Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.
GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
I Am drawing towards a concluſion. I have given you the Character of one that walks with God; I ſhall therefore proceed:
Having thus given you the Character of one that walks with God, I ſhall ſhew you, that this is a dignity, the excellency of any man or woman upon earth, that they thus walk with God as you have heard. To declare unto you therefore wherein the dignity lies; What is the excellency of a man or woman that doth thus walk with God, will appear in divers particulars.
1. Firſt of all, This man that thus walks with God, is nearer God than others; he comes into the preſence of God, he is nigh as a ſpecial friend and favourite: that puts dignity upon him; it's the dignity of a man to ſtand in the preſence of a Prince, it's an honour, a priviledge: What is it then to ſtand in the preſence of God! it is an Angelical dignity; it's ſaid of the Angels, Chriſt ſaies of them, that they alwaies behold the face of God the Father, in Matth. 18. 10. Do not offend my little ones, for their Angels alwaies behold the face of their Father; it's the glory of the Angels that they ever ſtand in the preſence of God, and behold his face: this is the dignity of one that walks with God, he is nigher God than others. But,
2. Again, Secondly, He ſees more of God than other men; I ſay, that ſoul that walks with God as Enoch did, ſees more of God than other men; God deals friendly with him, he looks upon him as a fellow-traveller, he'll impart his mind to him freely, he'll reveal his ſecrets, the myſteries of his Kingdom unto them: he that is nigh God is nigh the light, therefore he ſhall not walk in darkneſs; the Lord goes before him continually, he guides and leads him with his counſel: the light ſhall diſcover the way unto him that he ſhall walk in, Thou ſhalt hear a voice behind thee, ſaying, This is the way, walk in it; if any man walks with God, it's he that walks thus with God as Enoch did. That's a ſecond.
3. But Thirdly, God entertains that ſoul all along his Journey with profitable and delightful diſcourſe. God is ever and anon ſpeaking to him that walks with him, as a man ſpeaks to his friend when he walks with him in his way: and this takes off from the tediouſneſs of the way; though the way be tedious, though it be deep dirty way, yet if a man have a good companion, if he have one to call often to, to diſcourſe pleaſantly, it takes off from the tediouſneſs of the way, it's forgotten: and thus doth the Lord carry it towards the ſoul that walks with him, he ſo ſpeaks to the ſoul that it takes from the tediouſneſs of their Pilgrimage, that they forget the tediouſneſs of it whilſt the Lord ſpeaks ſweetly of his love and goodneſs to them; he often calls upon them as a man doth to his friend that he walks with: he enquires into their ſtates, and bids them be of good chear; ſometimes he tells them, that the worſt is paſt, and there's better way behind; he tells them of the reſt they ſhall have at night, or of the good entertainment they ſhall have when they come home; or of the glorious proviſion that is making ready, and though the way be tedious their reſt is long: and this takes off from the tediouſneſs of the way.
4. Again in the fourth place, He ſupplies their wants; this is another priviledge that that ſoul hath that walks with God: the Lord will bear all their charges, and take care of them in their Journey, they ſhall not want any thing that is good for them, either for the outward or inward man: this will comfort a man upon his Journey though he have never a penny in his purſe, yet if there be a friend with him, he'll ſay, I have good ſtore, thou ſhalt not want ſo long as I have a penny, I will take care, make proviſion, and pay all; and thus the Lord doth take care of all, he gives them himſelf▪ Walk before me, ſaies he to Abraham in Gen. 17. 1. and be thou perfect, and I will make a Covenant with thee: And what is that? in Verſ. 2. I will be a God unto thee: Walk with me and I will be a God unto thee, take care for nothing, I'le bear thy charges all the way; I'le be a God unto thee, I'le ſupply thy wants; the preſence of the Lord ſhall be inſtead of all comforts, if thou want any thing I'le make it up of my ſelf: I'le be a God unto thee, what wouldſt thou have more? And ſo he takes care to ſupply all the wants of the inward man, he'll make proviſion all the way, he hath laid up ſtore of proviſion in Jeſus Chriſt for them, there is ſtore of righteouſneſs, grace and ſtrength, that his people might want nothing, no not while they are in their Pilgrimage: and therefore he ſaies unto ſuch a ſoul, as ſometimes the Father ſaid to the eldeſt ſon that was brother to the Prodigal in Luk. 15. the latter end of the Chapter, when he was ready to murmur becauſe his Prodigal brother had ſo much kindneſs ſhewed unto him; Why, ſaies his Father unto him, Son, ſaies he, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine, therefore why ſhouldeſt thou murmur, why ſhouldeſt thou repine? thou wanteſt nothing, thou art ever with me, thou enjoyeſt and haſt intereſt in all that I have, it's thine; ſo ſaies the Lord to every ſoul that walks with him, Thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine, I'le take care to ſupply all thy wants. This is another ſpecial priviledge to all thoſe that walk with God.
