Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 11
SERMON XI.
GEN. 5. 24. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
HE was not, for God took him. I opened the phraſe to you the laſt day, God took him to Communion with himſelf, to near Communion; the Saints whilſt in the body are at a diſtance from God, Whilſt we are preſent in the body, we are abſent from the Lord, ſaith the Apoſtle; though God do now and then viſit them, yet for the moſt part they are abſent from God: they are put out to School, and here God will have his people trained up for Heaven, but when that change comes which is ſpoken of, why then, God is ſaid to take them, he takes them home, he takes them into nigheſt fellowſhip and communion with himſelf: For God took him; the phraſe holds forth that fulneſs of glory which the Saints are tranſlated out of this world into; God dwells here in them, but they dwell in God; they here are depreſſed in their ſpirits through the weight of corruption; it't but a little they are able to hold of God; Ay, but in Heaven there God takes them, he takes them in to himſelf, Well done good and faithful ſervant, enter into the joy of thy Maſter, enter into it; they ſhall be as ſo many veſſels that are caſt into fulneſs of love, life and glory, they ſhall be filled full to the brim: God took him. It holds forth alſo the freeneſs of grace in receiving in any; even the beſt muſt enter in at this door of free-grace, and no otherwiſe: though Enoch had walked with God ſo many years, three hundred ſixty and five, yet it's free-grace if God will receive Enoch at laſt; there are ſo many ſlips, ſo many failings, there are ſo many declinings, ſo many turnings aſide, there is ſo much crookedneſs in the walks of the beſt of the Saints, that if God ſhould deal with them in the rigour of his Juſtice, he might refuſe them; and therefore it's grace, it's freegrace that they are received, there's no other door they are to enter in at. I alſo conſidered (the laſt time) when it was that Enoch was taken, when did God take him? After he had lived three hundred ſixty and five years, which was a ſhort time, a very ſhort time in that Age, when the Patriarchs lived ſeven hundred, eight hundred, nine hundred, almoſt a thouſand years; Enoch a gracious man, one that walked with God, and yet he lived not half the years of thoſe Generations, and of his ſon that came after him: God many times ſhortens the daies of his ſervants in love. I told you what are thoſe times in which he ſhortens the daies of his ſervants in love and mercy.
1. Firſt, When their lives are full of extraordinary warrings, when more than ordinary burdens are laid upon them: ſome have fiercer combatings with Satans temptations than others, and ſome have heavier burdens both of corruptions, and of afflictions than others, I am a man that have ſeen affliction, ſaies Jeremiah; as if none beſides him had ſeen affliction; now many times God ſhortens the daies of his ſervants in love, when their combatings have been extraordinary with corruptions and temptations, and the burden of their affliction heavy; it's true, the Lord could deliver them ſome other way, open ſome other way beſides the door of the Grave, he could make them conquerours: but the Lord in wiſdom ſees it beſt for ſome of his ſervants, ſo long as they are in the body; in this condition it's needful for them ſo long as they are in the body to be grappling with their corruptions and temptations, fightings and buffetings; and therefore you ought not to call for death becauſe of your afflictions, and becauſe of your temptations, for the Lord is pleaſed many times in wiſdom, to take this way to bring in full deliverance to his ſervants. And,
2. Secondly, When his ſervants live in a very evil time, in a corrupt Generation, then the Lord is pleaſed to ſhorten the daies of his ſervants in love: It was a corrupt time that Enoch lived in; before the Flood the earth was degenerated, and violence covered the face of the earth before the Flood came, and then it was mercy for Enoch to be taken away betimes; the Lord knows what a burden it is for his ſervants to live at ſuch a time when wickedneſs abounds, and ſo the Lord delivers many of his ſervants by ſhortening of their courſe. Again,
3. Thirdly, When great Judgements are coming upon them, either upon their Families, or upon the Kingdom and place that they live in, God hath then (ſometimes) ſhortened the daies of his ſervants: as God when he intended to bring deſtruction upon Jeroboam's Family, then cut ſhort the daies of one of his Children, Becauſe ſome good thing was found in him towards the Lord God of Iſrael; God cut them off every man, but he went to his grave in peace, that he might not ſee that deſolation: and ſo good Joſiah, when he was young, the Lord was pleaſed to take away him, becauſe of that Captivity which preſently came upon the Jews after his being taken away. And,
4. Again, Fourthly, The Lord doth ſhorten the daies of his ſervants, not becauſe the ſeed of Faith ſhould periſh, that doth abide for ever: I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not; Ay, but the actings of their Faith may decline, and Chriſtians may grow dead, and loſe their firſt love, may fall off▪ and they may fall into Scandals, and a blurr to their Conſcience and profeſſion; now many times, the Lord to prevent this doth ſhorten the daies of ſome of his ſervants: As I gave Inſtances of King Jehoſaphat; and Aſa began to impriſon and to oppoſe, and he might have done a great deal of evil, but God ſmites him with a diſeaſe in his feet, and he died, and it was in love to his ſoul. But again,
5. Fifthly, God loves his ſervants, and therefore when they have done much in a little time, and long for his appearance, O! when ſhall I come and appear before thee? So he calls alike for them, he hath longing deſires to ſee them; when they have done the work of their Generation, he will take them to himſelf in abundance of love and mercy.
