So that it is plain, that the deftruction of fin in our bodies by the living Word and Spirit of God, is our crucifying with Chrift. And verf. 11. the Apoftle would have thofe that are thus crucified with Chrift, to reckon themselves dead to fin, for as the word and Spirit of God in Chrift made him wholy dead to fin, and fin had no place in him: So likewise, as far as the fame Word and Spirit of Chrift prevail in us, they will make us dead to fin for the time paft, and prefent; and for the future will preferve us from fin.

And now we shall make fome Ufe of this point. Ufe. 2. First, Then let us know that it is not enough to Salvation to believe, That Jefus Chrift according to bis humane nature, was outwardly crucified on a cross for us at Jerufalem, except we also our own felves be crucified with him, through his living Word and Spirit dwelling in us through which we must be powerfully planted into a true likenefs of his death, in fuch fort that we must be dead unto all fin whatfoever, even to all our own corruptions and lufts; and to all the Corruptions that are in the world through luft; and we must be dead to our felves; to our own fleshly reafon, understanding, will, defires, 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 pleafures, profits, and honours of it: we muft thus truly be dead with Christ, e're we can live with him. And with this kind of crucifying muft whole Chrift be crucified, from the Head to the lowest members: and thus alfo must we be crucified with him, if we will have any part in him; I fay, we must have fellowship with him in his Sufferings, and be made conformable to him in his death, e're ever we can attain to his Resurrection from the dead.

Now if any defire to know how we may attain. to be thus Crucified with Chrift?

I answer, that the true faith of Gods Elect, is the only way through which we can attain to this crucifying. 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 Chrift.

Indeed Hypocrites and carnal Chriftians, receive and profefs a word that will not crucifie them with Chrift, but do receive a word and doctrine that will ftill fuffer them to live their own lives, and after their own lufts. For the word they receive, is only an outward word, confifting of di vers queftions, opinions, and Doctrines; and is alfo without the Spirit, and fo it leaves them as it found them in reference to their Natures and corruptions.

But the word that faith receives, is the Word of righteousness and life; a word that is always accompanied with the Spirit: and when this is ingrafted into the foul, and abides in it, it prefently mortifies and crucifies it, and deftroys a mans felf out of himself. And therefore in 1 Cor. 1. 18. it is called yó • Tỡ saups, The word of the cross; and that not only because it expofes 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 fame verfe is called alfo Jurauis Os, the power of God: For that Word that crucifies our fiefh, and fubdues and destroys the whole ftrength of corruption out of us, must be fuch a word as is alfo the Power of God: and fo it is not only in it felf, but also because the Spirit of God dwells in it. And this Word thus apprehended, 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,

1. Throughly; It will crucifie the whole man throughout, and that according to his mind, will, and affections, for this Word of God is quick and powerful and harper than any two edged fword, and is piercing to the dividing asunder both of the foul and fpirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and is a curious difcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, &c. And all the tribulations and Torments in the world, yea, all the forrows and pains of Hell, cannot fo crucifie and fubdue 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 Chrift was dead (which was the fulleft and compleateft death that ever was) that is, till our outward and inward man be wholly and fully fubject to the only Will of God.

2. This Word of faith will crucifie us daily and conftatly, as Paul witnesses, faying, nap upav STO Ornon, I dye daily, for the word of righteousness dwell-1 Cor.15. ing in us, is clean contrary to our corrupt nature, 31. and all the operations of it, and doth without intermiffion put forth its ftrength and efficacy against both. That as in the firft break of day, the light is ftill mortifying the darkness, till it have wholly dispelled it; so the Word of righteoufnefs deals with our corruptions till their place fhall be no more found.

Now because this our crucifying with Chrift is fo contrary to the flesh, that the flesh is always mourning under it, and murmuring against it; therefore for our encouragement in fo difficult a work as this, I fhall propound fome choice and excellent advantages that believers have by being truly crucified with Chrift. For by this means,

1. We are freed from the Law. For as the humanity of Chrift being crucified by the Word and Spirit, by this means became dead to the Law,

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and the Law loft all its power over him; fo all the faithful that are thus crucified with him, are through this crucifying fet free from the Law: for their own life being extinguished by the living Word and Spirit, and they living in that word and fpirit a life not their own, but Chrifts, are as truly freed from the Lam as Chrift himfelf was. 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 Chrift, and dead with Chrift, 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 felves through the Life of Chrift, we are fet quite without the reach of the Law, and the Law hath no more to do with us the Members, than with Chrift the Head.

2. By being crucified with Chrift, we are freed of fin. For one of the chief ends of the in-dwelling of the Word and Spirit in Believers, is to free them, and fave them from fia: and though fin hath its full power in our own humane life, yet it hath no power over Chrifts life in us, which we live, through Faith. Wherefore faith Paul, Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not ferve fi; and ver. 12. faith he, Let not in therefore reίgη ἐν τῷ θνητῳ ὑμῶν σώματι, in your mortal or dead body; which he calls dead, not in reference to the common mortality of the world, but in reference to our crucifying with Chrift; and in the body that is crucified with Chrift, fin is not to reign. And fo you fee, that through our crucifying with Chrift, we are dead to fin alfo. For it is impofible that Chrift and fin fhould live together in ftrength, in the fame flesh; but if fin live in our

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flesh, it will crucifie us to Chrift; and if Chrift live in our flesh, he will crucifie us to fin.

3. By being crucified with Chrift, we are freed from death, that death that arifes of fin, and carries the wrath of God in it: For through the death of the Second Adam, we are fet free from the death of the first Adam, and through that death do die unto life. Unbelieving 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; but when we by faith are made members of Chrifts body, of his flesh and bones, then life reigns in Chrifts flesh, as death in ours. And fo being crucified with Christ, death hath no more dominion over us.

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4. By being crucified with Chrift, we are alfo freed from the power of the Devil. The Devil hath - power over our flesh, or humanity whilft it is our own, and under the Law, fin and death. But when our flesh is united to Chrift, and is crucified by the Word and Spirit, then Satan comes, and hath nothing in it, as he came to Chrift, and had nothing in him. The Devil then can find nothing in us to do us harm, or whereby he may prevail against us, when we are truly crucified with Christ.

5. The flesh that is crucified with Chrift, is only Christs own flesh. For whilft we live our own lives in unbelief, we are only the flesh of the first Adam; but when the living Word and Spirit dwell in us and crucifies us, then our flesh becoms the flesh of the fecond Adam; and fo far as it is #crucified through the Word, it is Chrifts flesh more than ours.

6. This crucified flesh, is the only temple and habitation of God, wherein he dwels and manifefts himfelf in this world: For as God dwelt in Christs flesh, which was thus crucified, and made it his temple, fo he dwells in the crucified flesh of BelieY

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