sought and found of God can seeke To understand which some distinguish of the meanes of grace First some are of preparation some of operation In the former we are meere patients in the latter Acti agimus that is being moved we move he workes the will and the deed and then we will and doe Meanes of preparation are 1. Civilitie 2. Humility First a man must be ordinarily civill before hee be converted for though every man be in nature equally distant from grace all of them being dead in sin yet as of dead men some are not so rotten as others so by restraining grace some are more civilized than other And though not in respect of themselves yet of the common grace of God they may be said not to be so farre from the Kingdome of God as some others Lazarus was in a further degree of death than Iairus daughter yet both dead All are in themselves alike as clay before the Potter but by common grace some may be nearer the Potters hand than others And there is more hope though no more power in himselfe of a sober and well tempered man to be converted than of a deboist drunkard or whooâ—emaster or an unruly scorner of grace Secondly humility which is a sense of his utter nothing in grace and it is a mornefull griefe of spirit in absence of grace and presence of corruption Here is an emptying of the soule which is a requisite disposition to the filling of it The application of the Law maketh way for the Gospel A man that setteth out to heaven must saile by hell As Creation was out of nothing so it must be out of sense of nothing in it selfe and then the Lord is about a change when a man seeth his neede of being changed It is the poore in spirit whom the Lord looketh towards it is the hungry soule whom he filleth with goodnesse and never was this through search and serious sorrow sent away eâ—â—â—y Romans 7. 〈◊〉 Oh wretched man c. who shall deliver me I thank God in Iesus Christ c. Now the meanes of operation which thou must use are First an outward meanes is the preaching of the Word of God which is the word of Truth wherby we are begotten to God Iames 1. 18. This word God ordinarily reacheth into the heart for the producing of the new Creature If thou neglectest this powerfull meanes without which no man can have ordinarily a being in grace thou art yet no new Creature Thou must come to the Poole and wait and observe the stirring of this water and God by the ministery of his Word and Sacraments will put thee in for thy cure Adde hereunto that seeing God useth his Ministers in begetting men by the Gospel thou must acknowledge them thy Fathers in Christ if thou wilt not proclaime thy selfe a bastard if thou despise them as some do then thou despisest God himselfe and this whole new creation Acts 15. 9. The second meanes is Faith which is an internall cause of this new creation and the first steppe and degree in this happy change He that had no being in Christ before faith hath now a being in him for faith maketh him a sonne of God Thou that wouldest know thy selfe to be a new Creature must First magnifie and highly esteeme of faith Secondly get it in the meanes and keepe it surer than thy life Thirdly study to increase it Oh how rich might wee be in grace if our hearts were more large in faith so much faith as we bring so much grace we carrie away this is a purifier and renewer Thirdly this motion to a new Creature is not without strife as it is in nature so in grace every creature hath his antipathy Gal. 5. 17. Thinke not to get so great a worke over nor such a change without strife Thou must therefore resist First whatsoever is contrary to grace without thee bad counsels bad examples the fashions of the world corruption of thy calling and the like Secondly but especially that which is within thee grace setteth men against themselves regeneration will make them plucke out their right eyes cut off their right hands Raise thy spirit to take part against thy flesh and daily subdue thy lusts Nature strives against sicknesse and so grace against temptation Fourthly in sense of thy beggery at home thou must seeâ—e abroad Goe to God earnestly intreat him O create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me Vrge God with his promises of the new covenant for the circumcising of thy heart for taking away the heart of stone and giving in stead of it a heart of flesh These are the meanes by which the Lord putteth forth his power of new creation the neglect of them depriveth us of this The fourth point why must a man be a new creature First this is the best creation as the greatest even the best worke that ever God did for us for he never changeth but to the best for first the right of the second Adam is better the state surer the glory greater than any we have in the first Adam Secondly if it be farre better than our best estate in this first Adam how infinitely doth this state of new creation exceed the state of our present corruption wherein of sonnes of wrath wee become sonnes of God of children of hell wee become heires of heaven of limbs of Sathan we become members of Christ of sties and stables of Devils and lusts wee become Temples of the holy Ghost of lost men and cast-a-wayes wee become found in the right of the second Adam the common care of Angels and all things are made to conspire for our good Secondly onely this new creation can bring thee into request and acceptance with God first thy person No outward respect or priviledge can draw the eye of Gods approbation upon thee Act. 10. God is no respecter of persons wealth learning honor civill righteousnesse all is dung in respect of this new Creature Phil. 3. Neither can any outward worship no devotion no ceremonie no circumcision no uncircumcision but a new Creature Gal. 6. No almes no fasting no meate no outward worke or observation commendeth a man to God without this new workemanship Secondly for duties untill a man be new created in Christ he can doe no good worke an ill tree can bring no good fruit Without me ye can doe nothing Iohn 15. And we must be created to good workes before we can doe any Ephes. 2. 10. Let the blind Papists teach us how they can justifie their persons before God seeing they must proceede from a person justified already Sequuntur justificatum non precedunt justificandum saith Augustine that is Good workes follow the justified person but goe not before him that is to be justified Good many actions may be materially but not morally in themselves perhaps commanded and commendable but in the doer splendida peccata that is glorious sinnes
