Inquiry for a Suitable Return for Continued Life In and After Time of Plague, Part 8
DIRECTION VIII.
Since you live after this Plague, walk in newneſs of life.HAth God ſpared you in the time of Plague, that you yet remain among the Living? If you would improve this merciemercy, then Live to God, and walk in newneſs of Life. God hath not ſpared you that you ſhould live to your ſelf, or to the fleſh, or that you ſhould walk in your old courſes: But your duty is now to live to God, and to lead a new Converſation. God hath brought you to the borders of the grave, and to the very confines of another world, and ſhaked you over the grave, and hath recovered and reſtored you, and hath as it were given you a new life, by reprieving you from the gates of death when you were ſo near unto it, Rom. 6.4. That like as Chriſt was raiſed from the dead by the glory of the Father, ſo we ſhould walk in newneſs of life; and the equipollent phraſes of this new life are,
To walk with, before, and after God.
To walk after the Spirit, Rom. 8.1.
To ſerve God in newneſs of ſpirit, Rom. 7.6.
To walk as children of light, Eph. 5.8.
To walk in the waies of God, Pſal. 119.3.
To walk circumſpectly, Eph. 5.16.
That you may, being ſpared from the grave, lead a new life, I ſhall ſhew you
The ſigns or nature of it.
The excellencies or dignities of it.
The Impediments and hinderances of it.
SECT. I.
THe nature of, or that which is included in, newneſs of life, doth not conſiſt in theſe things.
1. What newneſs of life doth not conſiſt in.It doth not conſiſt in ſome new notions, or new ſpeculations, which you had not before, a new light might be made in an old houſe. New ſpeculations may conſiſt with an old Converſation.
2. It doth not conſiſt in a newneſs of a bare reſolution to lead a new life; this is but in order to it, though, if it be real, it is a good ſtep towards this walking.
3. It doth not conſiſt in a bare performance of ſome new duties which you did not before; an old courſe of ſin may conſiſt with the external performance of ſome New Duties, as Praying, Reading, &c.
4. Nor in a bare keeping of ſome new Company; though this is to be deſired, that many would forſake their old wicked Company; or if God hath taken thy wicked Companions away by death, thou wouldſt not make choice of thoſe that be as bad.
5. Nor in New diſcourſing of ſpiritual things; A man that was wont to ſwear, and reproach, and blaſpheme the name of God, might now talk of God with others, and yet not lead a new life.
6. Nor in forbearing of many old ſins, which before you lived in; you were drunkards before, but not now, I would more were ſo changed, but yet this comes ſhort of this newneſs of life; which doth include theſe things following.
In what conſiſteth newneſs of life.To walk in newneſs of life, ſuppoſeth a new ſaving knowledge, a new ſight, and a new judgement of things. No man can lead this new life with his old judgment which was corrupt, judging that good which was evil, and that evil which was good, 1 Pet. 1.14. As obedient children, not faſhioning your ſelves according to the former luſts, in your Ignorance. There muſt be a new ſight and new diſcoverie of theſe things:
1. Of God, and his Excellency.
2. Of Chriſt and his Sufficiency.
3. Of …in, and it… Deformity.
4. Of the World, and its Vanity.
5. Of Grace, and its Neceſſity.
6. Of Heaven, and its Felicity.
7. Of Hell, and its extremity of Woe.
Till a man hath new eyes, and hath his underſtanding opened to ſee the nature of all theſe things, otherwiſe than he did before, he will not walk contrary to what he did before; if he ſee no more of Chriſt, nor in the Attributes of God, nor in Grace, he will ſtill flight all theſe and undervalue them; if he have the ſame admiring apprehenſions of the World, and ſeeth as much beauty in (deformed) ſin, he will love it ſtill, and delight in it ſtill. There muſt be new light, and new ſaving knowledge before there can be a new life.
To walk in newneſs of life, includes newneſs of Principle; a man with his old Principle can never lead a new life. A man in old courſes may live according to the Dictates of a natural conſcience, according to old cuſtomes, but he that leads a new life muſt have a new Principle of love to God, a new Principle of true fear of God, he muſt have new ſtrength from Chriſt, a new heart and new affections.
