A New Creature, Discourse · Chapter 8
Chap. VIII. Some Objections of Sinners anſwered, againſt their Endeavours to be New Creatures.
TIS much if a Carnal Heart, and a Witty Head, with the Devil's help, have not ſomething to ſay againſt the thing it ſelf, or their Attempts after it, to excuſe themſelves.
1. Object. Who can in this World be ſo qualified for Heaven, the beſt come infinitely ſhort. I have beard it ſaid, that as the Soul paſſeth out of the Body, it is then perfected and qualified for its enjoyment of God; no man can expect it before; and though I cannot ſo delight in God, and his Service now, yet I hope God will perfect my Soul in the inſtant of its ſeparation from the Body.
I Anſwer; 1. There is an habitual and an actual diſpoſedneſs for Heaven, (as I have at large explained in a Treatiſe, on Col. 1.12. called, Meetneſs for Heaven) and every Child of God, after the firſt Infuſion of Grace into him, and change of his State and Relation Godwards, is put into a capacity for communion with God, in this and in the other World, but increaſe in Grace, and exerciſe of Grace doth daily capacitate him for further communion with God: no man can expect he ſhall be a perfect man, till he be a man; perfection of degrees follows that of parts: you muſt firſt be in Chriſt, or elſe you'l not arrive to the meaſure of the Stature of the fulneſs of Chriſt, Eph. 4.12, 13.
2. That Man feeds himſelf with a vain groundleſs hope of being ſaved, and compleated at Death, that's careleſs and graceleſs in Life, for he hath no promiſe to nouriſh ſuch a Perſwaſion; did God ever ſay, Live as thou liſtest, and at the Inſtant of Death I will infuſe Spiritual Life into thy Soul, truſt me for that at thy expiring Breath, I will give thee that then, which will qualifie thee for Heaven, and make thee then in love with me, though thou never caredſt for me all thy Life long. Where do you find ſuch a Promiſe? and who but a mad man, will put all to a deſperate adventure at the laſt gaſp? You have more reaſon to fear he will not, then to hope he will give you Grace; nay, you have a dreadful threatning, that becauſe he called, and you refuſed; you ſhall call and cry, and he will not anſwer, Prov. 1.24-28. And you have a terrible Inſtance of the fruitleſs Cries of the fooliſh Virgins, Matth. 25.10. And who are you that the Great God ſhould be at your beck? He can and will hear the leaſt whimper of a Child, but regards not the howling of a Dog: he may and will ſay, Go to the Gods, the Luſts you have ſerved, I know you not, I own you not for mine: This is not a time for getting, but uſing Grace; yea, Death is a time for perfecting the Work of Grace: Woe be to that wretched Caitiff that hangs his Eternal ſtate on the uncertain working of the Principle of Life in the moment of Death
2d. Object. But if I have not yet the New Creature, I may have; there's time enough before me, I am young, and yet in my full ſtrength, of an healthful Conſtitution, and may live long: Let old Perſons that are going off the Stage, look after this New Creature, I have other things to mind.
Anſw. 1. Alas, Man, art thou certain thou ſhalt live till the next Year, the next Month, Week, Day, or Hour? Have not many as young as thou art, gone to the Grave before thee, and what Aſſurance haſt thou of thy Life another Moment? For what is our Life but a vaniſhing Vapour, James 4.14. Its a Bubble, a Blaſt, a Shadow, a Dream, Smoke, Job 7.7. Yea every Man in beſt eſtate is altogether Vanity, Pſal. 39.5. and 90 56. As flouriſhing Graſs in the Morning, cut down before Evening: If you fall not by ſome force of outward Caſualty, you carry your Bane lurking in your Boſomes: Have you a Leaſe of your Lives, as Hezekiah had? You have little reaſon to boaſt your ſelves of to Morrow, for you little know what a big-bellied Day may bring forth, Prov. 27.1. It may Land thy Soul in Eternity? Therefore diſpatch this main Work at preſent.
2. The longer thou deferreſt, the more difficult wilt thou find it thy Heart will be daily more hardened through the deceitfulneſs of Sin, Heb. 3.13. Jer. 13.23. Cuſtom in Sin will make Conſcience more brawny: A Sickneſs may eaſily be cured at firſt, but when it gets into the Nerves, Bones, or ſtrikes to the Heart, it becomes incurable, impregnable: So it is with Soul-maladies. Oh, what miſchief may a Thief do, if ſuffered to lodge one Night in your Houſes! Beſides, the Life or Death of the Soul may hang upon this nick of Time; he oft limits it to a Day, Now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation, Heb. 4.7.2 Cor. 6.2. Who can tell but God may ſay after this day, My Spirit ſhall strive no more with them, Gen. 6.3. You may provoke God to withdraw: Oh, how many Inſtances have we of thouſands that have loſt their Day, and have been undone forever.
