in that way that it hath been walking in all this while though never so pleasant a way though never so sutable to the flesh the Lord forbid that I should go on in that way that I have walked in There 's a stop caused Secondly The Lord manifests to the soul the way of life what the way of life is This stop of the soul is just like to that we reade of Saul that when he was posting on in the way of death there did shine a light round about him and caused him to stop so that he could go no further But then I say the Lord manifests to the soul what the way of life is In the 30. of Isa 21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it Oh! how many are there that can tell this by experience that they have been walking in the waies of death of eternal misery and blest themselves in those waies But there was a blessed time wherein God caused them to hear a voice as it were behind them saying This is the way walk-in it you are out of the way but here 's the way of life if you would not perish eternally here 's the way walk in this way It is a secret voice that the Lord causes to be heard in the soul but yet a powerful voice perhaps you have come to the Word and have heard what the way of life is but yet that never hath given a turn to your hearts but when God would have the soul to come in to walk with him he causes the soul besides the outward voice of the Word to hear a voice behind in secret and yet powerfully saying Oh! this is the way Oh thou poor soul that are wandring from the way of life and art going on in the way of eternall death Come in come in here 's another way This is the way walk in it And so the Lord gives a mighty turn to the soul by that secret voice Thirdly The Lord makes peace between himself and a sinner He doth reveal the doctrine of Reconciliation For a sinner at first when he comes to have his eyes enlightened when he comes to know himself and to know God Certainly God at first cannot but appear terrible to a sinner that hath walked in the waies of death formerly and though I see my way to be dangerous and I see another way to be good Oh but God is terrible to me and how can two walk together that are not at peace In Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed saith the text Oh there is naturally an enmity between Man and God every man in the world is naturally an enemy to God and can there be two walking together unless they be agreed Oh! you that are going on in the waies of enmity with God surely you are strangers to this way of walking with God can you walk with God before you are agreed no soul can have this testimony given of it that he hath walked with God but such a soul as is reconciled to him God doth manifest that in some measure to the soul before it's able thus to walk with him as here Enoch did and certainly Enoch came to walk with God by this for the holy Ghost in the forenamed place of the 11. of the Heb. saith It was by faith that he did it and without faith it 's impossible to please God that 's as much as without faith it 's impossible to walk with God The holy Ghost means the same thing when the Apostle saith that he did walk by faith and without faith it 's impossible to please God therefore there must be a work of faith to bring the soul to be reconcil'd and that there may be an agreement between the soul and God before it can walk with him That 's the third thing Fourthly Though there be peace made so that God doth not appear as an enemy against the soul yet there may be some strangness after peace made There was peace made between David and Absalom David was passified towards him yet he would not see his face for a while he would have been gone from his presence there should not be that converse with him in that familier way as a child with the father for a while So though there be peace made yet there 's requir'd a further work of God for the souls walking with him that is That God should render himself in loveliness and fulness of mercy and sweetness and delightfulness unto the soul that there may be a familiarity between the soul and God It 's one thing for me to know God is not as an enemy to me that he doth not intend wrath and misery against me and another thing for the soul to apprehend the sweet delightful countenance of God and the imbracements in the arms of his mercy and those condescentions of God that he is willing to come and deal with us as a friend with his friend in a familiar way Therefore that 's a fourth work the Lord is pleased to manifest himself to the soul in the sweetness of his love and his delight Not only thou art that soul that shalt not be damn'd that shalt eternally be sav'd but thou art the soul that my soul delights in thou art one that I take as my friend and that I love to deal with in all sweetness and to bring into a familiarity with my self This is that that is manifested to the soul for the bringing of it to this walking with God that here the holy Ghost speaks of concerning Enoch Fifthly The Lord is pleased to send his holy Spirit to guide the soul To himself and to guide it in walking With himself In the 8. Rom. it 's said All that are the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God As a father when he walks with the child he gives him his hand and leads along the child with himself when any comes to be a child of God God puts forth his hand and leads him and so they walk together As have you not seen somtimes a father and child walking in the garden the father puts forth his finger and the child takes hold of it and so walks along with him even so the Lord puts forth his Spirit into a gracious soul and God and the soul thus walks together being led by the Spirit of God in the 35. Isa 8 9. there you may see what the Lord speaks of the way of the redeemed ones And an high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein Though they be very weak and fools yet they shall not err therein And no Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there that 's the
