A New Creature, Discourse · Chapter 10
Chap. X. A further tryal of the New Creature, as to the Will and Affections, the ſubjects of it; and its Properties.
3. ANother Subject, wherein this New Creature reſides, is the Will, and this is [Cardo animae] the hinge of the Soul, the Maſter-Wheel, upon which the whole Soul turns, as an old Bowl receives a new Byas, that turns it quite another way, then what it had gone: now the change of the Will is the main work of converting Grace.
There are Four Motions of the Will, wherein the New Creature ſhews it ſelf,
1. In its Deſigns, Aims, Intentions: The world and it ſelf, were the main drift of the VVill in a natural ſtate: all ſeek their own, Phil. 2.21. the gratifying of the Fleſh, ſenſual Appetite, and carnal Intereſt: the univerſal Inqueſt is, Who will ſhew us any good? Pſal. 4.6. Oh for a good Bargain, a cheap Purchaſe! Another is for ſtrong Drink, or ſweet Meats, Plays or Pleaſures; another for Cap and Knee, and Titles of Honour: But the New Creature poſt-pones and ſcorns all theſe, and deſigns the glorifying of God, enjoyment of him, let Chrſt be magnified, and my Soul glorified, Phil. 20. And I can hate all other things, God hath twiſted them together, and the Soul cannot part them: God is the Chriſtians chief ſupream End, in his natural, civil, ſpiritual acts; the New Man aims at the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Oh that my Soul may obtain fellowſhip with God, 1 John 1.3. Pſal. 73.25. I will trample on ſinful worldly ſelf, and ſpurn away this dirty Dunghill, in compariſon of God's Glory and Salvation of my own Soul; all other things will neither pleaſe nor profit this high-bred Creature infuſed into the Soul.
2. The Elective Power of the Will, the New Creature chuſeth the moſt proper means to attain theſe high Ends, as he chuſeth God for his only End, ſo in the firſt place he chuſeth Chriſt as the only Way, Truth and Life, John 14.6.1, 51. By whom he may aſcend to God, as the Ladder of Jacob: for there's no coming to the Father, but by the Son: The Will therefore conſiſts to have Chriſt upon his own terms, and chuſeth him above the World, John 1.12. May I have Chriſt, I will caſt all others as Dung at my Heels, Phil. 7.7, 8, 9. Away with them, away with them, I will refuſe Crowns and Scepters in compariſon of, or in competition with Chriſt, the New Creature comes off freely in his choice of Chriſt, is not forced to him as his laſt ſhift, to eſcape damning, but by a ſweet tendency and propenſity of the Will touched and attracted with the Loadſtone of divine Grace, To me to live is Chriſt, Phil. 1.21. as well as he is good to dye with; yea, the New Creature chuſeth, the Precepts, the Promiſes, the Patterns of the Word, Pſal. 119.30, 111. The way of Faith and Holineſs to walk in, in order to the attaining Happineſs; and he never repents this bleſſed Choice.
3. There's a cleaving act of the Will, a peremptory, reſolved adhereing to God and his ways, the Will is fixed, determined for God, whatever ſhall be ſaid againſt; he is not off and on like a double-minded man, unſtable in all his ways, James 1.8. [foreign] hanging in ſuſpence, halting betwixt two Opinions, 1 King. 18.21. but cleaves to the Lord with purpoſe of Heart, Acts 11.23. as Ruth was ſtedfaſtly minded to go with Naomi, Ruth 1.16, 17, 18. All men on Earth, and all the Devils in Hell ſhall not alter this reſolution: I will go and return to my Father, Luk. 15.17. I am purpoſed that my Mouth ſhall not tranſgreſs, Pſal. 17.3. Let others do as they liſt, as they dare anſwer, I and my Houſe will ſerve the Lord, John 24.15. I muſt not be guided by Example or Carnal Reaſon, but by the Word of God, and having made my choice by the Grace of God, I will not be altered as long as I breath, no Sufferings ſhall daunt me, no Allurements ſhall entice me from my God.
