I answer — We are to use the means, to ask, seek, and knock ; and then the rich treasures of grace will be opened to us. The apostle speaketh to children of light ; if they do not hinder their own filling by their sensuality or negligence, what can they want ? If we obstruct his motions by our carnal practices, or do not improve them by our negligence and folly, the fault is our own. Let us faithfully use the means to obtain this benefit, and we shall not want it. So that it lieth much upon us to be filled with the Spirit.
Doct. That all sincere christians should be careful not to be filled with wine, but with the Spirit.
I shall consider — (1.) The avricrroi^^a, the matters put in opposi- tion one to the other ; (2.) The inconsistency of the one with the other ; (3.) The reasons why christians are under this obligation.
I. The matters put in opposition to each other, which are both things and actions. The things are 'wine' and the 'Spirit;' the actions, being ' drunk with wine,' and ' filled with the Spirit.'
First, The things ; these two are put in opposition —
1. To check the temptation. The sensual pleasure which men find in wine enticeth them to excess. There are higher pleasures men should be taken up with, namely, the joy of faith and a delight in holi- ness. It seemeth hard to pleasant natures to abjure all accustomed delights ; but the temptation will be less powerful if we can })ersuade them that their delight is not abrogated, but preferred ; transplanted from Egypt, that it may grow in Canaan. It is but change the object, or turn the affection into a spiritual channel, and you shall have delight enough : James v. 13, ' Is any among you afflicted ? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.' So Eph. v. 3, 4, 'But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient ; but rather giving of thanks.' All men seek causes of mirth and cheerfulness: you shall not lose your cheerfulness, you need not quench your thirst at the dead water of the next ditch, if you will take a little pains to go a little further, and seek out the fountain of living water. Indeed it is the S|)irit nmst direct and incline you, but this is the way of your cure. There is a double error we are guilty of in disposing our affections; we mistake in the object, and we offend in the measure. If the first error were well cured, the second would be soon prevented. Seek a right object for your oblectation and delight, and if that be esteemed according to its worth, you would the better be weaned from other things ; as whore- dom would cease by the choice and love of a beautiful and lawful wife.
2. To show the difference between the holy societies or meetings of the faithful, and the dissolute feasts of the heathens in honour of their idols. In these they came away filled with wine, bat in christiaa
VeR. 18.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 391
assemblies with the Spirit; and that is the reason why idolatry is mentioned when these excesses are forbidden : 1 Peter iv. 3, ' When we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries ; ' because these excessive feasts were fre- quent at the solemn worship of their idols. Carnal rejoicing maketh a loud noise, and vents itself in a carnal manner ; for as idolatry is a work of the flesh, so is drunkenness. But now in christian meetings the rejoicing is spiritual, and vented in psalms and thanksgiving and fervent prayers, and they were feasted with God's promises. The devil betimes sought to bring in intemperance into the christian meetings by the love-feasts, which some abused to riot and luxury ; and therefore the apostle seeks to obviate this abuse.
3. Because of the analogy between wine and the Spirit ; they are often proposed in scripture as correspondent, or as having some like- ness in their operations ; as wine cheereth and exhilarateth the spirits: Ps. civ. 15, ' It maketh glad the heart of man ;' so the Spirit filleth the soul, and exhilarateth it. Only in this fulness there is no excess : Cant. V. 1, ' Drink abundantly, 0 beloved.' And in this mirth there is no dissoluteness ; when we are filled with the S[nrit, it is no cor- ruptive joy, but perfective, such as strengtheneth the heart : Neh. viii. 10, ' The joy of the Lord is your strength.' There are some common effects between wine and the Spirit, as appeareth by the sacrament, where we are said to ' drink into one Spirit,' 1 Cor. xii. 13, where the outward element is wine, because the copious plentiful measure of the Spirit doth work like effects spiritually which wine taken in large draughts doth bodily; as it filleth the soul with joy and gladness, Cant. i. 4, and looseneth the tongue in the praises of God : E})h. v. 19, ' Speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs ; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.' The children of God, when they have gotten a full draught of the Spirit, express their joy in hymns and praises to God. Again that there is a correspondency appeareth by the scoffing of those that were unacquainted with the motions of the Spirit ; as the mockers said, ' These men are full of new wine,' Acts ii. 13, and Peter's answer, ver. 15, 'These are not drunk with wine, as you suppose.' So Hannah's praying fervently was judged by Eli to be drunkenness, 1 Sam. i. 14. All iervent motions of the Spirit seem to standers-by like the effects of wine ; yea, some that are inflamed with wine think they are inspired, and mistake the fumes of wine for the motions of the Spirit. Now for these reasons the apostle puts them together.