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Post by Admin on Jun 5, 2023 21:53:44 GMT -5
SERMON VIII
For to he carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life
and peace.—ROM. 8:6.
The apostle is giving reasons, why the comforts of justification do only belong to the sanctified. He only takes notice of two.
First, the difference between the sanctified and unsanctified as to their disposition;
secondly, the difference that is between them as to the event and issue. There is a contrary disposition, and a contrary end and issue:
first, how they are affected, or what they mind;
secondly, what will come of it, according to God's ordination and appointment.
1. He reasoneth from the contrary disposition of the unsanctified. They, being after the flesh, do only mind and savour carnal things. They study to please the flesh, value all things by the interest of the flesh; therefore, are justly excluded from the privileges of the spiritual life; for it is not fit men should be happy against their wills, or be possessed of privileges they do not care for. God will not cast pearls before swine that trample on them, nor bestow these precious comforts where they are not valued. This argument you have, ver. 5, 'They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit.' Because they mind them not, they have them not.
2. He reasoneth from the consequent issue and event, by the ordination and appointment of God. Thus in the text, 'For to be carnally minded is death.' Death belongeth to the carnally minded, and life and peace to the spiritually minded. In this Scripture there are two ways and two ends, both opposite and contrary to each other:—
1. The two ways; the carnal minding, and the spiritual minding—φρόνημα σαρκὸς, φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος.
hj2. The two ends; death and life and peace.
Doct. That the carnal mind tendeth and bringeth a man to death, but the spiritual mind is the way to life and peace.
The text and the doctrine being a copulate axiom must be explained by parts.
First. To be carnally minded is death. I must open two things.
(1.) The carnal minding;
(2.) That death which is the fruit and consequent of it.
First. "What is this φρόνημα σαρκὸς, which here we translate 'to be carnally minded,' in the margin 'the minding of the flesh,' and some translations, 'the wisdom of the flesh'?
I answer, it is the influence of the flesh upon all the faculties, understanding, will, and affections; as also upon our practice and conversation, when the wisdom of the flesh governeth our counsels,choices and actions. It includeth the acts of the mind; there are two acts of the mind, apprehension and cogitation; in both, the flesh bewrayeth
itself.
[1.] As to apprehension, we are acute in discerning the nature, worth, and value of carnal things, but stupid and blockish in things spiritual and heavenly: Luke 16:9, 'The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light, εἰς τῆν γενεὰν;' more dexterous in the course of their affairs, skilful in all things of a secular interest in back and belly concernments, but very senseless in things that are without the line of the flesh, and beyond the present world: 2 Pet. 1:9, 'He is blind, and cannot see afar off.' He can see nothing of the danger of perishing for ever, or the worth of salvation, or the need of Christ to heal wounded souls, or the necessity of making serious preparation for the world to come. It is strange to consider how acute wits are stupid and senseless in these things, being blinded by the delusions of the flesh. Surely none have such a lively knowledge of spiritual things as spiritual men.
Object. But do not many carnal men understand the mysteries of godliness? Yea, sometimes move distinctly and accurately than the sanctified. I answer, carnal men know not God, nor Christ, nor the things of the Spirit; it is a sottish people of no understanding: Isa. 27:11, and generally the fear of the Lord giveth a good understanding: Ps. 111:10, a blunt iron that is red hot will pierce further into a board than a sharp tool that is cold. Love to God enlivens our notions of God and Christ and the world to come, and perfects them; but then it is true that carnal men may be well stocked with literal knowledge, they have μόρφωσιν τῆς γνώσεως: Rom. 2:20, 'A form of the knowledge of the law;' but they have not those piercing apprehensions and heart-warming thoughts of danger, duty, and blessedness as the spiritual hath; the lively light of the spirit leaveth a greater power and impression upon the heart than this cold knowledge doth or can do. Some carnal men may have more of the notions, words,forms, methods than the unlearned saints have; but they want the thing these were made for. They may dress the meat as cooks, but the godly feed on it, and digest it, and are most capable savingly to understand the things concerning the spiritual life.
[2.] The next act of the mind is cogitation, and so they are said to mind the things of the flesh, whose hearts are continually haunted and exercised with carnal thoughts, or thoughts about sensual, worldly, and earthly things. To make this evident, let me tell you,there are three sorts of thoughts, expressed by three distinct words in scripture.
(1.) There are λογίσμοι, or διαλογίς μοι, discourses and reasonings.
(2.)
There are θυμήσεις, and ἐνθυμήσεις, musings or imaginations.
(3.) There are devices. All these ways doth the flesh or spirit bewray itself.
(1.) Sometimes in our discourses, debates, and reasonings. The spirit is seen in debating with ourselves about our eternal condition: Acts 16:14, 'She attended to the things that were spoken,' that is, weighed them in her mind; and Luke 2:19, 'Mary pondered them in her heart,' συμβάλλουσα, compared thought with thought: Rom. 8:31. What shall we say to these things? Now the fleshly minding is seen partly in jostling out these thoughts, and opposing these discourses of the mind, that we have no profit by them; and partly by filling and stuffing the mind with carnal thoughts and discourses, that there is no room for better things: 2 Pet. 2:14, 'A heart they have exercised with covetous practices.' Their hearts are always busied with low, carnal, and base thoughts; therefore it is said. 'The heart of the wicked is nothing worth:' Prov. 10:20. All the debates and discourses of their minds are of no value, and tend to no serious and profitable use.
(2.) Musings, admiring their excellency and blessing, and applauding themselves in what they have, and hope for in the world: Dan. 4:30, 'Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?' and Ps. 144:15, 'Happy is the people that is in such a case.' This self-blessing is a sign of carnal minding; they never set their minds a work upon spiritual and heavenly things. Surely one that believeth heaven, and looketh for heaven, and longeth for heaven, will be thinking of it.
Shall an ambitious man find such a savour in thoughts of preferment?
a covetous man in the thoughts of wealth and riches?
a vain-glorious man in the echoes and supposition of applause?
the voluptuous man in revellings and eating and drinking, so that his heart is always in the house of mirth?
the unclean person in personating the pleasure of sin by imaginations Mat. 5:28?
an envious man in thoughts of revenge? and shall not a spiritual disposition discover itself in our musings? Faith and hope will send the thoughts, as spies, into the land of promise: Heb. 11:1. Love will be thinking on the object loved. The treasures will take up the mind and heart: Mat. 6:21.
Can a man love God, and Christ, and never think of them? Our pleasant musings should be regarded. A third sort of thoughts are—
(3.) Counsels, and contrivances or devices: Rom. 13:14, 'Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.' They wholly bend their minds how to compass their worldly ends, and how to advance themselves in the world, carking and caring for these things, but 'God is not in all their thoughts:' Ps. 10:4;
care not whether God be pleased or displeased, honoured and glorified or dishonoured, nor how to come to enjoy him and carry on the spiritual life with more success, and assure their interest in eternal happiness.
The spiritual life is not a thing of haphazard and peradventure, but to be carried on with contrivance and heedfulness: 'ponder the path of thy feet;' Prov. 4:26.
Now men employ their time and wit upon other projects than how to mortify sin, or 'perfect holiness in the fear of God.'
Thus thoughts being the first issues of the mind discover the temper of it.
Those that are after the flesh are thorough and true to their principle, they can freely employ their minds about things which are agreeable to their constitution of soul, and can hardly take them off for any serious and grave purpose;
they do most readily and delightfully entertain these thoughts, mind the world's weeks, years, days, but never find leisure or time to mind life to come.
They never shut the door against vain thoughts; but thoughts of God, Christ, and heaven and hell, sin and holiness, what strangers are they?
and when they rush in upon us are thrust forth as unwelcome guests.
Anything relating to the flesh is pleasing and welcome,
but how to get our hearts washed and cleansed by the blood or Spirit of Christ, is not regarded by them; how to be more holy, to be at peace with God, to keep that peace unbroken by an uniform course of obedience, this is not thought of, nor discoursed of, in
the mind, nor the happiness mused on, nor our care and be employed about it..
