Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 5 · Sermon 40
SERMON XL.
Shewing the Neceſsity of the New Creature.
GAL. 6. 15.
For in Chriſt Jeſus, neither Circumciſion, or Uncircumciſion availeth any thing, but a New Creature.
THe Apoſtle at the 11th Verſe concludeth this Epiſtle with a teſtification of his love and kindneſſe to them: For his reproofs had bin ſharp, yet love cauſed them, and that is good of Auſtins, Dilige, & loquere quod vis, Love, and then ſpeak what thou wilt. The Argument of his love is ſeen in the length of his Letter; a large Letter argued large affections, and that with his own hand; whereas many of his other Epiſtles were written by others. The ſecond demonſtration of his love is in warning them againſt falſe Apoſtles, whom he deſcribes by their ambition and hypocriſie: Their hypocriſie, they deſired foreign, an excellent word, To make a fair ſhew. As ſtrumpets commonly more trim up themſelves than grave Matrons, ſo falſhood is more varniſhed and painted than truth. Then their ambition is deſcribed in affecting Diſciples, Ambitio ſcenam deſiderat, Ambition loves to have ſome look on and applaud. Laſtly, there is the carnall advantage they look at, it is to avoyd perſecution: For the Jewes being zealous of the Law, and perſecuting to the death thoſe that ſeemed to take it away; theſe falſe Apoſtles to avoid danger would retain the Doctrine of Chriſt, and the Ceremoniall Law alſo: Thus they were as Reeds ſhaken with every wind. Now the Apoſtle to oppoſe them, inſtanceth in the contrary grace in himſelf, God forbid that I ſhould glory, ſave in the Croſſe of Chriſt, &c. Perſecutions for the Goſpel I fear not, but glory in them; and hereupon layeth down a generall ſentence, an excellent practicall Aphoriſm, In Chriſt Jeſus neither Circumciſion, or uncircumciſion availeth any thing, but a new Creature. As if he ſhould have ſaid, you are wholly taken up in diſputations about Circumciſion and uncircumciſion, all your conference, all your ſtudies run out about this; but the truth of grace lyeth not in theſe things. It is not any Privilege, any Sacrament, any external duty makes us acceptable to God if we are not new Creatures. The Apoſtle hath a parallel expreſſion in the Chapter before, Chap 5, 6. 1 Cor. 7. 19.
Before I come to handle the nature of this new Creature, I cannot paſſe the preheminence and ſuperiority the Apoſtle giveth it to all other privileges and duties though never ſo glorious. From whence obſerve,
That no privilage, or duty in Religion, is acceptable to God, unleſſe a man be a new Obſerv. No privilege, &c.Creature.
Doſt thou pray? unleſſe a new Creature God owneth it not. Doſt thou hear? unleſſe a new Creature God regardeth thee not: As Joſeph ſaid to his Brethren, Unleſſe bring Benjamin come not in my preſence; Unleſſe you come to holy duties as new Creatures, God loveth not to ſee you. This Doctrine is ſo neceſſary, and ſo worthy of all acceptation, that the Apoſtle addeth, Whoſoever walketh after this rule (that is) as ſome expound, according to this poſition, that no externall duties are accepted without a new Creature) peace be on him and mercy. The receiving of this truth, is opening of the door for the peace of God to reſt on you.
To underſtand this better, know, That the Apoſtle doth not ſpeak this, as if external duties were to be omitted or neglected; for he that ſaith here, Circumciſion availeth The neglect of duties not hence to be in…erred.nothing, doth in another place ſay, It profits much every way, Rom. 3. 2. and he calls it, The ſeal of the righteouſneſſe of faith, Rom. 4. 11. Thus the Ordinances of the New Teſtament, prayer, hearing, receiving of Sacraments, though they are nothing without Regeneration, yet they are duties commanded in their time and order. If a man ſhould ſay, eyes, and eares, and a head are nothing without a ſoul; it doth not therefore follow, that they are not to be prized as mercies, when God gives us to enjoy both ſoul and body. Though the Chaff be worth nothing when the Wheat is not, yet it was a great defence and ſhelter to the Wheat when it covered it growing in the field. Outward duties are not to be oppoſed to the work of grace, but compoſed; you muſt not argue from one, to the deſtruction, but to the poſition of the other.
