sinnes even those which himselfe doth small and great he spareth none Nay he hateth his life and loveth it not to the death in comparison of Christ. These are strange affections but inseparable to the new Creature Fifthly new senses a new cleared eye to discerne the things of God Ephes. 1. 15. A new eare opened boared circumcised to heare and obey Psam 40. 6. A new taste how good God is and rellish of the things of God A new smell to savour the things of the spirit Rom. 8. 5. which before were unsavoury and tastelesse A new feeling hee feeleth the worke of the Word and Spirit in him hee feeleth a sweete apprehension of remission of sins and Gods favour in Christ hee feeleth the peace and joy of a good conscience and fellowfeeleth the affliction of his brethren Sixthly a whole new estate hee is in state of regeneration and in state of salvation being before in state of death and damnation A new name Esay 62. 1. Being married to Christ is called by the husbands name Christian. A new language of Canaan he is of a pure language Hee hath new food new milke from the breasts of the Church Mannah from Heaven to grow by Every creature hath his proper foode to live by so here he hath new raiment to cloath him the righteousnesse of Christ the elder brother new attendants and servants to keepe him in his way the Angels Psal. 34. A new and living way by Iesus Christ to walke into heaven contrary to the way of the world Seventhly a new death not of his soule in sin as before but of sinne in his soule Nay his body dyeth not the common death of all men but a new death sanctified seasoned in the death of Christ yea more he hath a new grave and buriall of sinne in his soule and his body is layd in a Tombe wherein never wicked man was layd al perfumed in the buriall and grave of Iesus Christ. Here is a new Creature all new all tending to perfection The fourth note of a new creature is new Motion called new obedience first from the original secondly the matter thirdly the manner fourthly the end of it First the spring or rise of the new Creatures Motion is from within all hee doth is from the spirit within him The Old mans Obedience is from without hee beginneth at his finger ends is drawne by outward inducements hee setteth his service to sale to the view of men as a clocke that worketh not from within but is moved by plummets and weights without But the new Creature performeth new Obedience from a new ground he hath not onely Spiritum adstantem but assistentem that is hee hath not the presence of the spirit only but his assistance Of all sins hee shunneth the most inward and spirituall of all judgements hee most dreadeth inward and spirituall of all places hee would have his heart within sweetest cleanest and best trimmed Secondly the matter of his Obedience is grounded in the Word either in some precept generall or speciall or in some example in all his motion hee looketh to the rule as the Israelites to the cloud hee hath a new commandement to observe Iohn 13. from a new Master whom his desire is to please in all things which cannot be in any thing but commanded by himselfe Thirdly the manner of his motion is new and diverse from other men yea from himselfe A beast may doe the same things that a man doth eate drinke sleepe but the manner is not the same A wicked man may doe some things that are good and commanded as hearing reading praying fasting but hee slubbers it over and contenteth himselfe to doe it in any fashion to get it over But a new Creature aimeth as much at the right manner of doing as the thing it selfe The maine difference in the manner of doing betweene the old and new creature is in two things 1 As every Creature hath his severall delight in his proper action so the new Creature doth duties with delight freedome cheerefulnesse The Bird delighteth in singing so the new Creature delighteth in his new motion and the Commandement is not a burthen 2 As every Creature is uniforme in his proper action it doth them all alike every where so the new Creature is the same in his obedience every where Ioseph is Ioseph in the dungeon as well as in the top of the Kingdome Iob is Iob on the dung-hill Fourthly the end of his Motion and Obedience is new Gods glory directly as the glory of God shareth in all the workes of the Creation Rom. 1 〈◊〉 The Heavens declare his glory and the Earth show his handy workes Much more this new Creature in his motion expresseth the glory of God Carnall men are like blazing-starres which so long as they are fed with vapours shine as if they were stars but let the vapours dry up presently they vanish and disappeare So so long as earthly vapours of profit preferment vaine-glory feed naturall men so long they appeare in motion and shine as starres but no longer But the new Creature is of anothet mould he is a new wonkemanship that will serve to the praise of the glory of the grace of the workeman Ephes. 