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Post by Admin on Jul 13, 2023 15:13:07 GMT -5
2. The word also compriseth the will and affections, desires, purposes,choices. What we now read 'mind' is in other translations 'savour,' so in these things, we translate it savour: Mat. 16:23, 'Thou savourest not the things that be of God,' οὐ φρονεὶς τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ.' We translate it elsewhere: Col. 3:2, 'set your affections upon things above, τὰ
ἄνω φρονεῖτε, and not on things on earth.' But the word as it standeth in our translation will bear it; for when men say they have a mind to it: Neh. 4:6, 'We built the wall, for the people had a mind to the work.'so here it is true of the carnal minding, and the spiritual minding. The relish and taste, which are in the will and affections, floweth from the apprehension of the mind; we relish and delight in objects suitable to that nature which we have; as the constitution is, so are the gust and taste. Tell a carnal
person of the joys of the life to come, the comforts of the spirit, the peace of a good conscience, the sweetness that is in the word and ordinances, they find no more savour in these things than in the white of an egg, or a dry chip; but banquets, merry meetings, and idle sports, they have a complacency for these things, and soon find a delight free and stirring at the mention of them: 'their hearts are in the house of mirth' Eccles. 7:4.
To be well clad, and well fed, maintained in pomp and state, these are the things which are most sweet and pleasing to them, and which they most desire and seek after, for they mind these things, and so bestow their care and delight upon them, and can spend days and hours without weariness in them. Carnal men relish no sweetness in religion:
1 Cor. 2:14, 'But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.' As they do not perceive them, so not receive them: these are not the things which are likely to make an impression upon their souls; but, on the contrary, the spiritual minding is discovered by this, because it is best pleased with spiritual things; spiritual minds find a marvellous sweetness and comfort in the word of God, and the means of grace and salvation: Ps. 119:103, 'How sweet are thy words to my taste, yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth;' and Ps. 63:5, 'My soul shall be
satisfied, as with marrow and fatness;' and Job 23:12, 'I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.' What gladness doth communion with God put into their hearts! One day with him is better than all those flesh-pleasing vanities, wherewith others are deluded and enticed from God.
3. It reacheth also to practice, and implieth earnest prosecution. And so, to be carnally minded, is to make the things of the flesh our work and scope; to be spiritually minded is to make that our work and trade, to seek after the things of the spirit; therefore the course of men's actions,
and the trade of their lives are to be considered. Our business showeth our bent; and what we constantly, frequently, and easily practise, discovereth the overruling principle. Wicked men have their good moods, and godly men have their carnal fits, the constant practice showeth the prevailing inclination. To mind the things of the flesh or spirit is to seek after them in the first place, when men are seriously, constantly, readily, willingly carried to those things which please the flesh, without any respect to God and eternal life. Effects show their causes. If the drift and bent of our lives be not for God and salvation, and our great business in the world be not the pleasing of God and the saving of our own souls, and this be not chiefly minded and attended more than all the pleasures, honours, and profits of the world, God hath not the precedency, but the
flesh—walking after the flesh or the spirit, is the great discriminating note in this place; propounded, ver. 1. amplified afterwards by minding the things of the flesh, and then living after the flesh, ver. 13; so Gal. 6:8, 'He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.' We must see whether our lives be a sowing to the flesh or the spirit. The mind leaveth a stamp upon the actions. As a godly man showeth spirit in all things, so a carnal man showeth flesh in all things: Zech. 14:21, 'On every pot in Jerusalem, and in Judah, shall be Holiness to the Lord of hosts.' As God showeth his divine power in every creature, in a gnat, or pile of grass, as well as the sun; so a Christian showeth grace in all things. On the contrary, carnal men show their mind in all things, not only in eating and drinking and trading, but in preaching, praying, and conference about holy things. The one goeth about his worldly business with a heavenly mind, casts all into the mould of religion; the other goeth about his heavenly business with a carnal and worldly mind; the flesh doth not only influence his common actions, but his duties, either to feed or hide a lust, to serve his worldly mind and vain glory; or else that he may more plausibly carry it on without blame before men, or check of conscience;and so maketh one duty excuse another. It is the flesh maketh him pray, preach, confer about holy things, give alms, and seemingly forgive enemies, or do that which is outwardly and materially just. Thus you see what is the carnal minding; only I must tell you, that, because the apostle saith it is death, or the high way to everlasting destruction, we must more accurately state the matter.
1. The minding of the flesh must be interpreted not barely of the acts but the state. Who is there among God's children that doth not mind the flesh? and too much indulge the flesh? But yet he doth not make it his business to please the flesh, but rather mortifieth and subdueth it: Gal. 5:24, 'And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh,' and they are still labouring that they may subdue it more and more: 1 Cor. 9:27, 'But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.'
2. This minding of the flesh or spirit must be understood as to the prevalency of each principle; that is to say, when we mind the flesh so as to exclude the minding of the spirit, and the things that belong to the spirit: 1 John 2:15, 'If any man love the world, and the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' And so on the other side, when we so mind the spirit, as that it deadeneth our affections to the world and baits of the flesh: Gal. 6:14, the 'conversation in heaven' is that which is
opposite to 'minding earthly things:' Phil. 3:19, 20. Therefore if the flesh can do more, constantly and ordinarily, to draw us to sin than the spirit to keep us from it, we are under the power of the fleshly mind.
3. This minding of the flesh must be interpreted with respect to continuance, not with respect to our former state; for, alas! all of us in time past pleased the flesh, and walked according to the course of this world in the lusts of the flesh: Tit. 3:3, 'We were sometimes foolish and disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures;' and 'if we yet please the flesh, we are not the servants of Christ.' But if we break off this servitude, and do at length become servants of righteousness, God will not judge us
according to what we have been but what we are. Therefore it is our duty to consider what principle liveth in us, and groweth, and increaseth; whether the interest of the flesh decreaseth or the interest of the spirit. If we grow more brutish, forgetful of God, unapt for spiritual things, theflesh governeth; but if the spiritual life doth more and more discover itself with life and power in our thoughts, words, and actions, the flesh is on the wane, and we shall not be reckoned to have lived after the flesh, but after the spirit; we have every day a higher estimation of God and Christ, and grace weaneth and draweth off the heart from other things,that we may grow more dead to them, and live to God in the spirit, and more entirely pursue our everlasting hopes.
4. Some things more immediately tend to the pleasing of the flesh, as bodily pleasures; and therefore the inclinations to them are called the 'lusts of the flesh:' 1 John 2:16. Other things more remotely, as they lay in provisions for that end, as the honours and profits of the world. Now, though a man be not voluptuous, he may be guilty of the carnal minding, because he is wholly sunk and lost in the world, and is thereby taken off from a care of and delight in better things. Envyings, emulations, strife,and divisions make us carnal: 1 Cor. 3:3, 'For ye are yet carnal: whereas there is among you envyings, strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?' They have little of the spirit in them that bustle for greatness and esteem in the world, though they be not wholly given to brutish pleasures; and those that will be rich are said to 'fall into foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown the soul in perdition and destruction:' 1 Tim. 6:9. These are taken off from God and Christ and the world to come, and therefore the fleshly minding must be applied to any thing that will make us less spiritual and heavenly: Luke 12:21, 'So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.' They seek outward things in good earnest, but spiritual things in an overly, careless, or perfunctory manner.
5. Some please the flesh in a more cleanly manner, others in a more gross: Gal. 5:19, 'The works of the flesh are manifest ἕργα σαρκὸς φανερὰ adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft.' These are the grosser out-breakings of the flesh; now, though we fall not into these, yet there is a more secret carnal minding, when we have too free a relish in any outward thing, and set loose the heart to such alluring vanities as draw us off from God and Christ and heaven; and these
obstruct the heavenly life, as well as the other; therefore, still all must be subordinated to our great interest; some are disengaged from baser lusts,but are full of self-love and self-seeking. I proceed to the second thing—
Secondly. What is that death which is the consequence of it? Death signifieth three things in Scripture—death temporal, spiritual, and eternal. The first consisteth in the separation of the soul from the body; the second in the separation of the soul from God; the third in an eternal separation of both body and soul from God, in a state of endless misery.
1. Death is a separation of the soul from the body, with all its antecedent preparations; as diseases, pains, miseries, dangers, these are death begun: 'in deaths often,' 2 Cor. 11:13, that is, in dangers; that he may take from me this death, Exod. 10:7, meaning the plague of the locusts; and death is consummated at our dissolution, 1 Cor. 15:55. Now all this is the fruit of sin,and they forfeit their lives that only use them for the flesh;they are unserviceable to God, and therefore why should they live in the world?
