honour to be made the sonnes of God The Apostle twice speakes of the great priviledge of Christians Rom. 8. 15. Yee have received the Spirit of Adoption Gal. 4. 4 5. That wee might receive the Adoption of sonnes I but how come wee to receive the Adoption of sonnes God sent his Sonne that wee might receive the Adoption of sonnes But is that all that is to be done that God should send his Sonne No for though God hath sent his Son yet all are not made sons Therefore as on Gods part so something is to be done on our part also God sent forth his Sonne that we might receive his Sonne and so might receive the Adoption of sonnes For to as many as received him he gave them this priviledge to be made the Sons of God Luk. 19. 9. This day is Zacheus become a sonne of Abraham It is all one to be a sonne of Abraham in our Saviours sense and a sonne of God Now when became Zacheus a sonne of Abraham and so a sonne of God This day namely in which he had received Christ not onely into his house but into his heart The very same day and houre then that a man receives Christ into his heart that very day and houre he receives the honour and happinesse of being a sonne of God When we receive Christ God receives us and when he receives us wee receive the great benefit of Adoption 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. I will receive you And what shall we receive by that And will be a Father unto you and yee shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord God Almighty Now what a motive is this if well considered to make us receive Christ It may be for thine outward estate thou art but the sonne of meane parents of poore obscure parents it may be in a servile and bond condition Or what ever thou art for thine outward yet for thy spirituall condition thou art naturally no better then a childe of wrath a childe of death a cursed childe a slave of the devill a base drudge to thy lusts And were it not now a faire advancement a goodly and a glorious priviledge for such an one to be made a son of God why then doe but receive Christ and he will presently honour thee with this priviledge to be made a sonne of God Gal. 3. 7. Know yee therefore that they which are of faith and so by faith doe receive Christ the same are the Children of Abraham yea know yee that they which receive Christ the same are the children of God Gal. 3. 26 27. Yee are the children of God by faith Why so Because yee have put on Christ He that puts on Christ receives him as he that puts on a garment receives it So that by faith putting on and receiving Christ we are made the sonnes of God Had wee but hearts to consider and in some sort but to conceive what it is to be a damned dog a son of wrath and what it is to be a sonne of God how would our soules not almost but altogether be perswaded to receive Christ If the receiving of the Kings sonne would make us but the Kings favourites how ambitious would we be and at what cost to receive him if but an opportunity offered But here now doe but receive Christ and thou shalt be not onely one of Gods favourites but one of Gods sonnes The second benefit is the Spirit of God There is a promise Act. 2. 38. Yee shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost It is a blessed thing to receive the Holy Ghost He is the Spirit of life and light the spirit of consolation power and prayer So that the receiving of the Spirit of God is the receiving of all spirituall good Isa 32. 15. where the Spirit of God is powred forth the wildernesse becomes a fruitfull field And there is thriving and growing in Grace Isa 44. 3. It were needlesse to insist in all the benefits we have by receiving the Holy Ghost Consider that 1 Cor. 2. 10. 12. But now how come wee to receive the Holy Ghost By Receiving Christ The Receiving of Christ is the way to receive the Holy Ghost Gal. 3. 14. That wee might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Through faith wee receive Christ Joh. 1. 12. and through that receiving of Christ by faith we also receive the Spirit Joh. 7. 39. This be spake of the Spirit which they that beleeve in him should receive When Christ once is in us and dwells in us we have received him as he that dwells in an house is received thereinto And Rom. 8. 9 10 11. The Apostle shewes that by Christs being in us we have the Spirit in us As we know when Christ gives us his Spirit that he dwells in us 1 Joh. 4. 13. so we know also that when he dwells in us he gives us his Spirit It is not every mans case to have Gods Spirit As all men have not faith so all men have not the Spirit of God Every one receives him not every one cannot receive him Joh. 14. 17. The Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive And what is the reason why worldly men cannot receive him Because they will not receive Christ Christ must be first received before his Spirit can be received for the Spirit is Christs Spirit and therefore must he be received before his Spirit can No sooner is Christ received but he breaths upon that soule that receives him and sayes unto it as he did in that case to his Disciples Receive the Holy Ghost When Simon Magus saw that by laying on of the Apostles hands men received the Holy Ghost he would presently have been drawing his purse and would have given money to have had that gift Act. 8. 