Christian that is most dead and crucified to these things he it is that shines most gloriously in the Kingdom of Christ Z Lastly this crucified flesh is the only subject of the glorious Resurrection For as the living Word and Spirit that crucified Christs flesh did again raise up that crucified flesh of his from death and set it at the right hand of God and thereby did plainly manifest him to be the Son of God so the same Word and Spirit that crucifie our flesh shall as certainly raise it up with Christ into the fulness of the life and glory of God And this time the Apostle cals the day of the manifestation of the sons of God For the Word and Spirit whilest they dwel in us and crucifie us they make it only known to us and to them that live in the same faith spirit with us that we are the children of God but when they shal raise up this flesh of ours which they have first crucified from death and the grave into the life glory and eternity of God then it shall be manifest to all the world that we are his children And so our crucifying with Christ is a certain pledge of our Resurrection with him and this the Apostle testifies Rom. 8.11 saying He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwels in you and Rom. 6.8 If we be dead with him we believe we shall also live with him If we be dead with him that is through the Word and Spirit first crucifying our flesh and then offering it up to death A We believe we shall live with him that very life which the Word and Spirit of God did communicate to his flesh when it raised him from the grave and fully translated him into the immediate Kingdom of God And for this cause Col. 1.18 Christ is called the first born from the dead that is the first whom the Word and Spirit did raise from death and the grave and did carry into the Immediate presence of God as the first fruits and pledge of their Resurrection who have the same word and spirit dwelling in them ANIMADVERSION VII A I Find no such thing affirmed in the Scripture that through Faith we receive the living Word to dwel in us understanding thereby precisely the Godhead of our Saviour But it is plain that through Faith we receive Christ the Son to dwell in us and the Father also by the Spirit Ephes 2.22 1 John 4.12,13 John 14.23 B Indeed the word of God in the Scriptures and the Gospel preached according to the Scriptures is an outward word consisting in doctrines which hypocrites and carnal christians may have and professionally receive and stil live their own lives and after their own lusts But that this word is without the spirit unto believers not now to dispute how far the Spirit may work in the word to the coÌ„viction of unbelievers to deny that it is a means whereby they receive the Spirit and whereby the spirit crucifieth the flesh in them is plainly to deny the Scriptures Gal. 3.2 Eph. 6.17 2 Cor. 10.4,5 And to give up those who by faith receive and make use of this outward word of God to dwel in them for the crucifying of their flesh for hypocrites and carnal christians is certainly to condemn the generation of Gods children Psal 119.11 Col. 3.16 C It is as clear as light from the text that by the ergrafted word James 1.21 where this phrase is only found is meant the word of the Gospel outwardly dispensed In these words therefore Mr Dell seems unwarrantably to confound the Godhead of our Saviour with the Gospel outwardly dispensed or to put one for another which is a very strange mistake And certain it is that the word which faith receiveth is the Gospel outwaâ—dly preached which is not alwayes accompanied with the spirit in those that hear it Mark 16.16 Heb. 4.2 Rom. 10.8 D If here be not a president of racking the Scripture to purpose I am much mistaken The Apostle 1 Cor. 1.18 called the word which he preached which Mr Dell nameth an outward word the word of the crosse not for either of the two reasons here mentioned because it exposeth men to afflictions or because it doth crucifie us but plainly because it held forth Christ crucified to the world as is most apparent verse 23. of that chapter and 1 Cor. 2.2,3,4 And yet Mr Dell with much confidence brings forth the words of the Apostle as if they had been undoubtedly written not of the word preached by him but of the living word or Godhead of our Saviour to which for certain the Apostle had no eye in that place E The words found Heb. 4.12 are here by Mr Dell confidently applied to the living word of God or Godhead of our Saviour which by the general consent of almost all interpreters and by the argument of that place appears to concern the word of God outwardly administred which though Mr Dell maketh light of it yet as it is made effectually by the spirit of God hath all that testified of it in the Scripture which Mr Dell here affirmeth of the word of God in his sence 1 Cor. 14.24,25 2 Cor. 10.4,5 John 17.17 F If the word of the crosse be as it is and is here called by Mr Dell the word of faith then it is the word of the Gospel preached Rom. 10.17 which Mr Dell sleightingly calleth an outward word and leaveth to hypocrites and carnal christians And to as those words 1 Cor. 15,31 here alledged I find no expositor understanding them of an inward dying to sin The context plainly importeth that the Apostle by dying dayly intended a daily apprehension and expectation of death together with a daily exposure of himself to deadly afflictions for Christ and his Gospel sake 2 Cor. 4.10,11 The dying therefore mentioned in this Scripture is altogether different from the dying which Mr Dell here speaks of G The Law had a regulating power over our Lord Christ in the dayes of his flesh Mat. 5.17 Mat. 3.15 and therefore lost not all its power over him at that time as is here peremptorily asserted by Mr Dell. H So also how boldly soever Mr Dell affirms the contrary the Law hath a regulating power over all the faithful who keep it and fulfil it through love wrought in their hearts by the spirit Psal 119.1 1 John 5.3 I Believers own life if that be their humane life is not extinguished by the living word and spirit Mr Dell being judge whose words very soon after are these though sin hath its ful power in our humane life But in this case there needs no appeal Res ipsa loquitur All the world sees and knows that believers retain their own humane life the faculties and actings thereof after they live the life of Christ through the Spirit I would gladly therefore understand Mr Dell in this place of the extinguishing only of the life
