SERMON XXII.

WHAT it is to walk with God hath been declared.

II. What is added thereunto of duty, in this qualification, comes nextly to be considered.

Amongst the many eminent qualifications of the obedience of believers, we shall find in the issue this to stand in the forefront among the chiefest. The words in the original are, sym: to humble thyself in walking,' or 'to walk with God.'

לכת
והצנע

A man would think that it is such an honour and advancement, that a poor sinful creature should be taken into the company of the great God to walk with him; that he had need be exhorted to take upon him great thoughts of himself; that he may be prepared for it. Is it a light matter, says David, to be son-in-law to a king? Is it a light matter to walk with God? How had the heart of a man need to be lifted up, which hath such apprehensions of its condition? The matter is quite otherwise. He that would have his heart exalted up to God, must bring it down in itself. There is a pride in every man's heart by nature, lifting him up, and swelling him until he is too high and big for God to walk with.

Now, whereas there are two things in our walking with God, considerable: first, the inward power of it; and, secondly, the outward privilege of it, in an orderly admittance to the duties of it; the former alone is that which edifieth us in this duty, the latter puffeth up. These Jews here, and their successors the Pharisees, having the privilege of performing the outward duty of walking with God, were, as Capernaum, lifted up unto heaven, and trusting in themselves that they were righteous, they despised others: of all men, therefore, they were most abhorred of God. This is that which the Holy Ghost beats them from, resting in the privilege, to come up to the power. God tells us of the prince of Tyrus, that he set his heart as the heart of God," Ezek. xxviii. 6. he would be on even terms with him; independent, the author of his own good, fearless. So in some measure is the heart of every man by nature; which, indeed, is not to be like God, but the devil.

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To prevent this evil, I shall (inquire, what it is that is here required of us under these two heads :

1. What it is in reference whereunto we are to humble ourselves in walking with God.

2. How we are to do it.

1. There are two things that we are to humble ourselves unto in our walking with God: (1.) The law of his grace; (2.) The law of his providence.

(1.) In all our walking with God, we are to humble ourselves in bowing to the law and rule of his grace, which is the way that he hath revealed, wherein he will walk with. sinners. The apostle tells us of the Jews in sundry places, that they had a mind to walk with God; they had 'a zeal for God.' So he had himself in his pharisaism; Phil. iii. 6. He was zealous towards God,' Acts xxii. 3. and so were the Jews: Rom. x. 2. I bear them record, they have a zeal of God.' And they followed after righteousness, the law of righteousness;' Rom. ix. 31. They took pains to establish their righteousness;' chap. x. 3. What can be more required to walking with God, than a zeal for him; for his laws and ways, and a diligent endeavour to attain a righteousness before him? How few do we see attain thus much? What repute have they in the world that do so? But yet, saith the apostle, they did not attain to walk with God, nor the righteousness they sought after; chap. ix. 31. But what is the reason of it? Why, in their attempt to walk with God they did not bow themselves to the law of his grace: so chap. x. 3. 'They went about to establish their own righteousness, and did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God.' What righteousness is that? Why,' the righteousness of faith,' according to the law of grace; Rom. i. 17. They sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law;' chap. ix. 32. And the ground of all this is discovered, ver. 33. Behold, here are two effects of Christ towards several persons: : some stumble at him, and so are not able to walk on with God. Who are they? He tells you, ver. 32. Some are not ashamed: Who are they? They that believe, and so submit to the law of God's grace. It is evident then, that men may labour to walk with God, and yet stumble and fall, for want of this humbling themselves to the law of his grace.

Let us see then, how that may be done, and what is required thereunto. It is then required,

[1.] That the bottom of all a man's obedience lie in this, That in himself he is a lost undone creature, an object of wrath, and that whatever he have of God in any kind, he must have it in a way of mere mercy and grace. To this apprehension of himself, must proud man that would fain have something of his own, humble himself. God abhors every one that he sees coming towards him on any other account. Our Saviour Christ lets men know what they are, and what they must be, if they will come to God by him. 'I came,' saith he, to save that which was lost;' Matt. xviii. 11. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance;' Matt. ix. 13. Ver. 12. The whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.' 'I came into the world,' says he, 'that they that are blind may see, and that they which see might be made blind;' John ix. 39. This is the sum; if you intend to have any thing to do with God by me, know yourselves to be lost sinners, blind, sick, dead, so that whatever you have, you must have it in a way of mere grace.

