Who in Christ Are New Creatures
2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.
In this Scripture consists the essence and soul of religion.
I note here two things.
1. Doctrine. That the true definition of a Christian is to be in Christ: If any man be in Christ. He may be in the church visible, yet not in Christ. It is not to be baptized into Christ's name that makes a true Christian; but to be in Christ; that is, to be grafted into him by faith. And if to be in Christ makes a Christian, then there are but few Christians. Many are in Christ nominally, not really; they are in Christ by profession, not by mystical union. Are they in Christ that do not know him? Are they in Christ who persecute them that are in Christ? Sure such a holy head as Christ will disclaim such spurious members.
2. Doctrine. That whoever is in Christ, is a new creature.
For illustration I shall show, 1. What a new creature is: 2. What a kind of work it is.
1. What a new creature is: It is a second birth added to the first (John 3:3). It may be thus described: It is a supernatural work of God's Spirit, renewing and transforming the heart into the divine likeness.
1. The efficient cause of the new creature, is the Holy Ghost; no angel or archangel is able to produce it. Who but God can alter the hearts of men, and turn stones into flesh? If the new creature were not produced by the Holy Ghost, then the greatest glory in a man's conversion would belong to himself; but this glory God will not give to another. The turning of the will to God is from God (Jeremiah 31:19): After I was turned I repented.
2. The organical cause, or instrument, by which the new creature is formed, is the Word of God (James 1:18): Of his own will he begat us by the Word of Truth. The Word is the seed out of which springs the flower of the new creature.
3. The matter of which the new creature consists, is the restoring of God's image lost by the Fall.
Question. But does God in the new creature give a new soul?
Answer. No, he does not bestow new faculties but new qualities; as in the altering of a lute, the strings are not new, but the tune is mended. So in the new creature, the substance of the soul is not new, but is newly tuned by grace; the heart that before was proud is now humble; the eyes that before were full of lust, are now full of tears. Here are new qualities infused.
2. What a kind of work the new creature is.
1. The new creature is a work of divine power; so much it imports, because it is a creation. The same power which raised Christ from the grave goes to the production of the new creature (Ephesians 1:20). It is a work of greater power to produce the new creature, than to make a world. It is true, in respect of God, all things are alike possible to him: But as to our apprehension it requires a greater power to make a new creature, than to make a world: For,
1. When God made the world he met with no opposition; but when God is about to make the new creature, he meets with opposition; Satan opposes him, and the heart opposes him.
2. It cost God nothing to make the world, but to make the new creature costs him something: Christ himself was fain to become man. In making the world it was but speaking a word; but in making of the new creature, it cost Christ the shedding of his blood.
3. God made the world in six days; but he is carrying on the new creature in us all our lives long. The new creature is but begun here, it is not perfected or drawn in all its orient colors till it come to heaven.
2. The new creature is a work of free grace. There is nothing in us to move God to make us anew; by nature we are full of pollution and enmity, yet now God forms the new creature. Behold the banner of love displayed! The new creature may say, By the grace of God I am what I am. In the creation we may see the strength of God's arm, in the new creature we may see the working of God's bowels. That God should consecrate any heart, and anoint it with grace, is an act of pure love. That he should pluck one out of the state of nature, and not another, must be resolved into free grace (Matthew 11:26): Even so Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. This will increase the saints' triumphs in heaven, that the lot of free grace should fall upon them, and not on others.
3. The new creature is a work of rare excellency. A natural man is a lump of earth and sin, God loathes him (Zechariah 11:8). But upon the new creature is a spiritual glory: As if we should see a piece of clay turned into a sparkling diamond. Song of Solomon 3:6 — Who is this that comes out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh and frankincense? That is the natural man coming out of the wilderness of sin, perfumed with all the graces of the Spirit. The new creature must needs be glorious, for it partakes of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). A soul beautified with holiness, is like the firmament bespangled with glittering stars. It is God's lesser heaven (Isaiah 57:15). In the Incarnation God made himself in the image of man, in the new creation man is made in the image of God. By our being creatures we are the sons of Adam, by being new creatures we are the members of Christ. Reason makes one live the life of a man, the new creature makes him live the life of God. A new creature excels the rational nature, and equals the angelical. It is excellent to hear of Christ's being crucified for us, but more excellent to have Christ formed in us.