Object. But you will ſay, Is not long life a bleſſing? Hath not God promiſed to give long life to his ſervants, in Prov. 10. 27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth daies; and ſo ſee what Job ſaies, Job 5. 27. Thou ſhalt come to thy Grave in a full age, like to a Shock of Corn brought in in good ſeaſon: Now how is this promiſe made good, that God takes away ſome of his ſervants in the midſt of their daies? How then do they come to the fulneſs of their daies as in age, as a Shock of Corn in its full ſeaſon? To this I may anſwer in divers things, which you may lay up for your ſatisfaction.
1. Firſt of all, This may ſeem to be an Old Teſtament Promiſe, the Promiſe of the Old Teſtament or Old Covenant; for before the coming of Jeſus Chriſt, God walked more in this way of temporal promiſes, and temporal bleſſings; and happily though there may come a time again when God ſhall walk in this way, and give out both temporal and ſpiritual, yet now Gods preſent diſpenſation ſince the coming of Jeſus Chriſt in the fleſh, it's more ſpiritual, he gives out more ſpirituals and leſs of temporals, he gives out more of his own glory which he hath pleaſed to reveal in and through Jeſus Chriſt, and that which he gives out now unto his ſervants in ſpirituals, may abundantly recompence the abſence of all temporal mercies whatſoever. But,
2. Again, Secondly, That theſe Promiſes are conditional; all outward promiſes, promiſes of riches and honour, of health and children, and promiſes of long life, theſe are all conditional, God hath not promiſed them abſolutely, but with this limitation, ſo far as he in infinite wiſdom and fatherly love and care, ſhall ſee to be good for them; ſo far the Lord will fulfill any, yea all thoſe temporal promiſes which are given out, ſo far as the Lord ſhall ſee to be good for them; and therefore if the Lord doth take away his ſervants, any of his ſervants betimes in the midſt of their daies, and don't give out theſe bleſſings of long life, it's becauſe the Lords ſees it's beſt for them: they are ſtrangers here, and it's not good for them that they ſhould be long from home; he ſees it in his wiſdom, I ſay, to be beſt for them, becauſe their daies are evil, it's mercy that their daies are few: God in wiſdom put both theſe together, few and evil; ſaies old Jacob in Gen. 47. 9. Few and evil have the daies of the years of my life been, and I have not attained unto the daies of the years of the life of my Fathers, in the daies of their Pilgrimage: few and evil; the Lord ſees it's good that they ſhould be few, becauſe they are evil. In Job 14. 1. Man that is born of a woman, is of few daies and full of trouble; what a mercy is it that God hath put theſe together, few daies and full of trouble! he is full of trouble, trouble from within, and trouble from without; he is troubled with corruption, temptation, affliction, with the ſin of others, with the diſhonour that is brought to God in the world: now when he is full of trouble, it's mercy that his daies are few. That's a ſecond Anſwer.
