Sermon VI.
Having told you what things are previously required to our walking with God, —
2. Our next inquiry is, as to the matter or thing itself; — what it is to walk with God.
The expression itself is very frequent in Scripture, both as to the examples of them that did so, and as to precepts for others so to do.
It is said of Enoch, that he “walked with God,” Gen. v. 24. And “Noah walked with God,” Gen. vi. 9. Hezekiah:” walked before God,” Isa. xxxviii. 3. Abraham is commanded to walk with God, Gen. xvii. 1; yea, and the same thing is almost a hundred times in the Scriptures, with some little variation, so expressed. Sometimes we are said to “walk with God;” sometimes to “walk before him;” sometimes to “follow after him,” to “follow hard after him;” sometimes “to walk in his ways;” — all to the same purpose.
The expression, you know, is metaphorical; by an allusion taken from things natural, spiritual things are expressed therein.
Not to press the metaphor beyond its principal intention, nor to insist on all particulars wherein any thing of allusion may be found, nor yet insist on the proof of that which is owned and acknowledged, — walking with God, in general, consisteth in the performance of that obedience, for matter and manner, which God, in the covenant of grace, requires at our hands.
I shall only manifest unto you some few of the chief concernments of this obedience, which give life and significancy to the metaphor, and so pass on:—
(1.) That our obedience be walking with God, it is required that we be in covenant with him, and that the obedience be required in the tenor of that covenant.
This, as to the matter of it, was spoken to before, under the head of what was required to this walking with God, — namely, that we have peace and agreement with him. Here it is formally considered — from that expression, “with God “— as the spring and rule of our obedience. Therefore this expression is comprehensive of the whole duty of the covenant on our part. As, Gen. xvii. 1, “I am God Almighty,” or “All-sufficient,” — that is, unto thee I will be so, — as this is comprehensive of the whole of the covenant on the part of God, — that he will be unto us an all-sufficient God; so the words that follow are comprehensive of the whole of our duty, — “Walk before me;” which are exegetically explained in the next words, “and be thou perfect.” The covenant, — the agreement that is between God and us in Christ, wherein he promises to be our God, and we give up ourselves to be his people, — is the bottom and spring of that obedience which is walking with God; that is, at an agreement with him, in covenant with him, — with whom, out of covenant, we have no commerce.
(2.) It is an obedience according to the tenor of that covenant wherein we are agreed with God. Walking with God according to the tenor of the covenant of works was, “Do this, and live.” The state is now changed. The rule now is that of Gen. xvii. 1, “ ‘Be thou perfect,’ or upright, ‘before me,’ in all the obedience I require at thy hands.”
Now, there are sundry things required to our walking with God in obedience, so that it may answer the tenor of the covenant wherein we are agreed.
[1.] That it proceed from faith in God, by Christ the mediator. Faith in God, in general, is, and must be, the principle of all obedience, in what covenant soever, Heb. xi. 6; but faith in God, through Christ the mediator, is the principle of that obedience which, according to the tenor of the new covenant, is accepted. Hence it is called “The obedience of faith,” Rom. i. 5; that is, of faith in God by Christ, as the foregoing and following words evince. His blood is the blood of this covenant, Heb. ix. 15, x. 29. The covenant itself is confirmed and ratified, thereby; and by the blood of that covenant do we receive what we receive from God, Zech. ix. 11. Hence, whenever God makes mention of the covenant to Abraham, and stirs him up to the obedience that is required in it, he still mentions the “seed;” “which is Christ,” saith the apostle, Gal. iii. 16. As it is said, in general, that “he that comes to God must believe that he is;” so, in particular, as to the new covenant, Christ says of himself, “I am the way:” there is no going to the Father but by him, John xiv. 6. They who have believed in God, must be careful to maintain good works, Tit. iii. 8.; that is, they who have believed in God through Christ. If, in our obedience, we walk with God according to the tenor of the new covenant, that obedience ariseth from justifying faith; that is, faith in God through Christ.
[2.] That it be perfect; that is, that the person be perfect or upright therein: “Walk before me, and be thou perfect,” Gen. xvii. 1. It was said of Noah, that he was “perfect in his generations,” Gen. vi. 9; as it is also said of many others. David bids us “mark the perfect man,” Ps. xxxvii. 37; that is, the man that walketh with God according to the tenor of the new covenant. And our Saviour, calling for this obedience, commands us to “be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect,” Matt. v. 48.