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
in these words if Mr Dell understand by flesh the nature or natural body of man then they carry in them a falshood throughout for neither doth Christ dwelling in us by his Spirit destroy the proper life of our humane nature or natural body neither is our humane nature or natural body taken up into the life of the Word and Spirit as is here confidently affirmed And to say 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 is to make believers the sons of God and partakers of the divine nature in the same manner as our Lord Jesus was which cannot be mentioned without trembling and me thinks should not be the judgement of any Christian Doubtlesse the Apostle Paul understood that God was manifested in the flesh in the person of our Saviour in a special peculiar and incommunicable manner when describing the mysterie of Godlinesse relating to our Saviour he made the first branch of it God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 F This is the great mystery of the Gospel for certain would it be a degree of infidelity to doubt or deny that this is Gospel It seems Mr Dell thinks so by adding Let them receive it who can receive it But who gave him warrant with such absolute peremptorinesse to impose his notions upon others as Gospel the great mysterie of the Gospel I cannot but stand amazed at the strange confidence of some men who dare assume unto themselves our Saviours authority or at least the boldnesse to make use of his authoritative words without any preface in pressing of their new and strange doctrines to say no worse upon others as high points and great mysteries of the Gospel Such high confidence in points wherein men may possibly be brought to an after conviction of their errour I take to be one of the most dangerous pinacles upon which men are liable to be tempted to cast themselves down through the medium of scepticisme into the bottome of Atheism wherein we have many sad examples before our eyes Who can but love and reverence the learned Christian modesty of aged Austin who wrote thus of himself Lib. de bono perseverantiae cap. 21. Quamvis neminem velim sic amplecti omnia mea ut me sequatur nisi in t is in quibus me non errare perspexerit Though I would have no man so to imbrace all that I affirm as to follow me in any other points but such only wherein he perceiveth that I do not go astray And again in the same chapter Quandoquidem arrogantiùs loquor quam veriùs si vel nunc dico me ad perfectionem ut sine ullo errore scriberem jam in istâ aetaete venisse I shall speak more arrogantly then truly if I shall even now say that I am at this age arriv'd to that perfection that I do write without all errour How happy would it be if such a spirit were more commonly to be discerned in our dayes SECT X. NOw this new and Spiritual life which a crucified Christian partakes of He hath it 1. In Vnion 2. In Manifestation First A A Christian hath this life in Vnion when through Faith of the operation of God he is really knit unto Christ and ingraffed into him and made one with him For before we are united to Christ we are without life but as soon as we are united to him we have life from him as John saith in his Epistle He that hath the Son hath life even that life which the Son hath and he that hath not the Son hath not life Now this life and union which a Christian hath through faith is more hidden and secret as that life is that proceeds from the first real union and complyance between the Stock and sience or graft and this is the life of Justification B For as soon as ever we are by faith made one with God in Christ the righteousnesse of God is made ours truly and everlastingly and in this we are justified even before God 2. A true Christian hath this life of Christ not onely in Vnion but also in Manifestation For when a Christian partakes of Christs life by faith this life will not be idle in him which is against the nature of all life but especially of this but most active and operative and it will manifest it self especially two wayes viz. Both in Holinesse and Comfort 1. C This life will manifest it self in Holinesse in the very holinesse of Christ which is the holiness of the Divine Nature communicated to the Humane Nature the Spirit it self which is given to a Believer as the outgoing of the life of God within him worketh its own works of grace and sanctification in him and communicates the same holiness to him a Member as to Christ the Head though in a far different degree 2. This life of Christ in a Christian will manifest it self in comfort as well as in holinesse And this is the life of our life and the next and necessary result of holinesse wherefore it is said that the Kingdom of God stands first in righteousnesse and then presently in peace and joy and the same Spirit that is given for a Sanctifier is also given for a Comforter and Paul saith Rom. 8. That to be spiritually minded is not only life but life and peace D For when a Believer findes in himself a new nature through a new birth and the Law of God within his