Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. How the Soul is brought to Walk with God, Diſcovered in Six Particulars.
FIrſt, Every one by nature goes aſtray from God, in the 58. Pſal. 3. it is ſaid of all the wicked, that they are eſtranged from the wombe, they go aſtray as ſoon as they are born, ſpeaking lies. That's one of the firſt things wherein wickedneſs appears in children, but 'tis from the very womb that they go aſtray, before they can ſpeak: 'tis natural for the wicked to go aſtray from God as ſoon as they have any being. The way wherein men naturally do walk, it is the way of death, it's the way of their own hearts, of their own counſels, it's the common courſe of the world, it is the walk of the fleſh. But now, the work of God in bringing the ſoul to walk with him, it is, Firſt, To cauſe the ſoul to make a ſtop in the way that men naturally walk in; Thoſe that the Lord hath left for a while in the way of nature, that walk in the way of death, the Lord is pleaſed to come to them by ſome mighty work of his to make a ſtop, by conſidering, where am I? what's my way; whither am I going? is the way that I am in like to the way that befeems an Immortal ſoul? Is the way like to end well that I am walking in? It cauſes the ſoul to make a ſtop in it, and begin to think where it is, whither it is going, and ſo uſually cauſes ſome fear, fearing it is in a way like to miſcarry, ſo that it dare not proceed further in that way that it hath been walking in all this while, though never ſo pleaſant a way, though never ſo ſutable to the fleſh, the Lord forbid that I ſhould go on in that way that I have walked in. There's a ſtop cauſed.
Secondly, The Lord manifeſts to the ſoul the way of life, what the way of life is. This ſtop of the ſoul is juſt like to that we reade of Saul, that when he was poſting on in the way of death, there did ſhine a light round about him, and cauſed him to ſtop ſo that he could go no further. But then (I ſay) the Lord manifeſts to the ſoul what the way of life is. In the 30. of Iſa. 21. And thine ears ſhall hear a word behind thee ſaying, This is the way, walk ye in it. Oh! how many are there that can tell this by experience, that they have been walking in the waies of death, of eternal miſery, and bleſt themſelves in thoſe waies? But there was a bleſſed time wherein God cauſed them to hear a voice as it were behind them ſaying, This is the way, walk-in it; you are out of the way, but here's the way of life, if you would not periſh eternally, here's the way, walk in this way; It is a ſecret voice that the Lord cauſes to be heard in the ſoul, but yet a powerful voice: perhaps you have come to the Word, and have heard what the way of life is: but yet that never hath given a turn to your hearts: but when God would have the ſoul to come in to walk with him, he cauſes the ſoul (beſides the outward voice of the Word) to hear a voice behind in ſecret, and yet powerfully, ſaying, Oh! this is the way; Oh thou poor ſoul that are wandring from the way of life, and art going on in the way of eternall death, Come in, come in, here's another way, This is the way, walk in it: And ſo the Lord gives a mighty turn to the ſoul by that ſecret voice.
Thirdly, The Lord makes peace between himſelf and a ſinner; He doth reveal the doctrine of Reconciliation. For a ſinner at firſt when he comes to have his eyes enlightened, when he comes to know himſelf and to know God; Certainly God at firſt cannot but appear terrible to a ſinner that hath walked in the waies of death formerly, and though I ſee my way to be dangerous, and I ſee another way to be good, Oh but God is terrible to me, and how can two walk together that are not at peace? In Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed? ſaith the text, Oh there is naturally an enmity between Man and God, every man in the world is naturally an enemy to God; and can there be two walking together unleſs they be agreed? Oh! you that are going on in the waies of enmity with God, ſurely you are ſtrangers to this way of walking with God, can you walk with God before you are agreed? no ſoul can have this teſtimony given of it, that he hath walked with God, but ſuch a ſoul as is reconciled to him; God doth manifeſt that in ſome meaſure to the ſoul before it's able thus to walk with him, as here Enoch did, and certainly Enoch came to walk with God by this, for the holy Ghoſt in the forenamed place of the 11. of the Heb. ſaith, It was by faith that he did it, and without faith it's impoſſible to pleaſe God, that's as much as, without faith it's impoſſible to walk with God. The holy Ghoſt means the ſame thing, when the Apoſtle ſaith, that he did walk by faith, and without faith it's impoſſible to pleaſe God, therefore there muſt be a work of faith to bring the ſoul to be reconcil'd, and that there may be an agreement between the ſoul and God before it can walk with him. That's the third thing.
