2 Cor. V. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature : old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become new.
A FAITHFUL discharge of our duty to God has in every age rather provoked the displeasure, than conciliated the favour, of a wicked world. The most
eminent characters, instead of escaping censure by means of their distinguished piety, have on the con- trary incurred the greatest portion of obloquy and reproach. It was thus that St. Paul's love and zeal were requited by many at Corinth ; he was deemed '' beside himself." But indifferent both to their cen- sure and applause, he declared to them the motives by which he was actuated ; he told them plainly that he was under the constraining influence of the love of Christ, and that, however strange his views and actions might appear, they, if they were Christians indeed, would certainly adopt and imitate them ; their present views and habits would pass away, and all become new. In the words of the text we have the character of a Christian,
I. Figuratively expressed —
A man is said to be " in Christ," when he is en- grafted into him as a branch of the living vine, or, in other words, when he truly believes in Christ : he is then a Christian. But in order to shew what a change every man experiences when he becomes a Christian, the Apostle says of him that he is " a new creation^." In this term there is a reference to the creation of the world, which may be considered as a type or pattern of that work which God performs in the hearts of his people. The correspondence be- tween them may be seen in the manner^ the order, and the eiid of their formation —
1. In the manner —
[The world was created by God, according to his own sovereign will, without the intervention of human aid : and, though brought into existence in a moment, was gradually perfected in its various parts''. Thus the souls of God's people are regenerated purely by the sovereign will of God, and entirely through the agency of his word and Spirif^; though they use the appointed means, it is God alone that renders those means effectual''; " He who made the light to shine out of darkness, shines into their hearts to give them
^ KriaiQ. b Gen. i, 3—31. <^ Jam. i. 18. John i. 13. Tit. iii. 5. ^ 1 Cor. iii. 5, 6. and Eph. ii. 10.