The Holy Walk and Glorious Translation of Enoch, Half title – Title page
Mr. Colman's Funeral Diſcourſe Upon the Death of the very Reverend and Learned Dr. COTTON MATHER.
The Holy Walk AND Glorious Tranſlation OF Bleſſed ENOCH. A SERMON Preached at the Lecture in BOSTON, Two Days after the DEATH of the REVEREND and LEARNED Cotton Mather, D. D. & F. R. S. Who departed this Life, Febr. 13. 1728. Aetat. 65.
By Benjamin Colman.
BOSTON: Printed for J. PHILLIPS, at the Stationers Arms on the South ſide of the Town-Houſe, & T. HANCOCK, at the Bible & Three Crowns in Ann Street. 1728.
The Holy Walk AND Glorious Tranſlation OF Bleſſed Enoch.
GENESIS V. 24.
And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
SINGULAR in the Old World was the Perſon and the Thing here ſpoken of; the holy Life and the happy End of bleſſed Enoch. He was the moſt remarkable and diſtinguiſhed among the Patriarchs before the Flood; for his eminent Godlineſs & excelling Piety; for his ſhort and fervent Life, and God's taking him to Heaven without ſeeing Death. He was a Man of God, a zealous Prophet of the Lord, and preach'd earneſtly to the ſinners in his day of the Coming of Chriſt to Judgment †See Jude v. 14, 15.. And God rewarded his excelling ſaith, ſanctity & labours, with a diſtinguiſhing Exit, or departure hence.
MY Text ſpeaks three things of him, That he walked with GOD, that he was not, that God took him. It is a ſhort Record of three very great and copious things; of his heavenly life on earth and of his glorious removal to a better World.
THAT he was not means not that he died; but the contrary, that he died not. The Apoſtle to the Hebrews tells us how God took him, Heb. 11.5. By faith Enoch was tranſlated that he ſhould not ſee death, and was not found becauſe God had tranſlated him: for before his tranſlation he had this teſtimony that he pleaſed God. Walking with God is the thing that pleaſes him. This is the fruit and evidence of the Faith of God's Elect. They that walk with God in this world, he will in a little while take to himſelf in a better life.
BUT Enochs walk with God was in ſuch a ſingular manner, and was ſo ſingularly pleaſing to Him, that God diſtinguiſhed him from the reſt of Mortals, and the Angels of God took him up in the body, as they did Elias afterward, and as they do the Souls of other Believers now, and carried him to the Preſence and Paradiſe of God.
THIS muſt be reſolved into the Good pleaſure of God, his wiſe and Sovereign will; and to be ſure it was not for any Merit or deſert in Enochs holy walking with God. Enoch deſerv'd to have died for his Sins, as well as any before or after him. He was born in ſin as well as other Sons of Adam, and cou'd never ſay I am pure from ſin till his glorious Change paſs'd on him, as he was caught up. Elias was a Man of like paſſions with others, and ask'd to die; yet he was tranſlated as well as Enoch. It was not due to the Righteouſneſs of either that they were taken without ſeeing Death. Before that God formed them in the belly, he deſign'd them their Tranſlation.
Never the leſs God doubtleſs meant hereby to put eminent honour on ſingular Piety, and to excite others to labour after Eminence therein. So God crowns his own Work, his own Gift. The Lord is well pleaſed in his own Righteouſneſs in his Saints, and for his own Names ſake magnifies and honours it. Singular Zeal, Diligence and Devotion in degenerate times ſhall receive a diſtinguiſhing Reward. As Elias was alone in the cauſe of God in a moſt corrupt time, ſo in Enochs day the flood of Infidelity & Impiety begun to break in upon the old World.