1. 6. The third point is How may a man become a new Creature The Text saith Let him be a new creature as if it were in our power to be so or not to be Answ. This implieth our dutie not our abilitie of our selves Our duty is to labour after this new creation to get into this new estate and to be sure wee have our being in grace secondly the Text speaketh of one in Christ whose will is freed in part Ob. But how can I seeke a being in grace having no being in it I can resist it but how can I helpe it forward can a dead man move to life Answ. 1. All such places as Ier. 4. 4. doe shew us 1. what wee cannot doe 2. what wee ought to doe 3. what we must attaine by grace 2 The Lord who doth the wole worke of creation doth it not so immediatly as hee did the creation of naturall things but ordinarily useth meanes sanctified to this worke God that made us without our selves will not save us without our selves nor worketh in the elect as in stockes and stones but as in reasonable instruments First hee hath appointed meanes for our regeneration and salvation secondly commandeth us to use them thirdly promiseth that in the right use of them hee will put forth his mighty power upon his own meanes Therefore thou maist present thy selfe to the meanes and submit thy selfe unto Gods ordinances beware of thrusting away the offers of grace No man can helpe himselfe into life but being quickned by God knoweth that he liveth and doth the actions of life Quest. But how can I having no grace seeke after grace in the meanes Ans. No man can seeke grace but by grace but being
difficulties in that creation no finite power could turne hand to it So in the new creature this power First maketh him runne through thicke and thinne fire and water sword and bands and thousands of deaths for Christ. In Gods wayes hee can runne scarce interrupted with those rubs that overturne others The cords that binde others hands and feete are Sampsons flaxe to him difficult commandements are easie to him At one word hee can sacrifice his Isaac leave his countrey not questioning or reasoning the case Secondly hee can overcome the most grievous temptations he can wrestle with Iacob till hee have never a limbe left and prevaile with God himselfe The keenest weapons of death cannot conquer this power no water drowne it Let him kill yet it will trust hee may kill the creature but the new creature is unconquerable Vse 2. Content not thy selfe with the first Creation for had that continued good wee had not needed a second and if thou hast no more then the first creation it were better thou haddest never beene a creature Labour therefore to grow up in this workemanship till thou beest wholly new To which purpose thou must dayly First grow up in humilitie and in consciousnesse of thine owne inability to every good word and worke Paul after conversion was much and often in this sense Wee are not able to thinke the least good thought and the good I would doe I cannot For as the power of God in this new creation did put forth it selfe when wee were of no strength Rom. 5. 6. so will it still manifest it selfe more in the sense of our infirmities 2. Cor. 12. 9. My power is made perfect in weakenesse And When I am weake then I am strong verse 10. Secondly grow up in faith by dayly renewing of it and use of meanes Abridge not thy selfe in the use of meanes neither publike nor private the more thou wouldest finde this powerfull worke the more must thou labour in increase of faith Christ could not shew his mighty and miraculous power where unbeleefe hindred and the want of faith hindreth the displaying of this creating power Matth. 13. 10. Thirdly daily decking and adorning thy soule with graces by growing from faith to faith from grace to grace Hereby thou makest roome for Christ in thy heart and fittest it as his Temple wherein hee will reside for the upholding of his owne most gracious worke Thus whereas every other creature waxeth older and older onely the new creature groweth newer and newer more flourishing in his age Vse 3. Let us demeane our selves as new creatures Col. 1. 10. 1. Thes. 2. 12. Walke worthy of the Lord. Quest. How shall we so doe Answ. 1. Manifest and maintaine that new image which is imprinted upon thee In the first creation every creature came forth and appeared in their severall formes and kindes wherein they were created so the new Creature must appeare in his owne likenesse This was Adams advancement above all the creatures that hee was made in the image of God as none of them were And this is the honour of all the Saints that they are advanced to a farre more excellent image of the second Adam for shall the first Adam beget children in his owne likenesse and shall not the second Adam Shall earthly fathers beget creatures like unto themselves and will our heavenly father beget children to another similitude than his owne