heart and some strength to obey God and to do his will then he begins to finde also a sweet and heavenly peace within him and many times joy unspeakable and glorious And thus is a crucified Christians new life manifested both in holiness and also in Spiritual peace and joy And now to speak one word by way of Application let us each one seriously consider whether he do indeed partake of such a life as is risen to him out of death whether he finde that he hath parted with his own life and gotten another life then his own in his own soul and body and whether the life of the first Adam be crucified in him he live the life of the second Adam that is not a natural but a spiritual life not a humane but a divine life not an earthly but a heavenly life not a temporal but an eternal life for thus do all live that are truly crucified with Christ E And I desire we all would the rather minde this because if we part with this life ere we partake of that the second death which is everlasting death in sin and the wrath of God must needs swallow us up and because if we do not partake of Christs life here we can never live with him in his Kingdom and also because we can never have true and immediate communion with the Father but in the life of his Eternal Son Wherefore let all such whose hearts God hath
comfortably and confidently say with the Apostle It is no more I. SECT XII Yet not I. ANd here I must needs note one thing more e're I conclude this matter and that is this Note A That a believer must be so much taken up into Christ by faith that as Christ must work all in him so he must attribute all Christs works unto Christ and none to himself still saying in the midst and exercise of all Graces and Vertues It is not I It is not I that live but Christ himself that lives in me this life of Grace Righteousnesse Wisdom Meeknesse Goodnesse Humility Patience Power Love c. It is not I that live it in my self but Christ that lives it in me as he saith elsewhere I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the Grace of God that dwelleth in me After the same manner as every Christian must keep his Rest in Christ and must suffer Christ to work all his own works in him so he must still attribute all Christs works unto Christ and be still saying It is not I but Christ in me that hath done these works that hath endured and overcome these evils B And thus we must keep our Sabbath in Christ as Christ kept his Sabbath in God For Christ was so taken up into God and filled with him that he said of his humanity I can do nothing of my self and again the Father within me he doth the works and again the words that I speak are not mine but his that sent me and so Christ in all great works said not I but the Father in me so we in all our works that are truly spiritual must say not we but Christ in us C And this onely a mortified Christian can truely perform for others will be attributing the works of Christ to themselves rather then to Christ and be glorying in themselves more then in him It follows ANIMADVERSION 12. A A Greed agreed if as Mr Dell speaks Scripture language so he will hold to the plain Scripture meaning of the words Christ by his spirit is questionlesse the fountain of all good in his members and they must and will attribute all Christs works unto Christ and none to themselves still saying in the midst of the exercise of all graces and vertues It is not I but Christ himself that lives in me this life of grace B Though this be besides the main point now in hand yet I would see a Scripture which calleth our Saviours universal submission to his Fathers will or if Mr Dell likes not this explication then to use his own words his being taken up into God and filled with God his sabbatisme or sabbath-keeping If Mr Dell do here glance at the conscionable observation of the weekly sabbath as unnecessary as it is doubtful likewise whether he doth under the name of the sabbath Sect. 7. T and under the name of the Lords day Sect. 15. C he should do well to speak out that his minde may be known and his judgement in this point considered of by the word of God C To my certain knowledge very many who find no sweetnesse in Mr Dels new doctrine of no distinct personality in believers from the Son of God are by this mark which he makes infallible to be judged mortified Christians for they dare not attribute the works of Christ unto themselves and therefore glorie not in themselves but in Christ acknowledging that without him they can do nothing and joying in this with the Apostle that they can do all things through Christ who strengthneth them Phil. 4.13 SECT XIII But Christ lives in me A FOr least any should think that Paul had a new habit of life created in him he adds this that we must know it was Christ himself within him that was his life even that Word of life and Son of God that made the world and no created habit of life That as that Word that was with God and was God and dwelt in the humanity of Christ was that very life of his humanity So the same Word of God dwelling in us through Christ is also our life as it was his