see a beauty and excellencie in the waies of Religion by your Conversation Oh! better a thousand times better that you be cut short of these things in the world than that you should scandalize the waies of God and the profession of the Name and Gospel of Jesus Christ The Thirteenth Evil. Earthly-mindednesse it doth exceedingly hinder preparation for death and it is like to make death to be very grievous and terrible to them when it comes that are like the rich fool in the Gospel In the 21. of Luke the 34. verse this I have from the Scripture Take heed to your selves Christ here speaks to his Disciples lest at any time your hedrts be over-charged with surfitting and drunkenness and cares of this life he puts them together It 's very strange you will say that Christ should speak this to his Disciples to forewarn them of this we do not think that they were drunkards so as to follow after Taverns and Ale houses or to reel in the streets but by this drunkennesse he means any excesse in the use of the creatures in meat or drink and professors of Religion may be subject to that to give up themselves too much to sensual delights and excesse in the use of the creature but besides that though many there are that would abhor glutteny and drunkennesse yet the cares of this life takes up their hearts therefore saith Christ Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts he over charged with the cares of this life why what evil would the over-charging of the heart which the cares of this life bring mark saith the text And so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole earth watch ye therefore and pray alwaies c. I may apply this to death though the Scripture be speaking of Christs coming now in the time of death Christ comes particularly there is a particular day of Judgment at the day of death it may likewise be applied to the time of any affliction and then it may be inlarged thus and so then the evil of earthly-mindednesse appears in this that it doth hinder the preparation of the soul for afflictions Oh! earthly-mindednesse will make thine affliction to be grievous and heavie to thee an affliction is a very grievous thing to an earthly spirit if God comes to take away any comforts of this world now because thy heart cleaves so close to them there must be a rending of them from thee and that will put thee to pain a man that hath his garments loose he can easily put them off when he goes to bed at night but if a man hath a sore upon his body and his inward garments shall cleave to the sore If he puls them off then it puts him to a great deal of pain Oh then he cries out of his pain Truly this earthly-mindednesse comes from distemper of spirit and the things of the earth they cleave to the hearts of men and women that are earthly as the inward garment should cleave to a sore on a mans body and now when afflictions or death comes to take the things of the earth from them or them from the things of the earth Oh it 's painful to them it 's grievous to them and for one that hath an earthly spirit a hundred to one if he hath any light of conscience left in him but his conscience will trouble him in time of sicknesse and then tell him how he hath spent his time and strength of his spirit about the things of of the earth whereas they should have bin spent about more excellent things and when he comes to die then his spirit will be troubled I am now to leave all these things that I have spent my care and thoughts upon and let out my heart about and what good is it to me now that I shall leave so much more than my neighbor doth what great content is this to me when I am upon my sick and death bed what comfort can I have in all the good things I have enjoyed yes it may be through the earthlinesse of my spirit I have enjoyed but little of them but I have had carking thoughts about them But now death is like to be to me as a Strainer that strains out the good and leaves the drosse and the dirt behind it And so all the good of the things of this world is gone But the guiltinesse that I have contracted upon my spirit with my immoderate care and affections that I have let out upon the world that now is upon my spirit Oh! death hath been very grievous to worldly spirits I remember there 's one that liv'd in a place not far from the place that I have formerly liv'd in a covetous earthly spirit when he was to die cals for his Money and fals a swearing Must I leave you now speaking to his Bags and hugging of them What! must I leave you now An earthly man that had spent his spirits and strength upon these things and indeed let out his heart to them as his portion and then he sees that he must be stript from all must bid an eternal fare-wel to all no more houses nor lands nor comming-in nor money Oh! death is grievous to such a one Now what should be the life of a Christian but a continual preparation for death Many of the Heathens said of Philosophy that it was but a preparation for death A special excellency of Christianity consists in this that it is a Preparative for death and therefore you should let out your hearts to the things of this world so as to be continually thinking of death that when God cals you to depart from these things that you may do it with ease with as much ease as a man when he is going to bed casts off his cloaths that are loose about him for so the grave is as a bed to the Saints where they fall asleep when they die and so they may lay down all things and go to their sleep with ease and peace A man or woman that can have their consciences tell them I have been diligent in my calling but God knows through faithfulnesse to him rather than lâ—â—e to the world and I have kept my heart close to God and faithful to him I can bid the world now farewel as the world hath done with me so I have done with it so long as my time was to work for God God continued those things that this frail nature of mine had need of and now my work is done farewell the the comforts of this world I expect other kind of comforts that I am now going to So such a one that is spiritual may die with comfort but those that have their hearts overcharged with the cares of this life they will have the day of Christ come upon them unawares The Fourteenth Evil Earthly-mindednesse is that that will bring destruction
Not only to do the same thing to make the will of God to be the rule of it But to have the same ends that God hath What 's the end that God hath in all his waies Surely it is that his blessed Name may be magnified that his glory may be set forth I 'le drive on the same design that shall be the great design of my life it 's that that my soul shall aim at as the highest end of all things and all things shall be subordinate to this end even The glory and honor of God it 's that that God aims at and therefore that which I 'le aim at thus the soul goes along with God as now A man may be said to go along with another man when they do both drive on the same designs Oh! this is a blessed thing indeed We shall speak to that hereafter but the very opening what it is shews much of the excellency of it and I beseech you as you go along examine your own hearts see whether by the very mentioning of these things you be not strangers to God examine by the workings of God in bringing your souls to walk with him or otherwise by the way of the soul in eying God in behaving its self as in the presence of God in making the Will of God to be its rule and in driving on the design that God doth Walking with God is the observing the administrations of God and suting the soul to them Fifthly It is the observing of the several administrations of God and the suting of the soule to the several administrations of God in the world I open that thus God sometimes seems to work in one way sometimes in another way now the soul that walks with God observes which are the several waies and administrations of God in the world and let me saith the soul labor to sute my heart with them that 's thus