Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
I Have already diſpatcht three Points, which were needful to be conſidered, before we come to the main; the laſt time, we conſidered what an evil time it was that Enoch lived in, the earth being ſo corrupt, as it appears (by that Prophecie of Jude) that the time of Enoch was an evil time: but notwithſtanding the corruption of the time, Enoch walked with God. The Lord takes it exceeding kindly when his people walk cloſe with him in evil times. But I ſhall further Conſider what lies in the Text, Enoch walked with God. Here is nothing taken notice of but his walking with God; he was an excellent Prophet, as the Apoſtle Jude doth witneſs, Enoch the ſeventh from Adam Propheſied, he was one that did a great deal for God, he preached faithfully unto the men of his Generation: but there's nothing ſaid of him but this, He walked with God; he lived ſo long and he walked with God.
Obſervation. Obſerve then, That it's the higheſt excellency of a Creature to walk with God: For this is the greateſt commendation that can be given of a man or woman, that they are ſuch as walk with God in their Generation. Here I ſhall ſhew you, Firſt, What it is to walk with God. And Secondly, That this is the excellency of any man or woman. And Thirdly, Wherein this excellency lies, which will make way for the Application.
Our firſt work is to Conſider, What it is to walk with God; the way of a Chriſtians walking with God, is either Internal or External; Internal is the way of his ſpirit, the way of his heart, which is hid from the world: External is the way of his Converſation. We ſhall now conſider the former only.
What is this Internal way, the way of the ſpirit, the way of the heart in walking with God?
Firſt of all, Faith is the beginning of this way, I ſay, Faith in God and Chriſt, and the Promiſes is the beginning of this way, for the Apoſtle ſaies, We walk by Faith, 2 Cor. 5. 7. And the Apoſtle to the Hebrews tells us expreſly, That Enoch walked with God by Faith, Heb. 11. 5, 6. it's ſaid, By Faith Enoch was tranſlated, and was not, yet before he was tranſlated he pleaſed God: where he holds forth to us, that Enoch lived and died in faith, and this was his firſt ſtep, and this is the beginning of a Chriſtians way in walking with God, he begins in Faith: 'Tis not poſſible that two ſhould walk together unleſs they be agreed, ſo ſaies the Prophet Amos, Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed? It's not poſſible till Faith cloſe with Chriſt, there's no Agreement: it's faith that makes our reconciliation, and makes over this agreement to the ſoul, and therefore no walking with God before this agreement; it's not poſſible for an Unbeliever to walk with God, Faith is the beginning of this way, for the ſoul is filled with ſlaviſh fear, and it dares not come to God, it dares not walk with him, it dares not come nigh him, till ſuch time as faith doth diſcover the grace, love and bowels of compaſſion that are in the heart of God; it runs away from God, the creature runs from God as Adam did, God walked in the Garden, and he called for Adam to walk with him, but he durſt not, the guilt of his tranſgreſſion was upon him, and he hid himſelf among the Buſhes in the Garden; Poor creatures! they run not only into the buſhes of the Garden, but into the buſhes of the Wilderneſs, they would hide themſelves in the Thickets of their own righteouſneſs, in Bryars and Thorns, rather than come in and ſubmit to God again: There's not only pride of heart, but there's enmity, enmity againſt God, The fool hath ſaid in his heart, There is no God; he wiſhes there were no God, that he might ſtill be without controul, and give no account of his actions, there's enmity in the heart, and this ſlaviſh fear and enmity remains till ſuch time as God diſcovers it, and roots it out by faith, and faith diſcovers the tender bowels, love, and compaſſions that are in God towards it through Jeſus Chriſt, ſo that as the ſoul goes on in believing, ſo it goes on in walking with God: A Chriſtians Exerciſe of faith is the acting of faith, and exerciſing of faith every day on the promiſes, is a great part of his daily walking with God, for he that walks with God acts faith, in all conditions he runs to the Promiſe; when the guilt of ſin revives, he runs to the Fountain ſet open for Judah and Jeruſalem to waſh in, and he rouls upon the Promiſe, Lord, thou haſt promiſed to blot out my tranſgreſſions like a thick Cloud; and ſo when he wants holineſs, when corruption prevails he runs to the promiſe, Lord, thou haſt ſaid, ſin ſhall not have Dominion over me; thou haſt ſaid, If Chriſt be in you, the body is dead becauſe of ſin, dead to ſin; and ſo in time of temptation he runs to the Promiſe, Lord thou haſt ſaid that ſuch of thy ſervants as walk in darkneſs, and ſee no light, ſhould truſt in the name of the Lord, and ſtay upon their God; and thou haſt ſaid, No temptation ſhall be a burden beyond their ſtrength: And ſo in all ſtreights and afflictions, it runs to the Promiſe, Lord thou haſt ſaid, That all things ſhall work together for good to them who love and fear