XX.

Freshness of Being.

"Newness of life."-ROMANS vi. 4.

IN

N everything which is really of God there is a singular freshness; it is always like that "tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month;" there is a continual novelty. And yet some people speak of the sameness of a religious life. Strange! how often things are least rightly read in their characterizing features.

Through a new spirit,-endowed with a new heart,-by a new and living way,-in obedience to a new commandment, with mercies new to us every morning,-carrying a new name, we travel to a new heaven and a new earth,

-where we shall sing a new song for ever and ever. Well might Christ say of Himself, "Behold, I make all things new."

If there be a time when we ought specially to study "newness," surely it is now, when no less in the natural world is the year's spring-time sending forth its youthful beauties, than in the Church, the resurrection of Christ is telling us of graves of memory left behind, and risen beings, with more than their earliest freshness, coming forth to new affections, and higher enterprises. Therefore let us study "newness."

For who, who has not a great deal that is very old, which he would desire, above everything in the world, to get rid of? Old levels of thought,-old appetites,-old clingings,-old selfishnesses,-old prejudices,-old sins! How have they been graving their ancient lines, year after year, upon our hearts! How have they entrenched themselves in the fortresses of our very nature! strong their spell! How tyrannous their rule!

How

And may we not be thankful that we have to do with a religion which is always giving grace through new opportunities, for new actions,-whose very essence is a daily renovation, and whose key-note all along is resurrection?

Do not you know, brethren, that the spiritual life is a continual setting out again,—more than a daily falling, with more than a daily rising,—and the heart a sepulchre which wants and has a daily opening, a daily rolling away of some great stone, a daily "Ephatha," and a daily anthem," Risen, risen?"

But what is "newness?" It is not the creation of new matter. Creations, in that sense, are things of the far past. It is better than creation.

Beautiful as must have been the Holy Child, as He lay a babe at Bethlehem, the same form, risen from the tomb, was lovelier.

The heavens and the earth of innocence were so fair, that at the sight, "the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." But "the new heavens and the new earth" which are to be, shall exceed the glories of Eden.

The purity of a heart which has not yet been defiled with grosser sin, is a thing most pleasant to contemplate;

but the holiness of a well-disciplined mind, which, by God's grace, has gone through the process of sanctification, and subdued its evil passions, and attained to some measure of the lost image of its Creator, is better than the harmlessness and the innocence of infancy.

The good that comes out of evil is better and greater than the good which has never been soiled.

Such is God's master-work! So wonderfully are the laws of His moral system suited to the conditions of a fallen state. Else, how could any of us ever be really "new ?"

The old

But now, the old goes to make the new. passions, the old bias, the old elements of the natural man, go to make the strength, the elevation of the new creation, -the same, yet not the same. And the worse the old,— if so be it be indeed renewed,—if (awful if ! blessed if ! let no unconverted man calculate on that if ! let every child of God glory in that if !)-if so be it is indeed renewed, the worse the old, the better the new.

Take an instance. Self is the ruling principle of every man whom the grace of God has not changed. Self is his God. Now how is it in the Christian? He has union with Christ, therefore, in him, Christ and self are one. By a blessed re-action, his God is now himself,—his new self, -his real self; his life is the life of God in his soul; his happiness is God's glory; therefore still he studies self, but self is Christ.

This, then, is God's "newness in a man,-a "new" formation of "old" materials.

Let us trace where the "newness" lies. First, there is set, in that man, a "new" motive, a "new" spring welling up,-"I am forgiven, God loves me, God has

made me His. Oh! how shall I pay Him? Never! But how can I show Him that I do indeed love Him who has been so exceedingly kind to me?" That is "newness;" and "the dew of its birth is of the womb of the morning."

Bars and fetters have been falling off from that man's soul, and he feels a "new" principle, and it is as delightful to him as it is strange. He is emancipated from a long, dark bondage, he is "free among the dead,”—free to pray from his heart,-free to speak out everything. The thoughts of deep communion with God run leapingly,-he can go into His very presence,-the burden is gone,-the barrier of unbelief, the charnel-house of wicked lust, he has got out of them,-they are left behind,-the past is an empty grave, and there is a "newness,"-the "newness" of constant resurrection mornings. And a "new" current flows in his very life-blood, he feels the springs of his immortality, he carries in him his own eternity. And he goes forth, that man, into the old world,-its scenes are just the same, but a "new" sunshine lies upon everything, -it is the medium of his "new-born" peace,- -it is a smile of God. And oh! how changed that world looks to him; every day and every moment there are secret comings in of grace to his soul,-hidden supplies of wisdom, patience, power, holiness, sweetness, love; and each one brings its own gushing.

And so his standard is always rising. He leaves the past attainments behind, as nothing to the heights which are opening before him. He has ever a new ambition; and new aspirations bear him up to new ranges in the Christian journey. And therefore he enterprises new works for God. This soul and that soul wake up an interest in his thoughts and prayers. Another and

another mission for Christ forces itself upon his mind. His charities go forth "beside all waters," into wider and wider circles. He can never do enough; the more he does, the more he feels undone,-the greater his works, the deeper his unprofitableness. And all the while, Christ reveals Himself to him with ever-increasing clearness. Some new view of some old truth,-some unconceived apprehension of some attribute of God,-some yet untasted sense of his own pardon,—some discovery of more freshness, more nearness, more fulness of the Saviour,-is always breaking upon his wondering mind.. And all the

while, he carries a happy conviction that it is inexhaustible, that his progress is to be perpetuated for ever and ever; and by faith he shall be learning more, feeling more, enjoying more, doing more, glorifying more,—that for ever and ever he shall walk in "newness of life."

And now, brethren, at this season of all new things, allow me to make a proposition to you,-that every one of us who is assembled here this morning should make a solemn resolution not to let this Easter quite pass away, without some effort at newness of life." Each season of the church's year has its own proper lesson; this appears to me to be the speciality of Easter,—to rise, to take some new step heavenward. Therefore I invite each one to make now,-seriously, deliberately, and practically, as before God, some distinct advance in the spiritual life. It is not, perhaps, for me to attempt to dictate what that step in advance shall be, that must be between every one and his own conscience. What will you do? what will you do?

I am speaking to some, who, I believe, have never yet, at all events for a long time, have not taken the Lord's