ENOCHS WALK AND Change, Opened in a SERMON At Lawrence-Jury in LONDON, Febr. 7th. 1655. AT THE FUNERAL Of the REVEREND Mr. RICHARD VINES, Miniſter of the GOSPEL. there. With a ſhort Account of his LIFE and DEATH. With ſome Elegies, &c. on his death.
By THO. JACOMBE, Miniſter of Martins-Ludgate in the City of London.
The Second Edition.
Your fathers, where are they? and the Prophets do they live for ever?
LONDON, Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil, near the Royal Exchange. Anno Dom. 1656.
HOw many of our Starres in this City have of late fallen, or rather aſcended into a higher Orbe, I nee•not tell you: What is your duty under this threatening Providence, you alſo know; and it will be well if you do it as well as know it. The Eclipſes of glorious lights-have been as frequent and as ſad with you, as any; and I feare (whatever the over-daring Aſtrologers of our times do ſay from their Eclipſes, to amaze and terrifie us,) theſe do portend ſomething in a way of judgement. Tis not long ſince the violent axe bereaved you of one; a milder blow from God Himſelfe hath now taken away another, the Reverend Mr. Richard Vi•es, an able and godly Miniſter; a man of ſingular worth; none but himſelf would deny it, none but himſelf could expreſſe it.
I here preſent you with the Sermon, which not many weeks ago I preach'd at his Funeral. He was your Paſtour, called and preſented by your ſelves: whileſt he liv'd,•e•eceived much love and encouragement from many of you; ſince God took him, your bounty and cha•ity hath been highly expreſſed to his ſad and mournful widow, (for which I hope the Lord will abundantly requite you): whileſt I weighed theſe things with my ſelfe, I could not but make uſe of your Parochial body in this Dedication. But (alas!) in ſo poor and worthleſſe a Preſent, why do I ſo much trouble you or my ſelf about it?
Give me leave to tell you, I was very unwilling to engage in this work; for though I looked upon it as very honourable, yet I judged my ſelf every way unfit for it. Importunity prevailed with me, and meerly that; And now 'tis done, let me aſſure you, many would have done it with more-ability, none with more affection to him who was your precious Miniſter, my loving Countreyman, and worthy friend.
I was forc'd into the Pulpit then, and now unto the Preſſe, though I confeſſe more willingly, and with leſſe reluctancy; for though love to the perſon of the deceaſed could hardly make me preach, yet that being done, love to his name and memory did more eaſilie encline me to print. I look for many cenſures, but I muſt ſhadow my ſelf under the name of Mr. Vines. Well, ſuch as the Sermon is, you have it; and this Epiſtle doth not come to beg your Protection. (Alas, 'tis below envy, who will meddle with ſo harmleſſe and inconſiderable a thing) but your Acceptation, (and I hope your candour) will run parallel with Gods mercy, which accepts of goats haire, when no ſilver or gold can be brought.
For the matter here handled, 'tis weighty and very neceſſary. Mercy and Duty are the two poles, upon which all Religion turnes; you have them both here ſet before you. Here's your duty in a holy life, here's Gods mercy in a happy death. If I be not miſtaken, it may be a word in ſeaſon to you. God hath endowed many of you with great parts and underſtanding; take heed of being headſtrong or top-heavy. Oh, walk humbly! God hath bleſſed you with great eſtates, you have pounds to others pence, bleſſe God for it, but yet be above all theſe things. Walk with God, and be Heavenly minded! your thouſands will be but ciphers when you come to die; your cheſts will not take away the feares of a coffin. Oh, do not loſe Chriſt and the Power of Religion in the croud of worldly emploiments. You are a people that make Profeſſion of the wayes of God; look to ſincerity. This is well; but ſee that Jacobs voice and Jacobs hands go together. Let the great fervour of your ſpirits, appear in the intereſt of Religion, and in the concernments of Gods glory. I might runne over many things which are here handled, which as I conceive, do hit you very right; (for indeed this Diſcourſe was not ſo much calculated for the meridian of the dead, as of the living) Reade and ponder, and the Lord give you a right underſtanding in all things.
I have taken the boldneſſe in the cloſure of my Sermon, to ſuggeſt a word or two to you by way of advice, which the ſad occaſion leads me to Again and again I would put you upon this, to look back upon the precious Labours of your removed and dead Ministers, and live up to them. The Sower is gone, but yet the ſeed may grow up. This your laſt deceaſed Miniſter was very averſe to printing, and we are very ſorry for it; what good might the Church of God have reaped, had he made publick his excellent notions by printing, (which is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) yet we are not under deſpaire as to this,Clem. Alexand. Strom l 1. but that by the help of his faithful and learned**Mr. A Burgeſſe. friend, (once your Paſtour too) ſome of his Papers may ſee the light. But whether we have this mercy or not, you that were his Auditours and Pariſhioners, do you live ſo holily, ſo ſpiritually, ſo firmely establiſhed in the Truth, and eſpecially in the Doctrine of Juſtification, (which he was almoſt perpetually clearing up to you) that we may ſee his Sermons printed in your Lives. That's a bleſſed thing, when Ministers die, and their Sermons live, and are made publike in the carriage of them that heard them.
I thought to have inſerted ſomething here, concerning the ſuddenneſſe of his death, upon which may be, ſome are too forward to paſſe ſtrange Interpretations. And this I thought the rather to do, becauſe I underſtand, in his own Pulpit one lately gave this as his obſervation, that ſince ex tempore prayer, he had obſerved there was more ex tempore death, then ever there was before. But upon ſecond thoughts I blotted out all this as very unneceſſary. I ſhall only advertiſe you of one thing in order to the Sermon, and I have done. When I preach'd I reſolv'd I would not be tedious, and therefore omitted many things. Here I have taken the liberty to inſert them, as being very neceſſary to the ſubject in hand. And yet here too I have put them in with much brevity, without any great enlargement, leſt the work ſhould ſwell to too great a bulke,Ne duplo te oneret minus ſuavis oratio, ſi & longa fuerit. Bern. de confid l. 1. and ſo come to you rather as a Tractate then as a Sermon; or rather, leſt it ſhould be doubly burdenſome, by its prolixity and weakneſſe too.
I commit you to God, and to the Word of his grace, praying that your Miniſters here may ſee your faces with joy, and that you may ſee their faces with joy at the day of judgement. I am
ALthough of late yeares, this City hath been more freed then formerly, from the frights of wars, the noiſome peſtilence, and outward ſcarſity, yet the troubles of real Saints have been much increaſed, through the inundation of errours, hereſies and blaſphemies, too much••ulged. And this hath been no ſmall addition to our grief,•••t many faithful, fruitful, Orthodox Miniſters, eminent•••h for Learning and Piety, have by death been removed from〈◊〉now in the time when we moſt needed their counſel,•••ching and prayers, for our preſent healing, and the preven•••of our future feared dangers.
Oh! how ſad a ſight is it, to behold our Pilots, our Steerſmen•••ng dead upon the deck, when the winds riſe, the ſeas ſwell,〈◊〉clouds blacken, and the Heavens lowre, preſaging approach•••ſtormes: How awakening a Providence is this, to have〈◊〉quarters beaten up, and at the ſame time to ſee our Cap•••s and Standard-bearers laid lifeleſſe in the duſt! We can•••without ſorrow remember the death of many of our Wor••es, whoſe ſignal characters of deſerved commendation have••eady been made publike for the uſe of ſucceeding Ages**Dr Gouge. M•Gataker. Mr Whitaker. Mr. Robinſon, &c.. •••d this our late blow received in the removal of famous Mr. •••es, doth cauſe our former wounds to bleed afreſh.
This Sermon preached at his Funeral, will give an account〈◊〉his great worth. Therein therefore we ſhall be the ſhorter,•••ugh by reaſon of our intimate acquaintance with him, we•••ld ſpeak very much ▪ His natural acumen, together with〈◊〉acquired abilities were extraordinary. He was a ſmart Diſputant, as it was obſerved in many places with admiration•viz. not only in the Aſſembly of Divines againſt diſſenting Brethren, but likewiſe at the Conference at Ʋxbridge, and the Iſle of Wight, about the Jus Divinum of Prelacy, where ſome of his learned Oppoſites, ſtill living, were very ſenſible of his ſtrength. He was a well-ſtudied Orthodox Divine, his Miniſtry was ſolid, pithy, quick and ſearching, as his moſt judicious Auditors in Warwickſhire, Cambridge and London will acknowledge. His Sermon preached at the Funeral of the Right Honourable the Earle of Eſſex, doth prove him to be an excellent Rhetorician, an eloquent Oratour. The Sermons preached before both Houſes of Parliament, do not only diſcover h••high parts, but do tell the world that he was neither a flatter••nor time ſerver. As he had a clear head, and could dive dee•into a knotty controverſie, ſo he had (Luther-like) an undaunted ſpirit, and was not afraid of men, but could and would ſpeak his minde in any company, with brave mettal and magnanimity. The great deſige of his Miniſtery, (eſpecially toward his end) was to drive man out of himſelf, and to draw him unto Chriſt; to diſcover the cheats of mans deceitful heart, and to throw down all ſandy foundations of hope of Heaven; to encourage an humble dependance upon the Lord Jeſus, a•alſo to quicken inſide holineſſe, with the Power of Godlineſſe•in a Chriſtian converſation.
And (to adde that which was the Crown of all his other Excellencies) he was a man of a right gracious tender ſpirit whereof this was one demonſtration, (to inſtance in no more that he reſolved rather to ſuffer, by being turned out of the Maſterſhip of Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge, than to ſubſcribe the Engagement againſt his conſcience. Yea, he was (of our knowledge) a hearty Presbyterian, notwithſtanding the many diſcouragements which are from every hand, caſt upon the death of this Worthy man, our much endeared Brother•our words cannot ſufficiently expreſſe the grief of our own•hearts; And, to move others to mourning (beſides ſundry other Arguments which we will not mention,) we may truly apply ſome of the paſſages of Davids Lamentation) over Sa••and Jonathan. Weep over Saul, who cloathed you with ſcarlet, with other delights,2 Sam. 1 who put on Ornaments of gold upon your apparel. The bow of Jonathan returned not hack. They were ſtronger then Lions. How profitable and pleaſant, how warm in affections, how delightful in language, and how rich in notions was precious Mr. Vines in his Miniſtry! and with what irreſiſtible ſtrength was he wont to ſhoot arrowes of conviction into the conſciences of his Auditors? But alas alas, Now this Champion, this Prince of Preachers is laid ſilent in the duſt, (with many other of our reverend deceaſed Brethren) never any more to awaken, to warm, to encourage, to edifie our ſouls by Miniſterial endeavors.
Doubtleſſe by theſe doleful diſpenſations, the voice of the Lord ſpeaketh to the great City. Hear the R•d,Micah 6.9 and who hath appointed it. And becauſe there can be no evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it,Amos 3.6 therefore the Prudent will lay theſe things to heart.
When the Miniſters of the Goſpel are decried as Antichriſtian by many, and ſlighted as uſeleſſe by the moſt, it is matter of Lamentation; and ſhould be for a Lamentation, that at the ſame time God himſelf doth make ſuch great breaches, both in this City and ſeveral other Counties in the Nation, by taking to himſelf ſo many, and men ſo tranſcendently famous, for their ability and fidelity in the ſervice of his Church.
And how can a gracious heart do leſſe upon ſuch ſad occaſions, then (groaning out its grief at Gods foot) make ſerious inquiries, what may be the cauſe of this his great diſpleaſure? Deut. 29.24. Ezek. 20As among the Iſraelites the Sabbaths ceaſe•h becauſe they were deſpiſed; ſo, may not we ſuſpect that the number of worthy Miniſters in London and England is much abated ▪ becauſe they are commonly undervalued? Iſai. 5The barrenneſſe of Gods Vineyard provoked him to deprive them of the influences of thoſe clouds, which before had watered them. The Lord Jeſus threatned to remove the Candleſtick with the light in it from the Church of Epheſus,Rev. 2.4, 5 Amos 8.5. with 10.11, 12 becauſe ſhe had loſt her firſt love. And heretofore, a famine of hearing Gods Word was menaced, when holy Ordinances became burdenſome.
Theſe, and many more inſtances recorded in holy Story, do hint the cauſes of divine diſpleaſure, expreſſed by the death of ſo many worthy Miniſters.
But it is much more eaſie in theſe our ſufferings, to diſcover the hand which inflicteth them, and the ſins which procure them, then to prevail with people, ſo ſeriouſly to ſet upon the work of Humiliation and Reformation, that the Almighty may be pacified towards us, and that theſe our ſad breaches may be ſanctified and repaired through his grace.
Herein, his Majeſty help us and our Brethren in the Miniſtry, to be ſucceſſefully ſerviceable by our counſel, example and prayers, through the prevalent Interceſſion of our Lord and Saviour; in whom we are
All Mr. VINE's Sermons are newly collected into one Volume, and printed for Abel Roper, at the Sun againſt Dunſtans Church in Fleetſtreet.
And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
THis Chapter is a ſhort, and yet a long Hiſtory; 'tis called, ver. 1. The Book of the generations of Adam; (that is) A Summary Deſcription of the Genealogies, Deſcents, Life and Death of the old Patriarks, who lived in the firſt Age or Period of the world,Uſhers Annal. de i. à mund. aetat Nisbets Script. Chronol. from the Creation to the Flood (which ſpace of time conſiſted of 1656 years, according to the general Computation of Chronologers: ſo that the2 world was then juſt as old from the Creation to the Floud, as now it is from he Incarnation of our Lord to this Age.) Amongſt theſe Ancients Enoch was one, and one of the beſt too, A Star of the firſt Magnitude, for he ſtands here upon record, commended for his walking with God.
In the Text you have him deſcribed,
I ſhall (before I fall upon the matter it ſelf) premiſe a word or two concerning the Perſon. For the Perſon, Enoch, know there were two of this name;〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Joſeph. l. 1. c. 3. one was the ſon of Cain, of whom you reade, Gen. 4.17. And Cain knew, &c. and he builded a City, and called the name of the City after the name of his Son Enoch (which City,Henochia haec conditarum urbium quotquot unquam fuerunt in or be terrarum prima & antiquiſſima putatur. Druſ. Enoch cap. 3. as Druſius obſerves, was the firſt that ever was built in the world). The other was the ſon of Jared, of the line of Seth, of whom you reade in this Chapter, Gen. 5.18. And this is the Enoch the Text ſpeaks of. How long he lived, the 23. verſe tells us, All the dayes of Enoch were 365 yeares: How he lived, the Text tells us, as alſo what became of him after his thus living; He walked with God, and was not, for God took him.
