Sermons, Sermon 15
The XV. Sermon.
Gal. VI. 15.
But a new Creature.
AMongſt all other encumbrances, and delayes in our way to Heaven, there is no one that doth ſo clog and traſh, ſo diſadvantage and backward us, and in fine, ſo caſt us behind in our race, as a contentedneſs in a formal worſhip of God, an acquieſcence and reſting ſatisfied in outward performances, when men upon a confidence that they perform all that can be required of a Chriſtian, they look no farther then the outward work, obſerve not what heart is under this outſide, but reſolve their eſtate is ſafe, they have as much intereſt in Heaven as any one. Such men as theſe the Apoſtle begins to character and cenſure in the 12.Verſe 12. verſe of the Chapter, As many as deſire to make a fair ſhew in the fleſh, &c. They that ſtand only on a fair ſpecious out-ſide, and think all the ſap and life of Religion lies in the bark, they do this and this, theſe will have you circumciſed, and conſtrain you to a many burthenſome ceremonies; meaſuring out Religion to you by the weight, thus much is required of you to do (as Popiſh Confeſſors ſet their deluded votaries their task of Ave Maries and Pater noſters by tale) and thus you may be ſure to be ſaved. In brief, the Apoſtle here ſhews the unprofitableneſs of all theſe, and ſets up the inward ſanctity and renewedneſs of heart againſt them all, as the only thing that will ſtand us in ſtead, and appear to be of any weight in the balance of the ſanctuary. If you obſerve all the commands, and ſubmit your ſelves to all the burden of both Law and Goſpel, and bear it upon your ſhoulders never ſo valiantly, if you be content to be circumciſed as Chriſt was, or becauſe he hath now abrogated that, make uſe of Chriſtian liberty, and remain uncircumciſed, notwithſtanding all inducements to the contrary: In brief, be you outwardly never ſo ſevere a Jew or Chriſtian, all that is nothing worth, there is but one thing moſt peremptorily required of you, and that you have omitted; For neither circumciſion availeth any thing, neither uncircumciſion, but a new creature.
The particle but in the front of my Text is excluſive and reſtrictive, it excludes every thing in the world from pretending to avail any thing, from being believed to do us any good. For by circumciſion the Church of the Jews, and by uncircumciſion the whole profeſſion of Chriſtian Religion being underſtood, when he ſaith neither of theſe availeth any thing, he forcibly implies that all other means, all profeſſions, all obſervances that men think or hope to get Heaven by are to no purpoſe, and that by conſequence it exactly reſtrains to the new creature; there it is to be had, and no where elſe: thus doth he ſlight and undervalue, and even reprobate all other wayes to Heaven, that he may ſet the richer price, and raiſe a greater eſtimation in us of this. The ſubſtance of all the Apoſtles diſcourſe, and the ground-work of mine ſhall be this one Aphoriſm, Nothing is efficaciouſly available to ſalvation, but a renewed, regenerated heart. For the opening of which we will examine by way of doctrine, wherein this new creature conſiſts, and then by way of uſe, the neceſſity of that, and unprofitableneſs of all other plauſible pretending means; and firſt of the firſt, wherein this new creature conſiſts.
'Tis obſervable, that our ſtate of nature and ſin is in Scripture expreſt ordinarily by old age, Rom. VI. 6.the natural ſinful man, that is, all our natural affections that are born and grow up with us,Col. III. 9. are called the old man, as if ſince Adams fall we were decrepit,Eph. IV. 22. and feeble, and aged as ſoon as born, as a child begotten by a man in a conſumption never comes to the ſtrength of a man, is alwayes weak, and crazy, and puling, hath all the imperfections and corporal infirmities of age before he is out of his Infancy. And according to this ground the whole Analogy of Scripture runs; all that is oppoſite to the old decrepit ſtate, to the dotage of nature is phraſed new;Mar. I. 27. The new Covenant, Mark i. 27. The language of believers new tongues, Mar. XVI. 17.Mark xvi. 17. A new commandment, John xiii. 34.Joh. XIII. 34. A new man, Epheſ. ii. 15. In ſum, the ſtate of grace is expreſt by foreign,Eph. II. 15. all is become new, 2 Cor. v. 17. So that old and new, 2 Cor. V. 17.as it divides the Bible, the whole ſtate of things, the world; ſo it doth that to which all theſe ſerve, man; every natural man which hath nothing but nature in him, is an old man, be he never ſo young is full of years, even before he is able to tell them. Adam was a perfect man when he was but a minute old, and all his children are old even in the cradle,Eph. 11. 