Walking with GOD.
GENESIS v. 24.
_And |Enoch| walked with GOD, and he was not, for GOD took him._
VARIOUS are the pleas and arguments, which men of corrupt minds
frequently urge against yielding obedience to the just and holy
commands of GOD. But, perhaps, one of the most common objections
that they make is this, that our LORD’s commands are not practicable,
because contrary to flesh and blood; and consequently, that he is “an
hard master, reaping where he has not sown, and gathering where he has
not strewed.” These we find were the sentiments entertained by that
wicked and slothful servant mentioned in the xxvth of St. _Matthew_;
and are undoubtedly the same with many which are maintained in the
present wicked and adulterous generation. The Holy Ghost foreseeing
this, hath taken care to inspire holy men of old, to record the
examples of many holy men and women; who, even under the Old Testament
dispensation, were enabled chearfully to take CHRIST’s yoke upon them,
and counted his service perfect freedom. The large catalogue of saints,
confessors, and martyrs, drawn up in the xith chapter to the _Hebrews_,
abundantly evidences the truth of this observation. What a great cloud
of witnesses have we there presented to our view? All eminent for their
faith, but some shining with a greater degree of lustre than do others.
The proto-martyr _Abel_, leads the van. And next to him, we find
_Enoch_ mentioned, not only because he was next in order of time, but
also on account of his exalted piety. He is spoken of in the words
of the text in a very extraordinary manner. We have here a short but
very full and glorious account, both of his behaviour in this world,
and the triumphant manner of his entering into the next. The former is
contained in these words, “And _Enoch_ walked with GOD.” The latter in
these, “and he was not: for GOD took him.” He was not; i. e. He was not
found, he was not taken away in the common manner, he did not see death;
for _Hebrews_ xi. 5. GOD had translated him. Who this _Enoch_ was, does
not appear so plainly. To me, he seems to have been a person of public
character. I suppose, like _Noah_, a preacher of righteousness. And,
if we may credit the Apostle _Jude_, he was a flaming preacher. For
he quotes one of his prophecies, wherein he saith, “Behold, the LORD
cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all,
and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly
deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches,
which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” But whether a public
or private person, he has a noble testimony given him in the lively
oracles. The author of the epistle to the _Hebrews_ saith, that before
his translation he had this testimony, “that he pleased GOD;” and
his being translated, was a proof of it beyond all doubt. And I would
observe, that it was wonderful wisdom in GOD to translate _Enoch_ and
_Elijah_ under the Old Testament dispensation, that hereafter when
it should be asserted, that the LORD JESUS was carried into heaven,
it might not seem a thing altogether incredible to the _Jews_; since
they themselves confessed, that two of their own prophets had been
translated several hundred years before. But it is not my design
to detain you any longer, by enlarging, or making observations on
_Enoch_’s short, but comprehensive character. The thing I have in view,
being to give a discourse, as the LORD shall enable, upon a weighty
and a very important subject; I mean, _walking with_ GOD. “And _Enoch_
walked with GOD.” If so much as this can be truly said of you and me
after our decease, we shall not have any reason to complain, that we
have lived in vain.
In handling my intended subject, I shall,
_First_, Endeavour to shew, what is implied in these words, _walked
with_ GOD.
_Secondly_, I shall prescribe some means, upon the due observance of
which, believers may keep up and maintain their _walk with_ GOD. And,
_Thirdly_, Offer some motives to stir us up, if we never walked with
GOD before, to come and walk with GOD now. The whole shall be closed
with a word or two of application.
_First_, I am to shew what is implied in these words, “walked with
GOD;” or in other words, what we are to understand by _walking with_
GOD.
