John Owen on How You Can “Abound Extra and Extra” in Your Stroll with God

Moreover then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have obtained of us how ye should stroll and to please God, so ye would abound an increasing number of.—1 Thessalonians 4:1 (KJV)

Strolling as to Please God Extra and Extra

Actually, the good factor that’s upon my coronary heart to exhort you unto—and this textual content of Scripture confirms it—is to “abound an increasing number of” in such work¹ whereby we would please God. I can’t communicate with that love the apostle did, nor with that authority the apostle did; no, actually. We can’t say now we have taught you in all issues, but, the right way to stroll and to please God; although we hope you might have been taught:² however I can actually say that the identical factor is upon my coronary heart, in line with my measure, to beseech you and exhort you, to declare unto you the right way to stroll on this church relation whereby you stand, in order that you could be please God, and in order that you could be abound in so strolling an increasing number of; and the Lord persuade us all, each one, that it’s our responsibility to be abounding on this matter! Some might imagine there isn’t any extra needful however so to stroll as that they might be members of the church, and provides no offense to the church; some they’ve already attained a great status by their career, could not suppose it incumbent upon them to do any extra however to maintain up their place and station, not decaying. Our responsibility is kind of in any other case; we’re to “abound an increasing number of.”

Now, as a result of³ I do intend, if I reside, and God will and allow, at my return to go over all of the particular duties of our relation, displaying all of them how we could all so stroll as to please God, I shall lay just a little basic basis at current out of those phrases, and that on this rule or proposition—

A Foundational Rule: All Church Members Are Obligated to Stroll in Holiness

That there’s a peculiar strolling with God in fruitful⁴ holiness required of all who’re admitted into the fellowship of the gospel, the communion of the saints, and order of the church buildings.⁵

That’s the first basic rule, and I’d construct all that ensues upon it. There’s a peculiar strolling with God, in order to please God, and a progress therein, abounding an increasing number of in it, required of all who’re admitted to the privileges of the gospel in church order and society, and the communion of the saints.

A strolling with God—within the Scripture our obedience to God just isn’t so often expressed, typically, by anyone phrase as by this of strolling: to stroll with God; to stroll in his regulation; to stroll in his statutes; to stroll within the worry of the Lord.

Now,⁶ this stroll we communicate of, is the entire course of our dialog, and our train therein with regard unto God. That may be a man’s stroll. As is the course of a person’s dialog and train therein with respect unto God, so is his stroll: which can be both straight or crooked; it might be both shut or unfastened; it might be both with God or opposite to him. “If ye stroll opposite to me,” says God, “I’ll stroll opposite to you.”⁷ And it’s variously expressed in Scripture. Generally it’s referred to as strolling with God: “Enoch walked with God” (Gen. 5:24); typically it’s referred to as strolling earlier than God: “Stroll earlier than me, and be thou excellent” (Gen. 17:1);⁸ typically it’s referred to as a strolling after God: “The king⁹ made a covenant to stroll after God” (2 Kings 23:3); typically it’s referred to as a “strolling worthy of the Lord” (Col. 1:10); and typically it’s termed a “humbling ourselves to stroll with God” (Mic. 6:8).¹⁰ We render it to “stroll humbly with God”; however it’s so within the authentic.¹¹ And all that is to point out that God should be all in all in our stroll; that we ought so to stroll as those that have all from him, as those that do all for him, as those that design conformity to him, and as those who look forward to the enjoyment of him. It’s each method expressed, that we could know that God should be all in our complete stroll—that’s, in all we do on this world.¹²

Answerable hereunto, God’s gracious actings towards us are referred to as his strolling with us. “And I’ll stroll amongst you,” says God (Lev. 26:11–12). Two can’t stroll collectively except they’re agreed.¹³ When God and we stroll collectively in peace, upon the settlement made between us by Christ, by the blood of the cross, then are we in our locations, after which is God exalted.

Now, this strolling with God, with out which, as I shall manifest afterward to you,¹⁴ all our privileges and all our enjoyments are ineffective, are harmful, are current means and might be future aggravations of everlasting smash (with out it, I say,¹⁵ that which we lay such weight upon, that which we undergo for, that which we rejoice in, if there be not this strolling with God, in order to please him, it’s ineffective and harmful—it’s a current technique of destruction, and might be a future aggravation of it),

I say¹⁶ this strolling with God could also be thought-about two methods: 1. With respect unto the covenant of God typically; and, 2. With respect unto the actual church covenant, or holy settlement that’s amongst us¹⁷ within the fellowship of the gospel, which the apostle has right here a selected respect unto: “How ye should stroll”; “Ye church of Thessalonica, which is in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ; how ye should stroll.