2. Spiritual death, or an estrangement from God, as the author of the life of grace; so we are said to be 'dead in trespasses and sins,' Eph. 2:1; andso it may hold good here: 1 Tim. 5:6, 'She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth.' That is, hath no feeling of the life of grace. But
3. Eternal death, which consisteth in an everlasting separation from the presence of the Lord, called the second death: Rev. 20:6, 'On such the second death hath no power;' and v. 14, 'death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death.' This is most horrible and dreadful, and is the portion of all those that are slaves to the flesh. Now this is called death, because, in all creatures that have sense, their dissolution is accompanied with pain. Trees and vegetables die without pain, and so
doth not man and beast; and death to men is more bitter, because they are more sensible of the sweetness of life than beasts are, and have some forethought of what may follow after; and because it is a misery from which there is no release; as from the first death, there is no recovery into the present life. This second death is set forth by two solemn notions: 'The worm that never dieth, and the fire that shall never be quenched:' Mk. 9:44; by which is meant the sting of conscience, and the wrath of God. Both these make the sinner for ever miserable; the sting of conscience, or the fretting remembrance of their past folly, when they reflect upon their madness in following the pleasures of sin, and neglecting the offers of grace; and besides this, there are pains inflicted upon them by the wrath of God. There is no member or faculty of the soul free but feeleth the misery of the second death. As no part is free from sin, so none shall be from punishment; in the first death, the pain may lie in one place, head or heart, but here all over; the agonies of the first death are soon over, but the agonies and pains of the second death endure for ever. The first death, the more it prevaileth, the
more we are past feeling; but by this second death there is a greater vivacity than ever, the capacity of every sense is enlarged and made more receptive of pain, while we are in the body.—the more vehemently anything doth strike on the senses the more doth it deaden the sense; as the inhabitants about the fall of Nilus are deaf with the continual noise, and too much light puts out the eyes, and taste is dulled by custom; but here the capacity is improved by feeling the power of God sustaining the sinner whilst his wrath torments him. As the saints are fortified by their blessedness, and can endure that light and glory, the least glimpse of which would overwhelm them here, so the wicked are capacitated to endure the torments. In the first death, our praying is for life, we would not die; there, our wish shall be for destruction, we would not live. Every man would lose a tooth rather than be perpetually tormented with the tooth-ache; these pains never cease; this death is the fruit of the carnal life.
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Post by Admin on Jul 13, 2023 15:39:51 GMT -5
Secondly. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. Here all will be easily and soon despatched.
1. What is it to be spiritually-minded? I answer, when we know the things of the spirit, so as to believe them, and believe them so as to affect and esteem them; and esteem and affect them, so as to seek after them; and so seek after them, as to seek after them in the first place.
(1.) We must know them; for the things of the spirit must be understood before they can be chosen and desired: John 4:10, 'If thou knewest the gift.' The brutish world know not the worth of spiritual and heavenly things, therefore mind them not.
(2.) Believe them. None will seek after that which they judge to be a fancy, or of the certainty of which they are not persuaded, especially when they must forego present delights and contentments to obtain it: such is salvation by Christ: 2 Pet. 1:5, 10, 16, 'And besides this, giving all diligence to add to your faith virtue, and to
virtue knowledge: wherefore the rather, brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.'
(3.) Affect and esteem them above all other things: Heb. 11:13, 'Being persuaded of these things, they embraced them; so esteem them, that your desires may not be checked
and controlled by other things: Heb. 11:26, 'By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.'
(4.) To pursue after them with all diligence: Phil. 2:10, 'Working out your salvation with fear and trembling;' and John 6:27, 'Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but that which endureth to everlasting life.'
(5.) Seek them in the first place, that you may not only make it your business, but the chiefest business of your lives to obtain these things: Mat. 6:33, 'First seek the kingdom of God.' This is to set your faces heavenward, when you make it your great business to please God, and save your souls.
2. This is life and peace. By life and peace are meant eternal blessedness. He addeth to the word life the term peace, because in eternal life there is freedom from all evil, and the presence of all good; for there can be no true solid peace where there is the fear of any evil, or a want of any good; but here being neither, the soul is fully at peace and rest; therefore it is said that God 'will give glory, honour, and peace to every one that doeth good:' Rom. 2:10. Heaven is the new Jerusalem, the city of peace, where we converse with God, who is a God of peace, and enjoy full peace and rest from all our molestations; but though it be meant of heaven, yet peace of conscience is not excluded, partly because it is the beginning and earnest of it, that peace which we now have in the kingdom of the Messiah by our reconciliation with God: Rom. 5:1, 'Being justified by faith, we have peace with God and the testimony of a good conscience;' 2 Cor. 1:20, 'This is a continual feast.' Now the fruit of righteousness is peace; peace in heaven, and peace on earth: Luke 2:14, and Luke 19:38, 'Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord;' 'Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.' It is begun here, and perfected there. And partly because whatever the spirit worketh tendeth to our peace and blessedness, not only hereafter, but now: Rom. 15:13, 'Now the God of
hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.' The reasons are in common.
1. With respect to God's justice. God, who is the most righteous governor of the world, will make a just difference between the righteous and the wicked by rewards and punishment. It belongeth to his general justice —that it should be well with them that do well, and ill with them that do ill: Ps. 11:5, 6, 'Upon the wicked he shall
rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and an horrible tempest shall be the portion of their cup: for the righteous God loveth righteousness, his countenance beholdeth the upright. Surely God is not indifferent to good and evil, to them that will please the flesh, and them that obey the spirit. His justice will not permit that the carnal and the regenerate, who are so different in their lives, should meet together in the end. No, surely; the end of the one will be death, and the other life and peace.
2. To suit his motives to the profit of men—
[1.] There needeth something frightful to make sin a terror to us; therefore doth he counterbalance with advantage the pleasures of sin, that are but for a season. We are vehemently addicted to carnal delights; therefore to check this inclination, God balanceth the choicest and highest pleasures with eternal pain, that by setting one against the other we may be deterred from pleasing the flesh: Rom. 8:13, 'If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die.'
[2.] To encourage the godly in their self-denying obedience. The godly quit and forego many pleasures which others enjoy. Now, to restrain and deny the flesh seemeth a pain and trouble; therefore to encourage them to continue in a holy course, though it be distasteful to the flesh, and to renounce worldly pleasures and sensual delights while they may enjoy them, God hath told them of life and peace; they shall have joy enough. Use 1 is Information, to show us the folly of wicked men, who are selfdestroyers, and wrong their own souls, while they despise the ways of wisdom, and prefer carnal satisfactions before the pleasing of God: 'All that hate me, love death,' Prov. 8:36. Not formally, but consequentially; a wicked man sinneth not purposely that he may be damned, but that is the issue.
2. It showeth us the security of the wicked. They sleep most soundly when their danger is nighest, as Jonah in the storm that was raised for his sake;
they are upon the brink of hell, yet they go on merrily, lulling their consciences asleep with outward and vain delights; but though they sleep, 'their damnation sleepeth not.' It were better to waken and escape the danger: Prov. 27:12, 'A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.' A little sober
consideration of this truth may be of use to them.
Use 2 is Admonition. Oh! let this stop us from going on in a flesh-pleasing course. Consider whither it will lead you; what followeth upon this:—
1. It is death. If it were a small thing, you might bear it; but it is a case of life and death—eternal life and death. This will be the eternal ruin of your precious and immortal souls. The more you please the flesh, the more you add fuel to that fire which shall never be quenched; and provide matter for that never-dying worm, or eternal sorrow and confusion of face to your souls. Those things that now please the senses, will one day sting the conscience. We should not affect that which will be death to us.
Remember the hook, when the flesh looketh only to the bait.
2. It is death threatened in the word of God, and therefore certain, as well as dreadful: Rom. 6:23, 'The wages of sin is death;' and Rom. 7:5, 'The
motions of sin did bring forth fruit unto death.' If a man warn you of apparent death in a way wherein you are going, you will be cautious.Surely God deserveth more credit than man. He giveth you warning of the danger of this way; and will you go on, and try what will come of it? Surely men do not believe the carnal life will be so mortal and deadly to them as it will be. The false prophet in every man's bosom deceiveth him, that it may destroy him.
3. Consider how willing God is to reclaim you: Ezek. 33:11, 'Why will you die, O house of Israel?' Hath God any pleasure in your destruction? He delighteth in your conversion rather, and threateneth death, that he may not inflict it.