5. nay, even dead with old age, Eph. ii. 5. And then conſequently, every ſpiritual man which hath ſomewhat elſé in him then he received from Adam, he that is born from above, John III. 3.John iii. 3. foreign, (for it may be ſo rendred from the original, as well as born again, as our Engliſh read it) he that is by Gods ſpirit quickned from the old death,Eph. II. 5. Epheſ. ii. 5. he is contrary to the former, a new man, a new creature; the old Eagle hath caſt his beak and is grown young; the man, when old has entred the ſecond time into his mothers womb, and is born again, all the gray hairs and wrinkles fall off from him, as the ſcales from blind Tobits eyes, and he comes forth a refin'd, glorious, beauteous new creature, you would wonder to ſee the change. So that you find in general, that the Scripture preſumes it, that there is a renovation, a caſting away of the old coat, a youth and ſpring again in many men from the old age and weak bed-rid eſtate of nature. Now that you may conceive wherein it conſiſts, how this new man is brought forth in us, by whom it is conceived, and in what womb 'tis carried, I will require no more of you, then to obſerve and underſtand with me what is meant by the ordinary phraſe in our Divines, a new principle, or inward principle of life, and that you ſhall do briefly thus. A mans body is naturally a ſluggiſh, unactive, motionleſs, heavy thing, not able to ſtir or move the leaſt animal motion, without a ſoul to enliven it; without that 'tis but a carcaſs, as you ſee at death, when the ſoul is ſeparated from it, it returns to be but a ſtock or lump of fleſh, the ſoul beſtows all life and motion on it, and enables it to perform any work of nature. Again, the body and ſoul together conſidered in relation to ſomewhat above their power and activity, are as impotent and motionleſs, as before the body without the ſoul. Set a man to remove a mountain, and he will heave perhaps to obey your command, but in event will do no more towards the diſplacing of it, then a ſtone in the ſtreet could do: but now let an omnipotent power be annext to this man, let a ſupernatural ſpirit be joyned to this ſoul, and then will it be able to overcome the proudeſt, ſtouteſt difficulty in nature. You have heard in the primitive Church of a grain of faith removing mountains, and believe me, all miracles are not yet out-dated. The work of regeneration, the beſtowing of a ſpiritual life on one dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, the making of a carcaſs walk, the natural old man to ſpring again, and move ſpiritually, is as great a miracle as that. Now the ſoul in that it produces life and motion, the exerciſe of life in the body is called a principle, that is, a ſpring or fountain of life, becauſe all comes from it; in like manner, that which duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page moves this ſoul, and enables it to do that which naturally it could not; that which gives it a new life, which before it lived not, furniſheth it with ſpiritual powers to quell and ſubdue all carnal affections which were before too hard for it; this, I ſay, is called properly an inward principle, and an inward, becauſe it is inwardly and ſecretly infuſed, doth not only outwardly aſſiſt us as an auxiliary at a dead lift, but is ſown and planted in our hearts, as a ſoul to the ſoul to elevate and enable it above it ſelf, hath its ſeat and palace in the regenerate heart, and there exerciſes dominion, executes judgment, and that is commonly either by priſon or baniſhment, it either fetters, or elſe expels all inſolent rebellious luſts. Now the new principle, by which not the man, but the new man the Chriſtian lives, is, in a word, the ſpirit of God, which unites it ſelf to the regenerate heart, ſo that now he is ſaid to be a godly man, a ſpiritual man from the God, from the ſpirit, as before a living reaſonable man from the ſoul, from the reaſon that inform'd and ruled in him; which is noted by that diſtinction in Scripture betwixt the regenerate and unregenerate, expreſt by a natural or animal, and a ſpiritual man. Thoſe creatures that have no ſoul in them are called naturals, having nothing but nature within to move them, others which have a ſoul, animals, or living creatures, by both which the unregenerate is ſignified indifferently, becauſe the ſoul which he hath ſtands him in little ſtead, his fleſh rules all, and then he is alſo called a carnal man, for all his ſoul he is but a lump of fleſh, and therefore, whether you ſay he hath a ſoul, and ſo call him an animal, or hath not a ſoul, and ſo call him a meer natural, there is no great difference in it. But now the regenerate man which hath more then a ſoul, Gods ſpirit to enliven him, he is of another rank, foreign, a ſpiritual man, nay, only he properly a Chriſtian, becauſe he lives by Chriſt,Gal. II. 20. He lives, yet not he, but Chriſt liveth in him, Gal. ii. 20. This being premiſed, that now you know what this new creature is, he that lives and moves by a new principle, all that is behind will be clearlieſt preſented to you by reſolving theſe four queſtions; 1. whence it comes; 2. where it lodges; 3. when it enters; 4. what works it performs there. To the firſt, whence it comes, the anſwer is clear and punctual,John III. 3. John iii. 3. foreign, from above, from whence comes every good, and eſpecially every perfect gift, James i. 17.James I. 17. but this moſt peculiarly by a ſeveral and more excellent way then any thing elſe. Since Chriſts aſcenſion the Holy Ghoſt of all the perſons in the Trinity is moſt frequently employed in the work of deſcending from Heaven, and that by way of miſſion from the Father and the Son, according to the promiſe of Chriſt, John xv. 26.John XV. 26. The comforter whom I will ſend from the Father. Now this ſpirit being preſent every where in its eſſence, is ſaid to come to us by communication of his gifts, and ſo to be peculiarly reſident in us, as God is in the Church, from which Analogy our bodies are called the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt which is in us,1 Cor. VI. 19. 