradiction But in this Neâ— Creation the World the Devil and Corruption within opposes this work sometimes custer in Sin however the Carnal mind is enmity it sâ— against God and fights against him Rom. 8.7 2. When God make the World it cost hiâ— but the speaking of a Word as was said bâ— in order to this New Creation it cost him dear even the giving of his own Son to become Man to live a Life of Sorrow to endure the painful shameful cursed Death of the Cross that Sinners might be reconciled to God and become like God 3. When God made the world he needed no nor used any Instruments in order to the effecting that Work But in this of the New Creation he sends Ministers labouring travelling and long waiting on Sinners to work on mens Hearts he chose Men like themselves endue them with Gifts gives them Compassionate Hearts weeping beseeching with earnest Intreaties to come in yet that will not do except the Spirit strive and prevail 4. When God made the World all was finished in Six Days Heaven and Earth were finished Gen. 2.1 And all the Host of them needed not a second hand to compleat them But he is carrying on this work of the New Creation many Years the whole Life of the Christian if he live a hundred Years it will be still defective in point of degree and never compleat till the Soul be landed in Heaven Chap. IV. Wherein the New Creature is available to Souls THe third main Head in the Doctrinal part is to demonstrate wherein this New Creature is only and every way available to the Souls of men And here lest I be mistaken I must premise two Caveats by way of exception the first refers to the Kind the second to the End of this availableness 1. For the Kind we must beware how we put the New Creature in the room of Christ it is not so available as our blessed Lord Jesus is who is the only Foundation on which the Church is built 1 Cor. 3.10 And able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 No Creature must be set up in competition with him for there 's no Salvation in any other Acts 4.12 And herein I am afraid the Quakers are guilty of a gross Heresie who call us from a Christ without us to a Christ within us yea it hath been a dispute in the Plantation called Pensilvania whether we must believe only in a Christ within us or a Christ both within and without us and it was carried mostly in the former Sence But let no man be drawn from placing his intire confidence in Christ the Son of God both God and Man in one Person who suffered Death on the Cross to make attonement for Sinners and now sits on the right hand of God to make intercession for us 2. If by a Christ within they mean that called Light within either Free will or Natural Conscience or a power to help our selves without special Grace it s an exploded Error and it 's to be feared the Jesuits deliver their Popish stuff out of these mens Mouths with refined Language 3. If by Christ within be meant Christ's Person in the Believer that he is Christed or Goded 't is blasphemy 4. If by this expression Christ within us the hope of glory Col. 1.27 or Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith Eph. 3.17 It is as the Sun is in the House when the Beams or Rays thereof shine into it So Christ dwells in Souls by his Spirit Rom. 8.9 and its Graces and this is that which is called the New Creature and this is but a Creature and a weak one full of imperfections it s a Vein of Gold embased with Earth and dross not to be trusted to The Bride may highly prize her Husband's Picture if like him and drawn by his Hand but it is ridiculous to dote on that and slight her Husband and when she wants Money or Clothes to go not to her Husband for them but to his Picture Surely our Lord will not take it well if men honour his Image to the dishonour of his Person the Original is one thing the Copy is another Christ the object of our Faith and Grace and the Fruit of his Spirit are different Grace in the Heart is not so available as Christ in Heaven Let every thing have its due place 2. That which refers to the End is this Negative that the New Creature is not ordained to have a direct tendency to the justification of a Sinner God did not appoint it for that End That is Faith in Christ Rom. 3.20 21 22. in his Blood Merits and Satisfaction to Divine Justice apprehended by Faith alone And this excludes not only Man's merits but any gracious Habits wrought in man
