Sermons preached

4. With respect to the Use for which this new Creation serveth: One is mentioned in the Text, Created unto good Works; but other things must be taken in.

1. In order to our present Communion with God. Till we are created anew, we are not sit to converse with an holy and invisible God, earnestly, frequently, reverently and delightfully, which is our daily Work and Business. The Effects of the new Creature are Life and Likeness; those that do not live the Life of God, are estranged from him, Eph. 4. 18. Trees cannot converse with Beasts, because they do not live ⟨p. 384⟩their Life; nor Beasts with Men, for they have Sense only, but no Reason; nor Men with God till they have somewhat of the same Nature and Life. If one had Power to put the Spirit of Man into a brute Beast, that Beast would discourse reasonably. God hath Power to put a Divine Spirit into his People to sanctify their Souls, that sits them for converse with God. Look as in Innocency Adam was alone, though compassed about with a Multitude of Creatures, Beasts, Birds and Plants, yet there was none (till Eve was made) fit to converse with him, because they did not live his Life; therefore the Lord God said, Gen. 2. 18. It is not good that Man should be alone; I will make him an […] meet for him. The Man was alone, because he had none like himself that he might converse withal as a Man, in the exercise of Speech and Reason; the Beasts of the Field, and Fowls of the Air were no fit Companions for him; they wanted the means of Converse, Reason and Speech: So without Grace we are not meet for Communion with God, till we have Faith and Love to admire, reverence, and delight in him. So for likeness: Conformity is the ground of Communion. Amos 3. 3. How can two walk together except they be agreed? Our state of Sin is a state of Enmity, and our state of Holiness a state of Love. Our old Course made the Breach between us and God,