1 Cor. vi. 19. God ſends then his Spirit into our hearts; and this, I ſaid, by a peculiar manner, not by way of emiſſion, as an arrow ſent out of a bow, which loſes its union which it had with the bow, and is now faſtned in the But or white; nor properly by way of infuſion, as the ſoul is in the body, infus'd from God, yet ſo alſo, that it is in a manner put into our hands, and is ſo in the man's poſſeſſion that hath it, that it is neither in any mans elſe, nor yet by any extraordinary tye annext to God from whom it came: but by way of irradiation, as a beam ſent from the Sun, that is in the air indeed, and that ſubſtantially, yet ſo as it is not ſeparated from the Sun, nay, conſiſts only in this, that it is united to the Sun; ſo that if it were poſſible for it to be cut off from the Sun, it would deſiſt to be, it would illuminate no longer. So that you muſt conceive theſe beams of Gods Spirit at the ſame time in the Chriſtians heart and in the ſpirit, and ſo uniting that Spirit to the heart, as you may conceive by this proportion. I have a javelin or ſpear in my hand, if I would miſchief any thing, or drive it from me, I dart it out of my hand at it, from which Gods judgments are compared to ſhooting and lightning, He hath bent his bow, he hath ſent forth his arrows, Pſal. XVIII. 14.he caſt forth lightnings, Pſal. xviii. 14. But if I like any thing that I meet with, if I would have it to me, I reach out my ſpear and faſten in it, but ſtill hold the ſpear in my hand, and having pierct it draw it to me. Thus doth God reach forth his graces to us, and as I may ſo ſay, by keeping one end in his hand, and faſtning the other in us, plucks and unites us to himſelf, from which regeneration is ordinarily called an union with Chriſt, and this union by a ſtrong able band, foreign, in Euſeb. his phraſe, which no man can cut aſunder. 'Tis impoſſible to divide or cut a ſpirit, and this bond is foreign, a ſpiritual one, and that made St. Paul ſo confident, That no creature ſhould ever ſeparate him, Rom. VIII. 39Rom. viii. 39. And this God does by way of emanation, as a loadſtone ſending out its effluvia or magnetick atomes draws the iron to it ſelf, which never ſtays till it be united. Thus do you ſee from whence this principle comes to me, and in what manner, from Gods Spirit by this means uniting me to himſelf.
To the ſecond queſtion, where it lodges, my anſwer is, in the heart of man, in the whole ſoul; not in the underſtanding, not in the will, (a diſtinction of faculties invented by Philoſophers, to puzzle and perplex Divines, and put them to needleſs ſhifts) but, I ſay, in the whole ſoul, ruling and guiding it in all its actions, enabling it to underſtand and will ſpiritually; conceived, I ſay, and born in the ſoul, but nurſed, and fed, and encreaſed into a perfect ſtature by the outward Organs and actions of the body, for by them it begins to expreſs and ſhew it ſelf in the world, by them the habit is exerted and made perfect, the ſeed ſhot up into an ear, the Spring improved to Autumn, when the tongue diſcourſes, the hands act, the feet run the way of Gods Commandments. So, I ſay, the ſoul is the mother, and the operations of ſoul and body the nurſe of this Spirit in us, and then who can hold in his Spirit without ſtifling, from breaking out into that joyful acclamation, Bleſſed is the womb that bears this incarnate Spirit, Luke XI. 27.and the paps that give him ſuck! Now this inward principle, this grace of regeneration, though it be ſeated in the whole ſoul, as it is an habit, yet as it is an operative habit producing, or rather enabling the man to produce ſeveral gracious works, ſo it is peculiarly in every part, and accordingly receives divers names according to ſeveral exerciſes of its power in thoſe ſeveral parts. As the ſoul of man ſees in the eye, hears in the ear, underſtands in the brain, chooſes and deſires in the heart, and being but one ſoul, yet works in every room, every ſhop of the body in a ſeveral trade, as it were, and is accordingly called a ſeeing, a hearing, a willing or underſtanding ſoul: thus doth the habit of grace ſeated in the whole, expreſs and evidence it ſelf peculiarly in every act of it, and is called by as ſeveral names as the reaſonable ſoul hath diſtinct acts, or objects. In the underſtanding 'tis firſt, ſpiritual wiſdom, and diſcretion in holy things,Rom. I. 28. oppoſite to which is foreign, Rom. i. 28. an unapproving, as well as unapproved or reprobate mind, and frequently in Scripture ſpiritual blindneſs. Then as a branch of this, it is belief or aſſent to the truth of the promiſes, and the like; in the practical judgment 'tis ſpiritual prudence in ordering all our holy knowledge to holy practice; in the will 'tis a regular choice of whatſoever may prove available to ſalvation, a holy love of the end, and embracing of the means with courage and zeal. Laſtly, in the outward man 'tis an ordering of all our actions to a bleſſed conformity with a ſanctified ſoul. In brief, 'tis one principle within us doth every thing that is holy, believes, repents, hopes, loves, obeys, and what not? And conſequently, is effectually in every part of body and ſoul, ſanctifying it to work ſpiritually, as an holy inſtrument of a divine inviſible cauſe, that is, the Holy Ghoſt that is in us and throughout us.