Use 3. Let us examine what is our frame and temper—the carnal minding or the spiritual minding. This is the great test, or the true and lasting difference between men and men, in life and death. The great difference and division is begun here, and continued for ever. Other differences cease at the grave's mouth, but this distinguisheth between heaven and hell.
1. What do you seek after, the gratifying of the flesh, or the perfectives of the soul? that the inner man may be renewed and quickened: 2 Cor. 4:16; 'That it be strengthened: Eph. 3:16, decked and adorned: 1 Pet. 4:3, to keep grace alive in your souls that is our care, our business, and our comfort.
2. To what end do you live? That you may please, glorify, and enjoy God, or live after the flesh? You were made by God, and for God, that you might have fellowship and communion with him here and hereafter: Ps. 73:25, 'Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth I desire in comparison of thee.' This God's people long for, and labour after, and wait for.
3. In what manner do we mind it? Is this our constant care, and earnest desire, and choice delight? A naked approbation of that which is good will make no evidence; nor a few cold wishes, or faint endeavours; but your constant business: 2 Cor. 5:9, 'Wherefore we labour, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him
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Post by Admin on Aug 9, 2023 0:07:58 GMT -5
Sermon I: Created in Christ Jesus Unto
Good Works
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.—EPH. 2:10.
THE apostle in the context asserteth that our whole salvation is of grace, not of works; he now proveth it.
That which is the effect of salvation cannot be the cause of it. But our well-doing is the effect of salvation, if you take it for our first recovery to God; but if you take it for full salvation, or our final deliverance from all evil, works go before it indeed, but in a way of order, not meritorious influence.
To think them altogether unnecessary, would too much depreciate and lessen their presence or concurrence; to think they deserve it would as much exalt them, and advance them beyond the line of their due worth and value. The apostle steereth a middle course between both extremes.
They are necessary, not meritorious. They go before eternal life, not as a cause but a way; for they are wrought
in us by God, and are effects of the begun salvation; so that the good that we do is a part of the grace that we have received, a fruit of regeneration: 'For we are his workmanship,' &c.
In the words are two things:—
I. The state of believers: for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.
II. The end why we are brought into this estate: unto good works,which, &c.I begin with the former, and there note:—
1. God's efficiency: ποίημα αὐτοῦ, his workmanship.
2. The manner of his efficiency: κτισθεντες, created; all proceedeth from the infinite creating power of God.
3. The meritorious cause: ἐν Χριστῷ, created in Christ Jesus.
From the whole observe:—
Doct. That those that are renewed and recovered out of the apostasy of mankind, are, as it were, created anew through the power of God and grace of the Redeemer.
I. Let us explain the words of the text
II. Prove it.
I. For explication of what is here asserted, three things must be explained:—
1. Our relation to God.
2. His way of concurrence to establish this relation.
3. How far the mediation of Christ is concerned in this effect.
First, Our relation to God: 'We are his workmanship.' We are so two ways:
—(1.) By natural creation; (2.) By supernatural renovation.
1. By natural creation, which giveth us some kind of interest in him, and hope of grace from him. As Ps. 119:73, 'Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments.' God is our Creator, and the end of our creation is to serve God; therefore he gives some kind of encouragement to ask the grace whereby we may serve him. But the apostle speaketh here not of the first creation, but—
2. Of regeneration or renovation, which is called a second or new creation. As 2 Cor. 5:17, 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,' καίνη κτίσις; a new creation hath passed upon him. By the first creation we are made men; by the second, holy men. Holiness is a thing of God's making; we are regenerated and sanctified by his grace, and made capable of doing good by his Spirit. Now this new workmanship bestowed on us implieth:—
[1.] A change wrought in us, so that we are other persons than we were before, as if another kind of soul came to dwell in our bodies. This change is represented in scripture in such terms as do imply a broad and sensible difference between the two states—that wherein we were before, and that into which we are translated; such a difference as is between light and darkness, Eph. 5:8; life and death, 1 John 3:14; the new man and the old, Eph. 4:22, 24. We seem to be,as it were, creatures transformed out of beasts into men. Instead of being governed by sense and appetite, we are led by reason; and reason is not only put into dominion, but grace, which is reason sanctified, directing and inclining us to live unto God.
[2.] This change is such as must amount to a new creation. There are some changes which go not so far, as—
(1.) A moral change, from profaneness and gross sins to a more sober course of life; for there are some sins which nature discovereth, and may be prevented by such reasons and arguments as nature suggested, Rom. 2:14. This may be done by ordinary discretion and advisement. But the new creature signifies such a change, whereby not only of vicious we become virtuous, but of carnal we become spiritual, John 3:6. Man naturally inclineth to things pleasing to the flesh, and only seeketh, savoureth, and affecteth these things; but in this change the Spirit interposeth and
maketh him spirit. Before, man only lived as a nobler and better natured animal or living creature, and pleased himself, that is, his flesh, either in a grosser or more cleanly manner, being ignorant, mindless of God and another world; but new creatures become spirit, have a spiritual inclination, cannot content themselves with a happiness on this side God and heaven. Mere human nature can never bring men to this, but only the power of God.
(2.) A temporary change, as to fall into a sudden religious frame, which is soon worn off; as Ahab's humiliation, 1 Kings 21:27; or those that howled on their beds, &c., Hosea 7:14, frighted into a little religiousness in their straits and deep necessities, like ice in thawing weather, soft at top and hard at bottom; or those the prophet speaketh of, Jer. 34:15, 'Ye were turned to-day and had done right, but ye returned again and polluted my name.' They seemed to be changed awhile from evil to good, and then they change again from good to evil. This will not amount to the new creature, for that is a durable thing: 1 John 3:9, Σπέρμα μένει, 'His seed remains.'
(3.) A change of outward form, without a change of heart; as when a man changeth parties in religion, and from an oppressor becomes a professor of a stricter way. No; the scripture opposeth this to the new creature, Gal. 6:15. The new creature lieth more in a new mind, new will and affection, than in a new form of religion. Lead is lead still, whatever stamp it beareth.
(4.) A partial change. Men are altered in some things, but the old nature still remaineth; their religion is but like a new piece in an old garment; the heart is not new moulded, so as to leave an impression upon all our actions. The renewed are 'holy in all manner of conversation,' ἐν πάσῃ ἀναστροφῇ, 1 Peter 1:15; 2 Peter 3:11; 2 Cor. 5:17. They drive a new trade for another world, and set upon another work to which they were strangers before; must have new solaces, new comforts, new motives. The new creature is entire, not half new half old; but with many the heart is like 'a cake not turned.'
(1.) Nature, 2 Peter 1:4. They are made like God, bear his image and superscription; it is a curious piece of workmanship, in which God hath showed his wisdom, goodness, and power; and so they are sealed and marked out for his peculiar ones.
(2.) The life of God, that came' from him, and tendeth to him. Others are 'alienated from the life of God,' Eph. 4:18. They recover it, 1 Pet. 4:6. His spirit is a principle of life in them, so that they are really alive to God, and dead to sin and the world.
[3.] When thus new framed and fashioned, it belongeth to God, it hath special relation to him, James 1:18. It must needs be so; they have God's nature and life.
[4.] This workmanship on us as new creatures far surpasseth that which maketh us creatures only. That came from his general goodness, this from his peculiar love; there it is goodness, here it is grace: 2 Tim. 1:9, 'He hath called us with an holy calling, according to his own purpose and grace.' Creatures are sustained by his common providence, but new creatures by his special care and covenant: 'He openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing,'
Ps. 145:16. But he especially preserveth and supplieth believers, 1 Tim. 4:10. He giveth others bodily comforts; but these,soul-refreshings and spiritual graces, Eph. 1:3. There is vestigium, a tract or footprint of God in all the creation; these have his image restored in them: Eph. 4:24, 'The new man is created after God.'
Well, then, this is that we should look after, that we may be his workmanship made again. It is a woful thing to be God's workmanship by creation and not by renovation. It is better never to have been God's creature in the first making, if not his creature in the second making. Better thou hadst been a beast, yea, a toad or serpent, than a man; for when the beasts die, death puts an end to their pains and pleasures at once, but all thy comforts end with death, and then thy pains begin: the beasts have no remorse to sour their pleasures, but man hath conscience, and therefore can have no rest till he return to God.