Who art thou then that professest thy selfe a sonne of God and in thy life resemblest the image of Sathan sin and unrighteousnesse that professest the second Adam but bearest the image of the first Secondly maintaine this image of God thy selfe The first Adam made in the image of God soone departed from this image Satan stole this image from the first creature and is no lesse envious against the image of God in the new creature but will assay whether by temptation hee can rob us againe Take heede of temptation Let not the new creature meddle with forbidden fruit Consider the danger of disordering this workemanship by sin Adam by creation was a most lovely innocent and familiar creature with God yet by one sinne of the most excellent and beloved creature was rejected and punished in himselfe and all his posterity yea behold the whole frame of this goodly world and all the creatures how this excellent workemanship defiled and disordered by sinne was destroyed with an universall deluge Let not the new creature sin against greater grace The Lord knoweth none that want this image but will say one day Depart from me I know you not Secondly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must resigne up our selves wholy to Christ whose creatures wee are for all creatures else resigne themselves to the glory of their maker Man in his first creation had the name Adam imposed upon him to note his frailtie that hee was taken out of the dust of the earth but in his second creation which is from heaven hee hath a more honorable name as the name of Christian of a member of Christ of a brother of Christ to note that as he was taken from the side of Christ so hee should not abase himselfe to the service of sinne Sathan earth or lusts but onely devote himselfe to Christ and walke worthy of this honourable name First desire to know and mind nothing but him In the first creation man was indued with a cleare knowledge of God the Creator and while hee stood all his thoughts and meditations were taken up with sweetest contemplations of God his Creator Now in the second creation hee is indued with the knowledge of the highest mysteries of God the Redeemer and now all his thoughts should runne after Christ and his desires should fixe themselves upon Christ and as Paul I desire to know nothing else but Christ and him crucified and as the Martyr Onely Christ Onely Christ. Secondly desire to be wholly imployed for him The creatures of Kings and great ones as they are abusively called apply themselves wholly to the will of their Masters that have made them so great And they be not their owne their wills their times their motions their actions and themselves are not themselves but wholly their Masters And so here it is the Apostles argument 1 Cor. 6. Yee are not your owne glorifie therefore God in your soules and bodies for they are his Thirdly onely feare to displease him by sin seeing as creatures we depend upon him both fot our being and working If he withdraw himselfe or by sin be driven from us wee stand not in grace one moment Thirdly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must move according to the motion of the new creature Adam in the innocency was not to bee idle but to live in labour and in the exercise of a calling so Cain and Abel Lords of the world were trayned up in a calling so was the second Adam So must wee be
light without light and can I know God without Gods teaching 2 I see the more light the Creature hath the more excellent profitable and usefull it is the Starres more excellent than stones for their light the Sunne than the Starres Of stones the more light and shining the more price and value and vertue are they of So should I thinke of my selfe the more light of God and grace I can get sure the more worthy I am and of others as they excell in knowledge and grace so should I thinke of them as of stars which differ in glory according to the proportion of their light 3 I see the greater light obscure the lesse and it is absurd to light a candle to the Sunne Why then should I sticke unto worldly wisedome worldly comforts earthly contentments which are as candles to the Sun the great light of the day of heavenly wisedome spirituall comforts durable contentments 4 I see the light bringeth comfort and refreshing draweth all eyes unto it all Creatures follow it but hatefull Bats and Owles c. When I have slept all night the light wakeneth mee raiseth me to the actions of the day Oh what joy bringeth it to the soule when God sheweth himselfe lightsome to it should not his glorious light be the sweetest object of the eye of my soule Why should not this light awaken my soule and raise mee from the sleepe of sin and lusts If light goe away darkenesse succeedeth in darkenesse none can see the way before him O therefore why should not I lay fast hold of the Lord who is my light and walke in his light by