A CAVEAT Against Drunkenness Especially in EVIL TIMES BEING A Consideration of Eph. 5. 18. By C. P. The Crown of Pride the Drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under feet And the glorious beauty which is on the head of the fat valley shall be a fading flower and as the hasty fruit before the Summer which when he that looketh upon it seeth it while it is yet in his hand he eats it up In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of Glory and for a Diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people Isa 28. 3-5 They that be drunken are drunken in the night But let us who are of the day be sober 1 Thes 5. 7 8. LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel 1676. To my Brethren and Companions in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory Grace and Peace be multiplied Beloved THe Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ that we may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things Tit. 2 10-13 How this Doctrine according to Godliness is blasphemed and evil-spoken of by many persons we cannot be ignorant As if it were a Doctrine of Loosness and Licentiousness a Doctrine of Libertinism and Profaness as if it opened a Gap to all wickedness and impiety whatsoever And though men herein be-ly it yet certainly we shall give occasion to them that are of no judgment concerning the Faith thus to speak reproachfully of it if while we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves are found sinners and walk not uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel Gal. 2. 14-18 And Wo to the world because of offences But wo especially to that man by whom the offence cometh Wherefore saith our Saviour If thy hand or thy foot offend thee or cause thee to offend cut them off and cast them from thee it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire Matth. 18. 7 8. You know in your hearts and in your souls that he that died for all therefore died for them that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves or the luses of men but unto the will of God even to him that died for them and rose again 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. with 1 Pet. 4. 1-3 You know that the good creatures men abuse in their intemperance are the Lord's And that by Grace we are made partakers of them and have a comfortable enjoyment of them through the Sufferings Sacrifice and Mediation of Christ And that these things are not given us to consume upon our Lusts or prepare for Baal Shall ye then continue in sin because grace hath abounded or that it may abound God forbid He that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12. 47 48. You know there is an eternal judgment in which we shall all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ That every one of us may receive according to the things done in his body whether good or bad For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Oh therefore knowing the terrour of the Lord abstain and flee from all intemperance whatsoever While Paul in declaring the faith in Christ reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Foelix trembled perceiving it would go hardly with intemperate and incontinent ones hereafter Act. 24. 24 25. And can we hear and think thereof and not tremble so as to depart from iniquity Surely then Felix hereafter shall rise up in the judgment with us and condemn us when Drunkards shall be excluded and shut out of the Kingdom of Christ and of God Nay by your own personal sinning you not only expose your selves to the Wrath of God both present and eternal But you cause many to stumble at the Law and Doctrine of Christ and teach and strengthen the wicked ones in their evil wayes and are guilty of the Blood of the Souls of others And what will you do in the end thereof How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation If you were entertainers of such ungodly Doctrines as are too generally received amongst zealous ones now in our dayes That the greatest part of men were reprobated before they were born and must necessarily perish for ever hereafter then your evil would not be so great concerning them for you would but help to destroy them that God would not have saved But for you to be instruments of evil and perdition to others who profess to believe that Christ died for all and rose again and that God would have all men to be saved How unsutably and contrary to your principles do you act while you lay stumbling-blocks in their way to cause them to fall and perish for whom you know Christ died Oh! As your hearts are purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto the unfeigned love of the Brethren and of all men see to it that ye love them with such a love as you are taught and principled unto of God Object 1. If any one should say we have such a trade employment or way of livelyhood to walk in and follow as that thereby we are necessitated sometimes to keep company and to drink more than otherwise we would do or else we had as good wholly leave off all and then we shall presently fail into poverty To such an one I would say 1. There is nothing said or however intended in any expression made use of to take men off from any lawful or laudable employment or way of living or from having fellowship with the men of the world in and about the affairs of this life in a lawful way For then as the Apostle saith ye must needs go out of the world 1 Cor. 5. 9 10. 2. But though we must have company with evil persons while we are here in this world at some times and may trade with evil workers yet by no means should we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Eph. 5. 11. And if we cannot trade or converse with them unless we put forth our hand to iniquity it 's better to lose their custom than to grieve the good Spirit of God dishonour the Gospel and get a snare and wound to our Souls And be we confident that in first seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness all other things shall be added to us Oh Were we so filled with the Spirit as to live the life we live in the flesh by the faith of the Son of God who
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.