And _First_, _Walking with_ GOD, implies, that the prevailing power of
the enmity of a person’s heart, be taken away by the blessed Spirit of
GOD. Perhaps it may seem a hard saying to some, but our own experience
daily proves, what the scripture in many places assert, that the carnal
mind, the mind of the unconverted, natural man, nay, the mind of the
regenerate, so far as any part of him remains unrenewed, is enmity,
not only an enemy, but “enmity itself against GOD; so that it is not
subject to the law of GOD, neither indeed can it be.” Indeed one may
well wonder that any creature, especially that lovely creature man,
made after his Maker’s own image, should ever have any enmity, much
less a prevailing enmity against that very GOD in whom he lives,
and moves, and hath his being. But alas! so it is. Our first parents
contracted it when they fell from GOD by eating the forbidden fruit,
and the bitter and malignant contagion of it, hath descended to, and
quite overspread their whole posterity. This enmity discovered itself,
in _Adam_’s endeavouring to hide himself in the trees of the garden.
When he heard the voice of the LORD GOD, instead of running with an
open heart, saying, Here am I; alas! he now wanted no communion with
GOD; and still more discovered his lately contracted enmity, by the
excuse he made to the Most High. “The woman, or this woman, thou gavest
to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” By saying thus,
he in effect lays all the fault upon GOD; as though he had said, if
thou hadst not given me this woman, I had not sinned against thee, so
thou mayst thank thyself for my transgression. In the same manner this
enmity works in the hearts of _Adam_’s children. They now and again
find something rising against GOD, and saying even unto GOD, what
doest thou? “It scorns any meaner competitor (says the learned Doctor
_Owen_ in his excellent treatise on indwelling sin) than GOD himself.”
Its command is like that of the _Assyrians_ in respect to _Ahab_,
Shoot only at the King. And it strikes against every thing that has
the appearance of real piety, as the _Assyrians_ shot at _Jehosaphat_
in _Ahab_’s cloathes. But the opposition ceases when it finds that
it is only an appearance, as the _Assyrians_ left off shooting at
_Jehosaphat_, when they perceived it was not _Ahab_ they were shooting
at. This enmity discovered itself in accursed _Cain_; he hated and
slew his brother _Abel_, because _Abel_ loved, and was peculiarly
favoured by his GOD. And this same enmity rules and prevails in every
man that is naturally engendered of the offspring of _Adam_. Hence that
averseness to prayer and holy duties, which we find in children, and
very often in grown persons, who have notwithstanding been blessed with
a religious education. And all that open sin and wickedness, which like
a deluge has overflowed the world, are only so many streams running
from this dreadful, contagious fountain; I mean the enmity of man’s
desperately wicked and deceitful heart. He that cannot set his seal to
this, knows nothing yet, in a saving manner, of the holy scriptures,
or of the power of GOD. And all that do know this, will readily
acknowledge, that before a person can be said to walk with GOD, the
prevailing power of this heart-enmity must be destroyed. For persons
do not use to walk and keep company together, who entertain an
irreconcilable enmity and hatred against one another. Observe me, I
say, the prevailing power of this enmity must be taken away. For the
inbeing of it will never be totally removed, till we bow down our heads
and give up the ghost. The apostle _Paul_, no doubt, speaks of himself,
and that too not when he was a pharisee, but a real christian; when
he complains, “that when he would do good, evil was present with him;”
not having dominion over him, but opposing and resisting his good
intentions and actions, “so that he could not do the things which he
would,” in that perfection which the new man desired. This is what he
calls sin dwelling in him. “And this is that Φρόνημα ♦σαρκός, which,
(to use the words of the ninth article of our church,) some do expound
the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affectation, some the desire of
the flesh, which doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated.” But
as for its prevailing power, it is destroyed in every soul that is
truly born of GOD, and gradually more and more weakened as the believer
grows in grace, and the spirit of GOD gains a greater and greater
ascendancy in the heart.
♦ “σταρκος” replaced with “σαρκός”
But _Secondly_, Walking with GOD not only implies, that the prevailing
power of the enmity of a man’s heart be taken away, but also that
a person is actually reconciled to GOD the Father, in and through
the all-sufficient righteousness and atonement of his dear Son. “Can
two walk together, (says _Solomon_), unless they are agreed?” JESUS
is our peace, as well as our peace-maker. When we are justified by
faith in CHRIST, then, but not till then, we have peace with GOD; and
consequently cannot be said till then, to walk with him. Walking with
a person, being a sign and token that we are friends to that person,
or at least, though we have been at variance, yet that now we are
reconciled and become friends again. This is the great errand that
gospel ministers are sent out upon. To us is committed the ministry of
reconciliation: As ambassadors for GOD, we are to beseech sinners, in
CHRIST’s stead, to be reconciled unto GOD; and when they comply with
the gracious invitation, and are actually by faith brought into a state
of reconciliation with GOD, then, and not till then, may they be said
so much as to begin to walk with GOD.