sometimes the Lord is in a way of judgments in the world heavie and dreadful afflictions yea sometimes against his own Saints and People then let me sute my heart according to this Oh Lord we will wait upon thee in the waies of thy judgments saith the Church in Isa Are we under Gods way of judgments in a way of afflictions Lord we will sute our selves to honor thee there according to that way we will labor to exercise those graces that are sutable to these administrations of thine And Lord art thou in a way of mercy we will sute our selves accordingly and labor to draw forth and exercise our graces that are sutable to those waies of thine And art thou in a way of affliction in my family or in a way of mercy Lord I will labor to exercise those graces that are sutable to those waies of thine This is to walk with God As when we walk with a man if he turn this way then I set my self to go with him and if he turns another way then I sute my self to go with him that way so though the waies of God be never so variōus yet the soul that walks with God is sutable to those waies of God Oh this is a great Art a great Mystery to sute a mans self to these several administrations of God in the world You shall have some that if God go in a way of mercy Oh there they can bless praise God and they think that this is to walk with God but if God turns his back upon thee and takes away thy choisestearthly comfort it may be thy deerest yoke-fellow so comes in a way of affictions how canst thou sute with Gods waies then When God was in a way of mercy then my exercise was in joy and thanksgiving and speaking good of his Name but now the Lord is in a way of afflictions now I exercise faith on God now I exercise patience now I exercise Christian wisdom to know what good I can get out of this hand of God that what courses soever God takes yet still a Christian hath several graces to exercise in several conditions and that not only while God is in a smooth path the soul can exercise Joy and Thanksgiving speaking good of his Name But let God go into a rugged path of very great afflictions yet the soul doth sute it's self unto God according to his several administrations this is to walk with God Walking with God is To have a Holy Dependance upon God Opened in Four Particulars Sixthly Walking with God it is To have a holy dependance upon God in all his waies For one to live in a holy dependance upon God for these Four things First In a holy dependance upon God for Direction Oh lead me in the way of thy truth When a Christian looks up to God and depends upon him in the constant course of his life depends upon him for direction Oh Lord teach me thy way Lord lead me in the way of everlasting life Lord send forth thy light and thy truth to guide me Thou shalt be my guide even unto death when the soul dare not go one step further then it sees God going before it and therefore it saith Lord lead me guide me I beseech you examine as you go along can you say that in the course of your lives this you find That you walk in a holy dependance upon God for guidance and direction in every step whatsoever you meddle with yet your walk is thus in a holy dependance upon God for direction in your bufiness and according as the business is of lesse or greater conscequence the heart works more after God for guidance and direction for that business But now the men of the world they are afraid that God should lead them into hard paths into ttoublesom waies and therefore they are shy of Gods Guidance this is the way of wicked hearts I say they are shy of the guidance and direction of God but a gracious heart saith let God lead me and let the way be what it will The wicked are guided by their own thoughts by their own counsels by the examples of other men what 's most sutable to their own ends but the way of the Saints is this Lord guide me Secondly Their holy dependance upon God it is for protection to protect them in what they do Lord I am in the way that thou hast guided me into I may meet with much trouble and affliction but Lord do thou protect me do thou defend me in this way of thine As the child walking with the father if he hears any noise that doth scare him he looks up to the father and depends upon his father to be protected So when a child of God shall in all his waies walk in a holy dependance upon God for protection this is to walk with God Thirdly The soul depends upon God for assistance in any thing that it undertakes Lord this is the work that thou callest me to Oh let me have strength from thy self in
on the earth and mark therefore how it follows in the 37. verse They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in sheeps-skins and goats-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Who were these They were they of whom the world was no tworthy They wandered in deserts and in Mountains and in dens and caves of the earth and yet such precious Saints of God as the world was not worthy of Now when we set before us how joyfully these servants of the most high went through all their wildernesse condition this should make us ashamed of our earthly-mindedness and would be a mighty help to us The Fourth Direction And then if we consider the great accompt that we are to give for all earthly things you only look upon the comfort of them but consider the account you must give for them this would be a means to take off the heart from earthly-mindednesse And consider what if you were now to die and to go the way of all flesh what good would it be to me to remember what contentments and pleasures I had in the earth The fifth Direction But above all the setting Jesus Christ before you and the meditating of the death of Jesus Christ I say that 's the great thing that wil take off the heart from the things of the earth The looking upon Christ Crucified how he that was the Lord of Heaven and Earth yet what a low condition he put Himself into meerly for the redeeming of us The conversing much with the death of Jesus Christ deads the heart much to the world In the 3. to the Philippians we have a notable text for that in the example of Paul he accounted all things as dung and drosse for Jesus Christ at the 8. verse I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the liss of all things and do count them but DVNG that I may win Christ And then in the 19. verse That I may know Him and the power of his Resnrrection and the fellowship of His Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death Paul desired to be so conformable to the very Death of Christ that he accounted all things in the world but as dung and drosse in comparison of that Paul had the death of Christ before his eyes and meditated much on the death of Christ and that meditation had a great impression upon his spirit that made him account all these things as drosse as dogs meat in comparison and that he might have fellowship with the death of Christ Perhaps some of you may think of the glory of Christ in Heaven and that may for the