thee. In a word, This is to walk with God, when the ſoul ſhall reſt upon the Promiſe for all ſupplies both for this life, and that which is to come; when he ſhall truſt the Lord for proviſion in the way, and truſt him for an Inheritance in the end of the way, he ſhall ſay, Lord, thou haſt given me the Word of thy grace, and I'le venture my ſoul upon it, though it be for eternity I'le venture upon thy Word, if I periſh I periſh; if God can deceive me, I am willing to be deceived. Thus doth faith put the ſoul into a capacity and poſture of walking with God, it puts the ſoul in a poſture of walking hand in hand with God, as a man with his friend, it puts the ſoul into the beſt poſture of walking with God, and that is, into a poſture of leaning and ſtaying upon him as it walks with him. It's ſaid that the Spouſe, as ſhe came out of the Wilderneſs, She came leaning upon her Beloved; The Lord knows, his poor ſervants are not able to walk with him in the Wilderneſs, unleſs they lean upon him, and they can't ſet one ſtep forward unleſs they lean upon him, and therefore he hath given them himſelf, his ſon, and his ſons name, his Word, to ſtay and lean upon in the Wilderneſs; and this is the beginning of all their walking with God. That's the firſt particular▪ Again,
2. Secondly, To walk with God is to Bow the ſpirit unto God; this is another part of the Internal walking with God; I ſay, when the ſpirit bows unto God, when the powers of the ſoul are over-powered by the Spirit of Chriſt to ſubmit unto him, for the very powers of the ſoul are reſigned up to Chriſt; when the ſoul gives him the chief place in the heart, and deſires that God may be ſet up in the very excellencies of the ſpirit; it can't be content unleſs God have that ſtrong hold, unleſs he gain the inward-moſt Tower and Caſtle, the very heart and ſpirit which he deſires may bow to God; when it is not content to give him the ſervice of the outward man, but deſires to ſerve him in ſpirit alſo, and therefore does cry out of thoſe inward luſts that defile the ſoul, and do hinder it from acting towards God: though others, though ſtanders by look upon ſuch a ſoul, and ſee that God hath done a great deal for it, yet he can't be ſatisfied ſo long as there are any riſings in the inward man, any rebellious luſts in the heart that do riſe up againſt God, it deſires that the Word of the Lord may bring down every Towery imagination, and that it might lead every thought into Captivity unto Jeſus Chriſt: when the ſoul makes it his work, thus to bow the ſpirit, the inward man unto Chriſt, to ſerve him in ſpirit, to give him the choice, the excellency of the affections, and the higheſt place in the ſoul, and is never quiet till every baſe luſt be caſt out of that inward Caſtle and Tower; this is another part of that Internal walking with God.
3. Thirdly, when the ſoul is carried out with ſtrong deſires after the enjoyment of the preſence of God; when the ſoul delights in the preſence of God, and is carried out with ſtrong deſires after further and further injoyment of God, this is a part of the ſouls walking with him; when it can't take up in any thing ſhort of God; Creatures and Ordinances can't ſatisfie, if it don't meet with God in them, and therefore it deſires to uſe all creatures for that end that he may ſee God in them, and glorifie God for them, and be led unto God by them, that ſtill he may come nearer unto God, whom to enjoy is his happineſs; and ſo for Ordinances, he uſes them all for that end that he may get nigher God, and enjoy more of the preſence of God, and therefore he will wait upon the diſpenſation of the Word, becauſe God hath promiſed to be there, and therefore he will walk with the Saints of God, becauſe Chriſt hath promiſed to walk in the midſt of the golden Candleſticks, for there he expects to meet him, and deſires to enjoy much of God and Chriſt; I ſay, when the ſoul thus enjoies much of God, it's a great part of its walking with him; and therefore when God ſtands at a diſtance and hides his face, it goes up and down lamenting; Oh, this is the greateſt perplexity in the world, for God to turn away and hide his face, and to lead him into a poor dark condition, Oh, Lord turn again, ſaies he, let me ſee thy face; though he chide him, better than not to ſee his face or hear his voice at all; and therefore its deſires are vehement when God ſeems to exempt himſelf. Therefore David breaths after God, in Pſal. 42. 1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee O God. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God, when ſhall I come and appear before God? As the Hart breaths after the water brooks; Oh, it is a mighty deſire that the poor, chaſed, hunted, bleeding Hart has after the water brooks, and ſuch is Davids deſire after God, Oh when ſhall I come and appear before God? It's alſo expreſt in Iſa. 26. 9. My ſoul ſought after God in the night ſeaſon (ſaies the Church there) with my ſpirit within me will I ſeek thee early; it's a very Emphatical expreſſion, with my ſpirit within me will I ſeek thee early. Well, this is another part, a third ſtep of the ſouls walking with God.