If a man ſhould ſay, There are ſo many forms of Church-Government, and if a man be for this form, or the other, it is nothing unleſſe a man be a new Creature; he ſaith truely: but to infer from thence, that Therefore it's no matter for that form which hath cleareſt teſtimony from Scripture, it is a great inconſequence; and the ground of all this is, Although outward duties, and the Religious forms God hath appointed, be not the eſſence of grace; yet being commanded by God, we are to uſe them, and thereby teſtifie our worſhip of him; and withall where true grace is, they doe increaſe grace, and by dayly frequent exerciſe therein, we come to an higher degree in holineſſe; for they are the Pool, in which not an Angel, but God comes in with healing; they are the Garden, wherein Chriſt walks; they are the Feaſt, at which God himſelf is preſent; and for theſe ſpirituall effects, the Saints of God have ſuch admirable raviſhing expreſſions about them. Take heed therfore of that dangerous Rock on one hand, to neglect the ordinances, expecting immediate Revelations, and Enthuſiaſms; or on the other hand, a propliane contempt of them, even as the Swine doth a Pearl.
Now let us conſider, Why God careth not for thoſe externall duties, without the work of Regeneration. If thou prayeſt and heareſt in that old ſtate thou wert born in, and not renewed, theſe duties are like wild Grapes. And,
Firſt, Becauſe God doth not graciouſly accept any man, but where he ſeeth his own likeneſs, his own ſimilitude. Thus God made man at firſt after his own Image, that ſo Reaſons 1. Without Gods likeneſs … acceptance.he might delight in him, and communicate happineſſe to him, which Beaſts were not capable of. Now this Regeneration is called, Epheſ. 4. A renewing after the Image of God. It is a known Rule, That likeneſſe is a cauſe of love. And this holdeth in ſome proportion between us and God: For although this new Creature of grace hath many imperfections and deformities in it; yet for the ſubſtance and main it's the likeneſſe and Image of God, and ſo for Chriſts ſake he accepts of it.
Is it any wonder then, if the prayer, the hearing of a wicked man be an abhomination? for God ſeeth there the Devils likeneſſe, the reſemblance of Satan, and how can he entertain ſuch? Say then to thy ſelf. I goe to pray, I goe to hear to day, but is there any thing of God in me, am I holy, as he is holy in ſome degree? If not, God ſeeth nothing but what he hates and abhorreth in me. Thoſe outward duties they put not a divine ſtamp upon us, but this inward change wrought by God. How then is it, that you are no more ſollicitous in this great matter? why ſhould you not be as much afraid of praying without a new heart, as not praying at all; of hearing without a new heart, as not hearing at all?
Secondly, God doth not regard outward duties unleſſe we be new Creatures becauſe 2. We cannot perform duties upon right grounds, unleſs regeneratedwe are not able without this to perform them upon ſpirituall and ſupernaturall grounds: And unleſſe all our duties be grafted upon this ſtock, they are no more than Brambles and Thorns fit for burning: now the ſupernaturall ground in praying and hearing is becauſe of God, and in reference to him: Iſrael was an empty Vine, in all her duties, becauſe ſhe brought forth fruit for her ſelf, Hoſ. 10. 1. ſhe did not turn to God, even unto him. The Motive or Loadſtone to draw our affections in any ſpirituall exerciſe, muſt be Gods goodneſſe, holineſſe, and ſpirituall excellency: The Virgins love thee, becauſe of thy oyntment powred forth, Cant. 1. 2. Chriſt raxeth his followers becauſe of his loaves; and the Apoſtle reckoneth it as an Argument, That all old things are paſſed away, and all things are become new, becauſe, they know no man, no nor Chriſt himſelf after the Fleſh, 2 Cor. 5. They do not look for carnall advantages by Chriſt, but love him and obey him becauſe of ſpirituall grounds; now a ſtone may as well flye up into the aire, as a man without this new Creature be carryed out in Religious duties upon ſpirituall grounds. A Beaſt may as well ſpeak and underſtand reaſon as a naturall man diſcern and be affected with ſpirituall Motives; and yet if this be not, a man in all religious duties is like David in Sauls Armour, they are too big and great for him, he knoweth not how to manage them: Conſider then, How can I pray, or hear upon thoſe ſupernaturall Motives which God requires, if this new nature be wanting? How can Im prayer rejoyce in the promiſes of God, mourn becauſe of the foul and loathſome nature of ſinne, if there be not this good foundation laid? This then is all in all, and yet we doe not above all attend to this: Therefore as Paul ſaid, commending the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, ſpeaking with tongues, working of Miracles, &c. Yet I ſhew y…u a more excellent way. So, though ye doe well in praying, in hearing, yet there is a more excellent and more neceſſary way, and that is to perform all theſe by a ſanctified, renewed principle within.
