YeR. 4.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 199
God's word: Ps. cxix. 9, 'Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way ? by taking heed thereunto according to thy word ; ' 1 John ii. 14, ' I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.' But especially get a sound fear and reverence of God rooted in your hearts : Gen. xxxix. 9, ' How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ? ' Live always as in the sight of God, who is thy maker, preserver, and judge.
Use 3. Is advice to all christians. Upon all occasions, think what will become saints. Let the conscience of your dedication to God be ever upon your hearts. We that are adopted into God's family, to be children of God, and heirs of eternal life, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, cleansed and sanctified by his Holy Spirit, what a clean heart should we have within ourselves ! what an holy life should we carry in the view of others ! Our words should be grave and serious, our conversations such as will become the gospel ; that no filthiness may be allowed in us, or drop from us in word or deed : 2 Cor. vii. 1, 'Having therefore these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit/ We are servants of an holy God ; we have holy work to do, and an holy estate to expect.
SERMON lY.
Neither JiltMness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, whicli are not con- venient ; hut rather giving of thanks. — Eph. v. 4.
The apostle having condemned three gross sins in life and practice, he coraeth now to speak of three other sins in speech ; for all impurity, both in word and deed, is forbidden to christians. In tlie words note — (1.) The sins enumerated, 'Filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting;' (2.) The reason of the prohibition, those things ' are not convenient ;' (3.) The special duty substituted into their room and place, ' But ratlier giving thanks.'
First, the sins enumerated are — (1.) jiLaxporr]^, ' filthiness,' called elsewhere diaxpoXoyia, filthy communication, 1 Cor. iii. 8, which is a broad speaking of those things that belong to uncleanness. (2.) There is fiapoXoyLa, ' foolish talking,' which is meant either of all impertinent, rash, and roving discourse, which doth rather bewray the speaker's folly and indiscietion than any way edify the hearers : Prov. xv. 2, ' The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.' When men use a multitude of useless words to no purpose, or have a torrent of words for a drop of sense ; or of those that make themselves fools, or act the part of a fool to please others, as David counterfeited madness before Achish ; as if it were the praise of a man to make himself an artificial fool or jester to humour others. (3.) The tliird word is ivrparreXia, which we trans- late 'jesting.' The philosopher understands by it that virtue which is
200 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. IV.
called urbanity, which is the middle between scurrility and rusticity. But as things easily degenerate, so do names ; therefore the apostle useth it for that exercise of wit that may ])e called foolery or mockery, such as idle and scoffing companions use to make themselves merry with, or to please some with the hurt and offence of others, and suiteth not with christian piety, gravity, charity.
Secondly, The argument or reason used against them: ra ovkuv/jk- ovra, ' These things are not convenient ; ' that is, these things are un- seemly, or unbefitting the seriousness and holiness of a christian ; and so it is the same argument with the former, ' as it becometh saints,' only delivered with some difference of expression. We are apt to extenuate these sins, therefore consider what will become saints. Christianity is a grave thing ; it consists chiefly of two parts — dying to sin and living- to God ; and those that come under the power as well as the profession of it are to behave themselves partly as men in conflict with sin, and partly as those that study to honour and glorify God. With respect to the first part, our life should be a perpetual repentance, always getting farther from sin ; therefore the present season is not a time of laughter and vain mirth, but of agony and strife against the devil, the world, and the flesh. To live in pleasure upon earth is to gratify our spiritual enemies, to be laughing when we should be mourning and weeping, or sowing in tears that we may reap in joy. Therefore obscene talk or vain babbling, that serveth for no grave use, ridiculous mirth that only tendeth to vain pleasure, layeth us open to our enemies, with whom we are in constant warfare ; and so it is unbeseeming chris- tians, as evidencing a naughty spirit in ourselves, and as tending to infect others. With respect to the second, the honouring and pleasing God, our whole life should be a constant hymn to God, or a perpetual act of praise and thanksgiving: 1 Peter ii. 9, ' Ye are a chosen gener- ation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, to show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.' Therein we have a fitter subject for our rejoicing than obscene and scurrilous discourse, wherein profane persons most show their wit.