The New Teſtament alſo takes notice of him, you have him in Lukes Genealogy, Luke 3.37. Jude ſpeaks of him in his Epiſtle,Judas frater Jacobi parvam quidem, quae de ſeptem Catholicis eſt, Epiſtolam reliquit; & quia de libro Henoch, qui Apoeryphus eſt, in ea aſſumit teſtimonia, cum pleriſque rejicitur. Hier. Catal. Script. Eccl. (the Divine Authority of which is not to be queſtioned, becauſe it mentions Enochs Propheſie, (concerning which there are ſo many diſputes amongſt the Learned) no more then ſome of Pauls Epiſtles are to be queſtioned, becauſe therein he cites common Authors, as Menander, Aratus, &c.) And Enoch alſo the ſeventh from Adam, propheſied of theſe, ſaying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his Saints. Paul puts him amongſt his Worthies, as to faith, Heb. 11.5. By faith Enoch was tranſlated, that he ſhould not ſee death, and was not found, becauſe3 God had tranſlated him; for before his Tranſlation, he had this Testimony, that he pleaſed God. By the way, Where had hee this Testimony? I anſwer in my Text, for though in the Hebrew 'tis, He walked with God, yet the Greek Verſion reads it,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Sept. He pleaſed God; and the Apoſtle, partly to honour this Tranſlation, and partly for the great uſe of the Greek language in that Age, doth here, and in ſome other places,Vid. Capel. Crit. Sacr. l. 4. leave the Hebrew and follow it; (yet from hence we muſt not inferre, that their Tranſlation is Authentick,Amam Antibarb Bibl. l. 1. Err. 1. and to be preferred before the Hebrew Text.) But here I digreſſe.
Not to trouble you with the impertinent ridiculous fables of the Jewiſh Doctors concerning this Enoch; this is clear of him, He was a good man; and that too (**〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Xenoph. which adds much to his worth) hee was good when the times were bad. R. Salomon ait Enoch justum quidem fuiſſe, ſed mente instabili, ac ad impiè agendum propenſâ, ac propterea Dcum celeriter ac praematurā morte eum abſtuliſſe. Cartwr. in Gen. Vixit, dum vixit, laudabiliter, quanquam ſunt qui eum inſimulant, levitatis & inconstantiae. Druſ. Exibilandi Hebraei, qui tradunt Henoch ante tempus raptum, quòd levis & lubricus eſſet, adeò non pudet eos, tam aperta mendacia divinare. M•lvend. He was like a fiſh that keeps his freſhneſſe in falt-water; like a found body that's healthfull in a peſt-houſe; the world was now overflown with a deluge of ſin, and was ſhortly to be overflown with a deluge of waters; but now Enoch walked with God, and he loſt nothing by it, for he was not, God tooke him.
There is a future ſtate for man, diſtinct from this preſent ſtate. This is ſo great a truth, that God would have it known in all Ages, and therefore till the Word was written to reveal it, God will give ſome viſible ſpecimens of it. In the times before the flood, Enoch ſhall be thus tranſlated, as obſes & teſtis utrinſquevitae (ſo Tertullian) in the times after the Flood Elijah ſhal go to Heaven in a fiery Chariot,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Theodorus Quaeſt. in Geneſ,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Datâ ſententiâ mortis voluit Dominus ducere homines in ſpem vitae, quod fecit in patribus utriuſque ſtatûs, ſcilicet, Naturae, Legis, & Gratiae. Ʋnde in primo ſtatu dedit ſpem evadendi neceſſitatem mortis, & hoc eſt in Henoch, in Lege in Heliâ, in tempore Gratiae in Chriſto. Aquin. Videntes Habelem juſtum à Caino interfici, potuerunt aliquâ tentatione vexari, ſed cum poſteà pro ſuâ fide & pietate ita Henochum aſſumi viderent, ſtatim judicare licuit, ſanctos & crucem & gaudia haec obituros, cum utrumque haec exempla oſtenderent. Pet. Martyr. and ſo both Ages are inſtructed in this weighty and fund amental Truth. This notion I had at firſt from a Divine of our own. But ſince, I find others before him did touch upon it.
4But I come to the matter here laid down, Hee walked with God, &c. Here is the ſumme of mans duty, and the zenith of Gods mercy. Here is the morning of Grace, and the mid-day of Glory. Here is the work of Earth, and the wages of Heaven. Here is a Chriſtians walk and reſt, and both with God.
There are two General Propoſitions, or Doctrinal Obſervations that offer themſelves to us from the Text.
I ſhall only ſpeak to the firſt of theſe, and reduce the ſecond under that, by way of Motive.
A true Chriſtians life (I ſay) is a walking with God. You have the ſame Character given to Noah, Gen. 6.9. He was a juſt man, and perfect in his generations. How doth that appear? it followes, And Noah walked with God. Take the phraſe〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in ſo many leters and ſyllables, it doth not often occur in the Scripture; but as to its ſenſe, and genuine import, there are many expreſſions which run parallel with it; but here I will not ſtay.
There are two things in the Doctrine.
I might put them together, but for method ſake, I'le a little ſeparate them: and ſo my work ſhall be to ſhew you, 1. In5 what reſpects a Chriſtians life is a Walking. Secondly, In what reſpects it is a walking with God. I'le name five particulars for each. For the firſt.
Firſt, A Chriſtians life is a Walking. His life is an active life. aaNon-dicitur Henochum Deoastitiſſe, aſſediſſéve, ſed cum Deo ambuláſſe; certè igitur metu quodam, &c. Sanè Peripatetici ſunt fideles quique. Bp. Halis Enochiſm. Prov. 6.10 Gen. 3. Enoch did not ſtand ſtill, or ſit idle, or like Solomons ſluggard, lie upon a bed of ſlothfulneſſe. Hee walked. The new born man is the active man; he beſtirs himſelf in the great concernments of Gods glory, and his own good. Grace is not an idle, ſleepy, drowſie habit, but an active, lively, operative thing: Religion doth not make men loyterers, but labourers. In the ſweat of our browes the earth brings forth fruit to us, in the ſweat of our brows we bring forth fruit to God. The Chriſtians life is a pains-taking life; none have ſo much work as they, many duties to be performed, many ordinances to be improved, a deceitful heart narrowly to be obſerved, many graces to be exerciſed, many corruptions to be mortified, many enemies to be vanquiſhed &c. Here's work, here is much work, here's hard work (Heaven work is hard work) here's work wherein a man muſt be ſomewhat curious and exact, Phil. 2.12. Work out your ſalvation, &c. Worke, and work it out,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Homil. 8. in cap. 2. ad Philip. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉extremas ſummaſque vires velut agonizantes exerite. Corn. A Lap. (that is) with much accurateneſſe and diligence (as Chryſoſtome expounds it.) The whole life of a Chriſtian is like walking in a journey, nay, 'tis not a bare walking, but a ſtriving, Matth. 7.24. 'tis not a bare walking, but a walking up the Hill; (for ſo your way to Heaven lies) nay, 'tis a running, nay, tis like the running of a race, 1 Cor. 9 24. Hebrews 12.1. nay, higheſt of all, tis ſet forth by the ultimus conatus, or impetus in the running of a race,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉pergit in Tranſlatione à curſoribus ſumptâ; qui ſi quando ſummo & quaſi jam ultimo impetu nitantur, prono & quaſi praesipiti corpore feruntur ad ſcopum. Beza. Phil. 3.14. reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before. A Metaphor taken from Horſes or Men, who in their running, when they come near the goal, or meta, they ſtretch forth themſelves, and ſo put forth their utmoſt might. All this ſets before us the laboriouſneſſe, and painfulneſſe of a Chriſtians life. This is the firſt thing which is held out in the metaphor of the Text; The Spirit of God in6 Scripture delighting thus to expreſſe ſpiritual activity and diligence, as Col. 2.6. As ye have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk ye in him; and Gal. 5.25. If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit; (h. e. ) if you have truly received Chriſt by faith, and have really a life from, and in the Spirit; then walk, and be active, and active according to what you profeſſe is wrought in you.
Secondly, a Chriſtians life is a walking: His life is a progreſſive life. Walking, 'tis motus progreſſivus. A childe of God is ſaid to walk, becauſe he goes forward in Heavens way; every action in his life is as a ſtep, a pace, by which he gets nearer to his fathers houſe. Every day ſin is more weak (like the houſe of Saul) Grace more ſtrong (like the houſe of David) affections more ſpiritual, duties more holy, love more pure, prayer more fervent, the heart more humbled. Thus gracious ſouls do walk, becauſe they go from faith to faith, Rom. 1.17. from ſtrength to ſtrength, Pſalm 84.7. Hee that hath cleane hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger, ſaith Job, chap. 17.9. And ſaith Solomon, The path of the juſt is as the ſhining light, that ſhineth more and more unto the perfect day, Prov. 4.18. 'tis not perfectly light as ſoon as 'tis day; light comes in pedetentim, and by degrees. The Chriſtian is not perfect upon his Converſion, but he growes on towards perfection, alwaies filling up〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that which is lacking in his faith, 1 Theſ. 3.10. perfecting holineſſe in the feare of God, 2 Cor. 7.1. by all Ordinances, by all Providences, growing till he come to the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, Eph. 4.13. and there be ſtops, and walks no further, for that is his Non-ultra.
Thirdly, A Chriſtians life is a walking. His life is a regular and ordered life. Walking, 'tis motus ordinatus & diſpoſ•tus. 'Tis not a confuſed, but a regulated, and ordered motion. Such is the life of every true Chriſtian; he is none of thoſe that live at randome,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in a diſorderly manner, 2 Theſ. 3.11. His converſation is an ordered converſation. Pſalm 50.23. To him that ordereth his Converſation aright, will I ſhew the ſalvation of Gods. He is one that meaſures and ſquares every thing by the Line and Plummet. Hee walks〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, exactly. 7Epheſ. 5.15. By the rule of the new creature, Gal. 6.16. And what is this rule? The Word, the ſure, and holy, and infallible Word; this is the Compaſſe by which he ſteers, the Starre by which he ſails. In matters of faith, in matters of practice, in credendis, in agendis, ſtill to the Law and Teſtimony, Iſai. 8.20. What ſaith the Word? Is ſuch a ſin there prohibited? I muſt not meddle with it: Is ſuch a Duty there enjoyned? be it never ſo contrary to fleſh and blood, I muſt not balk it; and ſo in every particular moral act. I may call a true Chriſtian, a living Word, or a living Decalogue. The Word is written in his heart, 'tis held forth in his life. Phil. 2.16. Holding forth the Word of life. He doth not only lay up the Word of life in hearing, but he doth hold forth the Word of life, in ſquaring all his actions to it.
Fourthly, A Chriſtians life is a walking. His obedience is free and ingenuous. Walking, 'tis mot us ſpontaneus & voluntarius. The truly regenerate Chriſtian, whatever he doth in the ſervice of God, he doth it freely, not by force and compulſion, or a baſe mercenary ſpirit, but from an inward principle of life and love. 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of God conſtraineth us. Oh bleſſed conſtraint! ſweet is the violence of love. Amor meus, pondus meum; eo feror quocunque feror, Auguſt. Love is the golden weight that hangs upon the gracious ſoul, and this makes every wheel in it to move, Pſal. 110.3. Thy people ſhall be a willing people in the day of thy power; in the Hebrew 'tis in the Abſtract, willingneſſes, Chriſts people are very willing in their whole compliance with the will of God. Xenocrates being asked, What he could do more for his Scholars then others did for theirs? made this anſwer, This I can do, ſaith he, Ʋt id voluntate faciant,Serv in Virg. Aeneid. 7. quod alii jure coguntur. My Scholars ſhall do that willingly, which others ſhall do only by compulſion. This is truly applicable to Chriſt; he makes his people a willing people•they are all Voluntiers in his ſervice; 'tis not becauſe they ca••ot help it; no 'tis their choice, their delight, Pſal. 40.8. 'tis not their neceſſity, but their option, Pſal. 119.30. I have choſen the way of Truth.
Fifthly, A Chriſtians life is a walking, his obedience is even and uniform. Walking, 'tis motus aequabilis, 'tis not8 a motion by girds and ſtarts, but an equal, uniforme motion. Thus the child of God may be ſaid to walk, hee is one that holds on with an even foot, with an equall and conſtant pace, in the way of holineſſe, Pſalm 119.112. I have enclined my heart to perform thy ſtatutes alway, even unto the end. Mark theſe two expreſſions, alway, and even unto the end. The hypocrite runs faſt at firſt, but 'tis too ſwift to hold long, and therefore he gives out in a little time. Job 27.10His Religion is ſoon out of breath. Will he alwayes call upon God? The young man makes much haſte to Chriſt, but it laſts not. He runs away as faſt from him, as ever he runned to him. Hoſ. 6.4Some mens goodneſſe is but as the morning cloud, and as the early dew, which is ſoon gone away. Here lies the excellency of the upright Chriſtian, he is one that holds out, he perſeveres with an even tread, till he come to glory: where you had him ſome years ago, there you have him ſtill, alwayes preſſing after perfection, but never changing ſo as to leave the good ways of God. 'Tis Cajetans obſervation here upon Enoch: 'tis twice ſaid of him,Bis de Enoch dicitur (& ambulavit cum Deo) ad explicandum quod ab ineunte aetate profecit in viâ Dei, & perſeveravit proficiendo in eâdem ſemper. Cajet. He walked with God, ver. 22. and ver. 24. To hold forth this; (ſaith he) He began at firſt ſo to walk with God, and he continued to the end in that walking with God.
I have ſhewn you in what reſpects a Chriſtians life may be ſaid to be a Walk. I now come to ſhew you in what reſpects it may be ſaid to be a Walk with God. And that I ſhall alſo do in five things.