5. Again, Fifthly, He ſupports them; that's another dignity and priviledge that the Lord will ſupport them under all their burdens; when they are ready to faint, and ready to give up the Ghoſt many times in their own apprehenſion, he will ſupport their ſpirits, he will take care that they ſhall not fall: if there lie never ſuch preſſures upon them, the Lord will eaſe them, he'll bear with them, he gives them leave (all the way) to lean upon him; this is a moſt ſweet and excellent priviledge that the ſoul hath that walks with God, I ſay, all the way of their Journey, all the way of the Wilderneſs, the Lord gives them leave to lean upon him; when they are weak and fainting, and ready to be diſcouraged, he gives them leave to lean upon him, his righteouſneſs and ſtrength, Let him take hold on my righteouſneſs, and make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me; He gives them leave to caſt all burdens upon him, and to venture for Eternity upon him, to lay all the weight of all their cares and fears upon the Lord, that he may ſupport them, and bear their burdens; yea, he doth not only give them leave to lean upon him, but he takes them up in his Arms if they faint at any time, if they fall into a ſwound that they can go no farther, the Lord won't go away and leave his fellow-travellers, but he'll take them up in their fainting and ſwounding fits, he brings forth his Spirits and Cordials, and will not leave them until he hath ſet them up again, and made them able to follow him: a gracious promiſe in Iſa. 40. 11. the Lord makes there unto his people, He ſhall feed his flock like a Shepherd, and ſhall carry his Lambs in his arms▪ &c. he'll deal with them as a mother doth with her Child, or as a Shepherd doth with his Lambs, he won't leave them when they'l go no further, but he'll pity and tender them, they have his arm and his boſom when they can't go: he'll help them in all their preſſures of ſpirit, yea, and in all their preſſures of the outward man too; he'll ſupport and put his arm under them in every affliction, he'll take off the weight of it, and bear the heavieſt end, that end that hath the curſe, the bittereſt, the Lord Jeſus bears that end; he will not break them in their afflictions, In all their afflictions he was afflicted, he felt every burden: This is the gracious carriage of the Lord towards thoſe that walk with him; and this is a mighty priviledge. That's a Sixth.
7. Seventhly, The Lord will knock off their bolts and fetters; this is another priviledge, and a mighty one too; the Lord will knock off their Chains and Fetters, and he will cauſe them to walk in Liberty: he will deliver them from bondage, he came and died for this very end, That through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, and deliver them, who through fear of death, were all their lives long ſubject to bondage; he will knock off their Fetters, I ſay, even the Chains of their unbelief; the further they go with God, the more cloſe they walk with God, the more liberty they meet with, the more liberty from the chains of luſts: the more nigh they come to God, the more doth unbelief vaniſh, it can't ſtand in the preſence of God, and the more they walk with God, the more acquaintance, and the more friendly God deals with them as fellow-travellers; though there were a great diſtance between man and man before, yet when they travel together, they will have friendly carriage; ſo a man before he walks with God, there is a great diſtance between God and him, till he condeſcend to the poor low condition of his ſervants, and ſpeak more friendly to them, that they may have more acquaintance with God; and the more acquaintance they have with God, the more ſhall the Chains of their unbelief, and the other fetters in their hearts fall off. That's another priviledge.