Secondly, God's way of concurrence to establish this relation. It is a creation. The phrase is often used: Eph. 4:24, 'The new man is created after God.' No other hand could finish this piece of workmanship. God often sets it forth by this term: Isa. 43:7, 'I have created him for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.' So ver. 21, 'This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.' So in other places. Now, creation is a work of
omnipotency, and proper to God. There is a twofold creation. In the beginning God made some things out of nothing, and some things ex inhabili materia, out of foregoing matter, but such as was wholly unfit for such things as were made of it; as when God made Adam out of the dust of the ground, and Eve out of the rib of man. Take the notion in the former or latter sense, and it will suit with the matter in hand.
(1.) We are formed anew of God, as it were out of a state of nothing, and get a new being and a new life. To this there
are frequent allusions in scripture; as Rom. 4:17, 'He calleth the things that are not as though they were;' 2 Cor. 4:6, 'Who speaketh(Ὁ εἴπων) light out of darkness,' he bringeth life out of death,something out of nothing. Now there is such a distance between these two terms that the work can only be accomplished by a divine power.
(2.) Creation out of unfit matter. We were wholly indisposed, averse from good, perverse resisters of it. Now, to bring us to love God and holiness, to restore God's lost image to us, it is a new forming or making of us, and must be looked upon, not as a low, natural, or common thing, but as the work of him who gave us his image at first: Col. 3:10, 'The new man is renewed after the image of him that created him.' To turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh,
God challengeth it to himself, Ezek. 36:26. This creation showeth two things:
—I. The state of believers: for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.
II. The end why we are brought into this estate: unto good works,which, &c.
I begin with the former, and there note:—
1. God's efficiency: ποίημα αὐτοῦ, his workmanship.
2. The manner of his efficiency: κτισθεντες, created; all proceedeth from the infinite creating power of God.
3. The meritorious cause: ἐν Χριστῷ, created in Christ Jesus.
From the whole observe:—
Doct. That those that are renewed and recovered out of the apostasy of mankind, are, as it were, created anew through the power of God and grace of the Redeemer.
I. Let us explain the words of the text
II. Prove it.
I. For explication of what is here asserted, three things must be explained:—
1. Our relation to God.
2. His way of concurrence to establish this relation.
3. How far the mediation of Christ is concerned in this effect.
First, Our relation to God: 'We are his workmanship.' We are so two ways:
—(1.) By natural creation; (2.) By supernatural renovation.
1. By natural creation, which giveth us some kind of interest in him, and hope of grace from him. As Ps. 119:73, 'Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments.' God is our Creator, and the end of our creation is to serve God; therefore he gives some kind of encouragement to ask the grace whereby we may serve him. But the apostle speaketh here not of the first creation, but—
2. Of regeneration or renovation, which is called a second or new creation. As 2 Cor. 5:17, 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,' καίνη κτίσις; a new creation hath passed upon him. By the first creation we are made men; by the second, holy men. Holiness is a thing of God's making; we are regenerated and sanctified by his grace, and made capable of doing good by his Spirit. Now this new workmanship bestowed on us implieth:—
[1.] A change wrought in us, so that we are other persons than we were before, as if another kind of soul came to dwell in our bodies. This change is represented in scripture in such terms as do imply a broad and sensible difference between the two states
—that wherein we were before, and that into which we are translated; such a difference as is between light and darkness, Eph. 5:8; life and death, 1 John 3:14; the new man and the old, Eph. 4:22, 24. We seem to be, as it were, creatures transformed out of beasts into men. Instead of being governed by sense and appetite, we are led by reason; and reason is not only put into dominion, but grace, which is reason sanctified, directing and inclining us to live unto God.
[2.] This change is such as must amount to a new creation. There are some changes which go not so far, as—
(1.) A moral change, from profaneness and gross sins to a more sober course of life; for there are some sins which nature discovereth, and may be prevented by such reasons and arguments as nature suggested, Rom. 2:14. This may be done by ordinary discretion and advisement. But the new creature signifies such a change, whereby not only of vicious we become virtuous, but of carnal we become spiritual, John 3:6. Man naturally inclineth to things pleasing to the flesh, and only seeketh, savoureth, and affecteth these things; but in this change the Spirit interposeth and maketh him spirit. Before, man only lived as a nobler and betternatured animal or living creature, and pleased himself, that is, his flesh, either in a grosser or more cleanly manner, being ignorant, mindless of God and another world; but new creatures become spirit, have a spiritual inclination, cannot content themselves with a happiness on this side God and heaven. Mere human nature can never bring men to this, but only the power of God.
(2.) A temporary change, as to fall into a sudden religious frame, which is soon worn off; as Ahab's humiliation, 1 Kings 21:27; or those that howled on their beds, &c., Hosea 7:14, frighted into a little religiousness in their straits and deep necessities, like ice in thawing weather, soft at top and hard at bottom; or those the prophet speaketh of, Jer. 34:15, 'Ye were turned to-day and had done right, but ye returned again and polluted my name.' They seemed to
be changed awhile from evil to good, and then they change again from good to evil. This will not amount to the new creature, for that is a durable thing: 1 John 3:9, Σπέρμα μένει, 'His seed remains.'
(3.) A change of outward form, without a change of heart; as when a man changeth parties in religion, and from an oppressor becomes a professor of a stricter way. No; the scripture opposeth this to the new creature, Gal. 6:15. The new creature lieth more in a new mind, new will and affection, than in a new form of religion. Lead is lead
still, whatever stamp it beareth.
(4.) A partial change. Men are altered in some things, but the old nature still remaineth; their religion is but like a new piece in an old garment; the heart is not new moulded, so as to leave an impression upon all our actions. The renewed are 'holy in all manner of conversation,' ἐν πάσῃ ἀναστροφῇ, 1 Peter 1:15; 2 Peter 3:11; 2 Cor. 5:17. They drive a new trade for another world, and set upon another work to which they were strangers before; must have new solaces, new comforts, new motives. The new creature is entire, not half new half old; but with many the heart is like 'a cake not turned.'
[3.] When thus new framed and fashioned, it belongeth to God, it hath special relation to him, James 1:18. It must needs be so; they have God's nature and life.
(1.) Nature, 2 Peter 1:4. They are made like God, bear his image and superscription; it is a curious piece of workmanship, in which God hath showed his wisdom, goodness, and power; and so they are sealed and marked out for his peculiar ones.
(2.) The life of God, that came' from him, and tendeth to him. Others are 'alienated from the life of God,' Eph. 4:18. They recover it, 1 Pet. 4:6. His spirit is a principle of life in them, so that they are really alive to God, and dead to sin and the world.
[4.] This workmanship on us as new creatures far surpasseth that which maketh us creatures only. That came from his general goodness, this from his peculiar love; there it is goodness, here it is grace: 2 Tim. 1:9, 'He hath called us with an holy calling, according to his own purpose and grace.' Creatures are sustained by his common providence, but new creatures by his special care and covenant: 'He openeth his hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing,' Ps. 145:16. But he especially preserveth and supplieth believers, 1 Tim. 4:10. He giveth others bodily comforts; but these,soul-refreshings and spiritual graces, Eph. 1:3. There is vestigium, a tract or footprint of God in all the creation; these have his image restored in them: Eph. 4:24, 'The new man is created after God.'
Well, then, this is that we should look after, that we may be his workmanship made again. It is a woful thing to be God's workmanship by creation and not by renovation. It is better never to have been God's creature in the first making, if not his creature in the second making. Better thou hadst been a beast, yea, a toad or serpent, than a man; for when the beasts die, death puts an end to their pains and pleasures at once, but all thy comforts end with death, and then thy pains begin: the beasts have no remorse to sour their pleasures, but man hath conscience, and therefore can have no rest till he return to God.
Secondly, God's way of concurrence to establish this relation. It is a creation. The phrase is often used: Eph. 4:24, 'The new man is created after God.' No other hand could finish this piece of workmanship. God often sets it forth by this term: Isa. 43:7, 'I have created him for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.' So ver. 21, 'This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.' So in other places. Now, creation is a work of
omnipotency, and proper to God. There is a twofold creation. In the beginning God made some things out of nothing, and some things ex inhabili materia, out of foregoing matter, but such as was wholly unfit for such things as were made of it; as when God made Adam out of the dust of the ground, and Eve out of the rib of man. Take the notion in the former or latter sense, and it will suit with the matter in hand.
