The Saints Qualification, Sermon 3
CERTAINE SERMONS VPONUPON THE NEW CREATVRE.
2 COR. 5.17.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.
THE Woman of Canaan, though shee had no countetenance from Christ,5The successe that others have had by Prayer. though he seemed not to heare her a long time, though hee gave her crosse answers, yet hee commends her faith in an extraordinary manner at the last. She had never had that commendations, if shee had not beene put to that difficulty a little: therefore, when you presse God, when you doe stand it out, and are not discouraged, in the end you shall have it in a greater measure, and it will be a greater commendations of your faith.
And so it was with Iacob, if he had not wrestled as hee did, hee had never had that great reward which he had; he never had a greater reward for any thing that ever he did in his life, than for his contending with God, when God refused (as it were) when he strove with him, when he would not doe it, when he seemed to be of a contrary mind; yet when he held out, and did not give over till he had gotten it, hee never got so much at Gods hands.
And so I say to every one of you; if you finde it an hard taske to get this change, to bee made New Creatures, you pray and have sought, and yet you have not gotten it, yet be encouraged, doe it still, never give over, you shall have a greater measure as your prayers are stronger: for this you must know, that when you make requests to God, according to Gods will, that then it is the voice of his Spirit; therefore when you desire to be made New Creatures, doe you thinke it is possible for God to deny you? No, because this desire comes from his Spirit. Now it is true, a man may desire to be made a New Creature, he may desire grace, and yet doe it in a carnall manner, that is, hee may desire it, because he sees that he cannot be saved without it, he may desire it as a thing of necessity, that will make him safe and whole, as a thing, without which he shall perish: Nature may goe thus far, but to desire to be made a New Creature, out of the beauty and taste of it, out of a desire to please God, and to glorifie him, whose Name is called upon you, out of a desire to please the Spirit that dwels in you, this is proper to the Saints, it is the voyce of the Spirit, and therefore goe on boldly, God hath promised to heare you, hee cannot deny you.
See how Christ did when he was upon the earth, those that were lame and blinde, when they came and cried after him, and would not give him over, he did not refuse to heale every one; there was not a man that was importunate with him, but, howsoever his Disciples slighted them, Christ respected them. Now do but think with your selves; doe you thinke he lesse pities the diseases of the Soule, than he did the diseases of the Body? Doe you thinke that he hath lesse compassion now he is in Heaven, than hee had when he was on Earth? Or doe you think that His Arme is shortned, that he cannot doe as much now to heale the running sores that are on thy soule, as he did on earth to heale bodily diseases? My Brethren, if you doe but seeke to him, if you can get but a word from him, if he say but to you, Be whole, if hee doe but rebuke thy sinfull lusts, as he rebuked the Feaver, it shall presently obey him: Hee that was able to calme the sea, and that hath the strong winds in his power, is he not able to dissolve a strong inordinate apprehension, a strong lust, a strong unruly affection, and so set them at liberty? certainly he is able.
You know, the woman that had spent so many yeares, and all that she had upon Physitians, and could doe her selfe no good by all, yet when shee comes to Christ once, you see it was done in an instant. So, I say, a strong lust, an old lust, which is contrary to this New Creature, which, it may be, thou hast been contending with many yeares, and cannot get the victory over it; yet if thou canst come in this manner to him, and contend with him, and knocke at the doore, and never give over till thou hast awaked him, certainly hee will give thee the holy Ghost, he will change and renue thy heart, he will set thee at full libertie.
This he hath confirmed with an oath, and whatsoever God hath sworn, he will performe it without all reservation (where hee is said to doe a thing without an oath, there may be a reservation left, therefore we never finde an oath to the old Covenant) but he hath sworne to performe the new Covenant, and you know this is a great part of the new Covenant, to give a new heart, to make a man a new Creature; therefore, where the new Covenant is made, there this is repeated in Ier. 31. and Heb. 8. I will make a covenant with my people, and what is that? I will put my Law into their minds, and in their hearts will I write them (that is) I will make them New Creatures.
Therefore, I say, this is a matter of much use to you, If you goe to Christ, and labour to have this done.6The great importance of it to us. My Brethren, there is nothing left for us to be assured, nor any other experiment that wee need have that there is another life, that Iesus Christ hath done these great things for us, and that the Gospel is true, I say, there is nothing else left for us, no other experiment in comparison of this, that we see wee are made New Creatures: This is all the miracles that we have; nay, I dare be bold to say more, It was the greatest miracle that they had in that time, when all the miracles were wrought.