Concerning the new creature, I shall lay down two positions.
1. Position. That it is not in the power of a natural man to convert himself; because it is a new creation. As we cannot make ourselves creatures, so not new creatures.
Question. But why does God command us to convert ourselves, if we have no power (Ezekiel 18:31)? Make you a new heart.
Answer. 1. We once had power. God gave us a stock of holiness, but we lost it. If a master give his servant money to employ in his service, and he wastes and embezzles it, may not the master require the money of him? Though we have lost our power to obey, God has not lost his right to command.
2. Though men cannot convert themselves, and make themselves new creatures, yet they may do more than they do in a tendency to it; they may avoid temptations, they may read the Word; the same feet that carry them to a play will carry them to a sermon; they may implore divine grace, but they do not what they are able; they do not improve the power of nature to the utmost, and put God to the trial, whether he will give grace.
3. God is not wanting to them who seek to him for grace: Deus volentibus non deest: He is willing to put to his helping hand. With his command there goes a promise (Ezekiel 18:31): Make you a new heart; and there is a promise (Ezekiel 36:26): A new heart will I give you.
2 Position. When God converts a sinner he does more than use a moral persuasion.
For conversion is a new creation (Ephesians 4:24). The Pelagians talk much of free will; they say the will of man is by nature asleep, and conversion is nothing but the awakening a sinner out of sleep, which is done by a moral persuasion: But man is by nature dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1). And God must do more than awaken him, he must enliven him before he be a new creature.
1 Use. Terror, to such as are not new creatures; such as are still growing upon the stock of Old Adam, who continue in their sins, and are resolved so to do, these are in the gall of bitterness, and are the most miserable creatures that ever God made, except the devils. These stand in the place where all God's arrows fly; these are the centre where all God's curses meet. An unregenerate person is like one in debt, that is in fear to be arrested; he is every hour in fear to be arrested by death, and carried prisoner to hell. Can that traitor be happy who is fed by his prince in prison, only to be kept alive for execution? God feeds the wicked as prisoners, they are reserved for the day of wrath (2 Peter 2:9). How should this fright men out of their natural condition, and make them restless till they are new creatures.
2 Use: Trial, whether we are new creatures, our salvation depends upon it.
1. I shall show you the counterfeit of the new creature, or that which seems to be the new creature, but is not.
1 Counterfeit. Natural honesty, moral virtue, prudence, justice, liberality, temperance; these make a glorious show in the eye of the world, but differ as much from the new creature, as a meteor from a star. Morality indeed is commendable, and it were well if there were more of it. This our Saviour loves (Mark 10:21): Then Jesus beholding him loved him. It was a love of compassion not election. Morality is but nature at best, it does not amount to grace.
1. There is nothing of Christ in morality, and that fruit is sour which grows not upon the root Christ.
2. Moral actions are done out of a vain-glorious humor, not any respect to God's glory. The Apostle calls the heathen magistrates unjust (1 Corinthians 6:1). While they were doing justice in their civil courts they were unjust; their virtue became vice, because faith was wanting, and they did all to raise them trophies for their own praise and fame; so that morality is but the wild olive of nature, it does not amount to grace. Heat water to the highest degree, you cannot make wine of it, it is water still: So let morality be raised to the highest, it is nature still; it is but Old Adam put in a better dress. I may say to a civil man, Yet do you lack one thing (Mark 10:21). Moral virtue may stand with the hatred of godliness. A moral man does as much hate holiness as he does vice. The Stoics were moralists, and had sublime notions about virtue, yet were the deadliest enemies Saint Paul had (Acts 17:18). So that this is a counterfeit jewel.