(1.) We are formed anew of God, as it were out of a state of nothing, and get a new being and a new life. To this there
are frequent allusions in scripture; as Rom. 4:17, 'He calleth the things that are not as though they were;' 2 Cor. 4:6, 'Who speaketh(Ὁ εἴπων) light out of darkness,' he bringeth life out of death, something out of nothing. Now there is such a distance between these two terms that the work can only be accomplished by a divine power.
(2.) Creation out of unfit matter. We were wholly indisposed, averse from good, perverse resisters of it. Now, to bring us to love God and holiness, to restore God's lost image to us, it is a new forming or making of us, and must be looked upon, not as a low, natural, or common thing, but as the work of him who gave us his image at first: Col. 3:10, 'The new man is renewed after the image of him that created him.' To turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh,God challengeth it to himself, Ezek. 36:26. This creation showeth two things:—
1. The greatness of the disease; that is clearly seen in the difficulty of the remedy. Nothing doth make a man so sensible of the corrupness of his nature, as when we hear by what terms our recovery or restitution by grace is set forth. It is a second creation, a new birth, a resurrection, a raising up of stones to be children to Abraham; yea, in a sort, beasts are turned into angels. From these things we may a little conceive of the greatness of that disease
which all mankind were sick of. Every faculty of our souls was both weakened and corrupted, and God only by his divine power can restore us; for to be cured we must be wholly new made, and who can make or create but God? Surely we contributed nothing to it.
What enemies were we to our own mercies! It is no small matter for darkness to become light in the Lord; for a rugged, stubborn creature to be mollified,and submissive to the Spirit's discipline; for a slave of the devil to become the subject of Christ; that a heap of rubbish should be erected into a temple of God, and a dunghill turned into a bed of spices.
2. It teaches us to magnify this renewing work. If you think the cure is no great matter, it will necessarily follow that it deserveth no great praise, and so God will be robbed of the honour of our recovery. But why then is this work so magnified in the scriptures, and such high expressions used about it? Why is it called an opening of our blind eyes; a turning us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God;' a 'quickening them that were dead,' and making us 'new creatures'? Why must the Holy Ghost be shed so abundantly upon us for our renovation? Surely it is some
great thing which all these expressions do intend, and should be more magnified in our thoughts, that we may give God his due praise and honour. And they sin greatly that have contemptuous thoughts or a low esteem of it, or see not the absolute necessity of it; and by extenuating this great change, gave shrewd suspicion they were never acquainted with it. Surely all that have felt what God hath done for their souls, they know how little they have contributed to it, they dare not make light of it, and ascribe it to their own wit or will, or entertain undervaluing thoughts of this
grace. Alas! there is an emnity in every carnal heart against holinesss, till God remove it and subdue it, Rom. 8:7; Col. 1:21. And what shall conquer this enmity but his invincible power? Surely this is the gracious and powerful work of the ever-blessed God, and to be ascribed to him alone. Can a stony heart of itself become tender? or a dead heart quicken itself? or a creature wholly led by sense, and addicted to the pleasures of sin, be brought of itself to seek its happiness in an unseen world, and of its own accord deny present things, and lay up all its hopes in heaven? No; it is God must take away the heart of stone, quicken those that are dead in trespasses and sins.
Thirdly, How far the mediation of Christ is concerned in this effect.
We are renewed by God's creating power, but through the intervening mediation of Christ.
1. This creating power is set forth with respect to his merit. The life
of grace is purchased by his death: 1 John 4:9, 'God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live by him;' here spiritually, hereafter eternally; life opposite to the death incurred by sin. And how by him? By his being a propitiation; that he speaks of there, ver. 10. We were in a state of death when the doors of mercy were first opened to us, under the guilt and power of sin; for while the guilt and tyranny of sin remaineth, we are said to be dead, and
strangers to the life of God; and we begin to live when first regenerated by the Spirit of Christ. Now this we have not without Christ being a propitiation for our sins, that is, without doing something whereby God, without any impeachment of his honour, might show himself placable and propitious to mankind; his justice, holiness; and hatred of sin being sufficiently demonstrated in the sufferings of Christ. Now the honour of his governing justice being kept up, his pardoning mercy is the more freely exercised. God may be propitious to mankind, and yet still be acknowledged as a sin hating God.
2. In regard of efficacy. Christ is a quickening head, or a life-making Spirit, 1 Cor. 15:45. Whatever grace we have comes from God, through Christ as Mediator; and from him we have it by virtue of our union with him: 2 Cor. 5:17:, 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.' As soon as joined to him as our head, his grace is applied to us by his Spirit. It is first applied by converting grace, and then continually supplied by the confirming grace of the Spirit; and so we are fitted to every good work. Christ first applieth it in conversion, when he giveth us repentance and a new nature, Acts 5:31; and supplieth it by continual influence, John 15:5. We live on him as the branch doth on the root. Now from hence we learn what a great benefit renewing grace is; it is a fruit of reconciling grace: 2 Cor. 5:18, 'All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Christ.' God giveth grace only as the God of peace, that is, as
pacified by Christ's death. The Holy Spirit is the gift of his love, and the fruit of this peace and reconciliation which Christ made for us.
First, our Lord Jesus Christ merited this grace by the value of this sacrifice and bloody sufferings, and then doth apply it by the almighty power of his Spirit; and Christ is first our ransom, and then the fountain of life unto our souls; and so the honour of our whole and entire recovery is to be ascribed to our Redeemer. When he satisfied God's justice for our sins, he purchased a power to change the heart of man; and he purchased this power into his own
hands, not into another's, and therefore doth accomplish it by his Spirit, 2 Cor. 3:18. We should often think what a foundation God hath laid for the dipensation of his grace, and how he would demonstrate his infinite love in giving his Son to be a propitiation for us. When he would show forth his infinite power in determining and changing the heart of man, all the persons concurred: the Father purposing, the Son by way of redemption and purchase, the Holy Ghost by effective power; and all to bring back our souls to God, and to make us capable of serving and pleasing him. It is
surely a workmanship of much cost.
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Post by Admin on Aug 9, 2023 1:03:25 GMT -5
Two reasons why they are as it were created anew:—
1. Because of the badness of our former estate. Ruinous and decayed buildings are only to be thrown down,to make way for a new structure and house to stand in the same place.Man naturally is a creature in a state of apostasy and defection, 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 what must be done with such a creature to bring him out of his misery, but wholly to new mould him and make him, that he may have a new being and life?
The scripture represents man as blind in his mind, 2 Peter 1:9;
perverse in his will, Zech. 7:12;
rebellious in his affections, Eph. 2:3,fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.' What sound part is there left in us to mend the rest?
If we will be brought home to God, we must of sinful and polluted become clean and holy; and 'Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one,' Job 14:4. We must of carnal become spiritual, and therefore we must be new born, new made, John 3:6. That instead of minding the things of the flesh we may mind the things of the Spirit, we must of worldly become heavenly. 'Now, he that formeth us for this very thing is God,' 2 Cor. 5:5. Ὁ κατεργαζόμενος, he that frameth and createth us for this heavenly state, is God. He that is the framer and maker of all things, of infinite wisdom, power, and love, he createth us anew
in Christ, that we may look after eternal life. The heavenly disposition wrought in us is a pledge of it.
2. From the nature of God's work, which is not merely by helping the will, but by giving us the will itself, or the act of volition of it; not by curing the weakness of it, but by sanctifying it, and taking away the sinfulness of it, and inclining it to himself. If the will were only in a swoon and languishment, a little moral persuasion and excitation, outward or inward, by the word and Spirit, would serve the turn; but we cannot say of it, as Christ of the damsel, 'She is not dead, but sleepeth.' No; the scripture saith, We are 'dead in trespasses and sins,' Eph. 2:1. God's grace is not only necessary for facilitation, that we may more easily pursue and choose that which is good; as a horse is necessary that a man may pass on his journey more easily, which otherwise he might perform on foot with difficulties. No; it is impossible as well as difficult to escape the carnal life without God, Mat. 19:26. He doth work such a change on a carnal man's heart that he contemns the world and seeks after heavenly things. Nay, he doth not only give us a remote power to will if we please, or a remote power to do if we please, but he giveth 'to will and to do,' Phil. 2:13; the will itself and the deed itself. Thus is God's operation set forth; he reneweth the faculties and exciteth the act of willing and doing by his powerful and victorious influence, Ezek. 36:26, 27.
