5. The new creature is a praying creature, living by its daily communion with God, which is its livelihood and subsistence, Zech. xii. 10. Acts ix. 11. If, therefore, thou be a prayerless soul, or if, in all thy prayers, thou art a stranger to communion with God ; if there be no brokenness of heart for sin in thy con- fessions, no melting affections for Christ and holiness in thy sup- plications ; surely Satan doth but baffle and delude thy over-credu- lous soul, in persuading thee that thou art a new creature.
Fifthly, The new creature is restless, after falls into sin, until it have recovered peace and pardon ; it cannot endure itself in a state of defilement and pollution, Psal. li. 8, 9, 10, H, 12. It is with the conscience of a new creature, under sin, as it is with the eye, when any thing offends it ; it cannot leave twinkling and watering till it have wept it out : and in the very same restless state it is, under the hiding of God's face and divine withdrawments, Cant. v. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. If, therefore, thou canst sin and sin again without such a burdensome sense of sin, or restlessness, or solici- tude how to recover purity and peace, with the light of God's countenance shining, as in days past, upon thy soul ; delude not thyself, thou hast not the signs of a new creature in thee. Fourth use, of exhortation.
If the new creation be a sound evidence of our interest in Christ, then hence let me persuade all that are in Christ, to evi- dence themselves to be so, by walking as it becomes new crea- tures.
The new creature is horn from above, all its tendencies are hea- venward ; accordingly, set your affections on things that are above, and let your conversation be in heaven : if you live earthly and sensual lives, as others do, you must cross your new nature there- in ; and can those acts be pleasant unto you which are done with so much regret ? wherein you must put a force upon your own spirits, and offer a kind of violence to your own hearts. Earthly delights and sorrows are suitable enough to the unregenerate and sensual men inthe world, but exceedingly contrary unto that Spirit by which vou are renovated. If ever you will act becoming the
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principles and nature of new creatures, then seek earthly things with submission, enjoy them with fear and caution, resign them with cheerfulness and readiness ; and thus " let your moderation " be known unto all men," Phil. iv. 5. Let your hearts daily meditate, and your tongues discourse about heavenly things ; be exceeding tender of sin, strict and punctual in every duty ; and hereby convince the world that you are men and women of another spirit.
Fifth use, for consolation. Let every new creature be cheerful and thankful : if God hath renewed your natures, and thus altered the frame and temper of your hearts, he hath bestowed the richest mercy upon you that heaven or earth affords. This is a work of the greatest rarity ; a new creature, may be called, One among a thousand : it is also an everlasting work, never to be destroyed, as all other natural works of God (how excellent soever) must be : it is a work earned on by Almighty Power, through unspeakable difficulties and mighty op- positions, Eph. i. 12. The exceeding greatness of God's power goes forth to produce it ; and indeed no less is required to enlighten the blind mind, break the rocky heart, and bow the stubborn will of man ; and the same Almighty Power which at first created it, is necessary to be continued every moment to preserve and continue it, 1 Pet. i. 5. The new creature is a mercy which draws a train of innumerable and invaluable mercies after it, Eph. ii. 13, 14. 1 Cor. iii. 20. When God hath given us a new nature, then he dignifies us with a new name, Rev. ii. 17. brings us into a new covenant, Jer. xxxi. 33. begets us again to a new hope, 1 Pet. i. 8. intitles us to a. new inheritance, John i. 12, 13. It is the new creature which through Christ makes our persons and duties ac- ceptable with God, Gal. vi. 15. In a word, it is the wonderful work of God, of which we may say, " This is the Lord's doing, and " it is marvellous in our eyes." There are unsearchable wonders in its generation, in its operation, and in its preservation. Let all therefore, whom the Lord hath thus renewed, fall down at the feet of God, in an humble admiration of the unsearchable riches of free grace, and never open their mouths to complain under any adverse or bitter providences of God.
368 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. XXVII,
Of the Nature, Principle, and Necessity of Mortification.
And they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections
_l WO great trials of our interest in Christ are finished ; we now proceed to the third, namely, The mortification of sin : " They that " are Christ's have crucified the flesh." The scope of the apostle in this context is, to heal the unchristian breaches among the Ga- latians, prevailing, by the instigation of Satan, to the breach of brotherly love. To cure this, he urges four weighty arguments.
First, From the great commandment, to love one another ; upon which the whole law, i. e. all the duties of the second table do depend, ver. 15.
Secondly, He powerfully dissuades them from the consideration of the sad events of their bitter contests, calumnies, and detractions, viz. mutual ruin, and destruction, ver. 15.
Thirdly, He dissuades them from the consideration of the con- trariety of these practices unto the Spirit of God, by whom they all profess themselves to be governed, from ver. 17. to ver. 23.
Fourthly, He powerrully dissuades them from these animosities, from the inconsistency of these, or any other lusts of the flesh, with an interest in Christ : " They that are Christ's, have crucified the " flesh,'" &c. q. d. You all profess yourselves to be members of Christ, to be followers of him ; but how incongruous are these practices to such a profession ? Is this the fruit of the dove-like Spirit of Christ ? Are these the fruits of your faith and professed mortification ? Shall the sheep of Christ snarl and fight like rabid and furious beasts of prey? Tantcene animis ccclestibus ira?? So much rage in heavenly souls t O how repugnant are these practices with the study of mortification *, which is the great study and en- deavour of all that are in Christ ! " They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts." So much for the order of the words ; the words themselves are a proposition wherein we have to consider, both
Cum duo conversis inirnica, in preclia tuuri,
Shall Christians one another wound and push, Like furious bulls, when they together rush >
6£*M. XXVII. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 369