And therefore you shall find that Paul gives this as the maine argument, among the rest, That they shall be raised againe at the last day, that they were in Christ, that the Gospel is real and true. For, saith he, We have received the Spirit: we have had the Spirit, which is the earnest, the pledge, the annointing, you shall finde it every where scattered in his Epistles, the receiving of the Spirit is the maine ground that hee builds on, as in the 2 Cor. 1.23. Hee hath established us together with you, and hath annointed us, and sealed us, by giving the Spirit as an earnest into our hearts: As if he should say, this is the Argument we have, that we shall be saved; not, for all the miracles so much as this, that we have received the Spirit; for that is the true annointing wee feele it in our selves, that sealeth and confirmeth us, wee cannot doubt, having had experience of such a mighty worke in us, that is, the earnest and the pledge we have; and therefore, Ephes. 1.19. He prayes that they might see the exceeding greatnesse of his power working in those that beleeve; as if that would bee a great confirmation to them, if once they should finde an experiment of the greatnesse of his power: And so, Phil. 3.10. I care not for all the world, on this condition, that I might know him, and the vertue of his resurrection (that is) that I might know him by the power of his Spirit, changing my heart, killing my sinnes, raising me againe, and, in a word, making me a New Creature, that I might know this experiment; I looke upon all the world as drosse and dung, as things not to be named. So, I say, seeing there is nothing else left in comparison of this, and when miracles were wrought, there was nothing like this, that wee might have this experiment in our selves, we should goe to God, and not give him over, till the worke be wrought in us, that we might be made New Creatures.
That which keepes men off from religious courses, for the most part is discouragement, they think they shall not be able to go thorow it, when they heare they must bee made new men in all things, that there must be nothing that is old left, but all the old leaven must bee purged out, it discourageth men, because they thinke they shall never bee able to reach it, whereas this is an assurance to thee, that if you go about it, you shall not faile of your purpose, but you shall certainly bring it to passe, because if you seeke it at Gods hands, he cannot deny you, only I told you, you must pray.
It may be for this purpose God will not heale thee altogether, but suffer many lusts to grapple and to contend with thee, that thou mayest be taught to doe this duty: and therefore wee should learne to goe to Christ, wee should feed on him every day, and by that meanes we shall be renewed, we shall get new strength; otherwise what is the meaning of that, In this mount hee will make a feast of fined wines, and of fatlings, of fat things full of marrow, of wines fined and purified? Esay 25.6.Esay 25.6. opened. The meaning is this; when you come to Christ to renue your Communion and your Covenant with him, which is done through faith and prayer, you draw neerer to him, and that strengthneth the soule, as Mannah strengthned them in the wildernesse, that you live by it; for every day there growes new distances betweene Christ and us, we let goe our hold, as it were, in some measure, and begin to fall off from him a little; therefore, every day we should renue this Covenant, especially when we come to the Sacrament: As Ionathan and David, they renued the Covenant of God againe that was between them, as if there were a new Solemnity of marriage, if it were often to be renued, to make the parties joyned more united: make no question of it, we should renue our match with Christ, we should come neerer to him, that we may strengthen our soules, because we recover our Communion with him. For what is Sanctification, but a drawing neere to the Lord? And then we draw neere, when we renue our Communion, and our Covenant with him, when the match is renewed between us; and if we doe so, we shall goe from him every day, as men refreshed at a banquet, like men that have fed on fat things full of marrow, as men full of wine. Be you filled, not with wine, Ephes. 5.18. opened.wherein is excesse, but with the Spirit: What is the meaning of that Antithesis, but to shew that the Spirit is like wine, it strengthens, and how receive we the Spirit? Is there not the same meanes of renuing of it from day to day, Is not the same meanes of renuing it, as there is of receiving of it at the first? Didst not thou get it first by going to Christ, and shall not thou still regaine and repaire thy strength by that meanes? I cannot stand to presse this farther.
Vse 2.Secondly, in that they are put together thus, Iustification and Sanctification,Set Sanctification as high in our esteeme as Iustifi…a…on. hence wee should be stirred up to prise it, to set it at the same rate as wee doe Remission of sinnes, because we see the Holy Ghost doth so. For seeing this thing is promised, seeing it is chosen out among the great benefits wee have by CHRIST, that we shall be renued, we should learne so to judge of it, to set it at an high rate, in our conceits, to conforme our Iudgement to the Iudgement of the Scriptures.
