2d Position. When God converts a sin- ner, he doth more than use a moral per- suasion, for conversion is a new creation, Eph. iv. 2i. The Pelagians talk much of free-will ; they say, " The will of man is by nature asleep, and conversion is nothing but the awakening a sinner out of sleep, which is done by moral ]>ersuasion." But man is by nature dead in sin, Eph. ii. 1. And God must do more than awaken him, he must enliven him before he be a new creature.
1st Use. Terror to such as are not new creatures. Such as are still growing upon the stock of old Adam, who continue in their sins, and are resolved so to do, these are in the gall of bitterness, and are the most miserable creatures that ever God made, except the devils. These stand in the place where all God's arrows fly ; these
are the centre where all God's curses meet. An unregenerate jn-rson is like one in debt that is in fear to be arrested ; he is every hour in fear to be arrested by death, and carried jirisoner to hell. Can that traitor be hajipy, who is fed by his prince in pri- son, only to be kept alive for execution ? God feeds the wicked as prisoners, they are reserved for the day of wrath, 2 Pet. ii. 9. How should this fright men out of their natural condition, and make them restless till they are new creatures.
2d Use. Trial. Whether we are new creatures ; our salvation depends upon it.
I. I shall shew you the counterfeits of the new creature, or that which seems to be the new creature, and is not.
I. Natural honesty, moral virtue, pru- dence, justice, liberality, temperance, — these make a glorious shew in the eye of the world, but differ as much from the new creature as a meteor frwm a star. Morali- ty indeed is commendable, and it were well if there were more of it ; this our Saviour loves, Mark x. 21., " Then Jesus beholding him, loved him." It was a love of compas- sion, not election. INIorality is but nature at best, it doth not amount to grace. There is nothing of Christ in morality ; and that fruit is sour which grows not on the root Christ. Moral actions are done out of a vain-glorious humour, not any respect to God's glory. The apostle calls the heathen magistrates unjust, 1 Cor. vi. 1. While they were doing justice in their civil courts, they were unjust ; their virtues became vices, because faith was wanting, and they did all to raise them trophies for their own ])raise and fame. So that morality is but the wild olive of nature, it doth not amount t() grace. Heat water to the highest de- gree, you cannot make wine of it, it is wa- ter still : so, let morality be raised to the highest, it is nature still, — it is but old Adam put in a better dress. I may say to a cIntI man, " yet lackest thou one thing," Mark X. 21. Moral virtue may stand with the hatred of godliness. A moral man doth as much hate holiness, as he doth vice. The Stoics were moralists, and had sublime no- tions about virtue, yet were the deadliest enemies St. Paul had. Acts xvii. 18. So that this is a counterfeit jewel.
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SELECT SERMONS.
2. Reliirious education is not the new creature. Education doth much cultivate and refine nature ; education is a good wall to plant the vine of grace against, but it is not grace. King Jehoash was good as long as Ilia uncle Jehoiada lived ; but when Je- lioiada died, all Jehoash's religion was hur- ried in his uncle's grave, 2 Kings xii. 2. Have not we seen many who have been trained up religiously under their parents, and were very hopeful, yet these fair blos- soms of hope have been blown off, and they have lived to be a shame to their friends ?
3. A form of godliness is not the new creature. Every bird that hath fine fea- thers, hath not sweet flesh ; all that shine with the golden feathers of profession, are not saints, 2 Tim. iii. 5., " Having a form of godliness, but denying the power." What is a lifeless form ? Formality is the ape of piety ; formalists may perform all the ex- ternal parts of religion, — pray, fast, give alms. Whatever duties a believer doth in sincerity, the same may a formalist do in hypocrisy. How devout were the Phari- sees ! How humble was Ahab ! what a reformer was Jehu ! Yet this was but a formal shew of religion. Daedalus, by art, made images to move of themselves, inso- much that people thought they were living r formalists do so counterfeit, and play a de- votion, that others think they are living saints ; they are religious mountebanks.
4. Every change of opinion doth not a- mouiit to the new creature; man may change from error to truth, yet be no new creature ; liere is a change in the head, but not in the heart ; one may be orthodox in liis judg- ment, yet not cordially embrace the gospel ; }je may be no papist, yet no true believer. He who is changed only in opinion, is but almost a Christian, and shall be but almost saved.