4. There's a reſigning act of the Will, by which it gives up it ſelf to the Will of God: the New Creature melts and molds the Will of man into the Will of God: as our Lord ſaid, Not my will, but thine be done, Matth. 26.39. And thoſe gracious Souls, Acts 21.13. ſaid, The will of the Lord be done. Hence Luther durſt Pray [fiat volunt as mea] Let my Will be done; but came off thus, Mine, Lord, becauſe my Will ſhall be thine. There ſhall be but one Will betwixt us: this hath been the Language of all the Holy Men in Scripture, Eli, David, Paul: Let the Lord do as ſeems good to him, 1 Sam. 8.10.2 Sam. 15.25. This Harmony of Wills is a glorious Fruit of the New Creation; and ſweet and certain Character of the New Creature: this brings Serenity to the Soul in all ſtates, when Wind and Tide, go both one way, there's no Storm; ſo when the Chriſtian acquieſceth in God's will, there's great Peace in the Soul.
4. The laſt Subject, wherein the New Creature is formed in the Affections, theſe are the Motions of the Will, the Will is the [primum movens or mobile] the main Wheel that carries the Affections along with it: the Affections are either, 1. diſliking; or 2. liking: Averſations or Approbations of theſe Faculties of the Soul, and both of them are reduced to ſweet Order and Harmony, according to Scripture-Rule.
1. The diſliking or diſapproving Affections, the Stream is quite turned into another Channel, the Soul loaths what it before loved, and bears an implacable hatred, yea, antipathy, not only to Sin, but to all appearances of it, 1 Theſ. 5.22. and Avenues that lead to it, or proceed from it, hating even the Garment ſpotted by the Fleſh, Jude 23. as one deteſts a Coat with the Plague in it, as a man's Stomach riſeth againſt ſome kind of Meats, or a Toad for its poyſonful quality, or a Serpent for its Sting, or rather for its loathſome Nature: David ſaith, I hate, and abhor Lying, Pſal. 119.163. He cannot uſe words enough to expreſs his Antipathy to Hypocriſie. And true hatred is [foreign] againſt all the Kinds of what we hate, I hate every falſe way, ver. 104. ſaith the ſame Holy Man. The New Creature makes the Chriſtian not only angry at Sin, as againſt his Intereſt, or as a Man may be with his Wife or Child, in a fit of Paſſion, and entertains good Thoughts of them again, when the Paſſion is over; but there's an implacable Enmity commenced in the Heart againſt all Sin, yea, there's an hatred of wicked mens perſons for their Sin's ſake, Pſal. 139.21, 22. which otherwiſe the Soul loves, as he would not hate the Devil but for Sin: O, how weary am I of this Body of Death, I know not how to bear it, its like a ſtinking dead Carcaſe, that at once both burdens me with its weight, Rom. 7.24. and poyſons me with its ſtink: 'Tis this, and this alone that makes me ſend forth [quotidianos mutigus] daily groans, and Mournings. Oh that I could put a Bill of Divorce into the Hands of my deareſt Luſt, never to meddle with it again: I will never be reconciled to Sin more; I will cut off my Right hand-Sin, and run the Knife of the Law into the very Heart of my deareſt Luſts: I will ſtudy their utter extirpation: I am aſhamed and bluſh to lift up my face to God, Ezra 9.6. becauſe of my Spots of guilt and filth; never did any thing lie ſo near my Heart, as my Sin againſt God, I will declare mine Iniquity, and be very ſorry for my Sin, Pſal. 58.18. For the future, I will ſtand in awe that I may not ſin, Pſal. 4.4. I will fear Sin more then Hell: I cannot bear them that are evil, Rev. 2.2. Though I have patience to bear any Affliction: I behold tranſgreſſors, and am grieved, Pſal. 119.58, 136. and ſhed many Tears for the diſhonour they bring to my God: Oh that Sin were baniſh'd out of the World, or my Soul withdrawn from the wicked world.