Objects Will not a Christian much more say so The Christian hath Meat to eat that Men know not ofâ— spiritual Manna Angels Food is the Christians Diet John 4.32 the fatness of God's house yea marrow and fatness Psal 36.9 63.5 19.10 God's word is as hony and hony-comb better then necessary food yea Jesus Christ himself the bread of Life John 6.55 The New Creature finds full contentment in Christ through a promise It s worth observing that spiritual delights are suited to all the spiritual senses melos in aure mel in ore Musick in the Ear his Mouth is most sweet Wine to the taste yea his Love is better then Wine Cant 5.16 as Oyntment poured forth to the Smell ch 1.2.3 12 13. ch 2.6 8 3. yea as Spiknard Myrrh his Embraces to the touch and feeling His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me As for the sight my beloved is white and ruddy Cant. 5 10-16 he is altogether lovely in all his parts and comely proportion You see the New Creature hath its Senses as well as the Body and spiritual good things gratifie them who by reason of use have their Senses exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 9. The New Creature hath a new home our being upon Earth in these Houses of Clay Job 4.19 is our short home our being under the Earth is our long home Eccle. 12.5 7. Rom. 6.23 In the Grave Hell is the sinner's last and everlasting Home Heaven is the Saints best eternal home 2 Cor. 5.6 8. Knowing that whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord but we are willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord. A poor graceless Wretch is well where he is like that carnal Cardinal that would not change his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Such as these are men of the world whose portion is in this life Psal 17.14 These are written in the Earth possibly as recorded and renowned among the great Ones of it Jer. 17.15 But there 's a Generation of the Sons of men that are not of this world whose Names are written in Heaven John 15.9 And are travelling towards the New Jerusalem thence they came and thither they are bound Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 'T is thither the New Creature tendeth there it would gladly be it is troubled at whatsoever stops it in its motion homewards Rom. 8.23 Not only they i.e. the other Creatures but our selves also which have the first fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our Body Oh blessed Jubile when shall the dawning of that glorious day appear How long must I dwell in Meshech or in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 How long shall I abide on this side Jordan Oh that once at last I might inhabit that goodly Mount and Lebanon Why is his Chariot so long in coming why stay the VVheels of his Chariot Come Lord Jesus come quickly break down the walls of this earthly Tabernacle and cloath me with that house from Heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 2. How long shall â— be tost on this tumultuous Sea when shall I reach the Haven I long to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 among the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12 23-11.13 14 15 16. Here I am a Stranger and Pilgrim and am seeking another Country thither I am hasting there I would be that this disguise may be pluckt off that when he shall appear I may be like him and see him as he is 1. John 3.1 2. My best Life is yet hid but when Christ who is my Life shall appear then shall I also appear with him in glory Col. 3.3 4. For this I hope and wait and Pray and long 10. The New Creature begets new Apprehensions of it self in all this he was darkness but now he is light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 The poor old Creature thinks well of himself and his doings he imagines he can Pray perform Duty and when he hath by the strength of his Gifts come off finely then he applauds himself as Bernard said of himself bene fecisti Bernarde well done now God is beholding to thee and owes thee a kindness as the Hypocrital Jews Isa 58.3 And the Pharisees Luk. 18.11 But this New Creature will teach its possessour another Lesson when he hath done all alas he is an unprofitable Servant Luk. 17.9 My Righteousnesses are but as filthy rags Isa 64.6 Still I am an unclean thing I deserve nothing but wrath if I justifie my self mine own Mouth shall condemn me Job 9.20 My Spiritual Duties need Spiritualizing my Repentance needs repenting of my Exercise of Grace needs a gracious Pardon My Lord Jesus must take away the Iniquity of my holy things perfume my poor Services and offer my Prayers with his much Incense upon the golden Altar Exod. 28.58 before the Throne Rev. 8.3 I dare not stand before God in my best suit of Inherent Righteousness If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquity Oh Lord who can stand Psal 1 30.3 In thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal 143.2 If I look at the New Creature there 's many defects therein if I reflect on the purest actings of Grace alas they are imperfect I must be found in Christ or I am