A New Creature, Discourse · Chapter 9
Chap. IX. Inſtructions for the Trial of our Spirits, whether we be indeed New Creatures.
THe Fourth and Laſt uſe of this point, is, that which the Apoſtle calls [foreign] i. e. Inſtruction in Righteouſneſs: and this I ſhall rank under theſe Fou… Heads.
Firſt; Give a particular account of the Nature, Parts, and Properties of the two Creatures, for helping our Spirits in the tryal of our States.
Secondly; Give Some directions what thoſe muſt do to obtain it, that feel or fear they yet have it not.
Thirdly; How ſuch muſt act, live, or behave themſelves, as do find upon Scripture-grounds, and good experience, that this is ſavingly wrought within them.
Fourthly; I ſhall Anſwer ſome Queries or Caſes of Conſcience for ſatisfaction of ſuch Souls as are doubtful of their Sincerity, or would be further informed in ſome Points about this New Creature. All theſe I muſt briefly diſpatch.
1. It is of very great Concernment for every Rational Soul to know, and be at ſome certainty whether he be a New Creature.
I might here refer the Reader to the Deſcription of it in the beginning. 1. I called it a Supernatural Grace, as to the general Nature of it. 2. For its particular Property, or Nature, I call'd it a Goſpel-Grace, in its ſpecifial quality. 3. As to its ſubject, it is in the Soul of a Sinner. 4. The Inſtrumental Cauſe of it, is the Word of God. 5. The Efficient Cauſe, is the Holy Ghoſt. 6. The proper immediate Effect, is a great change. 7. The Compleatneſs of this change, in point of ſtate, Conſtitution, Relation. 8. The Pattern is the divine Image or Likeneſs. 9. The Rule of it, which is the Word of God. 10. The End, 'tis the Glory of God, and the Soul's Happinneſs in its communion with God.
You ſee then this New Creature is a very extenſive and comprehenſive thing, it contains the whole Encuclopaedia, (as I may ſay) or compaſs of Experimental and Practical Religion.
It is a Relation, not one quality, nor yet one ſingle habit, neither one Star, nor yet a Conſtellation of Graces, but a Relation or Rectitude, and orderly Correſpondence of the Faculties ſtraining forth from the infuſion of all thoſe Habits and Qualities into Man, Dr. Arrows Tract Sacr. pag. 138.as a Learned Man obſerves; wherein the Appetite is ſubject to the Will, the Will to Reaſon, the rectifyed Reaſon to God, and the Converſation correſponding to this inward Principle, not compleatly or perfectly in point of degree, as it was in Adam's Soul, in the ſtate of Innocency, but by Integrity of the parts, ſo far as the Soul is ſanctifyed in this Life, and compleated to a perfect Man in Heaven: It is (ſay Divines) [foreign] a Spiritual Chain, wherein all Vertues and Graces are linked, concreated with Adam, infuſed into the Chriſtian in this New Creation, whereby he hath a power to act as a Chriſtian, in this lower World, in all Chriſtian Exerciſes, that God in his Word calls him to.
Four Heads I ſhall reduce theſe Tryals of the New Creature to.
Viz.
1. The Preparatives to it.
2. The Parts of it.
3. The Properties thereof.
4. The Effects and Fruits of it.
Had I time, and room, theſe might be largely inſiſted upon.
A Touch of each.
1. For the Preparatives or Antecedents that lead to the New Creature; not that the Creature can prepare himſelf for it, but the ſame God that makes it, doth ſomething on the Soul to uſher it in, as the Chaos and Darkneſs was before the beautiful Fabrick of the World: ſo God works.
1. Sence of Sin, Wrath, and the undone eſtate the Soul is in, this is a New York; for formerly the Sinner nei…her felt nor feared Evil, but thought his State as good as any Bodies; doubted not his own Salvation; now a Spirit of bondage to fear, Rom. 8.5. hath ſeized on him; He is ſhut up as a Sheep for the Slaughter, Gal. 3.22, 23, 24. The Law is a ſevere Schoolmaſter, and worketh Wrath, Rom. 8.15. Now the Sinner crys, Wo is me, I am undone, I never thought I had been in this miſerable ſtate: I ſee I am a condemned Malefactor at the dreadful Bar of a Sin-revenging Judge: my Mouth is ſtopt, I have not a Word to ſay for my ſelf, why Sentence ſhould not be executed upon me: Wo is me, I am likely to periſh for ever.