present make you lesse worldly but let me intreat you to meditate on the death of Christ and know that there is an excellencie in Conformity even to the death of Christ such an Excellency that may take off your hearts from the things of the world It 's said of the King of France that he asking one once about an Eclypse saith he I have so much businesse in the earth that I take little notice of the things of Heaven Oh my Brethren for the close of all I beseech you let not this be said concerning any of you that you have such and such worldly imployments that you cannot enquire after Jesus Christ Plead not that you have such great businesse that you have so much to do in this earth that you take little notice of the things of Heaven no surely the Saints of God have their businesse in Heaven as we shall see God willing hereafter Their City Business their Trading their Aims their Bent it is higher than the things of this earth There are things that a man may let out his thoughts and affections too as much as he wil This shews the vanity of the things af this world that a man had need be very wary how much he minds them he cannot enjoy the comforts of this earth without some fear but now when he comes to converse with Heaven there he may let out himself to the uttermost that shews the excellency of these things And you that are but poor and mean in the things of this earth be not discomforted because there is a charg from God that men should not mind these things surely there is no great matter in them as God charges that we should not mind them Oh the excellency it lies in things above which are heavenly and spiritual where the Saints have their conversation But of this more at large in this following Treatise of Heavenly Conversation FINIS AN HEAVENLY Conversation PHILIPPIANS 3. 20. For our Conversation is in Heaven CHAP. I. Of Examples of Godly men and how far they should prevail with us Opened in Six Particulars SOme reade this Particle For But But our Conversation is in Heaven Our Conversation is not as theirs Certainly the Apostle doth intend this to make a distinction from or a difference between the Saints waies and the waies of those that were Enemies to the Crosse of Christ They mind Earthly things But our Conversation is in Heaven But because of the particle For our Conversation therefore I think that it hath reference unto the 17 verse for the 18. and 19. verses are in a parenthesis and therefore if you would know the scope of the Apostle in it and what this hath relation to for it is in the 17. verse Brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as you have us for an ensample for our Conversation is in Heaven to it is to follow he made a little degression when he said Make us your example then he speaks of others but many there are that walk thus and thus and are enemies to the cross of Christ Whose belly is their god whose glory is their shame whose end is destruction who mind earthly things But our or for our Conversation is in Heaven As if he should say Take heed of following of those whose belly is their god who mind earthly things for their end is destruction but rather follow those whose Conversation is in Heaven for their end is salvation that 's the scope of the words Now then from the scope and the coherance of them follow us for an example For our Conversation is in Heaven so they are to be joyn'd together from whence first before we come to speak of this Heavenly Conversation that the Apostle mentions we have this point That the Examples of men whose Conversations are heavenly are to be followed Follow us as an example for our Conversation is in Heaven They are guided by the spirit of God and the end of their Conversation is good and therefore 't is safe to be followed In Prov. 2. 20. there the Wise man speaks of an argument Why we should imbrace wisdom because that would teach you to walk in the way of good men and to keep the paths of the
of God in them that the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified in them Oh! this is that that all the Saints should desire and endeavor after That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ should be glorified in them and ye in him saith he Labor you that Christ may be glorified in your lives and you shall be glorified in him We should desire that Christ may have glory in our glory then we shall have glory in Christs glory this is a sweet and blessed life when as the Saints have such hearts as they can say Lord let me have no glory but that thou mayest have glory in Then saith God Is it so Doest thou desire no further glory in this world but that I may have glory in then I will have no glory in this world but what thou shalt have glory in Christ will make us partakers of his glory as well as we shall make him partaker of our glory Oh! An Heavenly Conversation that glorifies God will glorifie the Saints too CHAP. XVIII An Heavenly Conversation will make Suffering easie HEavenly Conversation it will make all sufferings to be very easie it will be nothing to suffer any thing you meet withall in this world if your Conversations be in Heaven All revilings and reproaches and wrongs they will be nothing if you get but a Heavenly Conversation you will contemn all these things that the men of the world think to be such great matters Men that have conversed in Heaven never will be much offended for any sufferings 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal All but light afflictions Why for our eye is above all these things And it 's a notable passage that in the Gospel if you examine the place of Christs transfiguration upon the mount there Christ shewed his glory unto some Disciples that he carried with him and this is that that I would note from it do but observe in the story who were the Disciples that Christ carried with him to see his glory they were Peter James and John now afterwards if you compare that story with the story of Christ being in his Agony which was presently after where his soul was heavie unto death when he was to be betraied and to be crucified the next day and fell groveling upon the earth sweat clodders of blood through the anguish that was upon his spirit cried out Oh Lord If it be possible let this cup pass from me Here 's a great deal of difference between Christ in his Agony and upon the mount in his Transfiguration and observe that Christ would have none of his Disciples see him in his Agony but Peter James and John only those three that saw him in his transfiguration upon the mount in his glory The note from hence is That those that can converse much with Christ in glory can converse with Christ in Heaven can see Heaven they may be permitted to see Christ in his Agony and it will do them no hurt But now for the other Disciples that did not see Christ in his Glory if they had seen Christ in his Agony it might have offended them Is this our Lord and Master that is in such a fearful Agony at this time Oh! it would have offended them but now