And as the body hath no habit of life in it self distinct and apart from the reasonable soul but the soul it self that dwels in the body is the life of the body and when the soul withdraws the body is dead and hath no habit of life in it self afterwards so the life of a Christian doth as immediately flow from Christ as the life of the body from the soul and if Christ should withdraw all Spiritual life would leave him and the Second death would swallow him up And as the very presence of the soul in each member is the Life of it so is Christs presence in all his Members their true and very life Wherefore saith Paul here Christ lives in me as God lived in Christ and as the Soul lives in the Body And so as Paul had affirmed before That it was not he that lived so here he shows Who it was that did live in him and that is Christ Christ lives in me B Indeed the Soul and Body were Pauls but Paul did not live in his own Soul and Body but Christ himself did live in them and so Paul lived the life of another in himself the life of Christ in his own soul and body and the soul and body of Paul were but a Temple in which Christ lived more then himself as the humanity of Christ was but a Temple in which God lived more then himself C So that it is Christ himself that lives in a true believer and he is and doth and suffers and overcomes all in him D Now that we may not mistake in this great matter we must rightly understand What this Christ is that lives in a believer now this is not the flesh of Christ for that being a Creature and in all things like unto our flesh sin excepted can be but in one place at a time but this Christ is the Eternal Word and Son of the living God the Power Wisdom and Righteousnesse of God and the true God and Eternal life This is the Christ that lived in Paul and lives in every believer ANIMADVERSION 13. A HOw Mr Dell will expound these words of his sc That as that word that was with God and was God and dwelt in the humanity of Christ was that very life of his humanity So the same word of God dwelling in us through Christ is also our life as it was his How I say he will expound these words and not confesse that the Godhead dwelleth in us as it doth in Christ and so that we are God as he is I see not Yet I am willing to hope that he doth not so apprehend although his words as far as I can judge import so much But I very much doubt that in this paragraph he puts asunder those things which God hath inseparably put together sc A new habit of life created in
a believer by Christ and Christ himself dwelling in a believer by his spirit for I take it through the Spirit of Christ dwelling in a believer he is born again to a new habit of a spiritual life which is called the spirit born of the spirit John 3.6 I see no cause therefore why we may not think that Paul had a new habit of life created in him and yet that Christ lived in him by his spirit as the fountain of that life The Philosophie whereby Mr Dell illustrateth his divinity seems as strange to me as what he intendeth to explain by it for though the body hath no habit of life in it apart from the soul yet I think it hath a habit of life in it distinct from the soul even that habit of life which floweth from the soul even as the habit of spiritual life flows from Christ dwelling as the fountain of this life in his believing people by his spirit B I take it that in these words those things are made to clash which do sweetly accord sc Pauls living a natural and personal life in his own soul and body and Christs living in Paul by his spirit as the fountain and as I may say the soul of a spiritual life I conceive that this position hath no self contradiction in it Christ by his spirit lived in Paul whilest Paul lived in his own soul and body a natural and personal life For notwithstanding Mr Dels confidence I take it it will hold for truth that when Christ lived in Paul Paul then lived in his own soul and body that text assureth so much 2 Cor. 4.11 C These words of Mr Dell are very sound being not overstrained for questionlesse Christ himself by his spirit lives in a true believer and by reason of the spiritual and mystical union of a believer as a member to Christ as his head the Lord Christ is originally as to the being of the new creature and doth and suffers and overcomes all in him D Doth not Mr Dell in these words too much divide the Godhead from the manhood in our blessed Saviour whilst he maketh the eternal word and Son of God in opposition to his flesh that Christ which lived in Paul and liveth in believers Me thinks it is evident that the Apostle spake not of Christ under the notion of the eternal Word alone but as the word made flesh when he wrote that Christ lived in him and that he lived by the faith of the Son of God seeing he immediately added who loved me and gave himself for me for it is clear that it was Christs flesh which he gave for the life of the world John 6.57 And though the flesh or humane body of our Saviour in the Capernaits sence carnally partaken of could profit nothing John 6.63 yet our Lord Jesus as the word