indulge that He which has begun a good work in him will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ, yet he cannot but rejoice, that the time of trial has been mercifully shortened. I do not say that the Christian is able, in every case, when death first makes its approach, to look upon it without any of that dismay which belongs to a fallen and sinful nature. Alas, it is too seldom thus; natural infirmity, and still more, a want of living close to God, makes death formidable even to the believer. Still, however, his habitual feeling and judgment must be, I would not live alway;* for whilst I am at home in the body, I am absent from the Lord; † and it is better for me to depart, and to be with Christ. I

My friends, it is better; nevertheless, let us not think that there is no happiness on earth, nothing of heaven to be enjoyed here. Enoch thought not so; for even while here below, he walked with God; and so, when he was translated and no more found, his life above was but a continuation and perfection of his life on earth, and he still walks with God, in heaven. Let us endeavour a little to enter into the meaning of this WALKING WITH GOD; and may the Holy Spirit be with us! The expression is His; for all Scripture is given by His inspiration; and without his blessed influences on the heart and understanding, they can neither be understood nor felt aright.

To enter, then, into the meaning of walking

* Job vii. 16.

+ 2 Cor. v. 6.

Phil. i. 23.

with God, you must think of some one as taking a journey with an earthly friend, whom he highly values; a friend very much to be reverenced for his wisdom and abilities, and at the same time to be loved for his amiable qualities; a friend to whom he is already under great obligations, and from whom he is continually expecting further favours. You are to consider, what would be a man's conduct while in the presence of such à friend; and then we may a little understand what should be our conduct, living, as we do live, in the continual presence of God.

1. In the first place, if a man were walking, as I have described, with a wise, and powerful, and beloved friend, the first concern would surely be, not to offend or grieve that friend by doing any thing disagreeable to him, or contrary to his declared wishes. And, O my friends, what holy lives should we lead, if we were always thus careful not to displease, or grieve that gracious God, who is ever present with us! What so great a preservative from sin, as a constant and habitual remembrance that the eye of God is upon us? It is in order that he may have free scope in his wickedness, that the fool would fain persuade himself that there is no God. This is much insisted on by David: God is not in all his thoughts; and therefore it is that, as it follows, his ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight. And again, He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten, He hideth His face, He will

* Psalm x. 4, 5.

never see it. And so in Romans, where St. Paul is giving, out of different parts of Scripture, the dreadful account of the natural wickedness of man, he closes it with that, There is no fear of God before their eyes.† But observe how differently did David himself; I have set the Lord always before me, Psalm xvi. 8. And observe, in the 139th Psalm, how he labours to convince himself and others of the constant presence of God: Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Yea even, Thou understandest my thoughts afar off. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee. And, therefore, observe what it was that kept Joseph from sin: How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? This it was, that was to preserve Abraham in his uprightness: I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect, Gen. xvii. 1. And this is the language of the penitent, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight.§

can it be that He mouth, knows the What words, alas,

My friends, is it thus? are all our sins in the sight of a pure and holy God? hears the very words of our very thoughts of our heart? for God to hear! what thoughts, for God to be privy to! You are ashamed to let a man see you injure him, or hear you speak evil of him: why is it that you are not ashamed while thus offend

* Psalm x. 11.

† Rom. iii. 18.

§ Luke xv. 21.

Gen. xxxix. 9.

ing every day, by deed and thought, against God? It is because you are not doing what Enoch did,-you are not walking with God. How different would it be, methinks, if you were! But whether you are, or not, it is equally true that the eyes of the Lord are in every place, and are beholding you at this very moment, looking into your heart, and seeing your secret thoughts and affections there. And David would not have it otherwise Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts. He walked with God, as Enoch did.

2. But, in the second place, if a person were walking with a friend in the way which I have above described, he would consult that friend on all occasions, the turnings of the road, the houses he should stop at, &c. Why should he act of his own poor knowledge, when he has that of his friend to apply to? O, my Christian hearers, how may I repeat my words,-why should we act, in any circumstances, of our own poor knowledge, when we have our God to apply to in all cases? Why do we not, at all times, and whatever we have in hand, go to Him for direction and guidance? See, in the history of the Old Testament saints, how we find perpetually, when any difficulty occurred to them, David enquired of the Lord:* Jehoshaphat said, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to-day. See, especially, how the Israelites were led all through the wilderness by the Lord's going before them, in a

* 1 Sam. xxiii. 2.

† 1 Kings xxii. 5.

pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. Which way soever they were to go, the cloud went before them; whensoever they were to rest, the cloud rested. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: but if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not, till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. Exodus xl. 36-38.

You are ready to say, perhaps, “Ah, had I always a prophet to inquire of, like David or Jehoshaphat; or, did the Lord always condescend to go before me, as He did before the Israelites, in a fiery cloudy pillar, then indeed I should walk safely and happily." My friends, this is the language of unbelief; God goes before his people now as surely, though not so visibly, as He did before His people of old. The promise is full and express; Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Prov. iii. 5, 6.; i.e. When in any difficulty, when your way is not clear before you, ask, by earnest, hearty, frequent prayer, to be directed by God; and He will not work any miracle for you, not direct you by a voice from heaven,-you are not led to expect that; but, He will so manage by His providence the order of events, as to open your way, and to leave you no doubt as to what you are to do. Or else, what does the promise mean? You have two things to do,--first, to make your