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
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
beleeve them Men frequently receive the Sacrament and not one receives but he hopes he receives Christ into his heart Now it deeply concernes us seriously to examine our selves whether in truth we have received Christ or no after so much use of his Ordinances If under so much Preaching and after so much receiving the Sacrament wee have not received Christ we are in a miserable condition Let us therefore after so much hearing and receiving examine our selves whether wee have received Christ or not How shall wee then know it This is a sure thing where Christ is received it will be seene and may be discerned Wee shall see Mar. 7. 24. that Christ entred into a house and would have no man know it but says the Text he could not be hid Where ever Christ is then he cannot be hid He could not be hid in the house into which he was received but he was heard of he was seene and taken notice of And if he could not be hid in the house into which he was received then much lesse can he be hid in the heart into which he is received It is a thousand times easier to hide him in an house then to hide him in an heart If therefore ye have received Christ he cannot be hid Why so Because where he is received he sets men awalking in him and in the wayes of godlinesse Well then If wee walke in Christ if we walke in obedience to Gods cōmandements if we walke holily and religiously then here is matter of sweet comfort unto us Certainly such as walke in Christ have received him As wee cannot receive him but wee must walke in him so wee cannot walke in him but wee must receive him Our walking in him is an infallible evidence of our receiving him But on the contrary this shews how few have received Christ in the Word and Sacrament because so few doe walke in him Doe but consider what your walking is Doe not men walke as Ephes 2. 2. Yee walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the ayre the spirit that now workes in the children of disobedience Doe not men walke as Epbes 4. 17 18. As the Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their mindes having their understanding darkened c. Doe not many walke as they Phil. 3. 18 19. Many walke who are the enemies of the Crosse whose God is their belly who minde earthly things Doe not many walke as 1 Pet. 4. 3. When wee walked in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine revellings banquettings and abominable Idolatries Doe not many walke in these walkes and yet talke of receiving Christ In Gods feare judge whether such walking be walking in Christ Call yee walking in the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the world the lusts of the devill call yee this a walking in Christ If wee would professedly walke out of Christ what would we or could we doe other Lay together Eph. 4. 17 18. with 20 21. If such walkers have not in truth learned Christ then have not such walkers in truth received Christ Let such walkers in their consciences judge whether such walking be walking in Christ or in Satan And doe they that receive Christ walke in Satan Let all such know once for all that all their hearing and receiving the Sacrament notwithstanding they have not received Christ A walking in Christ will prove a receiving of Christ if no walking in him then no receiving of him Now more particularly for the Duty Walking that is going on and forward in duties of Religion and obedience and walking in him that is by his power and strength or in him that is according to his will or patterne Learne hence CHAP. XII It is a Christians duty to walke in Christ IT is the duty of a Christian to walke to be in motion in a progressive motion and going forwards A Christian must not be a talker a talker onely but he must be a walker It is easie to talke of Christ though that be more then many will doe but it is not so easie nor so ordinary to walke in him It is a good signe of a mans being in Christ Rom. 8. 1. No condemnation to such as are in him But how may they be knowne that are in him They walke after the Spirit It is a sure signe and evidence of spirituall life Gal. 5. 25. If wee live in the spirit let us also walke in the spirit If we see a man walk we are sure he is alive It is a signe a man is in spirituall health Arise sayes Christ to the palsey man Take up thy bed and walke Luk. 5. It was a signe he was healed when he could walke Sick men that keepe their beds cannot walke It is a signe that men have their spirituall sight and limbes when they can walke The lame and the blind cannot walke Ignorant persons are blinde Men that are bodily blinde can and doe walke but it is impossible for men spiritually blinde to walke because it is impossible to walke but in the way and impossible to walke in the way when it is not seene And lame persons wanting limbes and legges as blinde persons want eyes neither can they walke but when men walke it is a sure signe that they have their eyes their legges their health and spirituall life It is a signe of spirituall strength A childe hath life but cannot walke because it is weake and wants strength but as it growes strong so it gets abilitie to walke And when a childe can once walke it is a signe it hath naturall strength So here if wee have some seedes and beginnings of spirituall life yet wee are but babes and infirme weaklings till wee can walke But when once wee doe walke it is a signe that wee are growne in grace and have gotten some measure of spirituall strength Zech. 10. 12. I will strengthen him in the Lord and they shall walke up and downe in his Name When therefore men walke up and downe in the name of the Lord it is a signe they are strengthened in the Lord. It is a signe of Communion with God and benefit received in the use of his Ordinances the Word and Sacrament Gen. 29. 1. Then Jacob lifted up his feete and walked and went on his journey Then namely after the sweet communion he had with GOD in Bethel And so when wee lift up our feete and walke with renewed vigour and strength it is a signe wee have had fellowship with God in his Word and Sacrament Isa 2. 3. Hee will teach us his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes It is a signe that God himselfe hath had the teaching of us and that in the Ministry of the Word wee have had communion with him when once wee fall awalking So here in the Text walking in Christ is made an evidence of Receiving Christ Then may a man be knowne to have received Christ in the Word and Sacrament when upon these