Further, _Thirdly_, Walking with GOD implies, a settled, abiding
communion and fellowship with GOD, or what in scripture is called, “The
Holy Ghost dwelling in us.” This is what our LORD promised when he told
his disciples, that “the Holy Spirit should be in, and with them;” not
to be like a wayfaring-man, to stay only for a night, but to reside
and make his abode in their hearts. This I am apt to believe is what
the Apostle _John_ would have us understand, when he talks of a person
abiding in him, in CHRIST, “and walking as he himself also walked.”
And this is what is particularly meant in the words of our text. “And
_Enoch_ walked with GOD.” _i. e._ He kept up and maintained a holy,
settled, habitual, though undoubtedly not altogether uninterrupted
communion and fellowship with GOD, in and through CHRIST JESUS. So
that to sum up what has been said on this part of the first general
head, _walking with_ GOD consists especially in the fixed habitual
bent of the will for GOD, in an habitual dependance upon his power and
promise, in an habitual voluntary dedication of our all to his glory,
in an habitual eying of his precept in all we do, and in an habitual
complacence in his pleasure in all we suffer.
_Fourthly_, _Walking with_ GOD implies, our making progress or advances
in the divine life. _Walking_, in the very first idea of the word,
seems to suppose a progressive motion. A person that walks, though he
move slowly, yet he goes forwards and does not continue in one place.
And so it is with those that walk with GOD. They go on, as the psalmist
says, “from strength to strength;” or, in the language of the Apostle
_Paul_, “they pass from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the LORD.”
Indeed in one sense, the divine life admits of neither increase nor
decrease. When a soul is born of GOD, to all intents and purposes he is
a child of GOD, and, though he should live to the age of _Methuselah_,
yet he would then be only a child of GOD, after all. But in another
sense, the divine life admits of decays and additions. Hence it is,
that we find the people of GOD charged with backslidings, and losing
their first love. And hence it is, that we hear of babes, young men and
fathers in CHRIST; and upon this account it is that the Apostle exhorts
_Timothy_, “to let his progress be made known to all men.” And what is
here required of _Timothy_ in particular; by St. _Peter_, is enjoined
all christians in general, “But grow in grace, (says he) and in the
knowledge of our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST.” For the new creature
increases in spiritual stature; and though a person can but be a new
creature, yet there are some that are more conformed to the divine
image than others, and will, after death, be admitted to a greater
degree of blessedness. For want of observing this distinction, even
some gracious souls that have better hearts than heads, (as well as
men of corrupt minds, reprobates concerning the faith) have unawares
run into downright _Antinomian_ principles, denying all growth of grace
in a believer, or any marks of grace to be laid down in the scriptures
of truth. From such principles, and more especially from practices
naturally consequent on such principles, may the LORD of all Lord’s
deliver us!
From what then has been said, we may now know what is implied in the
words, “walked with GOD,” viz. Our having the prevailing enmity of our
hearts taken away by the power of the Spirit of GOD; our being actually
reconciled and united to him by faith in JESUS CHRIST; our having and
keeping up a settled communion and fellowship with him; and our making
a daily progress in this fellowship, so as to be conformed to the
divine image more and more.
How this is done, or, in other words, by what means believers keep
up and maintain their walk with GOD, comes to be considered under our
second general head.
