Chapter II: Front Matter (2)

My brethren in CHRIST, I think I do not speak thus in my own strength, but in the strength of my Redeemer. I know in whom I have believed; I am persuaded he will keep that safe, which I have committed unto him. He is faithful who hath promised, that the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head. May we all experience a daily completion of this promise, both in the church and in our hearts, till we come to the church of the first-born, the spirits of just men made perfect, in the presence and actual fruition of the great GOD our heavenly Father!

To whom, with the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be ascribed all honour,
power, might, majesty, and dominion, now and for evermore.
_Amen._

SERMON II.

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_.

SERMON III.

_Abraham_’s offering up his Son _Isaac_.

GENESIS xxii. 12.

_And he said, Lay not thine Hand upon the Lad, neither do thou
any thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God,
seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me._

THE great Apostle _Paul_, in one of his epistles, informs us, that “whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the holy scripture might have hope.” And as without faith it is impossible to please GOD, or be accepted in JESUS, the Son of his love; we may be assured, that whatever instances of a more than common faith are recorded in the book of GOD, they were more immediately designed by the holy Spirit for our learning and imitation, upon whom the ends of the world are come. For this reason, the author of the epistle to the _Hebrews_, in the xith chapter, mentions such a noble catalogue of Old Testament saints and martyrs, “who subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, stopped the mouths of lions, &c. and are gone before us to inherit the promises.” A sufficient confutation, I think, of their error, who lightly esteem the Old Testament saints, and would not have them mentioned to christians, as persons whose faith and patience we are called upon more immediately to follow. If this was true, the apostle would never have produced such a cloud of witnesses out of the Old Testament, to excite the christians of the first, and consequently purest age of the church, to continue stedfast and unmoveable in the profession of their faith. Amidst this catalogue of saints, methinks the patriarch _Abraham_ shines the brightest, and differs from the others, as one star differeth from another star in glory; for he shone with such distinguished lustre, that he was called the “friend of GOD,” the “father of the faithful;” and those who believe on CHRIST, are said to be “sons and daughters of, and to be blessed with, faithful _Abraham_.” Many trials of his faith did GOD send this great and good man, after he had commanded him to get out from his country, and from his kindred, unto a land which he should shew him; but the last was the most severe of all, I mean, that of offering up his only son. This, by the divine assistance, I propose to make the subject of your present meditation, and, by way of conclusion, to draw some practical inferences, as GOD shall enable me, from this instructive story.

The sacred penman begins the narrative thus; verse 1. “And it came to pass, after these things, GOD did tempt _Abraham_.” After these things, that is, after he had underwent many severe trials before, after he was old, full of days, and might flatter himself perhaps that the troubles and toils of life were now finished; “after these things, GOD did tempt _Abraham_.” Christians, you know not what trials you may meet with before you die: notwithstanding you may have suffered, and been tried much already, yet, it may be, a greater measure is still behind, which you are to fill up. “Be not high-minded, but fear.” Our last trials, in all probability, will be the greatest: and we can never say our warfare is accomplished, or our trials finished, till we bow down our heads, and give up the ghost. “And it came to pass, after these things, that GOD did tempt _Abraham_.”

“GOD did tempt _Abraham_.” But can the scripture contradict itself? Does not the apostle _James_ tell us, “that GOD tempts no man;” and GOD does tempt no man to evil, or on purpose to draw him into sin; for, when a man is thus tempted, he is drawn away of his own heart’s lust, and enticed. But in another sense, GOD may be said to tempt, I mean, to try his servants; and in this sense we are to understand that passage of _Matthew_, where we are told, that, “JESUS was led up by the Spirit (the good Spirit) into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil.” And our LORD, in that excellent form of prayer which he has been pleased to give us, does not require us to pray that we may not absolutely be led into temptation, but delivered from the evil of it; whence we may plainly infer, that GOD sees it fit sometimes to lead us into temptation, that is, to bring us into such circumstances as will try our faith and other christian graces. In this sense we are to understand the expression before us; “GOD did tempt or try _Abraham_.”

