The New Creature
If any mmi be in Christ, he is a new creatyfte: old things are passed away; hehold, all things are become new.
IX HERE are few subjects so imperfectly understood by Christians, as the doctrines of their own religion. Other branches of science are cultivated with care; and the want of a certain degree of acquaintance with them is supposed to argue a defect, either of education or of intellect: but ignorance of the Bible is attended with no disgrace.
Were we now in the predicament of our forefathers, who were deban-ed the free use of Scripture by the obstacles of a foreign language, such ignomnce would excite less surprise; but, happily, the period of Romish Bigotry is past — the Sacred Volume is now accessible — and the small degree of litergiture necessary for understanding it has descended to the lowest classes of society. It miyht, therefore, be reasonably expected of us all, that we should be not merely acquainted with the facts recorded in Scripture, but be able to discern the distinguishing features of that Way of Salvation which is pointed out in it.
The want of such discriminating knowledge of the peculiar nature of the Gospel, leaves us exposed — either to the attacks of unbelievers, who would challenge us to shew what greater evidence there is for believing this religion to be of God than another; or to the still greater danger of self-deceit. Hence it is of importance that we set before you, from the words of the text, first, the state of a real christian; secondly, the evidence of his being
IN THAT state.
I. The STATE OF A REAL CHRISTIAN, or his situation m reference to God, is thus expressed by the Apostle — he is in Christ.
To be a Christian is not, to have been born in a Christian country and of Christian parents, to have received the sacramental ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and to live a moral and honest life, but it is to be in Christ; the strength and peculiarity of which expression suggests the idea of a state, very different in nature and importance from the mere external possession of Christian privileges, or the performance of relative duties.
To illustrate the meaning of this expression, let us contrast it with our state as we are in Adam; partaking of his guilt, and inheriting his corruption. God, in his covenant engagements with Adam, treated with him as with the head and representative of mankind. Adam fell, and with him fell the whole human race; every individual, as he comes into the world, being now considered by God as involved in the first transgression. Hence the natural condition of men, whether their lives be more or less stained with actual wickedness, is a state of guilt, as well as depravity, at its very beginning. We are by nature the children of wrath (Eph. ii. 3). Such is our state in Adam. In this state all of us remain, who have not turned unto God from the world.
To be in Christ is to be related to him in the same sene, as we were said to be related to Adam; and the blessings flowing from the former relation correspond to the miseries of the latter: for, as those that are in Adam are considered by God as partakers of his guilt, independently of any disobedience of their own; so those that are in Christ are regarded by God as partaking of Christ’s merit and possessed of a justifying righteousness in him, independently of any previous obedience of their own: and, again, as those that are in Adam receive from him at their natural birth an entire depravity of nature; so those that are in Christ receive from him the renovation of their nature. Over those that are in Adam, the anger of an offended God is continually suspended; and will fall on them with overwhelming weight, if they die michanged. On those that are in Christ, the blessings of a gracious God rest perpetually: his protecting providence, his Spirit influencing, his tenderest compassion and love, are secured to them for time and for eternity: he looks upon them as free from guilt, innocent in Christ’s innocence, and righteous in Christ’s righteousness; and will give them the reward of His merits when they die.
Those who do not attend to the Scripture account of this subject, are more accustomed to consider God as dealing immediately with ourselves than as in Adam. It will be of use, therefore, to contrast our state in Christ with what may be called the being in ourselves.
In whatever degree we depend on our own works for recommending us to the divine favour, or imagine the ability to be holy is originally in ourselves, in that degree a Mediator becomes unnecessary for us. We transact our own afiairs with God: we stand on our own foundation; and God deals with lis accordingly. He beholds us under that law of works which requires perfect obedience; and when once we fail of absolute perfection, passes sentence on us as condemned criminals. Alas! how sad and pitiable is the condition of natural men! chiefly pitiable because they know not their case: For whoso&ver shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (James ii. 10). One act of dishonesty brands a man a thief; and one transgression of the divine law exposes to its condemning sentence, though men will not believe this.