And, _First_, Believers keep up and maintain their walk with GOD, by
reading of his holy word. “Search the scriptures,” says our blessed
LORD, “for these are they that testify of me.” And the royal psalmist
tells us, “that GOD’s word was a light unto his feet, and a lanthorn
unto his paths;” and he makes it one property of a good man, “that
his delight is in the law of the LORD, and that he exercises himself
therein day and night.” “Give thyself to reading,” (says _Paul_ to
_Timothy_); “And this book of the law, (says GOD to _Joshua_) shall
not go out of thy mouth.” For whatsoever was written in afore time, was
written for our learning. And the word of GOD is profitable for reproof,
correction, and instruction in righteousness, and every way sufficient
to make every true child of GOD thoroughly furnished to every good
work. If we once get above our Bibles, and cease making the written
word of GOD our sole rule, both as to faith and practice, we shall soon
lie open to all manner of delusion, and be in great danger of making
shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. Our blessed LORD, though
he had the Spirit of GOD without measure, yet always was governed by,
and fought the devil with, “It is written.” This the Apostle calls the
“Sword of the Spirit.” We may say of it as _David_ said of _Goliah_’s
sword, “None like this.” The scriptures are called the lively oracles
of GOD: not only because they are generally made use of to beget in
us a new life, but also to keep up and increase it in the soul. The
Apostle _Peter_, in his 2d epistle, prefers it even to seeing CHRIST
transfigured upon the mount. For after he had said, chapter i. 18.
“That the voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him
in the holy mount;” he adds, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy;
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light shining in a
dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts:”
i. e. Till we shake off these bodies, and see JESUS face to face. Till
then, we must see and converse with him through the glass of his word.
We must make his testimonies our counsellors, and daily, with _Mary_,
sit at JESUS feet, by faith hearing his word. We shall then by happy
experience find, that they are spirit and life, meat indeed, and drink
indeed to our souls.
_Secondly_, Believers keep up and maintain their walk with GOD by
secret prayer. The spirit of grace is always accompanied with the
spirit of supplication. It is the very breath of the new-creature, the
fan of the divine life, whereby the spark of holy fire kindled in the
soul by GOD, is not only kept in, but raised into a flame. A neglect of
secret prayer has been frequently an inlet to many spiritual diseases,
and has been attended with fatal consequences. _Origen_ observed,
“That the day he offered incense to an idol, he went out of his closet
without making use of secret prayer.” It is one of the most noble parts
of the believer’s spiritual armour. “Praying always, says the Apostle,
with all manner of supplication.” “Watch and pray, says our LORD,
that ye enter not into temptation.” And he spake a parable, that his
disciples should pray, and not faint. Not that our LORD would have
us always upon our knees, or in our closets, to the neglect of our
other relative duties. But he means, that our souls should be kept
in a praying-frame, so that we might be able to say, as a good man
in _Scotland_ once said to his friends on his death-bed, “Could these
curtains, or could these walls speak, they would tell you what sweet
communion I have had with my GOD here.” O prayer, prayer! It brings
and keeps GOD and man together. It raises man up to GOD, and brings
GOD down to man. If you would therefore, O believers, keep up your
walk with GOD; pray, pray without ceasing. Be much in secret, set
prayer. And when you are about the common business of life, be much in
ejaculatory prayer, and send, from time to time, short letters post to
heaven upon the wings of faith. They will reach the very heart of GOD,
and return to you again loaded with spiritual blessings.
_Thirdly_, Holy and frequent meditation is another blessed means of
keeping up a believer’s walk with GOD. “Prayer, reading, temptation,
and meditation,” says _Luther_, “make a minister.” And they also
make, and perfect a christian. Meditation to the soul, is the same as
digestion to the body. Holy _David_ found it so, and therefore he was
frequently employed in meditation, even in the night season. We read
also of _Isaac_’s going out into the fields to meditate in the evening;
or, as it is in the margin, to pray. For meditation is a kind of silent
prayer, whereby the soul is frequently, as it were, carried out of
itself to GOD, and in a degree made like unto those blessed Spirits,
who by a kind of immediate intuition always behold the face of our
heavenly Father. None but those happy souls that have been accustomed
to this divine employ, can tell what a blessed promoter of the divine
life, meditation is. “Whilst I was musing, says _David_, the fire
kindled.” And whilst the believer is musing on the works and word
of GOD; especially that work of works, that wonder of wonders, that
mystery of godliness, “GOD manifest in the flesh,” the Lamb of GOD
slain for the sins of the world: he frequently feels the fire of divine
love kindle, so that he is obliged to speak with his tongue, and tell
of the loving-kindness of the LORD to his soul. Be frequent therefore
in meditation, all ye that desire to keep up and maintain a close and
uniform walk with the most-high GOD.
