March 17

But what was this privileged being who was saved from the way of all the earth and the house appointed for all living? who, excused suffering "the pains, the groans, the dying strife," was changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye? who, instead of being unclothed, was clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life? When an event so surprisingly and entirely singular takes place, it is natural and useful to inquire after the cause. And the Holy Ghost meets our wishes, and places before us the quality of a life that terminates so differently from that of all other men—Enoch WALKED WITH GOD.

And here we see that the best characters are the most easily recorded, and often furnish the fewest materials for history. There are not many particulars in the life of any individual very worthy of publicity and perpetuation; and generally if it be faithful, the larger the account of the actor, the greater the display of weakness, or sin, or suffering. Hence the folly of the voluminousness of modern biography. Hence the wisdom of the sacred writers in not dragging us after them through a thousand minute and uninteresting occurrences, but fixing the mind upon a few and important articles. The history of an Alexander, a Caesar, a Napoleon, would fill many a page, and curse many a volume; while the simple, noble life of a man honoured above all humanity, is comprised in one sentence—Enoch WALKED WITH GOD.

And do we not here see wherein lies the true dignity of man, and what it is that supremely attracts the divine approbation? It is not worldly grandeur, riches, or power—Enoch was not famed for these. It is not even gifts—Enoch was indeed a prophet, and announced the Lord's coming to judgment. But his greatness in the sight of God arose not from his inspiration, but from his moral excellency, holiness, and grace. The low estimation in which God holds great talents and endowments may be inferred from his imparting them so sparingly. Were they so necessary as some imagine in the affairs of the world and the Church, he could easily furnish them—and he would do it; for in his economies—things are common in proportion as they are indispensable. It also appears from the character of those on whom they are frequently conferred. They are not dear to God, nor can he take pleasure in them though he employs them. What was Balaam with his sublime predictions? or Judas with his miracles and signs? "Though," says Paul, "I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." Here we are always erring—we covet earnestly those gifts which are confined to a few, and are seldom sanctified to the possessor, while we are careless of those graces which are accessible to all, and which always accompany salvation. That life which was so distinguished by the judge of all; that life which was only one remove from glory; that life which opened at once a passage for soul and body into the heaven of heavens, was not placed in circumstances above our reach, nor did it consist in any thine unattainable by the poorest and meanest among us—It was WALKING WITH GOD. Real greatness does not depend upon the

things we do, but upon the mind with which we do them; and the Lord looketh to the heart. The career therefore of true glory lies open to all; to the servant as well as to the master; to the subject as well as to the monarch. All cannot be learned; but all may be taught of the Lord. All cannot enjoy civil freedom; but all may possess the glorious liberty of the sons of God. And the poor of this world may be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of heaven.

Yet the life of Enoch by no means passed in abstraction from society and business, or favoured that superstitious sanctity which refuses the allowed enjoyments of nature and providence. A proper use of our creature comforts is compatible, not only with the sincerest, but the strictest godliness; and falls in with the design of him who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. Enoch, who sustains such an exalted character, was not an ascetic, or recluse—he married earlier than any of his patriarchal brethren, and had sons and daughters. It is not the religion of the Bible that drives men into caves and dens of the earth, or that teaches them to counteract the destinations of Providence, or to oppose the nature that God hath given them—It is the religion of anti-christ that represents as impure what God has declared to be pure; it is a seducing spirit that decries what God not only permits but enjoins as honourable in all; it is a doctrine of devils that forbids to marry, and commands to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thankfulness of them which believe and know the truth—Is a wretched dronish monk in his cell, with his horse-hair, skull, and hour-glass, a more amiable, a more useful, a more holy being than Enoch at the head of an early family, filling up his station, and serving his generation by the will of God?

If however some entertain ideas of his life too rigid, others may have views of it too lax, limited, and low. His religion was not confined to morality. Morality is not to be undervalued. There is no piety without morality, but there may be morality without piety. We commend a discharge of the duties we owe to our fellow-creatures: but this is only our walking with men. Our greatest relations connect us with another Being; with him we have principally to do—Godliness consists in our walking with God. Some are not vicious, but they never reverence the Sabbath, or attend public or private devotion. They owe no man any thing; but they rob God. They are good neighbours, but God is not in all their thoughts. They have no confidence in him, no communion with him. They are not renewed after his image. They are not followers of him as dear children, nor walk in love as Christ also loved us.

Such was the religion of Enoch. And blessed are they who, like him, walk with God. They must not indeed expect to be translated as he was. Yet as to its sting and its curse, Jesus has abolished death. He tells his followers, "If a man keep my sayings he shall never see death." With regard to him death is so changed in its nature, and so blessed in its effects, that it does not deserve the name—No, he shall not die, but only go home; only fall asleep in Jesus; only depart to be with Christ, which is far better. His body also will be changed and fashioned like the Saviour's own glorious body; and so will he be for ever with the Lord. The issue therefore is the same—And this is the grand thing. And if I am not to reach