only 1 Joh. 4. 13 14 15. Act. 5. 29-32 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment The Law of his God even the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is in his heart Psal 37. 30 31. with Rom. 8. 2. This Holy Spirit doth open Wisdoms words to those that turn at her reproofs so as they may speak with understanding to others and is like Wine within them that receive and drink it in to constrain them to speak what they have seen and heard Prov. 1. 23. Act. 4. 19 20. And they who are filled with it are full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of might to declare unto others their transgressions and sins as they have instruction opportunity and capacity Micah 3. 7 8. In such like respects this Holy Spirit doth answer unto and yet infinitely exceed all Wine whatsoever and is therefore compared thereunto But we shall add no more to this second thing but now we come to speak unto the third Namely III. What it is to be filled with the Spirit And surely that is more and a further business than to receive this blessed Spirit which these had done and all Believers do in receiving the hearing or report of faith Gal. 3. 2. For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his viz. in a peculiar consideration Rom. 8. 9 which surely these Believers were as doth plentifully appear in the former part of the Epistle Yea and after they Believed they were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of the Apostles inheritance They had this holy Spirit in a first fruits and as a a first fruits of the harvest and as a pledg and assurance that in abiding in Christ they should in due time gloriously injoy that inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and which fadeth not away reserved in the heavens for them who are kept by the power of God through faith unto the salvation ready to be revealed in these last dayes Eph. 1. 13 14. with 1 Pet. 1. 3-5 By this Spirit they were Sealed and marked out unto the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. with Exod. 12. 23. They were built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone In whom they were builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit and so they were brought and Baptized into the unity of the Spirit Eph. 2. 17-22 and 4. 2 3 4. And yet still as a further business or as to a further degree he exhorts them Be ye filled for a man may be and so might they be somewhat filled or in some measure filled therewith as Rom. 15. 24 and yet the Apostle might exhort them to be filled therewith in a greater measure or to an higher degree to be exceedingly filled as Psal 123. 3 4. But before we speak more particularly hereto we may say this Phrase of being filled with the Spirit or Holy Ghost is used in a double sense in the Scripture That is to say 1. Sometimes it means a being filled therewith after an extraordinary manner so as to be enabled thereby or furnished therewith unto extraordinary things as in former times he so filled Bezaleel and Aholiab c. for making the Priests garments the Tabernacle c. Exod. 28. 3 4. and 31. 3. and 35. 31-35 So others were filled with the Holy Spirit to enable them to Prophesy and foretel things to come Luk. 1. 41 67. And after the Ascension of Christ some were filled with the Holy Ghost and spake with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance And wrought many signs and wonders amongst the people c. Act. 2. 4. and 4. 30 31. and 6. 5 8. But now in this sense the Apostle here intends it not For he doth suppose that all these Believers might be filled in some sense with the Spirit and that shews he intends it not after an extraordinary manner as well as also so much is signified by the manner of expression in that he gives us to understand somewhat was required of them hereto and therefore exhorts them Be ye filled 2. But we are here to understand it as all hearty and unfeigned Believers may be filled with it as Sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ Gal. 4. 6. And so indeed the being filled herewith is somewhat which though opposed to yet doth answer unto being Drunken in the former part of the verse as being full of or filled with Wine and Drunken are used indifferently the one for the other as before we have said and as may be seen Act. 2. 13-15 Now as Wine may be in a man and yet a man may not be Drunken so the Spirit may be in a Believer and yet he not filled therewith as here exhorted to But as a man is said to be Drunken or filled with Wine when he is in Wine or Strong Drink so a man may be said to be filled with the Spirit when he is in the Spirit I mean not extraordinarily Rev. 1. 10. and 4. 1 2. but as all Believers may be As the Apostle saith Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you Rom. 8. 9 10. And indeed then a man may be said to be filled with it when the word of Christ and Spirit therein dwell richly plenteously and abundantly in him in the full of the Testimony of Jesus Christ as is expressed in another place which is like unto this Col. 3. 16. And so we may say a little particularly As a man when he is Drunken is said to be overcome with Wine Isa 28. 1. Jer. 23. 9 10. So a man is then said to be filled with the Spirit when he is overcome therewith and led and ordered thereby in all things as the Apostle saith As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God not only so as to their state but as to their excercise and demeanour also and not only is the Spirit in such an one but also he is in the Spirit Rom. 8. 14. with vers 9. as it is said of Christ He being full of the Holy Spirit was led by the Spirit c. Luk. 4. 1. Now the work of this Holy Spirit is to lead us out of our selves out of our own wisdom wills designs affections and enterprizes into Jesus Christ for all Unto him for all wisdom that we may be made wise unto salvation For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. and 22. Col. 2. 3. Unto him for all righteousness for all forgiveness of our sins and acceptation in this beloved one putting him on by faith a a robe of righteousness to appear before God in in whom is everlasting righteousness Isa 45. 24 and who is Jehovah our righteousness Jer. 23. 6 unto him as our holiness that we may be washed and
and not sin c. Eph. 4. 22-30 31. And when also they so drink in of this Wine as that they are filled with the fruit of the Spirit with love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against which the Law is not The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Gal. 5. 16-22 Eph. 5. 8 9. And have the righteousness of the Law fulfilling in them more and more Rom. 8. 3 4. And are seeking after and setting their affections upon things above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God having their conversation not on earth but in Heaven Col. 2. 12. and 3. 1-5 Philip. 3. 7-9-20 And when they are led by this Spirit and overcome thereby to speak unto and to be teaching and admonishing one another sounding forth Gods praises holding forth the word of life in word and conversation holding fast and holding forth the profession of their faith and hope without wavering without fear of men or their fear without fear of amazement speaking the word of Christ and walking in his way and as he hath left us an example with boldness and confidence and chearfully and confidently enduring whatever they may meet with and undergo taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods for Christ and his Gospel sake so as walking in the wisdom and humility of Christ not being moved by any thing they suffer nor counting their lives dear to themselves that they may finish their course with joy when they are so filled with Christ's Gospel as that it is a burning fire shut up in their bones and they are even constrained to speak what they have seen and heard Psal 39. 1-3 Jer. 20. 7-11 Act. 2. 11-13 The being filled with the Spirit is to be imboldned by it as Esth 7. 5. So of the Apostles and Believers it is said They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spake the word of God with boldness And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the Resurection of the Lord Jesus c. Act. 4. 30 31 32. and vers 20. Mic. 3. 8. To which we shall not enlarge any further because we have spoken so largely in shewing the answerableness of the Spirit unto Wine before nor indeed am I in a meet capacity to speak any thing hereabout because I am not filled therewith my self and therefore do but darken Counsel by words without knowledg IV. We come in the last place briefly to note some Instructions from this Exhortation of the Apostle Be ye filled with the Spirit Namely I. That even the Believeres themselves which have received the Holy Spirit and have been sealed therewith unto the day of Redemption may not be filled or so filled with the Holy Spirit as God would have them to be as is before signified in what we have said These were Believers and had received this good Spirit in some measure and yet they are instructed and exhorted to be filled therewith and made more spiritual thereby The Believing Corinthians were Baptized into one body and made to drink into one Spirit and yet they were not filled with the Spirit For the Apostle could not speak unto them as unto spiritual ones but as carnal as unto Babes in Christ 1 Cor. 12. 13. with chap. 3. 1-3 The Believing Hebrews though in receiving the word of Christ they received his Spirit yet alas they still needed to be taught which were the first principles of the Oracles of God and were become such as had need of Milk and not of strong meat Through their dulness of hearing and slowness of heart to believe the first and great things of Gods Law the word of the begining of Christ the Apostle knew not well how to speak unto them of the High-Priesthood of Christ his Sacrifice which he had offered his Mediation in the Heavens and Advocation for Believers his coming again with the high acts and works of faith c. Heb. 5. 10-14 and 6. 1 2 c. The Thessalonian-Believers though they received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit yet there were wants found in their Faith and therefore the Apostle did pray night and day exceedingly that he migh see their face and might perfect that which was lacking in their faith 1 Thes 1. 2-6-10 and 2. 13. and 3. 10. There may be much or somewhat lacking in them that have received this good Spirit as to their being filled therewith there may be somewhat wanting in their knowledg faith establishment rejoycing confidence consolation in Christ conformity unto Christ conversation c. They may be and some of them are but little children And others though they be young men yet still they may receive and dirnk in more and more of this Spirit in the Testimony of Christ yea and the fullest may yet be fuller while they are here in mortal bodies For they receive here but some First fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. And this Instruction may be of usefulness unto us 1. To warn and admonish us all to take heed and beware of high-mindedness and that we should not think of our selves more highly than we ought to think but to think soberly as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Rom. 12. 2. 3. A sad and dangerous thing it is for us all to think and say We are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing This is the high-way so to provoke Christ as to cause him to spue us out of his mouth Rev. 3. 15-17 We have none of us yet attained nor are we already perfect as to attainment Philip. 3. 12 13. Alas how short are we in every thing We have cause continually to cry out and complain of and and bewail our leanness emptiness blindness instability in the faith inconformity to Christ Oh! be we not high-minded think we not more highly of our selves than is meet for that will hinder us from coming continually unto Christ who is the fountain of life and Spirit and all spiritual blessings 2. This instruction shews unto us and informs us that the receit of the Spirit is a gradual thing it is not wholly received at once But the Light and Spirit of Christ is received and shines more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. They who have obtained like precious faith with the Apostles and know and are established in the word of truth the Gospel of our salvation may grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 1-12 with chap. 3. 18. They who are in Christ go from strength to strength from one degree to another until every one of them appear before God in Zion Psal 84. 4-7 3. This Instruction may teach us that we should not conclude concerning any that they have not the Spirit of Christ because they are not so filled therewith as they should be for the former may be where the latter is wanting as we have