2 Counterfeit. Religious education is not the new creature. Education does much cultivate and refine nature: Education is a good wall to plant the vine of grace against, but it is not grace. King Joash was good, as long as his uncle Jehoiada lived, but when Jehoiada died, all Joash's religion was buried in his uncle's grave (2 Kings 12:2). Have not we seen many who have been trained up religiously under their parents, and were very hopeful; yet these fair blossoms of hope, have been blown off, and they have lived to be a shame to their friends?
3 Counterfeit. A form of godliness is not the new creature. Every bird that has fine feathers has not sweet flesh. All that shine with the golden feathers of profession are not saints: (2 Timothy 3:5) [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], Having a form of godliness, but denying the power. What is a lifeless form? Formality is the ape of piety: Formalists may perform all the external parts of religion, pray, fast, give alms. Whatever duties a believer does in sincerity, the same may a formalist do in hypocrisy. How devout were the Pharisees? How humble was Ahab? What a reformer was Jehu? Yet all this was but a formal show of religion. Daedalus by art made images to move of themselves, insomuch that people thought they were living. Formalists do so counterfeit, and play a devotion, that others think they are living saints. They are religious mountebanks.
4 Counterfeit. Every change of opinion does not amount to the new creature: A man may change from error to truth, yet no new creature; here is a change in the head, but not in the heart: One may be orthodox in his judgment; yet not cordially embrace the gospel: He may be no papist, yet no true believer: He who is changed only in opinion, is but almost a Christian, and shall be but almost saved.
5th Counterfeit. Every sudden passion, or stirring of the affections, is not the New Creature. There may be affections of sorrow; some upon the reading the history of Christ's Passion may be ready to weep, but it is only a natural tenderness which relents at any tragical sight. Affections of desire may be stirred (John 6): Lord, evermore give us this bread — but these basely deserted Christ, and would walk no more with him (verse 66). Many desire heaven but will not come up to the price. Affections of joy may be stirred: in the Parable the second sort of hearers are said to receive the Word with joy (Matthew 13:20). What was this but to have the affections moved with delight in hearing: yet that this did not amount to the New Creature is plain. First, because those hearers are said to have no root. Second, because they fell away (verse 21). King Herod did hear John the Baptist gladly; he was much affected with John's preaching; where then was the defect? Why was not Herod a New Creature? The reason was, because Herod was not reformed by the Baptist's preaching; his affections were moved, but his sin was not removed. Many have sweet motions of heart, and seem to be much affected with the Word, but their love to sin is stronger than their love to the Word; therefore all their good affections prove abortive and come to nothing.
6th Counterfeit. One may have trouble for sin; yet not be a New Creature. Trouble of spirit may appear, while God's judgments lie upon men; but when these are removed, their trouble ceases (Psalm 78:34): When he slew them, then they sought him, nevertheless they did flatter him with their lips. Metal that melts in a furnace, take it out of the furnace and it returns to its former hardness: many in time of sickness seem to be like melted metal. What weeping and wringing of hands? What confessions of sin will they make? Do not these look like New Creatures? But as soon as they recover they are as bad as ever; their pangs go off again, and it never comes to a New Birth.
7th Counterfeit. A man may have the Spirit, yet not be a New Creature. The apostle supposes a case, that one might be made partaker of the Holy Ghost, yet fall away (Hebrews 6:4). A man may have some slight transient work of the Spirit, but it does not go to the root; he may have the common gifts of the Spirit, but not the special grace; he may have the Spirit to convince him, not to convert him; the light he has is like a winter sun, which has little or no influence; it does not make him more holy; he has the motions of the Spirit, but walks after the flesh.
8th Counterfeit. Every abstaining from sin is not the New Creature. This abstaining may be:
1. From restraining grace, not renewing grace: as God withheld Laban from hurting Jacob (Genesis 31:24). The Lord may restrain men from sin by the terror of a natural conscience. Conscience stands as the angel with a drawn sword, and says, do not this evil. Men may be frightened from sin, but not divorced:
2. Men may abstain from sin for a while, and then return to it again; as Saul left off pursuing David for some time, and then hunted him again. This is like a man that holds his breath under water, and then takes breath again. (Jeremiah 34:15-16) You were now turned, and had done right in my sight; but you turned and polluted my holy name.
