4. The children of God are fitted and prepared for this, to abstain from sin. If wicked men be afraid or ashamed to do these things in the light of the sun, and they cannot easily overcome the wrestlings of conscience, how can the children of God do these things, who have the light of grace ? If conscience give back when we are tempted to foul sins, how much more will the new nature give back with great abhor- rence ? 1 John iii. 9, ' Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.' He cannot bring his heart to it. That may be justly expected from men, which their principles sufficiently prompt them unto. It is true there is such a weakness in God's children that they need to be exhorted, and yet such an aversion from sin that it may be justly expected they should have no fellowship with the works of dark- ness. There is flesh in us as well as Spirit, and christians may act from either principle ; but the Spirit is in predominancy, or else we are not true christians. Therefore it may reasonably be expected that the motions and operations of the flesh should be overruled and suppressed. There is indeed too much advantage for Satan to work upon by our carnality and averseness from God, our nearness to this world, and strangeness to the world to come ; but being enlightened and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, there is more to check these temptations.
5. The ioconveniencies are great that will follow if God's children should have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness ; our pretended communion with God will be interrupted : 1 John i. 6, 7, ' If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
VeR. 11.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 309
light, we have fellowship one with another.' The name of God is dis- honoured, 2 Sam. xii. 14 ; the world is hardened and justified, Ezek. xvi. 52; religion is slandered. The wicked labour to cover this light with clouds of disgrace and detraction : 1 Peter ii. 12, ' That whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God.' They will be glad to find an occasion from your miscarriage. Your own peace is lost : Ps. li. 8-12, ' Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Kestore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit.'
Use. Is to press the two duties in the text.
1. ' Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness ; ' that is, do not join or partake in the sins of the carnal world, though they seem to be authorised by vulgar and common practice. To this end remember —
[1.] You must not do as others do, but do as God requireth. You must live by rule, not by example. Doth the law of God, by which you must be judged, allow of any sin ? They are children of darkness and disobedience that ' walk according to the course of this world,' Eph. ii. 2. The Israel of God are tliose that walk according to rule : Gal. vi. 16, ' As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and on the whole Israel of God.'
[2.] Love God, and love his law, and love his people, and the infec- tion is prevented. Love God : Ps. xcvii. 10, ' Ye that love the Lord, hate evil,' Love his law : Ps. cxix. 165, ' Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall ofFend them.' Love his people : 1 John ii. 10, ' He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him ; ' that is, so far as you love him as a brother, as one that is obedient to God ; otherwise the sins of a godly man may be a strong temptation to us. Therefore your love to his people must come from the two former, from a sincere love to God and his law, and then it is a help to you.
[3.] We must eschew all unnecessary and voluntary friendship and familiarity with wicked men : Ps. xxvi. 4, ' I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers ;' Prov. xii. 11, ' He that followeth vain persons is void of understanding,' There are two reasons of this caution. First, To prevent infection, lest you be drawn to walk in their ways; he that walketh in the sun is insensibly tanned: Prov. xxii. 24, 25, ' Make no friendship with an angry man ; and with a furious man thou shalt not go ; lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.' Agrippa by converse with Caligula the heathen emperor learned his manners ; and as Caligula affected divine honour, so tlid Agrippa, for which God smote him that he died, as Josephus tells us. Therefore we should be as little as we can in scandalous and tempting company ; if you presume to touch pitch, you cannot escape defilement. Secondly, The other reason is, that they may not be hard- ened in an evil course, and kept from being ashamed : 2 Thes. iii. 14, 'And have no company with him, that he may be nshamed.'