unto you Prov. 1. 21-23 So the Lord also saith concerning his people in former times They shall take away all the detestable things and all the abominations thereof And I will put a new Spitit within you But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations he will not put a new Spirit within them but saith he I will recompence their way upon their own head saith the Lord God And again I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols I will cleanse you And a new Spirit I will put within you And I will put my Spirit within you c. Ezek. 11. 18-21 and 36. 25-27 Oh then to the end we may be filled with this holy and blessed Spirit and drink in and drink abundantly of this Wine let us forsake the foolish both persons and things And let us have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Eph. 5. 11-18 Come we out from amongst men and be we seperate and let us touch no unclean thing And this is the way for us to be filled with the Spirit Gen. 6. 3-6 1 Thes 4. 1-8 3. Needful also it is that we may be filled with the Spirit that we be emptied of our selves and of our conceits of our knowledg fulness and sufficiency The full Soul loatheth the Honey-comb But unto the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Prov. 27. 7. He filleth the empty and hungry with good things but the rich he sends empty away Luk. 1. 5 3. Wo unto you that are full saith our Saviour for ye shall hunger Luk. 6. 24 25. When men once begin to think and say they are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when they conceit they know enough already and need not to receive help from others and that they are already whole and clean Alas this will hinder men from being filled with the Spirit and make them wax wanton against Christ and shut the door against him Rev 3. 17-20 If they think unsoberly of themselves and of their knowledg parts attainments cleanness and uprightness How should they as new-born babes desire earnestly the sincere milk of the word that they may be filled therewith and grow thereby Wo to them that are rich and full in and of themselves But Blessed are they that are empty and who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Matth. 5. 6. While men retain a lie in their right hand and fill their bellies with the wind how shall they receive and be filled with the truth the Spirit of truth we must be emptied of the former that the latter may dwell plentifully in us Isa 44. 20. Men cannot press forward toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ unless they be like-minded with the Apostle namely to count and reckon that they have not yet attained neither are already perfect that they have not yet apprehended Phil. 3. 12-15 Seest thou a man wise in his own eyes there is more hope of a fool than of him Prov. 26. 12. with chap. 29. 22. 4. Needful also it is that we come continually unto Jesus Christ and believe in him that of his fulness we may receive and be filled with this holy Spirit If any man thirst saith our Saviour let him come unto me and drink If any man be empty and sensible of his need and want of his emptiness and incompleatness in himself let him come unto Christ the house of Wine Cant. 2. 4. In whom there is a feast prepared for all nations of fat things of Wines on the lees Isa 25. 6. And let him drink let him take freely of it Rev. 22. 17. But how should such an one come unto him and drink Our Saviour acquaints us how this may be done He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water saith our Saviour But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive Such an one shall so receive the Spirit as that his belly and inward man shall be abundantly filled with it even as with new Wine Joh. 7. 37-39 And indeed this coming unto him is a believing on him as the Scripture hath said and so according to his word cleaving to and depending on him And in his Word and Gospel there is Christ and his Spirit So that the way to come to Christ and be filled with his Spirit is to receive and let the word of Christ dwell richly in us as hath before been said Ephes 5. 18. with Col. 3. 16. Avoid we then and go from the presence of all strangers that consent not to wholsom words the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine according to godliness Reject all false Doctrines and listen not to them for this Spirit is not in them but another even the Spirit of the Devil and Errour 1 Joh. 4. 1-6 But receive and keep his word in the midst of your hearts as the wisdom of God saith Let thine heart retain my words keep my Commandments and live Prov. 4. 4 5. For his words are Spirit and Life Joh. 6. 63. And having and keeping his Commandments his word God and Christ will by his Spirit come unto us and make their abode with us Joh. 14. 21-23 Come we then unto Christ the fountain of Spirit continually in his Testimony and so he will pour out his Spirit unto us and fill us therewith 5. In an exercise of faith pray we and pour out our hearts unto the Father in the name of Christ for his Holy Spirit and for a plentiful effusion thereof Howl we not firstly for Corn and Wine for the outward man as we are too apt to do But if any of us lack wisdom this Spirit of wisdom as who doth not let him ask of God who giveth liberally to all men and it shall be given him But let him ask in faith nothing wavering Jam. 1. 5 6. I say unto you saith our Saviour ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you For every one that asketh receiveth And he that seeketh findeth And to him that knocketh it shall be opened If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 7-13 If thou knewest the gift of God saith our Saviour to the Woman of Samaria and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink Thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water even this good and Holy Spirit Joh. 4. 10. with chap. 7. 37-39 Ask then in Christs name and ye shall receive that your joy in the enjoyment of this Holy Spirit may be full Joh. 16. 24. with Rom. 14. 17.
1 Thes 1. 6. For this the Apostle made mention of these Believers in his prayers That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory would give them the Spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge and for the acknowledgment of him The eyes of their understanding being enlightned that they may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints c. Eph. 1. 16-19 And good encouragement have we to pray that we may be filled with this blessed Spirit because our Lord Jesus the last Adam who by the Grace of God tasted death for every man and is raised again for their justification is made a quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. And hath the Spirit given immeasurably to him Joh. 3. 34 35. And also prays the Father to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it in his name while they pray on earth he prayes in Heaven for them And hath also promised that abiding in him and his words abiding in them they may ask what they will and it shall be done unto them He will do it for them Joh. 14. 13-16 17. and chap. 15. 7. Oh then Restrain we not our prayers but as he hath encouraged and given us liberty let him see our countenance and hear our voice And let us come boldly to the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need Cant. 2. 14. Heb. 4. 14-16 6. And lastly That we may be more and more abundantly filled with the Spirit walk we in and after it mind we the things of the Spirit the things of Christ which the Spirit takes and shews unto us And be we led by the Spirit and yield up to his operations so shall we not fulful the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. But be helped continually to mortify them and put them to death Rom. 8. 13. Col. 3. 5. And whatever this Holy Spirit is working in us to will and do let us do all things without murmuring and disputing It will produce nothing hurtful in us For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Eph. 5. 8 9. Oh! Quench not this Spirit but let it inflame your hearts with love to Christ and God in him and to Men and Brethren according to his Instructions and operations and fill you with joy and peace in believing And effect in you Long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Gal. 5. 16-22 And smother not this blessed Spirit but work out that Salvation he is working in you with fear and trembling make confession and hold forth the profession of the faith unto salvation without wavering And fear not the reproach of men nor be afraid of their fear Follow the leading of this Spirit without doubting where-ever or unto whatsoever it leads you Act. 11. 12. Rom. 8. 14. Have in usefulness what God hath given to you For to him that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundantly But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath Matth. 13. 12. And sow to this blessed Spirit in labours of love according to your capacity and ability make not your bellies your gods For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption everlasting corruption But he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not As we have therefore opportunity let us do good to all men especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 6-10 If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul Then shall thy light rise in obscurity and thy darkness shall be as the noon-day And the Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfy thy Soul in droughts and make fat thy bones And thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not Isa 58. 7-11 Consider what is said and the Lord give us understanding in all things And the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with us all Amen The END
