: fended at Christianity, because of the lies and falsehoods of Christians. But surely they were but nominal Christians, and no true Christians, that ever they found such and it is a pity that Christianity should be judged of through the world, by the lives of them that never were Christians but from the teeth outward, and the skin that was washed in baptism. They that will lie to God, and covenant to be his holy servants, when they hate his holy service, will lie to man, when their self-interest requires it. When they seem to repent, and honour him with their tongues; 'they flatter him with their mouth, and lie to him with their tongues; for their heart is not right with him, neither are they stedfast in his covenant.' God saith, 'ye shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie one to another. A righteous man hateth lying.'' The lying tongue is but for a moment;' for God hates it, and it is an 'abomination to him.'-The lovers and makers of lies are shut out of the kingdom of Christ.' But above all, false teachers that preach and prophesy lies, and deceive the rulers and people of the earth, are abominable to God. When Ahab was to be destroyed, a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets deceived them. And if a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.' " 7. Above all, false witness and perjury should be most odious to the servants of the God of truth. A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish. When thou vowest a vow to God, defer not to pay it,' saith David. Thy vows are upon me, O God,' and 'unto thee shall the vow be performed.' Perjury is a sin that seldom escapes vengeance, even in this life. The instances of Saul the first, and Zedekiah the last of the kings of Judah, before the desolation, are both very terrible. Saul's posterity must be hanged, to stay the famine that came upon the people for his breaking a vow that was made by Joshua, and not by him, though he did it in zeal for Israel. Zedekiah's case you may see, in 2 Chron. xxvi. Ezek. xvii. He that swears, appeals to God as the searcher of hearts, and avenger of perjury. The perjured person chooses the vengeance of God. He is unfit, till he repent, to be a member of any civil society. For he dissolves the bond of all societies. He cannot well be supposed to make conscience of any sin or villany in the world, against God, his country, his king, his friend or neighbour, that makes no conscience of an oath. It is not easy to name a greater wickedness out of hell, than to approve of perjury by laws or doctrine. And whether the church of Rome do so or not, I only desire them to consider that have read the third canon of the council at Lateran under Pope Innocent the Third, where an approved general council decrees, that the Pope discharges vassals from their allegiance or fidelity to those temporal lords that exterminate not heretics (as they call them) out of their dominions. What shall restrain men from killing kings, or any villany, if once the bond of oaths be nullified? But scripture saith, keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.' No man defends perjury by name: but to say that men that swear to do that which God commands, or forbids not, are not bound to keep that oath; or that the Pope may absolve men, or disoblige them that swore fidelity to temporal lords, when once the Pope hath excommunicated them, seems to me of the same importance. CHAP. XX. The next attribute to be spoken of, is, his mercifulness, and his long suffering patience, which we may set together. This is implied in his goodness, and the relation of a Father before expressed. Mercy is God's goodness inclining him to prevent or remove his creatures' misery. It is not only the miserable that are the objects of it, but also those that may be miserable; it being as truly mercy to keep us out of it foreseen, as to deliver us out of it when we were in it. Hence it is, that he takes not pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he may turn and live.' And hence it is that he afflicts not willingly, nor grieves the children of men. Not that his mercy engages him to do all that he can do for the salvation of every sinner, or absolutely to prevent or heal his misery; but it is his attribute, chiefly considered as governor of the rational creature; and so his mercy is so great to all, that he will destroy none but for their wilful sin, and shut none among us out of heaven, but those that were guilty of contemning it. God doth not prevent the sinner with his judgment, but with his grace he often doth. He never punishes before we are sinners, nor ever decreed so to do, as all will grant. He punishes none, where his foregoing commands and warnings have had their due effect for the prevention: and therefore because the precept is the first part of his law, and the threatening is but subservient to that, and the first intent of a governor is to procure obedience, and punishing is but upon supposition that he misses of the first; therefore is God said not to afflict willingly; because he doth it not, for so the distinction is found, not as a law-giver, and ruler by those laws con of the law-breakers. But yet God's mercy is no sidered before the violation; but only as a judge | nature, temperature and constitution. How unspeakable is the love of God, that provides so sweet a life for his servants, even in their warfare and pilgrimage in this world; that mercy must be as it were the air that they breathe in, the food which they must live upon; and the remembrance, improvement, and thankful mention of it, must be the business and employment of their lives! With what sweet affections, meditations, and expressions should we live, if we lived but according to the rate of those mercies upon which we live! Love and joy, thanks and praise, would be our very lives. What sweet thoughts would mercy breed and feed in our minds when