Thirdly, The duty substituted into the room and place of these : ' But rather ivxapiaria, giving of thanks ; ' meaning to God (though he be not mentioned), from whom all mercies are received, and to whom all praises are due. This is added — (1.) To show that delight is not abrogated, but preferred or transferred to a better object ; and so answers the objection, Must a christian be always sad? No; let your mirth run in a spiritual channel, and then you will have cheerfulness enough, matter of rejoicing enough, upon better terms, and at a more sincere rate. (2.) It specifieth what should be the christian's mirth, the commemoration of the mercy of God, especially the great benefits we have by Christ. We need not be beholden to sin for our joy ; we have the innumerable benefits of God to rejoice in: Ps. Ixviii. 19, ' Blessed be the Lord, who loadeth us daily with his benefits, even the God of our salvation ; ' and Eph. v. 20, ' Giving thanks always unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.' There is the christian's way of mirth, and that which should revive and cheer his soul ; there he may rejoice always, and rejoice without offence, and
VeR. 4.] SEllMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 201
needetb not run to obscene talking or unsavoury jests to cause laughter. If we be christians indeed, and esteem what we profess to believe, can anything be more contentful to us ? (3.) It intimateth what we should do when our hearts are most disposed to mirth, and we are apt to let loose ourselves to joy and gladness ; as, namely, when we are cheered with the liberal use of the creature at feasts and banquets, we should not wholly compose ourselves to ridiculous mirth, but rather give thanks : James v. 13, ' Is any merry ? let him sing psalms.' When we have our souls at this advantage, we should turn our rejoicing into a sjjiritual channel.
From this view you see the drift of the text. I shall handle it more diffusively in these observations —
I. That christians should make great conscience, not only of their actions, but their words also ; for after the apostle had dissuaded them from all uncleanness and filthiness in practice, he addeth, 'Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient." We must make conscience of our words for these reasons —
1. We are not absolute proprietors and possessors of our own selves ; our tongues are not our own to speak what we please. Exempt any one faculty or member from the jurisdiction of God, and you disown his authority and interest in you, and open a floodgate to let in sin and wickedness into the world. They were rebels against God's government that said, Ps. xii. 4, ' Our tongues are our own ; who is lord over us ? * We had them from God, and they must be used for him, not against him; therefore we are not left to run at random in our ordinary dis- course, to say and utter what we think good.
2. As we had our tongues from God, so we are accountable to him for the use of them ; and therefore will our actions not only be brought into the judgment, but our words and speeches also : Mat. xii. 86, 37, ' But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.' As if our Lord had said, Deceive not yourselves, as if words were to(^ light to be accounted for. Words, such as they may be, may occasion a sad reckoning between Christ and you ; for in distributing rewards and punishments, he considereth words as well as actions. All the business is what is that prj^a dpyov, that idle word which our Lord there speaketh of, and how far it reacheth. The word may signify either vain or false : those false and blasphemous words which, out of the malignity of their hearts, they had uttered against him, are certainly comprised ; namely, that he did cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils. But are not other words of lesser malignity included also ? Yes ; all that bewray the evil treasure of the heart, an ill talent in men,, as contumelies and reproaches against godliness ; yea, rotten speech, that showeth the prevalency of uncleanness in the heart, for they are such words as discover a man's state and temper ; for the judgment of absolution and condemnation is to be passed according to these words. And though we canuot extend the rigour of it so far as to say that every word which conduceth not to some end of christian edification shall make men miscarry in the judgment — (alas ! who then could be saved ?) — yet smely we ought to make conscience of all our words.
202 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR, IV.
As we must take care that we prejudice not christian hope, so we must not open a gap to looseness ; therefore do not say, It is but a matter of words ; for how Httle soever men may esteem words, they may weigli heavy in God's balance, and idle words must be avoided as well as gross sins.