A Complete collection of farewell sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl…A Compleat collection of farewel sermons preached by Mr. Calamy, Dr. Manton, Mr. Caryl…

The nature of Faith is to receive Christ; the sincerity of it lies in the suitableness of the act to the object; that we receive him as he is: Now, in Christ there is something essential to this act; that he be a Saviour, and our Saviour, &c. and there is something makes unto the well-being and fuller attaining of the end: The first are the objects of Faith it self, as 'tis of absolute necessity to Salvation: The second sort are the objects of Faith as it is strong, and makes to the well being of a Christian. ⟨image 42⟩All that is essential to Christ, as a Saviour, and Redeemer, is to be believed by him that will approve himself a true Believer. And thus to receive Christ as the eternal Son of God, made man, the Redeemer of the World, ruling us upon the right of Redemption, justifying us before God, bringing us to God, and interceding for us: And thus Christ must be received according to his Offices, and as those uses for which he is given to the soul do import and imply.

For the Application of this Point;

First, Let us begin with those that our business at present doth not mainly lye on. Must men walk in Christ as they have received him? What shall we say to those that have not, will not receive him? stop us at the door, that we cannot bring in the doctrine of Christ; that will not receive the principles of Christ? How can we bring them, and build them up, that will not suffer the Foundation to be laid, the Seed to be received? Hast thou not received Christ? then thou hast refused Christ, been a despiser of the Gospel of Christ, which will prove thy great condemnation. What is it for thee to hear the Name, and not to have the Spirit of Christ? Do not go upon conjectures; its one thing to number thy self with those that are Christians, as to outward appearance, and another thing to open thy heart, and deliver up thy self to Christs Government, and as a lost Sinner, to receive him to those ends a Saviour must be received. And remember, this was no small work, Gods sending Christ into the world no small thing to fetch thee, from Hell and Satan, to wash guilty souls from all their sins, and to bring them to everlasting glory. If these great things be rightly understood and believed by thee, if Christ be understood well as Christ, it must be done with a weakened, humbled, self-resigned heart, making the greatest matter in the world of these things: Hath thy soul been seriously taken up about thy own recovery? And hast thou received Christ as a man that was ready to be damned; as one that had a load on his Soul heavier than all the Mountains of the Earth, to ease and deliver him? as one that was under the frowns of God in a state of enmity, receives reconciliation? Hast thou received Christ, as if thou hadst received Heaven in him? Believe it, these are great transactions, and will affect thy heart; and it is not a sleepy or jesting matter thus to receive Christ. Consider what it is to receive Christ.