8. Again in the eighth place, The Lord will keep them from falling, He upholds the feet of his ſervants, he preſerves their goings, he is round about their path, and preſerves them, Prov. 2. 8. He keepeth the paths of Judgement, and preſerves the way of his Saints. He'll diſcover many a ſnare unto them, and teach them how to break thoſe ſnares that others are taken in; and are broken by them; and if the Lord doth ſuffer ſuch a ſoul to fall, it ſhall not lie long, he won't go away and leave him when he is fallen; the Lord takes care of him as his Fellow-traveller, and he will help him up again: when Peter fell moſt grievouſly; Chriſt did not leave him ſo; Chriſt turned again, did not go away but look'd upon Peter, and helpt him up again; yea, the Lord will not only help that ſoul again when he is fallen, but he will make an advantage of his falls; every ſlip, much more every fall ſhall tend to the good of that ſoul that walks with God, God will bring a great deal of good out of the greateſt evil: the Lord will teach him to walk humbly when he ariſes, he'll teach him to walk more fearingly, more circumſpectly, more dependingly, to take hold on Chriſt every ſtep he goes, and to take heed that he ſlide not; nay, he'll cauſe him to gain ground by his falls, he'll make him run ſo much the faſter, when he ſhall recover himſelf, and ſee what he hath loſt, and how God hath gone a good ſtep from him; Oh, it ſhall be a ſpur unto the ſoul, and it ſhall cauſe him to run ſo much the more earneſtly after God, and to cleave ſo much the more cloſely unto him. Again,
9. In the Ninth place, The Lord leads the ſoul the ſafeſt and nigheſt way to heaven; I ſay, that ſoul that walks with God as Enoch did, is led the ſafeſt and nigheſt way to glory; the ſafeſt way, the Lord will diſcover thoſe pits and ſnares that lie in the way, he will deliver him from thoſe enemies, thoſe robbers, thoſe murderers that lie in his way, and he won't lead him about, but bring him the nigheſt way to glory. Many a poor creature that walks not with God, may ſet many a ſtep (as they conceive) towards heaven, but they go about, becauſe they begin not at firſt to walk with God, and therefore come back, they muſt come back again and loſe their labour; yea, many times Gods own people go about becauſe they do not follow God cloſe; ſometimes they think to ſave themſelves, and provide for themſelves, to ſhun ſufferings and reproaches, and go about many times to ſhun them, ſo that often they loſe a great deal of way, and come home benighted: but when the ſoul cleaves to God, God leads him the nigheſt way, the direct way to glory, that he ſhall not come home be-nighted, he ſhall come home in good ſeaſon becauſe he cleaveth to the Lord, the Lord was his Counſellor and he follows him.
10. Tenthly, Again, In the laſt place, to name no more; this is another dignity and priviledge, that ſoul that walks with God, ſhall ſit down with God; There remains a reſt, ſaies the Apoſtle, for the people of God: there remains a reſt after their long Journey, their tedious Pilgrimage, they ſhall ſit down with God, they ſhall lie in the boſom of God; after they have walked a while with him on earth, they ſhall ſit down with him for ever, and with his Son at his Table in his Kingdom. You ſee the dignity and priviledge of that ſoul that walks with God: Therefore I ſhall make ſome Application of this. And,
Ʋſe 1. Firſt, Let me ſpeak to thoſe that are ſtrangers to God; to ſuch as yet are found walking in the way of ſinners, a way that God takes no delight in; why, you that are walking in the way of ſinners, are walking in the way that leads to your own deſtruction; Oh, that the Lord would pluck you (with a mighty hand) out of that deſtroying way; why, you are invited, this day the Lord invites you to come and walk with him, all the priviledges that you have heard, do belong to thoſe that walk with God, they are laid open before you to win upon you, and to invite your ſouls to come in and walk with this God; why will you walk with your worſt enemy? Is he not a mad man that will walk with him that ſeeks to deſtroy him? And yet this is the folly that is in the heart of ſinners: whilſt you walk in the waies of ſin, you walk with your worſt enemy, and walk with a roaring Lion ſeeking whom he may devour; who would make choice of a roaring