4. Fourthly, Again, When the ſoul is filled with mighty deſires of being made like unto God; his deſires are continually extended this way, in being made like unto God; it looks upon it as his glory, as his happineſs: It's the greateſt part of the glory of heaven to be made like unto God, and therefore the Apoſtle cries out ſo much of the old man, and of the body of ſin and death, and deſires ſo much to be ſatisfied and filled with the likeneſs of God; he looks upon Chriſt for this end, and beholds the glory of God in Chriſt, and he looks wiſtly, and would alwaies be looking upon Chriſt, that ſo he might be changed from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord. His deſires are mightily carried out, in being made like unto Chriſt, and he looks upon the promiſes for this end, that they may purge, ſanctifie and cleanſe from all pollution both of fleſh and ſpirit; the ſpirit of God ſhining in them and through them, it might convey more of the divine nature to them: That's another part of his walking with God. Again,
5. Fifthly, When the ſoul is deſirous to embrace all the motions of the Spirit of Chriſt: I ſay, it's deſirous to embrace all the motions of the Spirit of Chriſt, and to walk up to them, and to improve them. Oh that ſentence is writ upon the ſoul, He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit ſpeaks; and therefore the ſoul is attentive, and is intent upon God for this very end, That he may know the mind of God, and not loſe its opportunity, that it may hear when the Spirit calls, and ſaies, Come away: There's a great deal in this; this is that which conduces unto a Chriſtians peace exceeding much: the knowing and improving ſuch opportunities of Chriſts ſpeaking in his heart, conduces to his peace and growth, and to his uſefulneſs and ſerviceableneſs in thoſe ſeaſons and opportunities; when the Spirit of Chriſt (as I may ſay with holy reverence) whiſpers in the ſoul, when the Spirit of Chriſt ſaies, Here's an opportunity of doing good to the ſoul, or to the body of a poor creature; Oh, how is then the heart drawn out amain to lay out himſelf for God, his ſtrength for God, and to lay forth his Eſtate for God? And he ſaies as Chriſt ſaid, Loe I come: Here's an opportunity for ſervice; why, then, Loe I come to do thy Will, O God; the embracing, I ſay, and cheriſhing thoſe motions of the Spirit of God, which he is pleaſed to hint in the ſouls of his people, is another part of their walking with him. Again,
6. Sixthly, In the next place, That ſoul walks with God when it ſets it ſelf in the eye of God; when it eyes God continually, and ſets it ſelf in the eye of God, in the preſence of God, this is a main part of his walking with God; when a man ſhall do all that he doth as in the preſence of God, every action, that though it concerns man and his outward calling, yet he deſires to do all as in the preſence of God: And therefore he doth not only look to a duty, but he looks to the manner of the performance of every duty, becauſe the holy, pure and piercing eye of God is upon him; he looks to the manner, how it's carried on and forth, what ſpirit is in it, becauſe he knows that the eye of God is piercing, it's a flame of fire, and he doth all as in the preſence of God, and unto God, in his ſerving of man, he doth it as unto the Lord: he hath a higher end than the men in the world have, who know no other end than to gain riches and honour, or the like; but there's a further and higher end, that he may lift up the name of God, and ſerve God in ſerving of man, that he may ſerve his Generation according to the Will of God; I ſay, when the ſoul is thus alwaies under the eye of God, and therefore is faithful whether man ſee or no, though there is no eye to witneſs, no eye to over-look, yet it knows that it's in the preſence of God, for though he don't ſo ſee the tranſgreſſion of his people as to caſt them off, yet he may ſee that which may be matter of ſore diſpleaſure and grief; and therefore this is that which is as a bridle and a bit over all his waies, that it is in the preſence of God. Again,