Otherwise, if grace did only give us an indifferency, so that a man may or may not, then man would be the principal cause of his own conversion, and God lose the glory of his grace, and the honour of it be ascribed to the liberty of man's own will. God doth not give a power to repent and believe, and leave it to the determination of man's will to make it effectual; but he giveth faith itself, and repentance itself. Faith is his gift: Eph. 2:8, 'To you it is given to believe;' Phil. 1:29. The Redeemer was raised to give repentance,' Acts 5:31.This is the grace which the saints pray for, faith itself, repentance itself: Ps. 51:10, 'Create in me a clean heart;'
Heb. 13:21, 'The Lord make you perfect to do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight.' We pray not only for a grace that gives the possibility, but the effect; not only for such as doth invite and solicit us to good, but such as doth incline and determine us to good. And this is the grace we give thanks for; not a power to repent and believe if we please, but for, repentance and faith wrought in us. If God did only give a power to will if we please, to do if we please, man would difference himself, 1 Cor. 4:7.
3. With respect to Christ: 'We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus,' who is the head of the new world, or renewed estate.
All things are new in the kingdom of Christ; there is a change of everything from what it was before.
There is a new Adam, which is Jesus Christ;
a new covenant, which is the gospel;
a new paradise, not that where Adam enjoyed God among the beasts, but where the blessed enjoy God among the angels;
a new ministry, not the posterity of Aaron or tribe of Levi, but a ministry of reconciliation,
put into their hands whom God hath qualified and fitted to be dispensers of these holy mysteries; new ordinances, 'We serve God not in the oldness of the letter, but the newness of the spirit; 'therefore, if we be in Christ, we must be new creatures.
We are both obliged and fitted by this new estate to be so.
Some are in Christ externally by baptism and profession; they are visibly in covenant with him, and de jure, of right, are bound to be new creatures. Others are in Christ by real internal union. These not only ought to be, but de facto are, new creatures; they are made partakers of his Spirit, Rom. 8:9, and by that Spirit they are renewed and sanctified.
Well, then, since there is a new Lord and a new law, all is new; there must be a new creation; for as the general state of the church is renewed by Christ, so is every particular believer.
4. With respect to the use for which this new creation serveth. One is mentioned in the text: 'Created unto good works;' but other things must be taken in.
[1.] In order to our present communion with God. Till we are created anew, we are not fit to converse with a holy and invisible God earnestly, frequently, reverently, and delightfully, which is ourdaily, work and business. The effects of the new creature are life and likeness; those that do not live the life of God are estranged from him,' Eph. 4:18. Trees cannot converse with beasts, because they do not live their life; nor beasts with men, for they have sense only, but no reason; nor men with God, till they have somewhat of the same nature and life. If one had power to put the spirit of man into a brute beast, that beast would discourse reasonably. God hath power to put a divine Spirit into his people, to sanctify their souls, that fits them for converse with God. Look, as in innocency Adam was alone, though compassed about with a multitude of creatures, beasts, birds, and plants, yet there was none, till Eve was made, fit to converse with him, because they did not live his life; therefore the Lord God said, Gen. 2:18, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.' The man was alone, because he had none like himself that he might converse withal as a man in the exercise of speech and reason; the beasts of the field and fowls of the air were no fit companions for him; they wanted the means of converse, reason and speech: so without grace we are not meet for communion with God, till we have faith and love to admire, reverence, and delight in him. 'So for likeness. Conformity is the ground of communion: Amos 3:3, 'How can two walk together except they be agreed?' Our state of sin is a state of enmity, and our state of holiness a state of love. Our old course made the breach between us and God, Isa. 59:2; but the new life and likeness qualifies us for communion with him: 1 John 1:6, 7, 'An holy
creature may sweetly come and converse with the holy God.'
[2.] In order to our service and obedience to God. Man is unfit for God's use till he be new moulded and framed again: In the text, we must be 'created in Christ Jesus to good works.' Every creature hath faculties suitable to the operations that belong to that creature; so man must be new created, new formed, that he may be prepared and made ready for the Lord. You cannot expect new operations till there be a new nature and life. When a man is turned from sin, he is 'made meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good work,' 2 Tim. 2:21. Our first care must be to get the heart renewed.
Many are troubled about this or that duty, or particular branches of the spiritual life; first get life itself. There must be principles before there can be operations. In vain do we expect strengthening grace before we have received renewing grace. This is like little children, who attempt to run before they can go or stand. Many complain of this or that corruption, but they do not groan under the burden of a corrupt nature; as suppose wandering thoughts in prayer, when at the same time the heart is habitually averse and estranged from God: as if a man should complain of an aching tooth when a mortal disease hath seized upon his vitals, or of a cut finger when at the same time he is wounded at the heart,
—of deadness in duty and want of quickening grace when they want converting grace. This is like blowing to a dead coal, to complain of infirmities and incident weakness when our habitual aversion from and enmity to God is
not yet cured, and of unfitness for service, when we are not come out of the carnal state.
[3.] In order to our future enjoyment of God, and that glory and blessedness which we expect in his heavenly kingdom; none but new creatures can enter into the new Jerusalem. It is said, John 3:3, 'Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Seeing is put for enjoying; yet the expression is emphatical, as if he should not be suffered so much as to peep or look within the veil; therefore the mere carnal man neither knoweth his true happiness, nor careth for it, but followeth after his own lusts, till he be new moulded and framed. By nature men are opposite to the kingdom of God, it being invisible, future, spiritual, mostly for the soul; and by nature men are for things seen, present, and bodily. The interest of the flesh governeth all their choices and inclinations; and how unmeet are these for heaven! In short, our frail bodies must be changed before they can be brought to heaven: 'We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed,' saith the apostle. If the body must be changed, how much more the soul? if that which is frail, much more that which is filthy; if flesh and blood cannot enter into heaven till it be freed from its corruptible qualities, certainly a guilty, corrupted soul cannot enter into heaven till it be freed from its sinful
qualities
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Post by Admin on Aug 9, 2023 19:11:01 GMT -5
APPLICATION
Use 1. Of information.
1. That there is such a thing as the new nature, regeneration, or the new birth, and the new creature. It is one thing to make us men, another to make us saints or Christians. We have understanding, and will, and affections, and sense as men, but we have these sanctified as Christians. The carnal world thinks Christianity puts strange names upon ordinary things; but is it an ordinary thing to row against the stream of flesh and blood, and to raise men above those inclinations and affections by which the generality of the world are mastered and captivated? For a man to be another kind of creature than the rest of men are, surely proceeds from a new nature put into him, 1 Peter 4:4. The world wondereth at believers in their contemning the pleasant, powerful attractives of sensible things.
2. That by this new nature a man is distinguished from himself as carnal; he hath somewhat which he had not before, something that may be called a new life and nature; a new heart that is created, Ps. 51:10; and may be increased, 2 Peter 3:18. In the first conversion we are mere objects of grace, but afterwards instruments of grace. First
God worketh upon us, then by us. On the unregenerate the Spirit worketh while they do nothing that is good, sometimes the contrary; the regenerate he helpeth whilst they are working, striving, labouring; he quickeneth and exciteth their inclination to God. They have some principles of operation, there is life in them; and where there is life there is some power to act, or else God's most precious gifts would be in vain; therefore it is their duty to bestir themselves, 2 Peter 1:3–5. We have understanding and memory sanctified and planted with a stock of divine knowledge,
and can retain things on the conscience, which if we do not, we are highly culpable before God: Mat. 25:25, 26, 'Thou wicked and slothful servant,' &c. We have an inclination to God and heavenly things, and we must blow it up: Isa. 64:7, 'There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee;' 2 Tim. 1:6, 'Stir up the gift of God that is in thee.'
3. How little they can make out their recovery to God,and interest in Christ,who are not sensible of any change wrought in them. They have their old thoughts, their old discourses, their old passions, and their old affections, and their old conversations still; the old darkness and blindness which was upon their minds, the old stupidity, dullness; deadness, carelessness that was upon their hearts, knowing little or nothing, or regarding nothing of God; the old end and scope governeth them, to which they formerly referred all things. If there were a change, there would be some hope the Redeemer had been at work in their hearts. You can remember how little savour you had once of the things of the Spirit, how little mind to Christ or holiness, how wholly you were given up to the pleasures of the flesh, or the profits of the world;what a mastery your lusts had then over you,and a hard servitude you were in.
Is the case altered with you now?
Is your taste of fleshly delights deadened, your souls taken up more with the affairs of another world?