3. Men may leave gross sin, and yet live in more spiritual sins; leave drunkenness, and live in pride; leave uncleanness and live in malice: the Pharisee boasted he was no adulterer, but he could not say he was not proud or superstitious; here he left gross sin, and lived in spiritual sins.
4. Men may leave sin partially; abstain from some sins, not all; they feed some sin in a corner. Herod left many sins, but one sin he lived in, namely, incest. All this does not amount to the New Creature.
2. I shall show you wherein the essence of the New Creature consists.
1. In general. To the constituting of the New Creature, there must be a great change wrought. He who is a New Creature is not the same man he was. Alter idem. He is of another spirit (Numbers 14:24): My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit. When the harlot Lais came to one of her old acquaintance, after he was converted, and tempted him to sin, Ego non sum Ego, said he, I am not the same man.
When one becomes a New Creature, there is such a visible change, that all may see it; therefore it is called a change from darkness to light (Acts 26:18). Paul, a persecutor, when converted, was so altered, that all who saw him wondered at him, and could scarce believe that he was the same man (Acts 9:21), as if another soul had lived in the same body. Mary Magdalen, an unchaste sinner, when once savingly wrought upon, what a penitent creature did she become? Her eyes, that were enticements of lust, she takes penance of them, and washed Christ's feet with her tears: her hair, which she was so proud of, and which was a net to entangle her lovers, she now takes penance of it, and wipes Christ's feet with it. Thus the New Creature makes a visible change. Such as are the same as they were, as vain and proud as ever, here is no New Creature to be seen; for then a mighty change would appear. (1 Corinthians 6:11) And such were some of you; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, etc.
But every change does not evidence the New Creature.
1. There is a change from one extreme to another; from a prodigal, to an usurer; from a Turk, to a Papist. This is as if one should recover of one disease, and die of another.
2. There is an outward change, which is like the washing of a swine. Ahab was much changed to outward view, when he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth (1 Kings 21:27), insomuch that God stands and wonders at him: Do you see how Ahab humbles himself? Yet for all this, he was but a hypocrite.
Question. What change then is that which is requisite in the New Creature?
Answer. It is an inward change, a change of heart. Though the heart be not new-made, it is new-molded. (Jeremiah 4:14) Wash your heart, O Jerusalem. Ahab's clothes were rent, but not his heart. The outward change will do no good without the inward. What will become of them then who have not so much as an outward change?
Thus you see in general, that in the production of the New Creature, there must be a change.
2. More particularly: The change in the new creature consists in two things; and they are both set down in the text: Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.
1. Old things are passed away.] Old pride, old ignorance, old malice. The old house must be pulled down, ere you can set up a new.
Object. If all old things must pass away, then there are no new creatures. Who can be quite freed from sin? Does not the Apostle complain of a body of death?
Answ. We must know that the change wrought in the new creature, though it be a thorough change, yet it is not a perfect change; sin will remain: As there is a principle of grace, so of corruption; like wine and water mixed, there is in the regenerate flesh as well as spirit. Here a question arises.
Quest. If sin in the regenerate is not quite done away, then how far must one put off the old man that he may be a new creature? Of which hereafter.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.
Doct. That whoever is in Christ, is a new creature.
We are now upon the trial of the new creature. In it there is a change wrought, and this change consists in two things; which are set down in the text.
- 1. Old things are passed away. - 2. All things are become new.
1. Old things are passed away.] Old pride, old ignorance, old malice. The old house must be pulled down ere you can set up a new.
Object. But if all old things must pass away, then there are no new creatures. Who can be quite freed from sin? Does not Paul complain of a body of death?
Answ. We must know the change wrought in the new creature is but imperfect; as there is a principle of grace, so of corruption; like wine and water mixed, there is in the regenerate flesh as well as spirit.
Quest. If sin in the regenerate is not quite done away, then how far must one put off the old man that he may be a new creature?
Answ. 1. There must be a grieving for the remains of corruption (Romans 7:24). O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Paul did not cry out of his sufferings, his being beaten with rods, shipwrecked, stoned; but (like the bird of paradise) he bemoaned himself for sin. In the new creature there must be quotidianus mugitus, a daily mourning for the indwelling presence of corruption. A child of God does not wear sin as a gold chain, but as a fetter.