we are alone; what sweet apprehensions of the love of God, and life eternal, should we have in prayer, reading, sacraments, and other holy ordinances! Sickness and health, poverty and wealth, death as well as life would be comfortable to us: for all is full of mercy to the vessels of mercy. O Christians, what a shame is it that God is so much wronged, and ourselves so much defrauded of our peace and joy, by passing over such abundance of great invaluable mercies, without tasting their sweetness, or well considering what we receive! Had we David's heart, what songs of praise would mercy teach us to indite! How affectionately should we recount the mercies of our youth and riper age; of every place and state that we have lived in, to the honour of our gracious Lord, and the encouragement of those that know not how good and merciful he is! But you will say, if God had rather men did not sin, why doth he not hinder it? I answer, 1. He had not absolutely and simply rather; that is, so far as to do all that he can to prevent it, nor all that without which he foreknows it will not be prevented: but he doth much against sin as a law-giver, and nothing for it; he causes us not, but persuades us from it; and therefore, as a ruler, he may be said to have rather that men did not sin, or rather that they would turn and live. 1. The mercy of God, therefore should lead sinners to repentance, and shame them from their sin, and lead them up to God in love. 2. Mercy should encourage sinners to repent, as well as engage them to it: for we have to do with a merciful God, that hath not shut up any among us in despair, nor forbid them to come in, but continues to invite when we have often refused, and will undoubtedly pardon and welcome all that return. 3. Mercy being specially the portion of the saints, must keep them in thankfulness, love and comfort and all mercies must be improved for their proper ends when a merciful God is pleased to fill up his servant's lives with such great and various mercies as he doth, it should breed a continual sweetness upon their hearts, and cause them to study the most grateful retribution. He should breathe forth nothing but thankfulness, obedience and praise, who breathes nothing but mercies from God. As the food that men live upon, will be seen in their temperature, health and strength; so they that live continually upon mercies, should be wholly turned into love and thankfulness it should become as it were their : : But withal, see that you contemn not, or abuse not mercy use it well; for it is mercy that you must trust to in the hour of your distresses. do not trample upon mercy now, lest you be confounded when should cry you for mercy in your extremity. 4. The mercifulness of God, must cause his servants to imitate him in a love of mercy: 'be merciful, for your heavenly Father is merciful.''Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.' Be merciful in your censures: be merciful in your retributions: you are none of God's children, if you love not your enemies, pray not for them that curse you, and do not good to them that hate and persecute you, according to your power. If you forgive not men their trespasses, but take your brother by the throat, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses. Mark, that even while he is called 'your heavenly Father,' yet he will not forgive, if you forgive not. Unmerciful men are too unlike to God, to claim any interest in his saving mercy, in the hour of their extreme misery. Men of cruelty, blood, and violence he abhors: and is a consuming fire. When we come to worship usually they do not live out half their days; but in the holy assemblies, we should think, as Jathey that bite and devour one another, are de- cob,' How dreadful is this place This is none voured one of another. The last judgment will other but the house of God, and this is the gate pass much according to men's works of mercy of heaven.' Especially when God seems to frown to the members of Christ. He shall have judg- upon the soul, his servants must humble themment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy: selves before him, and deprecate his wrath, as and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.- Pure Jeremiah did; Be not a terror to me.' It ill religion, and undefiled, before God and the becomes the best of men, to make light of the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widows frowns and threatenings of God. Also when in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted he deals with us in judgment, and we feel the in the world.'' He that having this world's smart of his chastisements, though we must regoods, seeth his brother in need, and shutteth member that he is a Father, yet withal we must up the bowels of his compassion from him, how consider that he shows himself an offended dwelleth the love of God in him?' But above Father: therefore true and deep humiliation all cruelty, there is none more devilish than hath ever been the course of afflicted saints, to cruelty to souls. And in those that undertake turn away the wrath of a terrible God. the place of pastors, cruelty to men's souls is a far greater sin than in any others. To starve those that they undertake to feed; and to seduce those whom they undertake to guide, and be wolves to those whose shepherds they pretend to be, and to prefer their worldly honours and ease, before the souls of many thousands; to be so cruel to souls, when Christ hath been so mer-pleasure, nor any terrors to be compared to those, ciful to them, as to come down on earth to seek and save them, and to give his life a ransom for them; this will one day be so heavy a charge, that the man that must stand as guilty under it, will a thousand times wish, that a millstone had been hanged about his neck, and he had been cast into the bottom of the sea,' before he had betrayed or murdered souls, or offended