called forth to witnesse the truth with their lives have at first for fear and dread of the outward crosse abjured the truth to save their lives But afterwards when the Word and Spirit within them had truly and fully crucified them they would then come forth again of their own accord and willingly offer up their bodies to fire and death And thus also I have declared what is our crucifying with Christ E Paul saying here I am crucified with Christ because his sins were subdued and his nature conquered through the living word and Spirit of Christ dwelling in him F Now that both these things are so in truth and that they are no fond notions speculations and glosses of mine own devising I will yet make it more evident by some few other plain Scriptures as by that of Paul in Rom. 8.10 where he saith If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin that is the presence of Christ that is the living Word of God within us is the killing and crucifying of the body to all sin And in Gal. 5.24 The same Apostle saith That they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of it and ver 25. he shews that this crucifying of the flesh of Christians is not brought about by any outward sorrows and sufferings but by the presence of the Spirit in it saying if we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit and verse 16. of the same chapter he saith This I say then walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh and Rom. 8.13 If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live So again Rom. 6.5 If we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his resurrection Now all believers without exception are planted with Christ into a likenesse of his death which is not so to be understood as if all should be crucified on a material Crosse as he himself was but that all of them are buried with him by Baptism into his death that is by the baptism of the spirit and the baptism of the Spirit is the death of the flesh it is the death of our flesh with Christs for thus was Christs flesh made dead to it self to sin and the world to wit through the Baptism of the spirit and thus also is ours wherefore Paul adds vers 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin So that it is plain that the destruction of sin in our bodies by the living Word and Spirit of God is our crucifying with Christ. And verse 11. the Apostle would have those that are thus crucified with Christ to reckon themselves dead to sin for as the Word and Spirit of God in Christ made him wholly dead to sin and sin had no place in him So likewise as far as the same Word and Spirit of Christ prevail in us they will make us dead to sin for the time past and present and for the future will preserve us from sin And now we shall make some Vse of this point Vse 2. G First Then let us know that it is not enough to Salvation to believe That Jesus Christ according to his humane nature was outwardly crucified on a crosse for us at Jerusalem except we also our own selves be crucified with him through his living Word and Spirit dwelling in us through which we must be powerfully planted into a true likenesse of his death in such sort that we must be dead unto all sin whatsoever even to all our own corruptions and lusts and to all the Corruptions that are in the world through lust and we must be dead to our selves to our own fleshly reason understandig will desires ends and to our whole humane life and we must be dead to the world and to all that is in it and of it to all the pleasures profits and honours of it we must thus truly be dead with Christ ere we can live with him And with this kind of crucifying must whole Christ be crucified from the Head to the lowest members thus also must we be crucified with him if we will have any part in him I say we must have fellowship with him in his sufferings and be made conformable to him in his death ere ever we can attain to his Resurrection from the dead ANIMADVERSION 6. A I Take it that by the word of Christ is here intended the Word the Son or Godhead of our Saviour which was made flesh If so I demand a Scripture which teacheth that the Word or Godhead of our Saviour is otherwise in his people then in and by his Spirit the holy Ghost which dwelleth in them As for the holy Ghost the spirit which without measure of operation was in our Saviour as the head of his Church John 1.33 and 3.34 called therefore the spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 that it is in several measures of operation shed forth by and through our Lord Christ upon all his who are by faith united unto him 1 Cor. 6.17 Gal. 3.14 and that it is in them the powerful and only root of mortification or crucifying of the flesh Rom. 8.13 is very well known and acknowledged by those whom Mr Dell slighteth as ignorant of the mysteries which he hath discovered were so much spoken in usual words it would appear no unusual doctrine But if Mr Dell decline this sence of his words I believe the doctrine comprised in them hath no footing at all in the Scripture B That faith hope and love together with other fruits of the spirit of Christ in believers are real crucifyings that is real originals of the mortification or crucifying of the flesh in them is a plain truth of it were plainly expressed Neither do these fruits of the spirit suffer a believer to live to himself or the lusts of men 1 Pet. 4.1,2 which is no doubt the true crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof This Scripture doctrine is full of comfort and is neither new nor strange C The Scripture ascribeth the mortification or crucifying of the flesh to the spirit of Christ which dwelleth and whereby he dwelleth in believers This is plain and old truth But where is this spoken of as the work of the living Word or God-head of Christ any otherwise dwelling in them thâ—n by the Spirit That Scripture would be shewed D Where is the living word and spirit in believers called their crosse Scripture language is most proper for Scripture doctrine 1 Cor. 2.13 the sufferings of Christians are in the Scripture called their crosse Mat. 16.24 But the living Word and Spirit in them is never expressed by that name that I know And how should we dare to speak of the things of God otherwise then as we are taught by the word of God E