THEN God ſaw it a fit time to give Mankind an Ocular Teſtimony of that Eternal Life which he has prepared for them that love and pleaſe him. Adam was but juſt dead, as it were, before the Tranſlation of Enoch; and ſome think that Adam himſelf was the firſt Inſtance of a natural death; (for as to Abel he died a violent one) and the World by reaſon of the rarity of Death and the long life of Mankind might grow into a ſtrange degree of unbelief, profaneſs, ſenſuality & injuſtice before the death of Adam. Now I take Enochs tranſlation to have been meant and order'd by God as a Teſtimony to the very Senſes and common Underſtanding of the Men of the Old World, Firſt, that there is a bleſſed Immortality for pious and holy Perſons in an unſeen and eternal World; Secondly, that they ſhall live and be bleſſed there both in body and ſoul united; and conſequently Thirdly, that there ſhall certainly be a Reſurrection of the Bodies of Saints to a bleſſed Life and glorious Immortality.
NOT that I think the Patriarchs before Enoch were without the Doctrine and Hope of the Reſurrection of the body: I believe much the contrary, namely, that God revealed this to Adam, and that Enoch had walked in this Faith, Others before him, But the World, now a thouſand year old in ſin, began to languiſh under a miſerable decay of Faith, and needed ſome remarkable Testimony from Heaven to the Doctrine of a future Life and the Reſurrection of the Body.
AND as to Enoch's being taken ſo ſoon from his holy walk on earth to the heavenly World; for he lived not half the days of Adam, or his other gracious Progenitors, I might ſuggeſt,
THAT God hereby teſtified his delight in early Piety, diligence and proficiency; That he poured contempt upon long life on earth, in compariſon of the Eternal Glory; That he let the other Patriarchs and holy Men ſee that eight or nine hundred years here was not the right, the privilege not reward of their eminent Piety; and that they ſhould by no means depend on it or take up with it. In a word, Enochs tranſlation was the more like to be taken notice of in the Age that then was, by his being tranſlated young. If he had liv'd his nine hundred years it is likely the thing had been leſs obſerved and talked of and laid to heart.
SOME ‖The Rev. Mr. Boys of Dublin.have obſerved that as Enoch was the ſeventh from Adam, ſo Adam and five more were ſubjected to natural death, but He the ſeventh was tranſlated, to point out to us the Time when the bleſſed Reſurrection of the Juſt might be expected: Soil. That as Death ſhould reign over the race of Adam for ſix thouſand years, ſo the ſeventh would reſtore all the ſpiritual ſeed of the ſecond Adam to a ſtate of glorious Immortality.
Mr. Henry obſerves, That Enoch liv'd juſt a Year of years, which as Men liv'd then was to go in the midst of his days; for the Patriarchs before the Flood did more than double that Age; and God took them ſo ſoon becauſe the World was grown corrupt and was unworthy of him; or becauſe he was ſo much above the World and weary of it, and deſirous of a ſpeedy removal out of it: Or becauſe his Work was done, and done the ſooner for his minding it ſo cloſely. God often takes them ſooneſt whom he loves beſt, and the time they loſe on earth is gained in heaven, to their unſpeakable advantage.
I have held you too long it may be on the Perſon and Thing in the Text, the Patriarch Enoch and his glorious Tranſlation. The plain Doctrinal Obſervation I ſhall now ſpeak to is this,
DOCT. THAT God will undoubtedly take thoſe to Himſelf in another and better World, that walk with Him in this World. As he did by Enoch who propheſied of the Coming of CHRIST in the great Day, ſo he will by all others that look and wait for his Appearing. In Enochs character and reward, all Men may learn their duty, and Saints their property & priviledge.
HE walked with God: He ſet God always before him; kept his eye continually upon God, and conſider'd himſelf always under the eye of God; obſerv'd by him and accountable to him. He was a follower and imitator of the bleſſed God, ſtudied his glorious Nature & Perfections and his holy Will, and conform'd his heart and life to both, as far as he could attain. He made it his conſtant care and buſineſs to pleaſe God, for can two walk together except they are agreed? He was wholly devoted to the Service of God, and the Felicity he propoſed to himſelf was Communion with God here and the Enjoyment of him for ever. He did not walk after the courſe of this world, with the men of that wicked age; No, but contrary to them; his fellowſhip was with the Sons of God, in whom was all his delight, and among whom he ſhone a burning light. He preach'd againſt the wickedneſs that then began to prevail over the earth with great zeal and courage, and warn'd them of the Day when God wou'd judge 'em for their ungodly deeds. Thus he walked with God, exerciſing himſelf unto Godlineſs, and making Religion the buſineſs and joy of his life, God's glory his ruling End, and his own Salvation his great and chief care.
