The Christians Daily Walk in Holy Security and Peace, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of walking with GOD in generall.
BEloved Friend,The occaſion of theſe Directions. obſerving your forwardneſſe and zeale in ſeeking to know how …u might pleaſe God, and ſaue …ur ſoule: I thought it would acceptable and profitable to …u, if I ſhould by the infalli…e Rule of GODS Word, di…ct you how with moſt certainty, ipeed, and eaſe, you might attaine to this your holy ayme. Wherefore (conſidering that moſt of Gods children do make their lives unprofitable and uncōfortable, by troubling themſelves about aLuk. 10. 40, 41.many thing and that too much in things leſ… needfull; by caring and fearing what ſhal betide them & their hereafter in things concerning this preſent life) that you might compaſſe that one thing needfu… Luk. 10. 42and containe your ſelfe within your owne line, and calling; amongſt other things, I exhort ted you heedfully to apply your ſelfe to doe each preſent day… work with Chriſtian cheerfulneſſe and to beare each preſent dayes …vil with Chriſtian patiēce. When upon, in your …t Letters, yo… earneſtly intre…ed mee to giv… you directions to that purpoſe▪
What my meditations th… afforded, I wrote to you. Since that time, I have preached … walking with God in vprightneſſe, …ut of Gen. 17. 1. Alſo of freedome from carefulneſſe; and of the excellency, and means of peace with God, out of Phil. 4 5. Now, out of thoſe Sermons, and from freſh meditations and collections, I have compiled into a ſhort ſum, ſo much as I thinke may be ſufficient to ſatisfie your deſire touching theſe demands.The ſum of the following Diſcourſe.
The beſt way to pleaſe God, and the neareſt & readieſt way to heaven, alſo to get a chearefull and quiet heart in the mean time till you come thither, is, To walke with God in vprightnes, being carefull in nothing: but in every thing, by prayers and ſupplications, with thankeſgiving, to make your requeſts knowne unto God. Whi… if you doe, The peace of God …ich paſſeth all underſtanding, ſhall ſo eſtabliſh and guard your heart and mind, in and through Chriſt Ieſus, that you may live in an Heaven upon earth, and may bee ioyous and comfortable in all eſtates and conditions of life whatſoeuer.
That you ſhould walke withYou muſt walke with God. God in vprightnes, is commended to you in the cloud of Examples of bGen. 5. 22. 24.Enoch, cGen. 6. 9.Noah, dIob 1. 1.Iob, e1 King. 9. 4.David, fLuk. 1. 6.Zacharias and Elizabeth, with many other renowned in Scripture. And is commanded to Abraham, and in him to all the faithfull, Gen. 17. 1.
To live by faith (which is, to frame your life according to the will of GOD revealed in his Word, the obiect of faith) and to walke with God, are all one. gGen. 5. 24.Enoch was ſaid to have walked with GOD, what was this elſe but to hHeb. 11. 5, 6.beleeve and reſt on God, whereby he pleaſed him? For, according to what we iCol. 3. 7.live, according to that we are ſaid to walke. The morall actions of mans life are aptly reſembled by the Metaphor of Walking, which is a moving from one place to another. No man while …e liveth here, is at kHeb. 13. 14.home in the …lace where he ſhall be. There …e two cōtrary homes to which every man is alwaies going, either to Heaven or to Hell. Every …ction of man is one pace or ſtep whereby he goeth to the one place or the other. The holineſſe or wickedneſſe of the action is the …everal way to the place of happineſſe, or place of Torment.
So that Gods owne children,Heb 11. 3. to 16. while they live in this world as pilgrims and ſtrangers, are but in the way, not in the Countrey which they ſeeke, which is heavenly.
This life of ſaith and holineſſe,1 Theſ 1. 9, 10. what is it, but a going out of a mans ſelfe, and a continuall returning to God from the way of …in and death, and a ſetled going forward in all thoſe acts of obedience which God hath ordained to be the way for al his children Eph. 2, 10to walk in vntounto eternal life?
A godly life is ſaid to be a walking with God in reſpect of foure things that concur thereunto.
Firſt, whereas by ſinne we naturally How many things concurin our walke with God.arelIſa. 53. 6. departed from God, and have gone mRom. 3. 12.away from his waies which he hath appointed for us, we by the nHeb. 10. 20.new and living way of Chriſts death and reſurrection, and by the new and living work… of Chriſts ſpirit, are brought neare to God, and are ſet in the wayes of God by Repentance from dead works, and by faith towards God in Chriſt Ieſus; which are the firſt oHeb. 6. 1.principles of true Religion, neceſſarily to be preſuppoſed to be the firſt ſteps in this walking with God. Now to beleeue & to continue in the faith, is, to pCol 2. 6, 7walke in Chriſt; therefore to walke with God.
