Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 5 · Sermon 41
SERMON XLI.
Shewing that the Production of the New-Creature is from God alone; and what Attributes are conſpicuous in the Work.
GAL. 6. 15.
For in Chriſt Jeſus neither Circumciſion nor uncircumciſion availeth any thing, but a New-Creature.
THis Text hath informed us of that Superiority and Preheminency which the Apoſtle giveth to the New Creature above all external Priviledges or Duties in Chriſtianity. We therefore come to ſearch out the Nature of this New Creature, and by the name we ſhall come to know the nature of the thing. In the Greek it is foreign Creation or Creature; for the word is uſed both for the action it ſelf, and the effect produced by it: Now this phraſe to create a thing, is uſed of ſome ſtrange and unwonted work of God. Thus Numb. 16. when God is about to make the earth ſwallow up Dathan and Abiram, he is ſaid according to the Hebrew, to create a Creation. As Gods wonderful judgements are called a Creation, ſo his mercies, as in that of Jeremiah, Jer. 31. 22. Behold I create a new thing, a woman ſhall compaſſe a man, that is, Iſrael, weak as a woman, ſhall compaſſe about in an hoſtile manner, and ſo overcome her moſt potent adverſaries; and thus here, becauſe God doth work upon ſome men a wonderful and great alteration by the Word preached, ſuch as cannot be performed by any moral education; therefore this is called a New Creature, and the expreſſion is alluſive to many paſſages in the Prophets, where when God intends to make a glorious Reformation in his Church, by aboliſhing their former wayes of wickedneſſe, and guiding them into paths of Righteouſneſſe; he is ſaid To create new Heavens, and a new Earth, Iſa. 65. 17. and that Old things are paſſed away: So that this phraſe a New Creature, implieth that the work of Grace, is wrought by the ſole power of God only, it cometh only from him, and alſo, that this being thus wrought in us, it is of a moſt excellent and glorious nature: And firſt I ſhall ſpeak to the nature of it, it is a creature; then the qualifying adjunct, it is a new Creature.
That the work of grace in mans heart, whereby he is born again, is a creature wrought Obſerv. It is the alone power of God that produceth the New-creature.meerly by Gods glorious power.
No Angels, no men are able to work this in a mans heart, but as a man though he beget the body of his ſonne, yet not the ſoul, for that is infuſed by the Father of ſpirits. So though men come to Church, and-outwardly hear, and though the Miniſters of God they labour faithfully in preaching, yet it is God only that makes this light ſhine in the heart. Paul plants and Apollo watereth, but God giveth the increaſe, 1 Cor. 3. The Gardener doth only uſe his outward means, he doth not make the tree, nor can he make any one apple that groweth upon it. I ſhall not at this time inſiſt upon the nature and operations of this new creature, that will be proper when we ſpeak of the Adjunct; but of the efficient cauſe of this, that ſo we may know where to have it. As God onelyonly created the world, and all the things therein, ſo he onelyonly doth this new world of grace. Thus Auſtin defined grace, Bona qualitas facta in nobis, ſine nobis, Wrought in us without our help and power: Now that this work of grace is wrought in us by God meerly, appeareth:
Firſt, In that it's called a Creation. and God onelyonly can create. For to create there Arguments. 1. God onelyonly can create. Requiſite to Creation, I. Infinite power.are required theſe particulars:
1. An infinite vertue and power; in ſo much that the moſt ſolid Divines do hold, That no Creature can be uſed as an inſtrument in Creation, much leſſe be a principall: For ſeeing it is the giving of a Being to ſomething out of nothing, no Creature can work but upon ſome materialls provided; But God when he Created the world, when he made that Chaos, there was nothing pre-exiſtent: Hence that power of God which turneth our hearts unto him, is ſaid to have foreign, Epheſ. 1. 