Every man would bee content to be saved, but to be made a New Creature, men are so farre from reckoning it a priviledge, that they reckon it a bondage: you would fain be free from Hell, you would faine goe to Heaven without such a necessity put upon you; this is the common fashion of men; but, marke, the Holy Ghost puts this among the great benefits wee have by Christ. You know the comming of the Messias, how it was magnified by the Iewes, what great things they should have when Christ should come. What were those great things? One of the chiefe was, to make them New Creatures, to set them at libertie from their spirituall enemies, That they should be taught of God, that they should have his law written in their hearts, and have their hearts circumcised to love him, that they should have new hearts and new Spirits given them; this is that great benefit that hath beene so much magnified so many yeares before the comming of Christ. It is that, which the Apostles, when they came to preach the Gospell, set out as so great a Priviledge; learne we to prise it, for certainly there is nothing in the world so precious a grace, whereby we are made New Creatures. It is a true saying, because indeed there is no excellencie that is like it, if you would rectifie your judgments, and teach them to apprehend things as they are; therefore let us reason with you a little for that old man,The excellencie of the New Creature. those lusts that you prise so much,1Above old Lusts. that you will not part with, that you cherish and nourish in your selves, and you are Enemies to those that are Enemies to them, I say, consider what you doe, this old man, is it not the sicknesse of the soule? is it not the filth, and the foulenesse of the soule? is it not the slavery and bondage of the soule? And the new man, is it not the contrary? doth it not excell it? Therefore as much as health exceeds sicknesse, as much as cleanenesse exceeds impuritie, foulenesse and filthinesse, as much as liliberty exceeds slavery and bondage; so much and more doth the New man excell the Old man.
2Above all worldly excellencies.Besides, if you looke to other things, take all other things which the world hath, all the profits, all the pleasures, all the learning and knowledge whatsoever it is, that in the world is precious, yet to be made a New Creature goes beyond all, because, indeed, it puts you into the same condition that Adam had in innocencie: you will say, to be made like Adam againe, to be restored to that happinesse, it is beyond all that the world can afford: Now to be made a New Creature, it puts you into that estate.
Object.But, you will say, that is not so, Adam was in Paradice, he had outward contentments in abundance, but to be made a New Creature is not so?
Answ.It is true, there were two Conditions that Adam had;Two conditions of Adam. one was his outward Condition, being placed in Paradice; the other was his happinesse, to be a New Creature: this was incomparably beyond the other, as wee shall easily make that plaine to you. Put case there were a man that had faire Pallaces, and Gardens, and Orchards, and all things that his heart could desire to have, but all this while he hath not health; would he regard all this? On the other side; suppose he had health, put him into a Cottage, if he have strength, would hee not beare it well enough? That is our case. When Adam had all that, yet when he had lost Gods Image, when hee had lost being a New Creature, he was like a man that was fallen into a great sicknesse, he was fallen into terrour and horrour of conscience, what good could all that doe. A man that is out of Paradise, that lives as wee doe among men, that hath Gods Image renued on him (which hee lost) that is, made a New Creature, he is happie, when Adam was miserable. Let us consider a little; What was it, thinke you, that made Adam happy in Paradise? Was it the being in a Garden full of pleasant things? No, it was not that, but his Communion with God that made him happy. Therefore you see wherein his misery consisted, it consisted not in the losse of Paradise, for there he was still, he had all that he had before for outward things, but he felt shame and horrour of conscience, he felt inward trouble and anguish of spirit, when he heard the voice of God walking in the Garden: therefore it stands not in that, but to be made a New Creature, is to be put into the inward condition that Adam was in, and therefore you have reason to seeke it. If any thing in the world be worth the seeking, it is this, to be made a New Creature. All other things are not: the proper excellencie of a man, you know the Angels and the Saints want them, and the Beasts enjoy them, but the excellencie of man is to be made according to the first Rule, to be squared according to the Image of God, after which he was first created, and hee is never well till he come to that. As no Creature is well till it have that excellencie belonging to the kinde of it: this is an excellencie peculiar to man, therefore seeke happinesse as long as you will in other things, you shall never finde it, but in being made New Creatures, in having Gods Image repaired, in being sanctified in Body, and Soule, and Spirit, this puts you into an happy condition.
Object.But, you will say, these are but Notions, imaginary Assertions, we feele not such things, give me that man that hath the sense of this, that feeles more sweetnesse in this, than Adam did in all his outward Paradise which he had?
Answ.To this we answer:
First, that there is a sense of it, though spirituall Grace be a thing that is not exposed to the senses, yet there is as true and as quicke a sense, as there is of outward and corporall delights; because, when you are made New Creatures, you have a new life, and that hath new senses in it; It hath a taste, hunger and thirst, it hath as quicke a sight, it hath every thing that the other hath; you know, the apprehension of all the comforts wee have, is not that which stands in the outward senses, that is not worthy the name, but the apprehension that the will and understanding hath of things; it is every mans minde, that makes a man to live happie or miserable, that is, his apprehension of things, when thou livest a new life, and thy apprehension is altered and changed, thou hast as quicke a sense of those spirituall priviledges in Christ, of peace of Conscience, of joy in the Holy Ghost; of all the benefits that rise from his Passion, thou wilt have as quicke a sense, as ever thou hadst of outward delights.