Fourthly, Though there be peace made ſo that God doth not appear as an enemy againſt the ſoul, yet there may be ſome ſtrangneſs after peace made. There was peace made between David and Abſalom, David was paſſified towards him, yet he would not ſee his face for a while, he would have been gone from his preſence, there ſhould not be that converſe with him in that familier way as a child with the father for a while: So though there be peace made, yet there's requir'd a further work of God for the ſouls walking with him, that is, That God ſhould render himſelf in lovelineſs, and fulneſs of mercy, and ſweetneſs, and delightfulneſs unto the ſoul, that there may be a familiarity between the ſoul and God; It's one thing for me to know God is not as an enemy to me, that he doth not intend wrath and miſery againſt me, and another thing for the ſoul to apprehend the ſweet delightful countenance of God, and the imbracements in the arms of his mercy, and thoſe condeſcentions of God, that he is willing to come and deal with us as a friend with his friend in a familiar way: Therefore that's a fourth work, the Lord is pleaſed to manifeſt himſelf to the ſoul in the ſweetneſs of his love, and his delight; Not only thou art that ſoul that ſhalt not be damn'd, that ſhalt eternally be ſav'd; but thou art the ſoul that my ſoul delights in, thou art one that I take as my friend, and that I love to deal with in all ſweetneſs, and to bring into a familiarity with my ſelf. This is that that is manifeſted to the ſoul for the bringing of it to this walking with God that here the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks of concerning Enoch.
Fifthly, The Lord is pleaſed to ſend his holy Spirit to guide the ſoul To himſelf, and to guide it in walking With himſelf: In the 8. Rom. it's ſaid, All that are the ſons of God are led by the Spirit of God. As a father when he walks with the child he gives him his hand and leads along the child with himſelf: when any comes to be a child of God, God puts forth his hand and leads him, and ſo they walk together. As have you not ſeen ſomtimes a father and child walking in the garden, the father puts forth his finger and the child takes hold of it and ſo walks along with him: even ſo the Lord puts forth his Spirit into a gracious ſoul, and God and the ſoul thus walks together being led by the Spirit of God; in the 35. Iſa. 8, 9. there you may ſee what the Lord ſpeaks of the way of the redeemed ones. And an high way ſhall be there, and a way, and it ſhall be called the way of holineſs, the unclean ſhall not paſs over it, but it ſhall be for thoſe; the wayfaring men though fools, ſhall not err therein: Though they be very weak and fools, yet they ſhall not err therein. And no Lyon ſhall be there, nor any ravenous beaſt ſhall go up thereon: it ſhall not be found there, but the redeemed ſhall walk there, that's the priviledg of the redeemed ones. Now this way of walking up unto the Land of Canaan from their captivity, it's typical, to typifie the walk of the ſoul with the Lord.
Sixthly, For the ſouls walking with God, there is this further done by God, Chriſt the Son of God he takes the ſoul and brings it unto God the Father, as the Spirit leads, ſo Jeſus Chriſt.
The Lord Jeſus Chriſt he brings the ſoul unto the Father to render God and the ſoul familier together: In Epheſ. 2. 18. Through him we have an accceſs by one Spirit unto the Father: We have an acceſs through him, we have a manuduction, He brings us unto the Father, we have acceſs through Jeſus Chriſt. As if a Prince ſhould take a Traytor that is reconciled to his Father, having his pardon, and his Father being paſſified towards him, the Prince comes & takes him by the hand, and ſaith, Come, I'le bring you unto my Father, and I will walk along with you unto my Father: So it is, None that ever hath been a ſinner can walk with God, but Chriſt muſt walk together with him; Chriſt walks along with him, and ſo God is ever more rendred ſweet, aimable, and lovely; why? Becauſe Chriſt hath him by the hand (as I may ſo ſay) God the Father hath him in one hand, and Chriſt hath him by the other hand, and ſo the ſoul walks in this bleſſed walk, between the hands of God the Father and the Son; and the holy Ghoſt leads and guides him too.