07. IV. “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks,”
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks.—Eph. v. 4.
THE apostle having condemned three gross sins in life and practice, he cometh now to speak of three other sins in speech; for all impurity, both in word and deed, is forbidden to christians. In the words note—
(1.) The sins enumerated, 'Filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting;'
(2.) The reason of the prohibition, those things 'are not convenient;'
(3.) The special duty substituted into their room and place, 'But rather giving thanks.'
First, the sins enumerated are—(1.) Ἀισχρότης, 'filthiness,' called elsewhere ἀισχρολογία, filthy communication, 1 Cor. iii. 8, which is a broad speaking of those things that belong to uncleanness. (2.) There is μαρολογία, 'foolish talking,' which is meant either of all impertinent, rash, and roving discourse, which doth rather bewray the speaker's folly and indiscretion than any way edify the hearers: Prov. xv. 2, 'The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.' When men use a multitude of useless words to no purpose, or have a torrent of words for a drop of sense; or of those that make themselves fools, or act the part of a fool to please others, as David counterfeited madness before Achish; as if it were the praise of a man to make himself an artificial fool or jester to humour others. (3.) The third word is ἐυτραπελία, which we translate 'jesting.' The philosopher understands by it that virtue which is
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called urbanity, which is the middle between scurrility and rusticity. But as things easily degenerate, so do names; therefore the apostle useth it for that exercise of wit that may be called foolery or mockery, such as idle and scoffing companions use to make themselves merry with, or to please some with the hurt and offence of others, and suiteth not with christian piety, gravity, charity.
Secondly, The argument or reason used against them: τὰ οὐκ ἀνήκοντα, 'These things are not convenient;' that is, these things are unseemly, or unbefitting the seriousness and holiness of a christian; and so it is the same argument with the former, 'as it becometh saints,' only delivered with some difference of expression. We are apt to extenuate these sins, therefore consider what will become saints. Christianity is a grave thing; it consists chiefly of two parts—dying to sin and living to God; and those that come under the power as well as the profession of it are to behave themselves partly as men in conflict with sin, and partly as those that study to honour and glorify God. With respect to the first part, our life should be a perpetual repentance, always getting farther from sin; therefore the present season is not a time of laughter and vain mirth, but of agony and strife against the devil, the world, and the flesh. To live in pleasure upon earth is to gratify our spiritual enemies, to be laughing when we should be mourning and weeping, or sowing in tears that we may reap in joy. Therefore obscene talk or vain babbling, that serveth for no grave use, ridiculous mirth that only tendeth to vain pleasure, layeth us open to our enemies, with whom we are in constant warfare; and so it is unbesemming christians, as evidencing a naughty spirit in ourselves, and as tending to infect others. With respect to the second, the honouring and pleasing God, our whole life should be a constant hymn to God, or a perpetual act of praise and thanksgiving: 1 Peter ii. 9, 'Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, to show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.' Therein we have a fitter subject for our rejoicing than obscene and scurrilous discourse, wherein profane persons most show their wit.
Thirdly, The duty substituted into the room and place of these: 'But rather ἐυχαριστία, giving of thanks;' meaning to God (though he be not mentioned), from whom all mercies are received, and to whom all praises are due. This is added—(1.) To show that delight is not abrogated, but preferred or transferred to a better object; and so answers the objection, Must a christian be always sad? No; let your mirth run in a spiritual channel, and then you will have cheerfulness enough, matter of rejoicing enough, upon better terms, and at a more sincere rate. (2.) It specifieth what should be the christian's mirth, the commemoration of the mercy of God, especially the great benefits we have by Christ. We need not be beholden to sin for our joy; we have the innumerable benefits of God to rejoice in: Ps. lxviii. 19, 'Blessed be the Lord, who loadeth us daily with his benefits, even the God of our salvation;' and Eph. v. 20, 'Giving thanks always unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.' There is the christian's way of mirth, and that which should revive and cheer his soul; there he may rejoice always, and rejoice without offence, and
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needeth not run to obscene talking or unsavoury jests to cause laughter. If we be christians indeed, and esteem what we profess to believe, can anything be more contentful to us? (3.) It intimateth what we should do when our hearts are most disposed to mirth, and we are apt to let loose ourselves to joy and gladness; as, namely, when we are cheered with the liberal use of the creature at feasts and banquets, we should not wholly compose ourselves to ridiculous mirth, but rather give thanks: James v. 13. 'Is any merry? let him sing psalms.' When we have our souls at this advantage, we should turn our rejoicing into a spiritual channel.
From this view you see the drift of the text. I shall handle it more diffusively in these observations—
I. That christians should make great conscience, not only of their actions, but their words also; for after the apostle had dissuaded them from all uncleanness and filthiness in practice, he addeth, 'Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient.' We must make conscience of our words for these reasons—
1. We are not absolute proprietors and possessors of our own selves; our tongues are not our own to speak what we please. Exempt any one faculty or member from the jurisdiction of God, and you disown his authority and interest in you, and open a floodgate to let in sin and wickedness into the world. They were rebels against God's government that said, Ps. xii. 4, 'Our tongues are our own; who is lord over us?' We had them from God, and they must be used for him, not against him; therefore we are not left to run at random in our ordinary discourse, to say and utter what we think good.
2. As we had our tongues from God, so we are accountable to him for the use of them; and therefore will our actions not only be brought into the judgment, but our words and speeches also: Mat. xii. 36, 37, 'But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment; for by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.' As if our Lord had said, Deceive not yourselves, as if words were too light to be accounted for. Words, such as they may be, may occasion a sad reckoning between Christ and you; for in distributing rewards and punishments, he considereth words as well as actions. All the business is what is that ῥῆμα ἀργόν, that idle word which our Lord there speaketh of, and how far it reacheth. The word may signify either vain or false: those false and blasphemous words which, out of the malignity of their hearts, they had uttered against him, are certainly comprised; namely, that he did cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils. But are not other words of lesser malignity included also? Yes; all that bewray the evil treasure of the heart, an ill talent in men, as contumelies and reproaches against godliness; yea, rotten speech, that showeth the prevalency of uncleanness in the heart, for they are such words as discover a man's state and temper; for the judgment of absolution and condemnation is to be passed according to these words. And though we cannot extend the rigour of it so far as to say that every word which conduceth not to some end of christian edification shall make men miscarry in the judgment—(alas! who then could be saved?)—yet surely we ought to make conscience of all our words.
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As we must take care that we prejudice not christian hope, so we must not open a gap to looseness; therefore do not say, It is but a matter of words; for how little soever men may esteem words, they may weigh heavy in God's balance, and idle words must be avoided as well as gross sins.