lost for ever Phil. 3.9 Not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is by the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Oh my Lord when I am standing before the Angel of the Lord Satan stands at my right hand to resist me and justly he may for I am cloathed with filthy Garments Oh speak the word that mine Iniquity may pass away from me and cloath me with change of Rayment Zech. 3.1 4. My change of Principles will not do without an upper Garment to cover all my Defects and Faults there I stick there I must stand righteous before God at the Great Day The summ of all this is contained in that excellent Text with which I conclude this Head Phil. 3.3 For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh Chap. XII Directions what Means may be used for the obtaining this New Creature I Am sensible I have insisted too long upon the First Head of this last Use of Instruction concerning the Evidences of this work in our Souls from its Preparatives Parts Properties and Effects I shall be the briefer in the rest 2. The next is to give some Instructions to those that feel or fear they are not yet New Creatures how they are to behave themselves and what course they are to take that they may become New Creatures I am much prevented in this by the worthy labours of those excellent Men Mr. Baxter Mr. Jos Allein and many others in
so as to fall down and confess that God is there of a truth 1 Cor. 14.25 This is that which makes such a difference of Hearers in the same Auditory Some hear what the Spirit saith Rev. 2. Others profit not from Day to Day because the Word is not mixed with Faith Heb. 4.2 The Chymist can do nothing without Fire the Sinner will neither do nor receive Good by any thing without the Spirit and this blessed New Creation 6. Without the New Creature you will not be secured from the worst of Sins for as you want a Principle of Obedience so you have no reason to expect assistance from Heaven its only God's fear in your hearts that keeps you from departing from him Jer. 32.40 Indeed the Text saith 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his Seed remaineth in him But alas you want this Seed there is in you the Fomes Spawn Spring Root of all Abominations there want nothing but a Tap to give it vent Satan will be ready enough to fill your hearts to lye to the Holy Ghost Acts 5.3 To betray Jesus to run into all Excess of Riot if Satan find his House empty of Saving Grace though it be swept Matth. 12.43 44 45. from some gross Sins by Morality garnished with Gifts and common Graces he will take to himself seven other Spirits more wicked and take faster possession as those that escaped some gross Pollutions yet are again intangled their latter end is worse then their beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. These may and likely will wallow in worse mire then ever before Besides God may in Justice give you up to your own hearts Lusts Psal 81. or to strong delusions to believe a Lye 2 Thes 2.10 11. If God leave you who knows whither you may be hurried you will fall downwards into Sin and grow worse and worse till you be diabolized as demure as you seem to be you may commence Persecutors and Blasphemers Atheists and to that height of Impiety that now you shrug and tremble at yea you may commit that unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost You say now God forbid is thy Servant a Dog so said Hazael but how canst thou be secured thou hast no hold of God by Faith and God hath no hold of thee in a Covenant-relation for thou wantest the Graces of the Covenant look to they self for God will not look to thee till thou be his and thou canst not look so to thy self but thou mayst prove a prophane Esau a scoffing Ishmael a betraying Judas who knows where thou wilt stop whither thou wilt run 7. If you be not New Creatures you will meet with a woful disappointment Oh remember the case of the Foolish Virgins that too late found they had no Oyl in their Lamps or Grace in their Hearts when the Door was shut and they shut out and cryed Lord open to us Mat. 25 8-12 Oh what an astonishing Word was that I know you not It will not be loud Cries or Heart-renting Lamentations that will pierce the Ears of a Righteous God Oh think how dreadful it will be to go off the Stage with a lye in your right hand Isa 44 20.