Animadversions on Mr. William Dells book intituled The crucified and quickned Christian. By Humfry Chambers, D.D. Pastor of Pewsy in the county of Wilts. Novemb. vicessimo, 1652. Imprimatur John Owen Vicecan. Oxon.

ANIMADVERSION 10.

(A) THat a Christian is by faith really knit to Christ, and en∣graffed into him, and made one with him, and so hath eternal life from him, as the sience from the stock, is old scri∣pture 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 emi∣nence 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 Justifi∣cation to Faith, in the Name of the Lord Jesus; and Sanctifica∣tion 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 justi∣fied, 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 incli∣neth too much towards the preaching of another gospel. For the Lords acquitting of a sinner from his sins, through the for∣givenesse 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 communi∣cation of his righteousnesse everlastingly to them, or (as he afterwards speaks) Christ living his own life in them; but in re∣lation to the ransoming death of Christ for them, only and whol∣ly. 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 holi∣nes 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 ab∣solve Mr Dels words from being very dangerous, and deroga∣tive from the peculiar honour of our Saviour. Was not the holinesse of the divine nature, or which is all one, the holy di∣vine 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 dwel∣leth 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 cruci∣fied in believers, and the life of the second Adam imparted to be∣lievers, 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 par∣take of the life of Christ, the second death must needs swallow us up.