2. As for the liking Affections, the renewed Soul can truly ſay, as David, I have ſet my affections to the houſe of my God, 2 Chron. 30.3. As to inferior Objects, my Soul is as a weaned Child, Pſal. 13 1.12. New light begets new love, new deſires new delights: Truth in the Underſtanding, darting upon the Affections, contracted in the Glaſs of Meditation, inflames the Soul: Did not our Hearts burn within us, while he opened to us the Scriptures? Luk. 24.32. The Sun in the Firmament ſheds his Influence into the Bowels of the Earth, but Light and Heat come together into Souls; knowledge affects the Heart… the more the Chriſtian knows God, the more he loves him: The Soul riſen with Chriſt, cannot but ſet his affections on things above, Col. 3.2. For where the treaſure is, there will the heart be alſo, Matth. 6.21. Oh ſaith this Chriſtian, how good is God, I love the Lord from my inmoſt Bowels. Pſal… 18.1. Mat. 22.37. With all my heart, ſoul, mind, and might: with my Soul have I deſired thee in the night, Iſa. 26.9. Even as the Hart panteth after the Waterbrooks: When ſhall I come and appear before God? Pſal. 45.1. God, even God alone is my exceeding joy, Pſal. 43.4. I will take pleaſure in nothing but in God: This, this is both my Duty and Privilege: I hope I can call the Sabbath a delight, Iſa. 58.13, 14. And he promiſeth I ſhall delight myſelf in the Lord: My Comfort and Content is, in communion with God, and 'tis an anticipation of Heavenly Joys: I love the Word of God, his teſtimonies are the rejoycing of my heart, and I have rejoyced in the ways thereof, more then in all Riches; and delight my ſelf in the Lord's Statutes, Pſal. 119.14. Oh how the good Soul is raviſhed, and tranſported in the Galleries of Love! the Pleaſures of the Soul are infinitely beyond the Pleaſures of Senſe.
Oh then, Chriſtian, feel how the Pulſe of thy Soul beats in a conſtant motion: is thy Heart working God-wards in Duties of God's Worſhip, or in daily Converſe: which way tends the bent of thy Soul? Art thou truly troubled, that thou canſt not delight thy ſelf in the Lord, Pſal. 37.4. as thou oughteſt? Would thou give all the World that thou hadſt but an Heart to love God more? Canſt thou ſay as Peter, Lord thou knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee, Joh 21.15-17. A Flame may be painted, but a painted Flame cannot be felt: I find the workings of Love kindled in my Boſom, if I know any thing of my Heart: and I have ſearched the Characters of true Love in the Scriptures, and I find my Heart ecchoing thereto, harmonizing therewith, and I am told, that this Love is the proper Character of this New Creature, connatural with, ingraven in the New Nature, for he that dwells in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him, 1 John 4.16.
Thus much for the Preparatives to, and parts of this New Creature; I proceed briefly to the
Third Head, which is the Properties of this New Creature: and they are theſe Seven.
1. It is an univerſal New Creature, it's not in part of the Soul, but runs through the whole man, ſoul, body and ſpirit, 1 Theſ. 5.23 It's extenſive and comprehenſive, takes in all Internal Powers, External Members, all Acts in all Faculties, at all times, in all employments; as in the Law, the whole Sacrifice was to be offered to God, Lev. 18.9. So it is not acceptable to God if any part be with-held from God, Rom. 12.1. This New Creature is as Leaven that runs through the whole lump, Matth. 13.33. and puts a gracious Tincture into all the Faculties: This is not a Limb or Member, but a whole New Man; yea, the Chriſtian is a perfect man, having all the parts of a Saint, though defective in point of degree: our heavenly Father begets no Blind, Lame, Mad, or Maimed Children; there's no Idiots in his Family: A Chriſtian indeed hath all Graces radically; but the Hypocrite is mainly defective in ſomething eſſentially, requiſite to make up a Saint; he is a Cake half baked, Dough on one ſide, the Legs of the Lame are not equal.
2. It is a vital, ſelf-moving New Creature, I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me, Gal. 2.20. Its true, it is hid from outward Obſervation, as the Spring that moves the viſible Hand, for our Life is hid with Chriſt in God, Col. 3.3. But a vital Principle it is: this gracious habit is to the Soul as the Soul is to the Body; it's a ſpark of divine Life kindled by the holy Spirit, a Seed of God, 1 Joh. 3.9. quickned within the Womb of the Earth by the influence of Heaven, putting forth gracious Acts, precious Fruits, by excitations of aſſiſting Grace, after a nipping winter of Temptations or cold Autumn of Spiritual Decays: his Spirit makes him willing. Oh, ſaith the Chriſtian, I am reſtleſs, as a Bird out of the Neſt, or a Fiſh out of its proper Element of Water, unſatisfied till I return to my God. But the Hypocrite is but like a Pupper dreſt like a Saint, moved by Art, or as a Machin by ſomething outward, which the workman faſtens to it, but not informed by a Soul of its own; ſo its at laſt worn or broken, and crumbles to nothing: ſo doth the Hypocrite; as one ſaith, There is a vaſt difference betwixt Wool on the Sheep's back, which clipt, will grow again, and the Wool on the Sheep's Skin on the Wolf's back, which grows no more The living Saint ſtill works upwards, the graceleſs Soul is dead, and puts forth no vital acts.