Firſt, A Chriſtian Life is a Walk with God, becauſe he alwayes walks as in the preſence of God. To walk with God, is as much as to walk before God. This was Gods charge to Abraham,Gen. 17.1 I am God All-ſufficient, walk before me and be thou perfect. This was Abrahams practice; The Lord, before whom〈◊〉walk,Gen. 24.40 will ſend his Angels with thee, &c. This was Davids〈◊〉ſolution, Pſal. 116.9. I will walk before the Lord in the〈◊〉of the living; in the Hebrew 'tis, before the face of the Lord. The real Saint lives as in the ſight of God, doth all as in the ſight of God, thinks as in the ſight of God, trades as in the ſight of God, prayes as in the ſight of God, walks when he is moſt private, as in the ſight of God. As9 the Apoſtles in the execution of their miniſterial Function, they did all as in the ſight of God;〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 2 Cor. 2.17. He hopes to ſee God hereafter, he knowes God ſees him here,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉intimè patientia. Vid. Metaph. Explicatam in Beza in loc. and he doth all as knowing there is an All-ſeeing eye over him (that is) a God to obſerve him, who is totus oculus, (as the Father calls him) in whoſe ſight every creature is manifeſt, all things being naked and opened unto him, Hebrewes 4.13.
Secondly, A Chriſtians life is a walking with God, in reſpect of that fellowſhip and converſe that he hath with God. Walking is a poſture of converſe. When two walk together, there is a familiar intercourſe, a mutual breathing out of love betwixt them. Pſal. 55.14. We took ſweet counſel together, and walked unto the houſe of God in company. Thus 'tis with God and the believing ſoul, there is not a bare reconciliation betwixt them (though that there muſt be too, for, Can two walk together unleſſe they be agreed? Amos 3.3. ) but a friendly, familiar, reciprocal converſe. God converſes with the believers. He ſpake to Moſes, as a man ſpeaks to his friend, Exodus 33.11. Abraham was the friend of God, Iſai. 41.8. Jam. 2.23. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Pſal. 25.14. Prov. 3.33. what converſe more intimate, and carries more of friendſhip, then the imparting of ſecrets, John 15.15. Chriſt promiſes to come to ſuch, and to ſup with them, Rev. 3.21. John lay in his boſome. 'Tis a gracious Promiſe, that, John 14.23. My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him; Abode! for what? ſurely for ſoul-raviſhing communion. On the other ſide, Believers converſe with God. Truly our fellowſhip is with the Father and the Son. 1 John 1.3. This is better felt then expreſt. To the people of God, holy Ordinances are as ſo many Fields and Galleries, wherein they walk with God. How do they in prayer unboſome themſelves to God! Here are ſecret ſins, wilt thou not ſubdue them? here are ſecret doubts, wilt thou not reſolve them? here are ſecret wants, wilt thou not ſupply them? when they cannot go to a friend on earth, they can go to God their friend in Heaven, and tell him their concernments, where 'tis well, where 'tis ill, what10 pleaſes, what pinches, and the Lord makes real returnes of love and mercy to them; they are leaſt alone, when they are moſt alone; they aw the preſence of God, and they enjoy the preſence of God. And this is as the morning of glory, the lower room of heaven, the praelibation of the future joy, the everlaſting Sabbath per Prolepſin (as ſome would have our Sabbath to be,Vid. Gom•r. de Orig Sabb. in the inſtitution of it, before the fall of man, Gen. 2.3.)
Thirdly, A Chriſtians life is a walking with God, becauſe his life is a raiſed, ſpiritual, heavenly life. He walks with God, becauſe he lives above this world; this vain world, this deceitful world, this troubleſome world, this defiling world. I do not wrong it, it deſerves all theſe Epithetes. 'Tis a vain world, vain in point of duration, it paſſes away, 1 Cor. 7.31. vaine in point of ſatisfaction, it cannot fill and ſatisfie an immortal ſoul, the banks are too big to be filled up with a few drops. Iſai. 28.20The bed is too ſhort, and the covering is too narrow; a Gyant cannot lye upon it. As nothing but Chriſt could ſatisfie God, ſo nothing but Chriſt can ſatisfie the ſoul. In the fulneſſe of this ſufficiency they ſhall be in ſtraits, Job 20.22. Solomon had as much of worldly enjoyments, as ever any had, and was as able to paſſe a right judgement upon them; and he tells us, The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the eare with hearing, Eccleſ. 1.8. No, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, verſ. 14.
'Tis alſo a deceitful world; it promiſes much, it performes but little. Matth. 13.22 1 Cor. 7.31〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, fallit. Stapul. God out-does his Promiſes the world is ſhort of its promiſes, there's leſſe in the performance then there was in the promiſe: 'tis the beſt when we have it not; for 'tis big in hope, little in hand; 'tis like Sodoms Apples, beautiful to the eye at a diſtance, but when you touch them, they crumble to aſhes. The miſtaken Traveller, when he is in the valley, and ſees the high Hill, he thinks it touches the very skye, and if he was but at the top of it, he ſhould be able alſo to touch it with his little finger, but (alas) when he comes there, he's as far from the Heavens, as he was in the valley. Many in a low condition, if they might be thus and thus, ſo noble, ſo rich, Sublimi feriam, &c. Oh, how contented ſhould they be! God lets11 them have that which they did deſire, and they are as farre from what they promiſed to themſelves, as they were before.
'Tis a troubleſome world; 'Its gall is more then its honey: it pierces men through with many ſorrows; 'tis not only vanity, but vexation: have all, 'tis but vanity; want but a little,1 Tim. 6.10. 'tis vexation. Ahab is ſick becauſe he hath not poor Naboths vineyard. Haman wants but a knee from Mordecai,1 Kings 21.4 Eſth. 3.5. and this imbitters all.
Nay, Laſtly, (which is worſt of all) 'tis a defiling world; It does but little good to the body, and much hurt to the ſoul. 'Tis the root of all evil: you cannot tell your mony,1 Tim. 6.10. Beatus qui poſt illa non abiit, quae poſſeſſa onerant, amata inquinant, amiſſa cruciant. Bern. but there's a filth, a ſoil left upon the fingers; The great defiling, is the heart-defiling; if the world be there, it certainly defiles it with vile affections, ſinful luſts, exceſſes in carnal delights. And therefore, Chriſt that loves to dwel in a pure heart, when the world comes in, he goes out.
Now (I ſay) a child of God walks with God, becauſe he lives above this world. He is crucified to it, and it is crucified to him, Gal. 6.14. It ſees but little in him, and he ſees as little in it: and therefore the Christian and the world are well-met, for they ſcorn each other; he is dead to theſe ſublunary things, Col. 3.3. he doth not ſo much as look at them, (further then as they are neceſſary ſupports, fruits of love, engagements to duty, objects of lawful care and joy, and ladders by which a man may aſcend to God, 2 Cor 4.18. He keeps them all under his feet, Rev. 12.1. (that's right Chriſt in the heart, the world under the feet; not the world in the heart, and Chriſt under the feet; not laying Chriſt in the manger, and the world in the beſt room;) all are to him but as a ſhadow, a kickſhaw, a pageant, I comical ſhew, 1 Cor. 7.31. and therefore he joyes as though he joyed not, weeps as though he wept not,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 uſes the world as not uſing it, doth all to it with a careleſſe hand, but ſerves God with all his might. I might here much enlarge. Take the man I am ſpeaking of, ſee what a raiſed, elevated life he lives. The judgment of the world doth not trouble him, the frowns of the world do not ſink him, the ſmiles of the world do not flatter him, the cares of the world do not burden him, the12 ſnares of the world do not entangle him, the pleaſures of the world do not bewitch him. Pil. 3.20. Matth. 6.21 Omnia praeter Christum ingenti laborant parvitate. Nieremb. In ſhort, His converſation is in Heaven; his life is where his heart is, and his heart is where his treaſure is; as to earth, perſons, and things, all but loſs, but dung to Chriſt, Phil. 3.8. Thus he lives above the world, even whiles he lives in the world; and this is to walke with God.
Fourthly, a Chriſtians life is a walk with God, for he is one that duly obſerves God in all the diſcoveries which he makes of himſelf. Enoch walked with God, he took notice of God, and made due obſervation of him. So that as the Chriſtian walks with God in Gods obſerving of him, ſo he walks with God in his obſerving of God.
To open this, you may know that God hath made a fourfold diſcovery of himſelf.
1. In the Light of nature, that inbred light, which every man brings into the world with him. All ſaving knowledg of God was loſt in Adams fall, but there is a general knowledg of God,Eph. 4.18. (that he is, that he is thus and thus) which is engraven in every man, upon the Law of his being, for though he hath quite loſt his Grace, yet he hath not quite loſt his Reaſon. Take him in puris naturalibus, he is not raſa Tabula, a meer vacuum, a white-ſheet of paper, wherein nothing is written; ſomething yet remains, both in matters of knowledge, and in matters of practice;Vera eſt ſententia, nibil eſt in intellectu, quin prius fuerit in ſenſu, tametſi quaedam notitiae naſcuntur nobiſcum, quas vocant〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Me•anct. vol. 4. in diſp. Non eſt muta rerum Natura, ſed undique loquax. Eraſm. hee hath ſome〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in matters of knowledg, and a〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Rom. 2.15. in matters of practice, and to theſe things he is not institutus, but natus, not doctus, but factus, (as the Orator ſpeaks) if there were no Scriptures to reveal them, there is ſomething innate with him, that would command his aſſent to them.
Secondly, God hath diſcovered himſelf in his glorious works, both of Creation and Providence: the whole Creation is a ſilent Preacher of God, verbum viſibile (as Augustine ſpeaks of the Sacrament) The Heavens declare the glory of the Lord, and the Firmament ſheweth his handy worke, Pſal. 19.1. There is in the very volume of the Creatures, the〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Rom. 1.20, For the inviſible things of him from the Creation of the world, are clearly ſeen, (how?) being understood by the13 things that are made (what are thoſe〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉?) even his eternal Power and God-head. The world is nothing but mundi ſtatua (as the Platoniſts call it) 'tis Gods great Library, as Baſil calls it; 'tis the firſt Bible that God made, Clem. Alex. 'Tis nothing but God manifested and drawn out,Ʋniverſus mundus nibil aliud eſt quàm Deus explicatus. Cuſan. Savonar. Tri. Cr. l. 1. c 1. Qui fecit mundum creando, facit mundum quotidiè regendo. Zanch. Qui curat Angelos in coelo, curat vermiculos in coeno. Aug. as the Cardinal Cuſanus phraſeth it; All the creatures are but as a ladder, by which we may aſcend to God, which whileſt the underſtanding is fixt upon, in Dei notionem quedammodo manuducitur & ſublimatur. And ſo look upon the works of Providence, there ſomething may be ſeen of God. Non fecit & abiit, dixit Philoſophus, & rectè (ſayes Luther). God did not make the world, and then leave it. No, he works ſtill, John 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto. There is a wiſe, governing, upholding Providence, which doth reach to every creature, from the••gel on the Throne, to the worm upon the dung-hill. Let a man ſtudy the Book of Providence, (eſpecially in the myſteries and deep parts of it (for there are〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the Works of God, as well as in the Word of God) he muſt acknowledg a God, and this God to be wiſe, powerful, and good. 2 Pet. 3.16
Thirdly, God hath diſcovered himſelf in his Word, and here he's d•awn at length (if I may ſo expreſſe it with reverence.) Here you have him in a fuller, clearer character, then in either of the former. That which you have there to be gheſt at, is here plainly laid down. There you have work for Reaſon, here for Faith; there you muſt read with Spectacles, here the weakeſt eye may ſee God very legibly ſet before it; there you have this, There is a God, &c. but here you have more, This God is one in three, and three in one, a holy God, a juſt God, a God that redeem'd the world by his Son, &c. No light but Scripture light can diſcover this.
Fourthly, God hath diſcovered himſelf in his Son, and this is the higheſt diſcovery of all:John 1.18. we know moſt of God in Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore he's called ſpeculum patris, John 14.9. He that hath ſeen me, hath ſeen the Father alſo; The brightneſſe of his Fathers glory, Heb. 1.3. The very image of God, Col. 1.15. And the glory of God is ſaid to ſhine forth in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; as the glory of a man appeares more in his face, then it doth in all his body. You will excuſe this dig•eſſion,14 if it be ſo; but 'tis all to my preſent buſineſſe. In all theſe diſcoveries the good Chriſtian obſerves God, and takes notice of him, and he doth this too duely, or in a right manner. How's that? He obſerves him affectionately, ſo as to love him; fiducially, ſo as to truſt him; humbly, ſo as to admire him; practically, ſo as to acknowledg him. 1. By fetching all from him. 2. By aſcribing all to him. Prov. 3.6.3. By enjoying all in him. 4. By improving all for him. This is rightly to obſerve God, to know him ſo as to glorifie him as God, and this every regenerate man doth. Rom. 1.21.
Fifthly, (to ſhut up all with that which is general and comprehenſive.) A Chriſtians life is a walking with God, his life is a holy life. This was Enochs walking with God: Hee was a**Cum hîc Scriptura ſingulariter de Henoch dicat. — existimant aliqui Henoch ſanctiorem quandam atque eximiam & perfectiſſimam prae caetcris vitam instituiſſe, &c. Malv. holy man. Holineſſe is a walk with God, for holineſſe is the very way of God himſelf, and therefore he that walks in this way, walks with God, becauſe he walks in Gods own wya, Pſalm 119.3. They alſo do no iniquity, they walk in his wayes. The good man walks with God, becauſe he walks after God (as the phraſe is) Deuter. 13.4. according to the(m)(m)Summa eſt religio imitari quem colis. Lactant. Example of God, the Commands of God, he is a God-like man, one that doth not walk〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as man, 1 Cor. 3.3. but〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as God himſelf doth walk (alwayes underſtand it pro modulo). His life is a bleſſed conformity to God himſelf, in his Nature, in his Will, in his Works; he hates that which God hates, loves that which God loves, doth that which God doth, this is Holineſſe, and this is the higheſt walking with God. The learned Interpreters do generally explain Enochs Walk by this notion. Piè & inculpatè vixit. Vatab. Hoc dictum propter ejus ſingularem ſanctitatem. Bonfrer. Ex Dei praeſcripto vitam instituit mores conformavit. Malvend. Ambulavit in timore Dei. Oncel.
I have diſpatched the Doctrinal part, or the opening of the phraſe. I now come to Application.