creating word of God which is the immortall seede in the worke of regeneration Fourthly for the order in that the light was first made the first word that God spake was Let there be light and it was so So the beginning of this Creation is an infused light of knowledge Col. 3. 10. The image is renewed in knowledge and never could a world of beleevers have beene created or a Church raised but by the light of the Gospel Fiftly for the quality in that Creation all that GOD made was exceeding good but here is a further degree of goodnesse to which new creatures are made farre beyond them They were all exceeding good in their naturall goodnesse but this in a spirituall and supernaturall goodnesse And whereas man was made to the image of God hee is here also framed to the image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. But with this addition that he is now created to a more sure estate in that image Sixthly for relation in that the creature had absolute dependance on the Creatour for his being and wel-being as also for his working so this new creature must absolutely depend upon God both for new qualities and every new act and the motions of them for we also live and move and have being in him alone For as all motion is from the power of some first mover so must our dependance bee on him as well for working and moving in grace as for our being and beginning in it Thus we see what is meant by the new Creature and why so called The second generall point is how this new Creature may bee knowne seeing it is a note by which a man must discerne himselfe to be in Christ. Answ. A new Creature may be discerned by foure properties 1 By a new light of sound and saving knowledge for here the work beginneth This knowledge is not naturall nor historicall nor a generall knowledge of points in Divinity which even the devils are not without nor a bare knowledge in the Theory or speculation of divine things but a sound and saving knowledge whereby the mysteries of Gods Kingdome are not onely revealed but applyed and locked up to the change of the man into it selfe it transformeth a man into the image of Christ from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 10. It is a practicall knowledge that keepeth a man from every evill way Pro. 2. and a wisedome full of mercy and good fruits Iames 3. 17. Then are ignorant persons no new creatures nor persons inlightned but not changed but haters of knowledge and the meanes are much lesse new Creatures Secondly because no creature can be both old and new at once the new creation may be known by the passing away of all things 2 Cor. 5. 17. In the old creature was a generall leprosie of sinne spread over all the parts and if this bee not in part cured thou art no new Creature No man can put the new man upon the old but must first put off the old man Ephes. 4. 22. Called the old conversation in times past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So as if the old Adam live and prosper in thee thou art no new creature If thou beest as earthly minded as once thou wast if thy will be carried against the will of God if thy affections settle upon earthly and vaine things onely or principally if thy conversion be to the fashions of the world and thou livest according to nature thou didest never attaine this happy estate by new creation Here is no patching of a new peece upon an old if thou beest the same man thou wast borne thou hast no part in this businesse Thirdly in a new Creature the whole is created a new All things are now new first grace is totall in all parts as in the birth of a child the whole child is borne in all the parts This worke of Creation Christ compareth to the leaven hid in three peckes of meale till all bee leavened so God by a secret but powerfull worke changeth the whole man and all the parts I say the whole and parts of the new Creature are renewed and have attained a new nature which is called 2 Pet. 1. 4. a divine nature standing of divine and heavenly qualities The new Creature is sanctified throughout in spirit soule and body all is new both within and without See it in the particulars and apply them First the new Creature hath a new life by which it liveth now the life of God that is whereby God liveth in his Saints and the life of Christ from which hee was a stranger Hee liveth now the life of grace which when it is perfect in heaven doth become the life of glory hee hath begun eternall life below Secondly a new birth the new Creature is now borne of a new Father begetting him which is God by his Minister and a new mother sucking and feeding him which is the Church by her two breasts and Testaments Thirdly a new soule and here God beginneth wherein this condition differeth from the other there God made the body first and then breathed a living soule but here hee maketh the soule new first and worketh first a new spirit without guile or raigning hypocrisie secondly a new judgement or a new manner of esteeming things those things he accounted advantage are now losse he esteemeth of all things as they are helps to heaven thirdly new desires before hee desired earth profits and sinfull lusts to live at large out of the sight of God but now he desireth freedome from sin puritie of nature pardon of sinne the presence of God in his ordinances the comming of Christ the prosperity of the Gospel the salvation of all Gods people Fourthly new affections As First new joy in the law of God in Gods ordicances of Word and Sacraments Psal. 122. 1. in Gods people that excel in vertue yea and in afflictions for well-doing Rom. 5. 5. Thus he could never joy before Secondly new sorrowes not now for worldly things losses crosses shame sicknesse but for sin for want or weaknes of grace for spirituall judgements more than temporall for Iosephs affliction when the enemy prevaileth against the Church when Gods wrath breaketh out against his people Incourage thy selfe in these sorrowes which are a part of the new Creature Thirdly new love where hee most hated he loveth God most of all he loveth to obey him even when hee doth not hee loveth most that which most crosseth his owne nature thē smitings of the Word the crosse of Christ mortification fasting prayer Hee loveth dearely the honour of God and the place where his honour dwelleth he loveth the way to happinesse as well as happinesse it selfe Fourthly new hatred he hateth his sin as the greatest evill and his owne sinne more than another mans yea his most secret and deare sinnes most of all he hateth not persons now but sins he hateth all
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