19. an exceeding great ſtrength with it; compared to that power of raiſing Chriſt from the grave. Hence Chriſt in converting the hearts of men towards him, making them at his command to follow him, demonſtrated his Divine Power more than in all externall miracles. Oh then we need not wonder to ſee men love their ſins and delight in them, notwithſtanding they hear and know to the contrary. Alas the Miniſters are not able, no more than the women at Chriſts Sepulchre were, to remove the ſtone upon mens hearts, yea this is heavier than that, for there came an Angel and rolled it away; but here God onelyonly can ſpeak to this Mountain to be removed into the Sea; ſee we then a man by nature dead in ſinne, and by voluntary practice buried in it; if ever this man came to be holy, and to live in holineſſe, wonder at it, as if a new world were made; for onelyonly an infinite power could make this alteration, As Divines to prove that God made the world, it could not be made of it ſelf, give many fit examples to convince thereof: If a man ſee a glorious houſe built up in a curious and moſt exact manner, he concludeth, That houſe did not make it ſelf; or if one have an inſtrument of muſick curiouſly tuned, and excellent Muſick played upon it, he concludeth, This doth not make it ſelf, or its Muſick; ſo the world being ſo curiouſly and harmoniouſly compoſed, called therefore foreign, did not of a ſuddain put it ſelf into this excellent glory: As they argue thus from the world, we may much more argue from the godly life of a Regenerated man, ſee ſuch a man leaving off with deteſtation all his former wickedneſſe, and that becauſe he loveth God, and delighteth in holineſſe, ſee you him acting above the praiſes of men from God, and to God; this man could not do this of himſelf, but God hath changed him. Seeing therefore an infinite power is put forth by God to make us thus new Creatures, well may we exclude man from being partner in this work; ſo that as Auſtin obſerveth well, We are the Creatures of God, both quâ homines, and quâ juſti; As a man thou art Gods Creature, as a renewed man much more Gods Creature.
2. In Creation the Creature is made of nothing; and thus Creation differs from the works of men, which alway ſuppoſe matter aforehand to work upon. Thus in II. The Creature is made of nothing.this ſenſe, the Chaos, or confuſed heap, that was properly created, becauſe made of nothing, yet the works on the other dayes are ſaid to be created; becauſe, though they were not made of nothing, as the Sun and Mans Body, yet of matters altogether indiſpoſed, and unfit; and this ſome Divines call Creation mediate, as the former Creation immediate. Now in this ſenſe the work of Grace is truely called a Creation; for there is nothing in us that did cooperate, or conſent to it; our hearts are dead wombes, till God cauſe us to live, and in this reſpect the Scripture doth repreſent us ſo full of ſinne, and all over corrupted, that thereby the work of grace may be acknowledged onelyonly of the Lord; Thoſe are derogatory Doctrines to the grace of God, that ſay grace doth onelyonly ſtirre up and excite the naturall
3. Creation is in an instant, on a ſuddain; and that is the reaſon why the Scripture III. Creation is in an inſtant.expreſſing Gods work in bringing about any ſuddain mercy, or ſuddain judgement, calls it creation, I create light, and I create darkneſſe, Iſaiah 47. 7. What a glorious world did God make in ſix dayes? Here was a mighty alteration in a ſhort ſpace of time; and if as ſome of the Ancients ſpeak, whom Cajetan pertinaciouſly argueth for, and followeth, that God made all in one day, and that the diſtinction of ſix dayes is but for our capacity; if this opinion ſhould be true (as I think it far from truth, becauſe ſo expreſſely contradictory to the very letter of the Scripture,) it would much more demonſtate the inſtantaneous nature of Creation. As Creation is thus ſuddenly, ſo this work of a new Creature is wrought very quickly in the hearts of thoſe, whom he effectually toucheth. Thus Paul of a Perſecutor, how quickly made a Proſecutor of the truth and Goſpel? Thus Zachaeus the Publican, how immediately doth he leave all and follow Chriſt? and in all inſtances of Converſion, we may wonder to ſee the ſtrange and admirable alteration on a ſuddain: that as the Pſalmiſt cryed out, What aileſt thou, O Jordan, that thou turneſt back? Thus may we admire, What aile theſe men that formetly lived in ſuch groſſe and prophane courſes, that now they ſhould love and delight in the contrary? Only you muſt know that although it be wrought thus ſuddenly and from nothing in us, yet God hath ordered that he will diſpenſe this grace no other way ordinarily than in the preaching of the Word, and the conſtant waiting thereon. Doe not thou therefore expect this Manna will fall from heaven in what place ſoever thou art in; and although thou neglect the publique Ordinances, and the means of grace. No, for although God hath not tyed himſelf to means, yet he hath tyed us to them; and therefore every time thou doeſt wilfully neglect any one Sermon, thou knoweſt not how much thou haſt provoked God, what effectuall and IV. The operations of the new Creature are ſo excellent, that it muſt needs be of God only.gracious operations thou haſt loſt by not being preſent.