seen and said before The Gospel of Christ and Spirit therein may be received by men and the Spirit in the Testimony may be in them though yet they are not in it not so overcome led enlightned established and framed thereby to the mind of Christ as might be desired and ought to be endeavoured And Christ will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax or dimly-burning week but nourish and cherish every little spark Be we more like-minded after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ that we may not despise the day of small things nor discourage but support the weak Zech. 4. 10. 1 Thes 5. 14. 4. It may exhort and provoke us all to come unto Christ and drink and drink in abandantly of the Wine which is in him for us That we may grow thereby and increase with the increase of God Joh. 7. 37-39 He that cometh unto him continually shall never thirst but his Soul shall be abundantly satisfied and his faith shall grow exceedingly and his charity towards all men and especially towards the Brotherhood shall abound But to this we shall have occasion to speak afterwards II. A second Instruction we may note from these words is That the Believers cannot fill themselves with the Spirit they have no sufficiency hereto of themselves as of themselves Therefore he saith not fill your selves but Be ye filled with the Spirit They have not the fountain of Spirit in themselves The Spirit is not put upon them for themselves but it is given unto and resteth upon Jesus Christ Isa 11. 1-3 and is put upon him that he might dispence thereof unto us This was he saith the Baptist of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me And of his fulness have all we Prophets and holy ones received and grace for grace Joh. 1. 15 16. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily And in him ye are compleat Col. 1. 19. and 2. 3 9 10. God hath not given the Spirit by measure unto him but hath immeasurably filled him therewith And to that end he hath so done that he might pour forth thereof to us according to our needs and capacities Joh. 3. 34 35. Isa 42. 1. Upon this stone this precious corner-stone and sure foundation this Stone which the builders disallowed and which is now become the head of the corner are the seven eyes even the seven spirits of God which are sent forth into all the earth Zech. 3. 8 9. and 4. 10. with Rev. 5. 6. Indeed in us that is in our flesh in us as of us we have no good thing dwelling we have all sinned and are come short of the Glory of God But our Lord Jesus hath restored that which he lost not and recovered by his Blood and is possessed of all fulness for us being glorified with the Father 's own self with the glory which he had with him besore the world was Joh. 17. 4 5. He hath the seven spirits of God Rev. 3. 1. And from him the Apostles received the Holy Spirit And unto every one of us it is given according to the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4. 7-10 And this Instruction might be of usefulness unto us all 1. To hide Pride from us and preserve or deliver us from boasting of or glorying in our selves for wherein are we to be accounted of Isa 2. 22. Who maketh thee to differ And what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it 1 Cor. 4. 7. The blessing of Abraham is in Christ for us Gentiles that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith Gal. 3. 13 14. To him are we beholding for all and none can fill themselves with this Holy Spirit out of their own store For we are poor empty creatures destitute of all spiritual good Job 11. 12. We cannot furnish or fill our selves with this blessed Wine but need continually to be supplied therewith from Jesus Christ Philip. 1. 19. Where is boasting then it is excluded We neither have this good Spirit of our selves nor can we purchase it by any price of ours that we can give to God But it is the gift the free gift of our Lord Jesus Christ and of God in and through him Act. 5. 32. and 8. 20. 1 Joh. 3. 24. 2. This may also warn and admonish us to take heed heed that we sin not against Christ Oh! let us all beware of him and not provoke him but obey his voice lest he withhold or withdraw his good Spirit from us for his it is primarily properly and fully So he saith to the Angel of the Church in Sardis These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come upon thee as a thief c. I will take away mine Holy Spirit from thee which I have given unto thee and which thou hast so much and so often grieved and sadned Rev. 3. 1-3 Psal 51. 11. And if he take it away from us no man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit Eccles 8. 8 nor can we fill our selves therewith by any wisdom strength or works of righteousness of ours It is not received nor can we fill our selves therewith by any works of the Law Gal. 3. 2. Oh then let us take heed and beware that we sin not against Jesus Christ But let us Kiss the Son and be ruled and ordered by him lest he be angry and we perish from the way Psal 2. 12. III. We may also note from this Exhortation in that he saith Be ye filled with the Spirit That God is so giving his Holy Spirit to them that obey him that they might be filled therewith Act. 5. 32. He is not like unto them that say Be ye warmed and filled and yet give them not needful things Jam. 2. 16. He saith not Be ye filled with the Spirit and yet withholds it from them or gives it not unto them so as they might obey his exhortation But He gives liberally to all men and upbraids not Jam. 1. 5. He who loveth a chearful giver is himself a chearful and liberal giver and dispenser of his Holy Spirit to them that believe in him Joh. 7. 37-39 He will pour out his Spirit unto such as hearken to him and receive his Gospel and make known his words unto them as he hath promised both to the Jews and Gentiles Prov. 1. 20-23 Act. 2. 38 39 his readiness to dispence his Spirit is manifested and evidenced to us in that he hath at so dear a rate prepared it for us and caused it to rest upon his Son to that end that it might be made communicable and be poured forth unto us he hath killed his killing He hath not spared his own Son but delivered him up for
he will come and bless them Exod. 20. 24. But shall the workers of Iniquity have fellowship with him no surely Psal 49. 20. and Psal 5. 4 5. 5. The way to testify love to thy Friend or brother is to withdraw from him in any thing that is evil and shew thy dislike thereof both in word and action and if thou so dost not thou art an hater and murderer of thy Brother however thou pretendest thy self to be a Friend and to shew friendship to him Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Or that thou bear not sin for him Levit. 19. 17. with 1 Joh. 3. 15. And therefore as the Lord said in former times concerning open Idolatry so we may in part of this Idolatry If thy Brother the Son of thy Mother or thy Son or thy Daughter or the Wife of thy bosom or thy Friend which is as thine own Soul entice thee secretly saying Let us go and serve other gods let us make our belly our god and serve it thou shalt not consent unto him nor hearken unto him Deut. 13. 6-8 with Philip. 3. 19. and Rom. 16. 18. Oh! Withdraw your selves from every Brother that walks disorderly and not after the Apostles tradition that they may be ashamed 2 Thes 3. 6 14. And rebuke such an one And though at present he takes it grievously yet he that rebuketh a man afterward shall find more favour than he that flatters with the tongue Prov. 28. 23. with Job 17. 5. Obj. 3. Another may say I may be born with a little for my Intemperance for I entertain such as declare the Gospel and lay out my self and spend my estate in receiving the Brethren and adventure all for the Gospel sake Answ 1. If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted and rewarded Who is there even among you that shut the doors for nought neither do ye kindle a fire on Gods altar for nought faith the Lord of hosts Mal. 1. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed towards his name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence unto the end Heb. 6. 10 11. Answ 2. But this should be no plea in your hearts or mouths for your Intemperance and Prodigality But rather ye should be clean who in this sense bear the vessels of the Lord Isa 52. 11 or else by means of you the name of God will be blasphemed amongst the Gentiles And still your sin is the greater if you walk disorderly because by receiving the Brethren you have greater and more frequent advantage by their company conference and conversation to abstain and flee from all that is evil Oh! therefore defile not the house of God for If any man defile the temple of God him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Answ 3. It is to be feared that you who are so forward to proclaim your own goodness in laying out your selves for the Gospel are more large in laying out and consuming upon your lusts what God is betrusting you with for the honouring of him his name and Gospel If you would but at the years end faithfully cast up what you have laid out for the gratifying your own or others lusts on the one hand and what you have expended towards the service of Christ and entertaining his messengers on the other and lay both in the balance the former may so greatly over-weigh the latter as that this is nothing in comparison of that And it may possibly too truly be said to you in this case as he said in another Is not the gleaning of the grapes of your prodigality and intemperance more and better than the Vintage of your liberality towards Christ and his Gospel and people Judg. 8. 2. 4. The more kind you have been toward his people the more kind should they be to you And in love to your Souls beg and be seech you that you would take heed lest at any time your heart be overcharged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness or the cares of this life Oh! refrain your feet from every crooked path and from bibbing and bibbers particularly that you lose not all your reward in conclusion And the Lord in mercy guide us all by his counsel and help us to be guided thereby that hereafter he may receive us to Glory So he desireth to pray who is Your most unworthy Friend and Brother Charles Phelpes Errata PAge 17 line 15 for them read men p. 21 l. 13 r. Drunkards p. 22 l. 14 r. excluded p. 23 l. 16 dele and put it in l. 17 after daily p. 25 l. 4 for is r. in p. 36 l. 7 r. Mal. 2. p. 48. l. 30 for Isa 45. r. Isa 59. p. 51 l. 14 r you may p. 52 l. 2 r. sottish children l. 16 r. joyning p. 58 l. 27 r. belong p. 61 l. 20 del first Comma l. 23 r. Nahum p. 63 l. 24 r. dehort p. 65. l. 14 for sensually r. sententially p. 70 l. 4 r Rom. 8 3. p. 79 l. 6 r. testified l. ll del first and. p. 93 l. 32 r. fulfilled his p. 94 l. 3 r. tasted p. 96 l. 29 for at r. as p. 106 l. 11 for own r. one As also in p. 121 l. 11. p. 140 l. 23 r. Sun l. 24 for Matth. r. Mal. p. 142 l. 18 r. might p. 144 l. 5 r. deprivations p. 148 l. 7 r. right l. 19 r. Drink p. 155 l. 20 dele it p. 156 for the first there r. they p. 158 l. 26 r. as are There are some other literal escapes and mispointings which the Reader is desired to correct as he finds them A CAVEAT Against DRUNKENNESS Ephes V. 18. And be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be filled with the spirit THese words are a further Admonition and Instruction which the Apostle gives to these Believers to whom he writes unto whom after his salutation of them chap. 1. v. 1 2 he had been magnifying the Apostles Office in chap. 1. v. 3-12 and blessing God for his great mercy to them in causing the Gospel to be preached to them and helping them to receive it so as it wrought effectually in them chap. 1. v. 13-15 Who sometimes were dead in sins and trespasses in a sad and miserable condition chap. 2. v. 1 2-5 11 12 and yet then Christ made peace for them and preached it to them and they were saved by Grace out of that sad condition and made fellow-Citizens with the Saints the Apostles Gospel being received by them not as the word of Men but as it is in truth the Word of God chap. 2. v. 13-22 minding them how that now the Mystery is opened and revealed as it was not in former times In which is contained That the Gentiles should have the unsearchable riches of Christ preached among