_Fourthly_, Believers keep up their walk with GOD, by watching
and noting his providential dealings with them. If we believe the
scriptures, we must believe what our LORD hath declared therein, “That
the very hairs of his disciples heads are all numbered; and that a
sparrow does not fall to the ground, (either to pick up a grain of corn,
or when shot by a fowler) without the knowledge of our heavenly Father.”
Every cross has a call in it, and every particular dispensation of
divine providence, has some particular end to answer in those to whom
it is sent. If it be of an afflictive nature, GOD does thereby say, “My
son, keep thyself from idols:” if prosperous, he does it as it were by
a small, still voice, say, “My son, give me thy heart.” If believers,
therefore, would keep up their walk with GOD, they must from time to
time hear what the LORD has to say concerning them in the voice of his
providence. Thus we find _Abraham_’s servant, when he went to fetch
a wife for his master _Isaac_, eyed and watched the providence of
GOD, and by that means found out the person that was designed for his
master’s wife. “For a little hint from Providence,” says pious Bishop
_Hall_, “is enough for faith to feed upon.” And as I believe it will be
one part of our happiness in heaven, to take a view of, and look back
upon, the various links of the golden chain which drew us there; so
those that enjoy most of heaven below, I believe, will be most minute
in remarking GOD’s various dealings with them, in respect to his
providential dispensations here on earth.
_Fifthly_, In order to walk closely with GOD, his children must not
only watch the motions of GOD’s providence without them, but the
motions also of his blessed Spirit in their hearts. “As many as are
the sons of GOD, are led by the Spirit of GOD,” and give up themselves
to be guided by the Holy Ghost, as a little child gives its hand to
be led by a nurse or parent. It is no doubt in this sense, that we
are to be converted, and become like little children. And though it is
the quintessence of enthusiasm, to pretend to be guided by the Spirit
without the written word; yet it is every christian’s bounden duty to
be guided by the Spirit in conjunction with the written word of GOD.
Watch, therefore, I pray you, O believers, the motions of GOD’s blessed
Spirit in your souls, and always try the suggestions or impressions
that you may at any time feel, by the unerring rule of GOD’s most
holy word: and if they are not found to be agreeable to that, reject
them as diabolical and delusive. By observing this caution, you will
steer a middle course between the two dangerous extremes many of this
generation are in danger of running into; I mean, _enthusiasm_, on the
one hand, and _deism_, and _downright infidelity_, on the other.
_Sixthly_, They that would maintain a holy walk with GOD, must walk
with him in ordinances as well as providences, &c. It is, therefore,
recorded of _Zachary_ and _Elizabeth_, that “They walked in all
GOD’s ordinances as well as commandments, blameless.” And all rightly
informed christians, will look upon ordinances, not as beggarly
elements, but as so many conduit-pipes, whereby the infinitely
condescending _Jehovah_ conveys his grace to their souls. They will
look upon them as childrens bread, and as their highest privileges.
Consequently they will be glad when they hear others say, “Come, let
us go up to the house of the LORD.” They will delight to visit the
place where GOD’s honour dwelleth, and be very eager to embrace all
opportunities to shew forth the LORD CHRIST’s death till he come.
_Seventhly_ and _lastly_, If you would walk with GOD, you will
associate and keep company with those that do walk with him. “My
delight, says holy _David_, is in them that do excel” in virtue.
They were in his sight, the excellent ones of the earth. And the
primitive christians, no doubt, kept up their vigour and first love, by
continuing in fellowship one with another. The Apostle _Paul_ knew this
full well, and therefore exhorts the christians to see to it, that they
did not forsake the assembling of themselves together. For how can one
be warm alone? And has not the wisest of men told us, that, “as iron
sharpeneth iron, so doth the countenance of a man his friend?” If we
look, therefore, into church history, or make a just observation of our
own times, I believe we shall find, that as the power of GOD prevails,
christian societies, and fellowship meetings prevail proportionably.