2. In the new creature there must be a detestation of old things; as one would detest a garment in which is the plague. It is not enough to be angry with sin; but we must hate it (Psalm 119:163). I hate and abhor lying. Hatred is the highest degree of enmity. And we must hate sin, not only for its hurtful effect, but its loathsome nature; as one hates a toad for its poisonous quality.
3. In the new creature there is an opposition against all old things. A Christian not only complains of sin, but fights against it (Galatians 5:17).
Quest. But may not a natural man oppose sin?
Answ. Yes; but there is a great difference between his opposing sin, and the new creature's opposing it.
1. There is a difference in the manner of opposition.
1. The natural man opposes sin only for the shame of it, as it eclipses his credit: But the new creature opposes sin for the filth of it: it is the spirit of mischief: 'Tis like rust to gold, or as a stain to beauty.
2. The natural man does not oppose all sin.
1. He does not oppose inward sins; he fights against such sins as are against the light of a natural conscience; but not against heart-sins, the first risings of vain thoughts, the stirrings of anger and concupiscence, the venom and impurity of his nature.
2. He does not oppose gospel-sins; pride, unbelief, hardness of heart, spiritual barrenness; he is not troubled that he can love God no more.
3. He opposes not complexion-sins; such as the bias of his heart carries him more strongly to; as lust, or avarice. He says of his constitution-sin as Naaman (2 Kings 5:18). In this thing the Lord pardon your servant. But the new creature opposes all kind of sin; Odium circa speciem. As he that hates a serpent, hates all kind of serpents (Psalm 119:104). I hate every false way.
2. There is difference between the natural man's opposing sin, and the new creature's opposing it, in regard of the motives.
A natural man opposes sin from carnal motives; to stop the mouth of conscience, and to prevent hell.
But the new creature opposes sin upon more noble motives; out of love to God, and fear of dishonoring the Gospel.
4. In the new creature there is mortifying old corrupt lusts (Galatians 5:24). They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh. The new creature is said to be dead to sin (Romans 6:11). He is dead as to the love of sin, that it does not bewitch; and as to the power of it, that it does not command. The new creature is continually crucifying sin. Some limb of the old Adam every day drops off; though sin does not die perfectly, it dies daily.
A gracious soul thinks he can never kill sin enough. He deals with sin as Joab with Absalom (2 Samuel 18:14). He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom. So with the three darts of faith, prayer, and repentance, a Christian thrusts through the body of sin; he never thinks this Absalom is enough dead.
Try then if we have this first sign of the new creature, Old things are passed away. There is a grieving for sin, a detesting it, an opposing it, a mortifying it: This is the passing away of old things; though not in a legal sense, yet in an evangelical; and though it be not to satisfaction, yet it is to acceptation.
The second trial of the new creature, is, All things are become new. The new creature is new all over. Grace, though it be but in part, yet is in every part.
By nature every branch of the soul is defiled with sin, as every part of wormwood is bitter; so in regeneration, every part of the soul is replenished with grace. Therefore grace is called the new man (Ephesians 4:24). Not a new eye, or a new tongue; but a new man. There are new dispositions, new principles, new aims; all things are become new.
1. In the new creature there is a new understanding (Ephesians 4:23). Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. The first thing a limner draws in a picture is the eye. When God newly limns us, and makes us new creatures, the first thing he draws in our souls, is a new eye: the new creature is enlightened to see that which he never saw before.
1. He knows Christ after another manner. An unconverted man by the light of common grace may believe Christ to be the Son of God; but the new creature knows Christ after another-guise manner; so as to esteem him above all, to adore him, to touch him by faith, to fetch a healing virtue from him.
2. The new creature knows himself better than he did. When the sun shines into a room, it discovers all the dust and cobwebs in it; so, when the light of the Spirit shines into the heart, it discovers that corruption which before lay hid; it shows a man his own vileness and nothingness (Job 40:4). Behold I am vile. A wicked man, blinded with self-love, admires himself; like Narcissus, that seeing his own shadow upon the water, fell in love with it. Saving knowledge works self-abasement. Lord, you are heaven, and I am hell, said a martyr. Has this day-star of knowledge shined in our mind?