IN all this we muſt take him for our Example, to walk even as he walked; in the ſame Spirit and in the ſame Stops. — We muſt walk by Faith as Enoch did, by which the Juſt do live, and without which it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. So Abraham walked before God and was perfect, and ſo Moſes walked as ſeeing him that is Inviſible, and having reſpect to the Recompence of Reward. —
BY Repentance we muſt return to God, and walk humbly with him, the wicked and impenitent are walking contrary to God, and he walks contrary to them. But how did the Son of God on earth ſeek out humble Penitents, walk and converſe with them, and joy in them?—To walk as Chriſt walked is indeed to walk with God. He always did thoſe things that pleaſed the Father, whoſe Soul was ever highly pleaſed in him. He has given us an Example that we ſhould follow his ſteps. —We muſt walk with God in the daily and continual duties of Prayer and Praiſe, in all ſtated and occaſional Exerciſes of religious Worſhip, ſolitary and ſocial, private and publick. We muſt walk with God in our Cloſets, with our Families, and in God's houſe, in all his Ordinances, blameleſs. — To walk with God means, in all the parts and inſtances of a ſober, righteous and godly Life; and conſtancy therein all our days. We walk with God in a ſincere, univerſal and perſevering Obedience to the written Word and revealed Law of God: And bleſſed are the undefiled in the way that walk in the Law of the Lord. We walk with God in a reverential Submiſſion to him in all his Providences. Then God is with us and ſays to us, When thou paſſest thro cThe Office & Work of the Holy Spirit from p. 237.the Waters I am with thee. It is good having God with us when our way is cloudy and dark, and in the night of afflictions, going before us, holding us up, leading us on, and keeping us ſafe. When the three Worthies were thrown into the flaming furnace the Son of God came down and walked there with them. — Indeed to walk with God is a Phraſe that ſpeaks Eminence in Religion; but it eſpecially & ſtrongly implies Progreſs, proficiency and perſeverance in every thing that is holy juſt and good. To walk is not to take a ſtep or too, nor is it for a day or a year, but for the whole life, all our days. We muſt walk and work while the day laſts; the light is given for this. The way is but ſhort, a few ſteps up-hill, in a ſtrait & narrow path, that leads to eternal life. We read of Walking in the Spirit, Gal. 5.25. That is to walk with God: A Spiritual life; the moſt excellent and noble kind of life, under the continual vital Influence of the Holy Spirit? This walking (ſays the Rev. Mr. How on that Text) doth more directly and formally denote a ſelf-motion, a voluntary motion, an orderly motion, a pleaſurable motion, a continued and progreſſive motion. This can only be in the light of the Spirit, and in his power. Hence in the progreſs in Spirituality Thus How.
AND now let us conſider, What an honnarable thing this is, to walk with God! What an honour ſhould we account it, if our earthly Prince would allow us to walk after him in his Garden? Only a few ſelect and favourite Nobles have the honour done them. What the is Man, that God magnifies him in ſpeaking of his walking with the King Eternal, Immortal, Inviſible! Will God in very deed walk with us on earth? Behold Heaven, and the Heaven of heavens cannot contain him?
How peaſant muſt this be, to walk with GOD? Such was Eden, the Garden of God, in man's firſt ſtare; and ſuch is the Paradiſe of God above. Such are all the ways of Wiſdom and Holineſs, ways of pleaſantneſs & paths of peace.
How ſafe and ſecure muſt they be that walk with God? guarded by his Power, cover'd with his Wing, protected by his Providence, and deſended by his Angels: As Jacob on his way when God's Hoſts met him. O the Security and Serenity of this way! living & dying ſuch are ſafe.