; The state of those who have fled from this danger to be found in Christ, is to be contrasted with the former, in this particular — that God no longer deals with them immediately in their own persons. The whole method of his proceedings toward them is changed: he regards them in a new light — adopts and adheres to a new system respecting them. He always thinks of them as in Christ — overlooks what they are in themselves: all that he gives to them, all that he receives from them, is through Christ; who is now the sole channel of grace, and the repository of spiritual blessings. Once he looked to them for merit — now he looks for it in Christ: once he remembered their sins — but he has now forgotten them: formerly every p2 blessing was suspended upon the performance of conditions — but now all is freely given or freely promised, and every promise not left conditional but made and secured in Christ. There is no longer any uncertainty hanging over those that are in Christ, whether at the end of life they shall be accepted ov rejected: for, already, are they pardoned and justified — already, are they made the children of God by adoption — already, they are at peace, and have everlasting life. If Christ is worthy, then are they worthy. Did the Son of God fulfil the Law in their stead, and thus obtain righteousness? — then they also are perfectly righteous in the righteousness of Christ. Was he filled with the Spirit? — then shall they also receive the anointings of the Holy One. Did he rise from the grave, and ascend to his glory? — then they shall rise and dwell with him in heavenly places, and walk with him in white, and sit with him on his throne, and reign with him for ever and ever.
The peculiar term in Christ is borrowed from, one or other of the following circumstances. Cities of refuge were appointed among the Jews with this design, that he who had been guilty of manslaughter might escape to one of them and be safe. These cities are emblems of the Saviour. ^Yhoever, conscious of his desert of eternal death, flees with brokenness of heart to him, is in Chi’ist safe from the punishment of all his past iniquities. Again, as a sheep in a fold, so is a sinner in Christ (John x): it is not the manner of a good shepherd to cast off every untractable sheep, and send it astray in the wilderness; but to bear with it, and correct it, and feed it with the rest: so those that are in Christ are not cast off from God for their sins of infirmity, but made to cease from them — not given u) to the power of Satan, but strengthened to conflict with him, and brought safely from this and every other danger to their everlasting inheritance in the skies. This, the attentive hearer will observe, is the Christian Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ.
Our text points out the consequences flowing from this doctrine, and completely obviates all the objections that are raised against it as unfriendly to morality. The Scriptures provide sufficient for sinners in Christ, through faith. Faith brings them into a state of friendship and favour with God, but does not then leave them to themselves: the Holy Spirit is then vouchsafed to be a Sanctifier and Comforter, and to prepare the justified soul for communion with the Holy God.
As it may possibly be an inquiry in your minds whether you be m Christ, many of you having scarcely a reason for believing that you are, and yet unwilling to believe that you are not, we must attempt the determining of this critical question by considerhig,
II. What are the proper EVIDENCES of our having made the transition from ourselves to Christ. If any man he in Christ, then he is a new creature: old things are passed awai/; behold all things are become new.
Here is a twofold evidence: there has been a Divine Operation upon him, and an Universal Change in him.
1. There is a divine operation upon him: for he is a 7i€iv creature; or, as it is in the Original, a netv creation.
Creation is the w ork of God: He only can call into being that which had no previous existence, and bid that be which before was not. Religion in the heart is not the effect of our own reason acting by itself, or the consequence of moral persuasion; but it is a work wrought by the immediate supernatural power of God the Holy Ghost. We call it supernatural, because it is not one of those effects which God works upon all in the natural course of things, nor does it resemble God’s natural gifts bestowed equally upon all; but it is peculiar to
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those that are in Christ, and takes place on their union to him. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, is the promise of God by Ezekiel: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh: and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; and ye shall keep my judgments and do them (Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27): here the necessity of a new heart, and of the exertion of Divine power to produce it, are expressed in the plainest terms. In other passages, the same truth is conveyed with equal plainness: St. Paul, addressing the Ephesians, compares the power of God, in making us new creatures, to that whereby he raises the dead: You hath he quickened, who tvere dead in trespasses and sins; and, in the Second Epi-, stle to the Corinthians, it is likened to that act of creation which brought light out of the original darkness: God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, Jiath shined into our hearts.
These passages furnish us with an incontrovertible truth — that there is a certain period in the life of every sincere Christian, at which he becomes the subject of an inward change, the effect of the power of God: not that it can be known by any momentary feeling, when the hand of God is upon us, as the inspired Prophets could know; but the reality of such a change is certainly capable of being ascertained. It began perhaps in fear: it was attended with faint resolutions to amend; and then, by various steps, it ended in a cordial application to Christ, and an unreserved self-dedication to God. Yet all this, perhaps, took place by imperceptible degrees, lyhen the morning succeeds the night, light and darkness are blended in continually different proportions, so that we cannot say when night is ended and the day begins.