Againe, if thou wouldest have such a sense, let me say this to thee, the time is not yet come thou shalt have it, and have it in abundance, but as yet (as it is said) We are the sonnes of God, 1 Iohn 3.2.but it appeares not what wee shall bee: It is true on both sides, those worldly men that bragge so much of their present sense that they have, and that others want, it appeares not yet what either shall be, but you are mingled together, and there is one common condition to all, because this is the time of trial. Mark the wise General, he doth not like of a Souldier at the first, but when he hath tried him, and hath suffered both to runne out their course, the valiant man, and those that are cowards; when their course is finished, and when the battell is done, that is the time of conferring of honours. The wise Master doth not reward his servants at the first, but hee lets them alone, the good servant and the bad, till their time be out, till the time of their wages come, that is, the time when hee makes the difference. So doth the Lord, for this time the Battell is not to the strong, that is, men have not their reward here for the present time. Even as it is upon a Stage, both are let alone till they have acted their part, there is no alteration, but when they come off from the Stage, that is the time, when the one is commended, and the other is discommended. So it is with the Sonnes of God, and the Sonnes of men, God lets you both alone for the time, till you be gone off the Stage, that is the time that you must looke for the difference; therefore be not preposterous in your expectation, be not discouraged, because you have not such outward contentments, because you are not above, but below, for the present life, the time is not yet come; for God doth not yet rule the world, as he will do; he hath, as it were, left the world to be ruled by others, he hath left men to rule: now errour comes from the face of the Ruler (as the Wise-man saith) that is,Eccles. 10.5. there is that obliquity in the hearts of men, those that are in place of government generally, That Servants ride on Horse-backe, and Princes and Wise-men goe as Servants on foot. The Reason is, because men rule the world; For errour (saith Salomon) is from the face of the Ruler. But now when God shall take all the government into his owne hands, when he shall be absolute King in the exercise of his dominion, then he will set all straight, and not before: then Servants shall goe on foot, and Princes and Wise-men shall ride on Horse-backe; therefore expect not thou it yet, the time is not yet come that thou shouldest be on Horse-backe, thou must be content to goe on foot yet. And therefore, though you have not the present sense, goe on notwithstanding, hold out thy expectation a while, though it appeare not yet what thou shalt be, yet it will come when thou shalt have the sense of it in abundance.
Thirdly, and lastly, though thou have it not fully, though the time be deferred till the day of the declaration of the wrath of God on the one hand, and of his favour to the Saints on the other, yet by being New Creatures, you shall have outward comforts in great abundance, you shall not fare the worse, but much the better for it; for the Promise is sure to those that feare the Lord:Prov. 22.4. To humility and the feare of God, to them is promised Riches, and Honour, and Life: And God performes it in this life, though the full harvest bee kept for afterwards: though you have but the first fruits of the reward, as well as you have but the first fruits of the Spirit; yet, in this life, as you walke more perfectly with him, so he will with you; and the lesse you walke with him, the lesse hee will walke with you (that is) such an evennesse you shall finde in the wayes of God to you, such a measure of Iudgement and mercy, as there is evennesse or unevennesse of your hearts, as there is so much new, or so much old. Let us labour to make our wayes more perfect, and we shall be more perfect in our outward estate, we shall be better in our wealth, we shall be blessed better in our name, thou shalt bee more cheerefull in thy Spirit, thou shalt be blessed in thy wife, and in thy children, at thy going out, and at thy comming in, in every thing: so that the present wages that you shall have, set aside that which is deferred for the future, it is exceeding large to the New Creature; there is comfort enough in the thing, holinesse is reward enough to it selfe, if you should have no more. If a man be in strength and in health, what if you put him into a Cottage, what if he be put into prison? he can beare it well enough: If there were no more but to be made a New Creature, it were enough to make your hearts to desire that condition; but besides that, it brings outward comforts in abundance; or, if you have not abundance, it will make a little instead to you of a great deale.
So much for this, because I have other things to deliver.
