246 of the New Creature. S a c T. V. bout Circumcifion and uncircumcifion, all your conference;sII your fludies runout about this ; but the truth of grace lyeth nor in these things. It is not any Privilege, any Sacrameor, any external duty makesus acceptable to God if we are not new Creatures. The Apohlebath a parallel expreflion fn theChapter before, Chap 5,6, i Car.7: r yi. Before 1 come to handle the natureof this newCreature,I cannotpaffe the pre, heminence and fc.periotity the Apoftle giveth it to all other privileges and duties though never fo glorious. Fromwhence obfetee, Obferv. That no privilege, or dutyin Religion, is acceptable togod, unleffe a man be a nor Noprivilege, Creature. Doft thou pray ? unlefle a new Creature God owneth it not. Doll thou hear,? unlefle a. new Creature God regardeth thee not : As 7ofph laid to his Brethren; 7Jnleffe ye bringBenjamin come net in mypreface; Linleffe you cothe to holy duties as new Creatures; God loveth not to feeyou. This Doctrine is fo ncceflary,and fo worthy of all acceptation, thatthe Apofile addeth, achofbever walketh after this rule (that is) asfome expound, according to this pofition, that no external' duties are accepted without a,new Creature ) peace be on him and mercy. The receiving of this truth, is openingof the door for the peace of God_ _to tell on you. To underhand this better, know, That the Apeflledothnot Tf eakthis, as if ex- The negicft t-rnalduties were tobeomittedornegleiïed; for he that faith here, Circumciftona_ of dmics nor vailrth nothin,6doth in anoh place l I ter ay, t profits much every , em. hence robe pr Y Wa R . a, f y i interred. and he calls it, Thé fralof the righteoufneffe offaith, Rom, 4, t r, -Thus the Or einävaheof the Nevi Tcftament,prayer,hearing; receivingofSucramenrs,though theyare nothing without Regeneration, yetthey are duties commanded in their rinse andorder. If a man (horrid fay, eyes, and cares , and a head are nothing without a foul; it Both not therefore follow, that they are not ro be prized as mercies, when God gives us to enjoy bot(rfoul andbody. Thou4h the Chaff be asorth nothing when ehe Wheatis not, yet it was a great defence and (helter to the Wheatwhen it éövered it growing in the field. Outward dudes arenot to be oppoled to the work ofgrace, but compofed; you muff not argue fromone, to the deflruftion, but to the pofitionof the other. If aman.(hould fay, There are fomany forms of Church-Government, and if a plan be fide this form, or theother, it is nothingunlefiea man be a new Creature; he faith rrruely:but to infer from tf íier, thatTherefore it's no matter for that Lira which hails cleareft teflirnony from Scripture, it is a great inconfequence; and the ;grpnnd of all this is, Although outward duties, and the Religious forms trod bathappointed,be not theellence of grace ; yet beingcommanded by God, we are19ufethem, and thereby teftifieour wotfhipof him; and withall where true grace is, they doe increafe grace, andby dayly frequent exerci(e (herein, we come to auhigher degree in holinef(e ; for they are the Pool, in whichnot an Angel, but God cymes in withhealing; they are the Garden, wherein Çhril'e walks ; they are thy Feall, at which God himfelf is relent ; and for theft fpitituall r ff.els, the Saints, of God have fuels admirableravishing expreflions about them. Takeheed therfore.ofthat dangerousRock on one hand,co neglect theordinances, expecting immediate Revelations, and Enthufiafms; or on the other hand,a prophane con- temp4yfthem, even as the Swine doth a Pearl. Now let us confider, Why God careth not for chofe externatldutiet, without the work of i?egrneration; If thou prayeft and heare(t in that old Rate thou west born in, and not renewed, thefe duties are like wild Grapes. And, a nf Fitts, 7lecanfe goadoth notgratioufly accept anyman, but where befetch bizown RrP.': . a likenefs, his ownßmilitude. Thus Godmade man at firft afterhis own lmage,that fo Gods likcnc[s he might 'delightin him, and communicate happinefle tohim, whichBeafts were no acccf,,ance. not capable of. Now thisRegeneration is called, Ephef. 4. A renewing after the Image of god. It is a known Rule,'That likeneffe is a carafe of love. And this . holdeth
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