And as one decays, the other has insensibly decayed and dwindled away
at the same time. So necessary is it for those that would walk with
GOD, and keep up the life of religion, to meet together as they have
opportunity, in order to provoke one another to love and good works.
Proceed we now to the Third general thing proposed, To offer some
motives to excite all to come and walk with GOD.
And _First_, Walking with GOD, is a very honourable thing. This
generally is a prevailing motive to persons of all ranks, to stir them
up to any important undertaking. O that it may have its due weight and
influence with you, in respect to the matter now before us! I suppose
you would all think it a very high honour to be admitted into an
earthly prince’s privy-council, to be trusted with his secrets, and
to have his ear at all times, and at all seasons. It seems _Haman_
thought it so, when he boasted, _Esther_ v. 11, that besides his being
“advanced above the princes and servants of the king; yea, moreover,
_Esther_ the Queen did let no man come in with the King unto the
banquet that she had prepared, but myself; and to-morrow am I invited
unto her also with the King.” And when afterwards a question was put to
this same _Haman_, chapter vi. 6. “What shall be done unto the man whom
the King delighteth to honour?” he answered, verse 8. “Let the royal
apparel be brought which the king used to wear, and the horse that the
king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head; and
let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the
king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the
King delights to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street
of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man
whom the King delighteth to honour.” This was all then, it seems, that
an ambitious _Haman_ could ask, and the most valuable thing that he
thought _Ahasuerus_, the greatest monarch upon earth, could give. But
alas, what is this honour in comparison of that which the meanest of
those enjoy, that walk with GOD! Think ye it a small thing, Sirs, to
have the secret of the LORD of Lords with you, and to be called the
friends of GOD? and such honour have all GOD’s saints. “The secret of
the LORD is with them that fear him:” and “Henceforth, says the blessed
JESUS, call I you no longer servants, but friends; for the servant
knoweth not the will of his master.” Whatever you may think of it, holy
_David_ was so sensible of the honour attending a walk with GOD, that
he declares, “He had rather be a door-keeper in his house, than to
dwell even in the tents of ungodliness.” O that all were like-minded
with him!
But, _Secondly_, As it is an honourable, so it is a pleasing thing to
walk with GOD. The wisest of men has told us, that “Wisdom’s ways are
ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace.” And I remember pious
Mr. _Henry_, when he was just about to expire, said to a friend, “You
have heard many mens dying words, and these are mine; A life spent in
communion with GOD, is the pleasantest life in the world.” I am sure I
can set to my seal that this is true. Indeed, I have been lifted under
JESUS’s banner only for a few years; but I have enjoyed more solid
pleasure in one moment’s communion with my GOD, than I should or could
have enjoyed in the ways of sin, though I had continued to have went
on in them for thousands of years. And may I not appeal to all you that
fear and walk with GOD, for the truth of this? Has not one day in the
LORD’s courts, been to you better than a thousand? In keeping GOD’s
commandments, have you not found a present and very great reward? Has
not his word been sweeter to you than the honey, or the honey-comb? O
what have you felt, when, _Jacob_-like, you have been wrestling with
your GOD? Has not JESUS often met you when meditating in the fields,
and been made known to you over and over again in breaking of bread?
Has not the Holy Ghost frequently shed the divine love abroad in your
hearts abundantly, and filled you with joy unspeakable, even joy that
is full of glory? I know you will answer all these questions in the
affirmative, and freely acknowledge the yoke of CHRIST to be easy, and
his burden light; or (to use the words of one of our collects) “That
his service is perfect freedom.” And what need we then any further
motive to excite us to walk with GOD?
But methinks I hear some among you say, “How can these things be? For,
if walking with GOD, as you say, is such an honourable and pleasant
thing, whence is it, that the name of the people of this way is cast
out as evil, and every where spoken against? How comes it to pass that
they are frequently afflicted, tempted, destitute, and tormented? Is
this the honour, this the pleasure that you speak of?” I answer, Yes.
