[1.] Faith, which convinceth us of things unseen, and to live in the
YeR. 17.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 237
delightful foretliongbt of a world to come : 2 Cor. iv, 16-18, * For this cause we faint not ; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light ajfflictions, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; while we look not to the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal, bub the things which are not seen are eternal.' Xow will there not be a manifest difference between a man that is governed by sense, and one guided and influenced by faith ? Certainly, more than there is in a man that delighteth in ordering the affairs of commonwealths, and. a child that delighteth in moulding clay pies. So for love : a child of God is so affected with the goodness that is in God, and the goodness- that floweth from God in the wonders of his love by Christ, and the goodness we hope for when all the promises are fulfilled, that all their delights, desires, and endeavours are after God ; not to be great in the world, but to enjoy God : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? And there is none upon earth I desire besides thee ; ' and therefore can easily overcome tieshly and worldly lusts, and such in- clinations as the rest of the world are mastered with. Well then, a christian ingrafted into Christ loseth all property in himself, and is fi'eed from self-love, and that carnal vanity to which it is addicted. Then for hope, the strong and constant hope of a glorious estate in the otiier world will make us deny the fle.sh, go through all sufferings and difficulties to attain it : Acts. xxvi. 6, 7, ' And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers, unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come.' And so by consequence a man acteth like another kind of creature than the rest of men are, or than he himself was before.
2. The state of the gospel calleth for it ; for it is a change of everything from what it was before. All things are new in the kingdom of Clirist, and therefore we should be new creatures also. In the gospel there is a new Adam, which is Jesus Christ, a new covenant, a new paradise (not that where Adam enjoyed God among the beasts, but where the blessed enjoy God among the angels ), a new ministry, new ordinances ; and therefore we also should be new creatures, and serve God, ' not in the oldness of the letter, but the newness of the spirit,' Kom, vii. 6. We are both obliged and fitted by this new state. k)ince we have a new lord, a new law, all is new, there must be also a new creation ; for as the general state of the church is renewed by Christ, so every particular believer ought to participate of this new estate.
3. The third argument shall be taken from the necessity of the new creation : —
[1.] In order to our present communion with God. The new crea- ture is necessary to converse with a holy and invisible God. earnestly, frequently, reverently, and delightfully ; for the effects of the new crea- ture are life and likeness. Those that do not live the life of God are estranged from him, Eph. iv. 18. Adam was alone, though compassed about with multitude of creatures, beasts, and plants ; there was none to converse with him, because they did not live his life. Trees cannot
238 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXXII
converse with beasts, nor beasts with men, nor men with God, till they have somewhat of the same nature and life. Sense fits the plants, reason the beasts, so grace fits men. So for likeness, conformity is the ground of communion : Amos iii. 3, ' How can two wallv together, except they are agreed ?' Our old course made the breach between God and us : Isa. lix. 2, ' But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and youi- sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.' And our new life and likeness qualifieth for communion with him : 1 John. i. 6, 7, ' If we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth ; but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another.' A holy creature may sweetly come and converse with a holy God.
[2.] In order to our service and obedience to God. Man is unfit for God's use till he be new-moulded and framed again. 01)serve two places : Eph. ii. 10, ' We are his workmanship in Christ Jesus, created unto good works.' Every creature hath faculties suitable to those opera- tions which belong to that creature. So man must be new created and new formed, that he may be prepared, fitted, and made ready for the Lord. You cannot expect new operations till there be a new life. The other place is, 2 Tim. ii. 21, ' If a man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel of honour, sanctified and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.' There is a mass of corruption which remaineth as a clog upon us, which maketh us averse and indis- posed for the work of God ; and the soul must be pui-ged fi-om these lusts and inclinations to the vanities of the world, before it is meet, prepared, and made ready for the acts of holiness. Here must be our first care, to get the heart renewed. Many are troubled about this or that duty, or particular branches of the spiritual life : first get life it- self, for there must be principles before there can be operations, and in vain do we expect strengthening grace before we have received renew- ing grace. This is like little children, who attempt to run before they can go. Many complain of this and that corruption, but they do not groan under the burden of a corrupt nature, as suppose wandering thoughts in prayer, when at the same time the henrt is habitually averse and estranged from God ; as if a man should complain of an aching tooth, when a mortal disease hath seized upon his vitals ; of a cut finger, when at the same time he is wounded at the heart ; of deadness in duty, and want of quickening grace, when they want converting grace, "as if we would have the Spirit blow to a dead coal ; complain of infirmities and incident weaknesses, when our habitual aversation from God is not yet cured, and of our unpre- paredness for service, when we have not the general and most necessary preparation, are not yet come out of the cai'ual estate.