GAL. 6. 15.
THis new Creature hath been discovered as it stands oppositely to those old things, which the Apostle saith, are passed away. We come in the next place to handle it positively, as it is in sense absolutely considered; and in the generall, when the Apostle calls it a new Creature; the essence or being thereof is thereby declared to consist in a supernaturality, or way of life, above that which the power of a meer man can reach unto; so that it is no more than a supernaturall Creature, one, who is acted above the principles and motives of nature in all the duties he doth, so that the best way to discover this new Creature is, to shew wherein it is above the ordinary course of Nature: And although the School-men dispute, wherein lyeth the true and proper notion of supernaturality, or what is that which makes a thing supernaturall, yet I shall not enter into that Labyrinth.
First therefore, this work of grace is a new Creature or supernaturall, in regard of its original and beginning. It doth not flow from the principles of nature: it’s1 from the power of nature that a man eateth, drinketh, laugheth or discourseth; but let a man doe any thing holily, believe, or repent, to this a speciall power from heaven is necessary. Indeed we need the aid and assistance of God, even to all ordinary actions; Therefore the Scripture saith, In him we live, and move, and have our being; and God is the Author and Actuator of nature, as well as of grace; but that is a common help, this a speciall help. God doth more for thee when he gives thee an heart to breath after Christ, then when he inableth thee to breath the breath of a naturall life; and if God be the Fountain of our naturall life, much more of our spirituall life. It is not enough to call a thing supernatural, in that it’s solely of God, for so the world was created onely by him at first; but it must come from him in a peculiar and speciall manner, as the author of all grace; thus every where in the Scripture, faith, repentance, love, joy, and all other graces are made a fruit of the Spirit, or the gift of God, they are not by humane power; and this should make us sensible of our own poverty and nothingnesse; for as often as thou hearest the Word calling thee to believe, to repent, it doth but put thee in minde of thy utter impotency. By the Precepts a man may see what he should doe, by the reproofs what he doth not, and by the promises what the grace of God doth; from this stock and foundation that Thou art nothing, and Grace is all, must the new Creature proceed. The beginnings of this is with a deep poverty of spirit, and apprehension of our inabilities. The great obstruction in the way why thou dost not aspire after this glorious estate, is because thou findest not the need of a power from heaven to lift thee up thither: As those that were blinde and lame; they desired Christ, knowing, he onely could give them their eyes and their limbs again; so doe thou; O Lord, I must mourn for, and turn from my sins upon holy grounds. Oh that I could doe it, how often, Lord, doe I resolve to climb up this hill toward heaven, but I presently fall back again; to thy power therefore, and to thy grace I flye.
- The supernaturality of this Creature is seen in the Motives, why it sets upon2 any duties, and that is, because of God. Thus faith, part of the new Creature in a man, believeth Gods Word, not from custome and education, or the authority of the Church, but because of that divine Authority and Revelation which appeareth therein: As a man seeth the Sun by the light of the Sun shining from it. Thus the Thessalmians received the Word of God, not as the word of man, but as of God, 1 Thes. 2 14. This new Creature believeth the principles of Religion, Quia ipse dixit, because God hath said it, not because men say so: when a man assents unto matters of Religion no further than humane grounds lead him, it is but an humane faith, and we need not a speciall gift of God to believe thus: After the same manner also it is, when a man bewaileth his sins, and condemneth himself for them, meerly because of the naturall light of conscience, not from the Word, and because God is offended, but because of externall judgements, this is but to move as a man, to repent as a man; whereas the Apostle telleth us of sorrow after a godly manner, 2 Cor. 7 9. which is, when a spirit of prayer and supplication, and mourning is upon our souls, because God is displeased with what we have done; and indeed the greatest, and the most noble part of the supernaturality of this new Creature lyeth in this, That we goe to all divine objects upon a divine ground, upon a divine motive; so that it’s acknowledged by all, both Papists and Protestants, that nothing can be said to be graciously and after a godly manner done, unlesse it ascend as high as God, and be terminated on him, as the object: we are not to stay on Jacobs Ladder, but to goe up to him, who sits at the top of it in heaven. Oh consider, we may believe as men, repent as men, pray as men, hear as men, but all this while not new Creatures; because these things are not done with a reference to God, and a complacency in him: and by this we may easily judge, why it’s so possible for a man to be taken from the wedding Feast, and bound hand and foot, and thrown into utter darknesse, I mean to be taken from religious duties, and damned, because these were not the acts of a new Creature, but the humane devotions of a morall man. Let not therefore thy heart be quieted in any holy duties, till it be immediately applyed to God himself. The women that sought for Christs body were not contented to see the Linnen in which it was wrapped, but they looked still after the body; so neither may we rest in the expressions of duties, but to go further, even to the Lord himself; this very point is the hinge of Christianity, get this and you get all: Believe because of God, mourn because of God, and then you are at the highest of essentiall perfection, though not graduall. This is the onely, or at least main specifying difference between Judas his tears and Peters; this makes Manasses his humiliation good, and the want of it makes Ahabs bitter. Do not then any longer like worms crawl on the ground, but like Angels sour up into heaven: This would make you like the Silk-worm, sending forth that which is precious alwayes from you.