1. Let us try our ſelves by this, whether we be Chriſtians of a right ſtamp,Ʋſe. this is an excellent glaſs for us to ſee our faces15 in: if we weigh many Profeſſors in this balance, they will be found to be, not only light (for alas, the beſt I fear are ſo much is wanting as to meaſures and degrees, even in them,) but falſe and adulterate coin. Moſt mens religion is nothing, becauſe they do not walk with God; they are but nominal Chriſtians, Christiani ſine Christo, (as Salvian ſpeaks). I beſeech you come to the Teſt, ad ſcrutinium, try what you are, finde out your ſtate, what you are towards God, and for another world. Are we true Chriſtians, or only notional Chriſtians? How ſhall we find it out? By this, Do you walk with God? Let me tel you two things.
Firſt, there are but few Enochs, few that walk with God, here and there one in a family, two or three in a pariſh,Jer. 3.14. the〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the men of the multitude they go another way. Enoch was a man of another ſpirit, a rare and choice ſpirit, a man by himſelf almoſt, as God ſpeaks of Caleb, Numb. 14.24. But my ſervant Caleb, becauſe he had another ſpirit with him, and hath followed me fully. Indeed all men do walk, but how? after the fleſh, Rom. 8.1. in the wayes of their own hearts, Eccleſ. 11.9. after their own devices, Jer. 18.2. after vanity, Jer. 2.5. after their own ungodly lusts, Jude 18. This is far from walking with God, and yet this is the courſe of the moſt in the world: the unclean man walks with his luſts, the covetous man with his wealth, the voluptuous man with his pleaſures, the hypocrite with his formal duties, &c. Alas, with ſorrow we may ſpeak it, there are but very few that walk with God, vix tot quot Thebarum portae, &c. This path of holineſs is an untrodden, unfrequented path by the generality of men. Try your ſelves therefore where you walk, whether with the moſt, or with the beſt. Mat 7.14.
Secondly, know this; every man is in the ſight and judgment of God according to his walking. 'Tis not Jacobs voice, that makes a true Chriſtian, a little religious talking, a parcel of fine words; God looks to the ways, not to the words; to the walking, not to the talking. Nor 'tis not ſome particular acts, that ſet a man right and ſtraight, as to his ſpiritual condition. One Swallow doth not make a Spring;Ʋna Hirundo non facit ver. ſome few good actions do not make a Chriſtian. Wicked men in ſome particular16 acts may be very good. Cain ſacrifices, Ahab humbles himſelf, Jehu is zealous;Gen. 4. •1 King. 21. ••. 2 Kings 10.16. like the Dial, which though it ſtands, yet at ſome particular time once in the ſpace of twelve hours it will be right. And on the other hand, A child of God in ſome particular acts may be very bad. Noah is drunk, David unclean,Gen. 9.21. 2 Sam. 11.4 Matth. 26.74 Pſal. 73.15. Peter denies his Maſter; &c. therefore no man is to judg by theſe, for then he will justifie the wicked, and condemn the righteous; but look to your walking, the general bent and tendency of the heart, the ſcope and courſe of your converſation; whatever this is, according to that God judges of you, Cant. 5.2. I ſleep, but my heart waketh. Sometimes I turn aſide for a pace or two, but the great inclination of my heart, is to keep cloſe to God. Here's grace, ſo God eſteems it. The ſum of all is this; you pray ſometimes, and hear the Word, and do good things; but is your walk with God, that the bias of the ſoul ſtands towards God, the impetus of your ſpirits is after him, that there is an habitual work within you, which turns the great ſtream of the heart towards holineſſe? if ſo, you are Enoch's, real Saints: be of good comfort, your glory is ſure.
The main uſe ſhall be by way of Exhortation, to preſſe this upon you,Ʋſe 2. that you live this excellent life of walking with God. Oh that I might prevail with ſome, to reſolve in the ſtrength of God, to ſet upon this walking. This concerns us all: We that are Ministers, let us walk with God; as 'tis ſaid of Levi, He walked with God in peace and equity, and did turn many a way from iniquity, Malachi 2 6. You that are private Chriſtians, whether rich or poor, high or low, do you walk with God? Great perſons will not let mean men walk with them, that's a poſture of too much familiarity; but God is willing the meaneſt creature ſhould walk with him, and ſo converſe with him.
In the proſecuting of this verſe, I'le do two things. 1. I'le lay down ſome directions. 2. Ʋrge the duty upon you by ſome Motives.
In the Directive part, I'le ſpeak 1. To the matter of your walking. 2. To the manner of your walking. For the matter of your walking, I'le briefly run over the particulars which17 have been mentioned, and preſſe each upon you; Walk and walk with God.
Firſt, Walk and be active Chriſtians. The Apoſtle exhorts Timothy, to ſtir up the gift of God which was in him,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Eſt ignem cineribus conditum folle aut flatu ſuſcitare, ut reardeſcat. Corn. A Lap. Cant. 1.12 Matth. 5.15 2 Tim. 1.6. I would preſſe the ſame upon you. Have you grace? ſtir it up, put it out into act, let your spikenard ſend forth its ſmell, let not your light be concealed under a buſhel. Corruption is active in the wicked, Grace ſhould be active in the good; ſhall they do more to diſhonour God, then you to glorifie him? you have your grace for action, firſt for**Rom. 7.12 Paulum ſepultae distat inertiae celata virtus. Hor. De non entibus & de non apparentibus eadem eſt ratio. fruit, then for glory. As good no grace, as not to act it. The way to have more, is to act what you have, Habenti dabitur, Matth. 13.12 The active Chriſtian is the moſt excellent Chriſtian. In fowls that go, the leg is beſt; in fowls that fly, the wing is beſt; the exerciſe of the part makes the difference. If you be idle, God will loſe his glory; for as to men here, his glory depends upon the acting of grace, Matth. 5.16. Let your light ſo ſhine, &c. The habit of grace brings glory to us, but 'tis the acting of grace that brings glory to God. Your Saviour acts his grace for you, do you act your grace for him; he is alwayes at work for you: the Heavens are alwayes in motion,John 5.17 but the Earth ſtands ſtill. Chriſt ever lives for us, we ſeldome live for him,Heb 7.25. the greater is our ſhame. Well, up and be doing, and the Lord will be with you; your time is but ſhort, your work is great, double your diligence, and be very active. 1 Cor. 7.29.
Secondly, Walk and be growing Chriſtians, 2 Pet. 3. ult. Grow in Grace, and in the knowledg, &c. Be like Ezekiels waters, which were firſt to the ankles, then to the knees,Ezek. 47.3, 4, 5 then to the loins, afterwards they were a river that no man could paſſe over: Thus do you riſe and increaſe in Grace, go from little to much, from ſincerity to perfection; let grace have its perfect work; whileſt others are joyning houſe to houſe,Jam. 1 4 Iſai. 5.8 growing in wealth, do you grow in grace; you cannot have too much of it: a man may have too much of the world, he cannot have too much of grace: wicked men grow worſe and worſe, do you grow better and better;2 Tim. 3.13 your opportunities are admirable; if you ſtand ſtill, who ſhall go forward? We have many in theſe times, who are like the Sun in Joſhuah's time, that ſtood ſtill;Joſh. 10.1218 many worſe, like the Sun in Hezekiahs time, they are gone backwards many degrees:Iſa. 38.8 O Chriſtians, take heed of this, and on the other hand make ſome progreſſe in the things of God; from babes in Chriſt,Heb. 5.13, 24 be ſtrong men in Chriſt; from thoſe that muſt be fed with milk, get your ſenſes exerciſ•d; from dwarfs be like the ſons of Anak, in faith and holineſſe.
Thirdly, Walk, and be orderly Christians, keep to the rule in every thing be not Antinomians in practice: Our doctrinal Antinomians are not many, our practical Antinomians are very many; they dispute, and we practice; our heads oppoſe, our lives embrace their dangerous opinion:Pſal. 50. ult. Oh, let your converſation be an ordered converſation: An ordered Covenant calls for an ordered converſation; our Grace in duty, muſt anſwer to Gods grace in mercy. Your Covenant is ordered in all things, 2 Sam. 23.5. Let your carriage anſwer to this Covenant. Doe nothing, but be able to ſay, Here's my rule for what I doe.
Fourthly, Walk, act from a free ſpirit, Pſalm 51.12. Let your obedience be nothing but〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a labour of love:Heb. 6.10. act not as ſlaves, but as ſonnes; not to ſhun the rod, but to pleaſe the Father; Though Heaven and Hell ſhould be burnt up (as that famous Martyr ſaid) that there ſhould be no puniſhment to affright you, no reward to allure you, yet from an inward principle of love to the wayes of God, walk in them; look upon it as your meat and drink,John 4.34 to be doing the Will of your heavenly Father; Say, Lord, obedience is enough, a ſufficient reward to it ſelf. This ſpiritual ingenuity will be your crown and glory. Nothing commends an action (ſaith Lactantius) ſo much as this. 'Tis the will that is menſura actionum (ſaith Aquinas) let a man do that which is never ſo good, if he doth it〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉and〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,1 Pet. 5.2 Aug. Confeſſ. l. 1. c. 12. that ſpoils the action; for Nemo invitus bene facit, etiamſi bonum eſt quod facit (ſaith Augustine.)
Fifthly, Walk, hold on with an even pace in the good wayes of God. The even Chriſtian is the excellent Chriſtian; when the pulſe beats evenly, all is well. To be ſometimes up, and ſomes times down, ſometimes hot, ſometimes cold; this argues a diſtempered heart: many are like your Jades, either they will19 gallop, or ſtand ſtill; either they will be very good, or nothing at all. Oh, that we could get a fixed heart,Pſal. 57.7 to be conſtant and uniform in the whole tenor of our life! Thus I would have you walk; but farther, walk with God: that's the ſecond thing. And here,
Firſt, Walks alwayes as in the Preſence of God, believe this as a truth; where-ever you are, God is with you. Sin may hinder you from his gracious preſence, but no place can ſecure you from his obſerving preſence. Pſal. 139.7, 8, 9 10, 11, 12Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit? or, Whither ſhall I fly from thy preſence? If I aſcend up into heaven, &c. 'Tis with God as 'tis with a Picture: if it be well drawn, where-ever you are in the room its eye is upon you. Thus 'tis with the All-ſeeing eye of God, 'tis upon us whereever we are. 2 Kings 5.26Went not mine heart with thee when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? ſaith Eliſha to Gehazi. We think to carry things cloſely, but we are fooliſh. God is privy to our very thoughts, to our greateſt ſecrets and retirements. This a child of God knows, and he would not have it otherwiſe. Velleius Paterculus tells us a ſtory of one Livius Druſus; There comes an Artiſt to him, and tells him, if he pleaſed, he would ſo contrive his houſe, that do what he would, none ſhould ſee him; Ʋt libera à conſpectu, immunis ab omnibus arbitriis eſſet. No, ſaith Druſus, but rather ſhew your Art, make my houſe ſo that all may ſee me, for I am not aſhamed to be ſeen. Tu verò ſiquid in te artis eſt, ita compone domum meam, ut ab omnibus conſpici poſſit. I apply it to a child of God. The Hypocrites torment is Gods Omniſciency and Omnipreſency, he would fain not be ſeen by God and men; but the upright man, he knows God ſees him, and he rejoyces at it. Well, you believe this, live in the practical conſideration of it; what a world of ſin would this prevent, if men did but alwayes ſet God before them! When Latimer heard the pen behind the curtain, he anſwered very warily. The Romanes, when they would not do an undecent act, they would fancy a Cato, &c. a Fabius in the room. The Maid would not gratifie the luſt of her unchaſte ſuitor, till he could find a room where God might not ſee them; and ſo ſhe eſcaped his wicked ſolicitations. Atheiſme is at the bottom of every ſin,20 and this is one great piece of it; we think God doth not ſee us. And therefore work this home upon your ſpirits, and whenever a temptation comes, cruſh it with this, How ſhall I do this under the eye of God? Pſal. 16.8The eye of man would keep off much ſin in the world, and ſhall not the eye of God much more? Walk thus, and you ſhall not be greatly moved.
Secondly, walk with God; let your converſe be with him: Let others pleaſe themſelves in their friends, in their creature-enjoyments, in their carnal converſes, do you delight your ſelves in God. Aſſueſce cum eo. Pagnin. Let your fellowſhip be above: Acquaint thy ſelf with God. and be at yeace, Job 22.21. A man may as really by prayer and meditation, and the Promiſes, converſe with God, as one man converſes with another in a civil way. Why are you ſo much ſtrangers to it? Why ſo little with God? doth not he uſually give out that which fills the ſoul with joy unſpeakable and full of glory? 1 Pet. 1.8. Pſal. 63.3Are not his viſits better then life? Is not the heart raviſhed under the taſtes of his love? Is not the enjoyment of him infinitely above all comforts here? Is he not willing to come to you, and to give out of his Loves? Why do you not walk with him? why do you not converſe with him here, with whom it ſhall be your glory to converſe hereafter? Cry out, Whom have I in heaeven but thee? Pſal. 73.26 Pſal. 63.1 Pſal. 4.6.My ſoul thirſteth for thee. Many ſay, Who wil ſhew us any good? Lord, lift 'thou up the light of thy countenance upon me.
Thirdly, Walk with God, and live above this world. This is a hard duty, eſpecially to you here in this City, who have ſo much of the world; but let me prevail with you to put it into practice. Pſal. 17.14 Jer. 17.13 Luke 16.25 Phil. 3.19 Heb. 3.1 Tit. 2.13. 1 Cor. 3.22 Mat. 6.20. 2 Pet. 1.4 Gen. 17.1, 7Let thoſe who have their portien here, whoſe names are written in the earth, who have all their good things here, let them mind earthly things, and take their fill of theſe dreggs; But you, the people of God, who have the heavenly calling, great and glorious hopes, intereſt in Chriſt, treaſures in heaven, precious promiſes, an All ſufficient God for your God; you muſt live a higher life. If you be worldly, you debaſe God and Chriſt, the moſt excellent things of grace and glory, nay, your own ſelve; for that Saint which doth not live above the world, lives much beneath himſelf. The Lapwing hath a Crowne upon her head, and yet ſhe feeds upon excrements. The childe is21 heire to a Kingdome, and yet he lies tumbling in the aſhes. The true believer is highly-advanced through grace; he's an heire, nay, a co-heire with Jeſus Chriſt;Rom. 8.17 for him to ſtoop to theſe beggerly enjoyments, 'tis much below him. Chriſtians, you have the Ocean, care not for the drop; the fountaine is yours,Jerem. 2.13 away with broken ciſternes; you have the pearle, get above the dirt; (for ſo the world is, but a cabul, a dirty thing.) 1 Kings 9.13Minde it you may, in its proper place and ſphere, keeping it under a due ſubordination; but be ſure of this, that you live above it. Let your thoughts be above it. What? from morning to night, all the day long, thinking upon this buſineſſe and that buſineſſe, this comfort, and that comfort? no room for heavenly meditation? the thoughts are the ſpirits of the ſoule (as it were), muſt all be ſpent in the worlds ſervice? The thoughts are the wings of the ſoule, will you never by them take a flight to heaven and heavenly objects? Let your love be above it. Miſer eſt omnis animus vinctus amiciti â rerum mortalium-Aug. conf. l. 4. c. 6. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 1 John 2.15. Let your deſires be above it. Wilt thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themſelves wings, they flie away as an Eagle towards Heaven, Prov. 23.5. Let your comforts be above it, your hopes be above it, your ſatisfaction be above it; be content with the worſt of the world, be not ſatisfied with the beſt of the world: be thankful for the crumbs of the world, but do not take up with the crownes of the world. In a word, let your life be above it: Be not conformed to this world, Rom. 12.2. You live above it, when you do not live according to it; and 'tis as hard, not to live according to it, in the cuſtomes of it, as to live above it in the comforts of it. Thus I beſeech you walk with God: get your hearts looſened from all things here, and live where you muſt die; I mean, live upon that now, which, if you would have peace and comfort, you muſt live upon, when you come to die; ſay not of things, as that profane man once did of perſons, Cum iſt is mallem vivere, cum illis mallemmori; With riches I had rather live, with grace I had rather die.
