The Right Receiving of Christ, Preface · Chapter 10
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.