Stop a while; be not over-hasty. Judge not according to appearance,
but judge righteous judgment, and all will be well. It is true, we
acknowledge the “people of this way,” as you, and _Paul_ before you,
when a persecutor, called them, have their names cast out as evil, and
are a sect every where spoken against. But by whom? Even by the enemies
of the most high GOD. And do you think it a disgrace to be spoken evil
of by them? Blessed be GOD, we have not so learnt CHRIST. Our royal
Master has pronounced those “blessed, who are persecuted, and have
all manner of evil spoken against them falsly.” He has commanded them
“to rejoice and be exceeding glad.” For it is the ♦privilege of their
discipleship, and that their reward will be great in heaven. He himself
was thus treated. And can there be a greater honour put upon a creature,
than to be conformed to the ever-blessed Son of GOD? And further, it
is equally true, that the people of this way are frequently afflicted,
tempted, destitute, and tormented. But what of all this? Does this
destroy the pleasure of walking with GOD? No, in no wise; for those
that walk with GOD, are enabled, through CHRIST strengthening them,
to joy even in tribulation, and to rejoice when they fall into divers
temptations. And I believe I may appeal to the experience of all true
and close walkers with GOD, Whether or not their suffering times, have
not frequently been their sweetest times, and that they enjoyed most
of GOD, when most cast out and despised by men? This we find was the
case of CHRIST’s primitive servants, when threatened by the _Jewish_
sanhedrim, and commanded to preach no more in the name of JESUS; they
rejoiced, that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for the
sake of JESUS. _Paul_ and _Silas_ sang praises even in a dungeon; and
the face of _Stephen_, that glorious proto-martyr of the christian
church, shone like the face of an angel. And JESUS is the same now, as
he was then, and takes care so to sweeten sufferings and afflictions
with his love, that his ♠disciples find, by happy experience, that as
afflictions abound, consolations do much more abound. And therefore
these objections, instead of destroying, do only more enforce the
motives before urged to excite you to walk with GOD.
♦ “prilege” replaced with “privilege”
♠ “disciciples” replaced with “disciples”
But supposing the objections were just, and walkers with GOD were
as despicable and unhappy as you would represent them to be; yet I
have a third motive to offer, which, if weighed in the balance of
the sanctuary, will over-weigh all objections, viz. That there is a
heaven at the end of this walk. For, to use the words of pious Bishop
_Beveridge_, “Though the way be narrow, yet it is not long; and though
the gate be straight, yet it opens into everlasting life.” _Enoch_
found it so. He walked with GOD on earth, and GOD took him to sit down
with him for ever in the kingdom of heaven. Not that we are to expect
to be taken away as he was: no; I suppose we shall all die the common
death of all men. But after death, the spirits of those who have walked
with GOD, shall return to GOD that gave them; and at the morning of the
resurrection, soul and body shall be for ever with the LORD. Their
bodies shall be fashioned like unto CHRIST’s glorious body, and their
souls filled with all the fulness of GOD. They shall sit on thrones;
they shall judge angels. They shall be enabled to sustain an exceeding
and eternal weight of glory, even that glory which JESUS CHRIST enjoyed
with the Father before the world began. _O gloriam quantam et qualem_,
says the learned and pious _Arndt_, just before he bowed down his
head, and gave up the ghost. The very thought of it is enough to make
us “wish to leap our seventy years,” as good Dr. _Watts_ expresses
himself, and to make us break out into the earnest language of the
royal Psalmist, “My soul is athirst for GOD, yea for the living GOD.
When shall I come to appear in the immediate presence of my GOD?”
I wonder not that a sense of this, when under a more than ordinary
irradiation and influx of divine life and love, causes some persons
even to faint away, and for a time lose the power of their senses. A
less sight than this, even a sight of _Solomon_’s glory, made _Sheba_’s
queen astonished; and a still lesser sight than that, even a sight
of _Joseph_’s waggons, made holy _Jacob_ to faint, and for a while,
as it were, die away. _Daniel_, when admitted to a distant view of
this excellent glory, fell down at the feet of the angel as one dead.
And if a distant view of this glory be so excellent, what must the
actual possession of it be? If the first fruits are so glorious, how
infinitely must the harvest exceed in glory?
And now what shall I, or indeed what can I well say more, to excite you,
even you that are yet strangers to CHRIST, to come and walk with GOD?
