(2.) The times while powerful means of grace are continued do not always last. Persons have their day and nations their day. He may take away his word from a people that reject it, and offer them his grace no more : Acts xiii. 46, ' But seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the- gentiles.'
378 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XXI.
(3.) When God's motions are more powerful, these God may suspend upon our disobedience : Gen. vi. 3, ' My Spirit shall not always strive with man.' God at some times moveth the heart more strongly towards conversion than at other times. Now this time should not be lost, the day of patience, the day of offers, the day of motions. The day of patience is as long as life lasteth ; the day of offers, while means and motions are continued. It is dangerous to slight either. Present time is best.
Use 2. Is to press you to redeem the time. All our time is due to God ; and were it not for bodily necessities, it were to be spent in his immediate service. But this is the life of heaven, not of earth. A good proportion must be given to him ; yea, in a sense our all. Com- mon actions must be sacred in their intention and aim : Isa. xxiii. 18, ' And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord.' The particular time we are to spend in the immediate service of God is not expressly determined, because God trusts love, and expecteth much from a willing people, who are not wont to dispute away their duties, but practise them ; and because he would leave something to the conduct of the Spirit, and a due latitude to men's several conditions and occasions. And though there be not express directions, yet injunc- tions are very large and comprehensive : 1 Thes. v. 17, ' Pray without ceasing.' We have worthy patterns : Ps. cxix. 147, ' I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried;' and ver. 164, 'Seven times a day do I praise thee.' Therefore you must do what will stand with love, with your manifold necessities, and spiritual welfare and advantage, and the special seasons God offereth in his providence. For means —
1. Be sure the body be not a clog to the soul : Luke xxi. 34, ' Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares of the world.' When you gratify the body, you make way for a gross neglect of the soul.
2. Love to God, that keepeth the heart liberal and open upon all occasions of duty.
3. The heavenly mind. Are you in good earnest ? Would you go to heaven, and dwell with God for ever ? The children of this world are wise in the course of their affairs, what time to redeem, and what advantages to take. If you were more heavenly-minded, you would be wiser in your affairs for a heavenly life.
SERMON XXL
Wherefore he ye not umvise, hut understandhig loJiat the ivill of the Lord is. — Eph. v. 17.
These words are an inference from the whole discourse, begun ver. 8 ; more especially from the two last exhortations, to ' walk circumspectly,' and ' redeem the time ; ' ' wherefore be ye not unwise,' &c. Observe here —
YeR. 17.] SERjrONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 379
1. The note of inference, 'Wherefore.'
2. The duty inferred, which is propounded — (1.) Negatively, 'Be ye not unwise ; ' (2.) Positively, ' But understanding what the will of the Lord is.'
1. The note of inference, ' Wherefore,' that we may not be deceived as the ignorant, nor delay as the slothful ; neither mistake otu- duty, nor fail in the readiness of our obedience, but observ^e what God re- quireth, that we may do it diligently and while there is time.
2. The duty inferred is propounded negatively, ' Be ye not unwise.' Be ye not acjipove^, foolish, simple, who are deceived with every fair appearance. Positively, ' But understanding what the will of the Lord is.' XvvievTe^ is more than jLvcoaKovre^, for avvUvai is 'attentively to weigh: Mat. xiii. 19, koI [Mrj avvievTo<i, ' and understandeth it not.' Beza, No7i advertit animum ; we must not barely understand our duty, but prudently and practically consider of what moment it is to our eternal woe or welfare, either to omit or perform it.
Doct. That wisdom and a good understanding of the will of God is necessary to accurate walking or ready obedience.
I. Before I give you the reasons, let me state the point as it lieth in the text.
1. That every man that hath a tender conscience would be accurate and exact in his obedience to God, not contenting himself with a slight tincture of Christianity, but looking into every creek and turning of it, that he may in no point be lacking and defective in his duty. Now this cannot be without much wisdom and knowledge ; therefore here, when the apostle presseth them to ' walk circumspectly,' he presently addeth, ' Not as fools, but as wise.' And again, ' Be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.' So elsewhere : Col. i. 9, 10, ' That ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding ; that you might walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and in- creasing in the knowledge of God.' So Col. iv. 12, * That ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.' They are growing to a fuller maturity both in christian knowledge and practice.