To walk in newneſs of life, includes the vigorous actings of this new Principle, and living in the exerciſe of theſe new graces infuſed into the heart, in the exerciſe of new love to God, of new deſires after Chriſt, of new ſorrow for his ſin, of new hatred to his ſin. To walk is to exert a principle of motion into act.
To walk in newneſs of life, is to have a Converſation filled with new works, and to have all things done according to the Rule of new obedience. His old work was to pleaſe the fleſh, but his new work is to pleaſe God. His old work was chiefly to get riches and encreaſe therein, his new work is to get grace and more of it. His old work was to obey the commands of ſin, his new work is to obey the commands of God.
To walk in newneſs of life▪ is to walk according to the new Rule, not according to the practiſes and examples of wicked men, but according to the rule of Gods Word, according to the example of Chriſt.
To walk in newneſs of life is to live for new ends; his end is not now ſelf-intereſt in the world, not his own eſtimation amongſt men, not his preferment in this world; old ends are inconſiſtent with a new life: But this mans end is the glory of God; all the actions of his life are ultimately reſolved into this, and all is, in ſubordination unto this: He trades for this end, that God may be glorified; he praies, and preacheth, he reads and ſtudies, that God may be glorified.
To walk in newneſs of life includes a newneſs of objects, about which he is converſant; ſuch as keep their old courſe of life look no higher than worldly objects, the honours, and the pleaſures and the profits of this world: But ſuch as are riſen with Chriſt, to walk in newneſs of life, have propoſed to themſelves new objects, things that are above; God, and Grace, and Heaven, things that are inviſible to the eyes of carnal men.
To w…lk in newneſs of life, it is to walk as Christ did after he was riſen from the dead, i. e. in our meaſure. Chriſt did not incumber himſelf with the things of this world, after his reſurrection, he did not converſe with the men of this world, neither muſt we uſe their company out of choice. Chriſt aft…r his Reſurrection waited for his Aſcenſion into glory: So if we will walk in newneſs of life, we muſt have our converſation in heaven, and be continually expecting our diſſolution and our tranſlation into glory.
To walk in newneſs of life, it is to do all the actions of out life in a new manner; to do al… religious duties, to pray, and to hear in a new manner. Before he prayed lukewarmly, and with a dull, and hard, and unbelieving heart, but now more fervently, more livelily; Though the matter of his duties might be the ſame, yet the manner is new.
To walk in newneſs of life, is to be making progreſs in all theſe, walking is a progreſſive motion; it is to continue, and to perſevere in the waies of holineſs: Not to decline nor to go backwards, not to return or walk back again to old wickedneſs.
SECT. II.
The excellen…ies of a new life.THe excellency and dignity of a new life is very great, and for your greater encouragement to walk therein I ſhall inſtance in ſome of them.
1. A new life is a life according to the New Covenant which God hath made with fallen man. Men that walk in old ſinful courſes, continue the Covenant they have made with ſin and Satan: But a man that walketh in newneſs of life, is a man that hath entred into a New Covenant with God, Ezek. 36.26. A new heart alſo will I give you, and a new ſpirit will I put into you; I will take away the ſtony heart … of your fleſh, and I will give you an heart of fleſh. Ve… 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatu…es, and ye ſhall keep my judgments, and do them; And to walk thus in Gods Statutes is to walk in newneſs of life.
2. A new life it is the moſt rational life. When the Prodigal left his old waies, and took up a new courſe, he is ſaid to come to himſelf, Luk. 15.17. Men act moſt unreaſonably when they act wickedly.
3. A new life is the ſweetest and moſt comfortable life; There are ſenſual, carnal, brutiſh delights in the waies of ſin, but there is much terrour and bitterneſs in a wicked courſe, alwaies at the end of it. Such as lead a new life, they have experience of the comforts of the Spirit, of the joyes of the Holy Ghoſt. All theſe new waies (ſo called as oppoſed to his former waies, elſe the beſt way is the oldeſt way) are waies of pleaſan…neſs, and all theſe paths are p…ce.
