among notional and nominal Christians, who, hearing of Chrift, either profefs to receive him, but never walk in him; or, fancy they walk in him, and yet never receive him.

If you afk me, Where is the most unfavoury dung-hill? I anfwer, It is where the fun fhines hotteft: fo, in thefe days of the gospel, where in the world will you find the greatest fins committed, or the moft naufeous dung-hill of finful corruptions? it is even where the fun fhines hottest, and where the gofpel fhines brighteft. Think not ftrange to fee, that where the gofpel fhines most brightly, there the devil works moft fpitefully, that he may break this chain, viz. the receiving of Chrift, and walking in him: when thefe two are cut afunder, it fpoils all. Thus much for the connection.

But now, the order of this connection follows to be confidered: it is firft a receiving of Chrift, and then a walking in him: receiving is firft, in as much as the branch must first be in the vine, before it can bear fruit : there must be an inbeing, before there can be a fruitbearing, John xv. 1,-5. There it is Chrift's doctrine, and here it is the apoftle's. Now, we muft enquire into the reasons of this order, that there must be a receiving BEFORE a walking, and a walking AFTER the receiving. We would therefore fhew, 1. Why there must be a receiving of Chrift, BEFORE there can be a walking in him. 2. Why there must be a walking in him, AFTER

the receiving him.

1st, Why there must be a receiving of Chrift BEFORE there can be a walking in him.

1. Because receiving of Chrift is that which conftitutes and gives being to a Chriftian. Now, we have a common rule, esse must go before operare; that being must go before working, life before walking. Now, if you afk, What is it that conftitutes and gives being to a faint, to a Christian, to a believer? I reply, It is this receiving of Chrift; it is by this means that we become the fons of God; John i. 12. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power, [or PRIVILEGE] to become the fons of God; even to them that believe on his name." It is by this means, that we, having union with Chrift, have the righteoufnefs of Chrift; Phil. iii. 9. "That I may be found VOL. III. † G

in

in him, not having mine own righteoufnefs, but the righteoufnefs of God by faith:" Firft, we must be found in him, before we can have any thing from him; and this union is by a faith of his own operation: this gives the being and conftitution; for, till we receive Chrift, we are not unite to him, and fo have no fpiritual life or being. It is true, in regeneration, the Spirit of life comes in to the foul; but the firft act of fpiritual life is faith, whereby the foul clofes with Chrift, and fo becomes a Christian indeed. As the union of matter and form, makes a body; the union of body and foul together, makes a man; and the union of a man and Chrift together makes a Chriftian: and fap from this root makes him a growing one: fo, it is not good fruit that makes a good tree, but a good tree, that makes the good fruit; and as it is fap from the root, and the reception of it, that makes the branch to bring forth; fo it is not the fruit of works and obedience that conftitutes a Chriftian, or gives him a being, but it is the reception of Christ, the receiving of him as Jefus the Lord; and therefore that must be firft.

2. Because receiving of Chrift is the rife and ground of walking in him; and therefore receiving is first, as the caufe before the effect. A man may bring forth the fruit of works morally good, and may bring forth upon his own root, as a natural man; but he can never walk in Christ, until he do it in virtue of receiving Chrift, and receiving fap from him. As the fruit of a tree is the fap of the root concocted; fo walking and working in Chrift, is juft the fap of the Spirit of grace, putting forth itfelf into obedience; and that fap must be received from the root, ere it can be produced in fruit; and therefore receiving muft go before walking. None can. walk in Chrift unless they be in him: as the branch cannot bear fruit in the tree, unless it knit to the ftock; fo we cannot walk in Chrift, without being united unto him. Works and duties, though they be performed in a conformity to the law, as the rule; yet this is not walking in Chrift, unless it be done by virtue from Chrift, and drawn out of him. Conceive it thus; a man may write a copy by his own art and skill, and a

man

man may write with his hand by another man's guiding it; even fo, out of moral principles, a man may fhape his actions according to the law and rule; he may write this copy with his own hand: but then, as one that writes with his hand in another man's hand that guides it, fo one that is in Chrift, walks indeed in a conformity to the law as a rule, otherwife it is no walking aright in Chrift; but he walks in the life and Spirit of Chrift, he writes after the copy with his hand in the hand of Chrift, being acted by thefe influences and graces of the Spirit, that through his union with him, are always flowing to him. And thus a believer's walking is dif tinguished from all other walkings in the world, he being acted by the very Spirit and life of Chrift: he bears. fruit by the fap and life, which he receives from the tree of life, to which he is united; and not upon the old ftock from which he is tranfplanted.