7. Seventhly, In the next place, The ſoul walks with God when he is deſirous to embrace every truth that God ſhall impart; when it opens to truth; this is another part of the ſouls internal walking with God: when it opens to truth, to every truth which the embracing and profeſſing of may coſt him dear, being oppoſed in the world; it matters not, if you be perſwaded it's the truth of Chriſt it's enough, it truſts God for the reſt; oh it's greedy after truth; that ſoul that walks with God, oh how fearful is it, leſt it ſhould not embrace truth? Oh how fearful is it leſt it ſhould be left behind when God advances his truth in the world; and when truth is advanced, Oh, how fearful is it to be left behind? Though it would not ſet a ſtep, until God goes before, and it would not hear the voice of a ſtranger, yet it would not be ſhut up from the voice of Chriſt, therefore it's fear is to be left behind, and deſires that God would take it along: when he diſcovers truths unto a Saint, even the truth of the age, and the truth of the Generation in which he lives; that's another part of the ſouls walking with God. Again,
8. In the Eighth place, The Soul walks with God when it can juſtifie the Word of God; juſtifie the Word of God, though the Word condemn him in his practices, yet he will juſtifie the Word of God; though the Word be high, holy, and ſpiritual, and he ſees he is a poor creature and can't come up to it, yet he won't deſpiſe nor hate the Word, but loves, juſtifies and bleſſes God for it; ſo the Apoſtle in Rom. 7. 12. Wherefore the Law is holy, ſaies he, and the Commandment is holy, juſt and good. Again in the 13 Verſe, Was then that which was good made death to me? God forbid. But ſin that it might appear ſin, working death in me by that which is good: that ſin by the Commandment might become exceeding ſinful. And again in the 16 Verſe, If then I do that which I would not, I conſent unto the Law that it is good. Though I do the things that I would not, yet, ſaies he, I love the Law and delight in it in the inward man; this is a main part of the ſpirits and ſouls walking with God, when it can thus juſtifie and clear the Word; and though the Word of the Lord croſs him, yet it gets to the Word of the Lord, and though he can't come up to it, yet it bleſſes the Word, that's holy and good, though I be carnal, though I be ſold under ſin, it juſtifies the Word.
9. Again, In the Ninth place, He will Juſtifie God; that's another part of his walking, he will juſtifie God, and clear God in all his proceedings, though God go againſt his comforts, and ſmite them as he did Job, yet ſtill he'll walk and go along with God, and clear and juſtifie God: In all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly, the Lord gives, and the Lord takes, and bleſſed be his name. Still he will juſtifie God though he can't ſee a reaſon of Gods proceedings, yet ſtill he will juſtifie God; though he do him wrong, yet God is holy, righteous, and merciful; and this is another part of the ſouls internal walking with God. Again,
10. In the Tenth and laſt place, to name no more, The ſoul then walks with God, When it is taken up with higher things than the things of this World. It deſires to look up to higher things than the things of the world, and greater things than the world is able to preſent, and therefore would not have the world for its portion at no rate, he can't take up there, no, he hath higher things to fix his heart upon: the worldlings ſpend their time and meditations upon their Silver and Gold, upon their Houſes and Land, but a gracious heart will not ſpend many of his thoughts upon theſe, it will not ſpend the beſt of his thoughts upon theſe, but ſaies to his ſoul as Solomon's Mother ſaid to him, Prov. 31. 2. Oh my ſon give not thy ſtrength to women, &c. and ſo ſaies he, Oh my ſoul give not thy ſtrength to the things of this world, give not the ſtrength of thy heart and affections, to theſe poor low things, thou haſt better things to ſpend thy ſtrength upon, there's God and Chriſt, there's a Kingdom, there's the Pearl of great price, there's an Inheritance, there's an Eternity, there's an everlaſting enjoyment of God, theſe things art thou to be taken up with; theſe things doth he deſire to ſpend the beſt of his ſtrength and thoughts upon. You ſee my Brethren in part, what it is to walk with God, this is the internal way, the way of the ſpirit, the way of the heart in walking with God; this the Lord will have laid before you as your duty, and although you ſee you come infinitely ſhort of it (as all Chriſtians may ſee how they come ſhort of it) yet the Lord will have this truth diſcovered, and this way laid before us, though we come infinitely ſhort, and turn aſide in our walkings with God, yet be juſtifying of him, and vindicating of his Word, and ſay, Bleſſed be thy name and the word of thy grace which thou haſt made known unto us, and ſee that ye walk humbly wherein you come ſhort, and get out of your ſelves more unto Chriſt, that he may give you ſtrength to walk with him. So much for this time.