4. A new life it is the nobleſt life, we then live according to the higheſt elevation that we are capable of in this life. Nay, it is a life neareſt to the life of glory.
5. A new life is an evidencing life; it is an evidence of the great and glorious things that are brought to light by the Goſpel, all full of delighting comfort. A new l…fe (t…king in all the particulars before ſet down, ſhewing the things included in it) is an evidence,
Firſt, Of our Election; his new life is a fruit of Gods ancient love, Eph. 1.4.
Secondly, Of a new robe of righteouſneſs put upon us for our juſtific…tion.
Thirdly, Of P…r…on of old ſins.
Fourthly, Of our Union with Chriſt; we could not le…d a new life, were we not engrafted into a new ſtock.
Fifthly, Of the ſincerity of our hearts, and the truth of grace.
Sixthly, Of our ſure title to heaven, to the new Jeruſalem that is above.
6. A new life is …n encouraging life; it will be an encouragement to a man to go …o God in his greateſt ſtraits; it will encourage a man with boldneſs to look death in the face when it comes.
7. It is the moſt profitable life to our ſelves and to others; we ſhall be giving to others a good example, if we lead new lives, whereby they may be drawn to an holy Imitation. A new he…rt you may have, and that may profit your ſelf, but a new life will be profitable to others as well as to your ſelf.
8. A new life is the only life that honours God, and that doth credit the Goſpel, and the Profeſſion that we make. To live in an old courſe of ſwearing, and lying, and Sabbath-breaking, is to diſhonour God: but if you walk in newneſs of life, you will promote the great end for which you live, i. e. the glory of God; and the excellency of any thing is according to its ſutableneſs and tendency to the attaining of a mans ultimate end, it is a new life that only glorifieth God, therefore a new life is the only ex…ellent life.
9. He that leads a new life hath a new guide to direct him in his holy walk; the Spirit of God will be your guide to ſhew you the way that you ought to go: Though (to you) it may be a new way, yet you ſhall not loſe your way, becauſe the Spirit is your guide.
10. He that leads a new life is taken into new relations. God is now his Father, and the Son of God is now his Lord, Head, Redeemer, Brother and all the people of God are now related to him in the bonds of grace. Theſe things and many more may be ſaid in commendation of the excellency of a new life: which appears to be ſo in the eyes of carnal men (who have walked after their old hearts) when they come to dye, that they then reſolve if God would ſpare them, they would lead a new life.
SECT. III.
Hindrances of walking in newneſs of life.THe hinderances of walking in newneſs of life are many, and very great, that it is not an eaſie thing for any man to lead this life.
1. The Old Serpent is a great enemy to this New li…e; he hath old ſtratagems, and old devices and ſnares to divert them out of this way.
2. The Old Principle of corruption remaining in our hearts is a great Impediment to this new life. It is working ſtill in us, to walk in the old waies of pleaſures and delights; the Old man within will ſtill ſtrive hard to hinder this New life without.
3. Old ſinful Company will hinder you in your new manner of life; they will be tempting, and enticing, and perſwading you, to come to your old games, and your old delights; It will be hard to live a new life amongſt old ſinful Companions.
4. Slaviſh fear of men is a great impediment of walking in newneſs of life; it may be thou mighteſt diſpleaſe thy Father, thy Maſter, the Friend upon whom thou doſt much depend, if thou ſhouldeſt forſake thy old wicked life, and become a new Creature, and lead a new life, thou wouldeſt meet with new troubles; but, fear God, and his Vengeance more if thou walk in thy old courſe of ſin, and keep thy old heart, then be filled with ſlaviſh fear of men, if they ſhould deny their old favour, and friendſhip to thee, becauſe thou walkeſt in newneſs of life.
5. Fleſh-pleaſing; and being too much over-powred by the ſenſitive appetite.
6. Spiritual ſloth: For, a New Life hath many new difficult duties.
Thus, if you would improve this Mercy, that God hath ſpared you; you muſt live to God, and walk in newneſs of life.