that were enticements to lust, she takes pe- nance of them, and washed Christ's feet with her tears ; her hair, which she was so proud of, and which was a net to entangle her lovers, she now takes penance of it, and wii)es Christ's feet with it. Thus the new creature makes a visible change. Such , as are the same as they were, as vain and proud as ever, here is no new creature to to be seen : for then a mighty change would appear, 1 Cor. vi. 11., "And such were some of you, but ye arc washed, but ye are sanctified," &c.
But every change doth not evidence the new creature. 1. There is a change from one extreme to another, — from a prodigal to an usurer, — from a Turk to a Papist. \ This is as if one should recover of one dis- ease, and die of another. 2. Tiiere is an outward change, which is like the washing of a swine. Ahab was much changed to outward view, when he " rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth," 1 Kings xxi. 27., insomuch that God stands and wonders at him: " Seest thou how Ahab Inimbletli himself?" Yet, for all this, he was but an hypocrite.
Quest. What change then is that ivhkh is requisite in the neiv creature ?
Ans. It is an inward change, a change of heart. Though the lieai't be not new-made, it is new-moulded, Jer. iv. It., Wash thy heart, O Jerusalem. Ahab's clothes were rent, but not his hearl. , The outward change will do no good without the in-, ward ; what will become of thorn then, who have not so much as an outward change? Thus you see in. general, that, in the pro- duction of the new creature, there must be a change.
2dhj, More particularly. The change in the new creature consists in two things, and ihoy are both set down in the text : " old things are passed away ; behold all things are become new."
1. " Old things are passed away." Old pride, old ignorance, old malice; the old house must be pulled down ere you, can set up a new.
Obj. But if all ohl things must pass aivay^ then there are no new creatures. IVIio can be- quite freed from sin ? Doth not Paul com-^ plain of a body of death?
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Jtiff. We must know tliat the change wrought in the new creature, tliough it be a thorougli change, yet it is not a perfect chano-e : sin will remain. As there is a
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principle of grace, so of corruption ; like wine and water mixed, there is in the re- generate flesh as well as spirit. Here a question ariseth.
Quest. I/sin in the regenerate is not quite done away, then how far must one put off the old man, that he may be a new creature ?
Ans. 1. There must be a grieving for the remains of corruption, Rom. vii. 24., " O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death ?" Paul did not cry out of his sufferings, his being beaten Avith rods, shipwrecked, stoned ; — but, like the bird of paradise — he bemoan- ed himself for sin. In the new creature there must be quotidianus miigitus, — a daily mourning for the indwelling presence of corruption ; a child of God doth not wear sin as a gold chain, but as a fetter.
A. 2. In the new creature there must be a detestation of old things, as one would detest a garment in which is the plague. It is not enough to be angry with sin ; but we must hate it, Ps. cxix. 163., " I hate and abhor lying." Hatred is the highest degree of enmity ; and we must hate sin not only for its hurtful effect, but its loath- some nature ; as one hates a toad for its poisonous quality.
A. 3. In the new creature there is an op- position against all old things ; a Christian not only complains of sin, but fights against it. Gal. v. 17.
Quest. But may not a natural man oppose si7i ?
Ans. Yes ; but there is a great difference between his opposing sin, and the new creature's opposing it.
l.s^, Tliere is a difference in the manner of opposition, 1. Tlie natural man opposeth sin, only for the shame of it, as it eclipseth his credit: but the new creature opposeth sin for the filth of it, — it is the spirit of mischief, — it is like rust to gold, or as a stain to beau- ty. 2. The natural man doth not oppose all sin. (1.) He doth not oppose inward sins; he fights against such sins as are against the light of a natural conscience, but not a- gainst heart-sins, — the first risings of vain
tnoughts, — the stirrings of anger and con- cupiscence,— the venom and impurity of his nature. (2.) He doth not oppose gos- pel sins, — pride, — unbelief, — hardness of heart, — spiritual barrenness; he is not troubled, that he can love God no more. (3.) He opposeth not complexion-sins, such as the bias of his heart carries him morrj strongly to, as lust or avarice ; he saith of his constitution-sins, as Naaman, 2 Kings V. 18., " In this thing, the Lord pardon thy servant." But the new creature oppos- eth all kinds of sin : as he that hates a ser- vant, hates all kinds of serpents, Ps. cxix. 104., *' I hate every false way."