Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
I Have given you part of the Character of one that walks with God. Now I ſhall ſhew you what he is in his calling, in his ordinary employment that God hath ſet him in, for he walks with God in his calling, as well as in thoſe duties that do more immediately concern God.
1. And firſt of all, He looks upon his Calling that God hath ſet him in as an Ordinance of God: I ſay, he looks upon it as an Ordinance of God, and therefore he ſubmits unto it, and endeavours to be faithful in it: He knows it's laid upon all men, in Gen. 3. 19. In the ſweat of thy brows thou ſhalt eat thy bread; there are ſome bad drones that fortifie themſelves againſt this Scripture, and ſay, this is only the Curſe, In the ſweat of thy brows thou ſhalt eat thy bread: but now the Curſe is taken away by Chriſt for his people, and therefore they ought to work no longer; as the Lilies in the Field, they neither ſow nor reap, but yet are cloathed: but now he that walks with God looks upon that Scripture not only as a Curſe, but as a Commandment, In the ſweat of thy brows thou ſhalt eat thy bread; it's the Commandment of God, and the Commandment holds though the Curſe be taken away: Man was enjoyned to labour in the ſtate of Innocency, when there was no Curſe; God made him, and it's ſaid, he put him into the Garden to dreſs it: yea the very Angels, Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all miniſtring ſpirits ſent forth for the good of his Saints? They all work, they have all their employment, there's not one Angel in Heaven that is idle; God himſelf is a pure Actor, he is an active Spirit, he is alwaies working, ſo ſaies our Saviour, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work: though he ceaſed from the works of Creation, yet God hath been working ever ſince, he worketh hitherto every day, and I work: So that he that walks with God looks upon his Calling as an Ordinance of God, and ſees the wiſdom and goodneſs of God in it, in appointing ſuch a way for man, there's abundance of wiſdom in it; by this means wicked men are kept from being deſperately wicked; if there were no work, no employment for them, there would be a ſtudying of wickedneſs, a plotting and contriving of wickedneſs, ſin would become out of meaſure ſinful, it would break from all banks and bounds, the whole earth would commit violence; nay, it's good for Gods own people, whilſt they are in the world, to have employment, for by this means they are kept from many a ſnare, and many a temptation they are freed from: an idle man tempts the Devil; the Devil tempts man, and an idle man tempts the Devil unto thoſe woful ſnares which others (being employed) are freed from; a man that walks with God looks upon his Calling God hath ſet him in, as an Ordinance of God. But then again,
2. Secondly, He deſires to do all the works of his Calling as unto God: that's another part of his walking with God in his Calling; he deſires to do all the works of his Calling as unto the Lord: he knows that he hath to do with God, yea even then when he is ſerving of man, that he hath not only to do with God in the things of his worſhip, not only when he comes before God in Ordinances, and in duties, when he reads and when he prays, and when he hears; moſt men confeſs then they have to do with God; but he that walks with God knows he hath to do with God, when he is in his Calling, and therefore he takes that Counſel which is given him by the Apoſtle, in 1 Cor. 7. 31. And they that uſe this world as not abuſing it, for the faſhion of the world paſſes away: He uſes the world as if he uſed it not, becauſe he knows he hath to do with God in the things of the world. Now he hath to do for God, and doth all for the Lord,
Firſt, As he ſees there's a truſt committed to him from God, and this is an engagement to faithfulneſs; his Calling is a Talent, it's one of the Talents that God hath given him, and therefore it's a truſt that lies upon him, and therefore this is an engagement to faithfulneſs; yea, and he looks upon himſelf as one that is to be accountable to God how he hath carried himſelf, not only in the waies of Gods worſhip, but how he hath carried himſelf in his Calling, with what faithfulneſs he hath performed the works of it; thus he eyes God in it, and he doth it as unto the Lord, as he makes God the great end of all that he doth; thus he performs the work of his Calling, as in it he makes God the great and laſt end. It's true, there are other ſubordinate ends which he looks at, and he may, even when he is induſtrious in his Calling, as to gain a comfortable ſubſiſtance for himſelf and his family, and that he may give to others as need be, and the like, but the main end is for the glory of God, that God may ſerve himſelf of him, that God may improve him, and that he may be an Inſtrument of much good in his place and Generation; and truly where men don't propound this, and make God the great end, there muſt needs be woful miſcarriages in all that they take in hand; when men know no other end but to gain the world and heap up riches, and to build their Neſts on high, and the like; when this is the only end that they propound in the work of their Calling, it's the way to all injuſtice, violence, fraud and deceit, and forgetfulneſs of God, and a whole flood of iniquity comes in: but he that walks with God, his aim is that God may have glory, and that he may be the great and laſt end, and therefore though he doth not gain much in the obtaining of thoſe ſubordinate ends, yet he is faithful in his Calling, he goes on in obedience to Gods command, and to be faithful to his Generation. That's a ſecond particular, he that walks with God in his Calling, doth all as unto the Lord, he is the laſt end he looks at.
