A New Creature, Discourse · Chapter 3
Chap. III. Why this is called a New Creature? A Paralel betwixt the Old Creation and this New Creation.
2. THe Second general Head in the Doctrinal Part, is briefly to give the Reaſons why the Holy Ghoſt gives this Saving Converſion the Title of a New Creature, or (as the Word is) of this New Creation. Now the Anſwer is, Becauſe in many things it bears ſome proportion and reſemblance with the firſt ſpacious Univerſe of Heaven and Earth, this magnificent Structure. I ſhall run the Paralel betwixt them in theſe 12 Particulars, for the Information of our Judgments.
1. God is the firſt and only Cauſe of the Creation of the World, not Angels or created Intelligences, who though they be mighty, yet are not Almighty; its the peculiar prerogative of Elohim, the infinite God, to create: God orders the Jews in Babylon to repeat that famous Sentence in the Chaldee Language, to confute their Idolatry, in Jer. 10.11. Thus ſhall ye ſay unto them, the Gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth, even they ſhall periſh from the Earth, and from under theſe Heavens. The Reaſon is given in the Hebrew Language, Ver. 12. He hath made the Earth by his Power; he hath eſtabliſhed the World by his Wiſdom, and hath ſtretched out the Heavens by his diſcretion. VidWeem's Image of God in Man, p.3.In the buſineſs of Creation, Divines ſay, [Deus eſt cauſa Simpliciter in Creatione, at Eſſendi hoc in aliis] God is the only Simple Cauſe in Creation, but in his other Works, he is only the Cauſe of being this or that: So none can create this New Man, it may be ſaid, Have we not all one Father? hath not one great God created us? We are God's workmanſhip, its the ſame mighty power that raiſed Christ from the Dead that gives Faith to the Souls of Men, and quickens the Dead, Mal. 2.10. Eph. 2.10. Eph. 1.20. Rom. 4.17.
2. God made all things of Nothing, i.e. of things that had no Exiſtence before he made them; He calleth thoſe things which be not, as though they were, Rom. 4.17. Indeed they tell us that [Nothing] is taken in a threefold Sence; 1st. Its taken privatively, ſo an Idol is nothing, 1 Cor. 8.4. Iſa. 40.17. i.e. it hath no Divinity in it; 2dly. Comparatively, ſo all the World is nothing before God; 3dly. Nothing Negatively or Simply; ſo there was no Fruit upon the Fig-tree, Mark 11.13. In this Sence God made the World of Nothing; there was no Praeexiſtent Matter for God to work upon: Juſt thus in the New Creation, when God comes to work upon a Sinner, he finds no Principle of Grace, or inclination to good in him: I know, ſaith bleſſed Paul, that in me, that is in my Fleſh, dwelleth no good thing, Rom. 7.18. Nay, there is much Evil in us, yea, yet worſe, there's antipathy to what is good, within our naughty Hearts: Thus as in the Firſt Creation, God produceth an habit from the negation: he works a Principle of Grace where there was no ſuch thing.
3. God made all things by Chriſt, his infinite and co-eternal Son: All things were made by him, (i. e. by this Eſſential Word) and without him was not any thing made that was made, John 1.3. By him were all things created, viſible and inviſible. By this Heir of all things he made the Worlds, both according to the Matter and Form thereof, Col. 1.16. Heb. 1.2. And thus it is in the New Creation, for we are his workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good Works, Eph. 2.10. As Chriſt is the Firſt-born of the Creatures, after whom the New Creature is formed; for God in his naked Majeſty is inviſible, not obvious clearly either to corporal Eyes or humane Minds, but Chriſt is the expreſs Image of his Perſon, Heb. 1.3. and manifeſts the glorious Perfections of the infinite God: That as we have born the Image of the earthly Adam, we ſhould bear the Image of the heavenly, 1 Cor. 15.45, 49. That is Chriſt; thus in the Incarnation, God was Man; in Regeneration, Man becomes like God.