Lion to devour him? ſinners walk with one that would devour them; Oh, that the Lord would perſwade your hearts to turn in and walk with him, he knocks at your doors to day, he ſtays for you: if there be ever a ſinner that hath any deſires caſt in to walk with God, know that the Lord ſtays for you, he is willing to have your company, and therefore he ſends you this invitation: and therefore I beſeech you, and the Lord perſwade your hearts to come up to a reſolution, to give up your ſelves to the Lord; this doth undo men, this want of coming up to a reſolution is the deſtruction of many poor ſouls, that have many a good motion caſt in; when they hear this of God, and the excellency of thoſe that walk with God, they can't but ſee that there is ſomething of God that is deſirable. But alas, the miſery is, men come not up to a reſolution, to a fixed reſolution, to make choice of God, and to walk with him, there's ſomething in God that is deſirable; Ay, but there's another object that the heart is fixed upon, there's ſomething of the world, there's ſomething in luſt; oh, my friends know it, you can't ſerve God and Mammon, you can't ſerve God and your luſts, Faith can't endure this divided heart, and therefore I beſeech you, look up to the Lord to bring off your hearts to a reſolution, that you may ſay, Well, I'le make choice of the Lord, I'le make choice of the Lord for my portion, let all the world go, ſo I may have God; come up to a reſolution to part with all, though you loſe all, though you loſe your friends, though you loſe your relations and comforts, know that whatever you loſe for the Lords ſake, ſhall be made up abundantly in him: oh, therefore I beſeech you that you would eye that fulneſs that is in God, this may help to bring off the heart, to bring up the ſoul to cloſe in a reſolution, to come up and walk with him: when the ſoul looks and eyes the fulneſs that there is in God, there's whatſoever may anſwer all loſſes, whatſoever may ſupply all wants, and ſatisfie all deſires, there's a fulneſs in God, a fulneſs of Grace, and a fulneſs of truth is in Chriſt, there's fulneſs of ſatisfaction and contentment, and therefore the Lord being yours, you ſhall not need to go from him, you ſhall not need to go out to ſeek ſatisfaction elſewhere: though all the world ſhould forſake, and your comforts leave you, yet there's that in God may anſwer all; and though you part with all your luſts, yea, though you ſhould loſe all the world for the Lords ſake, that you may give up your ſelves to walk with him, know aſſuredly that it will never repent you, you will not repent you: the very firſt day that you walk with God, the very firſt hour of your walking with God, will bring you ſuch contentment and ſatisfaction into your ſpirits that you will not repent you that you have left all your old waies and luſts, all ſin, and all your Companions for the Lords ſake, that ſo you may walk with him. And moreover I beſeech you, that you would make uſe of Jeſus Chriſt in your coming to God: if God ſhall perſwade your hearts, to give up your ſelves to walk with God, make uſe of Chriſt at your firſt coming; there's no man can walk with God at his firſt coming, till the ſon of God makes way for him, Two cannot walk together except they be agreed; God and man were fallen out in Adam, now theſe muſt be agreed; now, oh let your ſouls breath after Chriſt, you that deſire to walk with God, begin firſt with Chriſt, let your hearts breath after him, look to him as your peacemaker, to be your reconciler, to make God and you one, to bring you into more nigh acquaintance and fellowſhip with the Father, that God and you may be one in Chriſt: Oh, look up unto the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt every ſoul of you, you can't walk with God, if you be naked you can't abide his preſence; you know Adam ran out from the preſence of God when God walk'd in the Garden, he could not walk becauſe God was there, he runs and hides himſelf; a naked creature can't endure the preſence of God: look up to the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, throw your ſelves as poor naked creatures upon the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo coming in the righteouſneſs of the Son unto the Father, you may have friendly acceptance, that you may walk with God for the future.
