Sermon IX.
We have at large considered the nature of this duty.
III. Let us now proceed to prove the proposition at first laid down, and shut up the whole; viz., —
Humble walking with God is the great duty and most valuable concernment of believers.
“What doth the Lord thy God require of thee?” This is sufficiently asserted in the words of the text itself, which being so emphatically proposed, stand not in need of any farther confirmation by testimony; but because this is a business the Scripture doth much abound in, I shall subjoin a single proof upon each part of the proposition, — that it is both our great duty and most valuable concernment.
For the former, take that parallel place of Deut. x. 12, 13. That which is summarily expressed in my text by walking humbly with God, is here more at large described, with the same preface, “What doth the Lord thy God require of thee?’ It gives us both the root and fruit; the root, in fear and love; the fruit, in walking in God’s ways and keeping his commandments. The perfection of both is, to fear and love the Lord with all the heart and all the soul, and to walk in all his ways. This is the great thing that God requires of professors.
A place of the same importance, as to the excellency of this concernment of believers, which is the second consideration of it, you have in the answer of the scribe, commended by our Saviour, Mark xii. 33; as if he should say, in these days, “This is better than all your preaching, all your hearing, all your private meetings, all your conferences, all your fastings.” Whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices were then the instituted worship of God, appointed by him, and acceptable to him, as are the things which I now repeated. But all these outward things may be counterfeited, — hypocrites may perform the outward work of them, as they then offered sacrifice; but walking humbly with God cannot: nor are they, in the best of men, of any value, but as they are parts and fruits of humble walking. If in and under the performance of them there be, as there may be, a proud, unmortified heart, — not subdued to the law of the Spirit of life, — not humbled in all things to walk with God; both they and their performance are abhorred of God. So that, though these things ought to be done, yet our great concernment lies, as to the main, in humble walking: “Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel.”
This is the import of the expression at the beginning of the verse, — “What doth the Lord thy God require of thee?” Thou mayest cast about in thy thoughts to other things, wherein either thyself may be more delighted, or, as thou supposest, may be more acceptable to God. Be not mistaken; this is the great thing that he requires of thee, — to walk humbly with him.
The grounds of it are:—
1. Every man is most concerned in that which is his great end; the bringing about of that is of most importance to him; the great exercise of his thoughts is, whether he shall succeed as to this or not. The chief end of believers is, the glory of God. This, I say, is so, or ought to be so. For this purpose they were made, redeemed to this purpose, and purchased to be a peculiar people. Now, the Scripture everywhere teaches, that the great means of our glorifying God, is by our humble walking with him, according as it was before described. John xv. 8, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.” You may have many thoughts that God is glorified by works of miracles, and the like, amazing and dazzling the eyes of the world. Be it so; but in the most eminent manner, it is by your bearing fruit. You know the general rule that our Saviour gives his followers, Matt. v. 16. It is from our good works that men give glory to God. Which advice is again renewed by the Holy Ghost, 1 Pet. ii. 12.
Now, there are sundry ways whereby glory redounds to God by believers’ humble walking with him:— (1.) It gives him the glory of the doctrine of grace. (2.) It gives him the glory of the power of his grace. (3.) It gives him the glory of the law of his grace, — that he is a king obeyed. (4.) It gives him the glory of his justice. (5.) It gives him the glory of his kingdom; — first, in its order and beauty; secondly, in multiplying his subjects:—
(1.) It gives God the glory of the doctrine of grace, or of the doctrine of the gospel; which is therefore called “The glorious gospel of God,” because it so brings glory to him. Walking according to this rule, we adorn the doctrine of the gospel in all things. So the apostle tells us, Tit. ii. 11, 12: “This is that which this grace teacheth us; the substance is, to walk humbly with God.” And when men professing it walk answerable to it, it is rendered glorious. When the world shall see that these are the fruits which that doctrine produceth, they must needs magnify it. The pride, folly, and wickedness of professors, hath been the greatest obstacle that ever the gospel received in this world. Nor will it, by any endeavours whatever, be advanced, until there be more conformity unto it in them who make the greatest profession of it. Then is the word glorified, when it hath a free course and progress, 2 Thess. iii. 1; which it will not have without the humble walking of professors. What eminent gifts are poured out in the days wherein we live! what light is bestowed! what pains in preaching! how is the dispensation of the word multiplied! — yet how little ground is got by it! how few converted! The word hath a free course in preaching, but is not glorified in acceptable obedience. Is it not high time for professors and preachers to look at home, whether the obstacle lie not in ourselves? Do we not fortify the world against the doctrine we profess, by the fruits of it they see in ourselves, and our own ways? Do they not say of us, “These are our new lights and professors; proud, selfish, worldly, unrighteous; negligent of the ordinances themselves profess to magnify; useless in their places and generations; — falling into the very same path which they condemn in others”? Perhaps they may deal falsely and maliciously in these things; but is it not high time for us to examine ourselves, lest, abounding in preaching and talking, we have forgot to walk humbly with God; — and so, not glorifying the gospel, have hindered the free course of its work and efficacy?