This, I say, is the first thing required to our walking with God, — that we be at peace and agreement with him in the blood of Christ. And, as the psalmist says, " Consider this, ye that know not God," who have not made a covenant with him, in and by the sacrifice' of his Son. You meet him in the field, — you put yourselves upon his company, — you pretend to walk with him in these duties, and those other, which custom, education, conviction, or self-righteousness, puts you upon ;— in every one of them you provoke him to his face to de- stroy you. You seem to flatter him that you are agreed, when he declares that you are at enmity. Let a man deal thus with his ruler : — conspire against his crown and dignity, attempt his death, despise his authority, reproach his reputation; and then, when he is pro- claimed rebel and traitor, and condemned to die, let him come into his presence, as in former days, and deal with him as a good subject, — offer him gifts and presents; — shall he think to escape? Will lie not be seized on, and delivered over to punishment?
Every man, in his natural estate, is a rebel against God. Thou hast rejected his authority, conspired his ruin, the ruin of his king- dom,-— art proclaimed by him a traitor and rebel, — art sentenced to eternal death : is it for thee now to meet him, — to go and flatter him with thy mouth, and fawn upon him in thy other duties? Will he not remember thy rebellions, despise thy offerings, command thee out of his presence into bonds and prison, — abhor thy gifts? What canst thou else expect at his hands? This is the best and utmost of their condition, in their obedience, who are not interested in Christ ; and the more earnest and zealous you are, the more ready in the per- formance of duties, the more do you put yourselves on him and his company who hates you upon the justest grounds in the world, and is ready to destroy you.
(2.) The second previous thing is, oneness of design. For persons occasionally to fall into the company of one another, and so to pass on together for a little season, doth not suffice for them to be said to walk together. Oneness of aim and design is required to it.
The aim of God, in general, is his own glory ; he makes all things for himself, Pro v. xvi. 4; Rev. iv. 11; — in particular, as to the busi- ness of our walking with him, it is the praise of his glorious grace, Eph. i. 6.
Now, in this aim of God to exalt his glorious grace, two things are
90 OF AVALKING HUMBLY WITH GOD.
considerable: — First, That all which is to he looked for at the hand of Gocl, is upon the account of mere grace and mercy, Tit. iii. 4, 5. God aims at the exalting of his glory in this, — that he may be known, believed, magnified, as a God pardoning iniquity and sin. And, secondly, That the enjoyment of himself, in this way of mercy and grace, is that great reward of him that walks with him. So God tells Abraham, when he calls him to walk before him, " I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward," Gen. xv. I. The enjoyment of God in covenant, and the good things therein freely promised and bestowed by him, is the exceeding great reward of them that walk with God. This also, then, is required of him that will walk with God, — that he hath the same design in his so doing as God hath ; — that he aims in all his obedience at the glory of God's grace ; and the enjoyment of him as his exceeding great reward.
Now, according to what was before said of the design of God, this may be referred unto three heads : —
[1.] In general: — that the design of the person be the glory of God. " Whatever we do/' saith the apostle (that is, in our worship of God, and walking with him), " let all be done to his glory." Men who, in their obedience, have base, low, unworthy ends, walk as con- trary to God in their obedience as in their sins. Some serve him for custom; some for an increase of corn, wine, or oil, or the satisfying of some low earthly end ; some aim at self and reputation. All is lost ; — it is not walking with God, but warring against him.
[2.] To exalt the glory of God's grace. This is one part of the ministry of the gospel, — that in obedience we should seek to exalt the glory of grace. The first natural tendency of obedience was, to exalt the glory of God's justice. The new covenant hath put another end upon our obedience : it is to exalt free grace ; — grace given in Christ, enabling us to obey ; grace accepting our obedience, being unworthy ; grace constituting this way of walking with God; and grace crown- ing its performance.
[3.] Aiming at the enjoyment of God, as our reward. And this cuts off the obedience of many from being a walking with God. They perform duties, indeed ; but what sincerity is there in their aims for the glory of God? Is it almost once taken into their thoughts? Is not the satisfaction of conscience, the escape of hell and wrath, the sole aim they have in their obedience? Is it of concernment to them that the glory of God be exalted? Do they care, indeed, what becomes of his name or ways, so they may be saved? Especially, how little is the glory of his grace aimed at ! Men are destroyed by a self-righteousness, and have nothing of a gospel obedience in them. Look on the praying and preaching of some men : is it not evident that they walk not with God therein, seek not his glory, have no