4. This new Creature muſt needs be wholly of God, Becauſe it's of a ſupernaturall being, and ſo the operations of it doe exceed the ſphere of naturall power; As when the Apoſtles were inabled to work miracles, it was plainly a demonſtation of Gods power with them, becauſe they did thoſe things which did wholly tranſcend any natural power; ſo when men love God, when they obey his commands out of upright and ſincere motives, they are inabled to doe that which wholly tranſcends the moſt refined natural abilities; It is therefore called, A participation of the divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. whereby our actions have a divine ſtamp upon them; and as Sampſon when he put forth thoſe wonderful acts of ſtrength, he did it not by his naturall power, but an extraordinary aſſiſtance from God; ſo in thoſe actions of a new Creature, whereby we mourn for ſin, or delight in God, we have then more then as a man; for we pray not as a man, we hear not as a man; but God is in us, and with us.
5. This new Creature muſt needs be of God, if ye do conſider, What we are till V. We are the old Serpents, old Creatures, till thus new created.made ſo, even the old Creatures of the Devill; therefore the old man is ſaid to be in us; and the Devill, that old Serpent, he reigneth and ruleth in our hearts: This old houſe muſt be pulled down, ere a new one can be built. The making us new Creatures is ſometimes called a Reſurrection; now as our bodies cannot be made glorious and happy, till a great and wonderfull alteration hath been made in them, ſo neither can our ſouls be made thoſe new Creatures, till God hath wholly new moulded us, put another ſtamp upon us, and another life in us: There cannot any thing be a greater object of horror and terror to us, than the beholding our ſelves in the pure glaſſe of Gods Word; for that repreſents us ſo full of loathſomneſſe and enmity unto God; that we have cauſe to cry out, That God would waſh us, and make us whiter than ſnow: Never think with that naturall condition thou art born in, to enter into the Kingdome of heaven.
6. This Creature muſt rather be made of God ſolely, than the heavens and earth; VI. It is a greater work than the Creation of the World.for although the Scripture doth often celebrate the power and wiſedome of God, in founding the earth upon nothing, and ſtretching out the heavens; yet this Creation upon a mans heart, and his life, is far more wonderfull: Hence it's ordinarily ſaid, That it's a greater wonder to make a man holy and godly, then it is to create a world.
For firſt, it coſt God onelyonly a word when he made that; Let there be light, and there was light; but ere this mercy could be purchaſed for any, Chriſt was to become man and dye for us; ſo that God doth not onelyonly ſpeak, but in his man-hood ſuffer; for you muſt know, as juſtification and pardon of ſinne is a fruit of Chriſts bloud, ſo is alſo this new Creation, and new making of us.
Again the excellency and glory of the heaven and earth is only in a naturall way, this in a morall way, They declare the glory of God, as paſſive objects, Theſe as active agents, and underſtanding inſtruments. If therefore the Ancient looking upon the heavens, ſaid, If theſe be thus beautifull, how beautifull is God the Maker of them? ſo may we much rather, beholding the grace and holineſſe of this new Creature, cry out and ſay, He that makes man thus holy, how holy is he? If this new Creature be ſo admirable, how wonderfull is the Creator of it? Hence alſo it is, that the godly are ſaid, to ſhine as lights, Philip. 2. 15 in dark places, that ſo others beholding them, may glorifie God in the day of their viſitation. If the world be thought a Book ſufficient to convince men of God, and that they ſhall be inexcuſable, becauſe they did not glorifie God as according to this knowledge; how much rather, that ſo many godly men as have lived with you, wil be a condemnation to you, if ye have not followed their examples? you ſhal not only give an account of that good gotten by the Sermons we preach; but of the godly life of thoſe new Creatures who have dwelt amongſt you; not onelyonly our Sermons, but their converſations ſhould have turned you unto God.