3d. Object. If I become a New Creature, there will be ſo much strictneſs and ſeverity in Praying, Reading, Watching, Holy Walking, that it will never be abiden, it will make me Melancholy, and rob me of the Joy and Comfort of my Life.
Anſw. 1. Though the poſſeſſor of the New Creature loſe ſenſual delights, which are Madneſs, rather then true joy, Eccleſ. 2.2. Yet he may retain the lawful Comforts of his Life: Its true, that he muſt lay aſide laſcivious Jeſts, wanton Songs, unlawful Gaming, exceſſive Drinking, blaſphemous Stage-plays, Filthineſs: But there's no real Content in theſe, to a generous Spirit, that bring Guilt and Wrath: but the gracious Soul may take as much, or more real Pleaſure in Relations and Worldly Enjoyments (keeping the due Circumſtances of Time, End, Meaſure, and Freedom from Scandal) as another Man; nay, now he taſtes the Bleſſing of God in his Enjoyments, as he hath a right to them in Chriſt, as they are cleanſed from the Curſe, ſugared with God's Love, helping him in God's Service, towards Heaven; and the New Creature puts Wiſdom into the Chriſtian, to ſet every thing in its Place and Order, ſo that the Godly Man enjoys himſelf with more ſweetneſs in a mean condition, then many wicked men in their Abundance.
2. A Man hath never true ſolid Joy and Peace till he be a New Creature; this, and this only lays the Foundation of ſtrong Conſolation. Serious Godlineſs is no ſuch melancholy Life, as the Carnal World do imagine: Suppoſe the Chriſtian do labour, toil, and take pains in God's Service, Love oyls the Wheels of his Soul, and he takes as much pleaſure therein, as Jacob for Rachel. God ſpices every ſtep of his way, Wiſdom's ways are pleaſantneſs, Prov. 3.17. The ſevereſt Commands of God are not grievous, 1 John. 5.3. but delightful, the Spirit helps his Infirmities, Rom. 8.26. Inlargeth his Heart, he mounts up with Wings as Eagles: he is ſure his Gains will anſwer his Pains: He that digs in a Golden Mine, is paid for every ſtroke he ſtrikes; nay, there's a [praemium ante praemium] a Reward at preſent, In keeping thy Commandments, there i… great Reward, Pſal. 19 11. You hear of the Saints ſorrow for Sin, grief for God's withdrawing, vexing with Satan's aſſaults, but you ſee not their Joy, a ſtranger intermeddles not with his Joy, Prov. 14.10. He hath Comforts that none know of, or can deprive him of; yea, he hath more Comfort in his Tears for Sin, than a wicked man hath in gratifying his Senſes, in committing Sin; in the midſt of the carnal man's Joy his Heart is ſad; in the midſt of the Chriſtians ſorrow for Sin, his Heart is full of Joy: do but try a Godly Courſe, and you would not exchange it for the Wicked's Rant.
4th. Object. But if I leave my old Companions, they will laugh me to ſcorn, I ſhall be accounted a Fool, a Dotard, a Schiſmatick, a Fanatick, all that's naught; and this I cannot brook, and indeed I know not how to diſcard and diſoblige my old intimate Comrades.
Anſw. 1. If owning God and ſaving your precious Souls be a diſobliging of them, they are better loſt then found: Carnal Friends are dear, but God dearer: Religion binds you to forſake your own People, and your Father's Houſe, Pſal. 45.10. To hate Father and Mother, in compariſon of, or ſtanding in competition with Chriſt, Matth. 10.37. And its the beſt Match you can make: You'l not repent it to foregoe thoſe Syren Songs of bewitching Companions, that lead you down to Hell, for the Society of Saints; to forſake ſuch incarnate Devils, for the miniſtry of bleſſed Angels; yea, to renounce the Devil for communion with an holy God, you have little reaſon to be afraid or aſhamed of ſuch an exchange.