For the third queſtion, when this new principle enters; firſt, you are to know, that comes into the heart in a three-fold condition; 1. as an harbinger; 2. as a private ſecret gueſt; 3. as an inhabitant, or houſe-keeper. As 'tis an harbinger, ſo it comes to fit and prepare us for it ſelf; trims up, and ſweeps, and ſweetens the ſoul, that it may be readier to entertain him when he comes to reſide; and that he doth (as the ancient gladiators had their arma praeluſoria) by skirmiſhing with our corruptions before he comes to give them a pitch-battel; he brandiſhes a flaming ſword about our ears, and as by a flaſh of lightning, gives us a ſenſe of a diſmal hideous ſtate; and ſo ſomewhat reſtrains us from exceſs and fury; firſt, by a momentary remorſe, then by a more laſting, yet not purifying flame, the Spirit of bondage. In ſum, every check of conſcience, every ſigh for ſin, every fear of judgment, every deſire of grace, every motion or inclination toward ſpiritual good, he it never ſo ſhort-winded, is praeludium ſpiritus, a kind of John Baptiſt to Chriſt, ſomething that God ſent before to prepare the wayes of the Lord. And thus the Spirit comes very often, in every affliction, every diſeaſe, (which is part of Gods diſcipline to keep us in ſome order,) in brief, at every Sermon that works upon us at the hearing: then I ſay, the lightning flaſhes in our eyes, we have a glimpſe of his Spirit, but cannot come to a full ſight of it▪ and thus he appears to many, whom he will never dwell with. Unhappy men that they cannot lay hold on him when he comes ſo near them! and yet ſomewhat more happy, then they that never came within ken of him: ſtopt their ears when he ſpake to them even at this diſtance. Every man in the Chriſtian Church hath frequently in his life a power to partake of Gods ordinary preparing graces: and 'tis ſome degree of obedience, though no work of regeneration, to make good uſe of them: and if he without the Inhabitance of the Spirit cannot make ſuch uſe as he ſhould, yet to make the beſt he can: and thus I ſay the Spirit appears to the unregenerate, almoſt every day of our lives. 2. When this Spirit comes a gueſt to lodge with us, then is he ſaid to enter; but till by actions and frequent obliging works he makes himſelf known to his neighbours, as long as he keeps his chamber, till he declare himſelf to be there, ſo long he remains a private ſecret gueſt: and that's called the introduction of the form, that makes a man to be truly regenerate, when the ſeed is ſown in his heart, when the habit is infuſed, and that is done ſometimes diſcernibly, ſometimes not diſcernibly, but ſeldom, as when Saul was called in the midſt of his madneſs,Acts IX. Acts ix. he was certainly able to tell a man the very minute of his change, of his being made a new creature. Thus they which have long lived in an enormous Antichriſtian courſe, do many times find themſelves ſtrucken on a ſudden, and are able to date their regeneration, and tell you punctually how old they are in the Spirit. Yet becauſe there be many preparations to this Spirit, which are not this Spirit; many preſumptions in our hearts falſe-grounded, many tremblings and jealouſies in thoſe that have it, great affinity between faith natural and ſpiritual: ſeeing 'tis a Spirit that thus enters, and not as it did light on the Diſciples in a bodily ſhape, 'tis not an eaſie matter for any one to define the time of his converſion. Some may gueſs ſomewhat nearer then others, as remembring a ſenſible change in themſelves; but in a word, the ſureſt diſcerning of it, is in its working, not at its entring. I may know that now I have the Spirit better then at what time I came to it. Undiſcernibly Gods ſupernatural agency interpoſes ſometimes in the mothers womb, as in John Baptiſt ſpringing in Elizabeth at Maryes ſalutation, Luke I. 41.Luke i. 41. and perhaps in Jeremy, Jer. i. 5. Before thou cameſt out of the womb I Sanctified thee, Jer. l. 5.and in Iſaiah, Iſa. xlix. 5.Iſa. XLIX 5. The Lord that formed me from the womb to be his ſervant. But this divine addreſs attends moſt ordinarily till the time of our Baptiſm, when the Spirit accompanying the outward ſign infuſes it ſelf into their hearts, and there ſeats and plants it ſelf, and grows up with the reaſonable ſoul, keeping even their moſt luxuriant years within bounds; and as they come to an uſe of their reaſon, to a more and more multiplying this habit of grace into holy ſpiritual acts of Faith and Obedience: from which 'tis ordinarily ſaid, that Infants baptized have habitual Faith, as they may be alſo ſaid to have habitual repentance, and the habits of all other graces, becauſe they have the root and ſeed of thoſe beauteous healthful flowers which will actually flouriſh then, when they come to years. And this, I ſay, is ſo frequent to be performed at Baptiſm, that ordinarily 'tis not wrought without that means, and in thoſe means we may expect it, as our Church doth in our Liturgies, where ſhe preſumes at every Baptiſm that it hath pleaſed God to regenerate