3. Its a ſenſible new Greature, its not a dead inanimate Log, but of a tender quick ſenſation and can eaſily diſcern what Profits or Prejudiceth it, what helps or hurts it; it groans under what it feels doth make againſt its being or well-being: nothing doth it hurt ſo much as Sin, or what hath a tendency to it: any act of omiſſion or commiſſion, lies heavy upon it, pricks and wounds it, and makes it bleed; hence 'tis called an heart of Fleſh, which is a ſoft and ſenſible thing: defects of Grace, inroads of Temptation, intermiſſions of Duty, or worldlineſs, are more laid to heart by the New Creature, then groſs out-breakings of Sin in the Hypocrite: whatſoever it perceives to be anoyance or diſturbance, is a grievous Affliction. Oh, ſaith the Soul, I found at ſuch a time God's withdrawing the aſſiſtance of his Spirit. I puzzled and bungled in a Duty, and could make nothing of it; Wo is me, what had I done to baniſh my God? I find a weight on me, and a Sin that eaſily beſets me, Heb. 12.1. Did I not quench, grieve, reſiſt the Spirit? was I not ſluggiſh, heartleſs, formal? Lord, forgive me that Sin, and quicken me with thy Grace: The Hypocrite hath none of theſe Experiments, Soul-exerciſes, Agonies, but runs on … heartleſs Formality, and cuſtomary Performance; but knows nothing of God's acceſs, and his receſs, coming or going.
4. It is a growing New Creature, it never ſtands at a ſtay; the Godly Man is compared to the Sun, that ſhineth ſtill brighter to the perfect day, Prov. 4.18. to Calves of the ſtall, Mal. 4.2. that are ſtill growing; as new born babes, deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2.2, 3. Its the duty of Saints, yea, their property to grow ſtronger and ſtronger, Job 17.9. To perfect holineſs in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1. For the New Creature helps, eggs on the Child of God to improve his Talents, to uſe God's appointed means for increaſe, to derive Vertue from Jeſus Chriſt, that he may increaſe with the increaſe of God, Col. 2.19. This New Creature begets a new Appetite, which in this imperfect ſtate, makes him gape and long after more; and he never ſaith he hath enough in this lower World: Its ſaid of the Crocodile [quamdiu vivit, creſcit] ſo the Saint, he grows as long as he lives. Oh, ſaith the Soul, I am ſhort, ſtill defective; the greateſt part of what I have attained, is the leaſt part of what I want: Oh that I could be more like God! be changed into his Image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. I can never be enough like God: this is the cleareſt evidence of the Truth of Grace: a dead Picture will not grow as a living Child, a dead Stake grows not as a living Plant: Lord make me more humble, holy, heavenly, ſelf-denying, watchful, fruitful.
5. It is a depending New Creature, it makes the Soul ſenſible of its own weakneſs, it feels not its own Feet, it cannot ſtand alone, therefore leans on its Beloved, Cant. 8.5. every ſtep through this Wilderneſs ſtate: Wo be to me, ſaith the Soul, if I be alone, I have long found it by too dear-bought Experience: I am like a Staff, and ſhall ſtand no longer then I am upheld by an Almighty Hand; if God bid me come upon the fluid Waves, and reach out his Hand, I will venture, as Peter, my Feet ſhall not fail, if Faith fail not: Lord, hold up my goings in thy path, that my Foot-ſteps ſlip not, Pſal. 17.5. Alas, without thee I can do nothing, John 5.5. But by thee I can run through a Troop, and by my God I can leap over a Wall, Pſal. 18.29. I am able to do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens me, Phil. 4.13. I find by experience, that the leaſt difficulty overmatcheth me without divine aſſiſtance, and the greateſt Mountains become a plain before Zerubabel. My Lord of Hoſts, who out of weakneſs can make ſtrong; if he ſay, My Grace is ſufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12.7. I will encounter a Goliah, and in the Name of the Lord do wonders: my only Strength is in thine allſufficient Grace: by the Grace of God I am what I am, 1 Cor. 15.10. do what I do.