Fourthly, walk with God, (that is) carefully and diligently obſerve God, and inke notice of him in all the diſcoveries which22 he makes of himſelf. Study God in his Word, in his Works, in his Son, in every thing, and by every thing, riſe up to a reverential, humble, practical acknowledgment of God: Trace him in all his ſteps, and go as far as you can; and when you can go no further, then fall upon the admiring of him; Oh the depth of the riches; both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God! How unſearchable are his judgments, and his wayes paſt finding out! Rom. 11.33.
In the Doctrinal opening of this particular, I laid down ſome practical Hints about the due obſervance of God, to which I referre you, and ſhall not here further enlarge upon it.
The laſt thing is this: walk with God by being holy: I ſay, Be holy;1 Pet. 1.15. as he who hath called you is holy, ſo be ye holy (and that too) in all manner of converſation; in all your relations, in every condition, in your callings, at all times; in all companies, in every turn of your life,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. in your whole carriage and deportment by ye holy. What Argument ſhall I uſe to enforce this advice!
Be holy, for your God is**Sanctitas Dei eſt univerſalis illius juſtitia ſeu infinita, ac ſimplex Dei virtus qua ſeſe ut ſummum bonum, omniſque boni fontem, ali áque rectae ſuae rationi ac voluntati conſentanea amat & diſſentanea averſatur. Gomar. holy. Will you not be like your God? All people, whatever they pitched upon for their God, were they never ſo ignorant, they would labour to be like their god; nay, ſome would be(*)(*)Adulterio delectatur. quis? reſpicit Jovem, &c. Vid. Jul. Firm. de er. Prof. Relig. Iſai. 6.3. vitious, becauſe their gods were ſo. What a ſhame is it to us Chriſtians, that we are ſo unlike to our God, the holy and true God! Let us reſolve in a bleſſed imitation of God. All people will walk, every one in the name of God, and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever, Micah 4.5. Be holy, for Holineſs is the very glory of God, Glorious in holineſſe, Exod. 15.11. 'Tis the glory of Chriſt. Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hoſts: This is ſpoken of Chriſt, for ſaith John, John 12.41. Theſe things, ſaid Eſaias, when he ſaw his glory and ſpake of him (that is) of Chriſt. Holineſſe is the glory of the Goſpel; by this you do adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour, Tit. 2.10. Holineſſe is your own glory, here and hereafter. 'Tis your glory here, it puts a beauty and excellency upon you: 'Tis called, Pſal. 110.3. The Beauty of Holineſſe. 'Tis your glory hereafter, it certainly ends in glory. No ſeeing of God without it, Hebr. 12.14. a certainty of ſeeing God with it. They that25 have their fruit to holineſſe, ſhal have in the end everlasting life, Rom. 7.22.
So much for the matter of your walking, I come to the ſecond thing, to lay down ſome Directions concerning the manner of your walking with God.
In the firſt place, you muſt walk humbly with God. 'Tis not thouſands of Rams, or ten thouſands of Rivers of Oyl, &c. Theſe are not the things that God looks for: He hath ſhewed thee, O man what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to love mercy,Micah 6.8. and to walk humbly with thy God? God loves the humble Walker. He Himſelf loves to walk with ſuch an one, nay, to dwell with him, Iſa. 57.15. The proud man, God ſees him a far off, Pſal. 138.6. He keeps at a diſtance from him; and when he doth draw near him, 'tis not as a friend to walk with him, but as an enemy he marches againſt him in battel array, to break him in peeces, ſo the word imports, God reſiſteth the proud, 1 Pet. 5.5. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ex-adverſo quaſi aciem inſtruit. Gerhard. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉a word hard to be opened.Be ye therefore clothed with humility. Humility is the great Grace. Auguſtine being ask'd what was the firſt Grace, anſwered, Humility; What's the ſecond, Humility; What the third, Humility: 'Tis all in all, 'tis a prime and choice grace, 'tis the crown, the ornament, the varniſh of every grace, 'tis that which makes every grace to thrive, nothing brings into the ſoul ſo much joy, as Humility, for God loves to lay his wines in the loweſt Cellars. Oh! labour to act this grace, and to walk humbly. What is man that he ſhould be proud? what are the beſt of men, that they ſhould be pufft up? what are you? a little duſt,Cum humilimus, cur non humilimus? Bern. a little well-complexion'd duſt, poor piles of graſſe, things of nothing, finite drops, creatures, and ſinful creatures too, meditate much upon this, and upon the glorious Majeſty of God, your infinite diſtance from him, this will make you humble, this will draw out ſelf-debaſing, God exalting, grace-admiring thoughts,Gen. 31.10. (and there's humility) this will make you with Jacob to ſay, you are leſſe then the leaſt of all Gods mercies,Job 42.6. Iſaiah 6.5. Epheſ. 3.8, 1 Tim. 1.13. with Job to abhor your ſelves in duſt and aſhes, with Iſaiah to cry out, unclean, with Paul, the leaſt of Saints, and the greateſt of ſinners: and this is rare walking.
Secondly, walk uprightly, be upright and ſtraight in your walking. Gen. 7.1.I am God All-ſufficient (ſaith God to Abraham)26 walk before me, and be thou perfect, that is, upright, for ſincerity is all the perfection that here we can arrive at. He that walketh uprightly,Prov. 10.9. Eph. 6.5. Acts 2.46. 2 Chro. 6.14. Hoſ. 10.2. 1 King 18.21. walketh ſurely. What is it to walk uprightly? To have a ſingle heart for God, to walk with him in ſingleneſſe of heart, with all the heart, as the Scripture expreſſes it. A divided heart is a naughty heart, when men halt betwixt God and Baal, betwixt Heaven and Earth, Grace and Sin, Chriſt hath ſomething, and the Divel hath ſomething, here's hypocriſie; Take heed of this, God hates it; he can pity a child though he ſtumbles and falls, but he abhors an halting hypocrite. Let God have all, devote the whole man to him, have but**Pſal. 86.11. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Septuag. An hypocrite is〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉a double hearted man, James 1.8. Pſalm 101.2. Prov. 10.29. Iſa. 38.3. one heart, for his ſervice and glory; thus walk, and this ſhall be your advantage, you ſhall have much of Gods preſence, I will behave my ſelf wiſely in a perfect way, O when wilt thou come unto me? You ſhall find the influences of grace, to ſtrengthen you to hold out in your walking. The way of the Lord is ſtrength to the upright. Upright walking will ſweeten every affliction. See 2 Corinth. 1.12. will ſweeten death it ſelf to you. It did ſo to good Hezekiah, Remember, O Lord; how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart: In a word, thus walk, and God will deny you nothing: The Lord will give grace and glory,Pſalm. 84.11. no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Thirdly, Walk with God cloſely; I might here lament the looſe walking of many Profeſſors in our age. What's become of our cloſe walking? the people of God in former times, how ſtrict were they, how circumſpect; we have found out a broader way to Heaven, then what they walked in. We may ſadly complain, as to the Power of Godlineſſe, there is a mighty forſaking in this Nation. Remember from whence you are fallen, and repent,Revel. 2.5. ſet up again cloſe walking with God, allow not your ſelves in the practice of the least ſin; flee from the very appearance of evil;2 Theſſ. 5.22. omit not any duty, be it never ſo difficult; comply with every command,Luke 1.6. let no temptations cauſe you ſo much as to ſtep aſide from God; thus do you keep cloſe to God, and he will keep cloſe to you;2 Chron. 15.2. but if you forſake him, he will forſake you. And let me tell you this, every departure from God will end in bitterneſſe;Pſalm 51.8. if you leave him to gratifie corruption, look for27 broken bones. God will either make you walk cloſely or mournfully; which of the two is the better, do you judge.
Fourthly, walk watchfully. Bleſſed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, l•ſt he walk naked, and they ſee his ſhame,Revel. 16.15. Matth. 13. ult. What I ſay unto you, I ſay unto all, Watch, ſaith Chriſt. In your walking, ſee you be thus watchfull. Your way is ſlippery, you may ſoon loſe it; the heart, like Balaams Aſſe,Numb. 22. •3. will be flying out of the path, the Divel laies ſnares for you, many en mi•s lie waiting for you, you had need look about you, and be carefull what you do, Keep thy heart with all diligence,Prov. 4.13. ſaith Solomon: Keep it as a Jailor keeps his cloſe Priſoner, with a watchful eye, for fear he give him the ſlip: where ever you are, there is a deceitful heart within, a tempting Divel, and a flattering world without; look to your ſelves and keep your feet when you go into the Houſe of God,Eccl. 5.1. when you go into your own houſes: every place is full of ſnares, and therefore in all places, and in all things watch. The heeedful Walker ▪ is the ſure Walker. David neglecting this duty,2 Tim. 4.5. Pſalm 73.2. his feet were almoſt gone, nay, in three or four eminent caſes they were quite gone.
Fifthly, walk with God unweariedly, take heed of tyring in the way of Holineſſe. The Heavenly Orbs are in perpetual motion, and yet unwearied. The Sun hath run his courſe for ſome thouſands of years, 'tis as freſh as ever it was. Oh, that Grace might imitate Nature! Be not weary in well-doing,Gal. 6.9. 2 Theſſ. 3.13. you ſhal reap if ye faint not. What a ſhame is it to us? Wicked men are never weary in the ſervice of their luſts; and how ſoon are we weary in the ſervice of our God? We cannot ſpend a little time in prayer, but the duty grows irkſome,Mal. 1.13. and in the general courſe of our obedience, we are ready to ſit down almoſt as ſoon as we have ſet out. Away with this ſlothfulneſſe, hold out vigorouſly; though work be difficult, though God doth exerciſe you with much waiting, yet be not weary.
Sixthly, Walk with God believingly. We walk by faith, in oppoſition to ſight. Oh! that we did walk by faith in oppoſition to carnal reaſon, to ſinfull dependancies, to diſtruſtfull faintings. 2 Cor. 5.7.In your reſting (I mean upon Chriſt) is the act of faith, in your walking is the life of faith. Paul tels us,Gal. 2.20 the28 life which he lived in the fleſh, he lived by the faith of the Son of God. The life of faith is a brave life, no life goes beyond it, but the life of fruition, and that's Heaven. Chriſtians, this life of faith ſhould be twiſted into your walking with God. That which in the Text is called walking with God, Paul calls faith (for however 'tis expreſſed in the Old Teſtament, in the New, Paul will ſet it forth by faith; for ſo excellent was this Grace in his eye, that he'l ſet the Crown of all upon the head of faith) Heb. 11.5. By faith Enoch was tranſlated (that is) upon his faith: ſo then Enoch walked in faith; imitate him, I beſeech you, in this, walk in faith, or you'l never walk ſteadily: Sincerity keeps us from halting, Watchfulneſſe keeps us from ſtumbling, Holineſſe keeps us from wandring, Reſolution keeps us from tyring, but 'tis faith that keeps us from fainting. Pſalm 27.3.I had fainted, but that I verily beleeved to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord in the land of the living. Iſaiah 26.3.Are you weak? faith will reach you a ſtaffe, and that is God himſelf, upon whom the ſinking ſoul may ſtay it ſelf. Are you ſcorched with heat in your walking? faith wil fetch cooling vertue from the Fountain Chriſt, to refreſh you. Doth the difficulty and the tediouſneſs of the way diſcourage? See,Hebr. 11.26. ſaith faith, There's the recompence of reward, you will be at it preſently,Epheſ. 6.16. hold out. Are you afraid of enemies? faith will ſhield you. Do you want neceſſaries for your journy in your wilderneſſe-way? faith will go to Chriſt, and fetch food, raiment, counſel, gold &c. 'twill bring in all proviſion that's neceſſary. Are you troubled becauſe you are alone? faith will bring Chriſt, the promiſes to bear you company. Are you ſometimes ſtung by the way?John 3.14. ſaith faith, there's the brazen Serpent to heal you. Admirable is the uſe of faith in a Chriſtians journey; make it your Vade mecum, and all is well. Faith wil do ſtrange things, 'twill lay you low, and at that ſame time 'twil lift you up; 'twill make your condition good and bad by the ſame breath; bad as to weak worthleſſe ſelf; good, as to God, to rich and free grace, faith will by the ſame hand empty and fill; faith will make the Sun to ſhine, even when cloude and darkneſſe are round about you; faith will (like the Philoſophers ſtone) turn all into Gold. But I am got into an excellent ſubject, and I forget my ſelf.