3. But again, Thirdly, I muſt ſay to that Objection concerning the promiſe of long life to the Saints, that this promiſe is made good to a gracious man or woman; when God takes them away they are full of daies, he ſhall die in a full age, ſaies Job, Full of daies; why, a gracious man is full of daies, becauſe he is full of grace: he is full of holineſs, and goodneſs, and therefore he hath filled up his daies. A wicked man when God cuts him off, he is never full of daies, in this reſpect his daies are empty, his daies are full of vanity, full of ſin, they are ſpent as a ſhadow; but a gracious man is full of goodneſs, he is fully ripe, he is ripe for heaven, he is ripe for the grave at that time when God cuts him down, for he is Gods Husbandry, God won't cut down his Corn before it be ripe, if he cut off betimes, he ripens betimes, he will cauſe them to fulfill their daies, God will fill their daies full of grace and holineſs.
4. Again, Fourthly, We may ſee that this promiſe is made good, for a gracious man hath enough of life, when God calls him to die he hath enough of life; ſo that he is not taken away before his time, why, becauſe he hath enough of life: It is enough, ſaies the Prophet, Lord it is enough, therefore take me away; I am no better than my Fathers; even ſo God cauſeth his people to ſay, though he takes them away betimes, yet they ſhall ſay, Lord it is enough, I have enough of life, I have enough of the world, I ſee nothing deſirable here, nothing that may provoke me to live longer here, and therefore if the Lord ſay, It is enough, he'll ſay it's enough too. But this won't the wicked man, he will never ſay he hath enough: let him live an hundred years, twice, thrice told, yet he'll never have enough: the righteous come to the Grave, but the wicked is dragg'd and haled to his Grave, he is not a Volunteer to his Grave. And therefore here is the promiſe made good, if God ſatisfie the hearts of his people, and enable them to ſay, Lord I have enough, enough of the world here, and if thou pleaſeſt to expire my daies, I can ſay, I have enough, I have enough.
5. Fifthly, Again, The time of the full accompliſhment of this promiſe of long life to be given out is not yet come; there's a day when it ſhall be given out, when it ſhall be mercy to live long, when God ſhall give out long life: there ſeems to be ſuch a thing ſpoken of; it is Propheſied by the Prophet Iſaiah, Iſa. 65. 22. this Prophecie relates to the end of the world, the latter daies when there ſhall be a great reſtauration of the world, and of all things, they ſhall not be cut off in the midſt of their daies as formerly; ſaies God, They ſhall not build, and another inhabit▪ they ſhall not build houſes, and be cut off before they can build; they ſhall not plant, and another eat, for as the daies of a tree, are the daies of my people, and mine elect ſhall long enjoy the works of their hands: they ſhall be as the long-liv'd Oaks; this promiſe God will fulfil before the end, and it ſhall be a mercy then to live long; when the new Jeruſalem ſhall come down from heaven, and when the Lamb ſhall be the light of the new Jeruſalem, when Satan ſhall be bound, and ſhall not ſeduce the Nations, and tempt them, and when all enemies ſhall be put under the ſoals of their feet, when Jeruſalem ſhall be a peaceable habitation, and a quiet reſting place, when there ſhall be peace upon Iſrael, then long life ſhall be a bleſſing.
6. Sixthly and laſtly, When God will fulfil this, it ſhall be a time of the accompliſhment of the promiſes, in that God gives life and length of daies, even for ever and ever; there is the accompliſhment of the promiſe, and therefore God is not behind-hand concerning this promiſe, if he promiſe long life on earth, and give an eternity of life in heaven, the creature is no loſer; if a man ſhall promiſe you a ſhilling, and when he comes to pay, he ſhall give you a thouſand pounds, will not you ſay this man is as good as his word? The Lord hath promiſed a long time on earth, and an eternity in heaven, you may well ſay it of him who is truth it ſelf, that he will fulfil and make good his word: and therefore notwithſtanding what may be objected, yet ſtill it's true, it's not againſt the promiſe; but God may in love and mercy ſhorten the daies of his people.