Secondly, the revealed will of God is called Gods way, becauſe in it God doth as it were come forth of the ſecret of his holy Maieſty, to ſhew his people their … to him, & ſo takes them a… to himſelfe; according to …t in the Pſ. Righteouſnes ſhall Pſa. …5. ….before him, and ſhall ſet us in the … of his ſteps. Now this way of righteouſneſſe revealed in the …ord, is the rule of a godly life; …ee which walketh according … Gods law, is ſaid to walk be…re God, (compare 1 King. 8. 25. with 2 Chr. 6. 16.) So that he which walketh according to Gods wil in the paſſages & tur…ings of his life, keeping himſelfe to this rule, walketh with God.
Thirdly, he that liveth a godly life, walketh after the Spirit, not after the fleſh. Hee is led by the Ro. …. …. 1….Spirit of God, having him for his guide; wherfore in this reſpect …he is ſaid to walke with God.Gal. 5. 1….
Fourthly, that a man may live godly, it is requiſite that by the eye of ſaith he ſee God preſent before him in all his actions; thinking of him oft vponupon al occaſions, qIſa 64 1.remembring him in his wayes. rPſal. 16. 8Setting the Lord alwayes before him, as David did. ſHeb. 11. 27.Seeing him that is inviſible, as Moſes did. Doing all things as S. Paul did preach, t2 Cor. 2. 17.as of God, in the ſight of God. Now hee that ſo walketh that hee alwayes obſerveth Gods preſence, and keepeth him ſtil in his eye in the courſe of his life, and that not only with a generall & habitual, but, as much as he can, with an actual intētion to pleaſe and glorifie God, this man muſt needs be ſaid to walke with God.
Would you (in a word) knowWhat it is to walke with God. when you walke with GOD? (1) When you daily goe on to repent of ſinnes paſt, beleeve in Chriſt Ieſus for pardon, and beleeve his Word for direction. (2) When you walk not according to the will of man, but of God. (3) When you walke not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. (4) When you ſet God before you, & walk as in his ſight, …en you walke with, before, af…r, and according to God. ThatReaſons why Chriſtiās ſhold walk with God. 1 Ioh. …. 6. …ou may walke with God; con…der theſe arguments farther convince and induce you.
Firſt, you are commanded to …alke as Chriſt walked; and it concernes you ſo to doe, if you would approve your ſelfe to be member of his body: for it is nonſtrous, nay, impoſſible, that …he head ſhould go one way, and …he body another. Now our Savior obſerved al the three later …quiſi…es of walking with God, The former, namely, juſtifying …aith and repentance belonging …ot to him, becauſe hee was without Sinne.
Secondly, it is all which the …ord requireth of you for al his …ove & goodneſſe ſhewed unto …on, in creating, preſerving, re…eeming, and ſa…ing you. For what doth the Lord require of …ou but to doe iuſtly, and to love Micah. 6. 8.…ercy, and to walke humbly with our God?
Thirdly, if you walke with God, and keepe cloſe to him, you ſhall bee ſure to goe in the right way, in that uIer. 6. 16good old way which is called the xIsa. 35. ….way of holineſſe: in a moſt yPro. 3. 17ſtreight, moſt neere, and (to a ſpirituall man) moſt pleaſant way, whoſe paths are peace, which endeth in the zIer. 6. 16reſt of your ſoule. For, God teacheth his children to aIſa. 48. 17 Pſa. 15. 12. Pſa. 37. 23.chuſe this way: And if they happen to erre or to doubt of their way, they ſhall heare the voyce of Gods Spirit behinde them, ſaying; bIſa. 3…. 21This is the way, walke in it.
Fourthly, if you walke with God, you ſhall cPro. 3. 23, 24. Pſa. 37. 24.walke ſafely; you ſhall not need dPſa 3. 5, 6to feare, though ten thouſands ſet themſelves againſt you. For his preſence is with you, and for you. His holy ePſa. 3. 4. 7Angels encampe about you. And while you walke in his wa…es, they are charged to fPſ. 91. 11, 12ſupport you, leſt you ſhould receive any harme.
