him more dependent, more watchful, more circumfpect, &c.

[3] This walk imports permanency both in the way and doctrine of Chrift, according to the following verse, Rooted and established in the faith. A fingle ftep is not a walk, it is a permanent motion; therefore it is called a being established in the faith, as we have been taught. Why, how can a man walk, and yet be rooted; walk, and yet ftand ftable? thefe are very inconfiftent; 1 Cor. xv. 53. "Be ye ftedfaft and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord:" STEDFAST, and yet abounding in the work; MOVING, and yet unmoveable! like the two fect of a pair of compaffes, the one foot of the compafs ftands faft in the centre, and the other draws the line, and goes round: fo it is with the believer, his faith is like the foot of the compafs, that ftands fast in the centre, Chrift and his doctrine; but his gofpel-practice is the part that is like the other foot of the compafs, it never ftands, but ever moves in the way of the Lord. He ftands faft in the faith, and yet walks. As in walking, one foot ftands while the other moves, or elfe a man is leaping and not walking; fo while we go forward in the way of gofpel-obedience, we muft ftand faft in the faith; that foot muft ftand while the foot of obedience moves, or elfe we are like them that leap, rather than like thefe that walk: I mean, there are fome who will leap out of one doctrine into another, not being eftablished in the faith of Chrift, which was a stedfaftness which the apoftle commends in the Coloffians here, in the verfe immediately preceding our text. But as a tree that is planted in one place to-day, and tranfplanted to another place to-morrow, and fo on from place to place, cannot bear fruit; fo the foul doth not stand faft, but leaps from decrine to do&rine; from principle to princi ple; from profeffion to profeffion; and is unfettled in the principles of religion, cannot be fruitful: Therefore the apoftle exhorts, Eph. iv. 14, 15. "That we henceforth be no more children, toffed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the flight of men, and cunning craftinefs, whereby they ly in wait to deceive: But fpeaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in

all

all things which is the head, even Chrift." And Heb. xiii. 9. "Be not carried about with flrange doctrines; for it is a good thing that the heart be cftablished with grace."-And thus you fee what may be imported in walking.

Secondly, The qualification of this duty is, it is a walking in CHRIST. Here is a great word, and many things might be faid upon it; but all that I offer fhall be in two fhort words on it at the time. To walk in Chrift is not to walk in ourselves, but out of ourfelves. Now, there is a twofold felf-denial; a felf-denial in point of fin; that is, a denying ungodliness and worldly lufts: this the grace of God that brings falvation teaches effectually, as the law teaches preceptively. Again, there is a felfdenial in point of grace. Now, there is a two-fold denial of grace, the one is in point of juftification, and the other is in point of fanctification. Confider thefe two a little, in order to know what it is to walk in Chrift.

1. There is a denial of grace in point of juftification; a felf-denial with refpect to grace in point of fubfifting with God in juftification. I would afk you, How do you fubfift in a juftified flate? Are you juftified by faith in Chrift without the works of the law? Doth your grace, or fanctification, juftify you, or expiate your fin? Nay, that which brought you into the favour of God at firft muft keep you there ftill. You that are brought into the favour of God, how do you ftand in favour with him? It is not becaufe of your favoury venifon, but your elder brother's cloaths; it is not your graces or best holiness, but the garment of Chrift's righteoufnefs that brings you, and keeps you in favour with God. Now, to walk in Chrift in the matter of juftification, or looking for acceptance with God, is to be denied to your graces in point of acceptance; but to let Chrift have his proper room: put not grace in the room of Chrift and his righteoufnefs; be as holy as you can, but never a whit more justified are you thereby; grace hath its place in fanctification, and walking before God, but it must have no place here; for a man doth not subsist in a justified state by his graces, or holinefs; hence

D3

though

though Paul could fay, Rom. vii. 22. “I delight in the law of God, after the inward man;" but behold how denied he is to this, faying, ver. 24. "O wretched man that I am! who fhall deliver me from the body of fin and death?" What then does he?" Thanks be to God, fays he, through Chrift; for there is no condemnation to them that are in Chrift." He fets not fanctification in the room of Christ's righteousness.