It is scarcely necessary to be observed, that no change takes place in the original constitution” of our minds, by our becoming new creatures: no new faculty is introduced into the soul, nor mental power superadded; but a new turn and direction is given to the passions which we already possess.
2. This will be more apparent, if we consider that UNIVERSAL CHANGE, which ensues in the heart and life. If any man be in Christ, old things are passed aiuay; behold, all things are become new.
The change in the conduct is, in most cases, remarkable. Observe how all the grosser habits of evil are cast off, and are succeeded by opposite virtues: if the man has been dishonest, he becomes upright; if a drunkard, he becomes tcmperate — the sensualist grows chaste — the chuii liberal — the proud man humble — the vain man modest — the backbiter charitable — and the malicious, envious and deceitful, kind, generous, and sincere.
There is a change of conduct toward God. Once the man presumed to pass the Sabbath as he pleased — to sanctify or profane it, to be absent from the house of prayer or to visit it, as most suited his convenience or inclination; but now he cautiously excludes both business and amusement from it, and dedicates the whole to holy exercises: he will not occasion others, even Heathens, to violate the Sabbath by giving them secular employments which are unnecessary, because God’s commands are equally binding on them as on us; and, therefore, we are enjoined to give rest on that day to the stranger that is within our gates (Exod.xx. 10). Once he could live without secret prayer, or satisfy his conscience with the dull repetition of a form; but he now regards prayer as one of the most important employments of life. The Word of God heretofore lay neglected; but, henceforth, it is daily perused for the purposes of spiritual instruction.
His views of himself are become new. He will not now be heard speaking of the goodness of his heart, or justifying his defects, or presuming upon his comparative innocence for recommending him to God; but, with deep yelf-abasement, acknowledging his desert of God’s wrath, yet resting his steady hopes on the atonement of Jesus Christ.
With respect to the World and its pleasures, he has done with them: without retiring from his station in society or the duties attending it, he withdraws from that pursuit of riches and distinction in which others place their happiness; and he will never willingly countenance the dissipation of the world, by his own presence and example. On the earth it is his profession to be a stranger and pilgrim: his heart is in a better country: his affections are set on things above, and his treasure deposited there; and, when obliged to mix with the world, it is his purpose and prayer to be kept unspotted from it; to grow in holiness, looking for and hastening to the coming of the great day of God.
Let us observe his Relative Conduct. To the man who is in Christ a new creature, the. government of his temper becomes an object of serious attention; for, according to his new views, all disorders of the temper must be considered as arising from pride, prejudice, or discontent, and therefore unbecoming a Christian: he therefore labours to be poor in spirit, meek, forgiving; patiently bearing with the perverseness and obstinacy of those with whom he has to deal, and he will really love and pray for those who injure or speak evil of him. In conversation with others, the man who is in Christ a new creature will never think of defiling- his lips with an indecent allusion, though veiled in ambiguity; because he knows it is equally detestable to God, and more dangerous to men than the open language of impurity — on the contrary, he hath so learned Christ, as to be pure in heart; and will, therefore, seldom fail to testify his abhorrence of any thing of this nature: he defends the ways of the righteous, and shews a decided preference for their company; yet, even with the world, he is not morose, or forbidding* — he is serious, but not severe — pitying sinners, but not despising them — an opposer of all sin, but especially of his own. With respect to what he has in his own power, he does not conceive himself at liberty to use his time, fortune, or influence, as may suit his humour; but, bearing in mind that he is not a master but a steward of these things, he prepares for the strict account of his stewardship, which he must give at the end of life before the tribunal of God: his fortune, therefore, will not be spent in vanity, while there are any poor in the world who have a claim upon him by their misery, or any ignorant
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whose spiritual benefit may be any way promoted by a proper application of pecuniary aid: nor will his time be devoted to excess of business, nor trifled away in unnecessary amusements; but he will employ all in the way that shall appear most to conduce to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind.
Such a conduct Mill undoubtedly subject him to the charge of singularity and preciseness; but, unconcerned at the opinions of men, he determines neither to be guided by the customs nor maxims of the world, but simply to follow the Word of God as an all-sufficient rule of life. In short, if any man be in Christ, he is altogether another man — old things are passed away; beholdy all things are become new.