2. A diſcovery of his helpleſs ſtate, he himſelf cannot help or deliver himſelf, the whole World cannot; its not within the power of Men or Angels to bring any Relief to his forlorn, periſhing Soul; I am, ſaith the poor Sinner, helpleſs, fatherleſs, Hoſ. 14.13. Succourleſs; I am without ſtrength, in me dwells no good thing, Rom. 5.6, 7, 18. I could provoke God, but I cannot pleaſe him; Heaven is ſhut againſt me, and I have no Key to open it: Hell gapes for me, and I know not how to eſcape it: I hang over Flames, I lie in Chains, and all the World cannot break them, Silver and Gold will not redeem me, 1 Pet. 1.18. Great men are vanity, good men have no Oyl to ſpare, Matth. 25.9. It I ſate upon a Prince's Throne, I could not purchaſe or command a Pardon, The redemption of the Soul is precious, it ceaſeth for ever, Pſal. 49.7. My caſe grows worſe and worſe.
3. A ſerious Enquiry after a Remedy, when the poor Sinner is thus puzzled and non-pluſt, and knows not which way to turn himſelf, then he begins to ask new Queſtions, not as he was wont, Who will ſhew me any good, Pſal. 4.6. of worldly advantage; no, but his Tune is turned, now he cries, Men and Brethren, what ſhall I do? Acts 23.16, 30. Oh Sirs, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? Oh, you Miniſters, Chriſtian Friends, did you ever know any caſe like mine? Is it poſſible that ever I ſhould find Mercy? Is not the Day of Grace paſt? I fear I have committed the Sin againſt the Holy Ghoſt: Wo is me, what Courſe ſhall I take? I ſee nothing but bare Walls at home; Is there Relief to be found for a poor pining Soul? Tell me, O tell me, what Door I muſt knock at, and how I muſt knock, that I may ſpeed.
4. Sad thoughts of heart upon diſcovery of the Remedy: Oh, ſaith the poor Sinner, you tell me God is a merciful God, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin, Exod. 34.6, 7. But I ſpy one Red Letter in his Name [that will by no means clear the Guilty]. Now I am guilty, and I have read that the Arms of Juſtice and Mercy are of equal length, both infinite; how muſt Juſtice be ſatisfied? I am ſure not by me, in my own Perſon. Well, the Goſpel tells the Sinner, that the Wards of the Lock are changed; this Chancery will relieve the condemned Sinner; Chriſt in our room hath ſuffered and ſatisfied Juſtice for us, Iſa. 54.5.1 Pet. 2.24. Yea, faith the Soul, but how ſhall I have Intereſt therein? Its anſwered, By Faith. Alas, ſaith the Sinner, I am but where I was, I can no more believe, then I can keep the whole Law: Oh this unbelieving Heart kills me, binds me over to Wrath: ſtill I would believe, but I cannot, my Faith is but Unbelief, Mark 9.24. I thought believing was the eaſieſt thing in the World, now the Spirit hath convinced me, I neither do, nor can believe without an Almighty Power, John 16.8. Eph. 1.19. I would give all the World, that I could believe.
5. Obſtructions are at laſt removed; a ſtubborn Will by Grace, is made willing in the Day of God's Power, Pſal. 110.3. Now Prejudices are removed: though a Nathaniel ſay, Can there any good come out of Nazareth? John 1.46, 49. Yet if he come and ſee, he will believe: This was the Woman of Samaria's caſe, John 49.19. Alas faith the Soul, I have been fooliſh, and ready to pick Quarrels at God's way of juſtifying and ſaving poor Sinners, and ſaid of the Goſpel-Diſpenſation, how can theſe things be? But I am at laſt ſatisfied, that a Revelation from God is not only authentick, but moſt rational; but yet I have within me ſtrange Imaginations, and high things that exalt themſelves againſt the knowledge of God. Well, God comes with his Spiritual Weapons, and pulls down theſe ſtrong holds, diſmounts the Sinner's carnal Confidence, and levels theſe high Mountains of Oppoſition, leads captivity captive, 2 Cor. 10.45. And now the Sinner is content, that God ſhould take his own method in juſtifying and ſaving a Sinner by the Merits of Chriſt, without the leaſt reſpect to any worthineſs in him: and there's much ado to bring the proud Heart to this, to forego his own Righteouſneſs.
