Page images
PDF
EPUB

66

We might give other differences alfo; as that true faith is operative, "purifying the heart," "working by love," Gal. v. 6. whilft "hypocrites do only cleanfe the outside of the platter," and "do all to be feen of men," not seeking the honour that is of God only and fo cannot believe:" we might alfo fhew that true faith is never alone in a man, but attended with other faving graces. But because these things will coincide with what followeth, and here we are fhewing that a man

may take up his gracious ftate by his faith, and the act

ing thereof on Christ, we pass these things.

Chapter V.

OF THE NEW CREATURE.

THE Second great mark of a gracious ftate

and true faving intereft in Jefus Chrift, is the new creature; "If any man be in Chrift he is a new creature." This new creation, or renovation of that man, is a very fenfible change; although not in those who are effectually called from the womb, or in their younger years, (because thofe have had this new creature from that time in them, fo as this change in after-periods of time is not difcernible) yet in those who have been regenerated and brought in to Chrift after they were come to greater age, and fo have more palpably been under the "power of darknefs," before they were" tranflated into the kingdom of Chrift." But all who do warrantably pretend to Chrift, this new creature muft be; although some do not know experimentally the contraries of every part of it so as others do; because they have not been equally in regard of practice under the power of darkness. This new creature is called the new man, which doth hold out the extent of it. It is not fimply a new tongue or new hand, but a new man. There is a principle of new life and motion put in the man, which is the new

heart; which new principle of life fendeth forth acts of life, or of "conformity to the image of him who created it," fo as the party is renewed in fome measure every way. This renovation of the man who is in Chrift may be reduced into these two great heads.

First, There is a renovation of the man's perfon, foul and body, in fome measure.

1ft. His understanding is renewed, so as he judgeth "Chrift preached," in the gospel to be "the wildom and power of God," a wife and ftrong device befeeming God: He knoweth the things of God really and folidly, not to be yea and nay, and uncertain fancies; but all to be yea and amen, folid, certain, fubftantial things, having a defirable accomplishment in Chrift, and refolving much in him; "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcerned: but he that is fpiritual judgeth all things." "As God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay. For the Son of God, Jefus Christ, who was peached among you by us, even by me, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. For all the promifes of God in him are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us."Natural men, educated under gofpel-ordinances, altho' they have fome notional knowledge of God, Chrift, the promifes, the motions of the Holy Spirit, fo as they may confer, preach, and difpute of these things; yet they look on them as common received maxims of Christianity, from which to recede were a fingularity and difgrace; but not as real, folid, fubftantial truths, fo as to adventure their fouls and everlasting being on them. The understanding is renewed alfo, to take up fomewhat of God in the creatures, as bearing fparks of his glorious attributes; they fee "the heavens declaring his glory and power," and fomewhat of God in providence, and difpenfations that fall out: "His wondrous works declare that his name is near.' The understanding alfo taketh up the conditions and cafes of the foul other

G

1

wife than it was wont to do ;, as we find the faints ufually fpeaking in Scripture, O my foul, thou haft faid unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord;" "My foul faid, Thy face will I feek ;" " Why art thou caft down, O my foul?" "Return unto thy rest, O my foul."

adly. The heart and affections are renewed. The heart is made" a new heart, a heart of flesh," capable of impreffions, having a copy of his law ftamped on it, and the fear of God put into it, whereby the man's duty becometh in a manner native and kindly to the manIt was before a heart of ftone, void of the fear of God. The affections are renewed now: the love is renewed in fome good measure; it goeth out after God; " I will love the Lord;" after his law, "O how love I thy law!" after thofe who have God's image in them, "By this fhall all men know that ye are my difciples, if ye have love one to another." We know that we have paf