the Infant by his holy Spirit. And this may prove a ſolemn piece of comfort to ſome, who ſuſpect their ſtate more then they need: and think 'tis impoſſible that they ſhould be in a regenerate condition, becauſe they have not as yet found any ſuch notable change in themſelves, as they ſee and obſerve in others. Theſe men may as well be jealous they are not men, becauſe they cannot remember when their ſoul came to them: if they can find the effects of ſpiritual life in themſelves, let them call it what they will, a religious education, or a cuſtom of well doing, or an unacquaintedneſs with ſin; let them comfort themſelves in their eſtate, and be thankful to God who viſited them thus betimes; let it never trouble them that they were not once as bad as other men, but rather acknowledge Gods mercy, who hath prevented ſuch a change, and by uniting them to him in the cradle, hath educated, and nurſed them up in familiarity with the Spirit. Laſtly, the Spirit ſometimes enters into our hearts upon occaſional emergencies, the ſenſe of Gods judgments on our ſelves or others, the reflexion on his mercies, the reading good Books, falling into vertuous acquaintance, but moſt eminently at, and with the preaching of the Word: and this by degrees as it ſeems to us; but indeed at ſome one eſpecial ſeaſon or other, which yet perhaps we are not able to diſcern, and here indeed are we ordinarily to expect this gueſt if we have not yet found him: here doth it love to be cheriſhed, and refreſhed, and warm'd within us, if we have it,Rom. I. 16. for even it is the power of God unto ſalvation, Rom. i. 16. The 3. condition in which this Spirit comes into our hearts, is as an inhabitant, or houſe-keeper. The Spirit,Epiſt. 105. ad Xyſtum. ſaith Auſtin, firſt is in us, then dwels in us: before it dwels, it helps us to believe: when it dwels, it helps, and perfects, and improves our faith, and accompliſhes it with all other concomitant graces. So I ſay here, the Spirit is then ſaid to inhabit, and keep houſe in us, not as ſoon as it is entertained and received: but when it breaks forth into acts, and declares it ſelf before all men, When men ſee our good works, and glorifie our Father, Mat. V. 16.Matth. v. 16. Before we were ſaid to live in the Spirit, now to walk, Gal. V. 25.as you ſhall ſee the phraſes uſed diſtinctly, Gal v. 25▪ … walk, that is to go about conſpicuouſly in the ſight of all men, breaking forth into works, (as the Sun after the diſperſions of a miſt or cloud) whereby all men ſee and acknowledge his faith and obedience, and find their own evil wayes reprehended, and made manifeſt by his good,Eph. V. 13. as is noted in the 13. verſe, All things that are reproved, are made manifeſt by the light. Semblable to which is that of the Atheiſts repining at the godly man,Wiſd. II. 14. 2 Wiſd. ii. 14. He is made to reprove our thoughts. Thus is the third Quere reſolved alſo, when this inward principle enters. 1. It comes as an harbenger, in every outward reſtraint by which God keeps us from ſinning. 2. It enters as a gueſt in ſome ſeaſon or other, once for all. In the womb, at Baptiſm, at ſome Sermon, ſometimes at a notable tempeſt, ſhaking and ſtirring us violently, ordinarily and for the moſt part not to be diſcerned by us: and laſtly, it comes and dwels with us, and ſhews it ſelf in its works, yet that not at any ſet time after his entrance, not conſtantly without ever covering his face, but when and as often as it pleaſes, and the fleſh reſiſteth not. To the laſt Quere, What works it performs, the anſwer ſhall be brief; every thing that may be called ſpiritual, Faith, Repentance, Charity, Hope, Self-denial, and the reſt: but theſe not promiſcuouſly, or in an heap altogether, but by a wiſe diſpenſation, in time and by degrees. The ſoul being enabled by this inward principle, is equally diſpoſed to the producing of all theſe, and as occaſions do occur, doth actually perform and produce them; ſo that in my conceit that queſtion concerning the priority of Repentance, or Faith, is not either of ſuch moment, or difficulty, as is by ſome diſputers pretended. The ſeeds of them both are at one time planted in the ſoul: and then there is no Faith in any ſubject, but there is Repentance alſo; nor Repentance without Faith. So that where it is ſaid, Without Faith 'tis impoſſible to pleaſe God in any thing elſe, 'tis true; but argues no neceſſary precedence of it before other graces, for the habits of them all are of the ſame age in us, and then alſo will it be as true, that without Repentance, or without Love, Faith it ſelf cannot pleaſe God: for if it be truly acceptable Faith, there is both Repentance and Love in the ſame womb to keep it company. Thus are we wont to ſay that only Faith juſtifieth, but not Faith alone: and the reaſon theſe promiſes in Scripture are made ſometimes to one grace preciſely, ſometimes to another, is becauſe they are all at once rooted in the man, and in their habits chain'd together inſeparably. Faith ſaves every man that hath it, and yet the believing'ſt