2. As for their hatred, ſcorn, or reproach, read Iſa. 51.78. Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their Revilings—The Tongue of ſuch wicked Villains are no Slanders: better be reviled then praiſed by ſome: Our Lord, ſaith, Woe be to you, when all men ſpeak well of you: When the Papiſts called Luther an Apoſtate, he accounted himſelf a bleſſed Apoſtate, from the Synagogue of Satan, to the Church of God: And what if an Iſhmael mock Iſaac, or a Shimei rail at David, are they worſe for lying Tongues beſpattering them: Glorious Stars may be called by ugly Names, as Bear, Dragon, but are glorious ſtill: ſo may you be: An Heathen Seneca could ſay, and glory in it [mala de me loquuntur, ſed mali] They ſpeak evil of me, but they are evil men. And is it not better to be reproached by bad men, for being good, then to be damned by God for being bad? Doth not Chriſt bid you rejoyce, and be exceeding glad? Matth. 5.10. Surely you may wear theſe as Trophies and Badges of Honour: So did Paul glory in Chriſt's Croſs, as an old Soldier, Gal. 6.17. in his Scars received in the Wars for his Prince: The Chriſtians of Old rejoyced, that they were counted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for the Name of Chriſt, Acts 5.41. They looked on that Reproach as their greateſt Honour and Ornament: You deſerve not the Name of Chriſtian, if you will not bear a foul Word from the foul Mouths of men, for him, that deſpiſed the Shame for your ſakes, Heb. 12.2. If me… clip your Credit, to make it good weight with God, and rub your Crown with Dirt, to make it brighter, you'l be no loſers: if you be reproached for the Name of Chriſt, happy are you, for the Spirit of Glory and of God reſteth upon you, 1 Pe… 4.14.
5th. Object. I ſee no ſuch Beauty or Excellency in theſe Puritans and Preciſians, that pretend to be New Creatures; they are no better than their Neighbours; all are Sinners, and ſo are they; nay, I have ſeen them ſlip into Scandalous Sins, they are Proud, and Envious, and Covetous; they are but a pack of Hypocrites.
Anſw. 1. Take heed of ſpeaking Evil of the Perſons and Things that you know not; Carnal Perſons are not competent Judges of God's Children, Pſal. 83.5. Theſe are hidden Ones, Kings in diſguiſe, It doth not yet appear, what they are or ſhall be, 1 John 3.2. The King's Daughter is all glorious within, Pſal. 43.13. The Life of Saints is hid with Chriſt in God, Acts 3.3. You know not what they do in Corners, much leſs do you know their Conſciences: take heed of raſh judgment: you know neither their beſt nor their worſt, there's a Vail upon the face of their Souls: there is an hidden man of the heart, which is inviſible to the Eyes of Spectators; and if theſe gracious Souls ſhould open their Experiences to you, you would judge them Paradoxes, Riddles, or meer Enthuſiaſms. Wiſdom is too high for a Fool: learned Nicodemus hath odd and aukard Conceptions of the New Birth, John 3.4. The natural man knoweth not the things of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.14. If you had new Eyes, you would be fitter to judge of things that differ: Suſpend your Cenſures, call not them Hypocrites, whom God will own for Children: a blind man is not fit to judge of diſtinct Colours.
2. Its true, all are Sinners, yet there's a vaſt difference of Sinners: 1 John 3 9. Whoſoever is born of God, doth not commit ſin [foreign] doth not work ſin, he makes not ſinning his trade: his buſineſs is to walk in the Ways of God, and if he be overtaken with a fault, Gal. 6.1. he diſcovers it, mourns for it, riſeth out of his Falls by Repentance, he hates Sin more, becomes more watchful and jealous of himſelf, prays, deſires ſtrength from Chriſt, to crucifie the Fleſh, and Sin hath not dominion over him, Gal. 5.24. Rom. 6.14. but he makes progreſs in Mortification: and ordinarily this Child of God doth not fall into any groſs and ſcandalous Sin, or if at any time God do's ſuffer him to fall foully in Judgment to a wicked World, yet it coſts him dear, it may be broken Bones, as it did David, and God can heal his Backſlidings, and make him more humble after: however there's a vaſt difference betwixt a Sheep ſtepping into the Mire, and a Swine wallowing in the Mire: Some are, and ſome are not the Spots of God's Children, Deut. 32.6. You have more need to judge your ſelves, then cenſure others to be Hypocrites: Hear what Reverend Mr. Hilderſham ſaith in this caſe; What ſome ſay of Profeſſors, theſe Gadders after Sermons, Hild. on Pſal. 51. pag. 642,theſe holy Brethren, that ſtand ſo much upon Sincerity, can abide nothing that ſavours of Popery; theſe preciſe Fools muſt be Singular, forſooth, dare not Swear— they are no better than Hypocrites. He Anſwers, tho' theſe things be found in ſome Hypocrites, yet they are no Signs to know an Hypocrite by, nor are they Hypocrites that do thus; thou that ſcorneſt a Man for this, bewrayeſt the Prophaneneſs of thy own Heart, and openest thy Mouth againſt Heaven, Pſal. 73.9.