What ſhall we learn from this, God ſhortens the daies of his ſerv…nts in love? It will be uſeful to us divers waies. Why,
Ʋſe 1. Firſt of all, It lets us ſee that life and death is in the hand of God; God ſhortens, God took him, I ſay, life and death is in the hand of God, it's not in the hand of any creature whatſoever, My times are in thy hand, ſaies David, and He that is our God is the God of Salvation, and to him belong the iſſues of Death: Enemies think that it is in their power to harm or to cut off; Laban thought it in his power to cut off Jacob; but he was deceived, it's in the hand of no creature to cut off the time of Gods ſervants, but at the appointment of the Lord; and God doth it in love, when he cuts ſhort the time of his ſervants, it's in love; if any wicked man ſhall attempt any thing againſt the lives of his ſervants, that's from the malice of Hell, which God will avenge; and if any man ſhall attempt againſt his own life, that is not without horrible ſin, for though God can cut ſhort in love, yet if thou doſt cut ſhort thine own life, it's not without horrible ſin; though indeed when God ſhortens, it's alwaies in love: for what's the creature? Ah poor creature, a worm, that he ſhould ſtep up in the ſeat of God, and ſhould pluck the iſſues of life and death out of the hand of God, which God doth challenge in a peculiar manner as his right. That's the firſt.
Ʋſe 2. Secondly, It may teach us, that though God cut ſhort the time of his ſervants in love, yet he may cut ſhort the time of many in wrath, in abundance of wrath: when his own people are ripe for heaven, he reaps them; and when wicked men are ripe for deſtruction, the Lord alſo cuts them down. In Pſal. 55. 23. it's ſaid there of wicked men, That blood-thirſty and deceitful men ſhall not live out half their daies; God will cut them off in wrath: they ſhall live out thoſe daies that God hath determined, yet they ſhall not live out half their daies in the courſe of nature that they might have done: and therefore ſee what Solomon ſaies in Eccleſ. 7. 17. Be not thou over-much wicked, neither be thou fooliſh, why ſhouldſt thou die before thy time: wickedneſs brings men to end their time before the courſe of nature be extinct; Oh, that wicked men would think of this; it would be very ſad if their own hands ſhould be upon themſelves to bring them down: though it is mercy to the Saints at ſome times to be taken away early, yet when wicked men are cut off in the midſt of their daies, it is not without a great deal of diſpleaſure and wrath of God. That's a ſecond.
Ʋſe 3. Thirdly, This may teach us this Inſtruction, If God deal thus with his own people, what ſhall be the portion of the wicked? If this be done to the green tree, what ſhall become of the dry? If God cut off young Saints, what ſhall become of old ſinners? Oh! that the hear-ſay of this diſpenſation might convince ſome, and move them to awake, and ſay, Come let us eat and drink, and to morrow ſhall be as this day, and more abundant: Why do you put off the thoughts of God and Eternity to old age, and ſpeak of returning to God another time? when thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth, thou knoweſt not what may lie in the womb of to morrow; God cuts off ſometimes ſome of his people in the midſt of their daies, and what ſhall become of you? I ſhall ſpeak only to you in the words of the Apoſtle James, Jam. 4. 13. and the Lord ſet them home to your hearts, Go to now, ye that ſay To day or to morrow we will go into ſuch a City, and continue there a year, and buy and ſell and get gain: whereas you know not what ſhall be on the morrow: for what is your life? He ſhews the vanity of the cares of this life, and of wicked worldly men; they dream of a long time, of a continuance, and we will ſtay there a year; A year, ſaies he? thou knoweſt not what to morrow may bring forth; thou ſaieſt, Stay, we will heap goods up, and what knoweſt thou, O fool, but this night thy ſoul may be taken away? Oh! that men, wicked men, and worldly men would look to themſelves, and not promiſe to themſelves time for hereafter; and if this be done to the green tree, what will be done to the dry? But again,
Ʋſe 4. Fourthly, This may be a ground of patience unto the ſervants of God in the midſt of all their affliction; in the midſt of all temptations and afflictions whatſoever; poſſeſs your ſouls in patience; Why? becauſe the time is ſhort, and if it be good for you, the Lord will make your daies few, becauſe they are evil; therefore poſſeſs your ſouls in patience: you complain of your afflictions; Why? they are not for an Eternity, a few daies, thoſe daies are ſhortened, if you ſhould live as long as they did before the Flood, ſeven, eight or nine hundred years, and all the time be tempted and afflicted; but now for the Elects ſake, thoſe daies are ſhortened: your burden is but for a little time, your reſt is long, therefore poſſeſs your ſouls with patience; O the wiſdom and goodneſs of God in walking in this way, to and with his people! if your afflictions had been heavy and long too, that had been ſad. It is the miſery of Hell, heavy burdens to Eternity is the miſery of Hell; Ay, but Gods diſpenſation to you is quite contrary, and otherwiſe; when your daies are evil they ſhall be few, and but for a little while, but when joy comes, that ſhall be for Eternity; O the goodneſs of Gods diſpenſation! few daies when they are evil, and an Eternity of daies when entering into the poſſeſſion of Joy: poſſeſs your ſouls with patience.