of Wounds as appears Luk. 10. 34 So it is certainly true concerning this Spiritual Wine It is proper to wash us from all our pollution and defilements and to cleanse and heal the Spiritual Maladies of our Souls This is therefore called frequently the Holy Spirit not only to denote that he is so in himself but in his work also to sanctify us by bearing witness of and sprinkling and applying the Blood of the true Vine even of Christ unto us Hence the Apostle declaring what filthy and poluted creatures some of the Corinthians were he saith They were washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 9-11 And the Lord doth wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purge the blood of Jerusalem by the Spirit of judgment and by the Spirit of burning so that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy Isa 4. 3 4. And the Baptist doth declare unto us that this is the work of Jesus Christ to Baptize and wash men with the Holy Spirit Mar 1. 8. And the sanctifying men separating them from their polutions and dedicating them unto God is attributed to the Spirit as his proper work 2 Thes 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 1 2. And so also in and by the Gospel of Christ which is called Spirit as we have seen Christ doth give us an escape from the pollutions of the world And it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth even to save them from their sins Rom. 1. 16. Now are ye clean saith our Saviour through the word that I have spoken unto you Joh. 15. 1-3 And hereby may a young man who is most apt and inclinable to pollution cleanse his way his works walkings and garments Psal 119. 9 And they that are undefiled and sincere in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord they also do no iniquity Psal 119. 1-3 with Gal. 5. 16 17. Oh! this is Wine indeed to cleanse and rinse us from whatsoever is polluting and defiling to us to wash our Garments and make them white and therefore those who live in the Spirit are instructed to walk in it also whereby they shall be enabled to mortify the deeds of the body and as he who hath called them is holy so also to be holy in all manner of conversation Gal. 5. 25. Rom. 8. 13. 3. Wine moderately taken is proper to quench the thirst and so to allay and remove the torment and affliction thereby caused unto a man which is very great so as it causes their tongues to fail and cleave to the roof of their mouths Isa 41. 17. Lam. 4. 4. Thirst causes the youngest and strongest to faint Amos 8. 13. And even to die Exod. 17. 3. Judg. 15. 8. But now Wine is proper to asswage and quench it Hence it is given as one Branch of the description of Covetous worldly men that have no power to enjoy what God gives them they tread their Wine-presses and suffer thirst Intimating they refrain from and deny themselves that which would quench their thirst Job 24. 11. And the thirsty person is invited to buy Wine to quench his thirst and satisfy him Isa 55. 1 2. So we may say of the Spirit it is Wine in a most eminent consideration in this respect viz. to quench the thirst of the Soul and Spirit which no other Drink or Wine will do all other things are such as will not satisfy but herewith our Souls may delight themselves and be abundantly satisfied even every or any poor thirsty Soul Isa 55. 1 2 3. Hence our Saviour in the last day the great day of the Feast of Tabernacles stood and cried saying If any man thirst which he might do notwithstanding that Feast let him come unto me and drink But this spake he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive c. Joh. 7. 37-39 And indeed such is the excellency of this Heavenly and Spiritual Wine that it doth not simply quench the thirst of the Soul but so abundantly satisfy it as that in continually drinking in hereof a man shall be preserved from thirsting after any other Wine and he that cometh unto Christ continually unto whom God hath not given the Spirit by measure shall never thirst Joh. 6. 35. This will take off his desire and appetite from all stolen-waters of Wine of violence from lusting after such things as our natural Spirit is thirsting for As our Saviour saith in another Metaphor Whosoever drinketh of any other water shall thirst again But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him of this Aquavitoe this blessed Spirit Isa 44. 3. shall never thirst to wit after any other kind or number of Drink But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of living water springing up to everlasting life Joh. 4. 