4. God created all things with a Word: So ſaith the Apoſtle, Through Faith we underſtand, that the Worlds were framed by the VVord of God, Heb. 11.3. God's [Fiat or] Let it be, produced the whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth: By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Hoſt of them, by the Breath of his Mouth, Pſal. 33.6. Art needeth many Helps; Nature needeth few; God needeth none; nor doth uſe any Inſtrument in the Creation, for nothing can intervene betwixt the Firſt Cauſe and the Firſt Effect; it is an immediate Product of his arbitrary Will and Pleaſure. So it is in this New Creation, James 1.18. Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth. God ſpeaks the Word, and the Sinner is converted. If it be ſaid, That Miniſters are Inſtruments in Converſion. I Anſwer, But ſtill they are nothing, neither is he that planteth any thing, 1 Cor. 3.7. They need God; God needs not them, he can do his Work without them; yea, in the firſt Infuſion of a Principle of Saving Grace, there's nothing of Inſtrumentality; its done Immediately.
5. God made all things good and perfect at firſt, 1 Tim. 4.4. Gen. 1.31. Every Creature of God is good: And God ſaw every thing that he had made, and behold it was very good, quia nec temere nec fruſtra factum] nothing was made either unadviſedly or to no purpoſe. A thing may be ſaid to be good, as it is correſpondent to the Idea of the Divine Wiſdom, or as it is fit for that uſe to which it is deſigned, and for which it ſerves: It needs not be enquired, whether God could not have made the World, or its parts, better or more perfect; for if we conſider the World in reſpect of the whole; ſo it is perfect both as to its degrees and parts: But as to its parts ſeverally, God could have made them better; as in a Camp, there are Captains, Souldiers, and a General; in ſome reſpect if a Souldier were a Captain, he were better, but in reſpect of the whole Camp, (which conſiſts of Superiors and Inferiors) he is better as a Souldier. So in this New Creature, it is perfect in its kind, in ſubſerviency to God's great Ends, though defective in point of degree in this World: hence God's Children are ſaid to be not perfect, as having not attained, Phil. 3.12. Yet they are perfect, Ver. 15. To be ſure this New Creation is good, as will appear anon.
7. Though God from Eternity purpoſed to create the World, yet the World was created but in Time, not from Eternity, Gen. 1.1. In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth. God worketh all things according to the Counſel of his own Will, Eph. 1.11. Its true, all things had a kind of Being in God, as in the Cauſe, whence all things flow, in the Eternal Mind, or Idea, according to which all things were framed; but they had not their real or actual Exiſtence, till God in his Wiſdom thought good to produce them: In thy Book, ſaith David, Pſal. 116.16. were all my Members written. Thus it is in this New Creation: God hath a Book of Life, and ſuch as are in the Book of Life, ſhall in time be ſavingly Converted, Called, Sanctified, Juſtified, Glorified. Thus runs the Golden Chain, Rom. 8.29.30. As many as were ordained to Eternal Life, ſhall believe: All ſuch as the Father gives to Chriſt, ſhall come to him, John 6.37. He hath choſen us in Chriſt before the Foundation of the World, that we ſhould be holy, Eph. 1.4. So then this New Creation in time, is the reſult and effect of God's determination before all Time: ſee 2 Theſ. 2.13.
7. The Creation of the World was gradual, both as to Time, and as to Manner: In point of Time, God made the World in Six Days, Gen. 1. Not but that God could have diſpatch'd all in a Moment, but for ſundry weighty Reaſons he took every day a moment to do the work of that day in: Thus God is perfecting this New Creation all the time of a Chriſtian's Life: and for his manner or method of working, God proceeded from imperfect to perfect; firſt God made a confuſed Chaos, then he made the Elements, then [orta ex Elementis] what ariſeth from them: Firſt he made things without Life, then things having Life: Man, that was the Maſter-piece of the whole Creation, he made the laſt. Even thus doth Grace proceed in the New Creation; he firſt forms a Chaos, ſome confuſion of Spirit, by a legal Work, firſt comes a Spirit of Bondage, to fear, then a Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8.15. Firſt ſome glimmering Light in the Mind, then the Day-Star ariſeth in the Soul, 2 Pet. 1. And the Sun of Righteouſneſs comes with healing under his Wings, Mal. 4.2. And the Grace of God grows, till the Chriſtian comes unto a perfect Man, unto the meaſure of the Stature of the Fulneſs of Chriſt, Eph. 4.13.
