Walking Humbly With God (Vintage Puritan)

by John Owen

the sacrificing of men, of men’s sacrificing their own children; the use of such sacrifices throughout the world, among all nations;

there was sacrificing children then and now

the first thing required to our walking with God,—that we be at peace and agreement with him in the blood of Christ.

God aims at the exalting of his glory in this,—that he may be known, believed, magnified, as a God pardoning iniquity and sin. And, secondly, That the enjoyment of himself, in this way of mercy and grace, is that great reward of him that walks with him.

Men who, in their obedience, have base, low, unworthy ends, walk as contrary to God in their obedience as in their sins.

The matter of our walking with God consists, as shall be showed, in our obedience,—in our performance of duties required.

third by self-righteousness, a fourth by the lash of conscience; and so they are driven on by a mere external impress. And these are the principles of the obedience of many. By such things as these are they acted in their walking with God.

What endeavours to walk with God are found upon them, or seen in their ways? Vanity, pride in themselves, families, and relations, yea, scoffing at religion and the ways of God,

If many shall cry, “Lord, Lord,” and not be heard; if “many shall strive to enter,” and shall not; what will be their lot and portion? Poor creatures! you know not the condition of your souls; you cry “Peace, and sudden destruction is at hand.”

1. Do you not please yourselves, some of you, in your ways, and that with contempt of others? Do you not think they are fools, or envious, or hypocrites, or factious, that reprove you; and scorn them in your hearts?

2. Do you not relieve yourselves, with the help of profligate souls, that you will be better,—you will repent when the season is better suited for it, and your present condition is changed?

3. Do not some of you labour to put far from you all thoughts of these things?

our beauty is “perfect” through his comeliness. This is the perfection of justification; whereof we speak not.

1. If we fail in this, or come short of this perfection, by any guile of our hearts, by voluntary retaining any sweet morsel under our tongue, by keeping a knee for Baal, or a bow for Rimmon,—we walk not with God. It is sad to think how many lose all they do or have wrought by coming short in this perfection. One vile lust or other,—love of the world, pride, ambition, idleness, hardheartedness,—may lose all, spoil all; and men walk contrary to God when they think they walk most with him.

There is a constant pressing forwards required in our obedience. Saith David, “I follow hard after God.” The enjoyment of God in Christ is the mark before us; our walking is a constant pressing towards it. To fall into, yea, perhaps, fall under, a temptation, hinders not but that a man may still be said to be walking, though he makes no great speed, and though he defiles himself by his fall. It is not every omission of a duty, it is not every commission of sin, that utterly cuts off in the performance of the duty; but to sit down and give over,—to engage in a way, a course of sin,—this is that which is called walking contrary to God, not with him.