Vse 3.Thirdly, are they inseparable? Then take heed of challenging the one without the other;Take heed of challenging Iustification without Sanctification. doe not thinke that you are in Christ, if you finde not that New Creature: And this Doctrine is of much moment, for this is that, that we shall all be tried by at the last day, and it is that peremptory Sentence that can never be revoked, because it is the Sentence of the Gospel, therefore you must know this, that al the judgements that are pronounced in the Gospel, they are without all reservation, there is no more revoking of them, therefore Paul saith, Rom. 2.16. He shall judge the secrets of mens hearts according to my Gospell: So that you must know that the Gospell hath a judgement, and a terrible judgement as wel as the Law. (There is a judging by the Law, that is,) men that have lived without the knowing of Christ, they shall be judged by the Law, but when we come to Christ, to live under the Gospell, (as we all doe) wee shall be judged by the Gospell; What is that? those that receive not Christ shall be damned: that is one part of the Gospell you know; therefore you see that there is a judgement there; He that beleeves shall be saved, but he that beleeves not shall be damned. Well, as it is true concerning the point of Iustification, hee that beleeves not and takes not Christ, shall bee damned for it: So it is as true in the point of Sanctification, he that is not a New Creature, hee that is not borne againe, he shall not enter into the Kingdome of God, Iohn 3.3. There is a peremptory judgement: therefore consider with thy selfe, when thou commest to die, what thou wilt say then, Satan will then come and lay thy sinnes to thy charge, thou must then thinke what thou hast to answer, thou hast nothing to say but I am in Christ: well, but how dost thou prove that, he will aske thee that question, Art thou a New Creature? If thou doe finde that thou art not a New Creature, thou art not in Christ, and thou needest not a new condem…ation, but thou art condemned already.Iohn 3.18. For Christ found all the world in a state of condemnation, and if thou be not in him, thou art in the same estate: and therefore if you should but heare these words, if wee should bee silent, and should but reade these words, Whosoever is in Christ, let him be a New Creature: it may make a man tremble, and looke about him, and consider his state, and take heed of disjoyning these things that the Lord hath joyned together: if being in Christ, and being a New Creature be inseparable, think not that thou canst take Christ divided, that thou canst take him halfe, and leave the other part, that thou canst take him as a Saviour, and not take him as a Prophet, and a King; thinke not to have Iustification, and to want Sanctification: and therefore, you see, when the Gospell was preached, this was the maine thing that was urged, Marke 6.13. when the seventie were sent out (saith the Text) this was their preaching, it sets downe the summe, that men should amend their lives. When Christ himselfe was to preach, Matth. 4.17. this was the summe of his Doctrine, Amend your lives, for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand. Paul, when he would tell them what was the summe of his preaching, Act. 20.21. saith hee, Wee goe about preaching, witnessing to Iewes and Grecians repentance towards God, and faith towards Christ. So that this Repentance that makes a man a New Creature, it was pressed as a thing of absolute necessity, as well as the taking of Christ. You know, when Iohn Baptist came, what he called for,Matth. 3.8. Fruits worthy of amendment of life. Deceive not your selves, apply not the promises of the Gospell, except you finde this Symptome of being in CHRIST, that you are made New Creatures.
This distinguisheth betweene a Temporary Beleever, and another; both goe thus far, both have an insition into the Root, but the Temporary Beleever partakes not of the fatnesse of the Root ▪ he receives not life from the Root: It may be thou hast taken Christ in thy sense, but hast thou tasted of the fatnesse of the Root, hast thou drawne life from him, art thou made a New Creature, as a graft that is put into a new stocke: when wee are ingrafted into Christ, there is an inversion of the order, there the stocke changeth the graft; in the other, the graft changeth the stocke into its Nature. Againe, when thou takest Christ without this, it is as putting stones one upon another, when there is nothing to sement them, and to glew them together: whosoever is in Christ, is built upon him, as upon the corner-stone; now an Hypocrite may be built on him, as well as a true Professour; but here is the difference, they are living stones, their Nature is altered, they differ as much from themselves what they were before, as living things differ from dead stones; so, it may be, thou hast had an adhesion to the Body of Christ, thou hast stucke to it, as it were; but, if thou be a true member, then thou art knit to it by ligaments and sinewes, thou hast communion with the head, there is an influence of bloud and spirits into thee: therefore consider that with thy selfe; it may be, thou livest in the Church, and art such a member of it, as a glasse-eye is of the body: but hast thou communion with the head, art thou made a New Creature by being in Christ? Is thy heart changed and sanctified by being in him? If it be so; then conclude, thou art in Christ; For, if any be in Christ, he is a New Creature. Examine thy selfe in this, deceive not thy selfe, to whomsoever he is made Righteousnesse, he is made Sanctification. It is impossible they should be disjoyned, (as I told you in the morning,) his bloud hath not onelyonly a vertue to cleanse thee from the guilt of thy sinnes, but a power to purge thy conscience from dead workes, to serve the living God, Hebr. 9.14.