Fifthly, When you walk… with …od, (though you be alone and …ithout all other companions) …u doe walke with the beſt compa…y, even ſuch whereof there is …oſt need, and beſt uſe. While God and you walke together, …ou have an advantage above …ll that walk not with him. For …ou have a bleſſed opportunity of that holy acquaintance with God, which is required in Iob. Iob 22. 21 to 30.You have opportunity to ſpeak unto him, to aske him his advice in every thing, praying with aſſurāce of a gracious hearing. Abraham and his faithfull… ſervant made uſe of their walking with God for theſe purpoſes. Is it not a rare favor that the moſt high God ſhall vouchſ… to come downe from Heaven and walke on earth with baſe man, nay, rather to call up man from earth to Heaven to walkePhil. 3. … Coloſ. 3. …. with him? It would be therfore ſhameful & hatefull ingratitude not to accept this offer, and not to obey this charge.
Sixtly …o ſet the Lord alwaies in your ſight, is an excellent preſervative and reſtraint from ſinne. With this ſhield chaſte gGen. 39. 9.Ioſeph did repell and quench the fiery darts of the temptations of his lewd Miſtris. For who is ſo fooliſh, & ſhameles, as to tranſgreſſe wittingly the juſt lawes of a Father, King, and Iudge, knowing that he is preſent, and doth obſerve him with deteſtation, if he ſo doe?
Seventhly, to have the Lord Pſal. 119. 163.alwayes in your eye and thought, is an excellent remedie againſt ſpirituall ſtoth and negligence in good duties, and it is a ſharpe ſpurre to quicken you, and make you diligent and abundant in the worke of the Lord. What ſervāt can be ſlothfull & falſe in his Maſters ſight? And what Maſter will keepe a ſervāt that wil not obſerve him and do his commands while …e himſelfe looketh on?
Eightly, Walking with God in …anner aboveſaid, doth excee…ingly hHeb. 11. 5.pleaſe God, pleaſe Gods …oly i1 Cor. 11 10.Angels, pleaſe Gods faith…ll k3 Ioh. 4.Miniſters, and doth pleaſe …d ſtrengthen lPſal. 119 74.all thoſe good peo…e of God with whom you doe …nverſe. It is to walk worthy … Godin mCol. 1. 9, 10.all well pleaſing.
Ninthly, Thus walking with God, you ſhal be aſſured of Gods …ercy and gracious favour. Hee1 King. 8. 23. …epeth covenant and mercy with …ll his ſervants that walke before …im with all their heart. When …ou doe thus walk in the light, …ou have a gracious fellowſhip with God, and the blood of Ieſus 1 Ioh. 17.Chriſt cleanſeth you from all ſinne. Rom. 8. 1.There is no condemnation to you which thus walke. Your fleſh, when you die, ſhal reſt in hope. …or to them that ſet God before …hē, he doth ſhew the path of life, which wil bring them into his …orious preſēce, where are ful…eſſe Pſa 16. un. to 12. verſ.of ioyes, and pleaſures for e…ermore.
Any one of theſe motives, adviſedly thought upon by a willing, an humble, and prayerfull perſon, were enough to perswade to this holy walking with God.
Notwithſtanding, it is woefull to conſider, how few there be which walke thus. For moſt men nPſ. 10. 4.ſeeke not after God, God is not in all their thoughts; they walke in the oEph. 4. 17vanity of their mindes p2 Pet. 3. 3, After their owne luſts, the q1 I…. 2. 16luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eye, and the pride of life: walking according to the courſe of this world, according to the will of Satan, the rEph▪ 2. 2.Prince of the Power of the ayre; the ſpirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience. Who refuſe to return, orto cal themſelves into queſtion, though God doc wait and hearken for it, no, not ſo much as to ſay, What have wee done? Ier. 86.But every one runneth to his courſe, as the horſe ruſheth into the battell.
Now touching all that walke …us contrary unto God, God hath …id that hee will set his face a…inſt Levi. 26. 21 to 28.them, and puniſh them ſeven …es, even with many and ſore …agues. And if yet they will …alke contrary to him, he will …alke contrary to them in fury, and …nish them ſeven times, and ſeven …mes more for their ſinnes. And if yet they will walke in impeni…ency, notwithſtanding Gods off…r of mercy to them in Chriſt, Saint Paul could not ſpeake of Phil. 3. 18, 19.ſuch with dry eies, but peremptorily pronounceth that their end is deſtruction.
As for your ſelfe, I will ſay no more but this, Weigh well the premiſes; Compare the way, wherein you walke with God, with all other wayes, compare company with all other company, compare guide with guides, and compare the iſſues and end of this way with the iſſues and end of all other wayes: and the choyce of your walke will eaſily and quickly be made.
Thus much be ſaid in generall of walking with God.