[2.] Flattery, or a desire to ingratiate ourselves with great ones : Ps. xii. 2, ' With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.' A self-seeker is apt to flatter and fawn upon all that is rich and great and mighty, and to smooth them up with falsehoods and applauses. Flattering and tale-bearing is many men's trade.
[3.] Fear of men and distrust of God. This puts many upon their shifts to avoid their displeasure : Deut. xxxiii. 29, ' Thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee ; ' that is, feignedly submit themselves to thee.
[4.] Covetousness : Prov. xxi. 6, ' The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.'
[5.] Doing that which we are ashamed to own ; as naughty children and servants commit faults, and then cover them with a lie. Now it is dangerous to stand in need of a lie to help us out ; the devil bath a tie upon you.
SERMON XII.
Proving ivhat is acceptable to the Lord. — Eph. v. 10.
The apostle goeth on farther to declare what is required of them tbat walk as children of the light. Our duty consists of two parts — eschew- ing evil and doing good. How to do good is shown in this verse ; what eschewing evil is required of us, the next verse showeth. In the words observe —
1. The act, ZoKL^dt,ovTe^, ' Proving.'
2. Tbe object, to evapearov tw Kvplw, 'What is acceptable (or well- pleasing) to the Lord Christ'
VeR. 10.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS Y. 289
I. The act, ' proviug.' The word siguifieth so to prove as to approve and practise.
1. Sometimes it signifieth bare searching or examining : 1 Thes. v. 21, ' Prove all things,' So it noteth an accurate and continual study and endeavour to know God's will, by reading and meditating : Ps. i. 2, ' And in that law doth he meditate day and night.' By hearing and trying, as the Bereans are commended, Acts xvii. 11, 'In that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scrip- tures daily, whether those things were so.' By praying and earnest seeking : Prov. ii. 3, 4, ' Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasure.' This, and the use of all other holy means, is the searching and examining commended to us.
2. Proving is put for approving : Rom. ii. 18, ' And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent.' We must not examine only, but approve what is good and true.
3. Taking upon ourselves an obligation to practise it: Rom. xii. 2, ' And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and accep- table and perfect will of God.' The meaning is, that you may under- stand and perform your duty : Phil. i. 10, ' That ye may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.' Approve by adopting into your manners and practices : it is SoKLfid^eTe, the same word. Therefore, besides proving and approv- ing, there must be performing, at least an endeavour ; otherwise it is a ridiculous thing, and that which will never stand us in any stead, to examine what is pleasing to God, and practise the contrary.
II. The object, that which is pleasing or ' acceptable to the Lord.' There is a difference between things.
1. Some things utterly displease God, as sin: 2 Sam. xi. 27, 'But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.'
2. Some things are not displeasing unto God, as all natural and in- different actions, which are not forbidden, but allowed by him : Eccles. ix. 7, ' Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart ; for God now accepteth thy works.'
3. Other things are commanded by him by a positive law, but have no natural goodness in themselves, setting aside God's command. Now these things are pleasing to God, as man performeth his required duty ; but not so pleasing as the weighty things of the law, which have a moral good in them, if God had given no express command in the case. So it is said, Rom. xiv. 17, 18, ' For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost ; for he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men.' Mercifulness, peaceableness, delight to do good one to another, these are acts of obedience to Christ, and for his sake will be accepted with God, and are of good report with men. So morals must be preferred before rituals, and the great evangelical duties before moral ; as love to God and faith in Christ before acts of goodness and righteousness to men ; * For without fliitli it is impos- sible to please God,' Heb. xi. 6. So Acts x. 35, * But in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.'