5. Fifthly, Again, Will God cut off the times of his beſt ſervants? See and take that Counſel in Iſa. 2. 22. Ceaſe ye from man whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? Ceaſe ye from man, from the beſt of men, for their breath is in their noſtrils: Ceaſe from affecting them over much, do not let the ſtream of your affections be any way inordinate, for wherein are they to be accounted? Remember what the Apoſtle ſaies, The time is ſhort, the faſhion of this world paſſeth away: when he goes about to other things concerning this world, The time is ſhort, ſaies he, ceaſe ye from man, and ceaſe from truſting in him, his breath is in his noſtrils; don't lay too much weight upon any man, the Lord cuts ſhort the daies of the beſt of his ſervants; therefore truſt not in, don't lay too much weight upon them, don't ſay the comfort of your lives is bound up in them, and you can't live comfortably without them: oh, ceaſe ye from truſting in man, it's much better to truſt in the Lord, than to put confidence in man: by laying weight upon the creature you may break the creature; therefore take heed, though God may take away them that you truſt in, in love and mercy, he may ſhorten their daies in love, yet ceaſe ye from truſting in man. That's a fifth. Again,
Ʋſe 6. Sixthly, This may teach you to take heed of murmuring and repining when God takes away any of your relations in the midſt of their years and daies; Oh, how full of carnal reaſonings are they? Oh, you conceive it much better if they had lived longer, if they had lived to mans age; what an honour might they have been to God, and a comfort to you if they had lived longer? Theſe are carnal reaſonings that ariſe from the fleſh; know aſſuredly that if God ſhortened their daies it was in love, it was beſt for them that they were ſo taken away, taken away at that time: why will you teach God? Will you teach God to gather in his Corn, in what ſeaſon he ſhall do it? Know aſſuredly he will take them at the beſt, he will crop them at the beſt ſeaſon, he loves his ſervants well, and he will put them off at the beſt advantage, both in life and death: and therefore know aſſuredly that whatſoever carnal reaſon may ſay on the contrary, it was according to the diſpenſation of Gods love, though he takes them away in the midſt of their daies. That's a ſixth.
Ʋſe 7. Seventhly, It may be a word of conviction to ſuch as have lived long, and have loſt of their former forwardneſs and zeal for God, ſuch as have lived to grow worſe; lived to be ſcandalous to the name of God, and to a holy profeſſion; Oh, my friends, what ſhall we ſay? But that God orders things in infinite wiſdom, you might ſay, poor creature, how much better had it been if God had taken you away before! Oh! to live to be a diſhonour to God, to live to loſe thy firſt love, and thy firſt zeal and forwardneſs for God, to be a ſcandal to profeſſion, oh better that you had been taken away at the firſt, better that you had been hid in the Grave many years ago, that now your corruption ſhould be diſcovered to the diſhonour of your profeſſion! and yet don't you ſay, there is no hope, and therefore we will wait no longer; the Lord invites you to return; return; oh that you would ſeek after your firſt love, and firſt zeal: ſtrengthen the feeble hands and knees; if the Lord ſhould come and take you away whilſt you are in this condition, oh how uncomfortable will it be unto you, very uncomfortable! you loſe your Crown; though I know (if you have intereſt in Chriſt) the Crown of glory is ſafe, yet there is a Crown which you will loſe, if you return not ſpeedily to the Lord; the Crown of a Chriſtian is to flouriſh green, and be fruitful in old age, fat and flouriſhing in the Courts of the Lord; to be freſh and ſweet, and to ſend forth an excellent ſavour, this is the Crown of a Chriſtian, and this Crown you may loſe, if death comes upon you whilſt you are in that declining condion. Oh, therefore make haſt to the Lord, pour out your cry continually that the Lord would be pleaſed to reſtore you again, and to eſtabliſh you with his free ſpirit, that you may be freſh, fruitful and ſweet, and may not be withered in time of gathering, when God ſhall come to pull and gather you; if you be dead and withered, you loſe all your ſweet ſcent. Oh, beg of the Lord that you may not be in that condition at that time when he ſhall come to gather you into his Barn. That's a ſeventh.