Ʋſe 2. One word alſo to thoſe that have intereſt in God and Jeſus Chriſt: Oh, that I might ſtir you up alſo to walk with God, to walk with God as Enoch did. Brethren, conſider I pray you, Did not Chriſt bring you into acquaintance with the Father for this end? Were not you at a diſtance? ye were ſtrangers, ye were enemies, you were far off from God! what pains did Jeſus take to bring you acquainted with God, that ſo you might walk with him as a man with his friend? It coſt Chriſt dear, it was a hard work to make up the breach, it was a mighty work to bring you into acquaintance with God; do not neglect therefore your communion with God in your daily walk, ſeeing it coſt Chriſt ſo dear.
Conſider alſo that God hath made you all for this very end, he hath given you legs that you might walk with him, he hath given ſome ſtrength to thoſe that were lame, that could not ſtand; I ſay, when he brought you home to himſelf, he gave you ſome ſtrength; it was then that he came to open the eyes of the blind, and to ſtrengthen the feet of the lame; and he ſtrengthens their feet that ſo they may walk with God his Father: Is not the Lord your beſt friend? Is he not the ſweeteſt companion you can chooſe? and if ſo, I beſeech you take heed that you do not neglect your walking with him: what, will you leave your friend? will you leave your friend upon the way? Oh do not give the Lord occaſion to accuſe you of this Ingratitude; had you not need to keep cloſe to God, do not you need his preſence, do not you need him to comfort you, to quicken you, to revive you, to ſtrengthen you, to ſupply your wants, to bear your charges, to keep off the blaſts, to rebuke temptations, and to vanquiſh enemies, to help you up when you are fallen, to make advantage of your falls, to lead you the nigheſt and the ſafeſt way to glory? Oh, that the ſenſe of your weakneſs and infirmities might cauſe you to cleave cloſe to the Lord, and take heed that you don't depart and go out from walking with him: And in your walking with God, I ſhall but give you a few Directions and conclude.
Direct. 1. In your walking with God be ſure that you follow him in every ſtep, go you where God goes, walk you where God walks, if you mean to keep the preſence of God look to this; Oh, go to the Lord and deſire that he would teach your ſouls where he walks, as the Spouſe, Tell me (O thou whom my ſoul loveth) where thou feedeſt, where thou makeſt thy flocks to reſt at noon: that ſhe may go there; Why, the Lord walks in his Ordinances, he walks amongſt his people: the Son of God walks in the midſt of his Golden Candleſticks, there's his walk; would you know where to find him, come in his walks, in the midſt of his Golden Candleſticks, in the midſt of his people, in the fellowſhip of his Saints, thoſe that worſhip him in the beauties of holineſs, in Goſpel order, there the Lord walks; you that expect the preſence of the Lord, that would not loſe that comfortable preſence of his which you might enjoy, take heed you do not turn away, where God hath ſaid he walks.
Direct. 2. Again, I beſeech you, that you would be alwaies careful to give God the upper hand in every walking, in every paſſage of your life give God the upper hand; do not aſcribe to your ſelves, lift up the name of God, be content that he ſhould be exalted, and you debaſed, Not to us Lord, not to us Lord; put away with both hands, give us nothing, nothing belongs to us, but all belongs to God, glory belongs to God; why, if you be enabled to do for God, if you be enabled to ſuffer for God, give nothing to your ſelves, give him the glory, put it away from you, deſire him to take it all, and aſcribe nothing to your ſelves, but what he is pleaſed to give in freely unto you, oh give him the preheminence in all, and his Son the preheminence in all things; be content that the day of the Lord ſhould be upon whatſoever is high and lifted up; upon all the Cedars of Lebanon, and upon all the Oaks of Baſhan; upon whatſoever is in your hearts and ſpirits: deſire him to pull down all high thoughts, and to lay you low at his footſtool; be content that you and all creatures may be debaſed, and the Lord alone may be exalted through his ſon Jeſus Chriſt; it ſhould be a Chriſtians care in all things, I ſay, to give God the upper-hand.