made flesh is the mediatour head and saviour of his people who dwelleth in them and acteth in them by his spirit as the fountain of their spiritual life And therefore our Saviours flesh is not to be put by in the matter of believers vivification through him as if it had no part or place in that work for the flesh or humane nature of our Saviour having an incomprehensible worth put upon it and power into it by his Godhead or divine nature united to it became in and through these sufferings which it sustain'd the effectual means of eternal life to all those who believe on the name of the Lord Jesus as our Saviour himself hath fully testified saying The bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world John 6.51 And again Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his bloud you have no life in you who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day for my flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him vers 53 54 55 56. upon the last of which verses Calvin hath thus written Neque enim ad Christum Deum unquam perveniet qui Hominem negligit quare si tibi vis cum Christo aliquid esse commune cavendum inprimis nè carnem ejus fastidias He shall not come to Christ as God who neglecteth him as man wherefore if thou wouldst enjoy any communion with Christ thou must especially beware that thou despise not his flesh SECT XIV Vses NOw if we rightly understand this point we may learn from it many excellent things 4. A And first we may perceive the mistake of those who look for all the life of Christ in that humanity which was born of the Virgin whereas Christ truly lived in Paul and lives in all the faithful and his very life is to be seen in them as the life of the Soul is not confined to the Head but disperses it self through all the Members and is manifest in them in measure as in the head in fulnesse 5. B We may learn that Christ in a believer is to him instead of all credted habits of Grace Christ who is the true God is all in all in a Christian and so a Christian partakes of that righteousnesse which is Christ of that wisdom which is Christ of that power truth goodnesse c. which is Christ and Christ that dwels in believers is truly all Grace to them And herein they are like unto Christs humanity unto whom the fulnesse of the Godhead that dwelt in him was instead of all created Grace Wherefore let us know that the created habits of grace in a Christian which the Schoolmen have invented and taught and others have received from them are nothing but the Empty notions and Vain speculations of carnal and unbelieving hearts ignorant of the true mystery of the Gospel For Christ that lives in a believer is all Grace to him and thus the Apostle Paul expresly teacheth in 1 Cor. 1.30 where speaking of Christ he saith He is made unto us of God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and so a Christian hath that Wisdom Righteousnesse c. which is Christ himself And this grace which is Christ himself is infinitely more high and holy then all created habits of Grace C and this is the only Grace that is acceptable to God and that makes us accepted in it self D and this is the only grace against which the Gates of hell cannot prevail and the only grace that can make us meet for the Fathers Kingdom And thus you see that Christ that lives in a believer is all grace in him and all-sufficient grace for him 3. E If Christ live in believers then certainly whatever evils and tribulations and persecutions are brought upon believers by the World and the false Church for the word of faith they are brought upon Christ himself and Christ himself is still persecuted in the flesh throughout all Ages and Generations
men else all authority of Magistrates in things relating as well to men as God would be extinguished 3. That whilest Magistrates not only neglect but refuse and that out of conscience to act for God in all such affairs as immediately concern him and his kingdom they may provoke him to set up others in their stead who will make conscience to be zealous and valiant for him his truth and worship upon earth against manifest offenders Ezech. 34.7,8,9,10 See Burroughs on Hosea chap. 1. verse 11. And Phil. 1.29 1 Pet. 4.19 4. That it is a fruit of carnal wisdom in Gods people to project and folly to expect freedom from persecution for truth and righteousnesse when wicked men are exalted specially considering that suffering patiently and joyfully for righteousnesse when God calleth them thereunto is a part of the peculiar happiness and honour of Gods servants upon earth 5. That the nourishing of the open corrupters of Gods truth and worship by Magistrates in any state is not only by way of provocation in regard of God but preparation also in regard of men a very ready course to ripen such a state to the hottest persecution for truth and righteousnesse He that nourisheth a serpent is likely to be bitten thereby 6. That the Law of God is open to the consciences of Christian Magistrates as well in things immediately concerning God as men and they are deputies for God towards men in relation to his whole Law 7. That no godly governour of a family holdeth himself bound to permit such to abide unrestrained under his roof who are openly corrupt and corrupters of others in things immediately concerning God and his kingdom Josh 24.15 and that oeconomical and political governours are to proceed by the same rules in their several administrations as we are plainly taught from that much to be regarded Scripture Psal 101. 