3. Words do much discover the temper of a man's heart. There are three operations of man by which he is discovered to be what he is—thoughts, words, and actions; and all these we should make conscience of. Certainly in all these things there should be a difference between the people of God and others. To instance in what we are upon, the people of God should be observably different in their words and discourse from other men: Prov. x. 20, 'The tongue of the just is as choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is little worth;' where the tongue of the righteous is opposed to the heart of the wicked, and compared to silver, and the heart of the wicked to dross. Because their heart is little worth, their discourse will be accordingly, for the tongue showeth what is in the heart. So Prov. xv. 7, 'The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the fool doth not so.' Men usually discourse as their hearts are. A man of a frothy spirit will bring forth nothing but vain and frothy discourse, but a gracious man will utter holy and gracious things, for the tap runneth according to the liquor wherewith the vessel is filled. One place more: Ps. xxxvii. 30, 31, 'The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment, the law of God is in his heart.' All men's discourses are vented accordingly as their hearts are busied and affected. A man that hath the law of God in his heart, and maketh it his work to suit his actions thereunto, will also suit his words to it, and edify those with whom he speaketh. Thoughts, words, and actions are the genuine products and issues of the heart. Grace in the heart discovereth itself uniformly in holy thoughts, holy words, and holy actions; therefore if our conference be not different from ordinary men's, it showeth the temper and constitution of our souls is the same.
4. Because our tongue is our glory: Ps. lvii. 8, 'Awake, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp;' Ps. xvi. 9, 'My heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth.' Compare Acts ii. 26, 'My heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth.' So Ps. xxx. 12, 'That my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent;' that is, my tongue. But why is our tongue called our glory? For a double reason, both which are pertinent to the case in hand—
[1.] Because thereby we can express the conceptions of our minds for the good of mankind. It was not given to us for that use for which the tongues of the brute beasts serve them, to taste meats and drinks only, or to taste our food. No; but to converse with each other. Speech is the excellency of man above the beasts. Man is ζῶον πολιτικὸν, a sociable creature, and therefore fitted by God that we may entertain one another with discourse. Now it is a manifest abuse of this excellent faculty when, instead of propagating wisdom and knowledge, we should only vent our corruption by it; and should make no other use of it but to vent our scum and froth to the poisoning and infecting of other souls. This is to propagate the general taint, and to make one another more corrupt than we are by nature. Well might
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the prophet complain: Isa. vi. 5, 'I am a man of polluted lips, and dwell among a people of polluted lips.' By the lips the contagion of sin spreadeth from one to another, and so our glory is turned into shame. Therefore if men do not make conscience of their words, their tongues will run riot against all decency both of speaker and hearers.
[2.] The other reason why it is called our glory is because thereby we may express the conceptions of our minds, to the glory of God as well as the good of others: James iii. 9, 'Therewith we bless God, even the Father.' And this is proper to us, not only beyond the beasts, but even the angels. The beasts have tongues, but no reason; the angels have reason, but no tongues; but man hath reason, and a tongue wherewith to utter it, and so man is the mouth of the creation, who can not only think of God, but speak of God, his word and works. Therefore the chief use of the tongue is to glorify and praise God, to magnify his name, and delight our souls in the sweet commemoration of his excellencies and benefits: Ps. xxxv. 28, 'My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.' This is the great and noble use of the tongue, to give the Lord thanks for mercies received, or what he has done for the world, for the church, for our bodies and our souls. Now shall the mouth that is consecrated to God be filled with dung, and the tongue which was designed for so excellent and noble a use as to be God's harp be debased to so vile an office as to become Satan's trumpet, to stir up filthiness and uncleanness in ourselves and others, pollute that tongue with lust and filthiness which should speak of the holy God?
5. Because our speeches are regarded by God; and therefore you must consider not only what is fit for you to utter and others to hear, but what is fit for God to hear. You are indeed to consider all three. What is fit for you to utter: Will this become saints? What is fit for man to hear as tending to his profit, at least not to his hurt. But this is not all; in the close of the day, when you are making your examen, have you spoken such words as are fit for God to hear? Ps. cxxxix. 4, 'There is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether.' There is not a word we speak, vain or serious, idle or to purpose, but the Lord considereth it perfectly: Mal. iii. 16, 'Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written.' He taketh notice of every word that is spoken for or against him. Reason will tell us that this certainly belongeth to the infinite perfection of God's nature; but if it were soundly believed, it would make men more cautious. If you have spoken wantonly, filthily, foolishly, the Lord heareth, and you must give an account of it to him. Now tell me, should we not make conscience of our words?
6. Because the well ordering of our words is a great point of christianity, and argueth a good degree of grace: James iii. 2, 'He that offendeth not with his tongue is a perfect man;' that is, hath made a good progress in religion; for so many ways do we offend with our tongues, that to restrain the irregularities of them showeth that we have a good sense of our duty, or a great awe of God upon our hearts, and are able to resist other temptations, and guide our actions according to the
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christian rule. Now, that you may not think it an arbitrary thing, let me tell you there is an absolute complete perfection, and there is a perfection of sincerity. He doth not mean it in the first sense, for he saith there, 'In many things we offend all.' The best have much to blame and accuse themselves of. But in the latter sense, he is a true and sincere christian, one that hath profited in the doctrine of Christ, and desireth to do all the will of God. But what doth the apostle say of other manner of christians, that have gotten no manner of government of their tongues, but let them loose to all kind of vanity and folly, censuring, detraction, and evil speaking, &c.? James i. 26, 'If any man seemeth to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, that man's religion is vain;' that is, though he maketh show of living religiously, or serving and worshipping of God, he doth but deceive himself if he thinketh his religion shall stand him in any stead. Well, then, life and death are in the power of the tongue; upon the good or ill use of it dependeth not only our temporal but eternal safety.
II. In making conscience of our words, we should specially take heed of filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting.
There are many evils of the tongue, but these are those which we have now under consideration. For the first, 'filthiness,' men will easily grant that this is an evil, but think not so of the second and third. Natural conscience and reason may cause us to blush at filthiness, but is apt to patronise and plead for fooling and jesting, as strains of wit and pleasantness, and not matters of sin and crime; therefore we must go over them particularly, and show that they are sins which become not sincere christians.
1. Filthiness is when we speak of obscene things in an obscene manner, without any respect to modesty and christian gravity or sobriety. Now this is a great evil, for filthy speakers bring the spiritual miscreere upon themselves, or that disease whereby men vomit their excrements by their mouth; nothing is more beastly than their speeches. But they that can speak filthy words without blushing will commit filthy deeds without shame or restraint; for by their filthy talk they have polluted their own minds, and prepared themselves for the sin.