we believe we shall also live with him spiritually in this life gloriously in that which is to come Rom. 6.8 But that believers shall live with Christ that very life which the word and spirit of God did communicate to his flesh when it raised him from the grave and fully translated him into the immediate kingdom of God is a position raised by Mr Dell to a very high pitch wherein yet I shall not oppose him if he admit as I hope he will a preheminency of life unto our Saviour as being the head of the Church anointed with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellows Heb. 1.8,9 For whilst our Saviour hath his peculiar preheminence of degree allowed him as the head I take it we may safely believe that his members shall be sharers with him in that very life of blessednesse and glory which is communicated to his flesh or humane nature since the Apostle teacheth us that God hath raised us up together and made us sit togother in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephes 2.6 and again that if whilst we live we are delivered to death for Jesus sake the life also of Jesus shall be made manifest in our mortal body 2 Cor 4.11 for when Christ who is our life shall appear we also shall appear with him in glory Colos 3.4 SECT VIII WHence it is evident that all that flesh which the Word and Spirit do crucifie with Christ they shall also rise up together with him and sit in the same heavenly places in him which is the sure hope of all Believers Now seeing all these things are truth and are no lye let us willingly give up our selves to be thus crucified how bitter and grievous soever it be to the flesh Quest A Now if any man shall say How shall I know that I am thus crucified with Christ that I may have interest in all these advantages Answ I answer There are many Trials of this some of which I wil name very briefly and so conclude this matter As First If though findest thine own Nature truly subdued and changed by another Nature that is from God and if thou findest thy own life put to an end by another life that is from God then art thou crucified with Christ indeed 2. If thou canst deny thy self in all things of flesh and bloud and findest a new self within thee to have power over thy old self which is daily withering and decaying at the presence of the new creature then art thou crucified through the Word 3. If thou art dead to sin even to all those corruptions and lusts which have delighted themselves in thee and thou again in them if thou findest thy self dead to them and they killed in thee then art thou crucified by the Word 4. If thou art dead to the world and to the things of it which are the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life then art thou crucified by the Word 5. If thou dost not mind the praise and applause of men on the one hand nor their reproaches and indignities on the other hand but art truly dead to both then art thou crucified by the Word 6. If thou at deceased and departed from thine own will and works and canst do and delight to do the will and works of God then is his Law within thy heart and thou art crucified by the Word 7. If thou art ready prepared to bear and endure any sufferings and persecutions for Christ with patience and over and above with willingnesse and joy and dost not draw back for any evils but doest stand to them and overcome them then also art thou crucified by the Word and that is crucified with Christ B Now this our crucifying with Christ is the chief and greatest matter that we are to mind in this world wherefore Paul saith to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I did not judg it worth the while to know any thing among you or to behold any thing in you but Jesus Christ and him crucified Seeing in this present state of ours this is our chief businesse to be crucified with Christ and to be taken out of our selves and all our own things till we be altogether reduced to nothing that we may receive our selves and all things anew in Jesus Christ This is the chief work of God by his Word and Spirit upon the faithful here in this world as it was also his chief work upon Christ in the dayes of his flesh For though there were in Christ many clear Demonstrations of the presence of God through which he wrought many of the great works of God C yet our main businesse that concerned Christs life in the flesh was daily and throughly to crucifie him by the Word and Spirit which dwelt in him and thereby to prepare him and make him fit for the outward crosse and for that sad hour and power of darknesse that was to overtake him D And so this also is to be the chief businesse of our lives after we do believe even to be daily crucified and mortified and killed by the Word and Spirit of Christ till our will be perfectly subdued to Gods and by this means we be fitted and prepared for that tribulation and crosse whatever it is that the Lord shall please to appoint unto us either in life or in death And thus having spoken something of the Crucified Christian we proceed to speak in the next place of the Quickned Christian from the following words ANIMADVERSION VIII A ALl these notes of trial whether a man be crucified with Christ laid down by Mr Dell are very good and found and fully to be discovered in those who are crucified with Christ through the Word of the Gospel and the Spirit of Christ according to the old Scripture doctrine of Protestant teachers Great pitty it is that so good words as these wherein Mr Dell hath laid down these notes of trial should ever be misplaced B The Apostle in the words here alledged spake of Christs being crucified for us as the main subject of his Gospel doctrine which he preached amongst the Corinthians as appeareth by comparing the 23. verse of the former chapter with this text Here is therefore no intimation of that our crucifying which Mr Dell speaks of for all his admirable confidence in the strange allegation and interpretation of the place now before us C If the Printer have done his part in these words they are extreamly obscure if at all intelligable otherwise then by guesse D These words of Mr Dell I understand and in plain Scripture sence yield full assent to them as to their main intent praying that the Lord would pour out more abundantly the spirit of mortification and self denial on his people that we may indeed live the rest of our time in the flesh not to the lusts of men but to the will of God both by doing and suffering with cheerfulnesse according to his good pleasure The