6. Reſtleſneſs of Spirit in its preſent ſtate, the Sinner is now heavy laden, Matth. 11.28. muſt have reſt ſomewhere, but can enjoy no reſt in a ſinful ſtate; There's no Peace, faith my God, to the Wicked, Iſa. 57.21. This is not a ſtate to be reſted in, faith the trembling Soul, I am got off all bottoms, I ſee my old unregenerate ſtate hopeleſs and deplorable, yet I fear I am not centred and anchored on Chriſt, the Rock of Ages; Wo is me, I am fluctuating on the Waves betwixt Hope and Deſpair, I fear the iſſue: ſometimes I ſpy the Day-break, but Clouds and Darkneſs overwhelm me again: however, I am not content with theſe poor Husks of the World in my Chriſtleſs ſtate in a far Country, I will ariſe and go to my Father, Luke 15.17. In this tumultuous Sea, I find no bottom for the Sole of my Foot, I muſt make to Ship or Shore; none but Chriſt, none but Chriſt, let me have him, though with Fightings from without, and Fears within. I am ſhifting from Poſt to Pillar, let me be diſſettled till my Soul fix on Chriſt, then ſhall not my Heart be troubled, if believing in God, I believe alſo in Chriſt, John 14.1. Let me never be at reſt, till all ways are blockt up but this: If I ſit ſtill, I dye, 2 King. 7.4. If I go to the World, I pine; I will venture upon God's Promiſes, Chriſt's Purchaſe: if I muſt dye, I will dye there; but never did any dye at his Door.
7. At laſt the troubled Spirit iſſues out its perplexed Thoughts in Complaints and Prayers: God faith, I have ſurely hearth Ephraim bemoaning himſelf, Jer. 31.18. So methinks I ſee the diſquieted Soul creep into a Corner to eaſe his burthened Spirit into God's Boſom in this manner: Lord, here I am, as wicked a Malefactor as ever ſtood at thy Bar, and as miſerable a Beggar as ever lay at thy Door; I was condemned as ſoon as convinced, and have too too wofully improved the Stock of Original Sin in thouſands of actual Rebellions: I am twice dead, in danger to be pluck'd up by the Roots, Jude 1. and flung into the Fire of Hell: many means haſt thou uſed, but nothing doth me good, yet now thou haſt brought me into the Wilderneſs: Oh, ſpeak to my Heart, Hoſ. 2.14. Every Sin deſerves damnation; Oh, how many Hells then do I deſerve? Thou art Righteous, if thou damn me; my Mouth is ſtopt, I am found guilty before God, Rom. 3.19. I am ſelf-condemned, thou ſhalt need no other Witneſs or Jury to find me guilty: but Chriſt ſuffered and ſatisfied Juſtice for ſome poor Sinners, and why not for me, the chiefeſt of Sinners? 1 Tim. 1.15. I find not one word in Scripture againſt it, but a Proclamation of a general Pardon to all: Chriſt with all his Benefits is offered to me in the Miniſtry of the Word, upon the condition of Faith and Repentance: Its true, I can neither repent nor believe, but they are both included in the abſolute Grant of the Goſpel-Covenant, which gives what it requires. Lord, give me a Goſpel-Repentance unto Life, and Faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: I hang on thee, ſweet Jeſus, who waſt exalted on purpoſe to give Repentance and Forgiveneſs of Sins, Acts 5.31. and the Faith of God's Elect.
Thus much for Preparatives.
2. The Parts of this New Creature lie in the renewing of the ſeveral Faculties of the Soul, which conſiſts; 1ſt. In the Mind and Underſtanding; 2dly. In the Conſcience; 3dly. In the Will; 4thly. In the Affections, which are the Motions of the Will.
1. The New Creature conſiſts much in the Mind, which is called a renewing in the Spirit of the Mind, Eph. 4.23. Interpreters have been much perplexed to know what is meant by the Spirit of the Mind, Calvin ſaith [Ego Simpliciter accipio, Calv. in loc.acſi dixiſſet, renovemur non tantum quod ad inferiores Appetitus ant Concupiſcentias quae palam ſunt vitioſae, ſed etiam quod ad partem illam animae quae nobiliſſima & praeſtantiſſima habetur] i. e. be renewed not only in the inferiour Appetite and concupiſcible Faculties, but in that part of the Soul, which is eſteemed the moſt noble and excellent. For the Mind is accounted a Queen, and almoſt adored by Philoſophers. Now the Mind is renewed, when there is,
1. New Conceptions of things, otherwiſe than ever before, for a new Light ſet up in the Soul, to ſee things after another manner, the eyes of the underſtanding are now enlightned, Eph. 1.18. Now he ſees more Wickedneſs in his bad Heart, then ever he did, which makes him cry out, as Job, Behold I am vile, Job 40.4. Lord, thou art Heaven, I am Hell, ſaid Mr. Hooper. Now the Soul ſees more Poyſon and Malignity in Sin, then ever before, he ſees it exceeding ſinful, Rom. 7.9, 17. As ſtriking at the Majeſty, clouding the Glory of the Holy God, as crucifying Chriſt, grieving the holy Spirit. The New Creature begets other Conceptions of Chriſt, as the Roſe of Sharon, Cant 5.9. the chief of ten thouſand. He looks on God's Commands as not at all grievous, 1 John 5.3. but pleaſant, comfortable, and profitable; he looks on the Saints as the moſt excellent in the Earth, Pſal. 16.3. Prov. 3.18. He hath got Eye-Salve to judge of things as they are: The ſpiritual man judgeth all things, 1 Cor. 2.15.
