JL OU have seen one trial of an interest in Christ, in our last dis- course, namely, hy the donation of the Spirit. We have here ano- ther trial of the same matter, from one of the greatest, and most noble effects of the Spirit upon our souls ; namely, his work of re- novation, or new creation : " If any man be in Christ, he is a new " creature.1'* The apostle's scope in the immediate context, is to dissuade Christians from a carnal, sinful partiality, in their respects to men : Not to despise them after the manner of the world, ac- cording to the external differences, but the real internal worth and excellency that is in men. This the apostle presses by two argu- ments; one drawn from the end of Christ's death, ver. 15. which was to take off from these selfish designs and carnal ends by which the whole world is swayed. Secondly, From the neto spirit, by which believers are actuated : they that are in Christ are to judge and measure all things by a new rule : " If any man be in Christ, " he is a new creature : Old things are passed away ;" q. d. we have done with that low, selfish spirit of the world, which was wholly governed by carnal interest ; we are now to judge by a new rule, to be actuated from a new principle, aim at a new and more noble end ; " Behold, all things are become new." In these words we have three general parts, to be distinctly considered, viz.
1. The great question to be determined, " If any man be in « Christ r
2. The rule by which it may be determined, viz. " he is a new " creature."
3. This general rule more particularly explained, " Old things " are passed away ; behold, all things are become new."
First, We have here the great question to be determined, Whether a man be in Christ ? A question upon the determination whereof, we must stand, or fall for ever. By [being in Christ] the apostle doth not here mean the general profession of Christianity, which gives a man the reputation of an interest in him ; but by be- ing in Christ, he means an interest in him, by vital union with his person, and real participation of his benefits. Now this is the question to be determined, the matter to be tried ; than which, nothing can be more solemn and important in the whole world
346 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. XXV.
Secondly, The rule by which this great question may be deter- mined, viz. The new erratum ; " If any man be in Christ, he is a new " creature." By this rule all the titles and claims made to Christ in the professing world, are to be examined. [If' any man] be he what he will, high or low, great or small, learned or illiterate, young or old, if he pretend interest in Christ, this is the standard by which he must be tried : if he be in Christ, he is a new creature ; and if he be not a new creature, he is not in Christ, let his endow- ments, gifts, confidence, and reputation be what they will : [A new creature'] not new physically, he is the same person he was ; but a new creature, that is, a creature renewed by gracious principles, newly infused into him from above, which sway him and guide him in another manner, and to another end than ever he acted before ; and these gracious principles not being educed out of any thing which was pre-existent in man, but infused de novo, from above, are therefore called, in this place, a new creature : This is the rule by which our claim to Christ must be determined.
Thirdly, This general rule is here more particularly explained ; " Old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become " new." He satisfies not himself to lay down this rule concisely, or express it in general terms, by telling us, the man in Christ must be a new creature ; but more particularly, he shews us what this new creature is, and what the parts thereof are, viz. Both
1. The privative part ; " Old things are passed away."
2, The positive part thereof; " All things are become new." By old things, he means all those carnal principles, self-ends,
and fleshly lusts belonging to the carnal state, or the old man : all these are passed away ; " * not simply, and perfectly, but only in " part at present, and wholly in hope and expectation hereafter." So much briefly of the privative part of the new creature, " Old " things are passed away." A word or two must be spoken of the positive part ; " All things are become new." He means not that the old faculties of the soul are abolished, and new ones created in their room ; but as our bodies may be said to be new bodies, by reason of their new endowments and qualities super-induced, and bestowed upon them in their resurrection, so our souls are now re- newed by the infusion of new gracious principles into them, in the work of regeneration. These two parts, viz. the privative part, the passing away of old things ; and the positive part, the renew- ing of all things, do, betwixt them, comprize the whole nature of sanctifi cation, which, in other scriptures, is expressed by equiva- lent phrases ; sometimes by putting off the old, and putting on
* Non simpliciter, et prrfecte, sed partim spe. Estius in loc.
SKRM. XXV. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 347
the new man, Eph. iv. 24. sometimes by dying unto sin, and liv- ing unto righteousness, Rom. vi. 11. which is the self-same thing the apostle here intends, by the passing away of old things, and making all things new. And because this is the most excellent, glorious, and admirable work of the Spirit, which is, or can be wrought upon man in this world ; therefore the apostle asserts it with an ecce, a note of special remark and observation, " Behold, " all things are become new ;" q. d. Behold and admire this sur- prizing, marvellous change which God hath made upon men ; they are come out of darkness into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. ii. 9. out of the old, as it were, into a new world ; " Behold, all things " are become new." Hence note,
Doct. That God's creating of a new supernatural work of grace in the soul of any man, is that maris sure, and infallible evi- dence of a saving interest in Jesus Christ.
Suitable hereunto are those words of the apostle, Eph. iv. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. " But ye have not so learned Christ ; if so be that " ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth " is in Jesus : That ye put off, concerning the former conversation, " the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts : " and be renewed in the Spirit of your mind : and that ye put on " the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and " true holiness." Where we have, in other words of the same importance, the very self-same description of the man that is in Christ, which the apostle gives us in this text. Now, for the opening and stating of this point, it will be necessary that I shew
1. Why the regenerating work of the Spirit is called a new creation.
2. In what respect every soul that is in Christ is renewed, or made a new creature.
3. What are the remarkable properties and qualities of this new creature.