2d/y, There is difference between the na- tural man's opposing sin, and the new crea- ture's opposing sin, in regard of the mo- tives. A natural man opposeth sin, from carnal motives, — to stop the mouth of con- science, and to prevent hell. But the new creature opposeth sin upon more noble mo- tives,— out of love to God, and fear of dis- honouring the gospel.
A. 4. In the new creature there is mor- tifying old corrupt lusts, Gal. v. 24., " Tliey that are Christ's have crucified the flesh.'* The new creature is said to be " dead indeed unto sin," Rom. vi. 11. He is dead as to the love of sin, that it doth not bewitch : and as to the power of it, that it doth not command. The new creature is continually crucifying sin ; some limb of the old Adam every day drops off; though sin doth not die perfectly, it dies daily. A gracious soul thinks he can never kill sin enough ; he deals with sin as Joab with Absalom, 2 Sam. xviii. 14., " He took three darts in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom." So, with the three darts of faith, prayer, aud repentance, a Christian thrusts through the bod5' of sin ; he never thinks this Absalom is enough dead.
Try then, if we have this first sign of the new creature, " old things are passed a- way." There is a grieving for siu, a de- testing it, an opposing it, a mortifying it , this is the passing away of old things, though not in a legal sense, yet in an evangelical ; and though it be not to satisfaction, yet it is to acceptation.
2. The second trial of the new creature, is " all things are become new." Then wa
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creature is new all over ; {jracc, though it be but in part, yet it is in every part. By nature every branch of the soul is defiled with sin, as every part of wormwood is bit- ter ; so, in rcfjenoration, every part of the soul is replenished with grace, therefore grace is called the " new man," Eph. iv. 24. Not a new eye, or a new tongue, but a new man, — there are new dispositions, new principles, new aims, — " all things are become new."
(1.) In the new creature there is a new understanding, Eph. iv. 23., " Be ye re- newed in the spirit of your mind." The first thing a limner draws in a picture is the eye : when God newly limns us, and makes us new creatures, the first thing he draws in our souls is a new eye : the new crea- ture is enlightened to see that which he never saw before. 1. He knows Christ af- ter another manner. An unconverted man, by the light of common grace, may believe Christ to be the Son of God : but the new creature knows Christ after another guise, manner, so as to esteem him above all, to adore him, to touch him by faith, to fetch an healing virtue from him. 2. The new creature knows himself better than he did. Wlien the sun shines into a room, it dis- covers all the dust and cobwebs in it : so, when the light of the Spirit shines into the heart, it discovers that corruption which before lay hid ; it shews a man his own vileness and nothingness, Job xl. 4., " Be- hold, I am vile." A wicked man blinded with self-love, admires himself; like Nar- cissus, that seeing his own shadow upon the water, fell in love with it. Saving- knowledge works self-abasement: "Lord, thou art in heaven, and I am in hell " said a martyr. Hath this day-star of knowledge shined on our mind ?
(2.) The new creature is renewed in his conscience. The conscience of a natural man is either blind, or dumb, or seared ; but conscience in the new creature is re- newed. Let us examine, doth conscience check for sin? The least hair makes the eye weep; and the least sin makes con- science smite. How did David's heart smite him for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment ! A good conscience is a star to guide, a register to record, a judge to de-
termine, a witness to accuse or excuse; if conscience doth all these offices right, then it is a renewed conscience, and speaks peace.
(3.) In the new creature the will is re- newed. An old bowl may have a new bias put into it : the will having a new bias of gi'ace put into it, is strongly carried to good. The will of a natural man opposeth God ; when the wind goes one way and the tide another, then there is a storm : so it is when God's will goes one way and ours a- nothcr. But when our will iroes with God's, as the wind with the tide, then there is a sweet calm of peace in the soul, — the sanctified will answers to God's will, as the echo to the voice, Ps. xxvii. 8., " ^Vlien thou saidst, seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, thy face. Lord, will I seek." And the will being renewed, like the priimnn mo- bile, it carries all the affections along with it