Walking with God, the great duty and privilege of true Christians. In two sermons,…Walking with God, the great duty and priviledge of true Christians. In two sermons,…

Answ This Case being of greatest importance, and for the regulation of our daily practice, it will require the more distinct consideration: but that it may be the more portable, I shall endeavour to contract it so far as the nature of the subject will permit. And here, to prepare the way for the Rules of direction about it, it is requisite that we make some brief enquiry into the nature of the Duty, or What it is to Walk with God? And we may observe that there are three expressions made use of in the Scriptures on this account, viz. to walk with God, to walk before him, and to walk after him. Which Commentators do suppose to aim at one and the same thing: and doubtless each of them doth comprehend the other two under it, though there may be something specially pointed to in each of them. Walking after God may intend a following of his Command, which is the Rule of Life: Walking before him may intimate a setting our selves as in his presence always, to awe our hearts into a careful endeavour to obey him: and, ⟨p. 7⟩Walking with him may signify our maintaining Communion with him in our whole Life; and hence it includes in it, a living in the practice of all those things by which that Communion may be upheld, and avoiding of whatsoever may interrupt it. The word is Metaphorical, and serves to give light to the thing aimed at Walking is properly the progressive motion of a living creature, by which, from an inward principle or power, it carries it […] from one place to another; and is opposed to sitting down, or standing still: and is therefore used for that course of life which men do lead, which is called the way they walk in; for walking ever supposeth a way. It also supposeth the motion to be spontaneous, in opposition to that which is violent or compulsive; and so in voluntary agents, it points to that course of life which they follow upon choice; and it tells us, that a Christian is not to stand still, but to pursue his way with freedom of spirit, if ever he hopes to obtain his great end. To walk with another is used for our conversing with him, and using of his familiarity, so Prov. 13 20. He that walketh with the wise, shall be wise. It therefore supposeth friendship and intimacy, and a likeness of manners in the persons so associating; and on this account, Walking with God intends, a so ordering of our Conversation, ⟨p. 8⟩as is according to his will;