2. It is matter of faith and foresight. And so by this Avrath of God is meant eternal destruction, which cometh upon them for their dis- obedience, which is a sin of the highest nature, and a chief cause of their danmation. At death they feel the sad effects of it : 1 Peter iii. 19, 20, ' By which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, which were sometimes disobedient, Avhen once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah.' They had God's word then, for Noah was ' a preacher of righteousness,' 2 Peter ii. 5. They had the Spirit then, for God saith, Gen. vi. 3, ' My Spirit shall not always strive with
VeR. 7.] SEEMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 23[)
man.' Well, then, these children of disobedience, when their body is sent to the grave, the soul is sent to hell ; which the psalmist expres- seth by being torn in pieces : Ps. 1. 22, * Lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.' So for the day of judgment : 2 Thes. i. 7, 8, ' The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel.' The great business then is to convince the reprobates of their disobedience. They see then how many warnings and invitations they have despised ; so many sermons, so many stings in the conscience. Those that despise his richest grace now, how glad would they be of one favourable look from Christ! It is not simplicity that is their ruin, but obstinacy and impenitency in sin, for which they shall have no excuse or cloak : John xv. 22, ' If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin ; but now they have no cloak for their sin.'
III. Why this should deter God's people from being partakers with them. Here I shall inquire — (1.) Wliat it is to be partakers with them ; (2.) Why God's wrath should deter us from this ?
1. What it is to be partakers with them.
[1.] There is a principal sense, and chiefly intended here, that we should not follow their example. We are not so ready to anything as to follow ill examples. Man is a ductile creature ; they had need be well resolved for God and holiness who are not carried down the common stream. The example of the multitude hath a great force to pervert mankind : Isa. vi. 5, 'I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips,' Eph. ii. 2, 3, ' The spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience ; among whom also we all had our conversation in time past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind ;' 1 Peter iv. 2, ' That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.' It doth at least take off the odiousness of sin, and reconcile the hearts of men to it. It is hard to be singular, and not to follow a multitude, though in an evil way ; for by common practice things are authorised : Gal. ii. 13, ' Peter dissembled, and the other Jews dissembled also with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.' Now lest this should prevail with us, the apostle would have us consider the danger ; we involve our- selves in the same punishment if we take not heed of the sin : ' Because for these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of dis- obedience ; be not ye therefore partakers with them.' God punisheth the disobedience of his people very sharply.
[2.] There is a limited sense of the phrase : 1 Tim. v. 22, ' Neither be partakers of other men's sins.' There it signifieth not committing the same sins, but being accessory to the sins of others. Some are ringleaders and chief actors in a sinful course ; others are assessors and abettors. Now how many ways may we partake of the sins of others ?
(1.) By counselling ; as Jonadab gave Amnon pernicious counsel how to fulfil his carnal and incestuous desires, 2 Sam. xiii. 5.
(2.) By alluring and enticing ; as Prov. i. 10, ' My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.' Hear God persuading rather than a carnal companion enticing.
240 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. VII.
(3.) By consenting ; as Ahab did to Jezebel's plot to destroy Naboth, 1 Kin^^s. xxi. 19. His part was less in the sin than hers, therefore his punishment was less than hers; the dogs licked his blood, but they <levoured her body.
(4.) By applauding or flattery, and lessening the sin : Eom. i. 32, * They not only do these things, but have ])leasure in those that do iheiu.' So some are glad when they can draw others to drunkenness, or inflame others with lust.
(5.) Conniving, contrary to tlie duty of our place : 1 Sam. iii. 13, ' I -will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he kuoweth, because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.' Their sin was a sin of commission, but his a sin of omission, and so he came into -a fellowship of the guilt. Now as we should not imitate the sin, and ^0 make it ours, so we should not be any way accessory to these sins, and so be partakers in the guilt, as when we have power to hinder the «in and do it not.