YEA everlaſtingly happy and bleſſed are all ſuch in the World to come. They are going to God, to be with him, and bleſſed in him, for ever and ever: Going where Enoch is, and to be as be is: Not indeed as he went, without dying, but it is all one in the end, at the Reſurrection: Gohriel, and Enoch and Abraham and Moſes & Elias there walk together. In the preſence of CHRIST; and are one in Line, Glory and Bleſſedneſs.
BUT this leads me into the Proof of the Doctrine, That if we do walk with God here in this life, he will take as to himſelf for ever. As truly as he took Enoch, ſo will he all them that walk in Enoch's faith and piety. It will be ſhortly ſaid of every one of them, He is not, for God took him. Took him! whither? why where he took Enoch, up to himſelf in heaven. As truly as Enoch is there, you ſhall be ſhortly there alſo if you walk with God.
To ſtate this eaſy Truth it muſt be ſaid,
1. NOT bodily and alive to heaven, without ſeeing and taſting death, as Enoch was taken. No ſuch matter; and it matters not much. The Godly die as well as others. Two only of the Saints have been tranſlated, one before the Flood, and one under the Law; and for Goſpel days the Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of our Lord Jeſus may abundantly ſuffice, to ſtrengthen and uphold the faith of Saints. That glorious Son of man became obedient to death for the ſake of his Elect, to teach them to expect a diſſolution, and how to paſs comfortably as well as holily thro' it, having the ſting of it taken away by his dying. He died not to purchaſe for them a Tranſlation; no, but a Reſurrection. Every Saint may take up Jobs words, and ſay to God with holy Submiſſion; Job. 30 23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, the houſe appointed for all the living. But altho' no Saint looks to be taken bodily to heaven, as Enoch was without ſeeing death, yet
2. GOD takes the Souls of them to himſelf at death, who have walked with him in this life. The Soul is the Perſon; if that be taken up to God it matters not tho' the body be laid for a time in the earth, Eccl. 12.7. The body returns to the earth as it was, but the ſpirit returns to God that gave it. The Spirits of the juſt made perfect are in the ſame Heaven, the ſame Paradiſe, where Enoch and Elias are in their Spiritual bodies. Thither the Angels carried the Soul of the gracious beggar, Lazarus, when he died at the rich man's gate: And thither they carried the happy Spirit of the penitent thief, when it left the body upon a croſs; And thither the holy Soul of Chriſt went for the three days that he left his body in the grave: To his Father he ſaid, Intothy hand I commit my Spirit.— So God took Moſes & Aaron from the Mount in the day they were uncloath'd and buried; and ſo Jeſus took the Soul of Stephen while the bruiſed fleſh fell under the cruel ſtones. Devour men took up the precious remains & buried them, with great lamentation.
GOD as truly takes the Soul by dying and at death, as he took Enoch without ſeeing death. If the Soul be but taken to the Regions of the Bleſſed all is well, wherever the body be dropt, in the ſea, or on the dry land. God ſhews the Soul the path of life, and the fleſh reſts in hope. The ſoul is abſent from the body to be preſent with the Lord: it departs and is with Chriſt: To whom elſe ſhould it go? whither elſe would it be taken? When the Lord himſelf was going, he thus comforted his ſorrowing Diſciples, Joh. 14. init. I go to prepare a place for you and I will take you thither, that where I am there you may be alſo.