3. But again, Thirdly, He deſires to be holy and ſpiritually minded whilſt he is in his outward employment; that's another part of his walking with God; he deſires to be holy in the midſt of the world, and therefore it is that he takes that Counſel that the Apoſtle gives in 1 Cor. 7. 31. To uſe the world as not abuſing it, becauſe the time is ſhort, and the faſhion of the world paſſeth away; he bewails nothing more than a carnal heart whilſt he is in the world, it's death to him, it's worſe than death: To be ſpiritually minded is life and peace, but to be carnally minded is death; therefore he looks upon that Scripture with joy, that doth propheſie of holineſs, abundance of holineſs that ſhall be given out in that day, in Zach. 14. 20. In that day there ſhall be holineſs unto the Lord upon the Bells of Horſes: he looks upon that Scripture, and his heart doth cloſe with it as a gracious promiſe; he prays for the accompliſhment of it, his heart leaps within him to think that there is a time coming when there ſhall be holineſs to the Lord in the converſations of all his people in their employments: that though their hands be put to the things of the world, yet their hearts ſhall be up, their hearts ſhall be breathing after God, the heart ſhall be converſing with Chriſt; he knows that his Calling was made for him, and not he for his Calling, it was made to be ſubſervient to his beſt good, to be a ſervant to him, not to be his Maſter, and therefore ſtill he deſires to keep his heart free for God; he knows that if he make a God of the world, the world will make a ſlave of him, and therefore he deſires to walk as one that Chriſt hath made free, and ſtill his heart is breathing and thirſting after God, whilſt he is in the midſt of worldly Employments. That's a Third.
4. Again, Fourthly, He that walks with God in his Calling, is careful to ſanctifie all by the Word and Prayer, ſo ſaies the Apoſtle in 1 Tim. 4. 5. All things are ſanctified by the Word of God and Prayer: he knows that there's a Curſe upon the whole Creation, ſin hath brought a curſe upon every creature, there's a curſe upon every way of man, there's a curſe and a ſnare in every Calling, in every Employment that man ſets his hand unto, and therefore it is his deſire that all may be ſanctified unto him; he knows that the creature is not comfortable, no condition comfortable, unleſs God be kept cloſe to the creature, and therefore he looks up continually to God for his bleſſing, that all may be ſanctified to him; he knows that the earth can bring forth nothing but Bryars and Thorns, it's the curſe of the world, and ſo it's the curſe of every condition, that though he plough and ſow, and though he labour with never ſo much induſtry, his Calling brings forth nothing but Bryars and Thorns, he meets with nothing but vanity and vexation, croſſes and moleſtations, and that which is worſt of all, he is not able to bear them, therefore he deſires that all may be ſanctified unto him by Word and Prayer; he knows that it's not the induſtry of man that makes rich, it's not the bleſſing of the hand unleſs the Word of God goes along with it: in all his waies to take God along, that ſo he may have the bleſſing of the Lord upon the works and labours of his hand. That's a fourth. Again,
5. Fifthly, He is careful that the world and his outward employments don't juſtle out the things of God: This is another part of his walking with God in his Calling; he knows the things of God are of greateſt concernment: his Calling and the things of this world are but for a time, for this moment, whilſt he is travelling over the bridge to Eternity, and therefore he knows he ſhall wrong his own ſoul, if the cares of the world, and the things of the world, and over-eager purſuit after the world, ſhould hinder him in his purſuit after God and Chriſt: He looks upon that as good counſel which Chriſt gives in Matth. 5. ſaies he there, Seek the Kingdom of God and the righteouſneſs thereof in the firſt place, and all things ſhall be added: Let the things of God have the preheminence, he gives them the precedency in his heart and affections, in his practice and purſuit, ſtill the Kingdom of God and the righteouſneſs of it is ſought in the firſt place: therefore he deſires to ſet up God above the world, and ſaies, Lord, ſit thou here, ſit thou here in the higheſt place, ſit thou in my heart, in the excellency of my ſpirit, let the things of God have the precedency; and as for the world, Thou world ſit thou at my foot-ſtool; he ſaies to the world as Abraham ſaid to his Servants, in Gen. 22. 