man under Heaven ſhall not be ſaved without Charity. Charity hides a multitude of ſins, and yet the charitableſt man in the world ſhall never have his ſcore croſs't without Repentance. A catalogue of theſe fruits of the Spirit you may at your leiſure make up to your ſelves for your tryal,Gal. V. 22. out of the fifth to the Gal. from the 22. verſe, 1 Pet. I. V.and 1 Peter i 5. All theſe graces together, though ſome belonging to one, ſome to another faculty of the ſoul, are yet all at once conceived in it, at once begin their life in the heart, though one be perhaps ſooner ready to walk abroad, and ſhew it ſelf in the world then another. As in the 2 of Kings iv. 34.2 Kings IV. 34. Eliſha went up on the bed and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth, and eyes upon his eyes, and hands upon his hands, and ſtretched himſelf upon the child, and the fleſh of the child waxed warm, and verſe 35.Verſe 35. the child ſneezed ſeven times, and opened his eyes. Thus I ſay, doth the Spirit apply it ſelf unto the ſoul, and meaſure it ſelf out to every part of it; and then the ſpiritual life comes at once into the ſoul (as motion beginning in the centre, diffuſes it ſelf equally through the whole ſphere, and affecteth every part of the circumference) and the fleſh of the child waxed warm; where the fleſh indefinitely ſignifieth every part of it together, and in the ſpiritual ſenſe the whole ſoul; and this is when the inward principle, when the habit enters. Then for acts of life, one perhaps ſhews it ſelf before another, as the child firſt ſneezed ſeven times, a violent disburthening it ſelf of ſome troubleſom humors that tickle in the head; to which may be anſwerable our ſpiritual clearing and purging our ſelves by Self-denial, the laying aſide every weight, Heb. XII. 1.Heb. xii. 1. then opened his eyes, which in our ſpiritual creature, is ſpiritual illumination, or the eye of Faith; theſe I ſay, may firſt ſhew themſelves as acts, and yet ſometimes others before them, yet all alike in the habit, all of one ſtanding, one conception, one plantation in the heart: though indeed ordinarily, (like Eſay and Jacob) the rougher come out firſt. We begin our ſpiritual life in Repentance and contrition, and with many harſh twinges of the Spirit; and then comes Faith like Jacob at the heels, ſmooth and ſoft, applying all the cordial promiſes to our penitent ſouls. In brief, if any judgment be to be made, which of theſe graces is firſt in the regenerate man, and which rules in chief; I conceive Self denial and Faith to be there firſt, and moſt eminent, according to that notable place,Matth, XVI. 24. Matth, xvi. 24. where Chriſt ſeems to ſet down the order of graces in true Diſciples. Let him deny himſelf, and take up his croſs, that is, forgo all his carnal delights, and embrace all manner of puniſhments and miſeries, prepare himſelf even to go and be crucified, and then follow me; that is, by a lively faith believe in Chriſt, and prize him before all the world beſides: and indeed in effect theſe two are but one, though they appear to us in ſeveral ſhapes: for Faith is nothing without Self-denial, it cannot work till our carnal affections be ſubjected to it. Believe a man may, and have fleſh and fleſhly luſt in him, but unleſs Faith have the pre-eminence, Faith is no Faith. The man may be divided betwixt the law of his members, and the law of his mind; ſo many degrees of fleſh, ſo many of ſpirit: but if there be conſtantly but an even balance, or more of fleſh then ſpirit, if 3 degrees of ſpirit, and 5 of fleſh, then can there not be ſaid to be any true Self-denial, and conſequently any Faith, no more then that can be ſaid to be hot, which hath more degrees of cold, then heat in it. In brief, 'tis a good meaſure of Self-denial that ſets his faith in his Throne, and when by it faith hath conquered, though not without continual reſiſtance, when it hath once got the upper hand, then is the man ſaid to be regenerate, whereupon it is that the regenerate ſtate is called the life of Faith. Gal. II. 20.Faith is become a principle of the greateſt power and activity in the ſoul. And ſo much for theſe 4 Queries; from which I conceive every thing that is material, and directly pertinent to inſtruct you, and open the eſtate of a new creature, may be reſolved. And for other niceties, how far we may prepare our ſelves, how co-operate and joyn iſſue with the ſpirit, whether it work irreſiſtibly by way of phyſical influence, or moral perſwaſion, whether being once had, it may totally or finally be loſt again, and the like; theſe I ſay, if they are fit for any, I am reſolved are not neceſſary for a Countrey Auditory to be inſtructed in. 'Twill be more for your profit to have your hearts raiſed, then your brains puft up; to have your ſpirits and ſouls inwardly affected to an earneſt deſire and longing after it, which will perhaps be ſomewhat performed, if we proceed to ſhew you the neceſſity of it, and unavailableneſs of all things elſe, and that by way of Uſe and Application.