[1.] It is a sin most inconsistent with any reverence and fear of God: Ps. xix. 9, 'The fear of the Lord is clean.' Because there is shamelessness and boldness in it: Isa. iii. 9, 'They declare their sin as Sodom; they hide it not.' Now it is a grievous temper and state of heart to know no shame, for this is to contemn and despise God. Others disobey him; but such despise him, and seem to have cast off all honesty, and glory in their shame, as if it were a credit to them to defy the holy God and the restraint of his laws.
[2.] It is a grief to the Holy Spirit, as it obstructs that purity and cleanness of heart which he would work in us: Eph. iv. 29, 30, 'Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.' The Spirit is represented both as the Holy Spirit, and as the Spirit of peace, and so opposite both to filthiness and clamour. His habitation must be clean and quiet; therefore clamour, wrath, and bitterness must be put away.
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[3.] You infect others, and corrupt them by filthy discourse. Many an hopeful gentleman hath been debauched this way, by unclean representations both from the stage and the talk of their company. The filthy speakers are factors for hell to proselyte men to the devil, and draw unwary souls into his snare: 2 Peter ii. 18, 'They allure through the lust of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them that live in error;' they entice and cast them back again into all carnality and filthiness
2. The next word is μωρολογία, 'foolish speaking.' This hath so many branches, that it is hard to reckon them up; as—
[1.] When they speak of foolish things. As some can spend hours in telling vain tales, that serve for no other use but to possess the minds of the hearers with levity and folly. Now if the 'thought of foolishness be sin,' Prov. xxiv. 9, words of foolishness are much more sin, as they are more public, and abuse the time and ears of others: Prov. xv. 14, 'The mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness;' it is as diet to them.
[2.] When men speak of serious things in a ludicrous and vain manner, and design it for jest. This is playing with sacred things, like the Philistines calling for Samson to make them sport, Judges xvi. 25, or the Babylonians asking for one of the songs of Sion, Ps. cxxxvii. 3, or the sensualists inventing themselves instruments of music like David, Amos vi. 5, as if their carnal mirth never relished better than when it is seasoned with something that is sacred, and religion is forced to serve their profane mirth.
[3.] Lavish, superfluous speech to no end: Prov. xxix. 11, 'A fool uttereth all his mind.' They can hold nothing, but, whether it tend to hurt or profit, out it cometh. Many have gotten a custom of vain babbling, and full of endless talk to no purpose. Now 'In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin,' Prov. x. 13; and all this prattle cometh out of a vain and foolish heart, that never had any serious sense of holy things; and therefore are indifferent what they speak, for God or error; things that belong to them, or belong to them not, their own or other men's matters.
[4.] Rash speech, to speak of things they understand not. As the apostle speaketh of some that, desiring to be teachers of the law, understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm, 1 Tim. i. 7. As many, like little infants, will attempt to run before they can go, so some are full of talk, and all about matters of controversy in religion, which they understand little of. But empty vessels and shallow brooks make the loudest noise.
[5.] Another kind of it is personal boasting, to set off themselves and their own excellencies. All their discourse is of themselves: Prov. xxv. 27, 'For men to search their own glory is not glory.' This περιαντολογία is foolish speaking, when all their discourse tendeth to set off themselves, and usher in something of themselves, and I cometh in at the end of every sentence. The rule is, another man's mouth should commend us, not our own: Prov. xxvii. 2, 'Let another man praise thee, not thine own mouth; a stranger, not thine own lips.' But I will not undertake to reckon up all the kinds of it.
Now I shall prove that it is a sin that should be made conscience of.
(1.) Because it suiteth not with the seriousness of religion, which is
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the wisdom of God. As he hath manifested the riches of his grace and goodness in the gospel, so he hath 'abounded to us in all wisdom and prudence,' Eph. i. 8. There should not be a wiser man than a christian, who is guided by the direction and counsel of a wise God, and therefore all his discourse should be grave and wise and serious. Solomon telleth us, Prov. x. 31, that 'The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom. His heart is stocked with such truths as contain the highest wisdom in the world, and therefore his mouth should overflow with it; as he that hath in his pocket more store of gold than of brass farthings will at every draught bring out more gold than farthings.
(2.) It sniteth not with the mortified estate of sincere christians. All foolish talking cometh from some unmortified lusts in our hearts, such as pride, vainglory, worldliness, uncleanness; therefore are they talking of vain things, and boasting of themselves with the contempt of others; and till these lusts be mortified, in vain do we expect a cure. Now when the heart is purified and purged from vanity, worldliness, and pride, men's discourse is presently altered. If the heart be set on the world, their discourse is commonly of the world: 1 John v. 5, 'They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.' If the heart be unclean, and swarm with noisome lusts, the speech will be rotten. If the heart be proud, men love to hear themselves talk. Vainglory will betray itself in our discourses. Every carnal affection leaveth a tincture on our speech.
(3.) Because it shutteth out better discourse, and so converse with others is rendered unprofitable. Omission of good is caused by it. A christian should come into no company but he should bethink himself what he is to do or say for God there. Now when men abandon themselves to foolish speaking, they little mind the use of edifying, or speaking of the great and most necessary things. Better things would come into other men's minds and mouths if they were not entertained with such vain discourse; and so the lean kine eat up the fat, and the better part doth not only give way to necessary business, but even impertinent vanities. Martha is rebuked for losing the season, when Mary heard Christ's gracious words, Luke x. 39-41, and she was employed about the necessary ministry of the family. How much then are they to be rebuked that jostle out all good discourse by their vain and unprofitable talk!
(4.) Because it argueth great emptiness, that we have not a good treasure within us, Mat. xii. 35, or have not hid the word in our hearts, Ps. exix. 11, or not taken care that it might dwell in us richly, Col. iii. 16. The full vessel will plash over, but vain empty spirits have nothing good to serve and supply the necessities of others.
3. We come now to the third sin enumerated, 'and jesting,' ἐντραπελία.
Here we must state this matter.
Is all jesting unlawful and misbecoming christians?
[1.] My answer must be negative; for honest recreation and moderate laughter, to fit the mind for serious things, is certainly lawful: Eccles. iii. 4, 'There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh;' and honest and pleasant discourses are, at fit times and opportunities, lawful and edifying, as they tend to maintain cheerfulness of mind, and alacrity of spirit, which is profitable both to our health and duty: Prov.