17 18 19. Now if wee would have the blessing our selves to receive the Holy Ghost wee shall not need to seek it by money that will not doe it It must be had not by Giving but by Receiving Receive Christ and his Spirit is ours Marke how the Apostle carries those words Rom. 13. 13 14. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting drunkennesse c. But put yee on the Lord Jesus Christ One would have thought he should have said But put on the Graces of sobriety chastity love c. and all the graces of the Spirit but in stead of that he sayes put yee on the Lord Jesus Christ because the putting on of Christ and receiving of him is the putting on and the receiving of the Spirit and all the sanctifying graces thereof If then we prize the receiving of the Spirit of grace into our hearts then with all forwardnesse receive we Christ The third benefit is Power and Ability 3. to yeeld God obedience In receiving Christ we do withall receive power and ability to give God obedience He requires of us duties of obedience duties of worship as hearing prayer c. He requires of us to work the works of
God and to walk in the wayes of God Now take us in our selves and wee can do nothing till we have received Christ we can do no duty of obedience of service we can neither walk nor work But when Christ is once received into the soul then there is withall a power received into the soul by which it is enabled to do the duties God requires of us See how these are joyned together in this Text As yee have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Wee are commanded to walk in him but yet we must receive him A man that will walk must first receive a principle of life and motion A dead man can neither walke nor worke wee are made alive before wee do walk and wee are made alive by receiving Christ 1 Joh. 5. 12. Hee that hath the Son hath life Hee that hath received Christ hath received life by which he is enabled to actions of life Gal. 2. 20. The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God as if hee had said I have received Christ and so having received him have also received spirituall life by which I am quickened and enabled to all duties of obedience Gal. 5. 25. If wee live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit And if we would walk in the Spirit we must live in the Spirit and so if wee would walk in Christ we must first live in Christ and live by Christ It is impossible for us to live till wee have received Christ who is our life The Apostle here speaks of walking in Christ 2 Cor. 6. 16. he speaks of Christs walking in us I will dwell in them and walk in them It is a sure thing that hee must walk in us before wee can walk in him And hee cannot walk in us till wee receive him Joh. 15. Without me or separated from me yee can do nothing Now till wee receive him wee are separated from him But now let us once receive him and wee receive power to do what he requires When Adam lay a lump of clay on the earth though his body had the shape parts and proportion of a man yet could hee do no action belonging to a man till he received life But so soon as he received life he could walk speak discourse do any thing that belonged to a man So though a man in his naturall condition may do morall duties of obedience and perform outward services yet all this while this is but the livelesse shape of a Christian But when once he receives Christ who is our life Col. 3. then Christian life is infused and received and then hee can do such things as a Christian doth them with that power and spirit that is required in a Christian It is little comfort we can have in any thing we do or have till wee have received Christ and do what wee do by his power Then a man hath comfort in the fruits of his obedience when it is fruit unto God Then our fruit is brought forth to God when we bring it forth by vertue of our marriage to Christ Rom. 7. 4. That yee should be married to Christ that we should bring forth fruit unto God A woman may have children that is not married but shee can have little credit and comfort in such fruit of her wombe It is but bastardly fruit upon which shee cannot look without blushing cheekes but then hath shee comfort in her children when they are legitimate and shee hath them by her husband in marriage Turkes and Heathens may doe some morall duties of Justice mercy c. but it is all but spurious fruit base-born issue in which they can have no comfort because all these are children out of lawfull wedlock they are not married in Christ and bring not forth by a principle of life from him What a motive should this be to make us receive Christ Wee are in a miserable condition till we do receive him God commands to repent and we know that without repentance there is no way but damnation Except yee repent yee shall all perish God commands to mortifie the deeds of the flesh and wee know that without mortification there is no way but death Rom. 8. 13. Now untill wee receive Christ wee can as well remove mountaines as repent for one sinne as mortifie one lust But when Christ is once received then is power received to mortifie lusts then there is power received to repent Act. 5. 13. Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel As therefore we desire to receive power and ability to give God obedience and to performe the duties of his service he requires so be ready and forward to receive Christ CHAP. IIII. The great danger of not Receiving Christ THirdly Consider the great Danger of not Receiving Christ It is a 3. wonderfull dangerous thing not to receive Christ when God offers him and when he seekes to us and invites us to receive him It is a great sinne not to receive Christ Joh. 5. 43. Yee receive me not John complaines 3 John 9. 10. that Diotrephes received him not and that he received not the brethren This is complained of as a great sin And if a great sinne in Diotrephes not to receive John and not to receive the brethren how much more is it a great sinne not to receive Christ specially when he offers himself to be received of us It is complained of as the hainous and horrible sinne of the Jewes Joh. 1. 11. That he came to his owne and his own received him not It was the foule sin of the world that when Christ as God was in the world and the world was made by him that the world knew him not Joh. 1. 10. but it is made the greater sinne of the Jewes that when he was manifested in the flesh and he came to them in person and offered himselfe to them yet they received him not And our sinne now under the more cleere light of the Gospel will be greater then theirs if we receive him not And as the sinne is great so must the danger and punishment of it needs be great if we receive him not They to whom Christ is offered if they receive him not it may be said of them in this case as our Saviour speaks of the Pharisees in that Luk. 20. 47. They shall receive the greater Damnation There is a greater Damnation for some men then for other some There is Damnation for such as know not God and never heard of Christ but for those that have heard of Christ and have had him offered unto them and have refused and not received that offered Christ there is a greater Damnation If men receive not so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. as is offered by receiving Christ how shall they but receive the greater Damnation Consider that Mat. 10. 14 15. Whosoever shall not receive you and heare your
good that is in and amongst you ver 5. Well then what is it that you would have us doe Answ Since my care is so great for you since the Gospel is so certaine sublime and perfect therefore I would have you That as you have received Christ so yee would walke on in him c. In which words he exhorteth them unto two things 1. To walke in Christ 2. To be rooted in him To a going on in the profession of Christ and to a stability and stedfastnesse there in Hee first exhorts to a walking in Christ To this he urges them by that they had already done As yee have received Christ Jesus the Lord. As if he had said Yee have begun well yee have received Christ the Lord and yee professe yee have received him now then as yee have begun so goe on and to your receiving of Christ adde your going on and walking in him from which argument of the Apostle we may take this lesson by the way That good beginnings are an engagement Doct. to good proceedings Receiving Christ is an engagement and an obligation to walking in him Psal 4. 9. Those things that yee have both learned and received and heard and seene in me doe Thus you have learned and received therefore doe thus Apoc. 3. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent It is this ground that edges those sharp reproofs Gal. 3. 3. Are yee so foolish Having begun in the Spirit are yee now made perfect by the flesh and Gal. 5. 7. Yee did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth And this is the reason why they that have begun well and yet goe not on shall receive a smarter punishment then such as never made any such beginning at all because they had a greater tye and engagement then others to be godly and religious Their latter end is worse then their beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. And why so because their beginnings were better then other mens They began to build they began to look towards Christ and Heaven these beginnings engaged them to a further progresse and because such engagement notwithstanding they brake off therefore have they made their account the heavier Let it teach us therefore if once wee have given up our names to Christ to goe on and hold on A giving up the name to Christ and a beginning to professe religion it is a subscribing with the hand to the Lord. Isa 44. 5. It is a saying I am the Lords Now when wee have once said we are the Lords and have subscribed to it set us also have a care to say wee will be the Lords and to stand to and make good our subscription But if once wee have subscribed with our hand and after our subscription be found Revolters God will bring in our own hands against us The entrance upon profession of Christs name is subscription Subscription is an obligation to God An obligation forfeited makes a man liable to the penalty This by the way Before I come to the thing pressed I will take the words in order as they lye and begin first with that ground upō which he presses them to that duty As yee have received Jesus Christ the Lord. In which words he implyes that they had received Christ they professed that they had received him and he takes it for granted as a ground upon which he will work them on further from what these Colossians did