Thirdly, as Religious duties cannot be performed graciouſly without this, ſo, Neither is a man a fit ſubject to receive thoſe ſpirituall benefits communicated by God 3. We are not fit to receive the benefits of duties without regeneration.in them, without this. Unleſſe a man be a new Creature he knoweth not what it is to have Communion and Fellowſhip with God in Prayer and Sacraments; He cannot taſte of the comforts and joyes in the Holy Ghoſt; ſuch expreſſions as thoſe, I will come and ſup with him, and he with me; and my ſoul panteth after the living God, when ſhall I come and enjoy him? he is not able to underſtand: There is in the ſpirituall diſcharge of holy duties, a very heaven, a comfortable enjoying of Gods preſence; I will dwell with them, ſaith God, 2 Cor. 6. and yee are the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 3. But (alas) theſe are unſpeakable miſeries to an unregenerate man. In all duties they have but the bone as it were, not the marrow; they ſtand in the Porch of the Temple, they doe not enter into the Holy of Holies; They doe not feel what David and Paul, and all thoſe holy Servants of God have felt in Gods Word; what ſhould move you more to ſeek after this new Creature than this? To think theſe Ordinances are but husks to me, and Manna to others; they are but a Wilderneſſe to me, when a Garden to others; others goe home bleſſing and praiſing God, as if they had been in a glorious transfiguration, but I return earthly and ſtupid. Oh why is all this, but becauſe I want this new Creature; then it wouldbe new praying, and new hearing.
Fourthly, therefore no outward Duty or Privilege is accepted without a new 4. Juſtification and Regeneration are are inſeparably united.Creation, Becauſe juſtification and this new Creature are inſeparably united together, and cannot be one moment divided from each other, Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to thoſe who are in Jeſus Chriſt, (there is Juſtification:) Who walk not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit, (there is Sanctification:) Now ſeeing that juſtification is the ground of all acceptance both of our perſons and duties, and this is alwayes concomitant with a new Creature; therefore without this, that hath neceſſarily adjoyned to it a ground of all acceptance, we can never be regarded by God. Oh therefore think with thy ſelf, The prayer of a juſtified perſon is onelyonly approved of, God hath firſt respect to Abel, and then to his Offering: You muſt not think by praying and hearing to get your perſons accepted, but they muſt be firſt accepted, that your duties may; now this juſtification is of none but this regenerated perſon: Why ſhould ye not hearken diligently to theſe things, for if all thy duties hitherto have not been accepted, thou art to begin anew, to lay a new foundation; and certainly it is the neceſſary duty that lyeth upon many perſons, though Chriſtians, to raze the very foundation they have built all their hopes upon; they have trodden in a road, judge of acceptance with God according to the principles of Reaſon, and the light of Nature, but have not informed themſelves out of Gods Word, for by that we muſt attain to thoſe two great works of God, Juſtification and Sanctification; Juſtification to reconcile our Perſons; Sanctification to make holy our Natures and ſpiritualize all our Duties; and if theſe two be not in us, God rejecteth all our Duties, as the Artificer in, his building doth ſome crooked ſtone that he cannot make ſtraight.
Fifthly, God doth not accept our religious ſervices without this new Creature, 5 Duties are nor in a true ſenſe good without the new Creature.becauſe they cannot be ſo much as called good, and holy in a Scripture-ſenſe without this. God ſaith not unto thee as unto the Centurion, Thy Prayers are heard; Neither doth God, as it's ſaid of Noah's Sacrifice, ſmell a ſweet ſavour, till thou art made new, and changed from thy Originall eſtate. For they are not good or well done, becauſe to have a good action there is required all the conditions, Bonum eſt ex integris cauſis, malum e quolibet defectu, one defect is enough to make an action evil, but it cannot be good unleſſe all circumſtances are concurrent; now the Scripture, to have it good praying, good hearing, requireth; Firſt, That the man himſelf be made good: Make the Tree good, and then the Fruit will be good; Cleanſe the inſide firſt: The heart is the good Treaſure; ſo that a man cannot do any thing after a godly manner but by a renewed nature, he may doe it after a cuſtomary and ſeeming religious manner, ſo that men may admire it, but he cannot do it with a gracious foundation, till his nature be healed: Then as the principle muſt be good, ſo the manner alſo, that is, after a fervent, zealous and heavenly manner, not with a meer lip-labour, or bodily preſence; there muſt be motions and earneſt ſtirrings of heart: Take heed how you hear, and pray with groans unutterable: and laſtly, as you heard all this muſt be to God, pleaſing God, aiming at God, looking at God, and not at man; ſo that all our ſpirituall duties are to be of him, and by him, and to him; and no wonder if ſo much be required to the right diſcharge of any holy duty, for Ariſtotle requires as much to any virtuous action; He ſaith, That onelyonly can be called a righteous action which is, juſta, à juſto, juſta, from a juſt man, in a juſt manner; and ſo that is onelyonly a godly duty, which is done by a godly man, in a godly manner, to a godly end.