3. The third reafon, why receiving of Chrift goes BEFORE walking in him, is, becaufe receiving of Chrift is one of the principal things, whereby any foul can honour God. The world little confiders this, how God is honoured by their taking Christ off his hand; how he is honoured by this act of faith in receiving of Christ: for, by receiving him, we renounce ourfelves, and all confidence in the flesh. Now, while a man hath any thing to truft to in his own opinion, he will never feek after Chrift the Saviour; but when a man begins to count all his gain lofs, and can throw himself over-board, that he may come to Chrift only; how doth this glorify and honour God!-Again, when a great finner, that lies under an infinite load of fin and guilt, notwithstanding all difcouragements from the multitude and magnitude of his fins, though infinitely great, yet doth fo value the truth of God's word, and lay fuch stress upon the veracity of his promife, as to break through all difcouragements, and throw his foul upon God's promife, saying, If I perish, I perish; what infinite honour doth this bring in to the crown of heaven!-Again, when a benighted foul fees no light of comfort in all the world, and yet can throw himself upon a God in Christ, saying, Though he flay me, yet will I trust in him;" this hoG 2

nours

nours God greatly: for, ftill we may mark this at any time, the faith that carries the foul through the greatest difficulties and contrarieties to God, doth bring the greatest glory and honour to him. Men do not think they honour God, but by outward works of piety, equity, charity, and the like: but, however we ought to glorify God that way; yet God gets the greateft glory by the ftrongest faith. "Abraham was ftrong in the faith, giving glory to God:" How did he honour God this way? Even by trufting God, notwithstanding all unlikelihood, Rom. iv. 19, 20, 21. Yea, by faith God is fo much honoured and glorified, that nothing pleafes him without it; "Without faith it is impoffible to picafe God," Heb. xi. 6.

:

4. The fourth reafon is, because before a man receive Chrift, he hath neither power nor will to walk in him; but by receiving of him, he hath both before receiving of Chrift he hath no power nor ability; but he is acted and enabled by receiving of Chrift to walk in him. As it is impoffible for a dead man to walk; fo it is impoffible for a man that hath not received Chrift to walk in him. No unbeliever, no unregenerate man ever did, or can walk in Chrift; fuch a man is not in him, all his works are out of him. But, on the contrary, every man that hath received Chrift by faith, is in Chrift; and being in him, he hath all righteousness and strength in him, and fo ability to walk in him: and he may be ftrong in the grace that is in Chrift Jefus; strong in the Lord: he hath alfo a new principle; the feed of God in him. And as he hath a power, fo he hath a will to walk in him; for his enmity and antipathy against God and Chrift is broken; fo that it becomes as eafy and pleasant to walk in Chrift, as before it was uneafy, unplea fant, and hateful. If water be poured out, it will run downward to the centre; but water metamorphofed and transformed into air, would mount upwards, because of its new principle; and it is impoffible for it to come down: fo here, before you receive Chrift by faith, whereby you are united to him, it is impoffible but that you hould go downward to your own centre, to feek yourfelves in what you do; but when a man hath another

principle,

principle, he goes the quite contrary way, the quite contrary way, with as much eafinets as he did the other way; fo it is with every believer, as far as he is under the influence of the new Spirit, that is put within him. And fo you fee why re

ceiving is firft.

2dly, Why there must be a walking in him, AFTER the receiving of him; and fo we are come to the reafons, why believers fhould walk in Chrift as they have received him; or why a GOSPEL-FAITH must have a GOSPEL-PRACTICE*. Why, it is every way reafonable and neceffary, and that in respect of God, and man, and ourselves, and cur faith.

1. The first reafon, why they that receive Chrift muft walk in him, is in refpect of God; that he may be glorified; and CHRIST, that he may be honoured. It is by walking in him that we glorify and honour him the glory of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft is concerned here; for the glory of the FATHER, as the end; the SON, as the way; and the HOLY GHOST, as the guide, are all honoured by this gofpel-walk, John xv. 8. "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." John xvii. 10." And I am glorified in them," fays Chrift. And the believer being the temple of the Holy Ghoft, furely he is glorified when his temple is not defiled, by a finful walk. In a word, it is a great affront upon Chrift, not to walk in him as we receive him: it is the greatest injury done to Chrift; "By this they give great occafion to the enemies of the Lord to blafpheme," 2 Sam. xii. 14. A wrong step in a believer, is very difhonouring to God, and makes enemies to blafpheme the name of the Lord. Therefore,

2. The fecond reason, why they that receive Chrift are to walk in him, is in refpect of MAN, that they may be edified, and brought to glorify God alfo: "Let your light fo fhine before men, that others, feeing your good works, may glorify God." Men will not look into your heart, to see your faith; nor up to your head, to see what knowledge you have; but down to your feet, to fee what

See what was faid on the fecond general head, page 48, &c. Hereby the power of faith is seen, the trial of faith is made, the beauty of faith appear to others, and the comfort of faith accrues to ourfelves, &c.

G 3

for