learne What is every mans duty to doe that meanes to be a true Christian indeed CHAP. I. It is the duty of every one that will be a Christian to receive Christ A Man is never a Christian indeed till this be done The Lord Jesus Christ is to be received of us God he offers Christ to us he tenders him in the Gospel and as it is Gods mercy to offer him so it is our duty and should be our wisdome to receive him for that is the end of all Gods offers He doth not offer him only to shew that there is a Christ or what kinde of Christ he is hee doth not offer him to be seen and shewed but God offers him to this end that he might be received And therefore when God sends his Ministers to preach Christ and to offer him unto people in their ministery hee speaks of Christ in this case as Paul speaks to the Philippians of Epaphroditus Phil. 2. 29. Receive him with all gladnesse and hold him in reputation And as God offers Christ to be received so he himself also is willing to be received Wee know what the Pharisees quarrell was with him Luke 15. 2. This man receives sinners And it was true hee did so But why did he so Surely to let sinners see how willing hee is that they should receive him His receiving of sinners was but to invite them to the receiving of him Yea the errand he sends his Ministers upon is but to perswade men to receive him Hee seeks to be received Cant. 5. 2. Open unto mee my sister my love c. As if he had said Lo here I am I offer my self unto thee I sue and seek unto thee to be received and entertained Yea hee complains of it and takes it ill when men receive him not John 5. 43. I came in my Fathers Name and yee received me not Now if Christ were not willing and desirous to be received he would not complain of it and take it as an unkindness not to be received Wee ought in their kind to receive godly men John 3. 8. We therefore ought to receive such And if we ought to receive such then much more ought we to receive Christ himself As then wee would prove our selves Vse 1. true Christians indeed so be we forward and ready to receive Christ offered unto us Wee should do in this case as Zacheus did in that Luke 19. 5 6. Zacheus sayes Christ Make haste and come down for to day I must abide at thine house Here was an offer a fair offer of Christ What doth Zacheus do does he demurre and deliberate upon it and take time to think of it no such matter And he made hast sayes the Text and came down and received him joyfully Zacheus presently imbraces the offer receives him hastily and joyfully No sooner should Christ offer himself unto us but with all readines greedines should he be received of us There is a strange perversenesse of spirit in us a strange naturall untowardnesse in us to receive Christ See how Christ speaks Joh. 5. 43. I am come unto you in my Fathers name and yee receive me not if another come in his own name him yee will receive So it is still with us If Satan come with a tentation if a lust come with a motion if a false teacher come with a novelty if any thing come that should not come it is strange to see with what readines and greedines we receive these
words shake off the dust of your feete It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgement then for that Citie Why so See the reason ver 40. He that receives you receives me and so also he that refuses you refuses me So then he that refused to receive the Apostles their sinne was that they refused to receive Christ And what should become of those that refused to receive him Gods vengeance shall lie heavier upon such mens heads at the day of Judgement then upon the head of a cursed damned Sodomite That sin shall presse and sinke a mans soule deeper into hell then Sodoms sin How heavie and dreadfull will Sodoms Hell be in Hell whose sinne made a visible Hell on earth and such an Hell on earth the monuments whereof remaine extant and exemplary to this day to be a terrour to all ungodly ones And yet as heavy as Sodoms punishment shall be it shall be easier then thine that receivest not Christ when offered unto thee Indeed when Christ would have come into a village of Samaria Luk. 9. 53. they would not receive him and they did not receive him sayes the Text. The Disciples would have had fire from heaven to have consumed them And if they thought they were worthy of fire from heaven that would not receive him but to lodge in their Towne and in some of their houses How much more shall they be judged worthy of fire in hell that doe not and will not receive him into their hearts when his Ministers offer him to men and labour to make ready for him And though then Christ would not have fire come downe upon those Samaritans yet when the time of judgement comes he will bring fiery vengeance upon all those that have not received him into their hearts 2 Thes 1. 7 8. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Not to obey the Gospel is not to obey the commandements of the Gospel as not to obey the Law is not to obey the commandements of the Law Now the maine commandement of the Gospel is Receive the Lord Jesus Christ This commandement not obeyed will bring fiery vengeance on his head that obeyes it not Oh that men would but thinke seriously of this danger The stoutest sturdiest and most rebellious spirit that ever was when he shall see Christ come in Glory shall then with howling and wringing of hands cry out upon himself Ah cursed wretch that I am oh that I had had the grace to have received this Lord Christ when he was offered to me Ah beast and foole that I received him not when I was so often pressed to it now shall I receive vengeance and wrath for ever because I received not the Lord Christ Nay thinke upon one thing also before that day come There will be a day of Death before the day of Judgement Thou must dye and thou knowest not how soone and when thou commest to dye like enough thou wilt take up Stephens prayer Acts 7. 59. Lord Jesus receive my spirit Then full faine wilt thou be to have Christ Jesus receive thy soule Now wouldest thou in good earnest have Christ Jesus receive thy soule when thou dyest why then be as willing to receive Christ Jesus into thy soule whilest thou livest He will receive no soule that hath not first received him In vaine shalt thou cry at thy last gaspe Lord Jesus receive my soule if thy soule have not before received him He will returne thee a cold and a comfortlesse answer Oh now yee can call to mee to receive your soule I called all the dayes of your life to receive me for these thirty forty fifty yeares together and you would never bee brought to receive me As you have dealt by me so will I now deale by you I will now be quit with you I called upon you to receive me and yee would not now cry you on and howle on to me to receive you I will as little regard your calles as you regarded mine your owne measure be mete unto you Let this meditation sinke deeply downe into our hearts and as willingly as wee would have Christ receive our soules at death and as willingly as wee would be received into everlasting habitations at the last day so willingly so gladly receive the Lord Jesus Christ now he is offered to you in the Gospel It being a matter of so great consequence and necessitie to receive Christ Quest how may wee come and what must be done to receive him They that will receive Christ there must be two things done by them Answ 1. All hindrances must be removed 2. Some positive duties must be done CHAP. V. Hindrances to be removed by such as will receive Christ FIrst All such things must be removed that hinder the soule from Receiving Christ There is no man that receives not Christ but there is something that holds him off We reade of a man in the Gospel that had a withered arme Now if a man would have offered him money upon condition that hee would have received it with his hand he could not have received it because his arme was withered So God offers Christ to be received and men receive him not because their armes are withered A Palsey shaking hand may receive an almes but a withered hand cannot Now there is one thing or other that withers the hand of the soule that it cannot stretch out it selfe to receive Christ Men must therefore first consider what that is which withers their hand arme and must get that first removed before they can receive Christ When Antichrist was to come into the world he could not be received untill that which hindred were taken out of the way 2 Thes 2. 7. when Christ would and should be received there is still some one thing or other that lets and hinders it And he cannot be received till that which hinders be taken out of the way Let us see what those hindrances are that must be first taken out of the way They are these First An over-good conceit of a 1. mans own condition and estate wherein he is for the present Such a conceit disconceits a man of the necessitie of Christ and makes him regardlesse of him when offered Offer to a man a thing that he needs not and he will not be at the paines to reach forth his hand to receive it What cares he to receive a thing he needs not Offer an almes to a rich man and he scornes it what he take an almes that hath money of his owne in his purse he thinkes it an abuse a disgrace and a disparagement to him for one of his ranke and repute to have an almes offered him But offer it to a poore man to a needy person his heart is gladded at the offer and hee thankfully receives it A man that thinkes highly
10. 41. He that receiveth a Disciple He that receives Christ receives a Disciple receives him into love fellowship and communion When a man entertaines and receives a friend he also entertaines and receives his servants If the servants should not be received but be shut out the Master would not thinke himselfe heartily received of such a man Shall the triall be put upon this one thing Judge then whether Christ be received by men in the world by their receiving his Ministers as his Ministers his members as his members Yee suffer fooles gladly sayes Paul 2 Cor. 11. 