3. THE Godly that are found alive at the coming of Chriſt ſhall be changed as Enoch was, and raiſed Saints ſhall be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. So we are expreſly taught, and a ſpecial attention to the thing is required of us; 1 Cor. 15.51, &c. Behold I ſhew you a mystery; we ſhall not all ſleep but we ſhall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last Trump; for the trumpet ſhall ſound & the dead ſhall be raiſed, and we ſhall be changed: For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption, and this Mortal muſt put on Immortality. This myſtery relates to the Godly that ſhall be found alive at Chriſt's coming; They will not undergo the pains or change of death, a diſſolution of Soul and body; No, but the eaſie and happy Change of Enoch. Their bodies by the power of Chriſt will be render'd ſpiritual and incorruptible in a moment of time in order to their aſcending up into the air, to meet their deſcending Lord. And becauſe of the Certainty and Importance of this Truth it is repeated to us, 1 Theſ. 4.15, 17. For this we ſay unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the Coming of the Lord, ſhall not prevent them which are aſleep: For the Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from heaven with a ſhout, with the voice of the Arch-angel and of the trump of God, and the dead in Christ ſhall riſe firſt: Then we which are alive and remain, ſhall be caught up together with them in the clouds, &c. Compare here the ſtate and privilege of redeemed Saints in the Reſurrection day: Some will have the ſingular privilege of not dying, not ſleeping: The reſt have all fallen aſleep in Chriſt, and have undergone the change of death. Now one would be ready to think the advantage much on their ſide who do not die at all. But that it may not ſeem too much ſo, thoſe that are to ſleep in Jeſus are informed and made to know, "That the Redeemers firſt care will be about his dead Saints". They that are found alive at the coming of Chriſt ſhall not prevent them that ſleep; No, the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt: Chriſt will raiſe his dead Servants before the great Change paſſes on them whom he ſhall find alive. So that if theſe laſt ſeem in one reſpect to have the advantage, the other will have it in another reſpect, that there may be at laſt an equality; For the one being changed into ſpititual and glorious Bodies in the inſtant after that the Dead in Chriſt are ſo raiſed, they will both together be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. As bleſſed and joyful a moment to them all, as the Change and Tranſlation of Enoch was to him! and as true and real a Tranſlation.
4. WHEN the Judgment is over Chriſt will return to the Third Heaven, the eternal Seat of the Bleſſed, with all his Elect and Redeemed, glorified in ſoul and body, to walk with him in white for ever more. So we read in the place laſt cited, 1 Theſ. 4.18. And ſo ſhall we be ever with the Lord. Now where will He be after the Judgment day? He will return to his Throne at the right hand of God in the higheſt Heaven, and his Redeemed will be there with him about his Throne for ever and ever, 1 Cor. 15.23, 24. Every man in his own order; Christ the firſt-fruits, afterward they that are Chriſt's at his coming: Then cometh the End, when he ſhall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; having deſtroyed the last Enemy death. He will therefore carry up his redeemed with Him, and will preſent them unto God his Father, to be bleſſed by Him and in Him to all Eternity.
So he has prayed for them, and his Prayer is granted, Joh. 17.23. Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haſt given me. And this he has alſo promiſed to 'em. Joh. 12.26. If any man ſerve me let him follow me, and where I am there ſhall my ſervant be.
To this end our Lord both died and roſe again, even to purchaſe and to receive this power, to take up all Believers into Glory with him: Joh. 17.3. As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternal life unto as many as thou haſt given to him.
THIS Eternal bleſſedneſs is deſcribed by the Holy Ghoſt in thoſe words, Rev. 2.4. And they ſhall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The walk is begun on earth in the life and exerciſe of Grace, but it continues and is perfected in the light of Life and Glory for ever. Holineſs and Joy is that glorious White wherein the Saints walk with Chriſt in Heaven. They are conform'd to Him, both as to Soul and Body, in purity and ſplendour; faſhion'd according to his glorious Body and Soul. This white is the righteouſneſs of the Saints; their prieſtly and kingly Attire before the Throne of God; for they are made Kings & Prieſts unto God. Such a garment of Glory was put upon Chriſt in the day of his Transfiguration, when his raiment became white and ſhining as the light, and ſuch a Robe he will put upon his Saints at their Reſurrection, and they ſhall walk with him therein for ever more. — In this white Enoch has been walking before the Throne of God from the Day wherein he was tranſlated; and in the ſame will all Believers walk and ſhine to all Eternity.
BUT this for the Proof & Illuſtration of the Doctrine. That God will take all ſuch to Himſelf in another and better World, that walk with him in this World.