2. The New Nature bringeth a New Memory, he forgets Injuries, and remembers Truths; his Memory is ſanctified and fortified, he lays up things in his Heart, as the Pot of Manna was laid up in the Ark: he can abundantly utter the Memory of God's great goodneſs, Pſal. 145.7. The New Creature is as a Phylactery to prompt and put him in mind of God's Law, Numb. 15.39. If he hath not a great Memory, yet he hath a good Memory: God brings Sins to remembrance committed many Years ago, and the Soul is humbled for them, as if but newly committed: and though ſometimes the beſt of God's Children are ſubject to ſlippery Memories, and do need Monitors, yet they have Minds clarified, and apt to be tenacious of the things of God, 2 Pet. 3.1. I ſtir up your pure minds by way remembrance. An hint will bring God and good things into their Thoughts again: but wicked men are deſcribed by this Character of forgetting God, Pſal. 50.22. Do you make it your buſineſs to remember God upon your Beds, and in all Places, Pſal. 63.6.
3. The New Creature hath a new Councellor; formerly the Soul conſulted with carnal Intereſt, and baſe and by-ends, even in things of Religion, if the Practice of Religion did croſs his low and ſelfiſh Deſigns, he laid it down; but as ſoon as this Principle is put within him, he ſaith as Paul, immediately, I conferred not with Fleſh and Blood, Gal. 1.16. God's glory, the good of his own and others Souls lay uppermoſt. Now the Chriſtian goes to the Sanctuary in arduous caſes, Pſal. 73.14. and makes the Scriptures (thoſe divine Oracles) the chief Counſellors, Pſal. 119.24 in his Works, Natural, Civil, Spiritual; and dare venture upon nothing but what he hath warrant from God for: not, What ſaith this Friend, or the other Relation; but what ſaith God in the caſe, directly, or by good Conſequence? See the difference betwixt good Jehoſhaphat and Ahab, 1 King. 22.5, 6. the former ſaid, Enquire, I pray thee, at the Word of the Lord to day. The other made nothing of it: they ſo…n forgat his Works: they waited not for his Counſel, Pſal. 108.13. And God gives them up to walk in their own Counſels, Pſal. 81.12.
4. The New Creature hath new Admiration; the Carnal Heart wonders at trifling Novelties; David prays, Open thou mine Eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law, Pſal. 119.18. There indeed he ſpies wonders of Power, Wiſdom, Holineſs, Faithfulneſs, and a diſplay of all God's Attributes, but eſpecially of free Grace and Love in the Work of Redemption: he ſees no reaſon to admire any thing, but things the Angels deſire to look into, 1 Pet. 1.12. and are in continual ecſtacy in the admiration of: O the Love of God in ſending Chriſt, of Chriſt in becoming Man, 1 Joh. 3.1. in taking any of the Sons of Men to be the Children of God, [foreign] Oh the depth of the riches, both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God, Rom. 11.33. There there only is ſomething to be admired: all the Glories of the World are but meer contemptible Pageantry, he can trample them under his Feet with a better diſdain, then Diogenes trampled on Plato's bravery, for he is in a ſort crucified to the world, Gal. 6.14.2 Cor. 4.18. And can paſs by things, ſeen with an holy ſcorn, compared with things unſeen, which are Eternal.
This is the New Creature in the Mind.
2. The New Creature is alſo manifeſt in the Conſcience, which though it be not a diſtinct Faculty, (but a compound of more) yet it is of great uſe in the Soul of Man, and its neceſſary that the Heart be ſprinkled from an evil Conſcience, Heb. 10.22. which is done by the Blood of Chriſt, and that the Conſcience be purged from dead Works to ſerve the living God; and this is effected by the Eternal Spirit, Heb. 9.14. Now there are Four Offices of Conſcience, which the New Creature doth in good meaſure rectifie.