8. That Christian Magistrates are in the same manner to seek the happinesse of their states as of their own persons even by seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness Mat. 6.33 Neque enim aliunde beata civitas aliunde homo cum aliud civitas non sit quam concors hominum multitudo as Austin truly speaks A society is no otherwise made happy then a man seeing a society is nothing else but a combined multitude of men De civit dei lib. 1. cap. 15. 9. That it would greatly sadden the hearts of many of God people who have often and earnestly in publike and private importuned the Lord by prayer happily to carry on in the Land the work of a Scripture reformation in the things of God by and under Godly Magistrates ruling in the fear of the Lord and who did and do still hope that the spirit it self did then make intercession in them according to the will of God to see all these prayers buried in the grave of a sad resolution that Christian Magistrates must make conscience to do nothing for God in things immediately concerning himself and his kingdom how much soever they are corrupted by corrupt pretenders to light and conscience 10. That amongst all disputers against Magistrates power in the things of God and his kingdom never any one of them for ought I know have pretended to shew Magistrates a plain discharge from that part of their duty to look that sound and nourishing food be afforded to Gods people Isaiah 49.23 in open words under the Lords hand I know the parable of the taâ—es hath been much insisted upon by some as often fully answered by others But to say no more of that at present methinks Christian Magistrates should be affraid to adventure the neglect of so great a part of their trust in relation to God upon the disputable and to say the least doubtful interpretation of a parable the main scope whereof for certain is not to set out the limits of Civil Magistracy I humbly conceive that those words uttered by the wisdom of God which is God Prov. 8.15 16. By me kings reign and princes decree justice By me princes rule and nobles even all the judges of the earth are a fair and full commission granted by the Lord as it were under his hand and seal to all Magistrates both Jewish and Gentile to decree and act according to their place from him and for him in all righteous wayes for the good both of the bodies and souls of those who are subject to them and for the execution of this divine commission I believe that all Magistrates specially Christian when they that seek to word and wooe them out of the most honourable part of their charge have spoken their last shall be called to an account before the Lord of lords at his appearing and his kingdom verbum sapienti I know Christian Magistrates of tender spirits who have tasted of the grace of the Gospel know a wide difference between rigour and righteousnesse Christian zeal and antichristian severity and will be as they ought to be duly careful not to grieve the wâ—ak in things questionable whilest they restrain the wicked in things unquestionably evil and opposite to the word of God Must such as are professed libertines and all other misbelievers as Mr Dells words are be left by Magistrates to themselves according to their own notions to speak and act as they list immediately against God and his kingdom provided they act not wickedly and presumptuously of which a Magistrate can very hardly if possibly judge in any case against their neighbour and civil society Must Christian Magistrates let spiritual Jezabels alone to seduce and corrupt as many of Gods servants as they can in all things immediately concerning God and his kingdom and make conscience not to restrain them Should this be their duty they would prove poor healers to the people committed to their charge Esay 3.7 having not so much power or liberty of conscience as to make use of Gods sword in their hand to restrain such as have spiritual plague sores running upon them from maliciously intermixing themselves with and desperately infecting of those that are sound 2 Tim. 2.17 I would but propose one question in the fear of God to the serious thoughts of such as would clip the wings of civil Christian Magistrates as to all affairs and offences how open and odious soever immediately relating to God and his kingdom Why should it be thought more unsutable to Gods goodnesse greatness all-filling presence in the world and zeal of his own glory in the time of the Gospel then of the Law to have Christian Magistrates whom he makes his substitutes in the government of such a people amongst whom his Name is professed imployed for him under him in the judicial suppressing of manifest corruptions and corrupters of his truth and worship so in the wel managing of such affairs as immediately concern himself and his kingdom It is certain that with the Lord is no shadow of turning he is still as truly and as