whose hearts are over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness though their outward-man appear to be well enough Luke 21. 34 and generally they are guilty of this evil who pamper the flesh and make provision for the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 13 14. And the Drunkenness here admonished of is not only of the highest degree thereof But of all intemperance and insobriety whatsoever And not only are we dehorted from the habit of Drunkenness or accustoming our selves to excess but from any and every one particular act It is true indeed the evil is still the greater when men sin in an high or the highest degree and accustom themselves to such a bruitish Iniquity But yet it is a provoking evil to God and that of which we are admonished to be at any one time polluted herewith and deceived hereby Therefore our Saviour saith to his Disciples Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeting and drunkenness c. Luke 21. 34 and the rather we should take heed hereof not only because it is a provoking Iniquity in it self but because Wine is a mocker and deceiver of men many times men think to drink but a little and Wine deceives them till they are overcome therewith and deceived thereby or persons think if for once they should be overtaken yet they will not make a trade of it Truly if they do not yet that once is a provoking evil And yet usually men are deceived for when they are once overcome they are more easily inticed and deceived again and again and so brought into bondage 2 Pet. 2. 19. It is such a Cord as that when a man is taken therewith it is an hard thing to disentangle himself again Prov. 5. 22 and therefore whosoever is deceived thereby though but very seldom or once is not wise Prov. 20. 1. Good therefore it is for us to abstain from every kind and degree of this evil as well as of others 1 Thes 5. 22. And thus we have spoken to this second Inquiry and shewn in some measure what it is to be Drunk with Wine and when men may be said so to be 2. We come in the next place to note some Instructions which are contained in this admonition and dehortation of the Apostles as to say I. From the persons to whom it is given so we may note That such persons as have heard and believed the word of truth the Gospel of our salvation and after they have believed have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise unto the day of Redemption need to be admonished and warned of being Drunk with Wine Such manner of persons these were to whom the Apostle here writeth as appears Eph. 1. 13 14 and 2. 5-10 and 4. 30 and 5. 8 c. And yet to these he gives this admonition and saith Be not drunk with Wine So our Saviour gives alike admonition to his Disciples Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness Luke 21. 34. Thus also the Apostle to the Romans who were the called of Jesus Christ beloved of God c. yet to them he saith including himself also Let us walk honestly not in rioting and drunkenness Rom. 1. 6-8 and chap. 13. v. 13 14. And to the Thessalonians on whose behalf he gave thanks to God alwayes Remembring without ceasing their work of Faith and labour of love and patience of hope knowing their election of God Yet to them he saith Let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober For they that sleep sleep in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let us be sober 1 Thes 1. 2-4 with ch 5. v. 6-8 Yea the Apostle Paul himself did keep under his body and brought it into sujection lest that by any means when he had preached to others he himself should become a cast-away or reprobate 1 Cor. 9. 27. And it may further appear that hearty and unseigned Believers and all of them need to be admonished of and dehorted from this iniquity of Drunkenness if we consider 1. They are not wholly spiritual but partly carnal yea some more carnal than spiritual 1 Cor. 3. 1-4 They have still sin in them and the lusts thereof annoying them both hindring them from what is good and enticing them to what is evil To which sin and its lusts they are naturally apt to sow and to side with them Therefore they need to have and suffer the word of exhortation and those warnings given by the Holy Ghost Thus the Apostle complaineth I am carnal sold under sin And when I would do good evil is present with me Rom. 7. 14-24 And the Prophet complains with grief and sorrow I am ready to halt and my sorrow is continually before me For I will declare mine iniquity and be sorry for my sin Psal 38. 17 18 And mine iniquities prevail against me Psal 65. 3. Hence such Exhortations and Commandments are given to us by the Lord Jesus Mortify your members that are upon the earth Col. 3. 5. as signifying the affections and lusts of the flesh are our Members the members of the Old-man And the flesh lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. Abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the Soul 1 Pet. 2. 11 and 4. 3-7 Do ye think saith the Apostle James that the Scripture saith in vain the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy even to all that is evil and forbidden of God And it saith not this in vain but it therefore thus speaketh that we might take heed to our spirit that we trust not therein or thereto and that we follow not after it nor obey it in the lusts thereof Jam. 4. 1 3-5 with Mal. 2. 15 16 Ezek. 13. 3. If there were no sin in them but they were perfect as to attainment and wholly sinless as some ungodly spirits boast of themselves who yet are not washed from their filthiness there would be no such need for their being so admonished and warned of this iniquity But alas it is not so with them For if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and instead of having no sin in us the truth is not in us saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 1. 8 and this amongst other things he did write to the Believers not to strengthen them in any evil wayes or to plead for sin but that they might not sin but might lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingraffed word which is able to save their Souls 1 Joh. 2. 1 with chap. 1. 8-10 Jam. 1. 14-20 that they might not trust in their own heart He that trusteth therein is a fool Prov. 28. 26. For every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. From within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts of all things adulteries fornication murders thefts covetousness wickedness deceit
service in bearing the vessels of the Lord committed to them and they therefore should be clean which they cannot be unless they deny these worldly lusts Isa 52. 11 with ch 28. 8. This was a Complaint taken up and uttered forth against the leaders of the people in former times The Priest amd the Prophet have erred through Strong Drink they are swallowed up of Wine they are out of the way through Strong Drink c. Isa 28. 7. They are in their service brought higher unto the God of Israel than their Brethren And therefore he will most especially be sanctified in them And it greatly concerns them at all times to be temperate especially when they approach unto him lest through their insobriety they offer up strange fire instead of that of the Altar It may seem this evil of Intemperance was found with Nadab and Abihu and that it was the cause of their miscarriage Therefore for the future God gives a strict charge that those that come near to him should abstain from this occasion of evil For upon that occasion the Lord spake to Aaron and said Do not drink wine nor strong drink thou nor thy Sons with thee when ye go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation lest ye dye It shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy and between unclean and clean in which Nadab and Abihu sailed See Levit. 10. 1-3-8-10 Ezek. 44. 21-23 This may and will cause men to follow their own Spirit and to speak things to God which they ought not They are to be Gods mouth to the people in some sort and are to speak his words and make known and open his Doctrine to them And therefore it behoves them greatly to take heed and beware that they be not overcome of Wine that they may teach his Israel the Statutes of the Lord Levit. 10. 8-11 For by the excess of wine they will err in vision and stumble in judgment Isa 28. 7. They are to watch for the Souls of those which are committed to their charge their work is to be watch-men But alas how greatly will this Intemperance unfit them for it and dispose them to slothfulness and sleepiness This will unfil them for the service they are appointed to and faithfulness expected from them 1 Thes 5. 6-8 It will make them blind ignorant foolish-ones and render them altogether unmeet for the work of watch-men hence it is said His watch-men are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber Come ye say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56. 9-12 They should be reprovers of others and should admonish and warn them of every path of the Destroyer 2 Tim. 4. 2. Ezek. 3. 17-26 But if they themselves be guilty of Drunkenness how should they warn others of Intemperance or reprove them for it Thou that sayest another should not be Drunk or commit Fornication art thou thy self Intemperate and unclean Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self Ram. 2. 19-24 They should give themselves to reading the Scriptures of truth to Exhortation and Doctrine and to that end redeem the time that their profiting may appear to all 1 Tim. 4. 13-16 2 Tim. 4. 2. But alas How will this Swinish Iniquity unfit men for this and hinder them from exercising themselves to what is good and profitable to themselves and their Brethren And do not such sometimes complain they are so straitned by reason of their callings and imployments that they cannot be so oft with their Brethren as they would be when yet the same persons can too frequently find time to distemper themselves and abuse the good Creatures of God And thereby cause others to abhor the Ordinances and Appointments of the Lord Yea therefore as we have said God makes them base and contemptible before all the people And they are justly taken up in the lips of talkers Oh how provoking an Iniquity is this in such as these are And unto such the Lord also may speak and say What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee Psal 50. 16-20-22 And indeed the provokingness of this Iniquity in them is signified in Gods severity against them If that servant say in his heart my Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to beat the men-servants and the maidens and to eat and drink with the drmnken or to be drunken The Lord of that Servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him in sunder and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites and unbelievers there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And that Servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall much be required And to whom men have committed much of him they will ask the more Matth. 24. 48-51 and Luke 12. 45-48 Oh consider this ye that forget God and his Law Prov. 31. 5. lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Lest now spending your time in mirth and jollity and in the abuse of the good Creatures of God you hereafter howl for a drop of water to cool your tongues being tormented in that flame when you come to drink of the Wrath of the Almighty Job 21. 12-20 Luke 16. 19-24 You should especially have your conversation in Heaven and be minding the things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God And if you should mind these earthly things and so dwell in your hearts and affections upon the earth how can you escape the snare which will come upon all the inhabitants of the earth Therefore take heed to your selves saith our Saviour to his Disciples and Apostles lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life whereto Intemperance will necessarily lead you and so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth as riotous persons and Drunkards do Watch ye therefore and pray alwayes c. Luke 21. 34 35 36. III. Considering the time when this dehortation and admonition was given to these Believers we may learn somewhat from thence which may be instructive to us from this circumstance And so as we may see it was given unto them When the dayes were evil Eph. 5. 16. Now they may be said to be evil in a double consideration whereto we shall here briefly speak and so note something for our learning As to say 1. The dayes or time may be said to be evil