And wheresoever it is a plaister to cover thy sinnes, it doth likewise heale and cure them: therefore thinke not that thou art in Christ, except thou finde this to be thy condition.
Object.Yea, but you will say, Is there such a condition in the world? who is it that findes himselfe such a New Creature? this I find that my old lusts returne, the same Inclinations I had, I finde them still, and this experiment of being all new, that all old things are passed away, I have not yet had; what shall we say to this?
Wee will answer it very briefely:
Though thou hast it not already, yet thou must not bee discouraged,Answ. thou must not say, there is nothing done, because al is not done: for motions are denominated from the termes they tend to, not from that they are already: when a thing is a little white, though it bee not perfectly white, we say, it is white: when the Lord begins new qualities, if it be in sincerity, it is properly said to be a New Creature, for in time it will come to that, that will be the issue of it: therefore that which stands you in hand, is to consider, whether you be so or no; for indeed it is a difficult thing to discerne, and needfull for you to consider it: therefore I will briefely shew you how you shall discerne it.
First,Signos of a new Creature. you must know you shall have a present Sense of it,1A Sense of it. you shall feele it in your selves, you shall know that such a change is wrought in you: for this is the difference betweene the Soule of a Man, and the soule of a Beast; a Beast cannot returne upon his action, to know whether he have done such a thing or no, but the Soule of a Man is able to doe it, it is capable of reflect Acts, as we say, it can recoile and returne upon it selfe, and can consider what is done with it: therefore examine thy selfe by this, thou mayest know, whether such a change be wrought in thy heart or no. See it in other things, thou canst tell what thou delightest in, thou canst tell what thine inclination is; for a mans inclination is of a quick sense, it puts him forward, it carries him to that which he desires: therefore thou mayest see the scope of this, thou mayest deceive another, thou canst not deceive thine owne heart, especially in judging this, whether thou be a New Creature. If thou judge strictly of thy selfe, if thou have a right rule to examine it by, the present sense of it may be an assurance that thou art made a New Creature: for to be a New Creature is nothing else, but to be turned upside downe, when a man changeth his course (as it were, from East to West) when hee sailes to a quite contrary point of the Compasse, when the Rudder of his life is turned: therefore Paul saith, he came to preach,…ct. 26.18. To turne men from darknesse to light, from the power of Satan of God: Therefore there is a contrary course, it is a turning, it is true, if the New Creature were but a buckling, but a bowing of the course, it would be hardly discerned, but when it is from contrary to contrary, such a thing is easily found.
I know such a thing as I hated, now I love it; I know such a duty that was tedious, now it is delightfull; such a thing I could not doe, now I can performe it; go thorow all the parts of thy life thou mayest have … present sense.
Wonder not at this Doctrine, for if it were not thus, no man could have assurance at the first conversion of his heart to God, if it were not that you might judge your selves by a present sense you have, by that alteration, by that reflect act of the Soule; for when I say sense, I meane that inclination of thy Soule; If wee could not judge our selves by that, no man at his first comming to CHRIST could judge of himselfe, till he had staied some time; and then at what time shall we set limits, shall we stay at a day, or a weeke, or at a monethmonth, or a yeare, or seven yeare: therefore a man may have assurance from the inclination of his Soule, that there is a change in him, or else we should never be able to comfort men in an exigent: For, except they had had triall, except they had a long time to live, except they might come to converse, and be put upon it by temptation and triall, no man could comfort himselfe: therefore that is one thing to try it, you shall finde a change wrought, you shall finde the inclination of the Soule turned another way: Goe thorow all the particulars, looke thorow the whole rectitude of the Image of God, expressed in all the graces of that whole line, and look to your heart what it was before, and thou shalt finde in every thing an alteration, that is one thing to judge it by.
Secondly,2The Vniversalitie of it. you shall judge something by the universality of it; Whosoever is in Christ is a New Creature: The meaning is not, that the substance of a man is changed, but the order and frame of his Soule is altered, there are the same strings, as it were, but there is a new tune put to them; there is the same Soule, the same faculties, but there is a new order there. Marke, as it is in all things that consist in order, there you must have the whole, or none at all, the harmony that hath not every string set right, in some measure, it is no harmony, but the harmony is dissolved. Beauty that consists in a conformity of all the parts, except there bee a concurrence of all, the Beauty is dissolved, it is nothing; so in all things else: therefore consider with thy selfe, art thou made all new? for thou must know that God workes not by halves; no man ever had an heart halfe new and old; in the worke of Redemption and re-creating, and repairing of mankind, there is not a worke of the Lord but it is perfect. It is true, it is not ripe yet, there is a time for the maturity of it, it shall grow to full ripenesse; but yet the Lord lookes on it, and it must be very good, that is, there must be all of it: therefore consider with thy selfe, Art thou all new? Is there not some exempted place in thy heart and life that is yet old, as old as it was? If there be, certainely thou art not yet made a New Creature.
