- A godly man walks with God,1 Gen. 6. 9. Noah walked with God. The Age in which Noah lived was very corrupt, ver. 5. The wickedness of man was great in the earth: But the iniquity of the times could not put Noah out of his walk; Noah walked with God. Noah is called a Preacher of Righteousness, 2 Pet. 2. 5.
Noah preached 1. By Doctrine; his preaching was (say some of the Rabbins) after this manner; Turn ye from your evil ways, that the waters of the Floud come not upon you, and cut off the whole seed of the Race of2 Adam.
- Noah preached by his life; he preached by his humility, patience, sanctity; Noah walked with God.
Quest. What is it to walk with God?
Answ. Walking with God imports five things.
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A walking as under Gods eye: Noah did reverence a Deity: A godly man sets himself as in Gods presence, knowing his Judge looks3 on, Psalm· 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me, Here was Davids Opticks.
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Walking with God implies the familiarity and intimacy the soul hath with God: Friends walk together, and solace themselves one with another: The godly make known their requests to God, and he makes known his love to them. There is a sweet intercourse between God and his people, 1 Iohn 1. 3. Our […], our Communion is with the Father, and his Son Iesus.
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Walking with God, is a walking above the earth: A godly man is elevated above all sublunary objects; that person must ascend very high, who walks with God: A Dwarf cannot walk among the Stars; nor can a dwarfish earthly soul walk with God.
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Walking with God, denotes visible piety; walking is a visible posture; grace must be conspicuous to the beholders: He walks with God, who discovers something of God in his carriage; he shines forth in a Bible-Conversation.
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Walking with God, imports a continued progress in Grace; it is not only a step, but a walk; there is a going on towards perfection: A godly man doth not sit down in the middle of his way, but goes on till he comes at the4 end of his Faith, 1 Pet. 1. 9. Though a good man may be extra semitam, yet not extra viam: He may through infirmity step aside (as Peter did) but he recovers himself by repentance, and goes on in a progress of holiness, Iob 17. 9. The righteous also shall hold on his way.
Use 1. See from hence,5 how improper it is to call them godly, who do not walk with God: They would have Noahs Crown, but they do not love Noahs walk: Most are found in the Devils black walk, Phil. 3. 18. Many walk, of whom I tell you weeping, that they are the Enemies of the Cross of6 Christ.
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Some will commend walking with God, and say it is the rarest life in the world, but will not set one foot in the way; all that commend Wine do not come up to the price; many a Father commends virtue to his Childe, but doth not set him a pattern.
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Others walk a few steps in the good old (Jer. 6. 16) way, but they retreat back again: If the ways of God were not good, why did they enter into them? If they were good, why did they forsake them? 2 Pet. 2. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy Commandment.
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Others slander walking with God, that it is a melancholly walk, and such as are less zealous, are more prosperous; this God accounts blasphemy, 2 Pet. 2. 2. The way of truth shall be evil spoken of: In the Greek it is […], it shall be blasphemed.
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Others deride walking with God, as if it were a way of foolish preciseness: What, you will be of the Holy Tribe? You will be wiser than (Psal. 137. 3) others? There are some persons, if it were in their power, would jeer Holiness out of the world: The Chair of the Scornful stands at the Mouth of (Pro. 19. 29) Hell.
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Others instead of walking with God, walk […] after the7 flesh.
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They walk by Fleshly Opinions.
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They walk after Fleshly Lusts.
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They walk by Fleshly Opinions. There are six of these.
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That it is best to do as the most do,8 to steer […], after the course of the World; to be in the Mode, not to get a new heart, but to get into a new fashion.