6th. Obj. You told us this Work is Creation-Work; Can a Man create himſelf? Sure its not in the power of a dead man to make himſelf alive? So you ſaid Sinners are dead, this is the Work of Omnipotency, God muſt do all: Alas, what can Man do of himſelf?
Anſw. 1. You are not naturally dead, tho' ſpiritually dead, yet you are alive, God hath given you rational Souls, Faculties capable of knowing, loving, and enjoying God: you are not ſenſeleſs Stocks or Stones, nor meer Brutes; there is in you a remote aptitude, if not a preſent promptneſs to receive Grace: you have the noble Faculty of a ſelf-reflecting Conſcience, that is the Candle of the Lord, ſearching all the inward parts of the Belly, Prov. 20.27. It can diſcover moral Good and Evil, yea, it can excuſe or accuſe in what you do, good or amiſs, Rom. 2.14, 15. You might be much better if you minded this Light within you, the Light of Natural Conſcience: How can you expect more, till you improve what you have: Nature can do little towards Grace, yet Moral Principles cheriſhed and improved, may be ſome Fence againſt vicious Inclinations, and prevent a Cuſtom in ſinful Practices; however, its dangerous to impriſon the common Notices of a Deity, Rom. 1.18. or Moral Duty; this is the Road to obliterate them, this ſhuts the Door againſt Grace, and opens the Sluce of Vice: nouriſh what's good in thee; who can tell what it may come to at laſt?
2. God commands the uſe of Means; and though he hath not bound himſelf, yet he hath bound every man to his utmoſt power to be tending towards God. Divines ſay, That tho' no Exerciſe of Common Grace can merit Special Grace, yet God is not wanting in his further Grace, to thoſe that have made a due improvement of Common Grace, and done what in them lay towards their own Salvation: Your buſineſs is to work out your own Salvation, Phil. 2.12. For 'tis God that worketh in you the will and the deed.
It is an Old Saying of St. Auguſtin, He that made thee without thee, will not ſave thee without thee. God loves to ſecond man's endeavours; he is never wanting to the diligent: [lex jubet, gratia juvat] the Precept commands the Goſpel-Promiſe will aſſiſt: God hath not loſt his right to command, though we have no Might to obey; his Authority muſt ſway with us, though we have not ability to do his requirement: [praecipit Deus quod ipſe praeſtat] he bids us up and be doing, and he will take us by the Hand and help us: Try, Man, in ſo neceſſary a Work as thy Soul's eternal Happineſs; thou haſt loſt much labour in other caſes, thou mayſt not loſe it in this: there's a May-be in it, and that's warrant enough for ſuch a Venture. Be laborious, and thou mayſt be gracious.
7th. Obj. But I may as well ſit ſtill, as riſe up to fall; I ſhall never hold out, I ſee ſo many Temptations of a cunning Devil, oppoſitions of a furious World, and ſtrong Corruptions of a treacherous Heart, that I do foreſee I ſhall not be able to ſtand; I had better not begin at all, then begin in the Spirit, and end in the Fleſh, and ſo ſink my apoſtate Soul deeper.
Anſw. 1. Art thou in good earneſt, that makeſt this Objection? or doſt thou Complement with God, and make it an Excuſe and Evaſion? If the latter, and this be but to ſave thee a labour of being ſerious in Religion; thy caſe is lamentable, thou haſt yet but ſleight thoughts of God, thy Soul, or of Heaven, that makeſt ſuch frivolous Excuſes, to incur a certain Damnation. But if thou be in good earneſt, it will put thee upon the ſearch of thy Heart, whether thou be ſincere that thou mayſt perſevere, that thou mayſt not build upon a Sandy Foundation; and if indeed thou art jealous of thy ſelf, and afraid of Apoſtacy, this very Fear is the beſt Fence againſt falling away: I will, ſaith God, put my fear in their hearts, Jer. 32.40. and they ſhall not depart from me: Bleſſed is he that feareth always, Prov. 28.14. This Godly Fear will make you avoid Sin, and all its occaſions, improve Talents, time and means of Grace, put you upon all methods to grow in Grace, and gain Aſſurance: A caution is neceſſary to the beſt; ſee Heb. 3.12, 13-4.1. But be ſure yours be a Godly Jealouſie, ariſing from a Sence of the Evil of Sin, and your own weakneſs, and not a meer Conſciouſneſs of your Hypocrital Hearts.