6. Its a wakeful New Creature; the Soul never ſleeps: Grace in the Soul is ſtill waking, I ſleep, but my Heart wakes, Cant. 5.2. The wiſe Virgins as well as the fooliſh may take a Nod, Matth. 25.6, 7. But they are quickly awak'd with the Bridegroom's coming: Grace may lie in the dull habit, or as a Spark of Fire in the Aſhes, but it will revive: there needs not a new Life to be put in, but a ſtirring up that vital Principle: it may ſeem a Paradox that the Chriſtian is diſtinguiſhed from his Heart: a ſuſpenſion of the Actings of ſpiritual Livelineſs and Vivacity there may be, whereby the Senſes are at preſent bound up, by indiſpoſition to Duty, yet a Principle of Grace, inclining to motion there may be; thus there's two different Natures in the Child of God, like two diſtinct Perſons; ſo Paul, Rom. 7.20. If I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but ſin that dwelleth in me. So he diſtinguiſheth oft betwixt I and I: theſe different Natures have oppoſite Actings: in the worſt ſtate of a Chriſtian's ſpiritual dulneſs, he is very apprehenſive things are not right with him; there's ſome Convictions, Challenges, Purpoſes, Proteſtations of the inward Man againſt this lazy frame, it diſpleaſeth him, and he hath ſome faint and languid Struglings to raiſe himſelf: The New Creature gives not full conſent, though it can act little vigorouſly, but ther's a luſting againſt each other, Gal. 5.17. Peter's Faith did not act, yet not totally fail, when he denyed his Maſter: For Chriſt's Prayer was heard for him, Luk. 22.32. There is ſome tendency in the Heart God-wards in the Saints loweſt Ebbs: he's not ſatisfied in his Sleepineſs.
7. It is an abiding New Creature, it will remain and overcome all Oppoſitions, and continue as long as the Soul continues, as was ſaid before, it is an immortal Seed, the world paſſeth away, and the luſt thereof; but he that doth the will of God, abideth for ever, 1 John 2.17. This anointing abideth in them, and cauſeth them to abide in him, ver. 27. This Principle will be as a well of water ſpringing up into everlaſting Life, Joh. 4.14. This fear of the Lord endureth for ever, Pſal. 19.9. His Righteouſneſs endureth for ever, Pſal. 112.3. Morality withers and Decays, but Sincerity will run paralel with the Life of God, and Line of Eternity: If thou art an Apoſtate, thou waſt never ſuch a New Creature, as I have deſcribed: If you continue in my Word, then are you my Diſciples indeed, John 8.31. Look you to your Sincerity, and God will look to your Perſeverance; nay, that Principle will be attended with an holy Jealouſie, which is the aw-band of the Soul, and a ſpecial Preſervation againſt Apoſtacy, Jer. 32.40. I will put my fear in their Hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. This Fear will teach them to incline God-wards, and abhor what tends to departing from God: Scripture makes this a clear evidence of a ſtate o… Grace, Col. 1.21, 23. of intereſt in Chriſt Heb. 3.6-14. And the contrary of a Soul going off, 1 John 2.19. Try your ſelves by this Character: Do you perſevere?
Objection. How can I evidence my ſelf to be a New Creature, I am not yet at the End of my Journey, who knows what I may do, or be? I have a backſliding Heart, I may fall away before I dye.
Anſw. Its true, thou canſt not preſage what may come; but thou mayſt gueſs at time to come from what thou haſt met with in times paſt, thou haſt had experience of the operations of Grace, witneſſings of God's Spirit, healing of Backſlidings, conqueſt of ſome ſtrong Luſts, victory over the World, vanquiſhing Satan's aſſaults, ſo that thou canſt ſet up Samuel's Stone Ebenezer, Hitherto hath the Lord helped, 2 Sam. 7.12. And doſt thou not find it on Record, Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good Work in you, will perform it till the day of Jeſus Chriſt. Hath, Doth, Will, is the Scripture-Logick: its true, you are not abſolute Conquerorss till the laſt Enemy be deſtroyed, which is Death; but, Scripture ſtile reckons ſincere Combatants to be Conquerors; Ye are of God, little Children, and have overcome them, 1 John 4.4-5.4. And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith; yea, we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us, Rom. 8.37. And 'tis often ſaid, To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life, Rev. 2.7. Mark it, its not ſaid, to him that hath overcome, but [foreign] to him that is overcoming: Doſt thou keep thy ground, fight ſtill, though ſometimes thou art foiled? Yet doſt thou not gain ground by thy falls, mourn for Sin, and grow more watchful? As long as thou art in the Field againſt Sin, Sin is not on the Throne in thy Heart: And if ſin have not dominion over you, you are not under the Law, but under Grace, Rom. 6.14. This Victory may be to acceptation with God, though not with ſatisfaction to thy ſelf.