2. As he hath a new mind and judgment, so the heart is new moulded. The great blessing of the covenant isa new heart. Now the heart is new when we are inclined to the ways of God, and enabled to walk in them. There is —
[1.] A new inclination, poise or weight upon the soul, bending it to holy and heavenly things. This David prayeth for: Ps. cxix. 36, ' Incline my hecirt to thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.' And is that preparedness and readiness for every good work which the scripture speaketh of.
[2.] Tiie heart is, enabled : Ezek. xxxvi. 27, ' I will put a new spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my ways.' Wherefore is a new heart and a new strength of grace given, but to serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear ? Heb. xii. 28, ' For the kingdom of God standeth not in word, but power.'
[3.] New actions or a new conversation, called ' walking in newness of life,' Rom. vii. 4. A christian is another man. There is not only a difference between him and others, but him and himself He must needs be so ; for he hath (1.) A new principle — the Spirit of God. As their own flesh before, John iii. 6, now his heart is suited to the law of God : Heb. viii. 10, ' I Avill put my law into their minds, and write them on their hearts ; ' and Eph. iv. '24:, ' And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' (2.) A new rule ; and therefore there must be a new way and course : Gal. vi. 15, 16, ' For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as w\nllc according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God ; ' and Ps. i. 2, 'But his delight is in the law of God ; and in that law doth he meditate day and night.' As their internal principle of operation is different, so the external rule of their conversations is different. Others walk according to the course of this world, or their own lusts : Rom xii. 2, ' And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds.' (3.) A new design and end : are taken oif from carnal and earthly things to spiritual and heavenly things, to seelv after God and their own salvation. Tlie renewed, being called to the hope of eternal life, look after God and heaven, to serve, please and glorify God.
VeR. 18.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 241
SEEMON XXXIII.
And all tilings are of God, who hath reconciled us to himselfhy Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. — 2 Cor. v. 18.
In this verse the doctrine of tlie new creature is further prosecuted with respect to the apostle's scope, which is to assert his fidelity in the ministry. For here are three things laid down —
1. The efficient cause of all is God.
2. The meritorious cause is Jesus Christ.
3. The instrumental cause is the word.
[1.] The original author of all gospel grace — ' And all things are of God ; ' ra he iravra, all these things. He doth not speak of universal creation, hut of the peculiar grace of regeneration. It is God that maketh all things new in the church, and formeth his people after his own image.
[2.] The meritorious cause ; how cometh God to be so kind to us ? AVe were his enemies. The apostle telleth us here, as elsewhere, he hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ : Rom. v. 10, ' When we were enemies, we were reconciled by the death of his Son.' So that we have the new creatuie by virtue of our reconciliation with God, as pacified in Ciirist towards the elect, when our cause was desperate,- there was no other way to recover us.
[3.] The instrumental cause, or means of application, is the ministry of reconciliation, which was given to the apostles and other pi-eachers of the gospel. God is the author of grace, and Christ is the means to bring us and God together, and the ministers have an office, power, and commission to bring us and Christ together. And so Paul had a double obligation to constancy and fidelity in his office : his personal reconciliation, which was common to him with other christians ; and a ministerial delegation and trust to reconcile others to Christ.
Two points will be discoursed in this verse —
1. That God is the original author of the new creature, and all things which belong thereunto.
2. That God is the author of the new creature, as reconciled to us by Christ.
First, Let me insist upon the first point, and prove to you that renovation is the proper work of God, and the sole effect of his Spirit. That Avill appear —
1. From the state of the person who is to be reconciled and renewed. The object of this renovation is a sinner lying in a state of defection from God, and under a loss of original righteousness, averse from God, yea, an enemy to him, prone to all evil, weak, yea, dead to all spiritual good ; and how can such an one renew and convert him- self to God ? It is true man hath some reason left, and may have some confused notions and general apprehensions of things good and evil, pleasing and displeasing to God, but the very apprehensions are maimed and imperfect, and they often call good evil, and ejsril good,