-50.11 To walk all your days by Sparks of your own kindling and lie down in Sorrow It would vex any Man to be cheated with Pebbles for Pearls Flint for Diamond Men say when they are cheated they would rather have given three times as much then to be thus abused but thus it is with you the Devil imposeth on you and lest you should see your Mistake the Devil holds his black hand before your Eyes the God of this World blindeth you and carries you to Hell in a Golden Dream in a Fools Paradise It s a dreadful case if your Eyes be never opened till the Flames of Hell flash in your scorched Faces If there be no discovery till there be no remedy as some Diseases are past Cure when they are known A graceless Life brings despair of Death O consider poor Sinner what Relief wilt thou have in thy dying-groans When this King of Terrors Job 18.14 this grim Serjeant lays his cold Hand of Arrest upon thee Oh what horror will seize upon thee when thy fine spun Hope must be as the Spiders Web Job 8 14-11.20 swept away with God's Besom or give up the Ghost when thou breathest thy last what a dreadful case will thy Soul be in Alas what hast thou gained though thou shouldst gain the World when God taketh away thy Soul Mat. 16.26 John 27.8 9. Thou hadst better dye a Dog a Toad a Serpent or vilest Creature than a Man if thou be not a New Creature for the upshot of their Misery is but an in-let to thine it s a sad case for a poor Sinner to leave the World and knows not whither he is going he must not stay and he dares not dye if his Eyes be opened and he sees Hell flames flashing in his Eyes oh with what a shriek must his poor confounded Soul descend into that Infernal Lake of Fire and Brimstone this will be a Day of desperate Sorrow Isa 8.22 When Men shall look to the earth and behold trouble and darkness dimness of anguish and they shall be driven to darkness Who can conceive duly of the astonishing Horrors of a desparing Soul 8. Who can tell how quickly this Anguish may seize upon you You now live at ease and fear not because you feel no danger like Laish of Old and Rome at this day but when you say Peace and Safety then sudden destruction cometh upon you as travail upon a woman with-child and you shall not escape It s a dreadful Evil to be surprized 1 Thes 5.3 The poor graceless Sinner is not sure to be another Night out of Hell such a Voice may come to thee as to that senseless secure Wretch that reckoned upon Years This night shall thy Soul be required of thee Luk. 12 19 20. Poor Sinner thou art in continual danger God is angry with thee every day Psal 7.11 12. and stands with his Sword whet and Bow bent and his Arrows stringed and directed to thy Heart yea it will come as a Showre suddenly violently inevitably upon the wicked He shall rain Fire and Brimstone yea Snares and an horrible Tempest Psal 11.6 God thine Enemy stands over thee as an Enemy with a Sword of Vengeance in his Hand ready to cut thee in pieces and though thou sleepest yet thy judgment of a long time sleeps not nor thy damnation slumber 2 Pet. 2.3 Oh who would continue one Hour in such a case when thy Life hangs in doubt nay thy immortal Soul is hanging over Hell by the small twittered Thread of thy natural Life Surely if thou wert condemned and to be executed to morrow thou wouldst be much concerned to prevent or prepare for Death Oh Sinner bethink thy self the Jâ—dge standeth before the Door James 5.9 Heaven or Hell may attend the next
God is the Christians chief supream End in his natural civil spiritual acts the New Man aims at the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Oh that my Soul may obtain fellowship with God 1 John 1.3 Psal 73.25 I will trample on sinful worldly self and spurn away this dirty Dunghill in comparison of God's Glory and Salvation of my own Soul all other things will neither please nor profit this high-bred Creature infused into the Soul 2. The Elective Power of the Will the New Creature chuseth the most proper means to attain these high Ends as he chuseth God for his only End so in the first place he chuseth Christ as the only Way Truth and Life John 14.6.1 51. By whom he may ascend to God as the Ladder of Jacob for there 's no coming to the Father but by the Son The Will therefore consists to have Christ upon his own terms and chuseth him above the World John 1.12 May I have Christ I will cast all others as Dung at my Heels Phil. 7.7 8 9. Away with them away with them I will refuse Crowns and Scepters in comparison of or in competition with Christ the New Creature comes off freely in his choice of Christ is not forced to him as his last shift to escape damning but by a sweet tendency and propensity of the Will touched and attracted with the Loadstone of divine Grace To me to live is Christ Phil. 1.21 as well as he is good to dye with yea the New Creature chuseth the Precepts the Promises the Patterns of the Word Psal 119.30 111. The way of Faith and Holiness to walk in in order to the attaining Happiness and he never repents this blessed Choice 3. There 's a cleaving act of the Will a peremptory resolved adhereing to God and his ways the Will is