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xvii. 22, 'A merry heart doth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.' Why then should we not exercise our tongues facetiously, as well as any other member? But then—
[2.] I must tell you that, in recreating our spirits with pleasant and delightful discourse, it is an hard matter to keep within the bounds of lawful and allowed mirth. There is an easy passage from what is allowed to what is forbidden: 'The fool's heart is in the house of mirth.' Eccles. vii. 4, 5; whereas the house of mourning is more profitable for us in this mixed estate.
[3.] In the use of it, all due circumstances must be observed; as—
(1.) In the matter. On the one side, filthiness and sin must not be matter of jesting; for that always is matter of grief and shame to us, whether we reflect upon it as committed by ourselves or others. It is a dunghill mirth that must have somewhat unclean to feed it. On the other side, nothing sacred. It is profane and impious for men to abuse scripture, to vent the conceptions of their light and wanton wits. No; there must be still a care, as of christian sobriety, that nothing sinful, so of christian piety, that nothing sacred, may be the matter of our mirth.
(2.) For the manner. It must be harmless to others, not making sport with their sins or miseries; for that is against charity, which 'rejoiceth not in evil,' οὐκ ἐπιχαρεκακεῖ, 1 Cor. xiii. 6. Especially not to mock at parents, magistrates, and others whom for their age, gifts, or office we are bound to reverence. Yea, we must consider what others are able to bear, not making ourselves merry with their infirmities, nor using such offensive jests and tart reflections on their personal imperfections as may provoke them to wrath and anger.
(3.) For the measure. Not excessive wasting the time in vain, especially not habituating the mind to levity; that is scurrility when men accustom themselves so to vain jesting that they cannot possibly be serious; they can as well be immortal as serious. This hardeneth the heart in impenitency, and maketh some men look like professed jesters rather than christians. They have hardened themselves in the excess of a jocular way, that a man cannot tell whenever they are serious. And so, for the warning of the world, God hangeth up some in the chains of this sin, as well as others as instances for gluttony, whoredom, and drunkenness.
(4.) For the time. Not when God calleth us to mourning or more serious employments should it be taken in hand. To be jesting in public calamities is to affront God's providence. And business must not give way to sport. Our true mirth lieth in our duty, and that must have the chief place, especially in its season.
(5.) The end and use must not be forgotten. Our great end is to serve and glorify God, and everything that we do must have respect to it, and be proportioned by it. As the apostle speaketh of other passions of soul: 2 Cor. v. 13, 'If we be beside ourselves, it is for God; if we be sober, it is for your sakes.' In all tempers he minded the glory of God and their good. So in other passions; sorrow is allowable, as it worketh repentance unto salvation; so mirth, as it doth exhilarate the spirits for the service of God, and as it may be useful to our great end; it is therefore to be allowed only so far as it is concomitant with and subservient unto better things.
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III. One special means of checking such sins is to consider how much they misbecome christians; for the apostle saith no more but 'they are not convenient,' or do not agree with that state of grace into which we profess to be called.
For three reasons this will hold good—
1. Because there are four affections which serve to draw us from and guard us against sin—fear, shame, grief, and indignation. Our flight from sin is begun in fear, continued in shame, carried on by grief or sorrow, and endeth in indignation; and so sin is renounced, and the power of it broken. Now all these affections have a proper ground and consideration to set them a-work. Fear of wrath and damnation begins the work; for men have a quicker sense of danger than of other things. Shame looketh upon sin, not only as hurtful, but as filthy and brutish, and that which maketh us loathsome to God. It is φόβος δικαίου ψόγου, fear of just disgrace. The filthiness and folly of sin is the proper object of shame. Sorrow considereth God's goodness and sin's unkindness, causing us to mourn that we should break the laws of God, to whom we are so much obliged, for very trifles. Indignation worketh on the unseemliness and disconveniency of sin, either to the nature of man, or that grace to which we are called by Christ. In short, fear looketh on sin as damning: Acts ii. 37, 'When they heard this, they were pricked at their hearts, saying What shall we do to be saved?' Shame, as defiling: Ezek. vi. 9, 'They shall loathe themselves for the evils they have committed in all their abominations.' Sorrow, as offensive to so good a God: Zech. xii. 10, 'They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for him;' Luke vii. 47, 'She hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.' Indignation looketh upon sin as unbecoming our present resolutions and professions, our hopes and interest: Isa. xxx. 22, 'Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence;' Hosea xiv. 8, 'Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?' this is the soul's expulsive faculty. In short, the guilt of sin causeth fear; the stain, shame; the unkindness, sorrow; unsuitableness, indignation. Awaken this, and sin cannot have long entertainment in the heart. Therefore it is enough to a serious christian: It is not convenient.
2. The unsuitableness mindeth us of our dignity, as being admitted to communion with God. Therefore to talk of filthiness with that tongue which is to be employed in speaking of God, and to God, is a most indecorous thing; as it is to empty nature and put our food into the same vessel. Will you pollute those lips that should show forth God's praise? There is no agreement between these things; either we must lay aside the one or the other. Now which will you part with, filthiness and foolish speaking, or the blessing and praising of God? Both parts you cannot act well, for the one is destructive of the other.
3. This striketh at the root of the temptation. Many think filthiness, foolish speaking, and jesting to be a great grace to them, and affect the reputation of wit at such a rate that they forget honesty. No; these are not an honour and a grace, but a blemish and a blot. The apostle telleth you they are 'not convenient.' You thwart not only religion, but baffle conscience, that secretly telleth you this is not grave and serious; it is not a glory, but a baseness; a thing you may rather be ashamed of, than affect the venting of wit in this manner, or pride yourselves in the deformed birth of your foolish minds.
IV. That a christian cannot want mirth as long as he hath such abundant cause to give thanks.
I will open this note in these considerations—
1. That it is an excellent exchange when we can change a sin for a duty; as in this case, by turning censure into admonition, and reproof or discontent into prayer, complaining of God into complaining to God, or carnal mirth into spiritual rejoicing, or jesting into giving thanks.
2. Evils are best cured by diversion. When our pleasantness is not abolished, but diverted, and directed to its proper object. It would be a shame for a man that calls himself a christian not to acknowledge that giving of thanks is a better subject of our mirth than filthiness and folly. The mind must have some oblectation, but let it run in its proper channel. Thankfulness is the sweetest employment in the world. To be always thinking or speaking of such sweet things as the mercies of God, surely if we esteem and value them, it will be more delightful to us than to be pleasing our fleshly lasts: Ps. lxiii. 5, 'My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.'