2. The new creature is renewed in his conscience. The conscience of a natural man is either blind, or dumb, or seared: but conscience in the new creature, is renewed. Let us examine, does conscience check for sin? The least hair makes the eye weep; and the least sin makes conscience smite. How did David's heart smite him for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment? A good conscience is a star to guide, a register to record, a judge to determine, a witness to accuse or excuse; if conscience does all these offices right, then it is a renewed conscience, and speaks peace.
3. In the new creature the will is renewed. An old bowl may have a new bias put into it: the will having a new bias of grace put into it, is strongly carried to good. The will of a natural man opposes God. When the wind goes one way, and the tide another, then there is a storm; so it is when God's will goes one way, and ours another: but when our will goes with God's, as the wind with the tide, then there's a sweet calm of peace in the soul. The sanctified will answers to God's will, as the echo to the voice (Psalm 27:8). When you said, Seek my face, my heart said to you, Your face, Lord, will I seek; and the will being renewed, like the primum Mobile, it carries all the affections along with it.
4. The new creature has a new conversation. Grace alters a man's walk: before he walked proudly, now humbly; before loosely, now holily. He makes the Word his rule, and Christ's life his pattern (Philippians 3:20). Our conversation is in heaven. As a ship that is sailing eastward, there comes a gale of wind and blows it westward; so, before a man did sail hell-ward, and on a sudden the Spirit of God comes upon him, and blows him heaven-ward; here is a new conversation. It was a speech of Oecolampadius, I would not speak or do anything that I thought Jesus Christ would not approve of, if he were here corporally present. Where there is circumcision of heart, there is circumspection of life. If we find it thus, that all things are become [reconstructed: new], then we are new creatures, and shall go to the new Jerusalem when we die.
Use 3. Exhortation. Labor to be new creatures. Nothing else will avail us (Galatians 6:15). Neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. We are for new things; we love new fashions, and why not new hearts? But people are full of prejudices against the new creature.
Objection 1. If we are new creatures, there must be so much strictness in religion, so much praying and watching as discourages.
Answer 1. Is there anything excellent to be obtained without labor? What pains is taken in searching for a vein of silver, or seeking for pearl? Men cannot have the world without labor; and would they have salvation so?
2. The labor in religion bears no proportion with the reward. What are a few tears shed, to a weight of glory? The soldier is content to wrestle with difficulties, and undergo a bloody fight for a glorious victory. In all labor for heaven there is profit: it is like a man that digs in a gold-mine, and carries away all the gold.
3. Men take more pains to go to hell: what pains does an ambitious man take to climb to the pinnacle of honor? Tullia rode over the dead body of her father to be made queen. How does the covetous man tire himself, break his sleep, and his peace, to get the world? Thus some men take more pains in the service of sin, than others do in the pursuit of holiness. Men talk of pains in religion; when God's Spirit comes into one, it turns labor into delight. It was Paul's heaven to serve God (Romans 7:22). The ways of wisdom are pleasantness (Proverbs 3:17). It is like walking among beds of spices, which cast forth a sweet perfume.
Objection 2. But if we leave our old company, and become new creatures, we shall be exposed to many reproaches.
Answer. Who are they that speak evil of religion, but such as are evil? Male de me loquuntur sed mali, said Seneca. Besides, is it not better that men reproach us for being good, than that God damn us for being wicked (Matthew 5:11)? Blessed are you when men shall revile you. Stars are nevertheless glorious, though they have ugly names given them, as the Bear, and the Dragon. A saint's reproaches are like a soldier's scars, honorable (1 Peter 4:14). If you are reproached for the name of Christ, a Spirit of God, and of glory rests upon you. While men clip your credit, to make it weigh lighter, they make your crown heavier.
Having answered these objections, I come now to re-assume the exhortation. Above all things, labor to be new creatures.