19. So men receive fooles fidlers jesters players they receive good fellowes gamesters drunkards swearers c. These men they receive gladly But a Minister of Christ and a member of Christ as such an one how gladly is he received into our houses and companies As gladly as water is received into the ship mens contempt and scorne of these testifies how they have received Christ Thus much for the Argument by which he presses to the duty The Duty followes So walke in him By walking he meanes a going forward in the wayes of Godlinesse for walking is a progressive motion Before wee come to the duty first from the subjoyning this to the former As yee have received Christ so walke learne thus much CHAP. X. Whosoever they are that have indeed received Christ they doe walke in him THey that receive Christ either in the Word or in the Sacrament they doe walke in him that is they doe in his strength walke in obedience and fruitfulnesse before God True receivers of Christ are walkers in Christ Christ truly received sets men on walking As faith hath an eye to see Christ and his excellencies as it hath an hand to reach out and to receive Christ so it hath also a foote to walke in Christ It is in this case as it was in that Acts 3. in the healing of the creeple one that was lame from his mothers wombe He could not walke but was carried about vers 2. Now Peter cures this man And how the cure was wrought he tells them vers 12. and 16. Why looke yee so earnestly on us as though by our owne power or holinesse wee had made this man to walke The Name of Christ through faith in his Name hath made this man strong yea the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundnesse It is said vers 7. That his seete and anckle-bones receiv'd strength and he leaping stood and walked and entred into the Temple leaping and walking So then the creeple by faith receiving Christ into his heart ver 16. doth receive strength into his limbes to leape and walke yea so as vers 9. All the people saw him walking Now just so it is spiritually with all that receive Christ Though before they were errant creeples creeples from the wombe that could not stirre one foote in the wayes of God yet when once by faith they receive Christ into their hearts the feete anckle-bones of their soules immediately receive strength and they presently fall to walking so that all the people may see them walking doing those duties performing that service and obedience which before they did not There was another creeple healed Acts 14. 8. who was a creeple from his mothers wombe who had never walked He heares Paul preach vers 9. Paul sees that he had faith in him to be healed and thereupon bids him stand upon his feete And he leaped and walked ver 10. So it is true spiritually though a man have been a creeple all his dayes one that never walked never did any duty of obedience since he was borne yet when once a man hath faith and by faith hath received Christ Christ by faith received will make such an one walke as never walked before Wee shall see that amongst other things our Saviour did it was usually one thing with him to heale the lame and to set them on walking Mat. 15. 30 31. And Mat. 21. 14. The miracles and cures that Christ wrought upon mens bodies were but to teach what a Christ he should be spiritually to mens soules It taught that Christ received into the soule should presently cure the lamenesse thereof and being once received hee makes lame soules walke that never walked before So Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus When we are in Christ then he is in us Then he is in us and wee are in him when wee receive him But what kinde of persons are they that are in Christ and Christ in them that have received Christ who walke after the Spirit Therefore where Christ is received he sets men a walking in the duties of holinesse and obedience When wee receive Christ as he abides in us so we abide in him Now when a man hath received Christ so as he abides in him what will that man doe See 1 Joh. 2. 6. He that sayes he abides in him ought himselfe also to walke And how must he walke Even as he walked Christ was a walking Christ and so every Christian that hath received Christ must be a walking Christian And must and will walke in that way in which Christ walked And the reasons of this are two First That 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath 1. the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life He that receives the Son receives life life from Christ cannot be idle and asleepe but it is active stirring and full of motion Where Christ is received spirituall life is received and spirituall life will set a man awalking and aworking Gal. 5. 25. If wee live in the Spirit let us also walke in the Spirit So that where there is spirituall life there is spirituall walking And where Christ is received there is spirituall life for he that hath the Son hath life And he that hath received the Sonne hath the Sonne for wee come to have him by receiving of him It is possible that in nature a man may have life and yet not walke but where spirituall life is there will be walking Christ received lives in us Gal. 2. 20. And as he lives so he walkes in us and makes us walke in him Secondly Because Christ being received the Spirit of God is received also as we saw before Now the Spirit of God being received he will make us walke in duties of obedience Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Christ received the Spirit is received the Spirit received causes a man to walke so that where Christ is received a man must needs walke CHAP. XI Trialls of Mens Receiving of Christ BY this may men try themselves whether they have received Christ or not Men heare the Gospel daily Preached unto them and live under the Ministry of the Word in which Christ is offered unto them Doe they receive Christ thus offered them yes that they doe by all meanes if you will