1. As it is [Index] a guide, a diſcoverer of Duty, a bright Star in a dark Night, an Hand in the Margin, to ſhew us what is worth our obſerving, a Schoolmaſter to teach us, a Monitor to ſhew our Miſtakes; and it muſt be regulated by the Word of God; for Conſcience is corrupted, and is apt to be deceived, and deceive us: it is but an under-Officer, and muſt it ſelf be ſubject to God's Law: hence the Chriſtian ſeeks to regulate its dictates by the Word of Truth, and Grace brings it to the rule; What ſaith my Supreme Lord and Maſter, I muſt follow thee no further than God's Law allows: now the New Creature brings the Conſcience to the Word, and ſaith, Thus far thou muſt go, and no further: the End of the Commandment is Charity, out of a pure Heart, and good Conſcience, and Faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1.5. Theſe are always Companions; this is a good Conſcience.
2. Conſcience is [liber] 'tis a Book, wherein are noted and writ down all a man's Actions, Expreſſions, yea, his Thoughts and Imaginations; ſo it is a wiſe and faithful Regiſter, to produce them, as a faithful Witneſs for, or againſt a man another day, the Books were opened, Rev. 20.12. One of thoſe was the Book of Conſcience; Conſcience is as a thouſand Witneſſes; if good, the Holy Ghoſt joyns with it, my Conſcience bearing me witneſs in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 9.1. And this is our rejoycing, the teſtimony of our Conſcience, 2 Cor. 1.12. If the Perſon have done any thing amiſs, Conſcience brings it to the man's remembrance, as the Sin of Joſeph's Brethren made them ſay, We are verily guilty, Gen 43.21. Now a faithful Witneſs will not lye. A rectified Conſcience will give in a true Teſtimony to promote Repentance, which is therefore called a bethinking our ſelves, 1 King. 8.47. or Heb. a bringing back upon our Hearts. Conſcience hath a tenacious Memory, and will ſpeak true in its Excuſings or Accuſings, Rom. 2.14, 15. which is proper to Conſcience, as a Conſcience, but Grace regulates it, and adds ſome force to it.
3. As Conſcience is [judex] a Judge to paſs the Sentence upon a man, as the verdict is brought in: It's true, it is but a petty Judge under the Supreme Judge, yet the Great God confirms its judicial Sentence: 1 John 3.20. If our Hearts (i.e. our Conſciences) condemn us, God is greater than our Hearts, and knoweth all things. Every man may and muſt keep a privy Seſſions within, preparatory to the Great Aſſizes, if he be but paſſive, and is loath to hearken to this Sentence, he is ſelf-condemned; and this is but [praejudicium judicij] a ſad prognoſtick of his being condemned at God's Tribunal, which he ſeeks to eſcape, as Felix did, but cannot: But if he joyn iſſue with this Sentence, and condemn himſelf actively and voluntarily, he ſhall not be judged or condemned, 1 Cor. 11.31. Now Grace in the Heart makes a Man do this. I am the Man, ſaith Conſcience, I confeſs both the Fact and Fault. A…rtthou ſo, ſaith Conſcience, I muſt needs paſs the Sentence upon thee according to God's righteous Law. Well, I yield, ſaith the Soul, I am convicted in this Court, and cannot eſcape the Judgment of God: I muſt flye to the City of Refuge.
4. Conſcience is [vindex] an anvenger, a ſelftormenter, a guilty Perſon is one that torments or afflicts himſelf; ſome do this ſinfully, by worldly Sorrow, which cauſeth Death, 2 Cor 7.10. The Chriſtian muſt do it penitentially, either for his own Sins, or other mens; ſo Lot vexed his righteous Soul with the Sodomites Sins, 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. The Word [foreign] he beat and Baſtinado'd his righteous Soul: The Godly Man muſt take the Whip of Conſcience with the Hand of Grace, and whip himſelf for his Sins: or God will take it with his Hand, and ſcourge him with it, as he did David, whoſe Heart ſmote him for numbring the People, 2 Sam. 24.10. The Worm of Conſcience gnawing at the Heart, is an acute Pain, and will be one of the Torments of the Wicked in Hell, Mark 9.44. But the Godly Man prevents that by joyning iſſue with executing God's Sentence by ſelf-excruciating trouble for Sin here: this is a profitable uſe of Conſcience, by a free and voluntary ſeconding its ſevere Laſhes to promote Godly Sorrow.
This for two parts of the New Creature, that concern; firſt, the Mind; ſecondly, The Conſcience.