And how was this direction followed by Paul? Will you see the foundation of his obedience? You have it, 1 Tim. i. 13-15. I was thus and thus, I am the chiefest of sinners; but I obtained mercy.' It is mere mercy and grace, upon the account whereof I have any thing from God; which principle he improves to the height, Phil. iii. 7-9. All loss, all dung, Christ is all in all. This the proud Pharisees could not submit unto. It is the subject of much of their disputes with our Saviour. To be lost, blind, nothing, they could not endure to hear. Were they not children of Abraham? Did they not do so, and so? To tell them that they are lost and nothing, is but to speak out of envy. And on this rock do thousands split themselves in the days wherein we live. When they are overpowered by any conviction, to an apprehension of a necessity of walking with God, as more or less, at one time or other, by one means or other, most men are; they then set themselves on the performance of the duties they have neglected, and of the obedience which they think acceptable, abiding in that course whilst their conviction abides; but never humbling themselves to this part of the law of God's grace, to be vile, miserable, lost, cursed, hope

less in themselves, never making thorough work of it. They lay the foundation of their obedience in a quagmire, whose bottom should have been digged into, and stumble at the stumbling-stone, in their first attempt to walk with God.

Now there are two evils attending the mere performance of this duty, which utterly disappoint all men's attempts for walking with God.

1st. That men without it will go forth, somewhat, at least, in their own strength, to walk with God. Why, say the Pharisees, can we do nothing? Are we blind also?' Acting in the power of self, will cleave to such a one, so as not to be separated; it will steal upon him in every duty he goes about. Now nothing is more universally opposite to the whole nature of gospel obedience, than this, that a man should perform the least of it in his own strength, without an actual influence of life and power from God in Christ: 'Without me,' says Christ,' ye can do nothing;' John xv. 5. All that is done without strength from him, is nothing. God works in us to will and to do of his good pleasure;' Phil. ii. 13. Whatever a man doth, which God works not in him, which he receives not strength for from Christ, is all lost, all perishing. Now our fetching in of strength from Christ for every duty, is founded wholly in that subjection to the law of grace whereof we speak.

2dly. His obedience will build him up in that state wherein he is, or edify him towards hell and destruction; of which more afterward.

[2.] The second thing that we are to humble ourselves unto in the law of grace, is, a firm persuasion, exerting itself effectually in all our obedience, that there is not a righteousness to be obtained before God by the performance of any duties or obedience of ours whatever. That this lies in the law of the grace of God, the apostle disputes at large, Rom. iv. 13-15. If,' saith he, 'righteousness be by the law,' that is, by our obedience to God, according to the law, then faith and the promise serve to no purpose; there is an inconsistency between the law of grace, that is, of faith and the promise, and the obtaining of a righteousness before God by our obedience. So Gal. ii. 21. 'If righteousness were by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.' You would walk with God according to his mind, you would please him in Jesus

Christ: What do you do? You strive to perform the duties required at your hand, that on their account you may be accepted as righteous with God. I tell you, saith the apostle, if this be the state of things, 'Christ is dead in vain :' if this be a righteousness before God to be obtained by any thing you can do, the gospel is to no purpose.

And this also is the proud heart of man to humble himself to, if he will walk with God. He must obey, he must perform duties, he must be holy, he must abstain from every sin, and that all under a quick, living, energetical persuasion, that by these things, a righteousness before God is not to be obtained. This is to influence all your duties, to steer you in your whole course of obedience, and to accompany in act of it. How few are influenced with this every persuasion in their walking with God? Do not most men proceed on other practical principles? Is not their great reserve for their appearance before God, hewed out of their own obedience? God knows they walk not with him.

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[3.] In the midst of all our obedience, which is our own, we must believe and accept of a righteousness which is not our own, nor at all wrought or procured by us; of which we have no assurance that there is any such thing, but by the faith we have in the promise of God; and thereupon renouncing all that is in or of ourselves, we must merely and solely rest on that for righteousness and acceptance with God. This the apostle affirms his heart to be humbled unto, Phil. iii. 7—9. the place before mentioned: he reckons up all his own duties, is encompassed with them, sees them lying in great abundance on every hand, every one of them offering its assistance, perhaps painting its face, and crying that it is gain; but, saith the apostle, You are all loss and dung; I look for another righteousness than any you can give me.

Man sees and knows his own duty, his own righteousness and walking with God; he seeth what it costs and stands him in; he knows what pains he hath taken about it, what waiting, fasting, labouring, praying it hath cost him; how he hath cut himself short of his natural desires, and mortified his flesh in abstinence from sin. These are the things of a man, wrought in him, performed by him, and the spirit of a man knows them; and they will promise fair to the