old Protestant doctrine of mortification teacheth men freely to say Amen to this prayer SECT IX Nevertheless I live EVery true Believer is as well quickned with Christ as crucified with him I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live A So that as the humanity of Christ which is the first Example and Pattern to which the whole Church is conformed being deprived of its own proper life through the Word and Spirit that dwelt in it had instead thereof the life of the Son of God communicated to it and that Son of man having parted with his own proper life out of himself did yet truly live in the same soul and body the life of the Eternal Word and was so crucified that neverthelesse he lived so also it is with all Christians And therefore Paul saith out of his own experience I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live as if he had said I am not crucified to death but to life my crucifying with Christ is my quickning for by this means I am so killed that I live the more yea now onely I do truly live being formerly dead My own proper life in my self was my death but Christs life in me is my true life For I was dead with the worst death to wit in trespasses and sins but now I live in the best life even the life of righteousnesse B Whence it is manifest that the living Word and Spirit of Christ in a Christian do so kill the life of his flesh which is a life of sin and sorrow and darknesse and death that at the same time they communicate to the same man to the same soul and body a true and spiritual and holy and heavenly and eternal life C For no man is crucified with Christ but he also lives with him seeing the same Word that kils our life communicates Christs and Christ crucifies us with himself not that he may kill us but that he may quicken us and our quickning is the end of our crucifying and our crucifying is the way to our quickening D Indeed the killing of the flesh by the sword or famine or the Law or any way else is death indeed or death unto death but the killing of the flesh by the living Word and Spirit which is its crucifying with Christ is death unto life And here again we may note this also That the true life of a Christian begins from his crucifying and dying with Christ and also the true crucifying and dying of a Christian begins from his life in Christ For both these inseparably go together to wit our crucifying and our quickening with Christ But our crucifying with Christ is named first in order because it is first in manifestation seeing after we believe Christs death is first manifested in us before Christs life though Christs life be first in us in order of nature the crucifying of our flesh flowing from the life of his Spirit This then is the sum of this matter E That the living Word dwelling in us destroyes the proper life of the flesh and takes up the flesh into the life of it self and the Spirit And so a man in union with Christ hath his own life destroyed out of him and Christs own life communicated to him So that in the true Believer the soul and body of man live in the life of the Son of God as was done in the flesh of Christ our elder Brother And thus the flesh lives a life that is not of the flesh yea thus the creature lives in it self the life of God For as that eternal life that was with the Father was manifested in the Son that is in his flesh or humanity and all Believers have seen and known it so also that very life of the Father and the Son is both communicated to the Saints and also manifest in them as faith very well knows F And this is the great mystery of the Gospel let them receive it that can receive it ANIMADVERSION 9. A IN these words Mr Dell hath couched together six strange positions to which I would say more in this place but that the matter of them is discussed and the errour of them as I conceive discovered in my Animadversions on other passages of this book 1. That the humanity of Christ was deprived of its own proper life through the word and spirit that dwelt in it 2. That in stead thereof it had the life of the Son of God communicated to it 3. That the son of man parted with his own proper life out of himself 4. That he did yet live truly in the same soul and body the life of the eternal word 5. That the whole church is conformed to the pattern of the humanity of Christ in point of living the life of the eternal word 6. That the Son of man was so crucified that neverthelesse he lived whilst he was crucified If Mr Dell can produce one Scripture in proof of any one of these Positions I am utterly unacquainted with it I think it may be truly said of them recitasse est refutasse the reciting is a sufficient refuting of them B That the spirit of Christ in a Christian doth so kil the life of his flesh that is of his body of sin that at the same time it doth communicate to the same man to the same soul and body a true spiritual holy heavenly and eternal life is a known truth acknowledged by those whose souls have not entred into Mr Dels secrets If this be all he meaneth and mindeth he should but use old plain words and he should find consent of judgement in all his brethren Me thinks the words of the Lord to Job should sound loudly in the ears of some men in our dayes who are of a deeper language in matters of Religion then that their brethren can well understand them Who is this that darkens counsel with words without knowledge Job 38.2 It is the glory of the Ministers of the Gospel not to be vail'd like Moses but to use much plainnesse of speech in their doctrine seeing the Lord shineth in their hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ C All this in a sound sence is sound doctrine If the words be not put upon new tentors they do not outreach the old apprehensions of Gods servants amongst us D Is it the same flesh as these words import which is killed by the sword or famine and which is killed by the Law and Spirit of Christ and so crucified with him Me thinks no Christian which ever looked into the Scriptures should upon second thoughts say so The one is evidently the material body and the other the body of sin which are things vastly different E That Christ by his Spirit in believers destroyeth the proper life of the flesh understanding thereby the old man is very true but then it is utterly false that Christ takes up that flesh into the life of the Spirit of God And
