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A Godly Man Walks with God

166616 min read

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. Others instead of walking with God, walk […] after the7 flesh.

  6. They walk by Fleshly Opinions.

  7. They walk after Fleshly Lusts.

  8. They walk by Fleshly Opinions. There are six of these.

  9. 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.

2 That Reason is the highest Judge and Umpire in matters of Religion;9 we must beleeve no farther, than we can see; for a man to become a fool that he may be wise,10 to be saved purely by the righteousness of another· to keep all, (Mar. 10. 39) by loosing all; this the natural man will by no means put in his Creed.

3 That a little Religion will serve the turn;11 the life-less form may in policy be kept up, but zeal is Frenzy; the world thinks that religion to be best, which like leaf-gold, is spread very thin.

4 That way is not good,12 which is exposed to affliction, a stick, though it be straight, yet under water it seems crooked: So Religion, if it be under affliction, appears to a carnal eye crooked.

5 That all a mans care should be for the present;13 as that prophane Cardinal said, he would leave his part in Paradise, to keep his Cardinalship in Paris.

6 That Sinning is better than Suffering;14 ‘tis more discretion to keep the skin whole, than the Conscience pure: These are such Rules, as the Crooked Serpent hath found out, which whosoever walk by, shall not know Peace.

2 They walk after fleshly lusts, they do […] turn Caterers for the15 flesh, Rom. 13. 14. such an one was the Emperour Heliogabalus, he so indulged the flesh, that he never sate but among sweet flowers, mixed with Amber and Musk; he attired himself with Purple, set with precious stones; he burned in his Lamps, instead of oyle, a costly Balsome brought from Arabia, very odoriferous; he bathed himself in perfumed waters, he did […], he put his body to no other use, (Epictetus) but to be a strainer for meat and drink to run thorow.

Thus Sinners walk after the flesh, if a drunken or unclean lust call, they gratifie it; they brand all for cowards, who dare not sin after the same rate as they do. These instead of walking with God, walk contrary to him: Lust is the Compass they sail by, Satan is their Pilot, and Hell the Port they are bound for.

Use 2 Let us try whether we have this Character of the godly,16 do we walk with God? (Trial) That may be known,

1 By the way we walk in; it is a private retired way, wherein only some few holy ones walk: therefore it is called a Path-way, to distinguish it from the common road, Pro. 12. 28. In the path-way thereof is no death.

2 If we walk with God, then we walk in the fear of God, Gen. 5. 22. Enoch walked with God: The Chalde Version renders it, he walked in the fear of the Lord; the godly are fearful of that which may displease God, Gen. 39. 9. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God: this is not a base servile fear, but

1 A fear springing from affection, Hos. 3. 5. a childe fears to offend his father, out of the tender affection he bears to him: This made holy Anselm say, If Sin were on one side, and Hell on the other, I would rather leap into Hell, than willingly offend my God.

2 It is a fear joyned with affiance, Heb. 11. 7. By faith, Noah moved with fear: Faith and fear go hand in hand; when the soul looks upon Gods holiness, he fears; when he looks upon Gods promises, he beleeves: A godly man doth tremble, yet trust; fear preserves reverence, faith preserves chearfulness; fear keeps the soul from lightness, faith keeps it from overmuch sadness: By this we may know whether we walk with God, if we walk in the fear of God, we are fearful of infringing his Laws, and forfeiting his love: It is a brand set upon sinners, Rom. 3. 18. They have not the fear of God before their eyes. The godly fear and offend not, Psa. 4. 4. the wicked offend and fear not, Ierem. 5. 23, 24. Loose and dissolute walking will soon estrange God from us, and make him weary of our company, 2 Cor. 6. 4. What communion hath light with darkness?

Use 2. Use 2. Let me perswade all who would be accounted godly, to get into Noahs walk: (Exhort) Though the truth of grace be in the heart, yet the beauty of it is seen in the walk.

  1. Walking with God is very pleasing to God: He that walks with God, declares to the world what is the company he loves most; his fellowship is with the Father; he counts those the sweetest hours which are spent with God; this is very grateful and acceptable to God, Gen. 5. 24. Enock walked with God. And see how kindly God took this at Enocks hands, Heb. 11. 4. He had this testimony, that he pleased God.

  2. Close walking with God, will be a good means to intice and allure others to walk with him. The Apostle exhorts Wives to walk so, that the Husbands might be won by the Conversation of the17 Wives, 1 Pet. 3. 1. Iustin Martyr confessed he became a Christian, by beholding the holy and innocent lives of the Primitive (Euseb) Saints.

  3. Close walking with God, would put to silence the Adversaries of the Truth, 1 Pet. 2. 15. A loose carriage, puts a Sword into wicked mens hands to wound Religion: What a sad thing is it, when it shall be said of Professors, they are as proud, as coverous, as unjust as others: Will not this expose the ways of God to contempt? But holy and close walking, would stop the mouths of sinners, that they should not be able to speak against Gods people, without giving themselves the lye. Satan came to Christ, and found nothing in him, Iohn 14. 30. What a confounding thing will it be to the wicked, when they shall have nothing to fasten as a crime upon the godly, but their holiness, Dan. 6. 5. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.

  4. Walking with God is a pleasant walk: The ways of Wisdome are called Pleasantness, Pro. 3. 17. Is not the light pleasant? Psal. 89. 15. They shall walk (O Lord,) in the light of thy countenance. Walking with God, is like walking among Beds of18 Spices, which send forth a fragrant perfume. This is it which brings peace, Act. 9. 31. Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the joys of the Holy Ghost. While we walk with God, what sweet Musick doth the Bird of Conscience make in our breast? Psal. 138. 5. They shall sing in the ways of the Lord.

