Lord.מִלָא Numb. 32. 12. Deut. 1. 36. Josh. 14. 14. to stand in the sight of God. 1 King. 17. 1. to walke in the light of the Lord. Isai. 2. 5. to walke in equity, Isai. 57. 2. to walke in truth, in judgement and uprightnesse. 1 King. 2. 4. and 3. 6. 2 King. 20. 6. The two first phrases of walking with God and before God, the Sept. Interpreters doe most commonly render, ἐυηρεστηχένανto please God; though now and then they Isai. 38.3.retaine the phrase of walking with or before God, or walking after God: and the Apostle seemes to have respect unto their translation, when he doth so alleadge it, Heb. 11. 5. For he is reported to have pleased God. In the New Testament there be Phrases that import the same thing for substance: as to walke in the truth. 2 Joh. 4. to walke in all the Commandements, Statutes and Ordinances of the Lord. Luke 1. 6. to walke worthy the Lord, that is, as becomes the sonnes of God. 1 Thess. 2. 12. Eph. 4. 2. and to please him in all things. Col. 1. 10. to walke in Christ. Col. 2. 6. that is to doe all after the rule and command of Christ, vers. 6. and set before our eyes his glory, as the white we shoot at in all affaires great and small. To walke with or before God then is to commit our selves wholly to his care and divine protection both in life and all our actions, and assuredly to perswade our selves that he is the present and just beholder of all thoughts, words and actions; to reverence him as ever present and beholding all things; to be ready at his beck and command, studiously, readily, chearefully to receive his Commandements, and at all times reverently to demeane and carry our selves before him: to turne our eyes and fix all our senses upon the Lord, and to attribute what good soever we enjoy, to the Lord alone. In briefe, to walke before God, is from a true and sincere heart to beleeve, thinke and doe whatsoever God prescribeth, and that in such manner as he prescribeth; to attend upon the pure worship of God, and to live holily, justly, unblameably: as they are said to be Luke 1.6.
Luke 1.15.just before God, who are truly and sincerely just or such as be righteous by way of eminency in comparison of others: what is done sincerely, and elegantly, is said to be done before the Lord. 1 Thess. 1. 3. Luk. 1. 57. 1 Thess. 3. 13. Thus Abraham was commanded, and by the grace of God enabled to walke with or before God. Gen. 24. 40. and 48. 15. But sometimes in a peculiar sense, to walke with God is to minister before God. 1 Sam. 2. 32, 33. and to walke before the face of God is to be understood in the same manner: the Metaphor being ta-ken
Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/86
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74
Of the Covenant of Grace