is evident and apparent And is this a time for us then to work the will of the gentiles and to walk in excess of Wine revellings banquettings c Surely no cause we have rather abundant cause to sigh with the breaking of our loins and with bitterness for the judgments and occasions of heaviness already come and for the tidings of what is a coming because it cometh And every heart shall melt and all hands shall be feeble and every spirit shall faint and all knees shall be weak as water c. Ezek. 21. 6 7. Surely the present days are such as might cause all the merry-hearted to sigh and not to drink Wine with a song yea to cause strong drink to be bitter to them that drink it For all joy is darkened the mirth of the land is gone Isa 24. 7-11 And what wrath is yet laid up in store and what the end will be or how soon he may so order Judgment as when he begins he will also make an end and affliction shall not rise up the second time But while they be drunken drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry he only perfectly knoweth before whose eyes all things are naked and opened Nehem. 1. 8-10 But such times seem to be coming as will cause mens hearts to fail for fear yea certainly they shall come Luk. 21. 25 26. And oh how doth it then behove those who know and believe in some measure the testimony of God concerning Christ to be sober and watch unto prayer in such evil days 1 Pet. 4. 7. And to take heed to themselves lest at any time their hearts be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness c. Luk. 21. 25 26-34-36 And now to redeem and not mispend the opportunity because the days are evil God is loudly awakening us to his righteousness in his providences and in the lifting up of his hand amongst us and shall we still follow our insobriety and be companions of riotous persons and thereby make our selves so sottish and insensible as to be live him that lieth down in the midst of the sea or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast who though stricken yet is not sick though beaten feels it not but saith when shall I awake I will seek Wine and strong drink again Prov. 23. 31-35 Oh! though Israel thus play the Harlot let not Judah Gods pleasant plant thus offend and that in such a day of adversity and affliction also let them not now make their belly their God and debase themselves to Hell for the satisfying of their fleshly lusts and desires And so for a morsel of meat like Esau sell their birthright And most especially let not such transgress through Wine in such evil times who are as the Hee-goats before the flock yea let all the believers now both those who are taught and those who teach look diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble them and thereby many be defiled lest there be amongst them a root that beareth Wormwood and Gall any person or persons that say in his or their heart We shall have peace though we walk after the imagination of our hearts adding drunkenness to thirst For the Lord will not spare such an one But then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in the book of God shall lye upon him Heb. 12. 14 15. with Deut. 29. 18-20 Let us all then now especially receive and obey the Dehortation and Admonition given to the believers when the days are evil both sinfully evil and evil also by reason of the manifold Afflictions and Judgments which have been and are already amongst us and further also which are threatned And now be we not drunk with wine And to move us hereto consider we another Instruction contained in this Dehortation of the Apostles viz. IV. In that he saith Be not drunk with wine so he signifieth to us that we may thorow the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ keep our selves pure from this iniquity here warned of and obey this Admonition which is here given to us He doth not exhort us from that which we may not possibly abstain from or which God is not in and by his Gospel inabling and strengthening us against and making possible to us to flee from But in those Exhortations and Dehortations given unto us by our Lord Jesus there is the power and influence of his spirit to inable us to abstain from what he is warning us of and to will and do what he is exhorting and counselling us unto as the Apostle saith when he is giving Exhortations to the believers It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of good pleasure Do all things without murmuring and disputing that ye may be blameless and harmless Phil. 2. 12-15 And when he writes to the Thessalonians and re-minds them of what Commandments he and his fellow-labourers gave them by the Lord Jesus namely to abstain from uncleanness intemperance c. he saith He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who also hath given unto us his holy spirit As signifying God in and by his spirit was present with those Commandments given by Christ to inable men to what was commanded them 1 Thes 4. 1 2-7 8. And indeed this incouragement our Lord assures unto and promises his Servants that in their preaching the Gospel to every creature of all the Nations and therewith teaching men to observe whatsoever he had commanded them he would be with them always even unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 18-20 Rev. 3. 8. And faithful is he that promised who also will do it Mark 16. 15-20 So that though we are all naturally inclined to all that is evil and have many temptations and provocations thereto from without especially in evil days yet we may in the strength afforded be saved and preserved from the lusts of the flesh which war against the Soul because his Spirit is not straitned towards us but his words do good to them that walk uprightly Micah 2. 1-7 Now there are many arguments contained in the Gospel propounded to and set before us which are mighty through God to help and enable us to flee from all Drunkenness and Intemperance As to say 1. In the Gospel is shewn unto us that we have a comfortable injoyment of our lives and of all our Meat and Drink vouchsafed to us through the mediation of Jesus Christ we were all dead sensually dead condemned to dye as the Apostle signifieth to us when he saith If one died for all in the room and stead of all then were all dead And upon the account of and by vertue of ones dying for all and rising again dead men now live in their several ages and generations to the end they might not live to themselves or the lusts of men but to him which died for
not be Drunk with Wine viz. Wherein is excess And surely did we understand what is contained herein it would be powerful to engage us to receive and obey the admonition which is here given to us by the Holy Ghost Now we may understand these words either as an account of what the Apostle means and intends by the Wine wherewith he would not have us be Drunk or filled namely that wherein is excess in the use or abuse whereof men may exceed the bounds of Sobriety And then he doth intimate to us that there are Wines and Dainties whereof we may drink and drink abundantly and wherewith we may be filled and yet there is no excess in so doing But the more we drink the more welcom and acceptable we are to God and profitable to men and this blessedness they shall partake of who from the wonderful preciousness and admirable excellency of Gods loving-kindness to the Children of men do put their trust under the shadow of his wings such shall be inebriated or plentifully silled and satisfied with the fatness of his house with whom is the Fountain of Life Psal 36. 7-9 But to this we shall have more apt occasion to speak in the Exhortation following But be ye filled with the Spirit Or also we may look upon these words Wherein is excess as an argument to engage the Believers not to be drunk with wine and so to flee from all and all manner of Insobriety and so we desire to speak to them And so 1. By Excess is not only meant intemperance in eating and drinking for of that he had warned them before in saying Be not drunk and to which we have spoken But also by Excess is meant Prodigality and wastfully spending this worlds good which God is putting into our hands that we might honour and glorify him Prov. 2. 9 10. So the Prodigal did prodigally and profusely waste his substance with this Intemperance amongst other things Luk. 15. 12 13. And we may see by experience that ordinarily in Drunkenness is such excess an excessive spending and consuming mens estates and riches and impoverishing themselves thereby and directly bringing themselves and also provoking God to bring them to penury and beggary He that loveth Wine and Oyl shall not be rich Prov. 21. 17 from this evil concomitant and consequent of Drunkenness the Holy Ghost gives us this admonition Hear thou my Son and be wise and guide thine heart in the way Be not amongst Wine-bibbers amongst riotous eaters of flesh For the Drun ard and the Glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness shall cloathe him with raggs Prov. 23. 10-21 He that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough Prov. 28. 19. Men do lavish Gold out of the Bag for the satisfying this brutish and swinish affection and lust yea and by their Intemperance they unfit themselves for diligence in business and dispose themselves to sleepiness drowsiness and slothfulness 1 Thes 5. 6 7 Prov. 23. 21 And hereby also they bring want and poverty upon themselves I went by the field of the slothful And lo it was all grown over with thorns Then I saw and considered it well I looked upon it and received instruction Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth and thy want as an armed man Prov. 24. 30-34 and 6. 6-9-11 And by their Drunkenness and Intemperance and the want which follows thereupon they do usually bring upon themselves and load themselves with many distracting and distressing cares how they shall be provided for and their Families or how they shall pay and discharge their debts and keep themselve out of Prison or possibly how they shall have enough continued to them to consume upon their lusts for the future Hence our Saviour puts the cares of this world as the consequent of Intemperance Take heed to your selves lest at any time your heart be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life Luk. 21. 