8. The firſt thing that God created, was Light, Gen. 13.4. God ſaid, Let there be Light, and there was Light: In this he proceeds from total Privation to Habit: it is hard to deſcribe this Light, poſſibly it was a bright lucid Body, like the Fiery Cloud in the Wilderneſs, giving imperfect Light, ſucceſſively moving over the ſeveral parts of the Earth, and afterwards condenſed, increaſed, perfected, and gathered together in the Sun; the Apoſtle applies this to the workings of God's Spirit in converting a Sinner, 2 Cor. 4.6. For God who commanded the Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs, hath ſhined in our Hearts, to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jeſus Chriſt. The firſt thing a Limner draws in a Picture, is the Eye: the firſt Lineament of this gracious new Man, is Saving Knowledge: God will not dwell in a dark Houſe, and therefore firſt he beats out Windows, in his Habitation, without knowledge the heart is not good, Prov. 19.2. The Devil's Kingdom is a Kingdom of Darkneſs; Chriſt's of Light: Converting Grace delivers us from the power of darkneſs, and tranſlates us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, Col. 1.13. which is a State of marvelous Light, 1 Pet. 2.9.
9. God created ſome things Actually, other things Potentially, or Vertually, Gen. 1.11, 12. And God ſaid, Let the Earth bring forth Graſs, the Herb yielding Seed, the Tree yielding Fruit. Some things were made in their firſt Principles, Production of Fruits in their proper kind, as from Bees, Honey; from Vine, Grapes, and thence Wine; Oyl from the Olive, &c. Thus it is in the New Creation, God plants a Seed, an Habit of Spritual Life, which of its own Nature inclines the Chriſtian to Acts of Holineſs: In every Habit there is a propenſity to act; ſo Faith worketh by Love, Gal. 5.6. Repentance brings forth Fruits meet for ſuch a Principle, Matth. 3.18. Heavenly Acts are the genuine Fruits of a Saving Grace, yea, inſeparable Companions.
10. The ſame Hand that created, doth uphold the Creature: alſo, it would crumble into its primitive nothing: So God upholds all things by the Word of his Power, Heb. 13. He doth not as an Artificer, who makes a Clock, a Watch, a Ship, or other Machin, and leaves it to others to wind it up, or maintain it; but a divine Maintenancy is vouchſafed to every Creature, which God hath made; Creatures are but Shadows to the Body; or as the Reflection of the Glaſs which vaniſheth, when the Face is turned away: Pſal. 104.29. Thou hideſt thy Face, they are troubled; thou takest away thy Breath, they die, and return to the Dust. In the Chain of Second Cauſes, God ſtands at the upper end, and actuates every thing thereof by his Influency: H…ſ. 2.21, 22. I will hear the Heavens, and they ſhall hear the Earth, and the Earth ſhall hear the Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, and they ſhall hear Jezreel: Thus it is with the New Creature, Aſſiſting-Grace ſupplies and actuates Received-Grace in every Duty and Exerciſe, without Christ we can do nothing, John 15.5. We muſt lean upon our Beloved every ſtep of the way, or we fall, Cant. 8.5. Nothing will go forward without a daily Supply of the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt, Philippians 1.19.
