I " Adjuvat nosDeiis" (the words of Pelagius), " per doctrinam et revelationem suara, dum cordis nostri oculos aperit, dum nobis, ne prtesentibus occiipemur, futura demon- strat, dum diaboli pandit insidias, dum nos nmltiformi et ineffabili dono gratioe crelestis illumiuat." — August. Lib. de Grat. cent. Pelag. et Ctelest. cap. vii.
222 WOEK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE [BOOK III.
man," because it consists in the universal change of the whole soul, as it is the principle of all spiritual and moral action. And, (1.) It is opposed unto the "old man," "Put off the old man, and put on the new man," verses 22, 24. Now, this "old man" is the corruj)tion of our nature, as that nature is the principle of all religious, sj)iritual, and moral actions, as is evident, Rom. vi. 6. It is not a corrupt conversation, but the principle and root of it ; for it is distinguished both from the conversation of men, and those corrupt lusts which are exercised therein, as to that exercise. And, (2.) It is called the " new man," because it is the effect and product of God's creating power, and that in a way of "a new creation," see Eph. i. 19 ; Col. ii. 12, 13 ; 2 Thess. i. 11; and it is here said to be "created after God," Eph. iv.24. Now, the object of a creating act is an instantaneous production. Whatever preparations there may be for it and dispositions unto it, the bringing forth of a new form and being by creation is in an in- stant. This, therefore, cannot consist in a mere reformation of life. So are we said herein to be the "workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good works," chap. ii. 10. There is a work of God in us preceding all our good works towards him ; for before we can work any of them, in order of nature, we must be the workman- ship of God, created unto them, or enabled spiritually for the per- formance of them.
Again : This new man, whereby we are born again, is said to be V created in righteousness and true holiness. That there is a respect unto man created in innocency, wherein he was made in the image of God, I suppose will not be denied. It is also expressed Col. iii. 10, " Ye have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Look, then, what was, or wherein consisted, the image of God in the first man, thereunto answers this new man which is created of God. Now, this did not consist in reformation of life, no, nor in a course of virtuous actions; for he was created in the image of God before he had done any one good thing at all, or was capable of so doing. But this image of God consisted principally, as we have evinced elsewhere, in the up- rightness, rectitude, and ability of his whole soul, his mind, will, and affections, in, unto, and for the obedience that God required of him. This he was endowed withal antecedently unto all voluntary actions whereby he was to live to God. Such, therefore, must be our rege- neration, or the creation of this new man in us. It is the begetting, infusing, creating, of a new saving principle of spiritual life, light, and power in the soul, antecedent unto true evangelical reformation of life, in [the] order of nature, [and] enabling men thereunto, ac- cording unto the mind of God.
Hereunto accords that of our Saviour, Luke vi. 43, ^'A good tree
CHAP. I.] NEW CREATION BY REGENERATION. 223
bringetli not forth corrupt fruit, neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit;'' compared with Matt. vii. 18. The fruit followeth the nature of the tree; and there is no way to change the nature of the fruit, but by changing the nature of the tree which brings it forth. Now, all amendment of life in reformation is but fruit, chap, iii. 10; but the changing of our nature is antecedent hereunto. This is the constant course and tenor of the Scripture, to distinguish between the grace of regeneration, which it declares to be an imme- diate supernatural work of God in us and upon us, and all that obe- dience, holiness, righteousness, virtue, or whatever is good in us, which is the consequent, product, and effect of it. Yea, God hath de- clared this expressly in his covenant, Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27; Jer. xxxi. 33, xxxii. 39, 40. The method of God's proceeding with us in his covenant is, that he first washeth and cleanseth our natures, takes away the heart of stone, gives a heart of flesh, writes his law in our hearts, puts his Spirit in us; wherein, as shall be evidenced, the grace of regeneration doth consist. The eJBfect and consequent hereof is, that we shall walk in his statutes, keep his judgments and do them, — that is, reform our lives, and yield all holy obedience unto God. Wherefore these things are distinguished as causes and efiects. See to the same purpose, Rom. vi. 3-6; Col. iii. 1-5; Eph. ii. 10, iv. 23-25. This I insist upon still, on supposition that by " reformation of life" all actual obedience is intended; for as to that kind of life which is properly called a moral course of life, in opposition to open debaucheries and unrighteousness, which doth not proceed from an internal principle of saving grace, it is so far from being regenera- tion or grace, as that it is a thing of no acceptation with God abso- lutely, whatever use or reputation it may be of in the world.