264 of the Neat Creature. ****-,4144 Sacr,V, ó%¡ SERMON XLIII. Concerning the SupernaturalityandExcellent Qua, lilies of the Ng, Creature. GAL. 6. 15. For inChriJi ferret, neither Circamcißon, or llncireamcifton availeth anx' thing, but a Nov Creature. THisnew Creature bath been difcovered as it Rands oppofitely to thofe old things, which theApoltle faith, arepeffedaway. Wecome in the next place to handleit pofitively, as it is in fenfeabfolutelyconfidered ; and in the ge- neral), when theApoftlecalls it a newCreature ; the t[fence or being thereof is thereby declared to confift in a fupernaturality,or way of life, above that which thepower ofa ;meet man can reachunto ; fo that it is no more thana fupernatu- rall Creature, one, who is a&ed above the principles and motives of nature in all the dutieshedoth , fothat:thebell waytodifcover thisnew Creature is, to;thew wherein it is above the ordinary cootieof Nature: Andalthough theSchool-men difpute, wherein lyeth the trueand propernotion of fupernaturality, or what is that which makes a thing fupernaturall, yet 11bball not enter into that La- byrinth. The work of Fitt./ therefore, this workof grace is a newCreature or fupernaturall, in regard grace is a new of its original andbeginning. It Bothnot flow from the principles.of nature: it's Creamer, or from thepower ofnature that a man eateth,drinketh, laughethor difcourfeth; but lupernamralb let a man doeany thing holily, believe, or repent, to this a fpeciall power from ilea- .. Inits oxi- venisneceffary. Indeed we need theaidand aíiiflance of God, even to all otdi- ginaq' nary.& ions ;Therefore the Scripture faith, Inhimwe live, and move,andhave our being; and God is the Author and A&uator of nature, as well as of grace; but -that is a common help, this a fpeciallhelp. God dothmore for thee when he gives thee an heart to breath after Chrift, then when he inableth thee to breath the breathof a naturals life ; and if God be the Fountain of our naturali life, much more of our fpirituall life. It isnot enough tocall a thing fupernatural, in that it's folelyof God,for to the worldwas createdonely byhim at firft; but it muff come fromhim in a peculiar and fpeciall manner, as the author of all grace; thus every where in the Scripture, faith, repen tance, love, joy, andall other gracesare made . a fruit of theSpirit, or thegift of God, they are not by humanepower and this ['moldmake us fenfibleof ourown povertyandnothingnefle; for as often as thou hearea the Word calling thee tobelieve , CO repent, itdoth but put thee in miede of thy utter impotency. By the Precepts a manmay fee what he ihould doe, by the reproofs what hedoth not, and by thepromifes what the graceof God doth ;- from this flockand foundation thatThou art nothing,and Grace isall,mufl the new Creature proceed. The beginnings of this is with adeep poverty of (pint, and apprehenfron of our inabilities. The great obftru&ion in the way why thoudolt not
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