this Christ is Ours whatsoever he is and that he hath loved Vs and given himself for Vs And this Revelation all the Faithful have together with Paul Vse 1. B And thus having answered this Objection we shall proceed to make some Use of this Point also And first we may observe what an excellent apprehension and vision of Christ true faith hath namely it looks on Christ not as a Severe Judge or Law-giver but as one who hath truly loved us and given himself for us And such a Discovery and Vision of Christ as this will uphold our souls mightily in all our saddest and darkest hours and will preserve us that we be not swallowed up of Despair Yea when we see Christ thus nothing is so sweet lovely and desirable to us as He is Now Satan and our evil Consciences will ever be representing Christ otherwise to us to make him Dreadful and Terrible to our Souls as Luther reports of a certain Doctor in his time who apprehended that Christ stood at the right hand of his Father accusing him for his sins and with the very horror and agony of this apprehension he pined away and died Wherfore let us not see Christ as Satan and our evil Consciences represent him in the hour of Temptation but as the Gospel holds him forth and then we shall see him to be such an one who hath loved us and given himself for us And such a knowledge of Christ will support and establish us again in the worst assaults that sin and death and hell can make against us Vse 2. 2. We may learn That faith carries nothing to Christ of its own but it goes empty and naked to him and expects to receive all things from him Faith saith Christ loved me and gave himself for me when I did not love him nor give my self for him yea when I was an Eenemy to him and Crucified him Faith saith I have no righteousnesse nor wisdom nor goodnesse nor any worth at all to carry to Christ but I expect all from him being in my self poor and miserable and blind and naked Vnbelief is altogether looking at what we have done for Christ but faith is altogether beholding what Christ hath done for us Vnbelief would fain bring something to Christ for which Christ might accept it but faith brings us unto Christ destitute of all good and full of all evil and even then casts us with confidence and assurance on his free love and mercy Vnbelief when it finds no good in it self dares not go to Christ nor trust in him but faith can trust in Christ in the midst of all sin and evil as well as in the midst of all graces and vertues for else no flesh could be saved And thus unbelief makes void the Gospel but faith establishes it For when a man would first find in himself a love to Christ and readiness to give himself for him eâ—re he can conceive any hope that Christ did love him and gave himself for him this man abolishes the Gospel and makes Christ void who came to save sinners and to justifie the ungodly But now he that feels nothing but sin and death and hell in himself and all manner of evil and enmity against God and yet notwithstanding all this can go to Christ by faith and can believe that Christ hath loved him even in this condition and given himself for him this is the man that magnifies the Gospel and hath the right understanding and knowledge of Christ Yes this is the man that gives God the greatest glory that any creature on earth can give him yea greater then all the Angels in Heaven can give him for they being full of the righteousness of their first Creation believe the Love of God to them but for men that have lost all that righteousnesse and are besides filled with all manner of sin even then to believe the love of God in Christ this is the precious faith of the Gospel and the greatest glorification of God that can be Wherefore Paul saith here he loved me and gave himself for me as if he had said he found in me no Free-will or Natural abilities no good desires affections or ends but he saw me wholly estrayed from God wicked abominable and the captive of the Devil and yet such was his goodness that notwithstanding all this he loved me and gave himself for me And this was the victory and triumph of Pauls faith Now by this that hath been last said we may perceive that every man naturally would find something in himself to bring to Christ to make him acceptable unto him and that very few can believe That he loves Vs whilst we are sinners and that whilst we are yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly Vse 3. 3. In that Christ loved us and gave himself for us we may hereby come to understand how strong mighty and unconquerable our sin was even so mighty that the whole world and all the creatures were unable and unsufficient to take it away but the Son of God must give himself for it and must become a Sacrifice for it or it had remained upon us for ever Wherefore let us know that our Free-will and Natural abilitise and works and duties were of no force at all to take away our sin but Christ must do that by giving himself for them And insomuch as Christ the Son of the living God hath given himself for them we rest assured that they are done away for ever and that none can lay any thing to our charge if do we believe in him Vse 4. 