one of the little ones of Christ. Be merciful to men's souls and bodies, as ever you would find mercy with a merciful God in the hour of your necessity and distress. CHAP. XXI. 2. But above all, what cause have the ungodly to tremble at the dreadfulness of that God, who is engaged in justice, (except they be converted) to treat them for ever as his unpardoned enemies. As there is no felicity like the favour of God; and no joy comparable to his children's joys; so is there no misery like the sense of his dis which his wrath inflicts without end on the ungodly. O wretched sinner! what hast thou done to make God thine enemy? what could hire thee to offend him by thy wilful sin? and to do that which thou knewest he forbids and condemned in his word? What madness caused thee to make a mock at sin and hell, and to play with the vengeance of the Almighty; what gain did hire thee to cast thy soul into the danger of damnation? Canst thou save by the match, if thou win the world and lose thy soul? Didst thou not know who it was thou hadst to do with; it had been better for thee that all the world had been offended with thee, even men and angels, great and small, than the most dreadful God? Didst thou not believe him, when he told thee how he was resolved to judge and punish the ungodly? what caused thee to venture upon the consuming fire? Didst thou not know that as he is merciful, so he is jealous, holy, just and terrible? In the name of God, I require and intreat thee, fly to his mercy in Jesus Christ; and hearken speedily to his grace, and turn at his reproof and warning; to-day, while it is called to-day, harden not thy heart, but hear his voice, lest he resolve in his wrath that thou shalt never enter into his rest; there is no enduring, there is no overcoming, there is no contending with an angry, dreadful, holy God: repent therefore and turn to him, and obey the voice of mercy that thy soul may live. 3. The dreadfulness of God, doth tell both | bunal of God: and how dreadful it is for such a good and bad, the great necessity of a Mediator. soul to fall into the hands of the living God. At What an unspeakable mercy is it that God hath least save your own souls, by the faithful disgiven us his Son; and that by Jesus Christ we charge of so great a duty; and if they will take may come with boldness and confidence into the no warning, let them at last remember, when presence of the dreadful God, that else would it is too late, that they were told in time what have been to us a greater terror than all the they should see and feel at last, and what their world, yea, than Satan himself. The more we latter end would prove; and that God and man did are apprehensive of our distance from God, and warn them in compassion, though they perish beof his terrible majesty, and his more terrible jus- cause they would have no compassion or mercy tice against such sinners as we have been, the upon themselves. Thus let the terribleness of more we shall understand the mystery of redemp- God provoke you, to do your duty with speed tion, and highly value the mediation of Christ. and zeal, for the converting and saving of miserable souls. 4. Lastly, let the dreadfulness of God, prevail with every believing soul, to pity the ungodly that pity not themselves. O pray for them, O warn them, exhort them, intreat them, as men that know the terror of the Lord. If they knew, as well as you do, what sin is, and what it is to be children of wrath, and what it is to be unpardoned, unjustified, and unsanctified, they would pity themselves, and cry for mercy, mercy, mercy, from day to-day, till they were recovered into a state of life, and turned from the power of Satan unto God. Alas, they know not what it is to die, and to see the world to come, and to appear before a dreadful God: they know not what it is to be in hell-fire; nor what it is to be glorified in heaven: they never saw or tried these things, and they want the faith by which they must be foreseen by those that are yet short of nearer knowledge: you therefore that have faith to foreknow these things, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God. O pity and warn, and help the miserable! Tell them how much easier it is to escape hell, than to endure it: and how much easier a holy life on earth is, than the endless wrath of the most dreadful God. Tell them that unbelief, presumption, and security, are the certain means to bring them their misery, but will do nothing to keep it off; though they may keep off the present knowledge and sense of it, which would have driven them to seek a cure. Tell them that death and judgment are at hand, and that when they laugh, or sport, or scorn, and jest at the displeasure of the dreadful God, it is posting toward them, and will be upon them before they are aware; and when they slumber, their damnation slumbers not: but while unbelieving sinners say, Peace, peace, sudden destruction will come upon them, as unexpected travail on a woman with child, and they shall not escape. O tell them how dreadful a thing it is, for a soul that is unregenerated and unsanctified, to go from that body which it pampered, and sold its salvation to please, and to appear at the tri Thus I have briefly set before you the glass in which you may see the Lord, and told you how he must be known: and how he must be conceived of in our apprehensions; and how the knowledge of God must be improved, and what impressions it must make upon the heart, and what effect it must have upon our lives: blessed, and for ever blessed, are those souls, that have the true and lively image of this God, and all these his attributes imprinted on them, as to the creature they are communicable. O that the 'veil were taken from our hearts, that we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, may be changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord,' and may increase and live in the knowledge of the true and only God, and of Jesus Christ, which is eternal life. Amen. PART II. OF WALKING WITH GOD. "And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him."