Christ and because my hearty desire is for thee that thou shouldst be more a reall Christian and estated in him then contemplative and alwayes onely meditating of him as an excellent meanes therefore amongst many others to help thee in and guide thee to the Right Receiving of and rooting in Christ I can now forbeare no longer to commend unto thy perusall this following Treatise Not a packe of Brachygraphicall fragments and incoherent scraps jumbled together by some pragmaticall pen man but a worke upon my certaine knowledge perfectly finished and that purposely for the Presse by the learned and most judicious Pen of my Most deare and late deceased Father and then intended by him to have been annexed as an Appendix to that last worke of his which himselfe published before his death entituled A worthy Communicant Or a Treatise shewing the due order of receiving the Sacrament c. and this a Treatise intituled The Right Receiving of and Rooting in Christ the very Title which he himselfe did put upon it while he lived Which fore-named Treatise Christian Reader with all his Former Works by himselfe published that gracious acceptance which they ever found from thee and the duty and honour I still doe and shall ever owe to him made me thus farre to deny my selfe as to adventure though but a bungler at it to afford my obstretricatory assistance to this Posthumus Infant rather then it should alwayes lye gasping in the Presse ready to perish for want of helpe To speak any thing in the commendations of this Work it s own mouth denyes me and is the rather needlesse in that I have now so farre assur'd thee of its Author who himselfe had thus finisht it for thy use as thou now receiv'st it To speak much of the Author modesty and my neere relation to him will not admit of and to say nothing of him duty forbids me With the leave of modesty then will I speake thus much onely and no more and if any shall thinke I say too much I will leave it to duty to excuse me For his Fidelity and Impartiality in the Work of his Ministery who knew him and knowes not that the Sword of the Spirit was in his hands a two-edged Sword which cut every way not like Sauls that cut off the leane and worst of the people and cattell and spared Agag and the fattest cattell but like the Psalmists Sword which spared none Yet so as that alwayes mens sinnes not their persons were the objects of his hottest thunder-bolts I will here passe by his rare accomplishments with all Ministeriall abilities as better knowne then that I need to mention them Alii pleni non loquuntur hi non pleni loquuntur Alii multiscii muti hi ignari sonori How he was every way free from both these Ministeriall defects thou who know'st him not in the Pulpit reade him in the Presse and judge For his indefatigabilitie in his labours and all for other mens eternall profit more then his own private and worldly benefit he was one of Saint Chrysostoms Bees Gloriosissimum animal not because it labours but because its labour is to others profitable And for his inoffensive life who knowes not that he was none of those slimy Lizards who wipe out the wholesome Print of their Doctrine with the filthy tayle of their scandalous practises But here now though Modesty did not yet the Father would take me off who tells me now God hath taken the Arke of his blessed soule out of the moveable earthly Tabernacle of his body and placed it in the fixed Temple of celestiall blisse Imitationem quaerit August non laudes that my best commendation will be imitation While he lived God honoured him to be one of Gideons Souldiers who carried both a Trumpet and a Lampe the Trumpet of his Ministery he let fall and the light of his practise wee all lost when God cracked asunder his earthen Pitcher The greatest honour I can now doe him is not to Trumpet forth his praises and make a blaze with his commendations but to take up both the Trumpet and Lampe which he laid downe in an holy imitation of him both in soundnesse of Doctrine and piety of practise and in this case I am sure what duty commands me that Modesty will not forbid And thus that God would not onely bestow the mantle but double the spirit of this deceased Eliah upon his surviving posteritie be it thy daily Petition at the Throne of Grace and to requite thee that God would redouble a blessing of his servants Labours upon thy pious endeavours shall be the humble Supplication of The Churches devoted Servant JER DYKE ⧠The Contents CHAP. I. It is the dutie of every one that will be a Christian to receive Christ fol. 6. CHAP. II. Ignorance of the worth of Christ keepes men from receiving him 9. CHAP. III. The great benefit that comes by the receiving of Christ 13. CHAP. IIII. The great danger of not Receiving Christ 26 CHAP. V. Hindrances to be removed by such as would Receive Christ 32 CHAP. VI. The love of our lusts a hindrance from receiving Christ 37 CHAP. VII False and groundless feares a hindrance to the receiving of Christ 41 CHAP. VIII The Positive Duty which must be performed of all that will receive Christ 46 CHAP. IX How to know whether wee have received Christ aright 62 CHAP. X. Whosoever they are that have indeed received Christ they doe walke in him 75 CHAP. XI Trialls of Mens Receiving of Christ 80 CHAP. XII It is a Christians Dutie to walke in Christ 84 CHAP. XIII It is not enough for a Christian to professe and beare the Name of Christ but he must be Rooted in him 89 CHAP. XIIII What is to be done that wee may get our selves to be Rooted in Christ 104 CHAP. XV. How to know whether wee be Rooted in Christ or not 115 THE RIGHT RECEIVING OF AND ROOTING IN CHRIST COLOS. 2. 6 7. As yee have therefore received the Lord Jesus Christ so walke yee in him Rooted in him IN the former Chapter v. 23. the Apostle entred upon an Exhortation to perseverance in the faith In the first seven verses of this chapter he continues that exhortation laying down more reasons and removing objections 1. He layes downe reasons to presse them And they are specially two 1. The first taken from his owne care that he had for their and others good ver 1 2. 2. The second taken from the certainty sublimity and perfection of the Gospel ver 2 3. 2. He removes Objections What needs all this adoe with us might the Colossians say Answ I would have you construe it to be done out of a loving feare and jealousie lest any should seduce and wrong you ver 4. I but is not this an unchristian suspition in you thus hastily to surmise the worst by us might they reply Answ No such matter for I doe with great joy behold and acknowledge that great
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
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