7. This work of grace muſt be wholly of God, Becauſe even in Christs humane VII. The graces in Chriſts humane nature were the gift of God.nature, where there was a fulneſſe of it, yet it was the gift of God. The humane Nature of Chriſt, though infinitely advanced by reaſon of the hypoſtaticall union, yet being not God, but a Creature, could not furniſh or anoint it ſelf with thoſe rich graces he was adorned with; Therefore the Scripture ſaith, God giveth not the Spirit in meaſure to him, John 3. 34. It was given him, though it was not in meaſure; now then if this new Creature of grace was wrought by God in Chriſts humane nature, how much rather muſt it be wrought in us, who are altogether polluted, when his humane nature was like the ſunne, wholly ſpotleſſe? This is a clear and an undenyable demonſtration, that God is ſole Author of this grace; That as the Sun is like an univerſall principle in regard of light, and every thing is enlightned by that, ſo is God the univerſal Fountain of all that holineſſe which is communicated unto the godly.
8. This muſt needs be Gods Creation onelyonly, Becauſe he hath ſo abſolutely promiſed VIII. God hath abſolutely promiſed it.to accompliſh it for us. All thoſe expreſſions, I will give a new heart, and write my law within thee, Jer. 31. 33. And I will take away the heart of ſtone, Ezek. 36. neceſſarily inferre that it is Gods peculiar prerogative; for if this could not be till man had conſented, and there could not be any application of grace till we had given way; Then all thoſe promiſes of God muſt be onelyonly conditionall, expecting till man will yield alſo; and thus it would not be Predeſtination but Poſtdeſtination; and mans will ſhould not follow Gods, but Gods will lackey it after mans. But this cannot be thought, that God is not ſui juris in his promiſe, and that he is not able to make good by his hand, whatſoever is gone out of his mouth. Oh therefore, when thou findeſt thy heart ſo greatly aſſaulted by ſinne, and thou complaineſt thy luſts and corruptions are too ſtrong for thee, remember they are not too ſtrong for God.
9. If this were not Gods Creature meerly, Then the greatest glory in a mans converſion IX. Otherwiſe the glory of the work would belong to a mans ſelf.and ſalvation would belong to himſelf. Certainly, if a man cannot arrogate this to himſelf, that he made himſelf a Man rather than a Toad, much leſſe can he glory in any ſuch ſtrength, whereby he ſhould difference himſelf from other men wallowing in ſinne. This differencing work of God, Chriſt himſelf reſolveth into his Fathers will; Even ſo Father, for ſo it pleaſeth thee, Matth. 11. And Paul alſo into the like cauſe, What haſt thou that thou haſt not received? and Who makes thee to differ from another? 1 Cor. 4. 7. Certainly, it's the greateſt Idolatry which God can be jealous of, to give the glory of thy new nature unto any other but himſelf; Thou doſt not indeed fall down to a ſtock and a ſtone to worſhip that, but thou doſt inwardly put confidence, and rely upon thy own power and abilities, to procure thy own ſalvation, and inward peace.
By theſe Arguments it may appear, that whenſoever you ſee a man, of an old ſervant to ſin and Satan, made the Son of God and a new Creature; you may ſay, Verily God was there, theſe devils and luſts have been caſt out onelyonly by the finger of God.
Now in making his Children new Creatures, he demonſtrates ſeverall properties God diſcovers many of his glorious Attributes in forming the new Creature. 1. Goodneſſe.of his in their great luſtre and glory: As
Firſt, His great goodneſſe and pitty to us: How often is this called his grace, and the riches of his grace. It was Gods goodneſſe to make a world, but this is the riches of his goodneſſe not to throw us away, as refuſe, fit fuell onelyonly of everlaſting flames; It might have been with all man-kind as it was with the Devills; in their Deluge God did not provide an Ark to ſave ſo much as eight perſons, not one Angel had he compaſſion on. This grace of God is ſo deeply apprehended by the partakers thereof, that they rejoyce in it, ſpeak of it all the day long, plead for it, and that they live, or have any outward comforts is nothing to this wonderful mercy of God to them.