Direct. 3. Again, Thirdly, Take heed you do not take up where God doth not take up; do not you ſit down where God ſits not down, for you may haply loſe him, God may go out of ſight, and you may run hard before you can find God again; don't take up in your ſelves, don't take up in creatures, don't ſay here I'le reſt, here I'le take up, don't ſet up here, and ſay, here I'le reſt and take up in this creature; if you will take up in creatures, and reſt in them, where God doth not reſt, why God reſts in himſelf, and wholly in himſelf for ever: he reſts in himſelf, and he reſts in his ſon, This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed; all the delight and complacency of the ſoul of the Father is in the perſon of the ſon, This is my Beloved Son; Oh, take heed of creatures that your comforts be not ſnares to you, don't take up in them, follow on after the Lord, let your ſpirits take up no where but in God himſelf, and in Chriſt, whom he hath given to be the center of your ſouls, and a foundation for you to build upon for ever.
Direct. 4. Again, Fourthly, Entertain ſweet entercourſe between God and your ſouls, I ſay, this I deſire, that ſweet entercourſe with God may be entertained by you, let God be often thought of by you; will you go with a friend and travel with him, and ſpeak not to him? Oh, you will ſpeak often to him: you that walk with God, ſpeak often to God, keep up that entercourſe betwixt God and your ſouls liſten to what God ſpeaks to you; a great deal is loſt becauſe we don't hearken to him, the ſoul is not intent, the ear is not bored to hear what God ſpeaks, therefore many a ſweet word, and many a comfortable word is loſt, becauſe the ſoul don't liſten after God; therefore I beſeech you Brethren, know it is your duty all the time you are walking with God, it is your duty to hear what God ſpeaks; let your ſoul be attentive unto the Lord, that ſo you may hear every word, whether it be a word of counſel or a word of direction, or a word of conſolation: be ye alwaies either ſpeaking to the Lord, or elſe hearkening to hear what the Lord ſhall ſpeak unto you; this becomes thoſe that have given up themſelves to walk with God.
Direct. 5. Fifthly, And to ſay no more, Take heed of thoſe rubs and lets that are in the way: take heed of that which may hinder, of that which may take you off from walking with God; there's many a ſnare, there's many a rub in the way.
1. Firſt, Take heed of this preſent evil world; it's a ſnare, it's a bait that draws many off from walking with God, Demas hath forſaken me, ſaith Paul, he hath forſaken me for this preſent evil world, the Devil catcht him with this bait: Oh, take heed of the ſnares of the world, the cares of the world, the honours of the world, the riches of the world, the pleaſures of the world, theſe are ſnares, I ſay, in which many are taken.
2. Secondly, Take heed ye turn not out into any way of ſin whatſoever, give no countenance to any evil way in your ſpirits or in your courſes; the God that you walk with, he is a God of pure eyes, he can't endure to walk in the defiled waies; if you will walk in the dirt, you ſhall not have God to go along with you, God can't endure to walk in waies of impurity, and therefore, oh, deſire the Lord to make you watchful over the waies of your ſpirit, and over the waies of your converſation, that ſo you may not turn aſide to thoſe defiled waies in which God takes no pleaſure to abide in. And,
3. Thirdly, Take heed of an unbelieving heart, which is another ſnare, and is the cauſe of many departings from God, An evil heart of unbelief; and therefore don't give way unto it, don't cloſe with it, don't take part with unbelief againſt the work of God in your own ſpirits, for if you take part with Satan againſt the Lord, what a grief will it be unto the Lord, to whom you have given up your ſelves to walk with him? Oh, that the Lord would make you that are his people, watchful over your ſouls! you have given up your ſelves, and therefore take heed you don't turn aſide; maintain this communion, deſire that it may be upheld betwixt God and your ſouls: and remember this,
That it's your greateſt priviledge whilſt you are upon earth, that you may thus walk with God, a mighty priviledge that poor duſt and aſhes, poor worms ſhould be taken to walk with the great God; that God ſhould make choice to have ſuch for his Companions, his Fellow-travellers; Oh, it is infinite rich and Free-grace, therefore do not ſlight it, do not contemn it, but labour to walk up to ſuch relation; it's your dignity, and your priviledge to walk with God. So much for this time, and for this part of the Text.