3. None have such cause of delightful praise and thanksgiving as a christian. He hath greater matters to talk of than those things that are the subject of fools' boasting. Besides what is common to him with others, all the works of God to admire, and his excellencies shining forth in creation and providence, he hath the mystery of redemption, the grace of the new covenant, the glory of heaven, his own hopes. Our whole religion is an ἐυχαριστία; for christianity is a partaking of the benefit, 1 Tim. vi. 2; besides many personal favours which should ever be before our eyes.
4. There is not any case incident to a christian but still there will be found ground of thanksgiving and rejoicing: Phil. iv. 4, 'Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, Rejoice.' We have cause to be thankful for particular grace, for mercies in hand or hope. Well, then, carnal mirth may be cured by such a remedy at hand.
SERMON V.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.—EPH. v. 5.
THE apostle had argued ab incongrno, from what is indecent and misbecoming saints; now a periculo, from the danger of such practices; and fitly, because temptations do not usually enter by the fore-door of reason, but the back-door of sensual appetite and carnal desires; which therefore must be counterbalanced by dangers and fears, that, seeing the hook, we may be afraid to swallow the bait. The danger VOL. XIX.
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of such practices is double—there is pæna damni et sensus. Pæna damni, exclusion from the kingdom of God, as in the text read to you. Pæna sensus, they run the hazard of his wrath and eternal displeasure; as ver. 6, 'For these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.'
In the text there is—
1. A sentence passed on all unclean persons: they have no 'inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.'
2. The certainty and evidence of it: 'For this ye know.'
First, In the sentence we have—(1.) The subject, or persons spoken of; (2.) The predicate, what is said of them.
1. The subject: 'No whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous, who is an idolater.' Where mark, he mentioneth not the lesser sins, filthiness of talk, foolish speaking, jesting, but the more grievous transgressions spoken of ver. 3, ὅτι πᾶς πόρνος, ἡ ἀκαθάρτος, ἡ πλεονέκτης; not but that they in themselves deserve damnation, but they are but appendages and degrees to the other sins.
Again observe, in the enumeration there is a special brand put upon the third sort, 'Nor the covetous person, who is an idolater.' Πλεονεξία here signifieth excessive and unnatural lusts; because it is put among the nejionda, and because the word is clearly so used Eph. iv. 19, and in other places is joined with words that signify unnatural and unlawful lusts not fit to be named: 1 Cor. v. 10, 'With the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous;' and Col. iii. 5, 'Mortify your members which are upon earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.' Certainly there is some reason why this should always bear company with these unclean sins; and what is it but that it hath affinity, and is of the same nature with them? 1 Thes. iv. 6, 7, 'That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matters, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned and testified; for God hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto holiness,' μὴ ὑπερβαίνειν καὶ πλεονεκτεῖν, &c. We render it, 'That none go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, because God is the avenger of such.' But the reason rendered, ver. 7, 'For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness,' will enforce another sense, not to yield to unnatural and unlawful lusts, to commit filthiness with his fellow-christians, in such a manner as is not to be plainly mentioned, or in that way of villany for which God punished Sodom, and hath exercised severe vengeance on the very heathens. This seemeth everywhere the meaning of a πλεονεξία, 'inordinate lusts,' which we translate 'covetousness.' Now what πλεονεξία is in the abstract, that πλεονέκτης is in the concrete; a man given to inordinate lusts, or filthiness not to be named. But this man, be he 'covetous,' or be he an 'inordinate luster,' is said to be an 'idolater,' as covetousness and inordinate lusting in the Epistle to the Colossians is said to be 'idolatry.' I confess this staggered me at first, and made me suspect my former interpretation, because covetousness is known idolatry; as 'Charge the rich men in this world, that they trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God,' 1 Tim. i. 17; and Job xxxi. 24, 'If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence.' This I confess staggered me, and made me think covetousness is to be taken in the ordinary and vulgar acceptation; but I recovered myself again, when I considered that interpretative idolatry is when the creature is set in the place of God; which may be done two ways—by confidence and trust, and by love and delight: for there are two chief respects due to God—love and trust. Now though the covetous person in the ordinary sense is an idolater, as he trusts in uncertain riches, and maketh wealth his all, so men given to other sins, especially to the greediness of uncleanness, may be idolaters also, because they prefer their brutish satisfactions before God. And the apostle saith the same: Rom. xvi. 18, 'They serve not God, but their own belly;' and again, Phil. iii. 19, 'Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly.' Add, moreover, they may be called idolaters also because they yet live in the same villanics and abominable practices which heathens and idolaters do, and are very reconcilable to them; therefore I shall stick to the sense first given, many of the ancients concurring, and also divers of the most learned modern writers producing irrefragable proofs for their exposition, not fit now to be insisted on.
2. The predicate, 'Hath no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God;' that is, no portion in the church of God under Christ, nor inheritance in heaven; for there is both a kingdom of grace and of glory. The latter is especially understood, that kingdom spoken of, Mat. xxv. 34, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.' They have no right unto, and so living and so dying, never shall have possession of, that blessed estate. And it is called 'the kingdom of Christ and of God,' because this kingdom is now in the hands of Christ as mediator, and so shall be till the judgment be over; but after the judgment, he shall give up the kingdom to the Father, 1 Cor. xv. 24, or resign up the church to God, to live and reign with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost for ever.
Secondly, The evidence, 'For this ye know.' In the original, ἐστε γινώσκοντες, ye are knowing. It is a Greek circumlocution, to make the sense more emphatical; as if he had said, If ye have the least taste of the christian religion, ye cannot be ignorant of this, that such filthiness and unlawful lusts deprive us of the kingdom of God; ye have been always taught this. Now this is added—
1. To show how heinous a sin this would be in them that have faith and knowledge, and yet indulge these kind of lusts; these rebel against the light of conscience, and wilfully forfeit heaven to please the flesh: James iv. 17, 'Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.'
2. To teach us that we ought to be put in mind of what we already know; for temptations induce a strange kind of oblivion into the mind, which is an ignorance for the present: 2 Peter i. 12, 'I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them;' and 1 John ii. 21, 'I have not written to you because you know not the truth, but because ye know it;' and Rom. xv. 15, 'I have written to you, as putting you in mind.' Our work is not only to inform people of what they know not, but to inculcate and press known truths; not only to cure ignorance, but also forgetfulness, laziness, and dulness.
[SEC. V.
Doct. That it is an evident truth that all unclean persons have no inheritance in the kingdom of God and of Christ.
