SIB cr.V. of the New Creature. W1V44IIVV VW* SERMON XLI. Shelving that the Productionof the env-Creature ùfromClodalone; andwhat 4ttributes are cony J)icuousin theWork GAL. 6.15. For in Chrift Nos neither Circumeifion nor uneireunrcifon availeth any thing,butaNew-Creature. THis1 Text bath informed us of that Superiority and Preheminency which the Apolile giveth to the New Creatureabove all external Priviledges or Duties inChriftianity. We thereforecome to fearch out the Nature of this New Creature, andby thename we (hall cometo know the nature of the thing. In the Greekit is oíste Creationor Creature ; for the word is ufed both for the anion it felt, and the effell produced by it : Now this phrafe to create a thing, is ufed of fome ltrange and unwonted work of God. Thus Numb.16. when God is about to make theearth fwallowup Mahan¡and Akiram, he is faid according to theHebrew, to create a Creation. As Gods wonderful judgements arecalled a Creation, fo hismercies, as in thatof 7eremiah, Jer. ;r.ax. Behold I create anew thing, aWoman fhall compafJe a man, that is,Ifrael, weak as a woman, fhall compalfe about inan hoftile manner, and fo overcomeher moltpotent ad- verfaries; and thus here, becaufe God doth work uponCome men a wonderful andgreat alteration by theWord preached, fuchas cannot be performed by any moraleducation ; therefore this is called a New Creature, and the expreffion is allufive to manypaffages in theProphets, where when God intends to make a glorious Reformation in his Church, by abolilhing their former wayes of wit- kednelfe, and guiding them into paths of Righteoufneffe; he is faid To create newHeavens, anda new Earth, Ifa.65.e7. and that Old things are".paffed away: So that this phrafe a New Creature, implieththat theworkof Grace, is wrought by the foiepower of Godonly, it cometh only from him, and alfo, that -this beingthus wrought inus, it is of amof excellent andglorious nature : And f3rlt I fhall fpeak to the natureof it, it is acreature; then the qualifying adjunß, it isa new Creature. That the Workofgrace inmans heart,Wherebyhe is bornagain,is a creature wrought Obferv. marl),by Gods glorious power. Ie is the atone No Angels, no menareable to work this in a mans heart, but as a man though Power of God he beget the body of his fonne, yet not the foul, for that is infufed by the Fa- that producerb ther of fpirits. So though men come to Church, and outwardly hear, and `uh ew -crea- though theMiniteers ofGod they labour faithfully in preaching, yet it is God only that makes this light Jbine in the heart. Paul plants and Apollo Watereth, but God giveth theintoreafe, L Cor.3. The Gardener dothonly ufe his outwardmeans, K s he
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