How GOD was pleased to reveal his will at this time to his faithful servant, whether by the _Shechinah_, or divine appearance, or by a small still voice, as he spoke to _Elijah_, or by a whisper, like that of the Spirit to _Philip_, when he commanded him to go join himself to the eunuch’s chariot, we are not told, nor is it material to enquire. It is enough that we are informed, GOD said unto him, _Abraham_; and that _Abraham_ knew it was the voice of GOD: for he said, “Behold, here I am.” O what a holy familiarity (if I may so speak) is there between GOD and those holy souls that are united to him by faith in CHRIST JESUS! GOD says, _Abraham_; and _Abraham_ said (it should seem without the least surprize) Behold, here I am. Being reconciled to GOD by the death and obedience of CHRIST, which he rejoiced in, and saw by faith afar off; he did not, like guilty _Adam_, seek the trees of the garden to hide himself from, but takes pleasure in conversing with GOD, and talketh with him, as a man talketh with his friend. O that CHRIST-less sinners knew what it is to have fellowship with the Father and the Son! They would envy the happiness of saints, and count it all joy to be termed enthusiasts and fools for CHRIST’s sake.

But what does GOD say to _Abraham_? Verse 2. “Take now thy son, thine only son _Isaac_, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of _Moriah_, and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I shall tell thee of.”

Every word deserves our particular observation. Whatever he was to do, he must do it now, immediately, without conferring with flesh and blood. But what must he do? “Take now thy son.” Had GOD said, take now a firstling, or choicest lamb or beast of thy flock, and offer it up for a burnt-offering, it would not have appeared so ghastly; but for GOD to say, “take now thy son, and offer him up for a burnt-offering,” one would have imagined, was enough to stagger the strongest faith. But this is not all: it must not only be a son, but “thine only son _Isaac_, whom thou lovest.” If it must be a son, and not a beast, that must be offered, why will not _Ishmael_ do, the son of the bond-woman? No, it must be his only son, the heir of all, his _Isaac_, by interpretation _laughter_, the son of his old age, in whom his soul delighted, “whom thou lovest,” says GOD, in whose life his own was wrapped up: and this son, this only son, this _Isaac_, the son of his love, must be taken now, even now, without delay, and be offered up by his own father, for a burnt offering, upon one of the mountains of the which GOD would tell him.

Well might the apostle, speaking of this man of GOD, say, that “against hope he believed in hope, and, being strong in faith, gave glory to GOD:” For, had he not been blessed with faith which man never before had, he must have refused to comply with this severe command. For how many arguments might nature suggest, to prove that such a command could never come from GOD, or to excuse himself from obeying it? “What! (might the good man have said) butcher my own child! it is contrary to the very law of nature: much more to butcher my dear son _Isaac_, in whose seed GOD himself has assured me of a numerous posterity. But supposing I could give up my own affections, and be willing to part with him, though I love him so dearly, yet, if I murder him, what will become of GOD’s promise? Besides, I am now like a city built upon a hill; I shine as a light in the world, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation: How then shall I cause GOD’s name to be blasphemed, how shall I become a by-word among the heathen, if they hear that I have committed a crime which they abhor! But, above all, what will _Sarah_ my wife say? How can I ever return to her again, after I have imbrued my hands in my dear child’s blood? O that GOD would pardon me in this thing, or take my life in the place of my son’s!” Thus, I say, _Abraham_ might have argued, and that too seemingly with great reason, against complying with the divine command. But as before by faith he considered not the deadness of _Sarah_’s womb, when she was past age, but believed on him, who said, “_Sarah_ thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed;” so now, being convinced that the same GOD spoke to and commanded him to offer up that son, and knowing that GOD was able to raise him from the dead, without delay he obeys the heavenly call.

O that unbelievers would learn of faithful _Abraham_, and believe whatever is revealed from GOD, though they cannot fully comprehend it! _Abraham_ knew GOD commanded him to offer up his son, and therefore believed, notwithstanding carnal reasoning might suggest many objections. We have sufficient testimony, that GOD has spoken to us by his son; why should we not also believe, though many things in the New Testament are above our reason? For, where reason ends, faith begins. And, however infidels may stile themselves reasoners, of all men they are the most unreasonable: For, is it not contrary to all reason, to measure an infinite by a finite understanding, or think to find out the mysteries of godliness to perfection?

But to return to the patriarch _Abraham_: We observed before what plausible objections he might have made; but he answered not a single word: no, without replying against his Maker, we are told, verse 3. that “_Abraham_ rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and _Isaac_ his son, and clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up and went unto the place of which GOD had told him.”