Secondly, He declares his Power; That you have heard ſufficiently of, it being a 2. Power.Creation, it being the ſame power that made the World, that raiſeth the dead out of the grave; and although we do not uſe to call it a Miracle, yet it is Mirandum, a wonderfull thing; and indeed it being to the hearts of men, changing them, and new framing them, it muſt argue an omnipotent power; how often do we ſpeak to the ear, intreat and invite, but it is God onelyonly that can turn the heart; yea, how many reſolutions and deſires are ſometimes excited in many men, but they vaniſh away like a land-floud? How often have they purpoſed to leave their ſins, to ſet upon other duties, but ſinne is too ſtrong for them. Oh that power of God, which keeps the Sea from over-whelming the banks, that power of God, which hangs the earth upon nothing: This muſt be ſeen to turn the ſtreams of our corruption backward. Draw me, cryeth the Church, and I will run after thee, Cant. 1. 4. No man comes unto me, unleſſe my Father draw him, John 6. 44.
Thirdly, His Wiſedome, That is admirable from many conſiderations; for if you 3. Wiſedome.do reſpect the perſons whom he doth commonly make theſe new Creatures, they are for their outward condition, mean and contemptible in the world, Not manywiſe, not many noble, &c. 1 Cor. 1. 27. though ſome of theſe he chuſeth, nor doth he approve according to outward appearance: As his wiſedome is remarkable herein, ſo for their quality; He takes the worſt weeds, and makes them the ſweeteſt flowers, the moſt crooked pieces in the timber and makes them a glorious building; thus Paul, Zacheus Publicans and Harlots; his wiſdome is wonderfull herein, that ſo all may be of his grace. Then theſe are but few in compariſon of thoſe rejected; Ma…y are called, but few are choſen. Hereby his love to thoſe who partake of it is made more glorious: And laſtly, Gods wiſedome is ſeen in the time of making them new Creatures, wherein ſo many concurrences of ſtrange love meet together, that it raviſheth, and over-whelms them for ever.
Fourthly, His holineſſe is admirable herein. If a clod of earth, or piece of muck, 4. Holineſſe.ſhould be made a glorious Star in the heavens, it is not more wonderfull then for a man become like a beaſt in his affections and actions to be made like an Angel, doing the will of God. We ſee when God made man with other Creatures at firſt, what a ſignall difference there was in his proceſſe about the making of one above the other: Let us make man after our own Image, Gen. 1. 26. And here again God doth renew, and remake us after his Image: Once God ſaid by way of ſcorn, Man is become like one of us; but now in grace and holineſs, he ſaith, Man is become like God. If we admire the skill of Artificers, who of rags and other baſe materials can blow up ſuch a curious piece of clear and ſplendent glaſſe; how glorious is God, who makes thy earthy and ſordid heart, heavenly, and pure, who makes thy ſwi…ſh deſires, Angelical. The Philoſophers called the matter of the heavens Quinteſtentiall, and this ſoul is above a ſinfull conſtitution.
Uſe Of Exhortation: If thou haſt found any good grounds, that God hath made Uſe. Exhortation. Bleſſe God for the new Creation if found in our hearts.thee ſuch a glorious new Creature, let thy heart and mouth be filled with praiſes. All the power in heaven and earth, but Gods onelyonly, could not make them ſuch. Oh but this new Creature is a rare Creature; like new and ſtrange ſights brought from remote parts of the world: For if we be new Creatures, how is it that the old man is ſo prevalent in thee? how is it that thy old luſts, thy old converſation is not quite abandoned? Thou wouldſt eaſily call it blaſphemy to ſay, God makes thee lye, makes thee ſwear, are ſuch ſins of his Creation? O then wallow in the duſt for ſhame and ſorrow, as thou haſt heretofore wallowed in luſts and pleaſures; let the glory, beauty and lovelineſſe of this new eſtate much move thee: This is a commendable new faſhion, when thy principles are new, thy aimes and ends are new, thy life and manners are new; How can men with-hold from panting and longing after it!