diligent in the calling of a new creature that is the calling of a Christian Wee must neither be idle nor unfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. This is a notable meanes to attaine to the perfection of the new creature For as every creature in nature mooveth from imperfect to perfect so it is in grace which our Saviour expresseth by the corne in the field Marke 4. which first riseth to a blade and then moveth to an eare and then to ripe corne in the eare So the new creature riseth by degrees to perfction The exercise of the body causeth growth which is not so much action as strength of action Not the trade but diligence in the trade and calling increaseth the stroke The diligent hand maketh rich so diligence in the meanes of grace and earnestnesse in good things addeth unto the stocke of grace Therefore as Paul forgetting what is behind let us presse hard to the marke and high calling Phil. 3. 13. Fourthly to demeane our selves as new creatures we must converse among new creatures Every creature by nature gather to their likes Birds of a feather Beasts of one kinde For every Creature hath agreement and sympathy with his kinde and things thrive best among their like Even so the new man will be among new men A Dove of Christ cannot affect nor thrive to live among Ravens Nor the Sheep of Christ among the Swine that wallow in earthlinesse and lust The new creature contemneth a vile person but honoureth them that feare the Lord. First joyne thy selfe now to the societie of the Saints For as the Lord at first made man a sociable creature above all the rest so when hee maketh him a new creature it is not to thrust him into a cloyster but to live in holy and fruitfull society and shine as lights not thrust under bushels but set in candlestickes in the midst of a froward generation Secondly admire this new workemanship in the meanest beginnings of grace and that in the meanest professor of godlinesse and honour it above the creation of a Duke or a Prince that professeth against it Esteeme a godly man not according to his first birth but according to his new birth I know no man after the flesh saith Paul that is not according to their minority in the first creation but according to the state into which they are new borne and brought into by a second creation And therefore men despise the new creature because they see nothing but a peece of old earth upon them which is base in outward appearance And so they beheld Christ himselfe and saw no forme and beauty on him They gaze on the earthen vessell but see no hidden treasure Thirdly agreement in judgement and opinion knitteth men in societie Rom. 15. 6. The new Creatures have but one faith one Lord one hope one religion one profession And herein thou must agree with them Gal. 6. 16. They have one rule Hardly shall we finde a new Creature among the Papists who say they are of the old Religion which indeed in sundry senses may be called old though it be a new device and humane policy First because it is every way agreeable to the old man a pleaser of naturall corruption requiring nothing which corrupt nature will not willingly afford Secondly it may be said to be old because it can never beget a new creature Thirdly it is so old and doting as that it is tottering and falling to ruine as it selfe hath shifted long since off the foundation laid by the Prophets and Apostles Fourthly conformity and similitude of manners linke men together in good or evill Phil. 3. 17. Looke on them which walke so walke with the wise The surest band of societie in the new creature is the similitude of manners and converse in the communion of Saints where each one chooseth his companion for the grace of God hee espieth in him and from whom hee may hope to get good He never looketh to gather grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles and therefore his delight is in the fellowship of Saints in Gods house in their houses in publike duties of Gods worship in private duties of edification Who would looke for these new Creatures in Tavernes Play-houses Ale-houses places of riotous meeting and hellish resort where ordinarily is no mention of grace but to disgrace and wound it and all the friends of it Follow the light side of the cloud and not the darke side of it Fifthly to demeane our selves as new Creatures wee must live to the good of others No Creature liveth for it selfe but for the whole The Sunne shineth not for it selfe but for the world Trees beare not fruit for themselves Nor doe clouds breed raine for themselves but to water the earth So the new creature must not onely be good but doe good to others The Commandement is Gal. 6. Doe good unto all but especially to the houshold of Faith These trees of righteousnesse must be laden with fruits that every man may gather and taste A private man but a publike good Light is a most communicative and diffusive Creature and the more it imparteth it hath never the lesse Much more the light of grace it feares nothing so much as a bushell as truth feareth nothing but to be hid Aske thy selfe of what good use art thou in the world that professest thy selfe a new creature Art thou a private minded man a worldling a man without bowels and compassion a man without hands from whom nothing can be wrung for God for his Church his ministerie or any good use thou art farre from a new creature and as yet an unprofitable lumpe of earth without sense of Heaven Christs whole life was in doing good to all Vse 4. Let no man pretend his old man as a plea to maintaine his lusts Oh I was angry saith one and I cannot beare an injury it is my nature to be hastie And I saith another was overcome in company with drinke and my nature is to be soone overcome and so in other lusts But hast thou not now made a good plea is it not all one to say thou art no new Creature who hast nothing but nature in thee Why art thou a Christian and no new Creature Or a new creature without the spirit which lusteth and subdueth the rising of the flesh Others by the same plea excuse the sinnes of their callings Others doe so and I must doe as other men but a new Creature must differ from all old and sinfull courses Others follow the courses of the world with full spirits in every new disguised fashion of apparell in excessive pride in riotous gaming feasting c. and say it is the fashion course and custome of the age and time But wert thou a new creature thou wouldst not then plead for the old corruption of the world A new creature is called out of the world and hath a new constitution and