1. That there is a kingdom of God. This notion implieth, on God's part, his sovereign authority and right to command; and on our part, both duties and privileges. On God's part, 'One God over all, blessed for ever,' Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who hath full right, as creator, to command and govern us with such laws as he thought fit to give us, with such rewards and penalties as he thought fit to annex to them. This right God never divested himself of, nor can it be vacated by our sin, but continueth still, while man receiveth his being from God by creation, and the continuance of his being by daily preservation and providence. There is dominium jurisdictionis et proprietatis. The dominion of jurisdiction is founded in the dominion of propriety. We are his own, for he created us out of nothing, and therefore hath a full right and title to govern us. Now God will govern us, not with a rod of iron, by necessity and force, but with the bands of a man, by laws backed and confirmed with rewards and punishments; for he will not violate the liberty of his own workmanship. Man, being a rational and free agent, is governed accordingly by moral means, induced to his duty by the rewards of obedience, and deterred from sin by the punishments appointed for the wicked and rebellious. On our part the kingdom of God implieth duties and privileges.
[1.] Duties. As in a kingdom subjects are bound to obey their proper and rightful lord, so here; God being our lawgiver and king, as he hath right to command, so we are bound to obey. As in the Lord's prayer, when we say, 'Thy kingdom come,' we presently say, 'Thy will be done,' Mat. vi. 10. All that own his kingdom are bound to obey his will. So Mat. vi. 33, 'First seek ye the kingdom of God and his righteousness;' that is, approve yourselves to be the faithful servants and subjects of God. Well, then, this is required of us, that we be willingly subject to God. All creatures are subject to him by constraint, the devils themselves not excepted, though rebels and grievous revolters; but those are properly said to be his subjects that willingly consent to his government.
[2.] Privileges. There are many privileges belong to God's subjects, both for the present and in the world to come. For the present, that they are under the special care and protection of God, both as to their bodies and souls. For the souls, he sanctifieth them, writeth his laws upon their hearts and minds, as he did upon Adam's heart in innocency, and promiseth to do it in the new covenant made in Christ to those that serve and obey him, Heb. viii. 10; and so the kingdom of God is within us, Luke xvii. 21. And besides, giveth us peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17. And then for our outward man, protection and maintenance. The necessaries of this life shall not be wanting to those that enter into his kingdom: Mat. vi. 33, 'First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.' But in the world to come we enjoy our chief privileges, and therefore our estate there is called 'his everlasting kingdom,' 2 Peter i. 11; and Luke xii. 32, 'It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.' That is our blessed state, where we are absolutely free from all evil; therefore called the 'day of redemption,' Eph. iv. 30, because all the effects of sin then cease, and therefore we enjoy all good. Every subject weareth a crown, which is sometimes called 'a crown of life,' James i. 12, 'a crown of righteousness,' 2 Tim. v. 8. A crown of life to show the happiness of that estate, and a crown of righteousness to show the sureness of it. This is chiefly considered here.
2. There is no entrance into this kingdom but by coming into the kingdom of Christ. Besides the kingdom which belongeth to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, one true and only God, there is the kingdom of Christ considered as mediator; a new right of empire and sovereignty over the creature, not destructive of the former, but accumulative, as superadded to it, that the government of God might be the more comfortable and beneficial to us in our lapsed estate. This is called 'the kingdom of Christ,' because Christ, as mediator, hath purchased it: Rom. xiv. 9, 'For to this end Christ both died, and rose again, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living;' Rev. ii. 12, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.' And upon the account of his merit and redemption of captive souls, God hath bestowed it upon him: Ps. ii. 8, 'Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession;' and Acts ii. 36, 'God hath made this Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.' Made, that is, appointed, ordained. It is God's kingdom by original right, but Christ's by donation and purchase. Besides, it is Christ's kingdom because he is the administrator of it, both as to legislation and execution. Legislation: Mat. xxviii. 18, 'All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth;' and John xvii. 2, 'Thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.' The mediator, God-man, is the supreme prince and head of the church, that he might dispense salvation upon his own terms, and his doctrine and faith might be embraced by all nations in the world. Here is a new power, new government, new laws, which shall be the rule of man's duty and God's judgment. Now this is comfortable and beneficial to us, because this new kingdom was set afoot to save and recover fallen man, who was disabled for his duty, and incapable of the happiness which God offered, and obnoxious to his displeasure. Therefore the kingdom and lordship of Christ is spoken of as medicinal and restorative, tending to reduce man to God, that after the breach we might again enjoy his favour, and live in his obedience: Acts xvi. 46, 'Preaching peace by Jesus Christ; he is Lord of all.' He is set up to be king and lord, to make peace between God and man, who were at odds before. His right to govern obliged him to chastise us for our rebellions: Acts v. 31, 'Him hath God exalted to be a prince and saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins.' This new Lord and king hath made a new law of grace, which is lex remedians, a remedying law, propounded as a remedy for the recovering and restoring of the lapsed world of mankind to the grace and favour of God, granting thereby free pardon and right to blessedness to all that sincerely repent and believe in him, but sentencing them to death that will not believe in Christ. Now without entering into this kingdom of
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Christ there is no entering into the kingdom of God. These two are not contrary, but the one is subordinate to the other; namely, the kingdom of Christ is derived from God, and referred to him. The supreme right of governing is still in God, and our subjection to him is preserved: Phil. ii. 11, 'That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' And Christ doth redeem us that we may serve him: Luke i. 74, 'That he would grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.' And besides, it is impossible that we can perform the duties that belong to the kingdom of God, or enjoy the privileges thereof, without entering into the kingdom of Christ; for he healeth our natures, and giveth repentance as a prince, Acts v. 31, or a new nature, as the foundation of a new obedience. Nor can we enjoy the privileges, pardon and life. Pardon we have not till we be Christ's subjects: Col. i. 13, 14, 'Who hath delivered us from the power of Satan, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son; in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.' As soon as we are brought into his kingdom, then we have remission of sins. Then for life: There is no access to the kingdom of God in glory but by Jesus Christ as mediator: John xiv. 6, 'Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' Christ first took possession of it in our name: John xiv. 2, 3, 'In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am ye may be also.' And so in due time we get possession also, and reign for ever with him: Rev. iii. 21, 'To him that overcometh I will grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame and sat down with the Father in his throne.' After we have a while resisted the devil, and approved ourselves to Christ, we attain that immortal glory, a part of which is reigning with Christ, and dominion over the creatures.