Ʋſe 8. Eightly, Let us pray and wait for that time which before was ſpoken of, when there ſhall be no danger in long life, when long life ſhall be a mercy unto all the Saints, when the daies of the Lords people ſhall be as the daies of a tree, and the Elect ſhall long enjoy the works of their hands; Oh, pray for the accompliſhment of that promiſe, it will be very ſweet: how much ſhall the Saints gain at that time, how much knowledge? yea, how much ſhall they do for God? Alas! we are of yeſterday, and know nothing; oh get large experience, renewed experience: they ſhall grow in that day like an Oak tree, or a Cedar; there ſhall be no hindrances of growth; pray and wait for the accompliſhment of that.
Ʋſe 9. Ninthly, This may ſupport againſt the extream of a ſhort life, and a long uncomfortable; Oh, ſaies the ſoul, I am preſſing after the Lord, and breathing after him, and this is my fear, I ſhall be cut off before his work be done in me.
Fear it not, the Lord will not cut off the daies of his ſervants but in love; if it be not for thy good, it ſhall not come unto thee: Old Simeon waited for the conſolations of Iſrael, he might have many diſcouragements, what hopes had he to ſee Chriſt when he had one foot in the Grave? And yet at laſt he ſaw Chriſt the hope of his Salvation. But they may think if they ſhould live, they ſhould live to decay in profeſſion, and to go backward; Oh fear not, I am perſwaded, neither things preſent, nor things to come, even old age, ſhall ſeparate you from the love of God in Chriſt Jeſus: Though God do ſend for ſome of his ſervants, it's no argument that he don't love you though you live long; Mathuſalem lived nine hundred years, the reſt of the Patriarchs were holy men as well as others. That's a Ninth.
Ʋſe 10. Tenthly, This may teach to covet to deſire to live much, rather than to live long: Oh, labour to do much for God while ye live, to do much for God in the ſervice of your Generation; What ever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; labour to redeem time, and take all ſeaſons, and all opportunities of getting nigher God; Oh, loſe no opportunity, loſe no part of precious time: A Heathen could ſay, There's no time paſt, but there's ſomething is worth the writing; let no part of your precious time be waſte and nothing done; time is ſhort, and therefore you had need live every part of time, live every hour, and live every moment; rather covet to live much than long: Oh, labour for an eternal life, this life is ſhort, in a moment God ſhortens the time of the beſt of his ſervants; and therefore if this time be ſhort, oh labour for an eternal life; and do what you do for God, with all your might, and with all your ſtrength. He is an unwiſe man that will protract time, that will do that in a year which he might do in a day; Oh, covet much, you have a pattern of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he lived not long on earth, but he did much in a little time, he wrought whilſt it was day, he knew the night was coming; Chriſt did ſo, and Satan doth ſo, he knows his time is ſhort, and he beſtirs himſelf, he knows it muſt be now or never: if Satan be thus wiſe for his Kingdom, ſhall not we that profeſs our ſelves to be Chriſts, be thus wiſe in the matters of his Kingdom? Here is all the time you have to work in, oh you have no more working daies, work apace for God, for in the end of the ſix daies of this life there's a reſt a coming; there's no work beyond the Grave, either in heaven or in hell; you that are Chriſts, you ſhall not work after this life is at an end, your reſt comes then; yea, that's the time of your ſitting down, this is the time of your walking, not the time of your reſt; and ſeeing you have no more time to eternity to work in, there's no more working daies, be content to work now, be earneſtly deſirous to do all you can to lift up God and Chriſt, and his Kingdom, whilſt you are on earth; for what know you, your time is ſhort, and what know you, but that you may live even as Enoch, whoſe life was but half the daies of the reſt of the Patriarchs? Thus I have ſhewn you at what time Enoch was taken, at three hundred ſixty and five years: It remains further to enquire, Wherefore did God take Enoch away, and why he did take him away at that time? and wherefore Enoch was taken in that extraordinary way, both ſoul and body to Heaven?