fixed determined for God whatever shall be said against he is not off and on like a double-minded man unstable in all his ways James 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hanging in suspence halting betwixt two Opinions 1 King 18.21 but cleaves to the Lord with purpose of Heart Acts 11.23 as Ruth was stedfastly minded to go with Naomi Ruth 1.16 17 18. All men on Earth and all the Devils in Hell shall not alter this resolution I will go and return to my Father Luk. 15.17 I am purposed that my Mouth shall not transgress Psal 17.3 Let others do as they list as they dare answer I and my House will serve the Lord John 24.15 I must not be guided by Example or Carnal Reason but by the Word of God and having made my choice by the Grace of God I will not be altered as long as I breath no Sufferings shall daunt me no Allurements shall entice me from my God 4. There 's a resigning act of the Will by which it gives up it self to the Will of God the New Creature melts and molds the Will of man into the Will of God as our Lord said Not my will but thine be done Matth. 26.39 And those gracious Souls Acts 21.13 said The will of the Lord be done Hence Luther durst Pray fiat volunt as mea Let my Will be done but came off thus Mine Lord because my Will shall be thine There shall be but one Will betwixt us this hath been the Language of all the Holy Men in Scripture Eli David Paul Let the Lord do as seems good to him 1 Sam. 8.10.2 Sam. 15.25 This Harmony of Wills is a glorious Fruit of the New Creation and sweet and certain Character of the New Creature this brings Serenity to the Soul in all states when Wind and Tide go both one way there 's no Storm so when the Christian acquiesceth in God's will there 's great Peace in the Soul 4. The last Subject wherein the New Creature is formed in the Affections these are the Motions of the Will the Will is the primum movens or mobile the main Wheel that carries the Affections along with it the Affections are either 1. disliking or 2. liking Aversations or Approbations of these Faculties of the Soul and both of them are reduced to sweet Order and Harmony according to Scripture-Rule 1. The disliking or disapproving Affections the Stream is quite turned into another Channel the Soul loaths what it before loved and bears an implacable hatred yea antipathy not only to Sin but to all appearances of it 1 Thes 5.22 and Avenues that lead to it or proceed from it hating even the Garment spotted by the Flesh Jude 23. as one detests a Coat with the Plague in it as a man's Stomach riseth against some kind of Meats or a Toad for its poysonful quality or a Serpent for its Sting or rather for its loathsome Nature David saith I hate and abhor Lying Psal 119.163 He cannot use words enough to express his Antipathy to Hypocrisie And true hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against all the Kinds of what we hate I hate every false way ver 104. saith the same Holy Man The New Creature makes the Christian not only angry at Sin as against his Interest or as a Man may be with his Wife or Child in a fit of Passion and entertains good Thoughts of them again when the Passion is over but there 's an implacable Enmity commenced in the Heart against all Sin yea there 's an hatred of wicked mens persons for their Sin 's sake Psal 139.21 22. which otherwise the Soul loves as he would not hate the Devil but for Sin O how weary am I of this Body of Death I know not how to bear it it s like a stinking dead Carcase that at once both burdens me with its weight Rom. 7.24 and poysons me with its stink 'T is this and this alone that makes me send forth quotidianos mutigus daily groans and Mournings Oh that I could put a Bill of Divorce into the Hands of my dearest Lust never to meddle with it again I will never be reconciled to Sin more I will cut off my Right hand-Sin and run the Knife of the Law into the very Heart of my dearest Lusts I will study their utter extirpation I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to God Ezra 9.6 because of my Spots of guilt and filth never did any thing lie so near my Heart as my Sin against God I will declare mine Iniquity and be very sorry for my Sin Psal 58.18 For the future I will stand in awe that I may not sin Psal 4.4 I will fear Sin more then Hell I cannot bear them that are evil Rev. 2.2 Though I have patience to bear any Affliction I behold transgressors and am grieved Psal 119.58 136. and shed many Tears for the dishonour they bring to my God Oh that Sin were banish'd out of the World or my Soul withdrawn from the wicked world 2. As for the liking Affections the renewed Soul can truly say as David I have set my affections to the house of my God 2 Chron. 30.3 As to inferior