34. And this excess which is in Drunkenness is a great evil and the cause of very many evils also some of which have beeen intimated before As Hereby men unfit themselves for the end for which they are betrusted with this Worlds good which is to do good therewith to others also For whatsoever interest men have in the things of this world or right to dispose them yet they are owners of them not as absolute Lords but as accountable Stewards Luk. 16. 1-8 and must give an account to the great and supream Lord in due season Rom. 14. 9-12 2 Cor. 5. 10. Now when men consume these goods upon the service of their lusts many times their own Families if they have any their Wives and Children c. may be in great want And he that provideth not for his own especially for those of his own household he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 1 Tim. 5. 6-8 Or if they be provided for there are many poor creatures of mankind for whom Christ died who are in great wants and straits and destitute of daily food And what God hath put into our hands and commited to us is to take our own portion out of it and to do good to others with the residue who stand in need And so they are called and are another mans even given to us for refreshing the Bowels of others Luk. 16. 12. And we are instructed not to withhold good from them to whom it is due or from the owners thereof when it is in the power of our hand to do it Prov. 3. 27 28. But now when men are given to Wine or Strong Drink and so to prodigality they put themselves out of capacity to administer to others to whom it is due by the instructions of their Lord as otherwise they might do This was the iniquity of Sodom pride and fulness of bread and as the consequent and concomitant thereof abundance of idleness neither did she stregthen the hand of the poor and needy Ezek. 16. 49. Indeed this Drunkenness and excessive spending both take away the heart and hinder men from pitying others and also disable them so as it is not in the power of their hand to do good as otherwise it might be And again when men through their intemperance are prodigal and prosuse many times at last it so impoverishes them as that they fall into some other bad course and practice for providing for themselves or for their lusts As by their poverty they are led to desraud and over-reach others and sometimes more grosly to steal from others Agur prayed God to feed him with bread convenient lest saith he I be poor and steal and take the name of my God in vain Prov. 30. 9. However it makes men greedy of filthy lucre that they might still have wherewith to riot and spend upon their lusts As the Lord saith of Israels Watch-men in former times they are
and rejoycing to their Hearts and Spirits But here by is meant the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 12 even the holy Spirit the comforter whom the Father hath sent forth in Christ's name to give forth the full of the Testimony and by which we have the Gospel now preached to us according to the Revelation of the mystery and the mystery so opened and made known as in former times it was not made known to the sons of men Joh. 14. 16 17 26. and 15. 26. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Eph. 3. 3-5 And the work of which Spirit is to testifie of Christ Joh. 15. 26. Of his death as actually sustained and overcome of his having been actually raised again from the dead according to the Scriptures of the excellency compleatness and everlasting acceptableness of his own Sacrifice once offered so as there needs no more sacrifice for sin Of his being exalted with and to God's right hand a Prince and Saviour The Saviour of the World in what he hath done and is become The Saviour of all men especially of them that believe in what he is now doing c. Joh. 15. 26. Act. 5. 30-32 Heb. 10. 10-15 1 Joh. 4. 13 14. 1 Tim. 4. 10. And that he shall come again Joh. 16. 13. This Spirit is called and is the spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. Phil. 1. 19. Both because it rests upon him immeasurably in the nature of man upon the account of his having been slain for us Mat. 12. 28. Act. 2. 33. Rev. 5. 6. And he hath shed forth and sent him from the Father Luk. 24. 49. Joh. 15. 26. Act. 2. 33. And it is his work and office to glorifie Christ and to take of his things and to shew unto us Joh. 16. 14 15. And in glorifying him in the Testimony as now come forth To reprove and convince the World of sin of righteousness and of judgment and to teach the Believers all things and guide them into all truth and shew them things to come And to be the Comforter of them and Advocate in and for them To be the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to them in the knowledg of Christ Eph. 1. 17 18. To bring to their Remembrance and mind them of his sayings Joh. 14. 26. To teach them how to pray and what to pray for as they ought Rom. 8. 26. To give them wherewith to Answer all their Adversaries and Opposers Mat. 19. 19 20. Luk. 12. 11 12. To baptize them into one body and make them to drink into one Spirit one inlightned mind and judgment 1 Cor. 12. 13. Ephes 4. 3-5 To strengthen them that Christ may dwell in their hearts by Faith Eph. 3. 16. To prepare them more and more for an habitation of God Eph. 2. 22. To help them to mortifie their lusts and corruptions Rom. 8. 13. Gal. 5. 16 17. To conform them in beholding Christ's glory in the Gospel into his Image and Likeness 2 Cor. 3. 18. To fill them with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God Gal. 5. 16-22 Eph. 5. 9. To direct them to have their Access through Christ unto the Father at all times and for all things according to his light and direction Eph. 2. 18. To make them useful instruments of good to others among whom they live and unto whom they have opportunity to speak Isa 59. 21. 1 Cor. 12. 7. and so to perfect whatsoever doth concern them All which he doth by his bearing witness of the blood of Christ which hath been shed for mankind and the ends and virtues thereof and the free and immense love and charity of God therein commended to us 1 Joh. 5. 4-6 And because by this holy Spirit in glorifying Christ God doth work all our works in us and perfect all that doth concern us and all is given by this Spirit therefore the spirit is used as a comprehensive word in which all heavenly and spiritual things are contained It is even the whole of and answers unto the blessing of Jehovah as Isa 44. 3 I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring And he is set down as comprehensive of all spiritual good things Hence whereas in one Evangelist Christ saith How much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things unto them that ask him It is thus expressed in another How much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Mat. 7. 11. with Luk. 11. 13. And this was the one thing as it were Christ promised that he would pray for and send unto his Disciples when he was taking his leave of them even the holy spirit Joh. 14. 16 17 26. and 15. 26. and 16. 7-15 Luk. 24. 49. And the spirit is set down as containing the blessing of Abraham as the Apostle intimates in saying Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us That the blessing of Abraham might be in Christ for the gentiles that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith Gal. 3. 13 14. And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit And he that hath not this spirit of Christ whatever else he may have or be possessed of he is none of his in a peculiar consideration 1 Joh. 4. 13. Rom. 8. 9. This is the Spirit here meant and intended by the Apostle of which now in this day the believers receive but a first fruits The harvest thereof is still to be waited for as well as the Adoption the Redemption of the body which is to be given and effected in due time also by this holy Spirit Rom. 8. 11 23. John 6. 63. And by the spirit is also meant together with the former The Gospel of Christ especially as it hath been now preached to us according to the Revelation of the mystery And many times this bears the Name of the Spirit because it hath been given forth by the Spirit and with the holy Spirit came down from Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. And the Apostles in preaching it have spoken it not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth compareing spiritual things with spiritual they spake as the holy Ghost gave them utterance Yea in these last days the Spirit was poured forth more abundantly than in former times especially after Christ's ascension and receit thereof in the nature of man To make known the mystery to the Apostles and by them to us as in former times it was not made known to the Sons of men Act. 2. 1 Cor. 2. 10-12 Eph. 1. 8 9. and 3. 3-5 And with this Gospel of Christ the holy Spirit is present unto the end of the World so as that it is the ministration of the spirit and life 2 Cor. 3. 6 8. And he that ministreth it ministreth the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. Gal. 3. 5. And he
that receiveth this testimony of Jesus receiveth the Spirit Gal. 3. 1 2. And he that rejecteth and despiseth it despiseth and rejecteth the holy Spirit 1 Thes 4. 8. Hence the words which Christ spake unto us are said to be and are spirit and life Joh. 6. 63. And the Apostles were able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 5 6. And the Spirit is said to be the word of God even the Gospel of Christ Ephes 6. 17. And the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy Rev. 19. 10. And whereas our Saviour signifies unto us the necessity of a mans being born of the Spirit that he may enter into the Kingdom of God Joh. 3. 5 6 8 the Apostles explicating it unto us shews that the immortal and incorruptible seed is the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. the word of truth Jam. 1. 18 19. the word which by the Gospel hath been preached to us 1 Pet. 1. 23-25 Gal. 4. 21-29 And so also the spirit with which they should be filled is the Word and Testimony of Christ And this understanding of it agrees well with the saying of the same Apostle in another Epistle in which he is speaking to the same purpose as here For whereas here he saith Be ye filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns c. He thus elsewhere expresseth it Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisdom Teaching one another in Psalms and Hymns c. Compare Eph. 5. 18 19 with Col. 3. 16. 17. And this the spirit wherewith they should be filled the Gospel of Christ and the holy Spirit which breathes therein and always accompanies it and in which he testifies of Christ glorifies him and takes of his things and shews unto us And so we have briefly spoken to the first thing and come to the second viz. II. How or in what respects the Spirit answers unto though yet it infinitely exceedeth Wine It doth appear in the very words that though the Spirit be opposed unto Wine and signified to be exceedingly and inexpressibly better yet there is some answerableness between these two But there is nothing in the Spirit answering to any evil in the Wine Of the former it is said therein is excess but not of the latter we cannot exceed in drinking in the Spirit nor will our being filled therewith lead us to any thing that is displeasing unto God or hurtful unto men But the Spirit doth in many particulars answer unto Wine as that is good and may lawfully and commendably be made use of by us though still as we have said it infinitely exceeds and excels it As to say 1. Wine is the blood of the Vine or Grapes which are the fruit of the Vine it proceeds from the Vine without which we could have no Wine properly so called Gen. 49. 