shall most gladly so understand him for the future and shall say of him as Austin once wrote of another Linguam corrigat sententiam teneat Let him correct his expression and retain his opinion C Where doth the Scripture speak of our Saviours crucifying before his crosse or so slight our Lords outward crucifying as to call it but a sign of what before was done as Mr Dell here doth I think the Scripture giveth no countenance to such new doctrine but ascribeth far greater honour to our Lords outward crucifying then to be but a sign of somewhat else and sets it forth as an effectual means of the healing of Gods people 1 Pet. 2.24 D That our Lord Christ did deny himself in his humane will wholly resigning himself to the will of the Father and thereupon did freely give up his flesh to the crosse is most certain John 5.30 and 6.38 But where is this or the taking up of Christs flesh into the word which Mr Dell speaks of called or made the crucifying of Christs flesh A proof for that E That our Saviours Divine nature was his crosse and that his humane nature was crucified in his divine are bold strange and peremptory affirmations for which I know not any shew of proof in the Scripture which speaketh of no other proper crosse of our Saviour but the tree on which he suffered Phil. 2.8 1 Pet. 2.24 nor crucifying but that which is charged upon the Jews as the Authors of it by the Apostle Peter Acts. 2.36 F Did the man Christ lose all his own things in God through immediate union with God What his humane life too This indeed is fully accordant with Mr Dels former words if not with his meaning that the humanity of Christ did live in it self the life of the eternal word And what life then did our Lord give for his sheep John 10.11 Certainly not the life of the eternal word G This crucifying of our L rds humane nature in his divine nature here mentioned by Mr Dell for all his confidence was never as I think read of in the Scriptures or heard of unto this day amongst those nations who by the preaching of the Gospel have been brought to the obedience of Faith And I trust he would not have men now to take up any new gospel H The outward crucifying of Christ is not preached barely and alone as Mr Dell here intimateth but together with his self-denying obedience as the original and the glory of it by those who never learned from the Scriptures to call his inward prostrating of his will at the feet of his Fathers will his crucifying Though two Thieves were outwardly crucified with our Lord Christ yet is his outward crosse most glorious before the eyes of all that believe the Gospel Gal. 6.14 And it seems very strange and derogatory to the honor of our Saviours death that a Christian should judge of the lovelinesse of the outward crosse of our Mediator by the crosse of malefactors though crucified with him I These words shew that our Lord Christ had a humane life distinct from the life of God in him which seems directly contrary to Mr Dels former doctrine if his meaning be according to his words and proveth that the man Christ did not lose al his own things through immediate union with God but after that union retained his own humane life to be offered up for us which is good and Gospel truth steadfastly to be embraced by all true Christians K What is here asserted is very true but hath no affinity with Mr Dels foregoing words Our Saviours crucifying had been nothing if God in Christ had not humbled his humane nature to the death of the crosse and he had not offered up that flesh of his to God without fault by his eternal spirit as Paul speaketh Heb. 9.14 These words and those which immediately follow are sweeter then honey and the honey comb They expresse the constant Doctrine of those men whom Mr Dell despiseth as grosly ignorant of the crosse of Christ and they shew that the humanity of Christ did not live in it self the life of the eternal word but that life which appertaineth to the nature of man which he gave for the life of the world SECT VI. Our crucifying with Christ I Am saith Paul crucified with Christ that is with that Humane nature of his that was taken up into the Word Now as the most excellent crucifying of Christ was through the Word and spirit that dwelt in him so likewise the true and glorious crucifying of all the faithful is through the same Word and Spirit of Christ dwelling in them A For to have the Word and Spirit of Christ that is the Word and Spirit that is true God dwelling in us is the greatest crucifying of flesh and bloud that can be And when we are thus crucified with Christ by his Word and Spirit dwelling in us then afterwards the body will be ready and willing to suffer the crosse or fire or Lions or racks or torments or any thing as we see in the blessed Martyrs who if they had not been first crucified with Christ through the Word and Spirit had never delivered up their bodies so readily as if they had not known them to suffer so many grievous and intollerable things for Christ For that flesh that is truly crucified by the Spirit is fitted for all sufferings though never so grievous and intollerable to it self Wherefore let us learn B That no outward sorrows or tribulations or prisons or rackings or killings are such real crucifyings to a believer as his faith hope and love the fruits of the Word and Spirit in him which will not suffer him to live in himself or in the creature but do carry him with great force out of all these things to live in God which thing is the greatest mortification and crucifying of the flesh that can be And as Christs outward crucifying on the crosse without his inward crucifying by the Word of God had been nothing worth no more would all the sufferings and Martyrdoms of all the believers in the world be of any worth in themselves or of any account with God without this inward spiritual daily and constant crucifying suffering and Martyrdom of theirs C Seeing nothing doth so truly and throughly restrain hamper mortifie crucifie kill and destroy the flesh and all the corruptions lusts and affections of it as the living Word and spirit do D And this is the glorious crosse of the Church the Body as well as of Christ the Head without which all Martyrdom is nothing and of which all the bodily sufferings and torments of the Saints have been but a demonstration to the world for the glory of God and for the comfort support and encouragement of other Christians And where this inward crucifying hath not been first wrought and accomplished Christians could suffer nothing outwardly as hath been very evident in many Christians who having in times of persecution been