the other that saw him glorified it offended them not Well though he be in an agony now yet we know him to be a glorious Savior and we will beleeve and trust in him still So if we can converse with God in glory upon the mount what ever agony we see Christ in afterwards we shall be able to bear it when Stephen had the stones ratling about his ears yet when he saw the Heavens opened it was nothing to him then he fell asleep he rejoyced in the expectation of Heaven And if you reade in the Book of Martyrs ever when they came to their sufferings you may see how they did rejoyce when they did think of Heaven and remember eternal life Saith one woman to her child that was going to be burnt when as the people thought she would have rung her hands and made great lamentations to have seen her child stepping into the flames she said nothing but this Remember eternal life my son Oh! conversing with Heaven makes all sufferings in the world nothing CHAP. XIX Heavenly Conversation brings much joy THen Oh the sweetness and comfort that there will be while the soul is conversing in Heaven Oh the joy and the peace that will come to the Soul in the certain evdience that the soul is partaker in the Death Resurrection and Intercession of Jesus Christ I say those whose Conversations are in Heaven by this they come to have certain evidence to their souls that they have their portion in the Death in the Resurrection in the Ascention in the Intercession of Jesus Christ and this will afford comfort enough That Scripture in the 3. Colos 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead and your life is bid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Here 's an evidence that you are risen with Christ that you are dead to the world and have interest in his Ascention and are partakers of his Resurrection and have part in his Intercession Those that have their Conversations in Heaven now they may know certainly that they are risen from death to life that when Christ ascended he went to Heaven to take possession for them yea that they are in Heaven where Christ is He hath set us in Heavenly places together with Christ Jesus For he is there as a common head That they are ascended with Christ already and that Christ is there as an Advocate making Intercession for them to the Father these will be the consolations of those that have their Conversation in Heaven CHAP. XX. An Heavenly Conversation is very safe ANd then A Conversation in Heaven is a very safe Conversation you will be free from snares and temptations As an Eearthly Conversation subjects unto temptations so a Heavenly Conversation will free us from temptations When is the bird in danger of the Lime-twig or Net but when she comes to pick below upon the ground but if she could but keep her self above alwaies she were free then from the Snare and Net It 's Chrysostoms similitude Keep above and then ye be free from the snare of the fowler It 's a safe Conversation CHAP. XXI An Heavenly Conversation gives abundant enterance into Glory AND then
of a man that walks with God Walking with God is a high excellency and whoever hath this testimony hath the highest testimony that can be given unto a man in this world that he walks with God And therefore that 's observable that God mentions him twice as if he loved to mention his poor creatures walking with him at the 22. verse And Enoch walked with God And then in the 24. verse And Enoch walked with God Oh! as if God should say This is that that is the delight of my soul indeed Yea and that 's observable in the testimony of Noah in Gen. 6. 9. perhaps in the reading of it you may not observe that that I shal observe unto you now Noah saith he was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God He doth not say thus Noah was a just man and walked with God But mark he repeats Noah twice Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God as if he should say This is the blessed man that lived in a wicked generation and though that generation was sinful and wicked yet he kept close with God Noah was just and perfect and Noah walked with God Oh I take delight in this Noah Consider my servant Noah Noah was thus and Noah walked with God There 's a great Emphasis in doubling of his name and there can be no reason given of it for the sense would be perfect without it as if he should say Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation and walked with God But for the putting of a special incomium upon Noah Oh! Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God Oh! 't is the excellency of a man to walk with God and for God himself to own a man and to say that he walks with him Men may live in a practice of the duties of Religion Eternal duties and go very far that way and yet be strangers unto God never know what it is to walk with God they may have by-waies of their own in which their hearts do walk as the Stars that have a motion turn about by the Primum Mobile the first mover one way but they have a secret motion the other way themselves and so though many in their external profession seem to be moved one way but secretly their hearts move another way they do not walk with God all that while they did pray and reade and hear and come to Sermons and make great profession so as men might think they walked with God but it was not so As it is with a ship you may be bound to such a Port and the ship and the sails blow that way and yet when the ship goes east a man may walk up and down in the ship west-ward so in profession a man seems to be carried east-ward yet his private walks may be another way to his own ends to his own designs but here 's the honor of a man when God himself shall own him as if God should say concerning Enoch I who am a God that am the Seer and Searcher of all mens hearts and I observe the waies of my servant Enoch and I see him not only in the outward profession of godliness but in the secret of his soul he walks with me he hath no bye-walks at all but he keeps himself close with me and walks with me continually Enoch walked with God This phrase Walking with God we have exprest in Scripture in divers other phrases that are to the same purpose as walking before God Gen. 24. 40 The Lord before whom I walk saith Abraham and so God bad Abraham Walk before me and be upright And so in the 116. Psal 9. I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living Remember how I have walked before thee it 's said of Hezekiah And sometimes the same thing is expressed by walking after the Lord in the 13. of Deut. 4. Ye shall walk after the Lord. As a child walking after his father though he walks step after step yet he may be said to walk with him And sometimes by walking in the Name of the Lord Micah 4. 5. We will walk in the Name of the Lord our God And then fourthly by walking in the spirit of God Gal. 5. 