11. God had Glorious Ends in the Work of Creation: The Lord made all things for himſelf, Prov. 16.4. For his Service and Glory: Thus the four and twenty Elders acknowledge, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were created, Rev. 4.10, 11. All Creatures have a tendency towards their Original, and thereby declare that God is their Supreme Cauſe and ultimate End; as all Rivers come from the Sea, and run back into it, Eccelſ. 1.5, 6, 7. Every Creature leads Man to God; for, Rom. 11.36. of him, [as the Efficient Cauſe] through him, [as the Conſerving Cauſe] and to him [as the Final Cauſe] are all things, to whom be glory for ever, Amen: Yea, further, The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament ſheweth his Handy-work, Pſal. 19.1. Every Creature hath a legible Character of God's Power, Wiſdom, Goodneſs ingraven upon it; and hath a Mouth to preach ſomething of the Magnificence of its Creator; yea, the viſible Creature leads man to its viſible maker; nay further, by that ſupply that the Ceature affords to Man, it gives him abundant Cauſe of glorifying God; hence ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Much more doth the New Creature work directly to the attaining of God's high and glorious Ends, as might be demonſtrated; 1. By its accompliſhing God's pleaſure, Holineſs is according to his Will; 1 Theſ. 13.2. By working the Soul Godwards, it ſets the Affections on things above, Col. 3.1, 2.3. As it evidently demonſtrates all God's glorious Attributes, as being the lively Picture of the Deity ingraven on the Soul; 4. And doth contribute much to the Soul's advancing the glory of God; as we ſhewed before.
12. The whole Creation ſhall be burnt, 2 Pet. 3.10, 12. The heavens ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe, the Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat, the Earth alſo, and the works that are therein ſhall be burnt up. Not that this glorious Structure ſhall be annihilated, or turn'd into its firſt nothing, I cannot think ſo; but it ſhall be purified, clarified, and defecated from the filthy Dregs that Sin hath ſtained it with: So I find Ameſius ſay, De mundi Elementis hoc unum dicam, abſumptum iri tantum, ut novam qualitatem induant, manente Subſtantia, Calvin, 2. Pet. 3.[Elementa …on erunt ſublata, ſed mutata et …urgata] the Elements ſhall …ot be quite taken away, but …hanged, and purged: the Subſtance ſhall remain, only …he corrupt qualities introduced by Sin, ſhall be burged away: For,
1. In Peter 'tis ſaid, The Heavens and the Earth are kept in ſtore, reſerved unto Fire againſt the Day of Judgment. Now, Fire turns combuſtible Matter into its own Nature, but doth not quite conſume its matter it feeds on, but purifies things: all melting of Metals, is not annihilating of them.
2. Scripture rather aſſerts a mutation or changing of theſe material Heavens and Earth, then total abolition: Pſal. 102.25, 26. Yea, all of them ſhall wax old like a garment, as a veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed. The 70 render it [foreign] Thou ſhalt fold them: and thus the Apoſtle tranſlates this Text, Heb. 1.12. As a veſture ſhalt thou fold them up, and they ſhall he changed: Alluding to a Garment, or a Book, or Scrowl of Parchment, when its folded up, there's no Letters or Words viſible; thus it paſſeth away by a notable change.
3. The whole Creation lies under the Curſe and ſad Effects of Sin, which by a kind of natural Inſtinct, it longs to be delivered from: See Rom. 8.20, 23 The whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now, &c. [Calvin ſaith, hunc locum accipio, nullum eſſe Elementum, nullamve mundi partem, quae non veluti praeſentis miſeriae agnitione tacta, in ſpem Reſurrectionis intenta ſit] there's no Element, or part of the World, but is touch'd with the ſenſe of the Creature's miſery, and longs for the hoped for Reſurrection: and ſurely God will not fruſtrate its expectation.
4. There is ſomething in thoſe Texts that look this way, Pſal. 93.1. The world alſo is ſtabliſhed that it cannot be moved. Eccleſ. 1.4. The earth abideth for ever, Eccleſ. 3.14. Whatſoever God doth, it ſhall be for ever: Pſal. 119.90. Thou haſt eſt abliſhed the earth, and it abideth. All theſe ſpeak the World's continuance.