29Seventhly, walk with God nimbly; quicken your pace, and go faſt in the way of God; ſtrive who ſhould go the faſteſt, to be as the Diſciple that out-ran Peter to the Sepulcher, John 20.4. I will run the way of thy Commandments;John. 20.4. Pſal. 119.32. David would not creep to Heaven, but he would run to Heaven. What a ſhame is it? many run to Hell, and we do but creep to Heaven; ſome make haſte to get wealth,Prov. 28 22. and we are ſlow in getting glory. Let me tell you this, the faſter you walk, the ſooner you'l come to your journeys end. But if we go ſo faſt, we fear we ſhall be weary and faint; You have an excellent Promiſe to prevent this objection. Iſa. 40.30.31.Even the youths ſhall faint and be weary, and the young men ſhall utterly fall; but they that wait upon the Lord ſhal renew their ſtrength, they ſhal mount up with wings as Eagles, they ſhall run and not be weary, and they ſhall walk and not faint. Natural motion ſpends ſtrength, but ſpiritual motion increaſes ſtrength, here the way to do much, is to do much. But they that would go apace,Magno viatico breve iter vitae non inſtruitur; ſed oneratur. Min Foelix. Heb. 12.1. muſt not burden themſelvs with any weighty things: the world is a weight, ſin is a weight Let us therefore lay aſide every weight, and let us run with patience the race that is ſet before us. There muſt be patience, becauſe ſometimes the way is bad; and there muſt be running or nimbleneſs, becauſe the way is long.
Eighthly, walk with God cheerfully. Rejoyce in God alwayes; and again, I ſay, rejoyce:Phil. 4.4. The gemination of the command argues the difficulty of the duty, and the excellency of the duty. God loves a cheerful giver, and he alſo loves a cheerful liver. 2 Cor. 9.7.Nothing doth more honour Religion, then the cheerfulneſs of them that poſſeſs it. Spiritus Calviniſticus eſt Spiritus Melancholicus.Is not this one of the reproaches that wicked men caſt upon the people of God? they are heavy, ſad, drooping, melancholly men, there's no mirth amongſt them; wipe off this reproach by a cheerful walking: I do not preſs upon you the fooliſh, frothy, carnal mirth of the world, but that which is holy and comely. Lift up your heads, give not way to dejectedneſs. The joy of the Lord is your ſtrength. Nehem. 8.10. Prov. 15.1.3.By ſorrow of heart the ſpirit is broken; it breaks the countenance, it enfeebles the ſpirit; who ſhould be cheerful if not you? Why art thou ſo ſad from day to day, ſeeing thou art the Kings Son,2 Sam. 13.5. ſaid Jonadab to Amnon? Is God your Father, Chriſt your Saviour,30 Heaven your inheritance, Everlaſting Joy your portion; notwithſtanding all this, will you be ſad? But we are thus and thus afflicted. Be it ſo: Yet rejoyce, your ſin is pardoned, this makes affliction to be no affliction. And the inhabitant ſhall not ſay, I am ſick; the people that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their iniquity. ſa. 33.24.But we are often under the ſad withdrawing of God. Be it ſo, yet rejoyce. For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. But we are to mourn for ſin. ſa. 54.7.True, but one duty muſt not juſtle out another. Even in this ſorrow there is matter of joy, and this ſorrow is very well conſiſtent with ſpiritual rejoycing. Verus poenite•s de peccatis〈◊〉& de do••re gauder.I might inſtance in other things; pray labour to be cheerful: 'tis not onely your priviledge, but your duty; which if you will diſcharge (not from the conſtitution or temper of the body, but) from Goſpel-Principles and motives, it will be highly pleaſing to God, and much to the creduit of your profeſſion; Daniel with his pulſe to look ſo well!Dan. 1.15. ſurely there's ſomething in it; when wicked men ſhall ſee you, though under afflictions, to bear up cheerful, ſurely they will ſay, There's ſomething excellent in Religion.
Ninthly and laſtly, Walk with God conſtantly and perſveeringly. Indeſinenter ambulavit. Jun. Thus Enoch walked (as hath been already hinted) 'tis not a turne or two that will do the buſineſſe; you muſt perſevere in the way of Holineſs. I beſeech you take heed of Apoſtaſie, a ſin never more common then in this Age; that indeed if the Scripture was not very clear, as to this point, never was there ſo much cauſe to queſtion the truth of that comfortable doctrine of the Saints Perſeverance,Heb. 3.12. Heb. 10.3. Mat. 10.22. Revel, 3.11. 2 Epiſt. of Joh. 8. as now. But there's no diſputing from the meteor to the fixed Star. Hold on in your way, do not depart from the living God. If any man draw back, my ſoule ſhall take no pleaſure in him. 'Tis your perſeverance that muſt crown all. He that endureth to the end, he ſhall be ſaved. Recedente juſtitia recedat neceſſe eſ & corona, Cypr. de Unit. Eccl. 2 Pet. 2.21.Hold that faſt which thou haſt, that no man take thy Crown. Loſe not that which ye have wrought, but receive a full reward. Better ye had never entred upon this walk, then not to continue in it; Can ye be better then in Gods wayes? Are Egypts onions better then Canaans grapes? Will you leave the joyes of holineſs for the pleaſures of ſin? 31Are you not within ſight of the place of reſt, and will you now turn back?Turpe eſt inextremo deficere. Luk. 14.34. will you repent of your walking with God when you come to die? if you leave him, will you be any thing but ſalt that hath l•ſt its ſavour, that's good for nothing but to be thrown to the dunghill? The Lord, even God our Father, ſo eſtabliſh you, that you may ſo walk, and ſo run,1 Cor. 9.24. that ye may obtain.
I have done with the Directive part. I now come to the Perſwaſive part, to exhort and preſs you to this bleſſed walkking with God.
To prevail with you herein, I might lay before you ſeveral Arguments, drawn from the preſent ſtate. As
Firſt, 'tis the ſafeſt walking; He that walks with God, he's under the Protection of Heaven, nothing can hurt him; He ſhal dwell on High, his place of defence ſhall be the munitions of rocks,Iſa. 33.16. Pſal. 90.1. Iob. 5.24. He ſhall abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty. His Tabernacle ſhal be in peace.
Secondly, as there is ſafe protection, ſo there is abundant proviſion in this walking with God. Here's no danger to be feared, here's no good to be wanted. Pſal. 34.10.The young Lions do lack and ſuffer hunger, but they that ſeek the Lord ſhall not want any good thing: Bread ſhall be given him, his waters ſhall be ſure. Iſa. 33.16.
Thirdly, this is the ſweeteſt walking, What are all the joys of carnal men, to the joyes and comforts which are to be found in an holy life? Wiſdoms wayes are wayes of pleaſantneſs,Prov. 3.16. Iſa. 64.5. and all her paths are peace. Thou meeteſt him that rejoyceth and worketh righteouſneſs, thoſe that remember thee in thy wayes.
Fourthly, this is the moſt honourable and glorious walking. It puts a glory upon the creature to walk with his Creatour; as 'tis an honour to the beggar to walk with a King. Holy men are glory it ſelfe. Ʋpon all the glory ſhall be a defence. Iſa. 4.5.Faith puts a Glory upon the Perſon, and Holineſs upon the Life.
Fifthly, this walking pleaſes God. Enoch had this teſtimony, that he pleaſed God. Heb. 1.5.His walking with God was pleaſing God. I might very much enlarge upon theſe and ſuch other Arguments: but I paſs them by, and ſhall onely inſiſt upon the great Motive in the text: Walk with God on Earth, and live with God in Heaven. And he was not, for God took him.
32And ſo I paſſe from Enochs Holineſs, to Enochs Happineſs. Here I might enter upon a very large diſcourſe from this clauſe, but I'le onely open the ſenſe of the words, and then ſhew you what there is in them, to ſtir you up to walk with God.
To all the reſt its ſaid, And he died, And he died, but here's a variation of the phraſe,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He was not, &c. In the Hebrew 'tis, And not he, for God took him. Some make the words to hold out Enochs death. And not he, (that is, he died) God took him, (that is) away by a ſudden and untimely death: And ſo 'tis parallel to that, Gen. 42.36. Joſeph is not, and Simeon is not, and Jer. 31.15. Rachel weeping for her Children, refuſed to be comforted, becauſe they were not, (viz. they were dead) and ſo for the other expreſſion, ſaith Elijah, 1 Kings 19.4. It is enough now,Sumpſit eum Deus i. e. mortuus eſt. Aben-Ezra. O Lord, take away my life. And thus the Jewiſh Doctors do expound the words. But this is directly contrary to what we have in the New Teſtament, Heb. 11.5. By faith Enoch was tranſlated, that he ſhould not ſee death. Oleaſter ſayes from hence, 'tis probable he did not dye; and Druſius with his wit would enervate the ſtrength of the place,Druſ. in Praef. ad Henoch Perer. de tranſ. Enoch quaeſt. 1. Rivet Exercit. 49. in Gen. Non erat, quia non mori eum fecit Deus. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Septuag. by ſeveral evaſions which he ſuggeſts, but both are cenſured; Pererius blames the one, and Rivet the other.
In the general, all the learned agree in this, that Enoch did not die, but that he was in an extraordinary manner tranſlated hence, ſo the Targum renders it; God made him not to dye: ſo the Septuagint, juſt as you have it. Heb, 11.5. He was not found, for God had tranſlated him. But if we come to particulars, we ſhall find a difference betwixt the Proteſtant and the Popiſh Writers, and that in two things.
For the firſt, the Papiſts ſay, he was tranſlated into Paradiſe, where Adam and Eve were put in the ſtate of their innocency. There Enoch and Elias, and ſome others, are placed by God, there to continue in a very happy ſtate for ſome time. Many of the Papiſts themſelves do not greatly fancy this opinion; for ſome of them do agree with us,Rev. 2.7. as to Enochs Tranſlation into33 to the Paradiſe of Heaven, and others deny that that Paradiſe into which our firſt Parents were put, is yet in continuance. No 'twas loſt in the Ʋniverſal Deluge. Percr. diſp. de Enoch.But others of them are very hot upon it, as Bellarmine, Leſſius; Sextus Senenſis, &c. And ſome of the Ancient Fathers are of their ſide,Dicere Henoch & Eliam non eſſe tranſlatos in illum Para. diſum terreſtrem inibique verſari, eſt contra divinam Scripturam, & à fidei regulâ exorbitare. Sixtus Sen. Bibl. l. 5. Annot. 36. Juſt Mart. Quaeſt. & reſp. ad Orthod. in Reſp. ad Qu. 85.Dicunt Presbyteri qui ſunt Apoſtolorum Diſcipuli, eos qui tranſlati ſunt, illuc tranſlatos eſſe Iren. Adv. Haereſ. l. 5. c. 5. Juſtin Martyr ſpeaks expreſly the ſame; ſo doth Irenaeus and ſome others: and the**〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Theodor. Qu. in Gen. Inter. 45. reſt of them generally ſpeak modeſtly, as being rather for a ſober ſilence then a too curious inquiry into this ſecret, which the Scripture doth not clearly make out to us. *〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Et quae ſequuntur. Chryſoſt. Hom. 21 in Gen. Quid de Hellia factum ſit neſcimus; hoc de illo tamen credimus, quod vera Scriptura teſtatur. Aug. contra. Fauſtum Manich. Quò raptus fuerit Deus novit. Cyprian.
Our Divines on the other hand aſſert, that Enoch was tranſlated into Heaven, the Coelum Empyraum,Gerh. l. 8. de Mor. 1.163, &c. Rivet. Exercit. 49. in Gen. Mr. Perkins upon Heb. 11.5 Calvin ſeems to differ, Nequetamen in coeleleſtem, gloriam tranſlatus eſt; ſed tantùm praeſentis vitae miſeriis ſolutus, donec veniret Chriſtus reſurgentium primitiae. Rivet givee you his ſenſe in theſe words, in Exercit. piiùs citatâ.Peter Martyr alſo ſpeaks ambiguouſly. Loc. Com. Cl. 32 c. 16. de raptu Heliae & Henoch. the place of the bleſſed, both ſoul and body, and that he is now there immediately with God, in a ſtate of bleſſedneſſe and perfection. 'Twas with Enoch in his Tranſlation, as it was with Elias in his; but of him 'tis ſaid, he went up by a Whirlwind into Heaven, 2 King 2.11. thither therefore did Enoch go alſo. Much is ſpoken for the juſtifying of this opinion though when all is done, the judgement will not be under ſo full a command to aſſent to it, becauſe the word is ſilent, or at leaſt doth not ſpeak ſo expreſly to it. They that will pleaſe to inquire further into it, may turn to the Authors cited in the Margent.
34A ſecond difference is as to Enochs Permanſion, in that ſtate into which he is tranſlated. The Papiſts ſay he did not die, but he ſhall come again,Nondum Henoch eſt mortuus, ſed morietur tamen aliquando, quia ſententia, &c. Aquin in Com. ad ep. ad Hebr. and then he ſhall be ſubject to death as others are; and at this comming he ſhal appear with Elias, as the two witneſſes that John ſpeaks of, and ſo he ſhall be ſlain. We ſay, he never died (againſt the Jew) and never ſhal die (againſt the Papiſt) his Paſſe to glory was extraordinary, and ſo he falls in with thoſe whom the Lord ſhall find alive at his ſecond coming they ſhall all**1 Cor. 15.51. be changed, but they ſhal not die. 'Tis true, 'tis appointed to all men once to die, but yet God can grant an exemption or extraordinary diſpenſation where he will,Si quis illud Apoſtoli objiciat, conſtitu•um eſſe omnibus ſemel mori, facilis eſt ſolutio, quòd mors non ſemper ſit Divortium animáe à corpore, led mori dicuntur, qui corruptibilem exuunt naturam, qualis erit mo•s•••um quos dies ultimus ſuperſtite•inveniet. Calv. ad loc. Rom. 5.14. Id intelligi debet de mortis jure in omnes; non quò•Deus nullos a morte poſſit eximere. Rivet. Moritu•& qui de mutatur. Draſ. for he is not ſo thereby bound, but he can act as he pleaſes. And whereas 'tis ſaid, All have ſinned, and therefore death hath paſſed upon all; that is to be underſtood in point of guilt, which makes all obnoxious to death, and to deſerve the inflicting of that as the puniſhment of ſin, yet God may give a relaxation out of his mercy and gracious Soveraignty. The objections of our adverſaries are not conſiderable further, then in what hath been hinted, and therefore I will not ſtay upon them.
Having thus briefly given you the ſenſe of the words, I ſha•now draw out the ſtrength of them by way of motive to preſ•you upon this holy walking with God. There are three thing that have a great emph ſi•in them.