Sixtly, This new Creature is looked after, rather than any outward duty, Becauſe 6. True Chriſtianiſm conſiſteth in the new Creature.in this true Chriſtianiſm doth conſiſt. A man is not really and properly a Chriſtian, becauſe Baptixed, becauſe he profeſſeth Chriſt, and worſhippeth him, but becauſe he hath this new Creature in him, and this is the ſcope of Paul in the Text: So that as in the time of the Old Teſtament, true Judaiſm, or the true being of a Jew did not conſiſt in being outwardly Circumciſed, but it was in that of the heart, and he was a Jew which was ſo inwardly, Romans 2. Thus he is a Chriſtian, not who is outwardly baptized, but who is inwardly anointed with the graces of Chriſt; for to be a Chriſtian is to be an anointed one; and then of this inward Jew ſee what the Apoſtle ſaith, Whoſe praiſe is of God, not of men. It's God that is a Father of ſpirits, that looks to the hearts of men, that praiſeth this Jew, this Chriſtian. The denomination of every thing is from its chief and better part. We call a man reaſonable, becauſe of his ſoul the chief part of him; ſo a man is called a Chriſtian, not ſo much becauſe he prayeth, heareth, cometh to Church, which is but like the body; but becauſe theſe are done by a renewed nature within, which is like the ſoul. O then know, as every Profeſſion hath its Art, its Skill, its Myſtery, which a ſtranger hath not; ſo hath Chriſtianity; there is a Myſtery of praying, a Myſtery of hearing, which the naturall man underſtandeth not.
Seventhly, If external duties were enough without this new Creature, then the way to heaven would be a broad eaſie way. Whereas the Scripture ſets down a peremptory 7. Otherwiſe Heaven way would be broader then Scripture allowes.poſition clean contrary; Streight is the way, and ſtrive to enter into it, and Few enter in it. But if no more were required to pray and hear then moſt men doe, it would be a broad way, every man would enter into it. There needs no ſtriving, no agonies to ſuch duties: A man in prayer muſt have a broken contrite heart; it is a Metaphor from a broken bone, which cannot be without much pain and torment; ſo a broken heart in a duty cannot be without much ſenſe of grief, ſhame and ſpirituall confuſion; and as when any thing is broken, we ſee what is in the midſt of it, which did not appear before; ſo in a broken heart we diſcover all that foulneſſe, all thoſe loathſome Monſters, all that horrid impiety, which we had no acquaintance with before. And oh that this truth had got full poſſeſſion in your hearts! Every religious duty, if rightly performed, puts the heart into a great agony: They are but few that can enter into this ſtreight way: Therefore ſay, I fear my praying, my hearing, my walking is too broad a way, too large a way, it doth not wound deep enough, or affect throughly.
8. Theſe externall duties are nothing without a new Creature, Becauſe while 8. No faith interreſting us in Chriſt without the new creature.this is abſent there cannot be faith to apply Chriſt, and bring him to dwell in the ſoul who onelyonly is the meritorious cauſe of all acceptance with God. Without faith its impoſſible to pleaſe God. By faith we are juſtified, we have boldneſſe: Now this faith cannot be but in a new nature; yea its made equivalent to this new Creature; for that which the Apoſtle calls here a new Creature, in the Chapter mentioned before he expreſſeth it, By faith working with love. As in the Holy of Holies every thing was Gold, or covered with Gold; ſo all that is accepted with God, is either Chriſt, or Duties covered with Chriſt. Til therefore thou art a new Creature, thou canſt not put forth an act of faith, there wants that Hyſſop which ſhould ſprinkle Chriſts bloud upon thee; and howſoever people may think and ſay they believe in Chriſt, yet its impoſſible for them to doe it, till they be born again; for to believe in Chriſt is the greateſt grace, and ſo needeth the greater power of God.