Obj. Job 14.12. So Man lieth down, and riſeth not, till the Heavens be no more.
Anſw. i.e. Not for the uſes they are now for, the Heavenly Luminaries are but for the Terreſtrial Bodies, Gen. 1.15, 16. But in that other State, there's no need of Sun, or Stars, as now, Rev. 21.23.
Qu. What Uſe will Heavens and Earth be then of?
Anſw. As an Everlaſting Monument of God's Power, Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and poſſibly righteous Men ſhall dwell in this New Heaven and Earth, and contemplate God in his glorious Works: 2 Pet. 3.13. ſo Righteous is taken for Perſons, Iſa. 1.21. That New World ſhall be poſſeſſed only by Saints; no Sinners with them.
Now if we apply all this to this New Creation whereof we are treating, it will exactly ſquare thereto: Grace ſhall continue, He that doth the will of God, ſhall abide for ever, … John 2.17. This Principle is an immortal Seed; and ſhall be cleanſed from all Dregs of Sin, and the Fruits thereof: and the Spirits of Juſt Men ſhall be made perfect, Heb. 12.23. Yea, their Bodies ſhall be made like unto the glorious Body of our Lord Jeſus, Phil. 3.21. And though they may paſs through the Fire, 1 Cor. 3.13. (not of Popiſh Purgatory) of affliction, or of the Spirit's refining, yet they ſhall loſe nothing but Droſs, and ſhall come forth as Gold.
Thus I have run a Parallel betwixt the Old Creation and the New.
But this New Creation is; 1. Better; 2. More difficult then the Old.
1. Its better, though the firſt was perfect in its kind, yet this is a more excellent Workmanſhip, being of a more pure, refined, ſpiritual Nature, and repairs what was decayed in the Old, and brought about with more tranſcendent Love and Good will, and hath a tendency to an Everlaſting Concernment of precious Souls in the other world: But of this more anon.
2. This is a Creation in ſome reſpects more difficult then the former was. This may ſeem a Paradox, that the framing of this new Creation in the Heart of a Sinner, is a greater work, and of more difficulty, then that of making this great Univerſe, Heaven and Earth: miſtake not this difficulty is not [reſpectu Dei, fed rei] not in reſpect of God's Omnipotency, to whom all thing are poſſible and eaſie: but with reſpect to the thing it ſelf, and our conſideration of it, th… appears to our apprehenſion in theſe four Reſpects.
1. When God made the World, he met with no oppoſition; he Spake the Word, and no… ſaid no to it, by contradiction: But in this Ne… Creation, the World, the Devil, and Corruption within oppoſes this work, ſometimes cuſter in Sin; however the Carnal mind is enmity it ſ… againſt God, and fights againſt him, Rom. 8.7.
2. When God make the World, it coſt hi… but the ſpeaking of a Word, as was ſaid; b… in order to this New Creation, it coſt him dear, even the giving of his own Son to become Man, to live a Life of Sorrow, to endure the painful, ſhameful, curſed Death of the Croſs, that Sinners might be reconciled to God, and become like God.
3. When God made the world, he needed, no, nor uſed any Inſtruments, in order to the effecting that Work. But in this of the New Creation, he ſends Miniſters labouring, travelling, and long waiting on Sinners, to work on mens Hearts; he choſe Men like themſelves, endue; them with Gifts, gives them Compaſſionate Hearts, weeping, beſeeching with earneſt Intreaties to come in; yet that will not do, except the Spirit ſtrive and prevail.
4. When God made the World, all was finiſhed in Six Days: Heaven and Earth were finiſhed, Gen. 2.1. And all the Hoſt of them, needed not a ſecond hand to compleat them: But he is carrying on this work of the New Creation many Years, the whole Life of the Chriſtian, if he live a hundred Years, it will be ſtill defective in point of degree, and never compleat, till the Soul be landed in Heaven.