enmity manifesting itself by universal rebellion against him, whatever we do that seems otherwise, is but hypocrisy or flattery, yea, it is a part of this enmity to lessen it. In this state the wisdom of walking with God must needs be most remote from the soul; he is light, and in him is no darkness at all;' we are darkness, and in us there is no light at all. He is life, a living God; we are dead, dead sinners, dead in trespasses and sin; he is holiness and glorious in it; we wholly defiled, an abominable thing; he is love, we full of hatred, hating, and being hatred. Surely this is no foundation for agreement, or upon that, of walking together, nothing can be more remote than this frame from such a condition. The foundation then of this, I say, is laid in Christ, hid in Christ; 'he,' saith the apostle, 'is our peace, he hath made peace for us;' Eph. ii. 14, 15. he slew the enmity, in his own body on the cross; v. 16.

1st. He takes out of the way the cause of the enmity that was between God and us; sin and the curse of the law; Dan. ix. 24. He makes an end of sin, and that by making atonement for iniquity; and he blotteth out the handwriting of ordinances; Col. ii. 14. redeeming us from the curse, by being made a curse for us;' Gal. iii. 13.

2dly. He destroys him who would confinue the enmity, and make the breach wider; Heb. ii. 14. through death he destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;' and Col. ii. 14. spoiled principalities and powers.'

3dly. He made 'reconciliation for the sins of the people;' Heb. ii. 17. he made by his blood at atonement with God, to to turn away that wrath which was due to us, so making peace: hereupon God is said to be in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself;' 2 Cor. v. 19. being reconciled himself, ver. 18. he lays down the enmity on his part and proceeds to what remains, to slay the enmity on our part, that we also may be reconciled. And this also,

4thly. He doth; for Rom. v. 11. by our Lord Jesus Christ we do receive the atonement,' accept of the peace made and tendered, laying down our enmity to God, and so

b 1 John i. 5. σnoría iv avrợ oin šotiv ovdaμía. John i. 5. Eph. v. 8. ii. 3. Exod. xv. 11. 1 John iv. 8. Tit. iii. 3.

confirming an agreement betwixt us in his blood. So that 'through him we have an access unto the Father ;' Eph. ii. 18. Now the whole wisdom of this agreement, without which, there is no walking with God, is hid in Christ; out of him, God. on his part is a consuming fire; we are as stubble fully dry, yet setting ourselves in battle array against that fire; if we are brought together we are consumed. All our approachings to him out of Christ, are but to our detriment; in his blood alone have we this agreement; and let not any of us once suppose that we have taken any step in the paths of God with him, that any one duty is accepted, that all is not lost as to eternity, if we have not done it upon the account hereof.

[2.] There is required acquaintance also to walking together. Two may meet together in the same way, and have no quarrel between them, no enmity, but if they are mere strangers one to another, they pass by without the least communion together. It doth not suffice that the enmity betwixt God and us be taken away, we must also have acquaintance given us with him. Our not knowing of himis a great cause and a great part of our enmity. Our understandings are darkened, and we are alienated from the life of God,' &c. Eph. iv. 18. This also then must be added, if we ever come to walk with God, which is our wisdom. And this also is hid in the Lord Christ, and comes forth from him. It is true there are sundry other means, as his word and his works, that God hath given the sons of men, to make a discovery of himself unto them, and to give them some acquaintance with him, that as the apostle speaks, Acts xvii. 27. "they should seek the Lord, if haply they might find him ;' but yet as that knowledge of God, which we have by his works, is but very weak and imperfect, so that which we have by the word, the letter of it, by reason of our blindness, is not saving to us if we have no other help; for though that be light as the sun in the firmament, yet if we have no eyes in our heads, what can it avail us? No saving acquaintance with him, that may direct us to walk with him can be obtained. This also is hid in the Lord Jesus, and comes forth from him; 1 John v. 20. He hath given us this understanding, that we should know him that is true;' all

other light whatever without his giving us an understanding, will not do it. He is the true light, which lighteth every one that is enlightened; John i. 9. Luke xxiv. 45. he opens our understandings that we may understand the Scriptures; none hath known God at any time, but he hath revealed him;' John i. 18. God dwells in that light which no man can approach unto;' 1 Tim. vi. 16. None hath ever had any such acquaintance with him, as to be said to have seen him, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Hence he tells the Pharisees, that, notwithstanding all their great knowledge which they pretended, indeed they had neither heard the voice of God at any time, nor seen his shape;' John v. 37. They had no manner of spiritual acquaintance with God, but he was unto them as a man whom they had never heard nor seen. There is no acquaintance with God, as love, and full of kindness, patience, grace, and pardoning mercy, on which knowledge of him alone we can walk with him, but only in Christ; but of this fully before. This then also is hid in him.