  5. Walking with God is honourable; it is a credit for one of an inferiour rank to walk with a King: What greater dignity can be put upon a mortal man, than to converse with his Maker, and to take a turn with God every day.

  6. Walking with God leads to rest, Heb. 4. 9. There remains a rest for the people of God. The Philosopher saith, Motion tends to19 rest. Indeed there is a motion which doth not tend to rest; they who walk with their sins shall never have rest, Re. 4. 8. They rest not day & night: But they that walk with God, shal sit down in the Kingdom of God, Luk. 13. 29. As a weary traveller when he comes home sits down and rests him, Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my Throne. A Throne denotes Honor, & sitting, denotes rest.

  7. Walking with God is the most safe walking: Walking in the ways of sin, is like walking upon the edge of a River: The sinner treads upon the banks of the bottomless Pit, and if Death gives him a jogg, he tumbles in; but it is safe going in Gods way, Pro. 3. 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely: He walks safe, who walks with a Guard; he that walks with God, shall have Gods Spirit to guard him from sin, and Gods Angels to guard him from danger, Psal. 91. 11.

  8. Walking with God will make death sweet: It was Augustus his wish, that he might have an […], a quiet easie death, without much pain. If any thing make our Pillow easie at death, it will be this, that we have walked with God in our Generation: Do we think walking with God can do us any hurt? Did we ever hear any cry out upon their Death-bed, that they have been too holy, that they have prayed too much, or walked with God too much? No, that which hath cut them to the heart, hath been this, that they have walked no more closely with God; they have wrung their hands, and torn their hair, to think that they have been so bewitched with the pleasures of the World: Close walking with God, will make our Enemy (Death) to be at peace with us. King Ahashuerus, when he could not sleep, called for the Book of Records, and read in it, Esther 6. 1. So when the violence of sickness causeth sleep to depart from our eyes, and we can call for Conscience (that Book of Records) and find written in it, such a day we humbled our souls by fasting, such a day our hearts melted in prayer; such a day we had sweet communion with God; what a reviving will this be? How may we look death in the face with comfort, and say, Lord, now take us up to thee in Heaven, where we have so often been by affection, let us now be by fruition.

9 Walking with God; is the best way to know the minde of God; friends who walk together, impart their secrets one to another, Psa. 25. 14. The secrets of the Lord, is with them that fear him. Noah walked with God, and the Lord revealed a great secret to him, of destroying the Old World, and saving him in the Ark. Abraham walked with God, Gen. 24. 40. and God made him one of his Privy-council, Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? God doth sometimes sweetly unbosome himself to the soul in Prayer, and in the holy Supper, as Christ made himself known to the Disciples, in the breaking of bread, Luk. 24. 35

10 They who walk with God, shall never be wholly left of God; the Lord may retire himself for a time, to make his people cry after him the more, but he will not quite leave them, Isa. 54. 8. I hid my face for a moment, but with everlasting kindeness will I have mercy on thee. God will not cast off any of his old acquaintance, he will not part with one that hath born him company. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him, Gen. 5. 24. He took him up to heaven, as the Arabick renders it; Enoch was lodged in the bosome of divine Love.

Quest. How may we do to walk with God?

Answ. 1 Get out of the old road of sin; hee that would walk in a pleasant meadow, must turn out of the road. The way of sin is full of Travellers, there are so many travelling in this road, that hell, though it be of a great circumference, is fain to enlarge it self, and make room for them, Isa. 5. 14. This way of sin seems pleasant, but the end is damnable. I have (saith the Harlot) perfumed my bed, with Mirrhe, Aloes, and Cinamon, Prov. 7. 17. See how with one sweet (the Cinamon) there were two bitters, Myrrhe, and Aloes: for that little sweet in sin at present, there will be a far greater proportion of bitterness afterwards: Therefore get out of these briars, you cannot walk with God and sin, 2 Cor. 6. 14. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?

2 If you would walk with God, get acquaintance with him, Iob 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him. Know God in his attributes and promises; strangers do not walk together.

3 Get all differences removed, Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they are agreed? This agreement and reconciliation is made by faith, Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood. When once we are friends, then we shall be called up to the Mount as Moses, and have this dignity conferred on us, to bee the favourites of heaven, and to walk with God.

4 If you would walk with God, get a liking to the vvaies of God: They are adorned vvith beauty, Prov. 4. 18. svveetned vvith pleasure, Prov. 3. 17. fenced vvith truth, Rev. 15. 3. accompanied vvith Life, Acts 2. 28. lengthned with eternity, Hab. 3. 6. be enamoured with the way of Religion, and you will soon walk in it.

5 If you would walk with God, take hold of his arm; such as walk in their own strength, will soon grow weary and tire: Psal. 71. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: We cannot walk with God, without God; let us press him with his promise, Isa. 36. 27. I will cause you to walk in my statutes: If God take us by the hand, then we shall walk and not faint, Isa. 40. 31.

Footnotes

  1. 23 Character. ↩

  2. R. Eliz. c. 22. ↩

  3. […] Isocr. ↩

  4. Quid prodest currere & ante cursus metam defecere? Bern. ↩

  5. Vse 1. Inform. ↩

  6. […]. Cyrill. ↩

  7. 2 Pet. […]. 10. ↩

  8. 1 Opin. ↩

  9. 2 Opin. ↩

  10. 1 Cor. 3. 18 Phil. 3. 9. ↩

  11. 3 Opin. ↩

  12. 4 Opin. ↩

  13. 5 Opin. ↩

  14. 6 Opin. ↩

  15. Animalia ventris, Luther. ↩

  16. Vse 2. ↩

  17. Est pellax virtutis odor. ↩

  18. […] Arist […]. l. 1. […] ↩

  19. Motus tendit ad quietem. ↩

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