11 12. Matth. 26. 29. So it may be said of the Spirit as sent forth and communicated to us It is the blood or fruit of the Vine of the true Vine which cheareth the heart of God and man even of Jesus Christ who is the true Vine Joh. 15. 1. We could have had no Spirit but by and from him by his having been trodden in the wine-press as it were It is indeed the blood of the Vine the procurement and product of the precious Blood and sufferings of our Gracious and blessed Redeemer It is upon the account of Wisdom's having killed her killing that the Wine is mingled that the Spirit is received into the nature of man that it might be imparted to us and that we have any Gospel or glad tidings preached to us by the messengers Prov. 9. 1-3 So much our Lord Jesus signifies to his Disciples It is expedient for you saith he that I go away that he departed from them by death that he died for our offences and rose from the dead for our justification and went to him that sent him For if I go not away the Comforter this Holy Spirit will not come unto you But if I depart I will send him unto you Joh. 16. 7. The Father hath so loved him that he hath given all things into his hand and particularly given the Holy Spirit unto him without measure to speak and make known Gods words But the reason why he so loved him was because he laid down his life that he might take it again compare Joh. 3. 34 35. with chap. 10. 17. It is because Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and was raised again and exalted that he hath received of the Father the Holy Spirit which also he shed forth upon his holy Apostles that by them the Preaching might be fully known Act. 2. 31-33 It was upon the Lamb that had been slain that John saw the seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth Rev. 5. 6. And because this Spirit is procured for us and dispensed to us by the Blood of this Vine therefore it may be called and included in his Blood as that which is obtained by Blood is called Blood 2 Sam. 23. 16 17. Act. 1. 19. So whereas in one place it is said Come drink of the Wine that I have mingled to wit of his Spirit In another it is said My blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him saith our Saviour compare Prov. 9. 3-5 with Joh. 7. 37-39 and 6. 53. 54-56 Oh! this Spirit is Wine in this respect Wine by way of eminency it is the product of the true Vine who hath been tormented for our transgressions bruised for our Iniquities Hence the Spirit is called as hath been said the Spirit of Christ because obtained by him put upon him and sent forth from him 1 Pet. 1. 11. Rom. 8. 9. Philip. 1. 19. And the Spirit of Gods Son whom he in the fulness of time sent forth made of a woman made under the Law to redeem us that were under the Law Gal. 4. 4 5 6. This is Wine indeed the Blood of the true Vine to him are we beholding for it and have therefore cause to give thanks to God for his unspeakable gift and to do it in the name of our Lord Jesus and so to thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath been Sacrificed for us that this Wine might be mingled for us and dispensed to us 2 Cor. 9. 15. Eph. 5. 18-20 1 Tim. 1. 13-15 2. As Wine was used to wash away spots from Garments and make them clean and comely for so much appears to be meant by that Prophesy of Jacob concerning Judah He washed his garments in Wine and his clothes in the blood of Grapes Whereto possibly respect may be had in saying They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb who is the true Vine Gen. 49. 11. Rev. 7. 14. And as Wine was used to cleanse away filth the filth
heart merry though heaviness be occasioned to the outward man by the temptations and trials man here meet with Joh. 14. 16. 26. and 16. 7. And he is the Comforter in bearing witness of Christ of his sufferings and the glory which therethrough he hath received Joh. 15. 26. And indeed this Comforter doth glad at the heart those that drink in of his Cup of Consolation in shewing unto them the great abasement of Christ who by the grace of God tasted death for every man and is raised again for their justification and hath offered up himself a spotless Sacrifice unto God through this Eternal Spirit and so hath made peace for us by the Blood of his Cross purged away the guilt of our first sin and sinsuluess so as that it is no longer retained in Heaven against us abolished our first death and destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil taken out of the way all contrary to us c. And the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus doth make them free from the Law of Sin and Death that walk after it Rom. 8. 1-3 As well as also it shews unto us that our loss is recovered and all fulness treasured up in Christ that we might be brought back to God That by his own Sacrifice once offered he hath obtained plenteous Redemption even the forgiveness of sins for ever whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness to us and that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son Heb. 10. 10-15-18 1 Joh. 5. 6-11 That in him all things are ready and prepared for us even all things pertaining to life and Godliness That in him there is a feast of fat things prepared for all people of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily and in him is all compleatness for us And the Spirit and the Bride say come Isa 25. 6. Col. 2. 9 10. Rev. 22. 16 17. Oh! what joy hath this found of the Spirit caused to those amongst whom it hath been sounded Act. 8. 5-8 and how hath their hearts been comforted and helped to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory who have received and been made to drink into this one Spirit And Blessed are the people that know this joyful sound In thy name they shall rejoyce all the day-long Psal 89. 15 16. Indeed the natural Wine exceedingly falls short of this herein though that be proper to comfort and chear the natural Spirit of a man yet the Soul in a Spiritual consideration may be overwhelmed with sorrow and sadness mean time But this Spirit will fill the heart with solid and durable joy and the heart of such as drink it in shall rejoyce and their joy no man taketh from them Joh. 16. 22. with chap. 14. 16-18 And though the believing Thessalonians received Christs Gospel in much affliction yet also they received it with joy of the Holy Spirit 1 Thes 1. 6. And though now the dayes were evil in which the Apostle writes to these Ephesians sinful dayes and dayes of affliction both which cause sorrow yet now he gives this exhortation and instruction to them Be ye filled with the Spirit and signifies in what follows that this would apt and dispose them to Sing and make melody in their hearts to the Lord Eph. 5. 18 19. Oh! this is Wine indeed that will make the heart truly solidly and everlastingly merry and chearful and comfort it with everlasting consolations and good hope through Grace well therefore may it be likened to Wine 5. Wine is that which is proper to deliver the natural Spirit of a man from his fears and timerousness and to make one bold courageous against ones enemies and notwithstanding any cause or occasion of fear Hence we have such expressions used Like a mighty man that shouts by reason of Wine And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts he put them to a perpetual reproach Psal 78. 65 66. They shall devour and subdue with sling-stones and they shall drink and make a noise as through wine Zech. 9. 15. And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man and their hearts shall rejoyce as through Wine chap. 10. 5-7 And so it is an usual thing now in our dayes that men may be delivered from fears to drink Wine or Strong Drink And indeed the Spirit is Wine in an eminent consideration in this respect namely it is that which doth strengthen against and deliver from fears those that drink it in For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear or cowardize but of power of love and of a sound mind Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of the Lord But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God 2 Tim. 1. 7 8. Rom. 8. 15. And whose hearkeneth unto Christ the Wisdom of God receives and entertains his Gospel and turns at his reproofs To such an one he will pour out his Spirit and make known his words And he shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of evil Prov. 1. 20 21-23 33. Hence as the Lord saith to his people in former times My Spirit remaineth among you fear ye not Hag. 2. 5. So when he sent his Apostles to preach the Gospel in all the world he first tells them they should be indued with power after the Holy Spirit was come upon them and then should be his witnesses being thus strenghened and imboldened as well as fitted and furnished Act. 1. 8. Truly we may say This Holy Spirit in glorifying Christ and shewing unto us that he is indeed the Saviour of the world In bearing witness of that plenteousness of redemption and everlasting righteousness that is in him and the love of God manifested in Christ and that he is Love and Charity it self hereby casteth out all fear all fear that hath torment out of the hearty Believer hereof as with respect to God and saves them from his wrath and from the fears thereof And such receive not the Spirit of bondage to fear but the Spirit of Adoption the Spirit of child-like boldness and confidence to approach through Christ by this Spirit unto the Father and so unto the Throne of Grace and to cry Abba Father 1 Joh. 4. 14-18 19. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 4-6 Eph. 2. 18. Psal 49. 5. And by this Holy Spirit we may be delivered from the fears of death and though we walk in the midst of the valley of it yet to fear none evil because in the Light and by the Testimony of the Spirit we may see that Christ hath abolished it and destroyed him that had the power of it that is the Devil And will in due time destroy it utterly even this first death Heb. 2. 14 15. Psal 23. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 7-10 And in drinking in and walking after this Spirit we shall