which alone I can hold the plaine and direct way to eternall life and light 5. I see the light in an instant presenting it self as the lightning is suddenly dispersed from one side of heaven to another If I be in darkenesse and desertion the Lord my light can and will suddenly present himselfe with joy and comfort to my soule 6 Was I darkenesse now I am light in the Lord that is enlightned by the Word of truth 2. Enlightening others by holy instruction and conversation Thus we must be wary and walke as in the light In the Heavens consider wee all the light bodies as the 1. Sunne 2. Moone 3. Starres These rightly considered will bring much light to the eyes of the minde and though we have in the Church a superiour meanes by the voyce of the Scriptures yet wee may not despise the day breake because the noone is brighter Quest. But why doth the Prophet here not mention the Sun but the Moone and Starres Ans. When a man beholdeth the Moone and Stars the Sun is absent as in the night It seemes it was his manner to walke forth in the night season to behold and contemplate the Lords greatnesse and goodnesse in these servants of the night and wee should finde some times of the night not unfruitfully spent if wee would take up this practice But if the glory of God shine so much in these obscure lights and if David could so teach and admonish his heart by them how much more by the brightnesse of the Sunne And if David by day looke upon the Heavens as Psalme 19. 1. he can say The Heavens declare the glory of God because in them hee hath set a Tabernacle for the Sunne which commeth forth as a bridegroome out of his chamber arraied with nuptiall and glorious garments turning all eyes towards him and as a Gyant strong and speedy to make a swift and long course such as even our thoughts want wings to follow 1 When I behold the Sunne in his wounderfull magnitude being an hundred sixty and sixe times at least bigger than all the vast body of the earth how can I choose but be ledde unto the Lord and say Great is the Lord great is his power and there is no end of his goodnesse For how much greater is the Creator of the Sun and Heavens than the things created 2 When I behold the pulchritude and brightnesse of the Sunne which is such as blindeth and destroyeth my sight as too weake to behold it what infinite light and brightnesse must I conceive in the Father of lights in that bright and eternall Sunne who never setteth in whom is no shadow of change who can but here admire at the majesty of the Creatour 3 When I behold the Sun ever in his motion never standing still but by miracle never slacking his motion but alwayes keeping the same pace should not I learne to be constant in my motion never to be idle or make stop in my course or duty 2 When I see that God himselfe and his Word is as the soule and spring of the Suns motion hee commandeth him to come forth as a Gyant to run his race hee can stop him in his race and by a word command him to stand still or runne backe I must learne hereby to be sure that Gods Word as a soule giveth life to my actions my motions and courses I must move where his word bids mee I must stand and be every thing at his word 3 When I see the Sun in his motion keepe his bounds and zodiacke never going without his owne line but precisely keeping his course and not so much as slugging therein must not I learne hence to containe my selfe within the bounds of my calling and his command 4 When I see the Sun in all his motions carry heate light comfort and direction and is the chiefe ornament of this inferiour world and that he goeth no where but the world is better for him should not I in all my course strive to be profitable and by the light of my conversation be comforting directing and shining to others in good workes And when I see the Sun impart his light and shine unpartially on good and bad I must learne to doe good to all good bad friends enemies envying my light to none no more than the Sun doth his to any 4 Doe I see the Sun set every day and rise every day Salomon would have me see therein my owne misery and vanity Eccles. 1. 4. Thus hath the Sunne continued his course for many generations But I rise but once and have but one day of naturall life allotted me and if my selfe and others once set and the night of my life be come there is no more returning to this life 5 I see this glorious sun sometime clouded sometime eclipsed and this calleth on me to see the eclypse of heavenly light in my selfe my sin hath reached unto heaven and often inverteth even the order of nature in obscuring light bodies for light bodies not to shine is besides their nature As in the death of Christ God would let the world see her sinne in crucifying the Sonne of God Never see the Sunne hide his comfortable presence but confesse thou deservest never to see it any more 6 I see sometime the Sunne by his extreame heate