3. The title or right to the privileges of Christ's kingdom is by way of inheritance. This word is solemnly used in this case; as Mat. xxv. 34, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you;' and Acts xxvi. 18, 'That ye may have remission of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified.' So Col. i. 12, 'Made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;' and innumerable other places. Those excellent things which are prepared for us in another world are of the nature of an inheritance, not purchased by us, but freely bestowed upon us, by virtue of our adoption and sonship. God adopteth us in Christ, and receiveth us into his family. What followeth? 'If a son, then an heir of God through Christ.' Gal. iv. 7; and Rom. viii. 17, 'If sons, then heirs, joint heirs with Christ.' Our right to the heavenly inheritance cometh to us by virtue of our sonship and adoption, which is begun in the kingdom of grace, and perfected in glory. God, of rebels, at first maketh us sons, before we can lay claim to heaven and glory as our portion and inheritance. All the business then will be, who hath a right to sonship? If you search the scriptures, you will find that it belongeth only to those that
'believe in Christ,' who recovered our lost and forfeited privileges: John i. 12, 'To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.' Well, then, thus far we have gone. Inheritance depends upon adoption and sonship; sonship upon the grace of the Redeemer; and a right to the Redeemer's grace we have by faith. But will every faith serve the turn? No; none but such as produceth purity and obedience; for the property of faith is to purify the heart, Acts xv. 9; and without purity of heart no man shall see God, Mat. v. 8. Again, faith produceth obedience; for the mystery of the gospel is made known to all nations for the obedience of faith, Rom. xvi. 26, and none but such have a right: Rev. xxii. 14, 'Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life.' Those that obey and fulfil the will of God have a right to be admitted into heaven.
4. By the tenor of the christian doctrine it plainly appeareth that whoredom and all uncleanness excludeth men from this inheritance; therefore unclean persons, and men given to unnatural lusts, have no right, and cannot, without usurpation, pretend to any hopes of this blessed estate. It appeareth plainly by these particulars—
(1.) Because it is contrary to that covenant by which all enter into Christ's kingdom: Mark xvi. 16, 'He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved.' Now baptism implieth a renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh, and a dedicating ourselves to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as our creator, redeemer, and sanctifier; and therefore by the baptismal covenant none can be saved but those whose faith effectually turneth them from the world and the flesh to the love, service, and obedience of God, so that they first live to him, and do hereafter live with him. And this covenant doth still bind them, under the penalty of damnation and losing the hopes of glory, to mortify and subdue the desires of the flesh more and more: Gal. v. 24, 'They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof.' Those that are baptized into his name have entered into his kingdom, profess themselves to be his subjects; they not only ought, but it is presumed that they have, crucified the flesh. In what a woful case then are all those that obey the inclinations of the flesh, and suffer their lusts to have their full career, without check or stop, and take no course to mortify them, that do neither combat nor overcome, that live in all uncleanness and filthiness! They must seek another religion to comfort them, for christianity is not for their turn.
(2.) Because of God's express exclusion. Surely they are excluded from this inheritance whom God excludes and Christ excludes. Now everywhere God has declared his mind not by consequence, but direct sentence: 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 'Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God?' These things are inconsistent with a christian's duty and reward; and to flatter yourselves with a belief or hope of the contrary is to give God the lie. So Rev. xxi. 8, you have another black catalogue: 'But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have
[SER. V.
their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.' It is opposed there to the saint's inheritance: 'He that overcometh shall inherit all things.' But they that will neither fight, nor strive, nor seek the assistance of Christ's Holy Spirit, that they may overcome their lusts, but wallow in these sins and vices, shall be damned into hell. So again, Rev. xxii. 15, 'Without are dogs, sorcerers, and whoremongers.' Dogs are they that eat what they have vomited, and after repentance fall into their former sins. The other sinners are sufficiently known by their own names; only you see whoremongers are not forgotten, but expressly mentioned as those that shall be without, that is, excluded from the blessedness of the saints. Now what can such sinners say for themselves against such express denunciations of God's word against them? It may be they say they do believe in Christ, and all that believe are pardoned, and justified from all their sins; but Christ will be no patron of wickedness. He that believeth giveth up himself to be sanctified and governed by him, as well as to be pardoned and reconciled to God. If faith be used to cross obedience, it is no true faith; for 'Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him,' Heb. v. 9. To all them, and only them. If you believe Christ, you must believe that you cannot be saved unless you be converted to God. It is the devil, and not Christ, that telleth you you may be saved in an unregenerate estate. If a bare strong confidence in Christ that we shall be saved notwithstanding our sins were true faith, the hardest heart would make the best faith. Who fuller of confidence and foolish presumption than they that are hardened in their sins? Therefore the business is not about faith and believing, but whether you believe Christ or Satan. If you hear Christ's voice in the word, this controversy is at an end. He hath flatly told you that you thus living and dying cannot be saved, and have no inheritance among the saints in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
[3.] From the heinous nature of the sin. It is a sin of great atheism and great infidelity. By the scriptures you know, or might easily know, that if you live in uncleanness, you incur the loss of heaven; yet you are so violently bent upon the fulfilling of your lusts that this cannot reclaim you. Certainly faith cannot consist with these sins. A man may run blindfold into hell if he will wink hard and go on securely; but he that will with open eyes run into the bottomless pit, he doth not believe the danger. You cannot drive a dull ass into the fire that is kindled before him; and Solomon telleth us, 'In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird.' If men that have reason and conscience had eternity in their sight and view, would they venture thus? You never knew a soaken sinner in this kind, but he had ill thoughts of God and the world to come.
[4.] It is idolatry. Primary idolatry is when divine honours are given to any creature. But how is whoredom and uncleanness idolatry? Because by it men are addicted to some base thing which they prefer before God. They love brutish pleasures more than God: 2 Tim. iii. 4, 'Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God;' and for the satisfaction of their lusts are deaf to all God's counsels; that is our god who is most valued by us, and for whose sake we will do most. Now if men can dispense with God's honour and their duty to him for a sense-pleasing and flesh-pleasing life, they will do more for the flesh than they do for God; therefore the flesh and the belly is their God. Now how justly are they deprived of salvation who put such a vile scorn upon the great God, our creator and preserver, who prefer the belly and the flesh before him! All their business is to have their will and pleasure for a while; but how long will they have their will in these things? Besides, such a base god as they have set up must needs breed a base spirit; for every man's temper is as his god is. As the psalmist saith of gross idolaters, Ps. cxxxv. 8, 'They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them;' so it is true of interpretative idolatry; this idol of carnal pleasure embasseth the spirit, and maketh them unfit for everything that is worthy, noble, and generous.