That Paul was crucified with Christ because his sins were subdued and his nature conquered through the spirit of Christ dwelling in him is a very sure truth generally acknowledged yet is not this all the truth but Paul further intended in saying that he was crucified with Christ that his sins were subdued through the redeeming vertue of the outward crosse or suffering of Christ both as to the condemning and commanding power of them of which here is altum silentium though the Scriptures speak much of it 2 Cor. 5.15 Tit. 2.14 Heb. 9.14 1 Pet. 1.18.19 F Mr Dell here professeth to prove both these things by plain Scripture By both these things he meaneth both that Christ was crucified by the being of the eternal word and spirit in him and also that believers are crucified by the same word spirit dwelling in them But he faileth evidently of his word for the Scriptures produced may seem to speak something towards the proof of the second position yet they say nothing towards the confirmation of the first And as to the second position they only prove that the spirit of Christ or Christ by his spirit doth work to the mortifying of the flesh in believers which is a well known and acknowledged truth But that the living Word or Godhead of our Saviour otherwise then as in and by the Spirit dwelleth in beleevers as a root of mortification not one of the Scriptures produced do affirm That by Christ in us Rom. 8.10 we must understand the living Word within us as Mr Dell glosseth those words I cannot believe since the Apostle in the verses immediately before and after that text doth plainly expound the being of Christ in us by the being of the Spirit of God in us in full consent with all the other Scriptures here produced by Mr Dell. G This use which Mr Dell makes of his doctrine if the words be taken in Scripture sence is sound and consonant to the sence of all true believers and needs no new doctrine to enforce it SECT VII NOw if any desire to know how we may attain to be thus Crucified with Christ I answer that the true faith of Gods Elect is the only way through which we can attain to this crucifying A For through faith we receive the living Word of God to dwell in us and in this Word we partake of the Spirit and this Word and Spirit dwelling in us do as hath been declared crucifie us with Christ B Indeed Hypocrites and carnal Christians receive and professe a word that will not crucifie them with Christ but do receive a word and doctrine that will still suffer them to live their own lives and after their own lusts For the word they receive is only an outward word consisting of divers questions opinions and Doctrines and is also without the Spirit and so it leaves them as it found them in reference to their Natures and corruptions C But the word that faith receives is the Word of righteousnesse and life a word that is alwayes accompanied with the Spirit and when this is ingrafted into the soul and abides in it it presently mortifies and crucifies it and destroyes a mans self out of himself D And therefore in 1 Cor. 1.18 it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of the crosse and that not only because it exposes us to afflictions in the world but also because it dwelling in our hearts by faith doth crucifie us And this crucifying word in the same verse is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of God for that Word that crucifies our flesh subdues and destroyes the whole strength of corruption out of us must be such a Word as is also the Power of God and so it is not only in tseâ—f but also because the Spirit of God dwels in it And this Word thus appreheâ—dâ—d will crucifie us with Christ Now this word of faith which is the word near us even in our hearts will crucifie us 1. Throughly It will crucifie the whole man throughout and that according to his mind will and affectâ—oâ—s E for this Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged sword and is piercing to the dividing asunder both of the soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a curious discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart c. And all the Tribulations and Torments in the world yea all the sorrows and pains of Hell cannot so crucifie and subdue our evil natures and lives as this Living Word in our hearts with whom we have to do This will crucifie us till we be dead with Christ as Christ was dead which was the fullest and compleatest death that ever was that is till our outward and inward man be wholly and fully subject to the only Will of God 2. F This word of faith will crucifie us daily and constantly as Paul witnesses 1 Cor. 15.31 saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I die daily for the word of righteousnesse dwelling in us is clean contrary to our corrupt nature and all the operations of it and doth without intermission put forth its strength and efficacy against both That as in the first break of day the light is still mortifying the darknesse till it have wholly dispelled it so the Word of righteousnesse deals with our corruptions till their place shall be no more found Now because this our crucifying with Christ is so contrary to the flesh that the flesh is alwayes mourning under it and murmuring against it therefore for our encouragement in so difficult a work as this I shal propound some choice and excellent advantages that believers have by being truly crucified with Christ For by this means 1. We are freed from the Law G For as the humanity of Christ being crucified by the Word and Spirit by this means became dead to the Law and the Law lost all its power over him H so all the faithful that are thus crucified with him are through this crucifying set free from the Law I for their own life being extinguished by the living Word and Spirit and they living in that word and spirit a life not their own but Christs are as truly freed from the Law as Christ himself was K And this Paul doth plainly teach us Rom. 7.1 saying that the Law hath Lordship over a man all the time he lives and no longer But when he is once crucified with Christ and dead with Christ the Law hath no more Dominion over him So then as long as we live our own life the Law hath power over us but when we are dead to our selves through the Life of Christ we are set quite without the reach of the Law and the Law hath no more to do with us the Members then with Christ the Head 2. L By being crucified with Christ we are freed of sin For one of the chief ends of the indwelling of the Word Spirit in Believers is to free them