16. and here walking with God Walking Before God Walking After God Walking in the Name of God Walking in the Spirit of God Or Walking with God They all come to the same purpose But for the opening of the point there are these Four things that I intend in the handling of it First What it is to walk with God or to discribe the work of God in bringing the soul to walk with him and the way of the soul in walking with God Secondly To shew you the excellency that there is in this walking with God what a blessed thing it is for a Christian to walk with God Thirdly Give you some evidences of a mans walking with God Fourthly To give unto you some Rules how you may come to walk with God to have your lives so as you may have this testimony even from God himself that you do walk with him These are the Four things For the First The discription of walking with God the work of God in bringing the soul to walk with him and the way of the soul in walking with God CHAP. III. How the Soul is brought to Walk with God Discovered in Six Particulars FIrst Every one by nature goes astray from God in the 58. Psal 3. it is said of all the wicked that they are estranged from the wombe they go astray as soon as they are born speaking lies That 's one of the first things wherein wickedness appears in children but 't is from the very womb that they go astray before they can speak 't is natural for the wicked to go astray from God as soon as they have any being The way wherein men naturally do walk it is the way of death it 's the way of their own hearts of their own counsels it 's the common course of the world it is the walk of the flesh But now the work of God in bringing the soul to walk with him it is First To cause the soul to make a stop in the way that men naturally walk in Those that the Lord hath left for a while in the way of nature that walk in the way of death the Lord is pleased to come to them by some mighty work of his to make a stop by considering where am I what 's my way whither am I going is the way that I am in like to the way that befeems an Immortal soul Is the way like to end well that I am walking in It causes the soul to make a stop in it and begin to think where it is whither it is going and so usually causes some fear fearing it is in a way like to miscarry so that it dare not proceed further
message of death come to him in the 38. of Isa Remember O Lord saith he how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart he turned his face to the wall and the text saith he wept it was for joy as if he should say Lord it 's true there hath been many infirmities in me but Lord I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart as if he should say I may boldly challenge and I do come now Lord to challenge the good of the Covenant that thou wouldst remember me according to the riches of thy mercy for Lord I have walked with thee as if he should say Lord was not that the thing that thou didst require of my father Abraham why Lord I have walked before thee and I have been upright in some measure therefore Lord be a God alsufficient to me Lord remember thy Covenant be a God to me be All in All to me because of this Oh my brethren Is not this worth ten thousand thousand worlds That the soul may be able to appeal to God that it hath done that which is a special thing that is requir'd in the Covenant on our parts and so upon it may have the assurance of Gods performing the Covenant on his part The Fifth Excellency And then the fifth thing is There is a blessed safety in walking with God As in the 23. Psal 4. there see the Prophet David that was a man much exercised in walking with God saith he Yea though I walk through the vally of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff doth comfort me I am walking with thee and though I be walking in the shadow of death I 'le therefore fear no evil Now is it not a blessed thing to be in safety alwaies with God And in the 138. Psal 7. saith David Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me No matter what the trouble be so God be with the soul he that walks uprightly walks surely in the 10. of the Proverbs 9. Whereas it 's said of the wicked that they walk upon a snare continually in the 18. of Job 8. The wicked walk upon a snare The waies of wickednesse that you walk in they may seem to be pleasant and comfortable to you but certainly you are upon a snare and you may be catch'd and undone for ever though perhaps thou hast escap'd all this while yet thou art in continual dangers Every step I say thou goest on in the waies of sin thou art upon a snare and in danger to be catch'd to thy eternal destruction But he that walks uprightly he walks surely and this is a great excellency for a man to walk surely I know I am in my way for I am with God A child doth not fear what way soever it goes in if he can but see his father Now the soul may know surely I am in the right way I am with God and I am safe what ever danger comes for I am walking with God The Sixth Excellency The sixth Excellency that there is in walking with God is this From hence the soul comes to enjoy a holy boldness and a holy familiarity with God It may be when the soul comes first to God the presence of the great God strikes some fear there is some dread of the Majesty of God But when the soul hath used to converse with him there is a holy familiarity that the soul hath with God and a holy boldness it can have free liberty to say any thing to him now and this is the reason that some now that never knew what the spirit of prayer meant and what the liberty of the soul in opening its self to God meant before yet when they have come to be acquainted with the waies of God Oh what liberty have they then in their spirits to open their hearts to God yea they can open their hearts to God as one friend to another I remember it 's said of Luther that when ever he was praying he could speak to God as to his friend In Job 22. 21. Acqusint now thy self with Him and be at peace The soul comes to have an acquaintance with God Oh what a phrase is here What acquaint our selves with God that God should be our acquaintance I God is willing to be the acqaintance of the poorest Christian in the world Poor men and women and Servants and others that perhaps some rich men that is by them wil scorn their acquaintance but they account them rather as it 's spoken of some vile people fit to be set with the dogs of the flock yea perhaps though they be poor godly people yet they think it too much debasing themselves to have any kind of acquaintance with them Well but the infinite God though he is so high that he humbles himself to behold the very things that are done in Heaven yet this God thinks not much to be one of thy acquaintance to be of the acquaintance of any one that hath any godliness in them when we see a great man a man of parts and honor come to some poor man and shake him by the hand we will say Look what an humble man is this that will be so familiar with the meanest of all Oh! now acquaint thy self with God This is the blessedness of walking with God the soul comes to have a familiar converse with God and a