Still there may appear to some to be nothing extraordinary in all this — nothing but what any man may accomplish by his own efforts.
We should consider, therefore, the Change of Heart or Inward Disposition, which preserves the alteration visible in the life. A fiew heart will I give you, said God, in a passage before referred to. To the same effect are St. Paul’s words — Put off* the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your 7nind (Eph. iv. 22, 23); and, again, Be 7iot conformed to this world; but be ye transformed, by the renewing of your mind (Rom. xii. 2). Here is a certain change spoken of, perfectly distinct from a reformation of life, however extensive that reformation may be — such a change of the heart, as presupposes its evil condition; and that, though we retain our natural faculties, the heart is in the most abject, corrupted, and forlorn condition, with all the passions affecting objects which are either false or dangerous. This is it, which renders a new creation necessary: there must be a new disposition of the heart: the bent of the will, the direction of the passions, the habitual principles, motives, and ends, must be different from what they were before: the taste and inclination must be different — the whole state and nature, in short, different.
Here is the work of God! man cannot reach the soul: but it is upon the soul that God’s new creating influence is principally exerted; and the result forms a wide line of discrimination, between a divine work upon the soul and mere human efforts. The moving principle of the new-created soul, in all that it does in a moral point of view, has no longer a regard to character, or the advancement of temporal interests; nor even the fear of hell merely, and hope of heaven, though it is very powerfully influenced by these; for all these are no more than the motives which naturally impel every man to action, and may exist vthere the heart is in its native unregenerate state: but its moving principle is Love — the love of God, which an unregenerated man never felt.
The love of Christ constraineth us, says St. Paul (2 Cor. v. 14). We serve God, not as slaves, but as children; our motive is the love which we bear to him, and our end his glory. We would not be as persons who are, so to speak, making a hard bargain, and avIio would know the precise quantity of virtue necessary for salvation; but we wish to serve him with the full flow of affection — to offer up to him hearts glowing with gratitude and love — and to have body, soul, and spirit unreservedly dedicated to his service.
There is also in the renewed heart a love to holiness, which was once the object of its dislike. This attachment to holiness is not, therefore, merely as it is necessary to salvation; but because it suits our renewed taste. It is, therefore, superior to all legal considerations. If, on a sudden, we should discover that there is no place of punishment or reward, our pursuit of holiness would not be given up; because, through the renovation of our minds, it is from choice and deliberate preference that we would be holy. We act, not from a calculation of loss and gain resulting from the practice of holiness, but from a real liking to the thing itself.
In conformity to the same principle, we inquire not, how far we may indulge ourselves, nor determine to have every thing respecting right and wrong proved to a demonstration, that we may advance to the very limits of what is lawful; but we stand at a distance, and abstain as carefully from temptation as from sin itself: thus the hatred of sin implanted in our new nature discovers itself by leading us to avoid all that may lead to it.
All this forms a manifest distinction between regeneration and outward reformation, because it proves the disposition to be altered. Natural men may be conceived to do outwardly all that the purest saints can perform; but what man loves God and holiness from seeing them to be intrinsically amiable, or hates sin from feeling it to be essentially detestable, except the man in whose heart the Spirit has begun to draw the lineaments of the divine image?
One or two instances may be added, to illustrate the change that has taken place in the new-created heart.
Persons of strict and serious pieif a¥e eften asked, why they abstain from most of the amusements to which the world are so attached; and they are called upon to shew the harm of
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them. Without undertaking to prove the unlawfulness of these amusements, the Christian can always reply, Wheti I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but, when I became a man, I put away childish things (1 Cor. xiii. 11): he once found his pleasure in such things, and was very unwilling to be deprived of them; but, since he has become a new creature, he has lost all taste and relish for them, and can now be satisfied only with divine and spiritual enjoyments.
Another circumstance worthy of observation, is the manner in which we treat the sins of others. There are sins, which, in the opinion of some, are less injurious to society than others; such as intoxication and impurity. A natural man, hearing of instances of these in others, not thinking or caring what view God has of these things,willeithermake a matter of mirth of them, or at least smile at what he hears of this nature, as if it rather amused than grieved him: thus, with an outward conduct, correct possibly and unblamable, he betrays the wickedness and unregeneration of his heart, by smiling at that at which God frowns. The really good man, besides possessing a quick sensibility for God’s honour, is endued with a similarity of sentiment with the Deity; and can, therefore, take no pleasure in that which offends God, and subjects his fellow- creatures to everlasting misery.