If you love honour, pleasure, and a crown of glory, come, seek it where
alone it can be found. Come, put ye on the LORD JESUS. Come, haste ye
away and walk with GOD, and make no longer provision for the flesh,
to fulfil the lust thereof. Stop, stop, O sinner! turn ye, turn ye,
O ye unconverted men! for the end of that way you are now walking in,
however right it may seem in your blinded eyes, will be death, even
eternal destruction both of body and soul. Make no long tarrying,
I say: at your peril, I charge you, step not one step further on in
your present walk. For how knowest thou, O man, but the next step thou
takest may be into hell? Death may seize thee, judgment find thee, and
then the great gulph will be fixed between thee and endless glory, for
ever and ever. O think of these things, all ye that are unwilling to
come and walk with GOD. Lay them to heart. Shew yourselves men, and in
the strength of JESUS say, Farewel lust of the flesh, I will no more
walk with thee! Farewel lust of the eye, and pride of life! Farewel
carnal acquaintance, and enemies of the cross, I will no more walk
and be intimate with you! Welcome JESUS, welcome thy word, welcome thy
ordinances, welcome thy Spirit, welcome thy people, I will henceforth
walk with you. O that there may be in you such a mind! GOD will set
his almighty fiat to it, and seal it with the broad seal of heaven,
even the signet of his Holy Spirit. Yes, he will, though you have been
walking with, and following after, the devices and desires of your
desperately wicked hearts, ever since you have been born. “I the high
and lofty one,” says the great Jehovah, “that inhabiteth eternity,
will dwell with the humble and contrite heart, even with the man that
trembleth at my word.” The blood, even the precious blood of JESUS
CHRIST, if you come to the Father in and through him, shall cleanse you
from all sin.
But the text leads me to speak to you that are saints, as well as to
you that are open or unconverted sinners. I need not tell you that
walking with GOD is not only honourable, but pleasant and profitable
also: for ye know it by happy experience, and will find it more and
more so every day. Only give me leave to stir up your pure minds by
way of remembrance, and to beseech you by the mercies of GOD in CHRIST
JESUS, to take heed to yourselves, and walk closer with your GOD, than
you have in days past: for the nearer you walk with GOD, the more you
will enjoy of Him whose presence is life, and be the better prepared
for being placed at his right-hand, where are pleasures for evermore.
O do not follow JESUS afar off! O be not so formal, so dead and stupid
in your attendance on holy ordinances! Do not so shamefully forsake the
assembling yourselves together, or be so niggardly, and so indifferent
about the things of GOD. Remember what JESUS says of the church
of _Laodicea_, “Because thou art neither hot nor cold, I will spew
thee out of my mouth.” Think of the love of JESUS, and let that love
constrain you to keep near unto him; and though you die for him, do not
deny him, do not keep at a distance from him in any wise.
One word to my brethren in the ministry that are here present, and I
have done. You see, my brethren, my heart is full; I could almost say
it is too big to speak, and yet too big to be silent, without dropping
a word to you. For does not the text speak in a particular manner to
those who have the honour of being stiled the ambassadors of CHRIST,
and stewards of the mysteries of GOD? I observed at the beginning of
this discourse, that _Enoch_ in all probability was a public person,
and a flaming preacher. Though he be dead, does he not yet speak to
us, to quicken our zeal, and make us more active in the service of
our glorious and ever-blessed Master? How did _Enoch_ preach? How
did _Enoch_ walk with GOD, though he lived in a wicked and adulterous
generation? Let us then follow him, as he followed JESUS CHRIST, and
ere long, where he is, there shall we be also. He is now entered into
his rest: yet a little while, and we shall enter into ours, and that
too much sooner than he did. He sojourned here below three hundred
years; but blessed be GOD, the days of man are now shortened, and in a
few days our work will be over. The Judge is before the door: he that
cometh will come, and will not tarry: his reward is with him. And we
shall all (if we are zealous for the LORD of Hosts) ere long shine as
the stars in the firmament, in the kingdom of our heavenly Father, for
ever and ever. To Him, the blessed JESUS, and eternal Spirit, be all
honour and glory, now, and to all eternity. _Amen_, and _Amen_.