2. There is, in fome fort, a denial of grace, even in refpect of fanctification; that is imported in a walking in Chrift thus; even becaufe a believer doth not walk in Chrift merely by the strength of habitual grace; nay, hẹ cannot do it but by the operation and motion of the Spirit of Chrift that cometh down from above: for, as we ufe to fay, the fhip does not go by its fails, but by the wind; the fails indeed take in the wind, but it is the wind that makes the fhip to go; fo, when a believer walks in spiritual obedience, either active or paffive, in doing or fuffering, it is owing to grace that comes down like auxiliaries, which makes him walk in him. This is what the apoftle calls grace fufficient for him; "My grace fhall be fufficient for thee:" and this makes a weak believer strong, in a moment, both for work and warfare. “ My grace fhall be fufficient for thee;" why, had not the apoftle grace within him? Yea, but the fcripture gives ground for this diftinction; there is grace in a man, and grace with a man; grace in the believer, that is, habitual implanted grace; grace with the believer, that is, actual affifting grace, that comes and carries him on in his course, and by this means he walks in Chrift being denied to his own habitual grace, and refting on him for actual conftant fupply.-To walk in Chrift in both these refpects, is for a foul to fay, "In the Lord' only have I righteousness and ftrength: In the Lord only have I RIGHTEOUSNESS;" there is the denial of grace, in point of justification: "In the Lord only have I STRENGTH," there is the denial of grace, in point of fanctification.

SER

SERMON XXXVI.

COLOS. ii. 6.

As ye bave received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk ye in him.

BUT

[The Third Sermon on this Text.]

UT that I may a little more fully confider the qualification of this duty of walking in Chrift, we may confider, 1. What it fuppofes. 2. What it excludes. 3. What it includes. 4. What it infers.

Ift, What this walking in Chrift fuppofes. Thefe two things efpecially are fuppofed to a walking in Chrift. 1. That Chrift is the way.

that way.

2. That we have got in to

1. It fuppofes that Chrift is the way. To walk in Chrift, fays plainly that Chrift is the way; and therefore Chrift fays himfelf, John xiv. 6. I am the way, &c. There was one other way to heaven before the covenant of works was broken, namely, perfect perfonal obedience; but now there is no other way to heaven but Chrift, Acts iv. 12. "There is no name given under heaven, whereby to be faved, but the name of Chrift." What fort of a way Chrift is, we may afterwards fhew, in purfuing of this text; but here I fhall only add, that whatever elfe be called the way, fuch as the commandments of the law, and holy obedience thereto; yet, take Chrift out of that way, and behold it will never reach half way to heaven; take Chrift out of the Bible, and you will find no way for a finner there, but what will land him in hell. Chrift is the good old way, the new and living way, and the way of holiness itfelf; for there is no holinefs but what is contained in him, and derived from him: and hence fome eminent divines explain that fcripture of Christ himself, Ifa. xxxv. 8. "An high way fhall

be there, and it fhall be called the way of holiness." There is no holiness where there is no walking in Chrift. Never believe the tongue that fays the preaching of Chrift is a difcouragement of hoiinefs; for to walk in him is the only way of holinefs: it is a holy walk, for he is the holy way. It fuppofes that Chrift is the way.

2. Our walking in Chrift fuppofes that we have got in to that way, We cannot walk in him unless we be in him. And therefore receiving Chrift is here prefuppofed to a walking in him. By receiving Chrift we get in to him; and then, and not till then are we in cafe to walk in him. The union of matter and form makes a body; the union of foul and body together makes a man; the union of a man and Chrift together makes a Chriftian: and till then, empty is he of Chrift, and of all true good works or fpiritual walking. A man may bring forth the fruit of good works, morally good, and materially fo, and may bring them forth as a tree upon his own root, upon old Adam's root; but he can never walk in Chrift, or bring forth fruit in Christ, till he be in Chrift; for what is fruit that grows upon a tree, but the fap of the root concocted into fruit: fo, what is walking in Chrift, or working in him? it is juft the fap of the Spirit of grace putting itself forth, into the fruit of new obedience; and this fuppofes union and implantation into the root. Many err in this matter; they refolve to walk in the way of duty before ever they have received Chrift, or got in to him; and by thefe means, they think they will get in to Chrift and receive him: they walk fo and fo devoutly that they may receive Christ, Thus they invert the order of the text, and put the plough before the horfe; for, receiving of Chrift, must go before walking in him: yea, it is impoffible there can be a walking in him, before there be a receiving of him. Walk as you will before you receive Chrift, it is a walk. ing on your own legs; and to think that thefe will bring you to Chrift, is as if a branch, by bearing fruit upon its own tree, could be thereby tranfplanted upon another tree; no: it is not by bearing fruit upon its own tree, but it must be cut off from its own root, ere it can be ingrafted into, or bring forth fruit upon another : even fo, it is not your bearing fruit on your own old stock,