66

"

fed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.' This love to God's people is upon a pure account, as they are the children of God, and do keep his ftatutes ; it is" with a pure heart fervently;" and therefore it goeth towards all fuch whom the man knoweth or apprehendeth to be fuch; "I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts," in all cafes and conditions, even where there is nothing to beautify or commend but the image of God. And this love is fo fervent many times, that it putteth itself out in all relations, fo as a man feeketh a godly wife, a godly mafter, a godly fervant, a godly counfellor, if he have to chufe upon; "Mine eyes fhall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he fhall ferve me." And " it is not quenched by many waters :" Many imperfections and infirmities, difference in opinion, wrongs received, will not altogether quench love. Alfo it is communicative of good according to its meafure, and as the cafe of the poor godly requireth; "Thou art my Lord, my goodnefs extendeth not to thee, but to the faints; But whofo hath this world's good, and feeth his brother have need,

and fhutteth up his bowels of compaffion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and fhall affure our hearts before him." The man's hatred is af renewed, and is now bended againft fin; "I hare vain thoughts ;" against God's enemies, as fuch, "Do not I hate them that hate thee ?" &c. The joy or delight is renewed, for it runneth towards God;"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire befides thee :" towards his law and will; "His delight is in the law of the Lord :" and towards the godly and their fellowship; "To the faints, in whom is all my delight." The forrow is turned againft fin which hath wronged Chrift: "Looking to him whom they have pierced, they mourn." "The forrow is godly" there, and against what encroacheth upon God's honor. "They are forrowful for the folemn affembly, and the reproach of that is their burden." There is fome renovation in all the affections, as in every other part of the foul pointing now towards God.

3dly. The very outward members of the man are renewed, as the Scripture fpeaks, the tongue, the eye, the ear, the hand, the foot, fo that "thofe members which once were improved as weapons of unrighteoufnefs unto fin, are now improved as weapons of righteousness unto holilefs.'

Secondly. A man who is in Chrift is renewed in fome measure in all his ways: "Behold, all things are become new." The man becometh new, 1ft. In the way of his intereft. He was upon any good before, though but ap parent, and at beft but external; "Many fay, who will fhew us any good?" but now his intereft and bufinefs is, how to be found in Chrift," in that day, or how to be forthcoming to him, and "walk before him in the light of the living," which he would chufe among all the mercies that fill this earth; "The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy, teach me thy ftatutes." The intereft of Chrift alfo becometh the man's intereft, as appeareth in

the fong of Hannah, and in the fong of Mary. It is ftrange to fee people newly converted, and having reached but the beginning of knowledge, concern and intereft themselves in the public matters of Chrift's kingdom, fo defirous to have him riding profperously, and fubduing the people under him.

2dly. The man that is in Chrift, is renewed in the way of his worship. He was wont to "ferve God in the oldnefs of the letter," for the fashion, anfwering the letter of the command in the outside of duty, which one in whom the old man hath abfolute dominion can do ; but ; now he worshippeth Godin newnefs of fpirit," in a new way, wherein he is "helped by the Spirit of God," beyond the reach of flesh and blood. He "ferveth now the true and living God, in fpirit and in truth," having fpiritual apprehenfions of God, and engaged in his very foul in that work, doing and saying truly and not feignedly when he worshippeth; ftill "defiring to approach unto him as a living God," who heareth and feeth him, and can accept his fervice. I grant he fails of this many times; yet I may fay, fuch worfhip he intendeth, and fometimes overtaketh, and doth not much reckon that worship which is not fo performed unto God; and the iniquity of his holy things is not the least part of his burden and exercife. Such a worship natural men are ftrangers unto, whilft they babble out their vain-glorious boaftings, like the Pharifee," to an unknown God."

3dly. The man that is in Chrift is renewed in the way of his outward calling and employment in the world; he now refolveth to be about it, becaufe God hath commanded fo; Not flothful in bufinefs, fervent in fpirit, ferving the Lord;" and to eye God in it as the laft end,. "doing it to his glory;" and ftudieth to keep fome intercourfe with God in the exercife of his outward employments, as Jacob doth in his latter-will, I have waited for thy falvation, O Lord ;" and as Nehemiah did, "Then the King faid unto me, for what doft thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven;" fo as the

« EelmineJätka »