[5.] Because they have not that spirit that should fit them and make them meet for heaven. All the world issue themselves at length into two places, heaven or hell; and by the way they have a several sort of spirit that disposeth them to either. The godly and sincere christians have the Spirit of Christ; it is absolutely and indispensably necessary for them: Rom. viii. 9, 'He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his.' If you have any part in Christ, you are possessed with his Spirit, which is the earnest of your everlasting abode with him: 2 Cor. i. 22, 'Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts;' for he stirreth up heavenly desires and motions, and putteth you upon serious preparations for a better estate. And it is God's wisdom to put all things in their proper places; and therefore in time, when they are sufficiently prepared and made meet, he will translate heavenly creatures into heavenly places and mansions, where they shall live with him for ever; for the grossly carnal, such as the whoremongers and unclean are, they are possessed by an unclean spirit, which hurrieth them violently into hell, as he did the swine into the great deep; and they are making themselves more meet company every day for the devil and his angels.
[6.] This exclusion is so absolute and peremptory that it admits no exception but that of sincere repentance, which is both a change of heart and life. For the present the exclusion standeth in force against you, like the flaming sword that guarded paradise; but your case is not remediless, because Christ is an all-sufficient saviour, and his sacrifice for sin so full and valuable that nothing can hinder you from pardon and salvation but your own impenitency and unbelief. Certainly this may be done, for this hath been done after a like sentence and denunciation, that no whoremongers have inheritance in the kingdom of God: 1 Cor. vi. 11, 'But such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' It giveth some hope to a sick man when like deadly diseases have been cured. Surely an ocean can cleanse one nasty sink, and an emperor's revenue can pay a beggar's debt. Your case is foul, but it admitteth of this change; and if you yield to it at last, you may be accepted at last, after all your great and heinous sins. The covenant of grace doth promise pardon and salvation to every penitent believer whenever they truly turn to God, without excepting any person in the world; only you must look that your
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repentance be sincere, and that there be a thorough change of heart and life. No other repentance is true but a quitting and leaving these sins before they leave us. Three things are apt to deceive you—
(1.) Some trouble for these sins while you go on still to commit them. There is no question but conscience will smite when the sin is past, and the fog that blinded the mind begins to be dissipated, and reason recovereth the throne again; it will pierce the heart with sharp reflections because appetite and lust have been preferred before it. All unclean persons are not past feeling, nor have gotten the victory of conscience; but though the soul be scourged with some remorse, yet as often as the temptation returneth they are still carried away, as marsh land is drowned with the return of every tide. Therefore in repentance it is not enough that there be sorrow for the sin, but there must be a forsaking and leaving of it: Prov. xxviii. 13, 'Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy.' These great and heinous sins must be forsaken, or else we are wicked men. Ahab wept for Naboth, 1 Kings xxi. 29, yet afterwards imprisoned Micaiah. Saul with tears confesseth his injustice to David, yet continueth to persecute him, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16, and xxvi. 2. There is repenting and sorrowing for sin in hell. The repentance is never sound till the heart be so turned from sin that it may be turned against it. If we have smarted for eating forbidden fruit, we must meddle no more: Ps. li. 6, 'In the hidden part shalt thou make me to know wisdom.' Broken bones must make us wary and cautious.
(2.) The next thing that will deceive you is some faint resistance or striving against sin, but it groweth upon you. There are some sins where striving is conquering, as in the case of infirmities that we cannot wholly get rid of in this life; but in the case of heinous sins it is otherwise; they must not only be striven against, but left, otherwise no difference between godly and ungodly. The conatus, the endeavour, is not enough; the eventus, the event or issue, is considerable. If a man live in gross sins though he hath strivings and convictions, and ineffectual wishes to be better and to turn to God, this showeth he doth sin against conscience, and resist the Spirit, that should turn him from these sins: 1 Peter iv. 1, 'Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.' Christ had his innocent reluctances, but his love to God and men broke through all. Take heed of being rebellions against the importunities of grace. Such sins must not only be resisted, but conquered. A usurper may reign though there be much contradiction. Turn the tables. Should the feeble oppositions of sin against the life and reign of grace make the saints question their sincerity? Why then should this ineffectual striving acquit you from the reign of sin? It is not enough to disuse sin, but he must mortify it also.
(3.) That which will deceive you is a hope to cry God mercy upon your death-beds; and so, after an impure life, men hope still to go to heaven. We do not wholly exclude a death-bed repentance (if it be sincere, and we do it at last); it is possible, though men have but so little time left. It is great folly, as well as wickedness, to put it off till then; yet if God renew you by his Holy Spirit, you shall be accepted. But all the business is to prove it sincere; for how shall we know whether our repentance cometh from fear or love? What cometh from fear will die again when your fear is over. God hath not your hearts till he hath your love. Now this sensible death-bed work is hard, not only for the most skilful about you, but for yourself, to discern from what cause it cometh, whether you are frightened into an unsound repentance, or be effectually and sincerely turned from sin to God, whether your heart and will be changed or not. Alas! it is easy to renounce and detest sin when we can keep it and cherish it no longer, and it is the mere fruit of necessity and fear. Besides, what hope of this, when we are contented to live longer in a course of known foul sin, provided at length we may be saved? To live a sinful life against conviction of conscience bringeth on final and judicial hardness.
[7.] If the children of God fall into any of these sins, they lose not their right, but their present fitness, to enter into the kingdom of God and Christ. When you hear or read such a saying as the text, a doubt may arise in your mind, What then shall become of Samson, David, and Solomon? I answer—
(1.) One act doth not denominate a man, but habits; such cannot be called whoremongers. The reign of sin in the heart cannot consist with a right to heaven: Rom. viii. 13, 'If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die;' that is, in a course of sin.
(2.) They lose their fitness: Gal. v. 21, 'They that do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.' Our divines at Dort, by the leper who was to dwell apart, say that he lost not his right in his house, but his fitness to dwell in it for the present. Sins are bound in heaven till repentance. They need a new pardon, though they are not put into a state of condemnation again, nor their former justification nullified. Infirmities have pardon of course: John xiii. 10, 'He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet.' But great and known sins must have actual repentance before they can be pardoned; they must be confessed and forsaken.
Use. Let sinners propound this to their choice, either these sins must be laid aside, or the kingdom of God must be lost. It is the highest profaneness this, to sell the birthright, Heb. xii. 6, to forfeit our glorious inheritance for a little brutish satisfaction. Will you for your unclean delights forsake the delight of angels, and choose the filthy pleasures of sin before the pleasures at God's right hand for ever more? The very punishment showeth the nature of the sin, which is loving pleasure more than God.
To quicken the children of God to avoid all uncleanness and tendency to it. You should check temptations to sin, and strive for an abundant entrance: 2 Peter i. 11, 'Give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' Reason with yourselves, as it is said of the trees in Jotham's parable, 'Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, to be promoted over the trees? Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, to be promoted over the trees? Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?' So should you repel all temptations to sin, and abstain from all appearances of evil.
[SER. VI.
SERMON VI.