And for the neceſſity of renewedneſs of heart, to demonſtrate that, I will only crave of you to grant me, that the performance of any one duty towards God is neceſſary, and then it will prove it ſelf; for it is certain no duty to God can be performed without it. For 'tis not a fair outſide, a ſlight performance, a bare work done that is accepted by God: if it were, Cain would deſerve as much thanks for his ſacrifice as his brother Abel; for in the outſide of them there was no difference, unleſs perhaps on Cain's ſide, that he was forwardeſt in the duty, and offered firſt, Gen. iv. 3. But it is the inſide of the action,Gen. IV. 3. the marrow and bowels of it that God judges by. If a ſum in groſs, or a bag ſealed up, would paſs for payment in Gods audit; every man would come and make his accounts duly enough with him: and what he wanted in gold for his payment, ſhould be made up in counters. But God goes more exactly to work, when he comes to call thee to an account of thy ſtewardſhip: he is a God of thoughts, and a ſearcher of the heart and reins, and 'twill then be a harder buſineſs to be found juſt when he examines, or clear when he will judge. The leaſt ſpot and blemiſh in the face of it, the leaſt maim or imperfection in the offering, the leaſt negligence or coldneſs in the performance, nay the leaſt corruption in the heart of him that doth it, hath utterly ſpoiled the ſacrifice. Be the bulk and skin of the work never ſo large and beautiful to the eye, if it come not from a ſanctified, renewed, gracious heart, it will find no acceptance, but that in the Prophet,Iſa. Who hath required it at your hands? This is not it that God is taken with, or ſuch as he commanded, it may paſs for a complement, or a work of courſe, but never be valued as a duty or real ſervice. Reſolve thy ſelf to dwell no where but in the Church, and there (like Simeon foreign, in Euſeb.) plant thy ſelf continually in a Pillar, with thy eyes, and words, fixt, and ſhot up perpetually towards Heaven. If there be not a ſpirit within thee to give light to the eyes; to add ſighs and groans to the voice, all this that thou haſt done is nothing but as a blind mans pretenſions to ſight, and a dumb mans claim to ſpeech; and ſo in like manner in all our duties which the world and carnal men ſet a price on. And the reaſon is, becauſe every ſpiritual ſeeming work done by a natural man, is not truly ſo: 'tis nothing leſs then that which it is ſaid to be; his prayers are not prayers, lip-labour perhaps, but not devotion; his ſerving of God is formality, not obedience; his hope of Heaven, not a hope but a phancy. If God, or Satan, a judge, or a tempter, ſhould come to reaſon with him about it, he would ſoon be worſted, never be able to maintain his title to it. In brief, the faireſt part of a natural man, that which is leaſt counterfeit, his deſire and good affections to ſpiritual things (which we call favourably natural deſires of ſpiritual obedience,) theſe I ſay, are but falſe deſires, falſe affections. 1. They have no ſolidity or permanency in the will, only fluid and tranſitory, ſome flight ſudden wiſhes, tempeſts and ſtorms of a troubled mind, ſoon blown over: the leaſt temptation will be ſure to do it. They are like thoſe wavering prayers without any ſtay of faith,Jam. I. 6. Jam. 1. 6. like a wave of the ſea driven by the wind and toſt. 2. That being which they have is counterfeit, they are not that which they are taken for. We are wont to ſay, that acts are diſtinguiſhed by their objects, he ſees truly which judges the thing to be that that it is: 'tis true indeed that another man ſees, he that takes blew for green, but he does not ſee truly: ſo alſo he only willeth a good thing, that wills that in it, which is truly good. Now the natural man, when he is ſaid to chuſe ſpiritual things, as Heaven, Happineſs and the like, he deſires not a ſpiritual but a carnal thing: in deſiring Heaven, he deſires ſomewhat that would free him from miſery in happineſs, a natural or moral good, that would be acceptable to any creature under Heaven: and ſo a Turk will deſire paradiſe, and that very impatiently, in hope that he ſhall have his fill of luſt there. Generally you may mark that in ſuch deſires of ſpiritual things, 'tis ſome carnality that moves unregenerate men: ſomewhat it is that may pleaſe the fleſh, and then 'tis not the ſpiritual but the carnal part of it that is their object which they woo, and make love too: which you may judge of by this, that they are frequent and importunate in their wiſhes for glory, ſeldom or never for grace (though that alſo may be wiſhed for carnally, to make us more renowned and better eſteemed in the world.) For the moſt part, I ſay, they deſire glory, for that will make them happy, and out of danger of worldly misfortunes: remiſſion of ſins, for theſe lie heavy on their conſciences, and give them many a twinge that they would fain be eaſed of: but ſeldom petition for grace, as if holineſs without other conveniencies or gains, were not worth the having. And this ariſes from hence, that our love of Chriſt grows by ſending out and faſtning our affections on him as an object fitteſt for our turns, that will advantage us moſt; but not by receiving in his Image and ſhape into our ſouls: this indeed would make us not only love, but imitate him, and having once taſted, long after him, this would ſanctifie our ſouls, whereas the other doth but only ſatisfie our greedy affections.