Firſt, I ſay, God took him (that is) to himſelf, to be where h•to enjoy his beatific•l Preſence in Glory. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Joſeph. Ant. Jud. l. 1. c. 4. Hoc enim de Enoch legimus aut Eliah; fed & tu rapieris in Spiritu. Ecce currus Eliae, ecce ignes, etſi non videntur, p••••tur, ut juſtus aſcendat, innocens transferatur, & tua vita mori neſcit. Ambroſ. Enoch walked wi••God, and Enoch went to God. This is the happineſſe of ever child of God that walks with him, whenever he dies God take•him. Enochs paſſage was extraordinary: He was not, that wa•35to himſelfe, but Enochs Glory; for the ſubſtance of it, every holy man hath it; God took him, that's a happineſs in common to all, of whom I am ſpeaking. Let a true Chriſtian go out of the world which way God pleaſes; with God he is, with God he reſts. Death doth but bring ſuch into their Fathers Preſence, that's all the hurt it doth them. Here in the body they are abſent from the Lord,2 Cor. 5.6. Phil. 1.23. death brings them into the Preſence Chamber; when they are diſſolved, they are with Chriſt. Is it ſo? who then would not walk with God? To be with God, I ſay it again, to be with God, what tongue can expreſs, what heart can conceive what this is! 'Tis a bleſſed thing to be with the Angels (thoſe that ſtand by,Zach. 3.7. Heb. 12.23 Matth. 8.11. as the Prophet ſpeaks) with the Church of the firſt-born, the old Patriarchs, Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob; the bleſſed Apoſtles; what's Paul in the Pulpit, to Paul on the Throne, (and yet that was one thing which Auſtin would have deſired to ſee) but what's all this to be with God Himſelfe?Revel. 7.17. 1 Cor. 13.9.10. Matth. 25.23, 1 Theſ. 4.17. Revel. 14.13. Pſal. 84.4. 〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉2 Cor. 4.17, 1 Cor. 13.11. Matth. 7.23. 2 Theſ. 1.9. Pſal. 16. ult. what's the preſence of the Star to the preſence of the Sun! To be with God, what is it? Never to ſin more, never to ſorrow more, to be made perfect, to inherit his own glory, to have uninterrupted communion with him, to be at reſt, alwayes praiſing God, preſſed down with nothing but a weight of glory. I ſpeak much, and yet how like a child do I ſpeak, (and well may I ſpeak but ſo, when Paul himſelfe thinks he ſpeaks but as a child, in the ſetting out of this infinite glory.) Well, walk with God, and all this yours: when others are ſent away with a Depart from me,**Tertul. Enoch tranſlatus eſt in carne. Elias carneus raptus eſtin coelum; nec dum mortui & Paradiſi jam coloni, quod nos imitamur jejunio illi poſſident Deiconſortio, &c. Hier. ad Pammach. ſeparated from the Preſence of the Lord, you ſhall be with him, and lie in his boſome, in whoſe Preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at whoſe right hand are pleaſures for evermore.
Secondly, God took him immediately. He was not put into ſome third place, a Limbus Patru••, an Abrahams boſome (diſtinct from Heaven) there to be a Probationer or an Expectant of Glory, No! Enoch in his life was candidatus aternitatis, after his Change, he was not candidatus gloriae, but poſſeſſor gloriae. Thus it is with every holy Walker, He is not, and God takes him, as ſoon as the breath is out of his body, immediately he is with God; 'tis ſhort a cut, from the ſick bed to the glorious36 Throne. The body ind•ed, like•li•ahs m•re•l•,〈◊〉a little behind•, to be looked up here in a C•binet of duſt, but the ſoule ſtayes not, it•akes 3. quick and ſtraight••ight•s God. The body ſleeps.Gerh. de morte in fine. but the ſoule knows no ſuch thing (they are aſleep themſelves that dream of ſuch a thing) it doth not go to the pillow, but to the**Rev. 7.9. Pſychopann. Luk. 23.43. white rob•s, 'tis Calvins expreſſion Verily, I ſay unto thee, to day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe The Thiefe made Chriſt to wait long for his repenta•ce, bu•Chriſt will not make him to ſtay a jot for his glory: 'tis bu•crucified by man, and glorified by God. Will not this engage you to walk with God? who can hear theſe things, and not be wrought upon? I beſeech you thus walk, and you have but one journey more, and that is to go to God, and that ſhall be done in a moment; you go but ſlowly towards Heaven, you ſhall go apace into Heaven. Sin hinders you in your motion in grace, nothing ſhall hinder you in your motion to glory (i•the ſoul may be ſaid to move.)
Thirdly, Enoch was fit for God, or meet for God. He walked with God, and was not, God took him. Here was nothing more to be done for Enoch. but to take him. We ſay in Philoſophy, God and Nature do nothing per ſaltum; it holds true here; God doth not take a ſinner reeking in his luſt, and preſently make him an heir of glory; no, God prepares him for it.•ol. 1.12. Giv•ng thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. The cloth will not receive the ſcarlet tincture at firſt, but it muſt be prepared by ſome lighter colours; thus 'tis here, firſt there muſt be the tincture of grace, ſo to make way for the tincture of glory. If God ſhould take one that was not an Enoch to himſelfe, he would long to be from him again, Heaven would be worſe then Hell to him. Here's another motive then to ſtir you up to walk with God; then you are fit for God. You muſt be prepared for Heaven, as well as Heaven i•prepared for you. John 14, 2.Thus you cannot be, unleſs you walk with God, for holineſs is our idoneity, or aptitude, or meetneſs for glory. Act. 1.15.The unholy man is fit for hell, Judas went unto his own place. The holy man is fit for Heaven, Enoch went to his own place. Be thus, and then ſay, Lord, I am ready, my work is37 done, my heart is prepared, Come Lord Jeſus,Rev. 22.20. come and take me quickly.
The ſum of all is this, Go home and be Enoch Walkers for the time to come; as you deſire to be with God in the Kingdom of Glory, walk with God in the Kingdom of Grace. Thus live, and thus die.
Thus much for the ſecond Uſe,Vſe 3. I might add a third to help you in this walking with God. I have directed you as to matter and manner; but ſome may ſay, what ſhall we do that we may thus walk with God? 'Tis time to break off from this diſcourſe, otherwiſe I might inlarge upon theſe two or three particulars.
Firſt, if you would walk with God, you muſt get out of a ſtate of nature. Eph. 2.1.Inanimate things do not move, motion is onely proper to things that have life; men in their natural eſtate are dead, they cannot walk; ſpeak to them of this, 'tis in vain, aliquid deeſt, as he ſaid of the Statue, there wanted a ſoul, here an inward principle of life. Opportet eſſe aliquid eſſe intus, as to this walking with God. The Watch may go right for an hour or two, but 'twill not hold if the Springe be amiſſe. Natural men may take a pace or two in the waies of God, but they cannot walk unleſſe the Springe he right, unleſſe the heart be renewed.
Secondly, Serious conſideration is very requiſite to this walk. Ponder the path of thy feet. I thought on my waies, and turned my feet unto thy teſtimonies. Prov. 4.26. Pſal. 119.59.The holy man is the conſidering man. He that is not much in the duty of meditation, will be little in the way of holineſſe. Every day conſider how you walk, where you walk, what your temptations are, what ſnares are laid for you, that you may avoid them, what your way is, that you may keep in it: this will much help you in your walking with God.
Thirdly, take in the ſtrength of God to enable you thus to walk; for you cannot walk with God without God. Sine ipſo cu•ipſo ambulare impoſſibile eſt. Halls Enoch. Jer. 19.23.The way of man is not in himſelf, it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. If God do not guide you, you will loſe your way; if God do not ſtrengthen you, you will faint in the way; if God doth not by the influences of his grace, put you into the way, you will never38 get into it. Oh, pray that you may thus walk, the more dependently you live on God, the cloſer you will walk with God, the leſſe there is of ſelf, the more there will be of holineſſe. Now the God of Peace, that brought again from the dea•our Lord Jeſus Chriſt,Heb. 13.20.21. that great Shepheard of the Sheep, through the blood of the everlaſting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his Will, working in you that which is wel-pleaſing in his ſight, (viz. this holy walking) through Jeſus Chriſt, t•whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.
I have done with the Text, I now come to the Providence, the preſent afflictive Providence, which is the occaſion o•this ſad and ſolemn Aſſembly: And that is the Death and Funeral of the Reverend Mr. Richard Vines, whoſe ſoul is with God, whoſe body is with us now to be interred; confident I am, here are many hundreds in this Congregation, that coul•drop many tears into that grave, where this once uſeful body is now to be laid up as an uſeleſſe piece of clay.
I ſhall not be long in this diſcourſe; and before I enter upon it, I muſt tell you that I am very ſenſible of my unfitneſſe for this work, from firſt to laſt and therefore with muc•regret and fear (the Lord knows) did ingage in it. Alas I am but a man of yeſterday,Job 8.9. a Novice, for me to do this laſ•Office for ſuch a man as our deceaſed Father and Brother was ▪ and that too in the preſence of ſo many grave judicious, learned Miniſters, who may be my fathers, truly I bluſh at it but you may all ſpare your cenſuring of me, for I do very ſeverely cenſure my ſelf. All this had been prevented (t•your, I am ſure to my own great comfort and ſatisfaction) i•another darkiſh Providence had not interpoſed. There was worthy perſon deſign'd firſt to this work, one whoſe head an•heart God hath inured to Funeral Sermons, one who was int•mately acquainted with him that is dead and gone, and ſo ha•been for many years, one who was as willing as fit for th•ſervice, but he is at preſent Gods Priſoner, and diſ•inable•by diſtempers of body: The Lord continue his life, that he may preach many Sermons more, but no more Funeral Sermons for ſuch inſtruments as this our brother was if the Lor•pleaſe. But we'l leave the Apology, and come to the buſineſs39 Another of the Chariots and Horſemen of our Iſrael is gone:2 Kings 2.12. 2 Sam. 23. one of the three, not one of the thirty, for he may well be put amongſt the firſt, as exceeding the moſt, inferiour to none. We may this day ſay to God, with an humble ſubmiſſion to him under his correcting diſpenſations, as to the death of Miniſters Joſeph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye wil take away Benjamin, all this is againſt me. Dr. Gouge is not, Mr. Gataker is not, Mr. Strong is not, Mr. Robinſon is not,Gen. 42.36. my dear and precious friends, Dr. Hill and Mr. Whitaker are not, of late worthy memory M. Marſhal is not; all theſe are not, and now Benjamin is gone too. Theſe things are very ſad, the Lord help us to lay them to heart.
Hiſtorical Narratives are very uſual upon this occaſion, I ſhall be very ſhort in mine.
Mr. Vines was born at Blazon in the County of Lieceſter: when he was of competent age, he was ſent to the Univerſity, where he continued for ſome years a Student in Magdalene Colledge. In which time he diſcovered much quickneſs of wit, and pregnancy of parts, which though they made him lively and acute, yet never ſinful or prophane (which is a great commendation, when we conſider how apt your hot wits are to boil up to a ſcum of frothineſſe and prophaneneſſe.)
From the Ʋniverſity he was removed to Hinckley in his own Country, where for ſome time he was a Schoolmaſter. And let this be no diſparagement; I could inſtance in rare inſtruments of Gods glory in the Church of Chriſt, who began with that emploiment; but Mr. Vines is enough to himſelf, and may rather give then take credit from any.
From thence he was called to the Miniſtry at Weddington in the County of Warwick, where how diligent and painful he was in his work, 'tis ſufficiently known. Not bounding his parts and pains there, in the limits of a private village, he undertook a Lecture every fortnight at Non-eaton, which hee carried on with much profit too, and much applauſe from his hearers; inſomuch, that in thoſe days when preaching was a rare commodity, many both Miniſters and Chriſtians would travel many miles to hear him.
The late and never enough to be lamented Civil war drawing40 on, he was forced from his Houſe and Charge, for his Preſervation to go to Coventry: There he is not idle, and the inhabitants were ſo affected to his Miniſtry, that they earneſtly deſired him to ſit down with them. And indeed 'tis pity ▪ that great lights ſhould burn out in little rooms. The Parliament calling an Aſſembly of Divines, he was nominated a Member of it, and deputed to have a ſhare in that work: And 'twas a mercy to the Church of God that he was ſo, for how much ſervice he did there in the matter of Church Government, may ſafely be concealed, ſcarcely be expreſt without offence.
This was the occaſion of his coming up to this famous City: and here too, no ſooner was he come, but he had a call to Clements Danes, a very large and conſiderable Pariſh. And how effectual his preaching there was to the good of many. Some I am ſure, in this Congregation can teſtifie, not without many tears, ſo much are they troubled at the drying up of thoſe breaſts, from which for ſome years they had ſo wholeſome nouriſhment.
Afterwards he removed from thence to Watton in Hartfordſhire, was alſo choſen to be Head of a Colledge in Cambridg ▪ viz. Pembroke-Hall, who more fit for learning, for a ſpirit of Government, for ſuch a truſt then he? there he continued very uſefull and ſerviceable, till he was put out, becauſe hee would not take the Engagement, I ſay, that Engagement which was a ſtone of ſtumbling, and a rock of offence, to many tender conſcientious Miniſters in this Nation.
Raro ſolent ingenia inſigniter foelicia robuſta ſortiri corpora, ſic diſpenſante. Natura ut quod animi viribus additum eſt, corporis detrahatur, Eraſm. in Ep. Praef. ad Aug. opera. From being Paſtor of Waetton he was invited hither to Lawrence Jury, and ſo returned to London again: And here this famous light went out. Hence was his laſt removal, viz. to glory. What his carriage and behaviour was here, you know better then I; and yet ſo much I know, that I dare confidently ſay, do but lay aſide ignorance and prejudice, and you cannot but bleſſe God that ever be came amongſt you:
Long he had not been Miniſter here, but he fell into ſome decays and abatements, both in his ſpirit and ſtrength, continual pains in his head did ſomewhat cloud him, but yet Carthage might be ſeen in the very duſt of it. Hee was formerly39 of a very ſtrong conſtitution, but lately infirmities grew much upon him, which he grapled withal ſome moneths together, till God ſent his meſſenger with a final Arreſt to•ake him away from us. At the Arrival of which upon Monday morning, betwixt two and three of the Clock he•ied, at the Age of 56. or thereabouts. We bleſſe God he lived〈◊〉long, we mourn becauſe he died ſo ſoon. And 'tis thought he hight have longer liv'd, had he wrought leſſe;Job 14.14. but why do ye ſpeak of that? His appointed time was come.