Take Iudas for example, you shall finde this, he had old still, his covetousnes yet remained in him that was not renued: thence it was, that in the Passeover, there was such a strait charge, that all the leaven should be purged out; you see how it is repeated, not a jot of leaven shall be left. So, saith the Apostle, All must be new and unleavened,1 Cor. 5.7. because Christ our Passeover is offered for us.
Object.But the naturall man will say, this is impossible; for then wee shall have no sinne?
My Brethren, that is not the meaning of it; the meaning is,Answ. that thou must be purged from all the old leaven, that is, thou must allow none, thou must strive against all, thou must hate all, thou must doe thy best to cleanse it out, and not suffer any to be there willingly, as to take possession in thy heart; it may be there as a theefe, (as it were, as a Creeper in) but otherwise it is not to be there: therefore consider that, Let them looke to this, that thinke stoppage is paiment, that take liberty in some things, and think to recompence it by a more strict care in other things: for when a man comes to this, to super-errogate in some things, and to be negligent in others, It is an evill signe, it is a signe thou art not a New Creature, for then all would bee new; I say, it is an ill signe, that there is no life there, it is a signe that all that thou doest otherwise is but counterfeit: therefore it is worth your observation, that when any man serves the Lord, when he doth it not with his whole heart, it is reckoned as counterfeit, if there bee but one old place in the heart, if there bee but one old lust living there, God takes all as fained, Ier. 3.10. You did not turne to me with your whole heart, but fainedly: As if he should say, If it be not done with the whole heart, it is fained, it is a signe there is no life there, if a man abound in duties never so much; let him be excellent in prayer, excellent in almes-deeds, in doing justice, let him come to Church, let him doe what he will, if there be any thing old, yet it is a signe he wants life, for where there is life, there is augmentation of parts; a man that is living encreaseth in all. If thou find some part of thy soule, of thy life, to be augmented, and not the rest, thou art dead, a dead thing may be capable of it, you may encrease one part of Wheat, or of Silver, or Gold, but the other part continues as it was, but all increase in living Creatures, it is a generall encrease, there is nothing stands at a stay; if thou finde a reservation in some things wherein thou takest liberty, and standest at a stay, thou art not yet a New Creature.
3Looking upon every thing with a new eye.Thirdly, thou shalt know, if thou be new by this, thou lookest upon every thing with a new eye, every thing is presented to thee in a new manner: this I take from this very Chapter, the Apostle saith,2 Cor. 5.16. We know no man after the flesh, therefore whosoever is in Christ let him bee a New Creature: As if he should say, I am a New Creature, or else I could not be in Christ; as I, so every man else must be▪ for that instance he gives of living to the Lord, of being a New Creature, he knew no man after the flesh. Look to thy selfe in this, dost thou looke upon every thing in the world with a new eye, (that is) upon all the particulars; thou lookest upon sinne in another fashion than thou did'st before, thou seest more in it, than ever thou did'st? Thou lookest upon spirituall Grace in another m…nner, thou seest more excellencie in it than thou diddest; thou look'st upon the world in another manner, than when thou didst magnifie it, and the things of it, the dignity, the honour and the wealth; thou art now able to say as Paul, They are as drosse, as a withering flower: thou lookest upon good and ill men after another manner, a vile person will be despised in thine eyes, let him have all outward excellencies, and hee that feares the Lord, thou wilt honour him, let him be never so base: thou lookest on thy selfe after another manner, thou doest no more behold thy selfe as thou didst, to thinke thy selfe perfected, by adding to thy outward condition, to thy outward comforts and conveniences, though that be a thing that is not to be despised, yet a mans selfe lyes not in that, but himselfe is the inward man, the Regenerate man; thou wilt not care to have thy outward man perish, thou wilt not care what loser thou be in any thing else, thou wilt reckon that thy selfe, therefore thou wilt deny those things, because thou reckonest not them thy selfe; for it is impossible that a man should deny that which is himselfe, but thy judgement is altered, thou lookest with another eye upon another selfe, than thou didst before, and therefore thou deniest that which before thou tookest for thy selfe, and nourished'st for thy selfe. Now a man lookes upon God with another eye, now hee sees his beauty, and his excellency, he sees there i… nothing in the world to be desired in compa…son of him; before hee was shie of him, and ranne away from him, as Adam did. It is the state of every carnall man, he presents God terrible, he hath no delight in God, he lookes upon him, as upon a Iudge, as one he serves of necessity; but I say then, you will know the Lord, Ier. 31. when you are taught of mee, then you shall know the Lord; when you are made New Creatures, then you shall know me, that is, yo… shall see mee in another fashion than ever you did, you shall looke on me with another eye, you shall know me then, as to love me, to desire me, to long after nothing so much as Communion with mee. I might run thorow more instances, but the time calls mee away. Thou wilt looke upon every thing with another eye, they will be presented with another shape, for there will be a new Heaven, and a new Earth to thee, I say, all will be new to thee: for marke the newnesse of any sense, or of any facultie, when it is renewed by any infused quality, it is not so much discerned by it selfe, as by the object; as, if a man have a new taste, and a new savour, a new taste in health, How shall hee know it? Give him meat, and drinke, and what you will, in all the objects of the taste, you shall finde a new rellish.