holy boldness The seventh Excellency The seventh benefit or Excellency that there is in walking with God is this The Communication of Gods secrets He that walks with God shall come to know the mind of God It 's impossible for a man to take delight in walking with another but he must discover secrets from him there 's never any true friendship where there is a closeness of spirit But where there is true friendship they will take one another and walk together and open their hearts each to other this is comfortable walking indeed Thus it is in walking with God this is the blessing of it such souls they have the secrets of God discovered to them they come to know much of the mind of God though they are weak in their natural parts yet I say they come to know much of Gods mind because they are with God We reade in the 13. of Proverbs 20. vers saith the holy Ghost there He that walketh with wise men shall be wise Then what shall he be that walks with God Surely if there be wisdom to be learned from our walking with wise men then there is wisdom to be learn'd in walking with God 'T is from hence that men that are weak in parts they come to have such excellent knowledg in the great mysteries of the Gospel and you wonder at it you see such a mean servant that a while ago could understand
and Heaven in our examination come with prepared hearts to let in the Truths God shall reveal unto us the rather because we see such holy godly men have imbraced those truths before us when precious Gospel-Truths are delivered to us by the hands of the servants of Jesus Christ then those very Truths in our eye are like apples of gold in pictures of silver as beautiful as golden fruit in silver dishes Sixtly The example of godly men should prevail thus far as after we have examined and found their way to be according to the Truth indeed then their example should confirm us in the Truth should help to settle us more in the Truth should comfort and encourage us in such and such holy courses because we find not only that we are convinc'd of it and we see it to be the way of God and have experience of it but others see it and they are convinc'd of it others that are so godly they find much communion with God in it now this should mightily strengthen and further us in that we go on in the same way that the Saints of God go on in And indeed it should be a very great grief to any godly man that he should differ from other godly men though it cannot be but that we should differ sometimes because we are imperfect here yea and sometimes a weak Christian knows that which a strong Christian may be ignorant of I say it fals out so sometimes that God in some things reveals himself to those that are weak and hides himself from those that are strong so that here in this world it cannot otherwise be expected for the present till the time that the New Jerusalem shall be let down from God out of Heaven and then the Saints will be all of one mind and walk all in one way but till then there cannot be expected but that there should be different waies of the Saints but yet I say it should be a very great heart-trouble to godly men to see that they are necessitated to go in different waies from other godly men and on the other side a great encouragment and strengthening when the Saints go on in one way together with their faces towards heaven CHAP. II. What 's to be done when Examples of Godly men are contrary IF you say What should we do when we have contrary examples and both sides godly men ye very godly men whose Conversation is in Heaven some go one way and others as godly as they go another way what shall people do then when they see that either way holy men go in Ans To that I answer only these two things First God by this means puts you to more strict examination of things and doth teach you by this that every Christian though never so weak yet should have a bottom and ground for their faith and practice out of the Word themselves and never did God teach this lesson more strongly than now he doth that we should all of us not satisfie our selves in any point of Religion nor in any practice of Religion but what we can our selves find and feel footing for out of the Word In former times Christians were very much led by examples and a few examplary godly professors would carry all the well affected in those places with them all that did pretend towards godliness would be very loth to go in a different way to some eminent godly men but though perhaps their affections were good and God may accept of their good affections yet certainly they were not so grounded and established in the truth as God would have them but now the Lord seems to go another way with his people and puts every one the weakest the meanest servant to search and to find out the truth themselves and to have the knowledge of it themselves and we hope the time is at hand for the fulfilling of that promise That all the people shall be taught of God shall be taught to understand themselves what are the reasons and grounds of the practice of Religion and those tenents and opinions which they hold and when people come to understand the grounds themselves they have a great deal more strength and they will come to be established more than formerly they have been this good will come of it Secondly When you see examples on both sides go contrary one unto the other and both godly yet examine but this Which way hath most earthly inducements for that way that hath most earthly inducements to draw or bias the heart that way lies under the most suspision for men that are godly yet they are but godly in part and though they may be as godly as other men in some other things yet there may be a temptation the temptation for Earthly contentment if it lies more one way than the other you are to be more wary of one than the other But that we may passe this point because it is but from the coherance by way of use but in a word or two CHAP. I Rebuke of those that follow the example of the wicked and reject the example of the godly IF the example of men whose Conversation is in Heaven is to be followed hence then are to be rebuked those that rather follow the example of wicked and ungodly ones if they be great or learned or the example of the multitude will rather follow the example of any than the example of those whose Conversation is in Heaven thou doest thus and thus and yet say Do not others do so but who are they that do so can you say in your consciences that you think that they that do so have their Conversations in Heaven you will do as they do If there be any example that you will follow they should be such that you can take it upon your consciences that these are the men who have their Conversations above you will do as others do in drinking swearing Sabbath-breaking and in all manner of prophaness have these their Conversations in Heaven Certainly you that do so you follow the example of those who have their Conversations in hell But it may be you have some neighbors live by you whose Conversations are blameless yea they are Heavenly and when you are in your good moods your consciences witness to them and you could wish that you might die the death of the righteous are there not some that live in the same families streets or towns where you live that though sometimes your hearts are against them you oppose them and scorn them and speak against them yet when you are in any good temper or afraid of death then you could wish that you were as they are and might die their death now will you not follow their example but rather the example of others whose examples are in such things as are sutable to your vile sinful and base lusts We know that these examples of holie men shall rise up in judgment against you another day
