3. That it is not easy to acquit ourselves as children of the light ; much study and search into the scriptures is required of us : Ps. i. 2, ' But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in that law doth he meditate day and night. And much heedful ness, that we walk accordingly ; much watchfulness over our hearts : Pro v. iv. 23, ' Keep thy heart with all diligence ; ' and our ways, ver. 26, ' Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.'
Use 2. Is for reproof to several sorts.
1. Some that take no care to know their duty. This is great neg- ligence, or downright hypocrisy : 2 Peter iii. 5, * But this they are willingly ignorant of ; ' which in a matter of such importance is damnable : Heb. ii. 3, ' How shall they escape which neglect so great salvation ? ' They will not inquire, because they have a mind to hate, or no mind to embrace.
2. Some that walk at peradventure, and live rashly, as governed by passion, lust, and appetite, rather than any sure and steady direction : Ps. cxix. 133, ' Order my steps in thy word, and let not iniquity have dominion over me.' These cannot escape reigning sins.
3. Some are out in the end, either please the flesh or the lusts of man. The rule is not, what will please the flesh, but to do the will of God : 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.' Not what is acceptable to men, but what is pleasing to God : Gal. i. 10, * For if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ.'
300 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XIIL
SERMON XIIL
And have no fellowsldp lolth the unfruitful ivorJcs of darkness, hut rather reprove them. — Eph. v. 11.
There are two parts of the spiritual life — things to be clone, and things to be avoided ; in both the children of light must show their fidelity to God, in doing good and avoiding evih Of the first we have spoken already in ver. 10, and have showed that it is not enough to do a few good things, to which all consent, but we must diligently search and find out what is acceptable and well-pleasing to God. I now come to the second branch of our duty, avoiding evil, ' And have no fellow- ship with tlie unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.' Wherein take notice —
1. Of the object, or what is forbidden, ' The unfruitful works of darkness.'
2. Our duty and carriage about it, in two things —
[1.] 'Have no fellowship with tliem,' have nothing to do with them.
[2.] ' But rather reprove them ; ' that is, by all means show that you utterly dislike that course of life.
Doct. That the children of light should live in a perfect abhor- rence of, and stand at a great distance from, the unfruitful works of darkness.
1. I shall explain.
2. Prove this point.
I. For the explication ; and there — (1.) The object ; (2.) The acts of duty about it.
First, For the object. We have a general and unlimited expression, ' The unfruitful works of darkness.' But what they are we may col- lect from the context, ' Uncleanness, fornication, evil concupiscence,' &c. ; and Rom. xiii. 12, 13, the apostle reckoneth up other things: 'Let us cast off the works of darkness, &c., and let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wanton- ness, not in strife and envying.' These and suchlike heathen practices are such as the apostle intendeth.
Now in this expression you may take notice of tw^o things — (1.) They are called ' works of darkness ; ' (2.) They are said to be ' unfruitful.'
1. They are called ' works of darkness ' for these reasons —
[1.] Because they are done by men in their carnal estate, w'ho are destitute of the Spirit of God, and all saving knowledge of his will. The corrupt estate of nature is called darkness, as the renewed estate is called light : 1 Peter ii. 9, ' He hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.' And chiefly because the one live in ignorance, and the other estate beginneth with the illumination of the Holy Spirit ; and therefore these sins are called ' works of darkness,' because igno- rance is the mother of them. Did men know the amiable nature ot God, the purity of his holy law, the matchless love of Christ, the true worth of souls, the blessedness of eternal life, and the danger of perish- ing for ever, it would spoil the devil's works, and he could not have
VeR. 11.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 301
such a hand over them as usually he hath : ' As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance,' 1 Peter i. 14. Ignorance is the mother of profaneness ; they neither know the terror nor the sweetness of the Lord, and tlieretbre wallow in ■their impurities. Light is an awing thing ; when once men come to the knowledge of the truth, they are ashamed of what they prac- tised before. But how hard a matter is it to make men understand or i-egard anything while ignorant, and destitute of saving knowledge !