Usually, with Respect to the Covenant

1. First, it’s our obedience typically in accordance unto the tenor of the covenant of grace;¹⁸ for thus it’s expressed. All covenant obedience is expressed in that phrase,¹⁹ “Stroll earlier than me” (Gen. 17:1). “I’m the Almighty God,” says he,²⁰ “stroll earlier than me, and be thou upright.”²¹ And so, when God guarantees his Spirit to meet in all believers, in all of the elect, the grace of the covenant,²² he says, “I’ll write my regulation of their hearts, and trigger them to stroll in my statutes.”²³

Significantly, with Respect to the Church Covenant

Now, brethren, I’d need you to contemplate this,

ADVERTISEMENT

2. Within the second place, that church society is the peculiar method that God has chosen and ordained whereby we could categorical covenant obedience, unto the glory of God and the furtherance of our personal salvation. I say, that church society is a peculiar method God hath appointed whereby we could categorical our covenant obedience, unto the glory of God and unto the furtherance of our personal salvation.²⁴ And if any man ask us a motive of this fashion, and a motive of the ordinances of this fashion we may give him neither higher nor different reply than this, “It’s the method God has appointed whereby we could categorical our covenant obedience to his glory.

Subscribe to an unique mailing record so we will notify you anytime a brand new quantity on this sequence is in inventory and might give you a particular low cost of fifty% off on these titles by your Crossway+ membership.

Two Implications

Therefore these two issues comply with—

1. First, that no man can stroll as he ought, and please God in church society, that doesn’t stroll as he ought within the covenant of grace. The reason being plain, for this church society is nothing however the best way God has appointed to precise that obedience; as all establishments from the start of the world have been nothing however methods God had appointed to precise covenant obedience in.

There is no such thing as a man, subsequently, allow them to in any method or means²⁵ come right into a church²⁶ and be made partaker of the privileges of the church, can stroll in order to please God (because the textual content says) in that church,²⁷ except he stroll antecedently and essentially within the covenant obedience that God requires of him.

2. Secondly, it follows from therefore that no man can stroll as he should the glory of God in covenant obedience, that doesn’t be a part of himself to some church society whereby to stroll; and the reason being, as a result of it’s the method God has chosen and²⁸ appointed whereby that obedience could also be expressed, in a single church society or different that’s sound within the religion, strolling within the reality.²⁹ A person can’t stroll orderly else in covenant obedience, as a result of he is aware of not the right way to categorical it to the glory of God.³⁰

The Necessity of Strolling in Obedience to the Covenant of Grace

1. Now, the primary of those, how we must always stroll typically with respect unto the covenant of grace, I shall not communicate unto. It’s a lengthy work, an awesome work; it’s not that which I design.¶

(1) In short,³¹ the precept of it’s the Spirit of God, whence we’re stated to “stroll within the Spirit”³²

(2) The rule of it’s the phrase of God, whence we’re stated to stroll in line with that rule, “mercy and peace be on us”³³—the life, method, energy of it, is Jesus Christ.

(3) The life, method and energy of it’s Jesus Christ, within the third place, “I’m the best way, I’m the reality, and I’m the life”³⁴—

(4) The object and finish of it’s God himself; we stroll earlier than God, and we stroll to come back to the enjoyment of God—

(5) The bounds of it are the covenant; nothing past what God requires in his covenant belongs to this stroll, nothing that falls beneath the grace³⁵ of the covenant does belong unto it, nothing that’s opposite to the precepts of the covenant.³⁶ It’s the covenant that provides bounds to our strolling. And the design of this strolling is the resignation of ourselves unto God, conformity to him, and pleasure of him. However these aren’t the issues I intend.

The Necessity of Membership of a Specific Church

2. That which I intend to talk unto (not now, however hereafter),³⁷ is—

Strolling with God in Church Relations

(1) Our stroll with God in that especial church relation whereby we stand. And I shall endeavor, if God will, to point out you ways we should stroll in order to please God, by plain, evident, acquainted directions from the Scripture, accommodated unto our state and situation in all issues. Strolling with God in Days of Temptation (2) And, secondly, press it upon your consciences and my very own, as the need, and situation, and temptations befalling church buildings, within the days whereby we reside, does require; and particularly with respect unto that woeful conformity to the world which appears to have overtaken the generality of professors on this day.

Strolling with God in Days of Temptation

(2) And, secondly, press it upon your consciences and my very own, as the need, and situation, and temptations befalling church buildings, within the days whereby we reside, does require; and particularly with respect unto that woeful conformity to the world which appears to have overtaken the generality of professors on this day.

The Necessity of Mutual Watchfulness

What I spoke unto you the final day³⁸ has occasioned me to go thus again, to put this basis; for that can give however one explicit of what is going to be discovered essential to press upon you, that you could be so stroll as to please God, and abound in it an increasing number of.³⁹

But that’s such a weighty explicit—particularly, how we could each one in all us, in our locations and situations, and beneath our alternatives, promote holiness in each other, and be woke up to a diligent watchfulness unto that responsibility— that I’d beg of you that which may not fall off from our consideration with the expertise⁴⁰ of different issues. And that you simply may know the right way to put it in apply extra amongst us was referred to your consideration in addition to mine.⁴¹

Notes:

1. The Hartopp manuscript has “strolling” instead of “work.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 264 (fol. 133v).
2. The manuscript has “now we have endeavoured it” instead of “you might have been taught.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 265 (fol. 134r).
3. The manuscript provides “on the late event.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 265 (fol. 134r). This can be a reference to the primary discourse on Eph. 4:14–16, delivered within the discourse from Might 23.
4. The manuscript has “fruits of ” instead of “fruitful.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 265 (fol. 134r).
5. The manuscript prefers “church” to “church buildings.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 265 (fol. 134r).
6. The manuscript inserts “our strolling.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 266 (fol. 134v).
7. The manuscript omits the second half of this paraphrasing of Lev. 26:21–24.
8. The manuscript provides “stroll in my sight.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 266 (fol. 134v).
9. The manuscript prefers “they” instead of “the king.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 266 (fol. 134v).
10. Owen preached 5 sermons on this textual content. See Strolling Humbly with God, in Full Works of John Owen, 22.
11. Rather than this sentence, the manuscript has: “strolling humbly with God, to take of from a proud coronary heart in order to stroll with God.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 266 (fol. 134v).
12. The manuscript has “take pleasure in” instead of “on this world.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 266 (fol. 134v).
13. See Amos 3:3.
14. The manuscript provides “for I communicate to a church.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 267 (fol. 135r).
15. The manuscript omits “I say.”
16. The manuscript prefers “now” to “I say.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 267 (fol. 135r).
17. The manuscript has “beleivers” instead of “us.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 267 (fol. 135r).
18. The manuscript omits “of grace.
19. The manuscript has “these phrases” instead of “that phrase.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 267 (fol. 135r).
20. The Hartopp manuscript omits “says he.”
21. The manuscript prefers “excellent” to “upright.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 267 (fol. 135r). The previous is the interpretation from the Licensed Model (KJV), and the latter is from the Geneva Bible (GNV).
22. The manuscript has “in all of the fullness of the grace of the covenant” instead of “in all of the elect, the grace of the covenant.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 267 (fol. 135r).
23. Ezek. 36:27.
24. The Hartopp manuscript omits this sentence.
25. The Hartopp manuscript omits “or means.”
26. The manuscript prefers “Church buildings” to “a church.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 268 (fol. 135v).
27. The Hartopp manuscript omits “(because the textual content says) in that church.
28. The Hartopp manuscript omits “chosen and.”
29. The Hartopp manuscript omits this remaining clause.
30. The manuscript has “within the methods of God” instead of “to the glory of God.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 268 (fol. 135v).
31. The manuscript provides “I’ll however identify it.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 268 (fol. 135v). The italics are from Goold, and they don’t seem to be current within the Hartopp truthful copy. See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Sermons of John Owen, MS OWE, fol. 117v; The Works of John Owen, William H. Goold, 24 vols. (Edinburgh: Johnstone and Hunter, 1850–1855), 17:541.
32. Gal. 5:16.
33. Gal. 6:16.
34. John 14:6.
35. The manuscript prefers “finish” to “grace.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 268 (fol. 135v).
36. The manuscript inserts “the brand new Covenant.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 268 (fol. 135v).
37. The manuscript omits the fabric in parentheses and as a substitute states, “is that this if God provides season and opportunety.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 269 (fol. 136r).
38. I.e., Might 23, 1674.
39. The manuscript has “strolling in the direction of God” instead of “it an increasing number of.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 269 (fol. 136r).
40. The manuscript has “expectation” instead of “expertise.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 269 (fol. 136r).
41. The manuscript provides “I didn’t suppose to have spoken unto you in any respect about this however resolved to talk to 1 or two of these dutys which concurr to this nice route how we should stroll as to please God. I believed to put this basis presently. The Finish.” See Owen, “Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 4:1,” Hartopp, MS L6/2, 269 (fol. 136r).

This text is tailored from Sermons from the Early Restoration Years (1669–1675) (Quantity 20) by John Owen, edited by Martyn C. Cowan.

---

Martyn C. Cowan (PhD, College of Cambridge) is a minister of the Presbyterian church in Eire who serves because the lecturer in historic theology and vice principal of Union Theological School, Belfast, Northern Eire. He’s the writer of John Owen and the Civil Conflict Apocalypse: Preaching, Prophecy and Politics.

John Owen (1616–1683) was vice-chancellor of Oxford College and served as adviser and chaplain to Oliver Cromwell. Among the many most discovered and lively of the Puritans in seventeenth-century England, he was completed each in doctrine and sensible theology.

---

Associated Articles

Why John Owen and Richard Baxter Didn’t Like Every Different

Tim Cooper

August 01, 2024

After we see different folks, we accomplish that by a filter that operates on the idea of the one proof now we have: what we see them do and listen to them say. It’s straightforward to get that fallacious.

This Day in Historical past: The Dying of John Owen

Michael A. G. Haykin

August 24, 2018

When John Owen died on August 24, 1683, his status as “the Calvin of England,” was firmly established.

Podcast: John Owen’s Recommendation for Killing Your Sin (Kelly Kapic)

January 27, 2025

Kelly Kapic discusses John Owen and his perception into the corruption of the human coronary heart and the gospel’s energy to alter us from the within out.

Podcast: The Life and Legacy of John Owen (Lee Gatiss)

April 08, 2024

Lee Gatiss walks us by the life and instances of the prolific theologian John Owen, introducing us to the person, his works, and his legacy.

---