Examine, then, your ownselves, Brethren — prove your ownselves. Review the text, and ask, Are we new creatures? If the question appear strange to you — if the whole idea of the thing seem novel; or, as it is to some, ludicrous — you need not reply: you have manifestly not experienced the new creation. On what then do you ground your hopes of salvation? You say that you discharge your relative duties — doing as you would be done by — giving to all their due — that you are no extortioner, no adulterer, no slanderer — having failings, but not worse in general than others: but all this is of no consequence in the present inquiry: therefore the question recurs. Are we new creatures? What though you are kind parents, dutiful children, faithful friends, charitable neighbours, honourable in mercantile concerns, in short entirely correct in all social and relative duties; nay, that you wait upon God in public and private, and are regular at his house and table — of what use will it all be in the matter of your salvation, if there be not somethingmore, if there be not a new creation of your hearts? In Christ Jesus, says St. Paid, neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircmticision, but a 7iew creature (Gal. vi. 15).
Neither is the necessity of this change to be found in the Epistles alone, of the obscurity of which some are pleased to complain who have no inclination to study them: our Saviour Christ himself set forth the same things with equal strictness, when he said to Nicodemus, Except a man he horn again he cannot see the kingdom of God: and, 31arvel not that I saiduiito thee Ye 7nnst be horn again (John iii. 3, 7).
And where is this change to be wrought on us except on this side the grave? Death cannot itself alter the habitual temper, nor will God exert his power on the soul which has lost the opportunities which were offered in this world! Where the tree falleth, there it shall he (Eccl. xi. 3). He, that is unjust, let him he unjust still: he, which is filthy, let him he filthy still (Rev. xxii. 11). If a man die, not born again, let him not expect to rise a new creature from the grave.
Then be persuaded of your danger, my Dear Brethren. Awake from delusion, and turn your thoughts inw ard. Deceive not yourselves, with supposing that morality is holiness, or that a reformation in the life is equivalent to a divine transformation of the heart, li you would follow the saints of God, you must with them enter in at the strait gate and walk the narrow road, and experience with them the heart-renewing energies of the Holy Ghost. Let not the pleasures of the world tempt you to defer the consideration of this to another season: for it may be, that, on your death-bed, this passage shall recur; and you will then regret that you had not earlier yielded to the convictions which it must have produced.
If any, with reasonable alarm, are inquiring what is to be done, the answer is — Believe m the Lord Jesus Christ; for, since the new creation of the soul is the effect of our being in Christ, the first step in the way of salvation is to apply to him: and happy is it for us, that to warrant us to expect his grace no previous merit is necessary. The way is open — the gift is free — the invitation is couched in terms of unbounded fulness. Wait not till your hearts are better; but apply at once to the Saviour, and you shall be created in Christ Jesus unto good worhsy which God hath before ordained that you should walk in them. As the scion, engrafted on the stock, receives sap from it, and then brings forth fruit; so you, by your union with Christ, shall be holy in heart and life.
There are not wanting, in this assembly, some who have pondered this portion of the Word of q2
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God — have been actually giving themselves to seek of God the new creation of their hearts — and have, in consequence, become partakers of a divine nature. Let them not be discouraged, if they find not such evident appearances of a change as they desire: for though the renovating energy extends universally through all the faculties, and the change is proportionate through this life; yet there will remain, to the end of life, much of the original corruption, which will indeed be a source of disquiet in proportion to its activity, but need not, while opposed, be an occasion of serious alarm, because the image of God thus drawn anew on the soul shall never again be defaced — this second image restored in Christ, being superior to that lost in Adam, in this respect; that, whereas the former exhibited the colours more bright and orient, this shall prove them more lasting and durable. In future days, a new scene will be unfolded, which will be more congenial to our renewed nature; for He, that sitteth upon the throne, saith, Behold, I make all things new: new employments — new thoughts; — a new society — joys ever varying and ever new — shall engage the new created soul, and give new scope to its renovated powers, .when this world and all that belongs to it shall have passed away.