5. when he went to ſacrifice his ſon Iſaac, he ſaies to the young men, Stand you here, and I and the Lad will go up to the Mount and worſhip: and thus ſaies the heart to the world, World ſtand thou here, Calling, Employment, ſtand thou here till I go up yonder and worſhip, till I go and converſe with God, and behold the face of Chriſt, ſtay thou here in the Valley till I go up to the Mount and worſhip: for he gives the things of God and Chriſt the precedency, becauſe he knows they abide for ever, the Word of the Lord that abides for ever, and ſo the love of God and Chriſt abide for ever, and communion with God and Chriſt endures for ever, the Image of Chriſt upon his ſoul endures for ever, he therefore gives theſe the precedency in his affections, and in his purſuit; therefore it is, that he is not willing to graſp too much of the world, he is fearful to graſp too much of the world, to have more of the world than he knows how to manage with the performance of his duty to God, he is fearful, I ſay, that the world ſhould juſtle out his betters, and therefore will not graſp too much of the world, and is careful ſo to order the things of the world, as that he may gain time to ſeek after the great things of God and Chriſt. That's a Fifth particular. Again,
6. Sixthly, He that walks with God in his Calling lives by Faith: he lives by faith whilſt he works in his Calling; he doth not only live by faith for the things of heaven, he doth not only exerciſe faith, for the bleſſings of the world to come, but he lives by faith in his Calling, and therefore he goes on chearfully, he knows his perſon and his works are accepted, whatſover his work is though never ſo mean it's accepted, and all his labours, and faithfulneſs in his Calling are accepted: he exerciſes his faith for the covering of his infirmities, he knows that he is ſubject to diſhonour God continually, there's much weakneſs doth eſcape from him whilſt he is in the world, and therefore he exerciſes his faith for the covering of thoſe infirmities; he lives by faith for the protection of God in his Calling, thus he lives by faith: he knows there's a promiſe, and he lives upon it, He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy waies, that thou daſh not thy foot againſt a ſtone: In all thy waies, in every good and lawful way in thy Calling there is a promiſe of protection, and he lives by faith upon this promiſe: And there is a promiſe of bleſſing alſo, Bleſſed art thou coming in, and bleſſed art thou going out, and he exerciſes faith in that promiſe alſo. That's another part of his walking with God. But again,
7. Seventhly, He is careful to avoid thoſe ſtumbling blocks and ſnares that might endanger him in his walking with God; that's another part of his walking with God: It's commendable for men to be induſtrious in their Calling, but how many ſtumbling-blocks on the right-hand and on the left, that men daſh againſt, and ſo loſe all their induſtry and diligence by daſhing againſt thoſe ſtumbling blocks! One ſtumbles at ſelf-end, ſelf-ſeeking, he propounds himſelf only, and his own good, and therefore he loſes all; others meet with other ſnares and fall into them, deceit, cozenage and falſhood; ſome are over-eager in their purſuit after the world; and others ſtumble at the ſtone of Slothfulneſs and Idleneſs; it's hard to walk in a middle way; but he that walks with God knows that there's a ſnare in every condition, and therefore he is watchful againſt thoſe ſnares: Every Calling, every Employment hath ſome ſpecial ſnares and ſtumblingblocks; men that are employed about high things, great matters, they meet with one kind of ſnare, men in low conditions meet with another kind of ſnare, every high condition, and every low condition hath its ſnares, and therefore he is careful to obſerve what eſtate, and what the calling and condition in that eſtate that he is in doth moſt expoſe him unto, and he is careful in watching againſt thoſe ſnares therein.