4. Let us labour for this particular faith and assurance in our hearts that Christ hath loved us and given himself for us There is nothing that the Devil does more labour to hinder us from then this particular application For he well knows that if we once truly believe that Christ hath loved us and given himself for us then we cannot chuse but forthwith love him again and give our selves for him and also be most ready and resolved to do or to suffer any thing for Christ the Spiritual sense of this special love is so constraining Wherefore as it is the great policy of the Devil to labour to hinder us from the sense of Christs special Love so it must be our especial care to endeavour to attain unto it For the true and Spiritual attainment hereof will be of great concernment to ut in all things For first the Spiritual taste of this Special Love will make us forward to do any thing for Christ as I said it will make us fruitful and abundant in his work and we can never be Idle when we shall comprehend with all Saints what is the height and breadth and length and depth and shall know this Love of Christ which passeth knowledge 2. It will make us ready and forward to suffer any thing for Christ any reproches slanders oppositions persecutions prisons torments nothing being bitter or grievous to that soul
where the Love of Christ is tasted 3 The Spiritual taste of this Special Love wil sweeten all the mercies of God which he gives us to enjoy in this world which would not be truly sweet if we did not taste his special love in them yea the taste of this love will make every ordinary mercy extraordinary and every small blessing a great one for nothing is ordinary or small where the special love of God is tasted 4. And lastly this spiritual taste of the special love of God will cause us constantly to put our trust in him seeing God who hath given us Christ and Christ who hath given us himself can afterwards deny us nothing nor suffer any thing to do us any prejudice Wherefore let these considerations move us to labour for this particular faith that we may believe that Christ hath loved us and given himself for us Yea let us known that such is Christs love to his Elect that he would not have refused to have given himself for any one single person of them and to have suffered the same things for any one of them as he hath done for all of them that each of us may know that we are as much engaged to be thankful to Christ as if he had given himself for us onely seeing each Christian by true faith may say with Paul he loved me and gave himself for me And this is all the hope and comfort we have in this World and we desire to live and dye with this faith rooted in our hearts ANIMADVERSION XX. A THis is a very good discovery of the nature of right saving faith which how it can consist with Mr Dels former description of the nature of faith Sect. 17. A I see not B The doctrine delivered by Mr Del in the following uses which he maketh of the point before him is old sound and good and needs not any new notions to support or inforce it If that passage following faith can trust in Christ in the midest of all sin and evil as wel as in the midst of all graces and vertues be understood with some grains of Gospel salt which it much needeth as intending that when a man seeth nothing in himself but sin and evil he may yet and should then being burdened come to Christ for rest and trust on Christ for life as much as if he saw himself in the middest of all graces and vertues saying with the Apostle This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief It may then as I conceive be admitted for a truth which yet had need be delivered with much caution and many Gospel provisoes lest otherwise it might occasion in men a boldnesse to continue in sin that grace may abound which is a dreadful abuse of the Gospel noted and renounced by the Apostle Rom. 6.1 I think that much of that reproach of Antinomianism which many have drawn upon themselves in our dayes hath proceeded from an Antinomian liberty of language which they have affected and taken to themselves holding to no ordinary rule or law of words in their expressions but loving to deliver old and sound doctrines in new and dangerous terms and forms of words which have no doubt misguided multitudes into wicked and wretched errours which I am apt to conceive their leaders did not as their disciples do apprehend to be Scripture truths It would be very happy if at the length that Apostolical rule might obtain amongst us both in words and deeds Let us not judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Rom. 14.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quicunque ista lecturi sunt non me imitentur errantem sed in melius proficientem August Retract FINIS