and save them from sin M and though sin hath its ful power in our own humane life yet it hath no power over Christs life in us which we live through Faith Wherefore saith Paul Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin and verse 12. saith he Let not sin therefore reign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in your mortal or dead body which he cals dead not in reference to the common mortality of the world but in reference to our crucifying with Christ and in the body that is crucified with Christ sin is not to reign And so you see that through our crucifying with Christ we are dead to sin also N For it is impossible that Christ and sin should live together in strength in the same flesh but if sin live in our flesh it will crucifie us to Christ and if Christ live in our flesh he will crucifie us to sin 3. By being crucified with Christ we are freed from death that death that arises of sin and carries the wrath of God in it For through the death of the second Adam we are set free from the death of the first Adam and through that death to die unto life Vnbelieving flesh is the fuel of death as wood is of fire and death reigns and hath its full Dominion in the flesh of all unbelievers O but when we by faith are made members of Christs body of his flesh and bones then life reigns in Christs flesh as death in ours And so being crucified with Christ death hath no more dominion over us 4. By being crucified with Christ we are also freed from the power of the Devil The Devil haâ—h power over our flesh or humanity whilest it is our own and under the Law sin and death But when our flesh is united to Christ and is crucified by the Word and Spirit then Satan comes and hath nothing in it as he came to Christ and had nothing in him P The devil then can finde nothing in us to do us harm or whereby he may prevail against us when we are truly crucified with Christ 5. Q The flesh that is crucified with Christ is only Christs own flesh For whilest we live our own lives in unbelief we are only the flesh of the first Adam R but when the living Word and Spirit dwell in us and crucifie us then our flesh becomes the flesh of the second Adam and so far as it is crucified through the Word it is Christs flesh more then ours 6. S This crucified flesh is the only temple and habitation of God wherein he dwels and manifests himself in this world For as God dwelt in Christs flesh which was thus crucified and made it his temple so he dwels in the crucified flesh of Believers and makes that his Temple as Paul saith to Believers Ye are the temples of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them And God dwels in none of the flesh of all the sons of men but only in that which is crucified with Christ and that flesh that is not thus crucified is not Gods Habitation but the Devils 7. T This crucified flesh only keeps the true Christian Sabbath or the everlasting rest of the new World which is to cease from our own works and to do the works of God Whereas that flesh that is alive to it self and lives its own life in it self and the creatures never enters into the true rest nor keeps the true Sabbath but it alwayes works its own works and doth all things from it self and for it self and so long God will not use it V But when the flesh is crucified through the Word then God doth all in it and takes it out of its own life and works into his life and his works And the more any flesh is crucified with Christ the more doth God delight to use it and to work his own excellent works by it for such flesh will render no resistance to God in his working and also it will do the works of God meerly for the glory of God and good of his brother being dead to all self ends and interests 8. W This crucified flesh only is able to endure the will of God and to suffer for his Name For till the flesh be crucified with Christ and killed by the Word it will suffer nothing for God but will by all possible means avoid the crosse but when it is truly crucified it will endure the greatest evils that can be inflicted on it either by men or devils or by the Lord himself and that with much willingnesse and cheerfulnesse As we have seen in Christ the Head and Believers the Members what grievous things they have suffered for the name and truth of God in their crucified flesh And as this crucified flesh will suffer any thing for God so it wil suffer it aright that is First In obedience to God as Christ laid down his life not by necessity but willingly Secondly In meekness and patience as Christ who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatened not but committed his cause to him that judgeth righteously And thirdly In Love and that to very persecutors so as to pitty them pray for them This is glorious suffering indeed and no flesh can suffer thus but this crucified flesh 9. X This crucified flesh as it is able to suffer all things so also to overcome all things That flesh that lives its own life is soon certainly conquered by all the evils that assault it but when it is crucified with Christ it is also quickened with him to overcome all things So Christ who was thus crucified by the Word though he seemed to the world in his death and cross to be quite vanquished yet even then he spoiled Principalities and Powers and triumphed openly over them yea and overcame all things in that crucified flesh of his For that flesh that is crucified by the Word and Spirit is thereby made Superiour to all things in that exaltation and might which the Word and Spirit communicate to it 10 Y This crucified flesh hath the very glory of Jesus Christ upon it and no flesh is so glorious in the Church as that which is most crucified with Christ for in that you shall see little of it self and most of Christ little of the first Adam and most of the second Look among all the sons of God and you shall see them that were most crucified with the Word most glorious the clear beauty of holiness being seen upon them whereas that flesh that lives much in it self in its own wit will reason prudence mind affections and the things of its first nature though there may be something of Christ in it yet all these things are so much uncomeliness and deformity upon it and are nothing but a thick vail and covering to obscure Christ himself But that