Ninthly, thereupon it is, that we muſt be new Creatures in all our duties, becauſe Gods Promiſe is onelyonly to ſuch duties that flow from ſuch a Fountain. There is no 9. The promiſes to duties are onelyonly as they come from new Creatures.promiſe made ſingly to bare hearing, and bare praying, but to thoſe that are done with a godly heart, with the whole heart: To thoſe that are poor in ſpirit; to thoſe that turn from their evil wayes, and all theſe properties are the fruit of the new Creature. If therefore there can be no promiſe, then there can be no acceptance: Now what a terrible conſideration is this! Thou that liveſt in thy ſins, thou that refuſeſt to be reformed, yet thou prayeſt, thou heareſt, think with thy ſelf what promiſe is there in all Gods Word, that I may challenge. What Word of God is there to encourage me to pray in hope, to hear in hope; ſo that by this you ſee the abſolute neceſſity of this point: Well might the Apoſtle ſay, Pace be on duplicate page duplicate page all thoſe who walk after this principle, for to other there can be no juſt peace in all their prayers, and religious duties.
To conclude all; a new Creature muſt needs be more then all duties, Becauſe 10. The new creature alone gives life to duties.this onelyonly gives life, vigour, and power to them: they are but dead works; as a dead eye, or a dead hand without this ſupernaturall life. This new Creature is the root that communicates all juice, and ſap to theſe branches; This is the kernell, the other is but the ſhell: out of this renewed heart come renewed duties; ſo that as long as you are defective in this, whatſoever parts, abilities, inlargements you have in any duty, you are ſtill defective in the main. All knowledge, all underſtanding, though it were equall to Angels cannot make a good prayer without a renewed heart. Bernard ſaid well of Lucifer, the chief Angell that fell, Bonum erat ſi fuiſſet ignitus magis quum Lucifer; He had better have had the fire of love to God, than the light of knowledge; ſo it is here, it's better having a renewed heart, which is full of faith and love of God, than the greateſt parts and aſſiſtance that can be.
Uſe 1. Of Inſtruction, That there is a juſt and great reaſon why men ſhould at Uſe 1. Inſtruction. We ought to be affected with performing duties without a renewed heart.well be troubled for not doing of duties with a renewed and regenerated heart, as for not doing them at all. Thou thinkeſt, Oh if I ſhould never hear, never pray, I may juſtly be accounted an Atheiſt, one that hath no fear of God in my heart; this is a good thought; but think further, If I doe not pray and hear with a ſanctified nature, God caſteth all my duties away, as ſo much dung. Conſider, doth not the ſame God that commands thee to pray, to be baptized, to profeſſe his Name, command thee alſo to have a new heart and a new ſpirit. Oh then ſit down and bewail thy ſelf, Lord how have I lived! What ſhall I do! whither ſhall I goe that have been carefull in the outward work of Religion, but not in the inward. God forbid that any ſhould think this is to diſcourage you in your outward duties, to abate your willingneſſe and diligence. No, theſe muſt alſo be done; but theſe are not all that are to be done; remember, God is a Spirit, and ſo muſt be ſerved in Spirit.
Uſe 2. Of Exhortation, Be at laſt provoked to pray to God for this new Creature; Uſe 2. Exhortation. P…ay for the new Creature.Think all thy Religion is like an houſe without a foundation, till this be accompliſhed in thee: Oh think God ſaith to thee every Sabbath day after every duty private or publick, What is all this, If I have not your heart? ſay, I want the main, the ſoul, the life of all, while I want this: To pray, to hear, are duties too high for me to do in a right manner, till God cloath me with ſpirituall power from above; Think upon this very ground, ſo many ſhall pretend to heaven, and glory, yet by God will be rejected; for imagine there come men with parts and abilites, and they ſay, Lord we have done thus in thy name; but depart (ſaith God) ye were not new Creatures. The third and fourth kinde of hearers, they knock to have heaven opened to them, but depart, ye were not new Creatures. The fooliſh virgin… came with more hope to ſpeed than any; but depart ye were not new Creatures. Oh it is this makes a Chriſtian; This makes us have praiſe of God.