Animadversions on William Dells Book, Section 5
SECT. V. 1. Of Chriſts own crucyfying.
NOw Chriſts true crucifying, I mean his inward and ſpiritual crucifying, in which all his Saints, without any exception, have their fellowſhip with him, it was this. (A) It was the taking up his humane nature into his divine nature, or the taking up his fleſh into the Word; in ſuch ſort, that (B) the fleſh of Christ, did not live the life of the fleſh, in the reaſon and underſtanding, and wiſdom, and will, and affections, and deſires, and delights, and ends of the fleſh; but the fleſh or humanity of Chriſt, being crucified and dead to all theſe things, did live in it ſelf the life of the eternal Word, in the nature, righteouſneſſe, life, minde, will, and in all the things of God. And this was the Full and perfect crucifying of the fleſh of Chriſt indeed.
And thus you ſee, th t the Living word, and Spirit of God, which dwelt in the fleſh of Chriſt, did truly Crucifie and deſtroy the proper will and affections, and the whole life of his fleſh.
(C) And thus was Christ crucified before his croſſe; and his outward crucifying, was but a ſign of what was done before within; (D) and if Chriſts fleſh had not thus been crucified before his Croſſe, he had not after given it up, ſo freely, cheerfully, and deſirouſly, to be crucified ſo ſhamefully, painfully, and bleedingly on the Croſſe.
(E) The Divine Nature of Chriſt, was the constant croſſe of his Humane Nature; and his humane nature was fully crucified in his Divine; in ſuch ſort, that the Humane nature of Chriſt, had not the leaſt freedom of its own proper will leſt to it ſelf; but when it was to undergo the heavieſt and bittereſt things, that any creature was capable to undergo, even Death and Hell, and the ſenſe of the whole wrath of God: yet even then he ſaid, not my will, but thine be done: Which was the moſt full and perfect cruciſying that could be. (F) For the Man Chriſt, loſt all his own things in God, through immediate union with God, and was filled again with all the things of God in his humanity: which took away his humanity wholly from it ſelf, to God, to be, do, and ſuffer all in the will of God; and this was his crucifying.
(G) And this now, is the moſt excellent and glorious crucifying of Chriſt, that is to be preached to all Nations for the obedience of faith. (H) For to preach the outward crucifying of Chriſt barely and alone, without this inward and Spiritual crucifying of him (which is not onelyonly the original and the cauſe, but alſo the perfection and glory of the other) is no great matter, neither will it make the world much in love with him, ſeeing two Thieves were thus crucified with him, at the ſame time, outwardly as he was. But to preach Chriſt crucified by the living Word and Spirit of God that dwelt in him, through which he was wholly dead to himſelf and the world, and lived wholly in the will of God, ſo that though he were the Son of God, yet he made himſelf of no reputation, but gave up his fleſh and outward man to be crucified among thieves, at the will of his Father. foreignThis I ſay is the glorious crucifying of Chriſt, which the Goſpel preaches in all the world, even the crucifying of Chriſts fleſh by the Spirit and Divine nature. (I) For Chriſts dying had been nothing, if the life of God within him had not offered up his humane life; (K) and his 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 ſpeaks, Heb. 9.14. But this did put ſuch an infinite worth, excellency, and efficacy on his outward crucifying; and thereby he is ſaid to redeem us unto God, even by his bloud; and by that one offering of himſelf, to perfect for ever them that are ſanctified Heb. 10.14.
And thus much touching Chriſts own Crucifying; the next thing, is
ANIMADVERSION V.
(A) VVHere is any Scripture that ſpeaketh thus, and giveth us ſuch a deſcription of our Saviours crucifying. To the Law and to the teſtimony, Eſay 8.20. It is I confeſſe, beyond my knowledge, if ever any Chriſtian, ancient or modern, did define the crucifying of Chriſt, to be the taking up of his fleſh into the word, before Mr Dell.
(B) If the humanity of our Saviour did live in it ſelf the life of the eternal word, in the nature of God, then it will follow, as I apprehend, that our Lord Chriſt had no humane life diſtinct from the life of the eternal word in him, from the very firſt inſtant of his aſſuming of our humanity, and ſo could have no humane will to deny, or life to lay down for us: And where is the doctrine of the Croſſe then? If Mr Dell hath any reſerved ſence of his words, and doth not mean as he ſpeaks, which I a mind ned to believe, he ſhould do well to ſpeak as he means. Whereas Mr Dell writeth that the fleſh of Chriſt did not live the life of the fleſh in the reaſon and understanding, and wiſdom, & wil and affections, and deſires, and delights, and ends of the fleſh, if he means thereby that our Saviour was not in the courſe of his life, guided by the reaſon, underſtanding, and wiſdom of his humane nature, to will, affect, deſire, delight in, or purſue any humane ends ſutable to the liking of fleſh and bloud, but did altogether reſign himſelf to the will of God his Father, that it might be perfectly done by him, and upon him, how croſſe ſoever it was to his humane will and wiſdom, in the native propenſity thereof, this is a very clear and ſound truth; and I ſhould ſo underſtand Mr Dell, and put ſuch a ſence upon the following words, ſc. that the fleſh or humanity of Chriſt did live in it ſelf the life of the Eternal word, in the nature, righteouſneſſe, life, minde, will, and in all the things of God, as that they ſhould import no more, but that our Saviour obedientially ordered himſelf in the whole courſe of his life, in doing, and ſuffering according to the minde and will of God his Father, which is very good Goſpel doctrine, generally acknowledged: Did not the laying of the preſent words to thoſe which follow in this book, ſeem plainly to put a more ſublimate interpretation upon them, and to evidence that Mr Dell intended in them, to ſet himſelf above the pitch of the old ordinary Chriſtian Doctrine, ſc. That our Lord Chriſt in his humanity, lived a humane life, ordered wholly according to the divine rule of the wil of God his Father. Yet if Mr Dell will ſo interpret himſelf in his high-flown expreſſions, as to come down to the plain, naked, known truth of the Goſpel, concerning our Saviours obediential living and dying too, according to the will and wiſdom not of his humane nature, but of God his Father which ſent him; I 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.