Is the drift, aim, and bent of your lives now for God and your salvation, and the great business you attend upon the pleasing of God and the saving of your souls?
Are ye not servants to your senses and fleshly appetites, and things here below, but can ye govern yourselves, and master these desires?
This is a change indeed, but in many that profess Christ, and pretend to an interest in him, there is no such change to be sensibly seen; their old sins, and their old lusts, and the old things of ungodliness are not yet cast off. Surely so much old rubbish and rotten building should not be left standing with the new. Old leaves in autumn fall off in the spring, if they continue so long; so old things should pass away, and all become new.
4. It informeth us in what manner we should check sin, by remembering it is an old thing to be done away, and ill becoming our new estate by Christ: 2 Peter 1:9, 'But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.' Former sins ought to be esteemed as old rags that are cast off, and as vomit never to be licked up again.
If we are, and do esteem ourselves to be pardoned, we should never build again what we have destroyed, nor tear open old wounds
—so 1 Peter 1:14, 'Not fashioning yourselves to the former lusts of your ignorance'
—nor cast ourselves into the old mould and shape, and return to our old bondage and slavery. So 1 Cor. 5:7, 'Purge out the old leaven, that you may be wholly a new lump;' So ver. 8, 'Therefore keep the feast not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.' The unsuitableness of sin to our present state should stir up our indignation:
Hosea 14:8, 'What have I to do any more with idols?'
Worldly things are pleasing to the old man,therefore we should not over-much esteem them; they are not new creatures that have not put off the lusts of the old man.
Use 2. To put us upon self-reflection; are we the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus? that is, are we made new creatures? It will be known by these things,—a new mind, a new heart, and a new life.
1. Have we a new mind? A new creature hath a new sight of things, looketh upon all things with a new eye. He seeth more odiousness in sin, more excellency in Christ,more beauty in holiness,more vanity in the world,than ever he saw before. Before they did φρονεῖν κατὰ σύρκα—they knew all things after the flesh. A new value and esteem of things doth much discover the temper of the heart: Heb. 11:26, 'Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.' They esteem the decay of the outward man to be abundantly recompensed with the increase of the inward, 2 Cor. 4:16. A new creature is not only changed himself,but all things seem to be changed with him. Heaven is another
thing, and earth is another thing than it was before, so is sin and righteousness; yea, he looketh on his body and soul with another eye.
2. As he hath a new mind and judgment, so the heart is new moulded. The great blessing of the new covenant is a new heart. Now the heart is new when we are inclined to the ways of God, and enabled to walk in them.
[1.] There is a new inclination, poise,and weight upon the soul, bending it to holy and heavenly things.The inclination to holiness David prayeth for: Ps. 119:36, 'Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.' To heavenly things: Paul asserteth, 2 Cor. 4:18, 'We look not to the things which are seen, but to the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen aretemporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal;' when we always live in delightful foresight and expectation of blessedness to come.
[2.] The heart is enabled also: Ezek. 36:27, 'I will put a new spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my ways.' Where there is a new heart, there is new strength or grace given to 'serve God acceptably, and with reverence and godly fear,' Heb. 12:28.
Indeed God assists this power, or else we fail and wax faint; but a power there is in some measure to will and do; for 'the kingdom of God stands not in word, but in power.' There is a power to overcome fleshly lusts; the heavenly mind is not given us in vain: 1 Peter 2:11, 'Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.' A power to overcome worldly lusts, Phil. 4:13. When we seek no great things for ourselves here in this world, we can the better bear all conditions. I do confess (as I said before), God must assist this power both in willing and doing, purposing and performing. We may have assistance in one kind and not in another. Paul saith, τὸ θελεῖν, &c., Rom. 7:18. 'To will is present with me, but how to perform that which I would, I have no power.' To will is more than to think, to exert our will into action is more than both. In all we need God's help. Some may have the power to will, when no power to do; But yet I describe a Christian, or a new creature, by his power; because God's children are never so deserted but that there is some help from God. There are auxilia necessaria, helps of grace simply and absolutely necessary, which are not denied, when liberal and plentiful aids of grace are suspended; and therefore a Christian is to be described by his power, though still in a dependence upon God.
3. A new life, or a new conversation, called walking 'in newness of life,' Rom. 6:4. Surely he that hath a new principle, the Spirit, and not the flesh; a new rule, the law of God, and not the course of this world; a new scope, the pleasing, glorifying, and enjoying of God, and not the pleasing of men and his own fleshly mind, must needs walk in a different course both from other carnal men, and from what he himself carried on before. But all these are true of the new creature; he is influenced by another principle, Rom. 8:12, Gal. 5:16; looketh upon himself as having another rule, Gal. 6:16, Ps. 1:2; and propoundeth to himself another design and scope, Phil. 3:20, 2 Cor. 5:9; and therefore must needs live another life. Well, then, by these things you may judge of your estate.
Use 3. To exhort you to look after this, that you be the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus. You will say, What can we do? This is God's work, in which we are merely passive.I answer—It is certainly an abuse of this doctrine if it lull us asleep in the lap of idleness; and we think that because God doth all in framing us for the new life, we must do nothing.
The Spirit of God reasoneth otherwise: Phil. 2:12, 13'Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his own good pleasure.' This principle can neither be a ground of looseness nor laziness. You are under an obligation both to return to God, and to use the means whereby you may return. Your impotency doth not dissolve your obligation. A drunken servant is a servant, and bound to do his work; his master loseth not his right by his default. An insolvent debtor is a debtor, and if he cannot pay all, he is bound to pay as much as he can. Besides, you are creatures in misery; if you be sensible of it, your interest will teach you to do what you can to come out of it; and God's doing all is an engagement to wait upon him in the use of means, that we may meet with God in his way, and he may meet with us in our way. I say, in his way; for God hath appointed certain duties to convey and apply this grace. Now we are to lie at the pool till the waters be stirred, to continue our attendance till God giveth grace, Mark 4:24. And I say, that God may meet with us in our way; for God influenceth all things according to their natural inclination. God, that enlighteneth the world by and with the sun, burneth with fire, reasoneth with man, acteth necessarily with necessary causes, and freely with free causes,
—he doth not oppress the liberty of the new creature, but preserveth the nature and interest of his own workmanship; draweth men 'with the cords of a man,' Hosea 11:4. He propoundeth reasons and motives, which we must consider, and so betake ourselves to a godly course. The object of regeneration is a reasonable creature, upon whom God worketh, not as on a stock or stone, but maketh use of the faculties which we have, showing us our lost estate, and the possibility of salvation by Christ, sweetly inviting us to accept of this grace, that he may pardon our sins, sanctify and heal our natures, and lead us in a way of holiness unto eternal life. Now these means we are to attend upon; and it is some advantage when you own your duty, and are sensible of a necessity of changing your estate, who would otherwise be altogether careless and mindless of such a thing. But when you look on it as a duty, that must be speedily and earnestly gone about if you mean to be saved, you are in a fair way of cure. By exhortation we demand God's right, and make the creature sensible of his own obligation, that he may go about this work as well as he can, at least that he may acknowledge the debt, confess his impotency, and beg grace. Besides, there are some things to be done before this renovation in order thereunto, as wood is dried before it is kindled. There are some preparations before conversion, and we are to be active about them. As, for instance, that we should rouse up ourselves, and consider our case: Ps. 22:27, 'All the ends of the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord;' Ps. 119:59, 'I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.' Man is very inconsiderate; his soul is asleep till consideration awaken it again. We are to search and try our estate whether it be good or bad, Lam.3:40. Let us 'search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord.' We are to observe God's rebukes: Prov. 1:23, 'Turn ye at my reproof;' to set ourselves to seek after God in the best fashion we can: Hosea5:4, 'They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God,' that is, think of recovering themselves and bending their course to him. Chiefly we are to take heed that we do not hinder God's work, and obstruct our own mercies: Prov. 1:25, 'They set at nought my counsel, and would none of my reproof.' Sometimes conscience is startled, either as being excited by the word, Acts 24:25, or some notable affliction and strait, Gen. 42:21; by one means or another the waters are stirred, great helps are vouchsafed to us; observe these seasons. However, check despair. He that did turn water into wine, can turn sinners into saints, lions into lambs; he hath not excluded you from his grace, therefore do not exclude yourselves. When did he ever forsake the anxious and waiting souls that would not give over seeking till they did obtain the sanctifying Spirit?
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