have boldness in every day of judgment and both be delivered from the fear of our enemies and be made courageous against them and wax valiant in fight Hence the Apostle faith concerning himself and such as in whom this Spirit dwelleth and abideth Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or Sword Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us 1 Joh. 4. 14-17 18 19. Rom. 8. 1-37 Herethrough they were strengthned with strength in their Souls strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man and the word of God abiding in them they were strong and helped to do valiantly even to overcome the wicked one and not to fear what Men or Devils could do unto them Eph. 3. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 14. and 5. 4 5. Those that drink in of this good Spirit are of God and shall overcome all their opposers because greater is he that is in them than he that is in the world And they shall be valiant and victorious Not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts Zech. 4. 6. And as in former times it was said The Spirit of the Lord came upon such and such a man And he went out and prevailed against his enemies Judg. 3. 10. and 6. 34. and II. 29-33 and 14 19 Even so still by this Spirit of the Lord we may be delivered from all our fears of amazement and be made bold and courageous like Lions to resist and put to slight all our Spiritual enemies Hence when the Apostle tells the believers That they wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places or things he directs them to take unto themselves the whole armour of God and particularly the sword of the spirit which is the word of God whereby we may overcome the wicked one and all his instruments and temptations Eph. 6. 10-12-17 Rev. 12. 11. And so this spiritual wine is proper and powerful to deliver us from the fear of man which brings a snare and causes men to comply and have fellowship with them in their Drunkenness and intemperance and in other unfruitful works of darkness lest they should incur their displeasure or lose their favour and friendship And to strengthen us to resist unto blood striving against sin And in walking in this Spirit we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh either for fear of the loss of mens favour or for fear of their evil will or punishment but shall be strengthened to resist and overcome the world there-through 6. Wine is good to be used for those who are infirm and for their stomack sake to strengthen them and help them to digest And it begets and preserves in them an appetite to their food that they may thereby be fitted for any work or business As the Apostle signifies when he saith to Timothy Drink no longer water but use a little wine for thy stomacks sake and thine oft infirmities 1 Tim. 5. 23. So it is as with respect to this heavenly and spiritual Wine in drinking in thereof and being filled therewith this will still beget in us an earnest desire and appetite unto wisdom's provision It will indeed as before we have said take off our hearts and desires from thristing after the Devils cup For we cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils 1 Cor. 10. 21. But yet if we have tasted the graciousness of the Lord by this Spirit it will cause us still to come unto him and drink And to desire as new-born babes the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby that we may grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 2-4 And 2 Pet. 3. 18 And even as the hart pants after the water brooks so with our Souls to pant after and thirst for God the living God even Jesus Christ and God in him which is the true God and eternal life Psal 42. 1-3 and 63. 1-8 To hunger and thirst after righteousness after Jesus Christ who is Jehovah our Righteousness that we may win him and be found in him not having our own righteousness which is of the law but the righteousness which is through the faith of Christ even the righteousness which is of God by faith And that we might be changed into his Image and be framed to a likeness of mind and demeanour after the example of our Lord Jesus Matth. 5. 6. Phil. 3. 7 8-10 Thus it was with Christs Spouse while she sate down under the shadow of that blessed Apple-tree and his fruit was sweet to her taste and he brought her into the banquetting-house into the house of Wine caused her to drink in of his Spirit or ever she was aware she was so filled with spiritual desire after and earnest appetite unto this heavenly food that she cryes out Stay me with flaggons vessels of small quantity or small draughts would not now suffice or content her But in drinking in of this Spirit before she had such a good stomach that she now cries out and calls for flaggons for a more abundant participation of this Spirit And comfort me with apples for saith she I am sick of love She was even restless and unsatisfied in her desires that she might more eat of this living bread even the flesh of Christ that was given for the life of the World and drink in of his blood as knowlng this was most sweet and desirable and would nourish her Soul and preserve it in life even to the enjoyment of everlasting life Cant. 2. 3-5 and 5. 8-16 and 6. 1. They that know and have tasted of this gift of God will still and more abundantiy ask and desire after it that their Souls may delight themselves in that excellent feast which is prepared for men in Christ and be satisfied therewith as with marrow and fatness Joh. 4. 10. Psal 63. 1-5-8 And this Spirit being drunk in by them will cause their Souls to digest the food the Spiritual food which they eat so as their Souls may prosper and be like unto watered Gardens and like Springs of water whose waters fail not that they may flourish in the Courts of our God and bring forth fruit in old age and be fat and green To shew that the Lord is upright And there is no unrighteousness in him Psal 92. 12-14 That they may spring up as among the grass as willows by the water courses And may be trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord Filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God that he in all things may be glorified by them through Jesus Christ our Lord Isa 44. 3 4. and chap 61. 1-3 Phil. I. II. 7. Wine being drunk in
us all and raised him again and put his Spirit upon him and poureth forth thereof to men preventingly that they might come unto Christ and dispenseth it plentifully and gives it to them richly with Christ who receive him that they might be filled therewith Rom. 8. 32. Indeed they have not this Holy Spirit in themselves as of themselves nor can fill themselves therewith But this needs be no discouragement to us for it is in his hand who is graciously affected toward us and is a bountiful giver to us according to our capacities to the end we might be filled therewith nor is it good or safe for us to conclude that he gives it not because we have it not for he gave it unto his people in former times his good Spirit to instrust them and withheld not Manna from their mouths nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against him Neh. 9. 20-26 Isa 63. 10. IV. And lastly In this Exhortation we may also learn that there is somewhat required of the Believers that they may be filled with this Holy Spirit Therefore he saith Be ye filled with the Spirit Indeed they cannot fill themselves with it by any wisdom or strength of theirs as we have seen before But yet this Commandment is given unto them by the Lord Jesus and they are exhorted to be filled with it So in many things in which there are passives there is yet somewhat required of them in the light and strength of Gods grace They cannot save themselves yet it is required of men to look unto Christ and be saved Isa 45. 22. They cannot reconcile themselves to God and yet it is said We pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 18 20. Men cannot regenerate themselves but of Gods own will he begets with the word of truth and yet our Saviour saith Ye must be born again Jam. 1. 18. with Joh. 3. 7. So we may say here they cannot fill themselves but yet it is required of them Be ye filled with the spirit and so to this end and purpose that they may be filled with it it is needfull for them 1. To hear wisdom and watch daily at her Gates and wait at the posts of her doors To hearken diligently unto Christ as he is speaking unto us by his Gospel and to frequent the assemblies of his people for where two or three of them are gathered together in his name he hath promised he will be in the midst of them Prov. 8. 32-35 Mat. 18 20. Drunkards love their own company such as they call Good-fellows and by frequenting their companies they are the more provoked to drink and drink largely and the way for us to be filled with the Spirit is not to forsake the assembling of our selves together but to gather together and be together as oft as we may For there hath God commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal 133. 3. And to that end it is needful for us to redeem the time from other business and employment that we may wait upon the Lord without distraction Ephes 5. 16. If two lie together then they have heat warmth and Spirit But how can one be warm alone Eccl. 4. 11. Thus it is said When the disciples of Christ were all with one accord in one place suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a mighty rushing wind And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit c. Act. 1. 13 14. and 2. 1-3 42-47 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall be fat and green To shew that the Lord is upright c. Psal 92. 13-15 A day in his Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere For the Lord God is a Sun and shield He will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84. 4 5-10 11. 2. Needful also it is to the end we may still and further be filled with the Spirit that we part with and let go the things reproved by the Gospel and which he is discovering to be sinful and poluting to us as here he saith All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light Wherefore be saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead both persons and things and Christ shall give thee light See then that ye walk circumspectly c. Eph. 5. 13-18 As signifying to us that this is the way to be enlightned by and filled with the Spirit To abstain from those things and persons which are evil and hurtful to us and manifested so to be by the light of Gods Testimony And in this verse we are speaking to he first gives this Admonition Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess before he saith Be ye filled with the Spirit to give us to understand that we cannot be filled with both but we must abstain from the former that we may be filled with the latter For whoredom and wine and new-wine take away the heart from the mindfulness of the things of the spirit and from the receiving and drinking them in Hos 4. 11. And provoke God to withhold and withdraw his good Spirit from them so as such are inclined unto and polluted with this Iniquity They are all blind they are all ignorant they are such as cannot understand Isa 56. 10-12 Yea indeed needful it is to deny and mortify our members upon the Earth generally and to abstain from all fleshly lusts for they war against the good and prosperity of the Soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. Hence the Apostle exhorts these believers To put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts To put away lying To be angry and not sin not to steal To let no corrupt rotten communication proceed out of their mouth To let all bitterness anger wrath and clamour and evil-speaking be put away from them with all malice or else they would grieve and sadden the Holy Spirit of God and cause him to depart from them For he is an holy Spirit and will not dwell or abide richly in them that willingly entertain and retain what is reproved filthy and unclean Ephes 4. 22-31 1 Sam. 15. 23. with chap. 16. 14. Genes 6. 3. As is said concerning Gods people in former times They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them Isa 63. 10. Needful therefore it is that we may be filled with this holy Spirit that we daily and continually lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and flee from the things which God is faulting by his Spirit in his Testimony And then he will largely dispence unto us this blessed Spirit that we may be filled with it according to that Turn you at my reproof Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words