sry of the Nevi creature. S E c r. V. but ifno newCreatureneither,heaven is nota place prepared for thee.Thepaucity and little number ofthofe that (hall be Paved even ofChrifoians, and baptized per- fons, fhould alwaysmake us tremble and quake. O Lord are we in the numberof thofefew or not I But eight perfons in the whole world werepreferved in the Ark; but twoperfonsof thofemany thoufands that came outof Egypt, entred intoCo- smos. Ifthe Scripture were not plain in this point, you might cry out , Ir was an hard fpeech, andnot to be born. But heaven and earth (hall fooner paffc away, than one lot or tittle of that fentence : fay not thenevery thing that groweth in Gods garden is a flower, every thing in Chtilìs field is good feed, every callèâ man is an eleaed man,every baptized man a newCreature, for this is directly re- pugnanttoGods Word. z. every marl , 'A fecond C'ounterfe;t pretending to this new Creature, may be every one who for. changed from »terly beinggiven tofome prophaneandwretchedwages is now tnrnedanewman; for wayw, isdo[ what can be theught the new creature, if: this be not ? But every manchanged from this new crea hisforme; wicked wayes is not prefently a new Creature, thoughhe bea newman. tore. Aha( was a new manin his humiliations ; he had new affeetions, newforrow, new humiliation, yet not a new Creature ; This is diligently CO be confid eyed, that fo men May fee upon what grounds and motives they fetupon a new courfe of life. And firft, this new man may soot be a newCreature forwant of congooey anddura- tion, This newCreature is incorruptible, beingbornof the feedofGod, and there- fore liveth and groweth under difcouragements as well as incouragements, under temptations andoppofitions,as well as fair and pleafantopportunities ; likeCamo- mile it groweth the moll by treading upon it ; Thenew Creature bathalways been in itsmolifpieitual gory when it bath been ingeratefl outward reproaches. Golden times of peace andplenty made taffy newCreatures, asI may fo allude; but times ofperfecution took offall their rufo,and made a lultre upon them. ThisnewCrea- ture therefore is unchangable in all changes,at leali for the main fubftance and root of grace; but there is many a man became new and wonderfully changed for a fit, for a pang; It's butaLand-flood not a Fountain,. and fo is quickly dryed up. The peopleof Ifrael in theiraf}tiEtions were wonderfullychanged, but their hearts were not tledfafl within them ; we have a notable balance inone particular,7er.34 15,16. where the Prophet 7eremiahwarneth teepeopleof Ifrael to let their fer- vantsgo free at the time appointed by God,otherwife they fhould nor go free from judgements : Hereupon they entred into a Covenant, to proclaim liberty to their fervants; but they did not hold long in this new change : Therfore maik that expreffion, re mereturnedto day, andhaddone right; butye turned again, andpol. listedmy name:See here how a people maybechanged from evils co good,and then not longafterchange good untoevil', again. Thus the Swine new wafhedis all o- vernew for a while, but the returneth to her mire again : Thus johns Hearers did rejoyceWòsiswr; for an hour, for a feafon ; and afterwards they fay, lobe had a Devill. Ohconfider then,whether thybecoming a newman, be not upon fome fits fora littlewhile, and then thou Apoftatizeflagain:Thy inconfiancy is an argument ofthy hypocrifie: Thou arc but a blazing fiat that may make a lullre for a while, thou art not fixed in the Orb, Now with what earnefineffe lhould this be periled uponyou? How many men become newfora day, foraweek, but then prefently return to their old lulls again? This argueth thy motion is not naturali, but violent, otherwife it would hold out. 2. It may bedefetfive in the motives of it ; Von arebecome anew Creatureupon oldgrounds; for.fo it may fall out. Not love toChrifi and fpirituall confiderations may (enticeupon this change, but temporali fears, and love tooutward mercies: When the Apollle,z Cor.5.16, would declare, That every man in CbrifPlia nett Creature, andoldthings are paledaway,'he declarech thisby inflancing inparticu- lars ; Henceforth know weno man after thefe/hno not Chrif? himfelf: Amighty ex- prefffon. The fenfe is, That whereas once they delighted in, and bad.muchcoal- fortby the bodily pretenceof Chrifoyhewas a great flay and comfort tothem, in- Rauch
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