the Lord will condemn you from their example and say Did not such and such live in the familie and place where you liv'd and did not you behold their holie and gracious Conversation and shall the example of such and such vile wretches be followed rather than the example of my Saints I say this will stop your mouthes and aggravate your condemnation in the great Audit-day Some there are that are so far from following the example of those whose Conversations are in Heaven as they rage and fret against them and do what they can to darken the glorie of their holie lives and if they can but have any misreport of them they will follow it what possibly they can to the end that they might eclipse the holiness of their lives that so they may stop their own consciences whereas were there not something to darken the luster and beautie of the lives of the Saints certainlie mens hearts would condemn them for walking in contrarie waies unto them and therefore for relief of their consciences that they may not condemn them for walking in waies contrary to them they do what they can to spew upon their glory and are glad if they can hear any ill report of them and will follow them to their uttermost and all because their corrupt hearts are against the holiness of their lives and Conversations And then lastly Let those that profess Religion labor to walk so as their examples may be convincing others Is there such a power in holy examples to prevail with men you that profess Religion make this an argument to work upon your hearts that your Conversation may be more in Heaven that so your example may do the more good in the place where you live you that profess Religion and yet have earthly spirits and live scandalouslie and vilie Oh know you live to do as much mischief almost as a man can do in this world no greater mischief than for one to profess Religion and yet for his Conversation to be wicked and ungodly and so to give the Lye to his profession But for that we spake to heretofore when we treated upon that Scripture Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel CHAP. IV. Two Doctrines observed from the Text. THus we proceed to the principal Doctrinal Truths For our Conversation is in Heaven Our Citie Conversation our Citizen-like behavior or Citie Burges estate for so the word signifies our carriage like free denizens it is in Heaven now from thence you have First That the Saints are the Citizens of Heaven Secondly That their behavior and Conversation even while they are in this world it is in Heaven For the first but briefly to make way to the second The Saints of God they are the Citizens of Heaven they are all free Denizens Burgesses of Heaven In the 2. Ephes 19. there you may see how God hath gathered all the Saints together to be fellow-Citizens of Heaven Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God They have an Heavenly Citie here in the Church the Church it is a Heaven to the Saints and as a type of that Heaven that they shal come into to live for ever both with the Saints and Angels hereafter And in the 11. Heb. 10. it 's spoken of Abraham He sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same Promise for he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God It seems then that all the Cities in the world in comparison of this Citie have no foundations Abraham looked for a Citie that hath foundations and whose builder and maker is God The builders and makers of these Cities are men the founders of the most famous Cities in this world have been men and manie times wicked and ungodlie men are the builders of them The first Citie that we reade of was built by Cain The builders and makers I say of these Cities are men laboring men But Abraham look'd for a Citie that had foundations whose builder and maker is God And in the 12. Heb. 22. But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem mark and to an innumerable company of Angels so that you are to have them your fellow Citizens The Heavenly Jerusalem that is here in the Church which is in comparison of Jerusalem that was in Canaan called the Heavenly Jerusalem so that they are Citizens of Heaven even as they are Members of the Church the Saints of God here in the Church are said to dwell in Heaven but in that their Citie there are an innumerable company of Angels also that plainly notes that it hath reference unto the glorious Heaven of the Saints that they are the Citizens of the Saints are the Citizens of Heaven there they dwell in the 13. of the Revelation 6 and 8. verses this would serve for proof of this thing and so for the other point that remains That their Conversation it is in Heaven And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Now these were not in Heaven that is in their bodies they were not in Heaven for the present But they are said to dwell in Heaven because they are of the Church here and they are free Denizens of Heaven too of the Heaven of the Saints that they shall live in hereafter in a more glorious way They are Now Citizens of it and they may be said to dwell in Heaven as we shall see afterward in the opening of their Conversations being in Heaven CHAP. V. How the Saints are Citizens of Heaven opened in Nine Particulars NOW the Saints are Citizens of Heaven For First Their names are all inrold in Heaven They are written in Heaven in the 10. Luke 20. Rejoyce in this That your names are written in Heaven In Heaven is the Books of life where all the Names of the Saints are written Philip. 4. 3. Whose names saith he are written in the Books of life Secondly The Saints are the Citizens of Heaven for they have Christ their Head gone before to take possession of Heaven in their names therefore they have a right to Heaven As a man may be a Citizen although he should travel in another Country yet his name being inrol'd there and he having possession there he may be said to be a Citizen though he be in a strange land for the present in his body So the Saints have their names inrold in Heaven they have Jesus Christ their head that is gone before in their names to take possession for them and to provide Mantions for them as in the 14. John Thirdly When ever they do actually beleeve they do take up their