touched by his Word make it their business to seek from God in Christ another life then their own a life infinitely better and stronger then their own and a life which at the will of God will offer up their own that we may say in our experience as Paul in his We are crucified with Christ yet neverthelesse we live Now the Apostle having named this blessed life doth further enlarge himself on this matter in the words following saying ANIMADVERSION 10. A THat a Christian is by faith really knit to Christ and engraffed into him and made one with him and so hath eternal life from him as the sience from the stock is old scripture doctrine acknowledged by all Protestant Divines But that this life which is received through union unto Christ is the life of justification as Mr Dell here affirmeth by way of eminence at least if not exclusion and doth not equally carry in it the life of sanctification also out of which a believer bringeth forth fruits of righteousnesse to the glory of God seemeth not to hold accordance with John 15.4,5,8 or if Mr Dell in his notion confound Justification and Sanctification me thinks the Apostle plainly teacheth another doctrine ascribing Justification to Faith in the Name of the Lord Jesus and Sanctification to the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 B If by Union with God in Christ the righteousnesse of God be made ours truly and everlastingly and therein we be justified How then are we made righteous through the obedience of our one mediator Jesus Christ Rom. 5.19 yea how are we justified freely by Gods grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 3.24 I fear this passage of Mr Dell inclineth too much towards the preaching of another gospel For the Lords acquitting of a sinner from his sins through the forgivenesse of them is plainly laid down by the Apostle as an act of justification Rom. 4.5,6.7,8 which according to the Gospel the Lord who justifieth doth not passe upon men in relation to their being one with God in Christ or the communication of his righteousnesse everlastingly to them or as he afterwards speaks Christ living his own life in them but in relation to the ransoming death of Christ for them only and wholly This is the Gospel which the Apostles have preached to us which also we have received and wherein we stand by which also we shal be saved how that Christ died for our sins 1 Cor. 15. 1,2,3 and in him we have redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of our sins Ephes 1.7 and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13.39 Seeing our Lord Christ was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 Christians should have their hearts and ears closly stopt up against the hearing and receiving of any other Gospel or Doctrine of Justification whatsoever yea though brought by an Angel from heaven Gal. 1.8,9 C How can they which have the divine holiness the same holines of the divine nature in the same manner though not in the same degree as Christ had and hath not be in their degree God as he is I professe my present inability to answer this question and absolve Mr Dels words from being very dangerous and derogative from the peculiar honour of our Saviour Was not the holinesse of the divine nature or which is all one the holy divine nature by personal union so communicated to the humane nature in our Saviour that though he was man yet in his holy divine nature he was also God blessed for ever Will he affirm so much of any believer I hope not D These words of Mr Dell are so pure and precious that every believer cannot but imbrace them for truth And methinks they do so plainly shew that the wil of God which a believer doth obey that is to say his revealed will is the law of God within his heart put into his inward parts by the spirit as to the knowledge and love of it and strength in some degree to fulfil it that I can hardly believe that such words should proceed from him as we find in the 3. Section of this book viz. God himself which dwelleth in them is the new Law according to which they live For is the will of God which a believer hath some strength to do God himself It is very strange if any understanding man should so apprehend seeing the will of God which believers are strengthened to observe and obey is only his will of command made known to men as the rule of their sanctification which is a different thing from God himself as a Lord and his law differ 1 Thes 4.2,3 E The former words in this paragraph I conceive in a sound sence may be admitted But these words seem to carry in them an incredible mistake for if by this and that life in these words be meant the life of the first Adam which is crucified in believers and the life of the second Adam imparted to believers according to what immediately goeth before they then speak thus much to wit that the life of the first Adam crucified in believers is the natural life of man of which he is deprived in corporal death and with which a man may part ere he partake of the life of Christ whereas there is nothing more clear in the Scriptures then that the life of the first Adam crucified in believers is the life of sin with which no man can possibly part ere he partake of the life of Christ and which is a very different thing from that life with which a man parteth at the hour of death in relation to which life alone it is true according to Mr Dels words that if we part with it ere we partake of the life of Christ the second death must needs swallow us up SECT XI Yet not I but Christ lives in me A ANd this he speaks lest any one should think that the life he lived after his crucifying with Christ was onely his own humane life purisied and refined I say lest any one should think he lived now the life of his own refined spiritualized reason and judgement and prudence and will c. distinct and apart from Christ therefore he adds yet not I but Christ lives in me And each of these Clauses are very considerable Yet not I. B I live yet not I. By which words it may appear that a Christian is so crucified with Christ that in this crucifying he loses not onely his own proper life but which must needs follow his personality also For through faith his soul and body live no more any proper life of their own as before but are taken up into the nature and person of the Son of God and in him he subsists lives and acts as a Member in the Man and as a Branch in the Vine and so can truly say after faith