[3.] There must moreover be a way wherein we must walk with God; God did at the beginning assign us a path to walk in with him, even the path of innocency and exact holiness in a covenant of works. This path by sin, is so filled with thorns and briars, so stopped up by curses and wrath, that no flesh living can take one step in that path; a new way for us to walk in, must be found out, if ever we think to hold communion with God. And this also lies upon the former account. It is hid in Christ; all the world cannot, but by and in him, discover a path, that a man may walk one step with God in. And therefore the Holy Ghost tells us, that Christ hath consecrated, dedicated, and set apart for that purpose, a new and living way into the holiest of all; Heb. x. 20. a new one, for the first old one was useless, a living one, for the other is dead; therefore, saith he, ver. 22. let us draw near ;' having a way to walk in, let us draw near. And this way that he hath prepared is no other but himself; John xiv. 5. in answer to them, who would go to the Father, and hold communion with him, he tells them, I am the way, and no man cometh to the Father, but by me.' He is the medium of all communication between God and us; in him we meet, in him we walk; all influences of love,

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kindness, mercy, from God to us, are through him; all our returns of love, delight, faith, obedience unto God, are all through him; he being that one way,' God so often promiseth his people; and it is a glorious way, Isa. xxxv. 8. a high way, a way of holiness, a way that none can err in, that once enter it; which is farther set out, Isa. xlii. 16. All other ways, all paths but this, go down to the chambers of death; they all lead to walk contrary to God.

[4.] But suppose all this, that agreement be made, acquaintance given, and a way provided, yet if we have no strength to walk in that way, what will all this avail us; this also then must be added, of ourselves we are of no strength; Rom. v. 6. poor weaklings, not able to go a step in the ways of God; when we are set in the way, either we throw ourselves down, or temptations cast us down, and we make no progress; and the Lord Jesus tells us plainly, that 'without him we can do nothing;' John xv. 5. not any thing at all, that shall have the least acceptation with God. Neither can all the creatures in heaven and earth, yield us the least assistance. Men's contending to do it in their own power, comes to nothing; this part of this wisdom also is hid in Christ. All strength to walk with God, is from him; 'I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me,' saith Saint Paul, Phil. iv. 12. who denies that of ourselves we have any sufficiency, 2 Cor. iii. 5. We that can do nothing in ourselves, we are such weaklings, can do all things in Jesus Christ, as giants; and therefore in him, we are against all oppositions in our way, more than conquerers; Rom. viii. 37. and that because 'from his fulness, we receive grace for grace;' John i. 16. From him have we the Spirit of life and power, whereby he bears, as on eagles' wings swiftly, safely, in the paths of walking with God. Any step that is taken in any way, by strength that is not immediately from Christ, is one step towards hell. He first takes us by the arm and teaches us to go, until he lead us on to perfection. He hath milk and strong meat to feed us, he strengthens us with all might, and is with us in our running the race that is set before us. But yet,

[5.] Whence should we take this confidence as to walk with God; even our God, who is 'a consuming fire?' Was

e Heb. xii. 31.

there not such a dread upon his people of old, that it was taken for granted among them, that if they saw God, at any time, it was not to be endured, they must die? Can any but with extreme horror, think of that dreadful appearance, that he made unto them of old upon mount Sinai; until Moses himself, who was their mediator, said, 'I exceedingly fear, and quake?' Heb. xii. 21. and all the people said, 'Let not God speak with us, lest we die?' Exod. xx. 19. Nay, though men have apprehensions of the goodness and kindness of God, yet upon any discovery of his glory, how do they tremble, and are filled with dread and astonishment? Hath it not been so with the choicest of his saints?' Hab. iii. 16. Isa. vi. 5. Job xlii. 5, 6. Whence, then, should we take to ourselves this boldness to walk with God? This the apostle will inform us in Heb. x. 19. it is by the blood of Jesus ;' so Eph. iii. 12. 'in him we have boldness, and access with confidence;' not standing afar off, like the people at the giving of the law, but drawing nigh to God with boldness ; and that upon this account. The dread and terror of God, entered by sin. Adam had not the least thought of hiding himself until he had sinned. The guilt of sin being on the conscience, and this being a common notion left in the hearts of all, that God is a most righteous revenger thereof; this fills men with dread and horror at an apprehension of his presence, fearing that he is come to call their sins to remembrance. Now the Lord Jesus, by the sacrifice and the atonement that he hath made, hath taken away this conscience of sin; that is, a dread of revenge from God, upon the account of the guilt thereof. He hath removed the slaying sword of the law, and on that account gives us great boldness with God; discovering him unto us now, no longer as a revenging judge, but as a tender, merciful, and reconciled Father; moreover, whereas there is on us by nature a spirit of bondage, filling us with innumerable tormenting fears, he takes it away, and gives us the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father, and behave ourselves with confidence and gracious boldness as children: for where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty;' 2 Cor. iii. 17. That is, a freedom from all that dread and terror, which the administration of the law brought with it. Now as there is no sin that God will more severely revenge than any boldness that man takes