So if you would know of your heart, if it be new, goe to the objects that thy heart is conversant about, see if thou lookest upon them in another fashion, if thou have a new taste, and a new rellish in thee: for if there be a new heart in thee, thou mayest see it outwardly; thou wilt say as Paul said, I know no man, or any thing after the flesh, after the outward condition; this note will try it, if you apply it to your selves, after once the change is wrought, that you are made New Creatures, there is nothing that is presented to you after the same manner as it was, every thing is changed with you, as if you were brought into a new world, you will see them to be other things than you did before; but I cannot stand to presse this further.
Againe,4New workes. if you would know whether this bee in you or no, then consider, whether your workes be altered: for we have a rule in Philosophy and a true one, and we will apply it here; As a thing is in being, so it is in working: If there be a new disposition in thee, if there bee another Nature, there will be a new kind of work, for all things in the world worke according to their being, and there is nothing that hath an essence and a being, but the operations and acts of it are sutable to it: therefore, if thou wouldest know, looke to what thou doest; It is not therefore thy good purposes or thy good meanings, but thy doing: therefore examine thy selfe, Hast thou left any old courses? Hast thou given over thy drinking, thy gaming, thy sinne of uncleannesse, thy breaking of the Sabbath? Wilt thou say that thou hast a new heart, and yet keepest thy old company still? That thou hast a new heart, and yet usest thy old speeches still? That thou hast a new heart, and yet ploddest in the same old tract that thou didst? Looke what thou wast wont to doe, thou doest still; thou wast wont to spend the Sabbath thus and thus, and thou doest so still; thou wast wont to neglect prayer, to performe it in a remisse manner; thou wast wont to be a negligent hearer, without recalling it, and working it upon thine owne heart, without growing in knowledge, and thou art so still; thou wast wont to have secret by-wayes, that thy heart knowes were not good, and thou holdest them still: wilt thou say thou art a New Creature? It is impossible. If we be New Creatures, there will bee an alteration certainly in our lives: And therefore to you that say, I purpose to doe better, and I intend it, my meaning is good, I say to you,2 Cor. 4.20. the Kingdome of God stands not in word, and in purpose, and in meaning, but in power. Thou art made a New Creature, that is, the inward frame of thy heart is altered, and, if that be altered, there is an ability followes it, that inables thee to do the duties of new obedience, and to abstaine from the contrary: therefore examine thy selfe by thy actions, and say not now, though I doe not live strictly and precisely, for shew, as others doe, yet I doe as much in substance; for if thou be a New Creature, thou wilt be as much in shew too, the operation and action will follow, if the in-side be cleane, Mat. 23. the out-side will be so, though it be true, we oft finde the out-side cleane, when the in-side is not.
Therefore, it is no strange marke that I give, that examining your selves by the out-side should bee a meanes to know if you bee New Creatures; for, though we cannot say that because the out-side is good, the inside is so too; yet wee may conclude, if the out-side be not good, certainly thou art not a New Creature yet.
Therefore, let none say they have a good intention although their workes be bad. For although this bee not a good Affirmative Argument▪ if the out-side be good, the inside will be so also; yet it is a good Negative Argument, if the out-side be not cleane, the in-side cannot be cleane: As in Ier. 3.4, 5. Will you not from this time crie unto me, Thou art my Father, and the guide of my youth? &c. All this is well spoken. But behold, thou hast spoken and done evill things as thou couldest. So that good professions will not serve the turne when wee doe evill; God judgeth not by our intentions, but according to our workes.
The end of the Second Sermon.