5. Get a more experimental knowledge. Most of Christianity is not only to be believed, but felt : 1 John v. 10, ' He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.' We must have not only a sight, but a taste : 1 Peter ii. 2, 3, ' As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby ; if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' And feeling : Phil. iii. 10, ' That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.' Otherwise it is but a form of knowledge. Experience is the inward seal and con- firmation of truth : John xvii. 17, * Sanctify them through the truth, thy word is truth ; ' John viii. 32, ' And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'
6. Get a more practical knowledge. Knowledge is for use, not an idle speculation. As a gallant and a physician cometh into a garden, one looketh upon the colour and beauty, the other upon the virtue and use of herbs and flowers : 2 Peter i. 8, ' For if these things be in 3^ou and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ ; ' 1 John ii. 4, * He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.' A practical christian is more ready to serve and please God every day.
VeR. 18.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 389
SERMON XXIL
Aiid he not drunk ivith wine, ivherei7i is excess ; hut he filled ivitJi the Spirit.— 'Kfu. v. 18.
Here is a new direction to the cliiklren of light, who are bonnd to walk accurately and circumspectly, and to redeem time to glorify God and save their own souls. One great impediment of a watchful and diligent life is drunkenness and intemperance; therefore those who would walk accurately and redeem time must be sober and temperate in all things : ' Be not drunk with wine,' &c.
In the words we have — (1.) A dehortation, ' Be not drunk with wine.' (2.) A reason, ' Wherein there is excess.' (3.) The opposite duty, ' But be filled with the Spirit.'
1. The dehortation. In which —
[1.] The matter of the sin, 'Be not drunk with wine.' Under the term ' wine ' all inebriating and intoxicating drink is comprehended, called in the scripture by the general name of * strong drink ; ' Isa. v. 11, ' Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink ; that continue until night, till wine inflame them.' Meaning thereby, not wine only, but other drinks made of honey, dates, rice, malt, or any other grain that for strength often cometh not short of wine, and may inebriate or make men drunk as well as it ; as the Nazarite was to separate himself from wine and strong drink: Num. vi. 3, * He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, nor vinegar of strong drink ; neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.' This is the matter of the sin.
[2.] The manner, when made drunk by it. The word importeth sometimes a more liberal use of wine; as John ii. 10, 'When men have well drunk.' Sometimes an excessive and inordinate use, as here, such as breedeth some distemper. There is implied a lawful use of wine : 1 Tim. v. 23, ' Drink no longer water, but use a little wine, for thy stomach's sake, and thine often infirmities.' And the case is shortly stated, Eccles. x. 17, ' For strength, and not for drunkenness.' Vigour, health, and strength, for the duties of our general and parti- cular calling, is to be preserved, but drunkenness is to be avoided.
2. The reason, ' Wherein there is excess.' The word acrwro? properly signifieth prodigality and riot, as Luke xv. The word for the prodigal is aaforta ; and ver. 13, * in riotous living ' is aa-(£noi<i ; and 1 Peter iv. 4, excess of riot, eh t7]v uvttjv tt}? aaooTta'iavdxvo-iv ; what we translate 'excess,' the Vulgar translate 'luxury ;' some trans- late ' dissoluteness,' which they interpret a wasteful profusion, without any prudence or consideration, joined with all licentiousness, that they take to themselves to abuse God's creatures.
3. The opposite duty is, ' Be ye filled with the Spirit.' Where by the ' Spirit ' is meant the Spirit of God, the author of all grace, who dwelleth in the hearts of the faithful. And by ' being filled,' not an absolute and exact fulness, but a plentiful enjoyment of his grace. Things are said to be filled when they are a-tiUing ; and though
390 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XXII.
tliey be not brimful, yet this is the prevalent principle. Christ only had the S[)irit without measure, John iii. 34 ; others, according to their recej)tivity, as they are able to receive: they are still a-filling, and are made capable of larger measures of grace. If any ask, Why is this required of us, to be filled with the Spirit? is it in our power to command his influences, and fill ourselves as full as we please ?