By what hath been ſaid 'tis plain enough (though it might be much more amplified) that grace is of abſolute neceſſity to performance of any holy work acceptable to God: that without it whatſoever is done in ſpiritual matters is carnal, not indeed ſpiritual, but equivocally and abſurdly ſo called. The natural mans deſires of Heaven, are not deſires of Heaven: his faith, no faith: his believing of the Scripture, infidelity; becauſe he doth not apply them particularly to himſelf to obey them. In ſum, when he prayes, hopes, or give alms, he does ſomewhat indeed, and 'tis well done of him: but he doth not truly either pray, or hope, or give alms, there is ſome carnality in them that hath poyſoned them, and quite altered the complexion, the conſtitution, and inward qualities of the work. And then indeed how impatient ſhould every Chriſtian be of this Coloquintida within him? There's mors in ollâ, 2 Kings.as the Prophet once ſpake, that's death in the pot, that ſo infects and kills every thing that comes out of it. How ſhould we abhor, and loath, and deteſt this old leaven that ſo beſowres all our actions? this Heatheniſm of ungenerate carnal nature, which makes our beſt works ſo unchriſtian? To inſiſt longer upon this, were but to encreaſe your thirſt, not to ſatisfie it: to make you ſenſible of that maraſmus and deſperate drought that hath gone over your ſouls, but not to help you to any waters for the cure: that ſhall come next, as the laſt work of this exerciſe to be performed, in a word.
Having learnt what this new creature is, and how abſolutely neceſſary to a Chriſtian; O let us not defer one minute longer to examine our eſtates, whether we are yet renewed or no, and by the acts which we daily perform, obſerve whether the ſanctifying habit be as yet infuſed into our ſouls. If the grounds of our beſt duties, that which moves us in our holieſt actions, be found upon ſearch to be but carnal; if a careful religious education, cuſtom of the place which we live in, fear of humane laws, nay perhaps a good ſoft tender diſpoſition, and the like, be the things that make thee love God, and perform holy duties, and not any inward principle of ſanctity within thee: I counſel thee to think better of thine eſtate, and conſider whether the like motives, had it ſo hapned that thou hadſt been born and brought up in Turky, might not have made thee worſhip Mahumet. I would be ſorry to be rigid; I fear thou wilt find they might: well then, a new courſe muſt be taken, all thy former heathen, carnal, or at beſt good moral life, all thy formal performances, the beſt of thy natural deſires muſt be content to be rank't here with circumciſion and uncircumciſion availing nothing, there is no truſt, or confidence to be placed on theſe Aegyptian ſtaves of reed, Eſ. xxxvi. 6. And then if thou wilt not live heartleſs for ever, if ever thou meanſt to move or walk, or do any thing, you muſt to that Creator of Spirits and Lover of Souls, and never leave ſolliciting, till he hath breathed another breath into your noſtrils, another Soul into your Soul: you muſt lay your ſelf at his feet, and with all the violence and Rhetorick, and humility, that theſe wants will prompt thee to, and woo, and importune the Holy Spirit to overſhadow thee, to conceive all holy graces ſpiritually in thee: and if thou canſt not ſuddenly receive a gracious anſwer, that the Holy Ghoſt will come in unto thee, and lodge with thee this night: yet learn ſo much patience from thy beggarly eſtate, as not to challenge him at thy own times, but comfortably to wait his leiſure. There is employment enough for thee in the while to prepare the room againſt his coming, to make uſe of all his common graces, to cleanſe and reform thy foul corruptions, that when the Spirit comes it may find thee ſwept and garniſh't. All the outward means which God hath afforded thee, he commands thee to make uſe of, and will require it at thy hands in the beſt meaſure, even before thou art regenerate, though thou ſin in all thy unregenerate performances, for want of inward ſanctitie, yet 'tis better to have obeyed imperfectly, then not at all: the firſt is weakneſs, the other deſperate preſumption; the firſt material partial obedience, the ſecond total diſobedience. Yet whilſt thou art preparing, give not over praying, they are acts very competible; thou maiſt do them both together. Whilſt thou art a ſortifying theſe little kingdoms within thee, ſend theſe Embaſſadors abroad for help, that thou maiſt be capable of it when it comes. But above all things be circumſpect, watch and obſerve the Spirit, and be perpetually ready to receive its blaſts, let it never have breathed on thee in vain; let thine ear be for ever open to its whiſperings: if it ſhould paſs by thee either not heard, or not underſtood, 'twere a loſs that all the treaſures upon earth could not repair, and for the moſt part you know it comes not in the thunder. Chriſt ſeldom ſpeaks ſo loud now adayes as he did to Saul, Acts ix. 'tis in a ſoft ſtill voice, and I will not promiſe you that men that dwell in a mill, that are perpetually engaged in worldly loud employments, or that men aſleep, ſhall ever come to hear of it. The ſum of all my exhortation is, after examination, to cleanſe, and pray, and watch; carefully to cleanſe thy ſelf, inceſſantly to pray, and diligently to watch for the Sun of Righteouſneſs, when he ſhall begin to dawn, and riſe, and ſhine in thy heart by grace. And do thou, O Holy Lord, work this whole work in us, prepare us by thy outward, perfect us by thy inward graces: awaken us out of the darkneſs of death, and plant a new ſeed of holy light and life in us: infuſe into our heathen hearts a Chriſtian habit of ſanctity, that we may perform all ſpiritual duties of holineſs, that we may glorifie thee here by thy Spirit, and be glorified with thee by thy Chriſt hereafter.
Now to him that hath elected us, hath, &c.