2. If once this New Creature be truly framed in thy Heart, it will be permanent and abiding; not but that it is a Creature and ſo loſeable of it ſelf, but by vertue of God's Covenant and Promiſe, ſo it is an incorruptible ſeed, a well of living waters, ſpringing up to everlaſting life, 1 Pet. 1.23. John 4.14. If once this Work be ſavingly wrought, though it be but a Spark, an Infant, an Embryo of Grace, the God of Heaven is concerned to look to his own Creature, you ſhall be kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. None ſhall pluck you out of the Father's Hands, John 10.28. Nothing can ſeparate: The Gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt you, Mat. 16.6. Rom. 8.37. Fear not, you have the Father's Care, the Son's Prayer, the Holy Ghoſt's abiding in you for ever, Phil. 1.6. John 1.7.1 John 2.27. Hypocrites will be Apoſtates: a rotten Core will ſpread to the Skin: its very rare to ſee an Hypocrite undiſcovered till Death; though the Fooliſh Virgins held out long, yet it appeared at laſt they had no Oyl in their Veſſels: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, 1 John 2.19. Take thou care of thy Sincerity, and God will take care of thy Perſeverance: God will not renounce his own Image: Chriſt will not forſake his own Members. If thy ſtate and ſtanding were in thine own Hands, thou wouldſt as ſurely loſe thy Integrity, as Adam his Innocency; but we are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5.
There's one thing I fear more than all the reſt, and that is a lazy, ſloathful, luskiſh Spirit, that will not take any Pains in God's Work, nor in the concerns of the Soul, but think Grace muſt drop into their gaping Mouths; this Sloath hath killed thouſands of Sinners: Oh, it will coſt him trouble, care, pains, and this he cannot brook. And do Men think to grow Rich without labouring, careful Endeavours, and travelling to Markets? And can they think to go to Heaven, or get Grace without taking Pains? Its true, its not meerly Pains that will do it, but Sloath will loſe it; and without Pains-taking, nothing that's excellent will be obtained; for [Difficilia quae pulchra] The more choice things are, the hardlier are they come by. I am ſure Chriſtians of Old laboured hard, that they might be accepted of God, 2 Cor. 5.9. And the Apoſtle tells the Hebrews, that God doth not forget their work and labour of Love: and urgeth them to ſhew the ſame diligence, and not be ſloathful, but followers of them, who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promiſes, Heb. 6.10, 11, 12.
Let the ſlothful Perſon ask himſelf theſe Queſtions; 1. Whether the Pains of Hell be not more intolerable than the Pains God calls for from him to eſcape it? Or, 2. Whether Heaven will not requite all his Pains to obtain it? Or, 3. Whether he take not more pains to ſcrape together a little Dirt of Wealth, or a neceſſary ſupply of Wants? Or, 4. Whether thouſands take not more pains to get to Hell, then God requireth of him to travel to Heaven? And let the wretched Sluggard know, that by that time he hath been an Hour in thoſe intolerable. Torments, he would be glad to be turned into the World again, though upon the hardeſt terms of Obedience, Mortification, and acting all things within the verge of an humane Capacity; would he not gladly accept the Conditions, in order to Eternal Life? But alas, Men are made up ſo much of Senſe, and underſtand ſo little of Inviſible Realities, that they chuſe rather to be damned Eternally, than to endeavour to live Holily: therefore mens deſtruction is of themſelves, Hoſ. 13.9. They will not come to Chriſt, that they may have life, John 5.40. That's a true Maxim [nemo nolens bonus aut beatus eſt] It is God's Ordination, that men's own eſtimation, choice, and endeavours ſhall be the neceſſary preparative to their Fruition: and hence, it is that the ſlothful Servant was a wicked Servant, and fared and ſped according to his Sloth, Matth. 25.26.