-GEN. v. 24. CHAP. I. THE TEXT EXPOUNDED, AND THE DUTY BEING to speak of our converse with God in solitude, I think it will not be unsuitable, nor unserviceable to the ends of that discourse, if I here premise a short description of the general duty of practical godliness, as it is called in scripture, 'a walking with God.' It is here commended to us in the example of holy Enoch, whose excellency is recorded in this signal character, that, ' he walked with God :' and his special reward expressed in the words following, and he was not, for God took him.' I shall speak most of | a derived stream. To have the soul unfeignedly his character, and then somewhat of his reward. resign itself to him as his own; and subject itThe Samaritan and vulgar Latin versions strictly translate the Hebrew as we read it: but the interpretation of the Septuagint, the Syriac, the Chaldee and the Arabic, are rather good expositions (all set together) of the meaning of the word, than strict translations. The Septuagint and Syriac read it, 'Enoch pleased God.' The Chaldee hath, Enoch walked in the fear of God.' The Arabic, he walked in obedience to God.' Indeed to walk in the fear and obedience of God, and thereby to please him, is the principal thing in our walking with God. The same character is given of Noah in Gen. vi. 19. and the extraordinary reward annexed: he and his family were saved in the deluge. And the holy life which God commanded Abraham is called, a walking before God: Walk before me, and be thou perfect.' In the New Testament the Christian conversation is ordinarily called by the name of 'walking.' Sometimes a 'walking in Christ' sometimes a 'walking in the Spirit, in which we live,' and a 'walking after the Spirit;' sometimes a 'walking in the light, as God is in the light.' Those that abide in Christ must so walk even as he hath walked.' These phrases set together tell us, what it is to walk with God. But I think it not unprofitable somewhat more particularly to show you what this walking with God contains. As atheism is the sum of wickedness, so all true religiousness is called by the name of godliness or holiness, which is nothing else but our devotedness to God, living to him, and our relation to him as thus devoted in heart and life. Practical atheism is a living as without God in the world. Godliness is contrary to practical atheism, and is a living as with and to God in the world and in the church, and is here called a walking with God. It contains in it these particulars. 1. To walk with God includes the practical acknowledgment, that is made by the will as well as the understanding, of the grand attributes of God, and his relations to man; that he is infinite in his being, that is, immense and eternal; as also in his power, wisdom and goodness: that he is the Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier: that he is our absolute Lord, or owner, our most righteous governor, and most bountiful benefactor, or Father: that of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: that in him we live, and move, and have our being: that he is the fountain, or first cause, from which all proper being, truth and goodness in the creature is but self to him as our governor, walking in the awe of his sovereign power; sensible of the strong obligation of his laws, which reason, justice and necessity all command us to obey. To live as in full dependence on him; to have the first and greatest respect unto him: a more observant respect to him than to our rulers: a more obedient respect to him than to our masters: a more dependent, tender, and honourable respect to him than to parents, or our nearest friends. Thus he that comes to God,' as God, and so as to be accepted of him, 'must believe that he is,' and (what he is in his relations to man, especially that as our governor and benefactor) that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' The impress of a Deity in his essential and relative attributes must be upon the heart of him that walks with God. Yea, the being of God must be much more remarkable to him, than the being of all creatures; and his presence more regarded, than the presence of the creature: and all things must be to us in comparison of God, as a candle is in comparison of the sun: his greatness and transcendent excellencies must so overpower them all, as to make them less observed and regarded, by his taking up our chief observation and regard. : 2. Our walking with God includes our reconciliation to him, and that we are not in our natural state of enmity, but made his children and friends in Christ. Can two walk together unless they be agreed? Enmity is against unity; disaffection causes aversion, and flying from each other: yea, the fears of a guilty child may make him fly from his father's presence, till there be a particular reconciliation, besides the general state of reconciliation. A provoking, faulty child doth dwell with God his Father, though under the continual terror of his frowns: but to walk with him, in the full sense, is more than to be related to him, and to dwell with him in a large sense indeed all God's children may be said to walk with him, as it signifies only a conversation, ordered in godliness, sincerity and simplicity. But in this sublimer sense, as it signifies a lively exercise of faith, love, and heavenly-mindedness, and a course of complacent contemplation, and holy converse with God, so it is proper only to some of the sounder and more vigilant, industrious believers. And hereto it is necessary, not only that we be justified and reconciled to God from our state of enmity, but also that we be pardoned, justified, and reconciled from our particular falls, which are more than the ordinary |