And now we may bring my Text and the Providence together; or of our brother we may ſay, He walked with God,Ut eſt mode ſtiae non agnoſcere laudes hominum, it a gratitudinis eſt non tacere viros, per quos numinis benignitas tanta commoda largitur humano generi. Eraſ ib. John 5.35. Job 33 23. Acts 8.24. Ut v•ſa Aegyptiis erepta in uſum Tabernaculi converti potuerunt, ſic Literatum & Philoſophiae, ſtudia, &c. Voet in orat Fun pro Schotauo. p. 16. and he is•ot, for God hath taken him. Shall we leave him thus! A•ttle I beſeech you of his worth: you have heard much from•im, be willing to hear a little of him, partly to work upon our thankfulneſſe that you ever had him; partly, to work•pon your ſorrow, that now you have loſt him; but chiefly•hat God may have glory in raiſing up ſuch an inſtrument,•o rarely qualified and accompliſhed for his ſervice, I ſhall•o it very plainly; The Pearle needs no Art, tis beautiful e•ought in its own luſtre.
He was a burning and a ſhining light; An Interpreter, one of thouſand; of very great and eminent parts, taller by the•ead and ſhoulders then his ordinary brethren; A man•ighty in the Scriptures, another Apollos in that, exquiſitely accompliſhed in all parts of Learning; a perfect Maſter of•he Greek tongue; a good Philologer, an excellent Oratour, fitneſſe his curious and ingenious Oration, at the Funeral of•he Noble Earle of Eſſex, (in whoſe affections he had a great••tereſt,) He was a ready and piercing Diſputant, and ſo he•pproved himſelf to admiration, in thoſe two famous Trea•es, the one at Ʋxbridge, the other at Newport in the Iſle of•ight. He was a ſolid and moſt judicious Divine, who read ſuch, and concocted what he read, one who was able to give a•eighty and pithy deciſion in any controverted point. He•as a notable Confuter of errours; He ſeldome ſpoke to them,•ut he hit the bird in the very eye, and made them die, not a•ngring, but a ſudden death. Tit. 2.2.In the courſe of his Miniſtery•e was highly Orthodox, ſound in the faith, very powerful,44 very ſpirituall, his whole deſign and drift in his preaching, was to clear up that great doctrine of Juſtification (in which he was eminently ſtudied) to debaſe the righteouſneſſe of man,In cordemco iſte unusregnat Articulus, in quem fluunt & refluunt omnes m•ae Theologicae cogi rationes d ù noctuque. Luther. Iſa 50.4. and to exalt the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. He was one that knew how to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to wounded ſpirits. There was a great**Mr. Angell of Grantham. 2 Cor. 11.23. Vultis ut Do minusmeos advenier s me offendatotioſum? Calvini dictum Vid. Bcz. in vitâ Calv. Paſce ve. bo, paſce exemplo, paſce ſubſidio. Paſce verbo praedicationis doctè place exemplo converfationis ſanctè paſce ſubſidio charitatis piè. Greg in Paſtor, Light; who is now with God, who being under a ſore deſertion, did receive much comfort from him. His diligence in his work was great, in labours much, in preaching much; and to the laſt his great weakneſſes could not keep him from his Maſters work: that which would have made ſome kept their beds, could not keep him out of the Pulpit. The day before he died, being the Lords day, here he preached once, and adminiſtred the Lords Supper, and the day he died on, he was to preach a Funeral Sermon at Clements Danes. As he preach'd, ſo he liv'd; by his parts, he did〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by his graces he did〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, what he preach'd to others, he practiſ'd himſelfe, and was not like a way-mark, that ſhews others the way, but never ſtirs it ſelf.
For his natural temper, he was a man of a brave undaunted ſpirit. Some called him Luther: indeed he was another Luther, he feared not the faces of any in the diſcharging of a good conſcience. In his carriage he was ſomewhat blunt and inobſervant, but not in the leaſt proud or ſupercilious. He was ſo unblameable and inoffenſive, that nothing can juſtly be charged upon him. Two things I know are in the mouths of many, His often removing from place to place; His covetouſneſs. For the former, there is no queſtion, but that in ſome caſes a Miniſter may**Vid Bowles. Paſt. Evangel. l. 3. c. 7. remove, (though herein for the avoiding of offence, it concernes us to be very wary). And as to his particular caſe, I underſtand what his grounds were in all his removals, excepting only one, and am fully ſatisfied, that his removings upon them were lawful and warrantable, and ſo I ſuppoſe would his cenſurers be too, if they did but rightly underſtand how things were with him. For his covetouſneſſe, I ſuppoſe, by this time, that reproach is waſhed off; by what he hath left behinde him, it abundantly appears, His heart was not much in the world, if it had, ſure there would have been more of the world in his purſe. 'Tis not convenient to ſpeak out particulars, but45 this I may confidently ſay, There path not been a Miniſter of any repute in this City, for ſome yeares, who died with ſo mean an eſtate as he; and indeed, if the truth was known, they that cenſure him for this, would rather cenſure him upon another account.
But to ſhut up all. Take him as a Chriſtian, he was another Enoch, a true Walker with God, a very holy man; more I can ſpeak of none, leſſe I cannot ſpeak of him. Thus he was, but now he is not, he is gone, we ſhall never hear him, nor ſee his face more. Oh! that's a cutting word. Acts 20.38.His life was like Enoch's life, and his death very like to Enoch's Tranſlation. He died ſuddenly. He went well to bed, ſlept and died. His death was a ſleep indeed; being weary and ſpent with his work, God took him to Heaven, there to give him a Cordial; from the Pulpit he went to the Throne; as ſoon as he had ended his Sabbath here, he entred upon his everlaſting Sabbath in glory. He went warme from his work to his wages, That's a bleſſed thing, for a Miniſter to be found by death about his Lords buſineſſe. His work was done, he had finiſhed his task, was weary and feeble. God his good Maſter takes him to himſelf, crownes him with life and immortality, and in ſtead of hard labour here, calls him to that joyful work of ſinging forth praiſes and Hallelujahs to his God and Father. And here we leave him. God grant that hither we may follow him.
May be ſome will go home and ſay, I have ſpoke too much. My conſcience beares me witneſſe, I have ſpoke my heart, and what is the truth. He was a perſon of ſo much worth, that he doth go beyond all that I have ſpoken; for I may ſay of him with the Comedian, De quo non poſſum it â magnificè loqui,Terent. Id virtus quin ſuperet ſua. But others will ſay, I have ſpoke too little; that I confeſſe is a truth, but that is my weakneſſe, not my fault. I muſt anſwer this too with that of the Poet.
I ſhall crave leave to adde foure words to you, my ſad and ſerious Auditours, and ſo I ſhall diſmiſſe you. I ſhall ſpeak to42 you in a fourefold capacity; As private Chriſtians, As Miniſters, As Pariſhioners, As Relations.
Firſt, as you are private Chriſtians; and in that conſideration, let me hint a few things to you.
1. Be deeply affected with ſuch black Providences as this is. The loſſe of a Miniſter is a great loſſe. The death of a private Chriſtian is ſad, the death of a good Miniſter is more ſad, but the death of a godly and able Miniſter, ſuch a one as our brother was,2 Kings 2.12. this is very ſad indeed. My Father, my Father, the Chariots of Iſrael, and the Horſemen thereof. The more publick is the loſſe, the more it is to be lamented: Godly Miniſters are men that are placed in a publick Orbe, and therefore their loſſe is much to be laid to heart. What do you loſe when you loſe your godly Miniſters? conſider what the Scripture makes them to be,Ezck. 3.17. 1 Cor 4 1. 1 Cor. 4.15. Mat. 5 14. Watchmen, Stewards, Fathers, Lights, &c. and you'll ſee you loſe much when they are taken away; and more then this, there cannot be a ſadder preſage of approaching judgments to a Nation, then the death of ſuch. When God pulls up the ſtakes, he intends to burn the hedge; when the pillars are removed, the houſe is like to fall; upon theſe and other motives, be ſeriouſly and deeply affected with ſuch diſpenſations as this is; God looks for this from you, and his Providences call you to it:Iſa. 57.1. but wo unto us, The righteous periſh, and no man layes it to heart.
Secondly, Put away thoſe things which cauſe God to ſhorten the lives of painful Miniſters. I might reckon up many; you caſt dirt upon them, and God caſts duſt upon them; you contemn them, and vilifie them; 'tis one of the ſins of the age. Jeroboam made Prieſts of the baſeſt of men; and now thoſe that ſerve in their ſtead, are made the baſeſt of men. The Heathens will riſe up in judgement againſt us,Amongſt the Egypt: Prieſts were〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Diod. Sicul. Of Alexander. See Joſ. Ant, Jud l. 11 c. 8. who alwayes honoured thoſe that adminiſtred in the matters of their worſhip. But I'le only inſtance in one thing: you are unfruitful and barren under all the paines of godly Miniſters: they preach in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, waſte their ſtrength, ſpend their lungs, preach out their very hearts, and yet you never the better: this makes God to take them away in judgement to you for your unprofitableneſſe. 'Tis your ſin that haſtens their end; if you did thrive better, they would live longer.
43Thirdly, when you mourn becauſe ſo many are gone, be thankful becauſe ſo many are left. God hath taken many Labourers out of his Vineyard in a little time; but many are yet ſpared: 'Tis of the Lords mercy, Eliſha is not ſnatch't away too. Well,Phil. 1.25. they are ſpared a little for the furtherance of your joy and faith: prize them, and profit by them, or elſe they alſo ſhall be removed from you.
Secondly, let me take the boldneſſe to ſpeak a word to you my Brethren and Fathers in the Miniſtery. Though I am but an Elihu, yet ſuffer the word of Exhortation from me. Job. 32.6.You ſee you are mortal as well as others, nay, indeed your lives are more uncertain then others: your frequent labours, your conſuming ſtudies, your ſpending emploiments drive you to the grave faſter then others. The Prophets,Zech. 1.5. 1 Cor. 15. ult. do they live for ever? I would from hence ſtir you up to abound in the work of the Lord, to improve your opportunities of ſervice whil'ſt health and ſtrength are afforded to you, to double your diligence, to work whil'ſt the day laſts, becauſe the night is coming, when no man can work. John 9.4.You are ſpared when others are taken away, there are fewer hands, you muſt be the more diligent; this may be will haſten death, but this I am ſure, it will ſweeten death, and make you go out of the world, if not with love from men, yet with peace in your own conſciences, 'twill be in the ſtead of a thouſand cordials to you when you come to die. Lord, thou knoweſt I have not been idle. I have according to my poor talent glorified thee on earth, and now glorifie thou me,John 17.4. &c. Be not too much caſt down at the taking away of ſuch eminent inſtruments as this was, for God will raiſe up others; he never wanted inſtruments as yet to do his work. If he take away an Eli, he'll provide a Samuel; if there be need of eminent inſtruments for the beating down of errour, the holding up of Truth. Such God will provide. He'll have an Athanaſius for an Arius, an Auguſtine for a Pelagius, a Proſper for a Coeleſtine, a Fulgentius for a Fauſtus. I ſay, let's not be caſt down, God will never want Workmen to do his work: only let us make this uſe of it, we that are remaining Eliſha's, to get Elijah's ſpirit doubled upon us, to treaſure up a large ſtock of grace and knowledge, that we may be able to40 bear ſome conſiderable weight when old pillars are gone; and to increaſe our diligence, as God increaſes our work.
Thirdly, I ſhall ſuggeſt ſomething to you the Inhabitants of this Pariſh, who have the deepeſt ſhare in this ſad Providence, for though the Eclipſe reaches further; yet 'tis darkeſt in your borders. God hath ſmote your Shepherd, and you are like to be for a time as a ſcattered flock;Zech. 13.7. a Shepherd you may have again, but every Shepherd is not Mr. Vines: ſhall I inminde you of two or three duties.
1. Bleſſe God for that merciful proviſion which he hath made for you, in a ſucceſſion of godly Paſtours. Not many places in this City have been better fed then you, to the praiſe of his Grace be it ſpoken.
Secondly, Study what is the meaning of God, in the taking away of your Miniſters ſo faſt. Two you have loſt in a little time, though by different wayes. The one burnt out like a candle, that hath no more matter to maintain its burning, the other was blowen out. This our brother, now to be interr'd was taken away by the Hand of God, the former Miniſter was taken away by the hand of man, whether juſtly or not, the great day will diſcover, when Kings and Parliaments muſt give a ſtrict account, eſpecially for blood, and that too eſpecially for the blood of precious Miniſters.
Thirdly, Do not forget them, though you cannot enjoy them; Let the precious truths they preach'd, always be ſounding in your ears,Heh. 11 4. Heb. 13.7. for though they be dead, they do yet ſpeak. Remember them who have ſpoken to you the Word of God, though now they are laid aſide. You do remember them in ſome ſenſe, witneſſe the large expreſſions of your love to the widows, which the two laſt left behinde them, which I cannot but mention to your praiſe, but remember them further, ſo as to live according to that they have ſet before you. This affection is the beſt affection, this will be their crown and yours too at the day of judgement.
Fourthly, if I ſhall not preſume too far, let me adviſe you to be careful in your choice again; that when you ſhall come to that ſerious buſineſſe, you may pitch upon one, who by his Doctrine and Life, may build upon the ſame foundation, upon40 which your worthy Paſtours hitherto have done. My advice may be will give offence, but I hope my prayer will not; I heartily pray, that God will direct you herein to do that which may be moſt for his glory and your ſoules good.
Laſtly, I ſhall ſpeak to you the near and dear relations of this our deceaſed brother: you mourn, you have cauſe to mourn, we mourn with you, we lament for the publike, we ſympathize with you for your private affliction. You have loſt much, a dear husband, a loving father; but mourn not as without hope, quietly ſubmit to God, who hath put this cup into your hand. 1 Theſſ. 4.13. 1 Sam. 3.18.It is the Lord, be ſilent. He is gone, but whither? to be with God. He is not, but he is; He is not with you, but he is with Chriſt. He is taken, but God hath taken him; He that gave, he took; ſay; (though it be hard) Bleſſed be the Lord. If you lov'd me, you would rejoyce, becauſe I go unto my Father. Job 1. ult. John 14.28.He is better where he is, then where he was; for here a poor decaying man, but there a glorious triumphing Saint. The Lord make up this great loſſe to you, to the Pariſh, to the City, to the whole Church of God.
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