vers, and makes that his Temple, as Paul faith to Believers, Te are the temple of the living God, as God hath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them. And God dwells in none of the flesh of all the fons of men, but only in that which is crucified with Chrift; and that flesh that is not thus crucified, is not Gods Habitation, but the Devils.

7. This crucified flesh only, keeps the true Chriftian Sabbath, or the everlasting reft of the new World, which is to ceafe from our own works, and to do the works of God. Whereas that flesh that is alive to it felf, and lives its own life in it felf and the creatures, never enters into the true reft, nor keeps the true Sabbath, but it always works its own works, and doth all things from it felf, and for it felf, and fo long God will not use it, 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 Chrift, the more doth God delight to use it, and to work his own excellent works by it; for fuch flesh will render no resistance to God in his working, and alfo it will do the works of God meerly for the glory of God and good of his brother, being dead to all felf ends and interests.

8. This crucified flesh only is able to endure the will of God, and to fuffer for his Name. For till the flesh be crucified with Chrift, and killed by the Word, it will fuffer nothing for God, but will by all poflible means avoid the Crofs; 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 willingness and cheerfulness. As we have feen in Chrift the Head, and Believers the Members; what grievous things they have fuffered for the name and truth of God, in their erucified flesh; And as this cruci

fied flesh will fuffer any thing for God, fo it will fuffer it aright, that is, Firft, In obedience to God, as Chrift laid down his life, not by neceffity but willingly, Secondly, In meeknefs and patience, as Chrift, who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he fuffered he threatned not, but committed his caufe to him that judgeth righteously. And thirdly, In Love, and that to very perfecutors, fo as to pitty them and pray for them. This is glorious fuffering indeed, and no flesh can fuffer thus, but this crucified flesh.

9. This crucified flesh, as it is able to fuffer all 3 things, fo alfo to overcome all things. That flesh that lives its own life, is foon certainly conquered by all the evils that aflault it; but when it is crucisfied with Chrift, it is alfo quickened with him to overcome all things. So Chrift, who was thus crucified by the Word, though he feemed to the world in his death and Crofs to be quite vanquifhed, 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. This crucified flesh, bath the very glory of Fefus Chrift upon it; and no flesh is fo glorious in the Church, as that which is most crucified with Chrift; for in that, you fhall fee little of it felf, and most of Chrift; little of the first Adam, and most of the second.Look among all the Sons of God, and you fhall fee them that were most crucified with the word, most glorious; the clear beauty of holiness being feen upon them: whereas, that flesh that lives much in it felf, in its own wit, will, reafon, prudence, mind, affections, and the things of its first nature, though there may be fomething

of Chrift in it, yet all these things are fo much uncomeliness and deformity upon it, and are nothing but a thick vail and covering to obfcure Chrift himself. But that Christian that is most dead and crucified to thefe things, he it is that shines moft gloriously in the Kingdom of Christ.

Lastly, this crucified flesh, is the only fubject of the glorious Refurrection. For as the living Word and Spirit that crucified Chrifts flesh, did again raise up that crucified flesh of his from death, and fet it at the right hand of God; and thereby did plainly manifeft him to be the Son of God; fo the fame Word and Spirit that crucifie our flesh, shall as certainly raise it up with Chrift into the fulness of the life and glory of God. And this time the Apoftle calls the day of the manifeftation of the fons of God. For the Word and Spirit whilft they dwell in us and crucifie us, they make it only known to us, and to them that live in the fame faith and Spirit with us, that we are the Children of God: but when they shall raise up this flesh of ours (which they have firft crucified) from death and the grave, into the life, glory and eternity of God, then it fhall be manifeft to all the world, that we are his Children.

And fo our crucifying with Chrift, is a certain pledge of our Refurrection with him: and this the Apoftle teftifies, Rom. 8. 11. faying, He that raifed up Chrift from the dead, fhall quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells 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; we believe we fhall 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 tranflated him into the immediate Kingdom of God.

And

And for this caufe, Col. 1. 18. Chrift 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 prefence of God, as the first fruits and pledge of their Refurrection, who have the fame word and Spirit dwelling in them.

Whence it is evident, that all that flesh which the Word and Spirit do crucifie with Chrift, they fhall alfo rife up together with him, and fit in the fame heavenly places in him: which is the fure hope of all believers.

Now feeing all these things are truth, and are no lye, let us willingly give up our felves to be thus crucified, how bitter and grievous foever it be to the flesh.

Now if any man fhall fay, How Shall I know that Queft. I am thus crucified with Chrift, that I may have intereft in all thefe advantages?

I answer, There are many Tryals of this, fome Anfw. of which I will name very briefly, and fo conclude this matter.

As First, If thou findeft thy own Nature truly fubdued and changed by another Nature that is from God; and if thou findeft thy own life put to an end by another life, that is from God; then art thou crucified with Christ indeed.

1.

2. If thou canst deny thy felf in all things of 2. flesh and blood, and findeft a new felf within thee, to have power over thy old felf which is daily withering and decaying at the prefence of the new creature; then art thou crucified through the Word.

3. If thou art dead to fin, even to all thofe corruptions and lufts which have delighted themselves in thee, and thou again in them; if thou findeft thy felf dead to them, and they killed in thee, then art thou crucified by the Word.

Y 3

4. If

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If thou art dead to the world; and to the things of it, which are the luft of the flesh, the luft of the eyes, and the pride of life, then art thou crucified by the Word.

5. If thou doft not mind the praise and applaufe of men on the one hand, nor their reproaches and indignities on the other hand, but are truly dead to both, then art thou crucified by the Word.

6. If thou art deceased and departed from thy own Will and Works, and canft 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 Perfecutions for Chrift with Patience, and over and above with willingnefs and joy, and doft not draw back for any evils, but doft ftand to them, and overcome them, then alfo art thou crucified by the Word, and that is, crucified with Chrift.

Now this our Crucifying with Chrift, is the chief and greatest matter that we are to mind in this World; Wherefore Paul faith to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 2. 2. ον γαρ ἔκρινα ειδέναι τὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, I did not judge it worth the while to know any thing among you (or to behold any thing in you) but Jefus Christ and him crucified. Seeing in this prefent State of ours, this is our chief business to be cru cified with Chrift, and to be taken out of our felves, and all our own things, till we be altogether reduced to nothing, that we may receive our felves and all things anew in Jefus Chrift. This is the chief work of God by his Word and Spirit upon the Faithful here in this World, as it was alfo his chief Work upon Chrift in the days of his Flesh: For though there were in Chrift many clear Demonftrations of the prefence of God, through