8. Eighthly, Again, In the laſt place, He abides with God in his Calling; that's another part of thoſe that walk with God, he abides with God in his Calling: the Apoſtle gives that counſel in 1 Cor. 7. about the 15, or 16 Verſes, That every one ſhould abide in the Calling that God hath ſet them in: and this counſel he labours to walk up unto, he is content in the place God hath ſet him, or ſubmits unto it with contentation, and therefore he abides in the way that God hath ſet him in. The Apoſtle doth not mean, that it is not lawful for a man to change his Calling, for certainly that may be done upon occaſion; the Merchant may turn Husbandman, or the Husbandman may turn Merchant, if he ſees occaſion for it: but God would have his people to abide in their Callings, not raſhly to change them, but to ſee God in them, and ſubmit thereunto with content. Thus you ſee what that man is that walks with God; if you follow him in his ordinary works and employments, you ſhall find him ſuch in the waies of his Calling, and therefore oh that you would look up to the Lord to make this truth practical to you. Truly theſe are high leſſons, but they are ſuch as every gracious heart is breathing after, and following hard unto, and bewails wherein it comes ſhort; I ſay, this is or ſhould be found in every gracious heart, therefore look unto God that he may make you ſuch whilſt you walk in your Callings. Oh it were a bleſſed time Brethren if all your hearts were brought up to this, thus to walk with God (as you have heard) in your Callings, we ſhould ſoon ſee the new heavens that is ſpoken of, God hath promiſed to create new heavens and new earth, if mens hearts were once ſet to walk thus with God in his waies, and in their employments, we ſhould ſoon ſee new earth, men muſt be new, new hearts, new converſations, firſt new men and then a new world, look up to the Lord to make you thus faithful in your Callings; it's the main thing that God looks after, faithfulneſs, walking with him whilſt we are performing the works of our Calling; it's not ſo much the Calling that God regards, but your faithfulneſs in it let the Calling be what it will: if a man have a Calling never ſo honourable, yet if he be not faithful in it, he is no way pleaſing to God; and on the other ſide, if a man have a Calling never ſo mean, and never ſo low, yet if he be faithful in it, it's well pleaſing to God: oh it's that which will ſtick by you, yea, it's that which will follow you when you leave the world: your Callings can't follow you, they muſt leave you, they muſt be left behind below, but thy faithfulneſs, that faithfulneſs that hath been exerciſed in thy employment, and in thy work, that will never leave thy ſoul, that will follow it even unto heaven: and now you that fear the Lord, though others be unfaithful, yet you are engaged to faithfulneſs, you are ingaged to walk with God in the works of your Calling, for you have the promiſe of protection, you have the promiſe of bleſſing, this is ingagement to you, you have a promiſe that the Lord will be with you, that his Angels ſhall be with you, that they ſhall keep you continually when you are in your way, and in the works of your Calling, and therefore this is an engagement unto you, and you have the promiſe of bleſſing: the Lord if he bleſs you in your way, what an engagement is this unto you to be faithful! he will not only be with you when you are in thoſe duties that do more nearly concern his worſhip, but he hath promiſed to be with you by his protection, and by his bleſſing even whilſt you are in the works of your Calling, and therefore walk up to God there in your Calling; it's a Talent left to you by God, and it doth engage an ingenious man to be faithful, therein you are betruſted, and herein an inſtrument to do good to ſouls and bodies, and therefore you are engaged herein as it is your duty; therefore be faithful in all; Oh what encouragement is here, for Chriſtians to conſider this, whatſoever their Calling is, though never ſo mean, they are accepted in it, the Lord accepts it, while they ſtudy faithfulneſs to carry it faithfully in a mans Calling, in the meaneſt work that ever they took in hand they are accepted, as if their work were the moſt honourable work in the world, and therefore if you have acceptance, not only when you come before God in his worſhip, but when you are in your own waies, in your Callings and Employments your perſon and works are accepted, it's a great engagement unto you to be found faithful in the works of your Calling. And ſo much for this time.