10-13 14. Such shall be inebriated and fully satisfied with the fatness of his house and he will make them drink of the River of his pleasures for with him is the Fountain of life Psal 36. 7-9 Oh! Such a Feast hath God prepared for us in Christ such Wines on the Lees well refined whereto this Holy Spirit is directing us and which it is bringing nigh unto us in the Gospel that were we feeding on and drinking in hereof our Souls would be so contented and satisfied as that all excess in natural Wine or Strong Drink would be bitter to us and we should loath and not lust after perishing deceitful things which cannot profit nor satisfy us because they are vain In Christ whom this Holy Spirit glorifies and of whose things he receives and shews unto us it hath pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell and therefore there is an emptiness in all other things And in drinking in of this Spirit we should be helped to see and say and set our Seals to the truth of that saying of the Wisdom of God by the wisest of meer men Vanity of vanities vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexation of Spirit Eccles 1. 2. and 2. 1 II Colos 1. 19. 4. Because as Wine doth make one forget ones poverty and remember their misery no more Prov. 31. 7 and doth comfort chear and make merry the heart of man Judg. 9. 13. Plal. 104. 15. Eccles 10. 19. So eminently the Spirit is Wine indeed and answers to though it inconceivably excels all other Wine It is proper to heal the broken-hearted and bind up all their griefs and to comfort all that mourn and doth comfort them that drink it in with everlasting Consolations It gives unto them beauty for ashes the Oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61. 1-3 Luk. 4. 18. Hence the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter because it is his work and office to comfort in all tribulations and trials and to make the
especially in any large measure will enflame the natural heart with love and lustings towards the proper object thereof And therefore David that he might cover his great evil and iniquity made Uriah to eat and drink yea he made him drunk As knowing this was the way to cause him to go down to his Wife and lye with her and though David's policy herein failed him yet therein is signified that this was a proper means to bring to pass his evil and naughty intendment 2 Sam. 11. 11-13 So we may say this Spirit is by way of eminency Wine that wherewith being filled we shall be enflamed with heavenly and Divine Love Hence this Spirit is called the Spirit of Love 2 Tim. 1. 7 and the Love effected in the Believers is called their love in the Spirit Colos 1. 8 and to move the Believers to walk in the Spirit the Apostle tells them The fruit of the Spirit is love This is that which the Holy Spirit doth produce in them in whom it is and abides Gal. 5. 16-22 And so this Spirit doth enflame the heart with love to Jesus Christ and God in him It doth discover make known and shed abroad the love of God in the heart of the Believer even that love that while we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly the Spirit causes to appear the kindness and love of God to man ward in sending his Son the Saviour of the world and of Christ in laying down his life for us and tasting death by the grace of God for every man That this love being seen known and believed by us we might love him who hath so testified love to us with all our hearts and hereby is their love made perfect who know and believe it and that God is love so as they love him because he first loved them Rom. 5. 5-8 Tit. 3. 4 5. 1 Joh. 4. 13-16 17-19 Hereby he makes them sick of love and helps them to cleave to him in love with full purpose of heart Cant. 2. 3 4 5. And in discovering of the excellency and comeliness of Christ of the plenteousness of Redemption in him by his blood even the forgiveness of our sins of the everlasting righteousness brought in by and treasured up in him of the treasures of wisdom and knowledg hid in him of that eternal life given us in him and all things pertaining to life and godliness of the favour of his good ointments wherewith he is anointed as the great Apostle and High-Priest yea of his compleat perfect and universal loveliness hereby the Spirit renders him as an object worthy to be delighted in by the Soul And therefore do the virgins love him He is the He whom their Souls love Cant. 1. 3 4. and 5. 8-16 And this Love is such as is clean and leads to the abhorring all that is evil even whatsoever is forbidden by the Lord and discovered by the light the Spirit in the Testimony to be displeasing and offensive to the beloved Hence whereas God in giving forth his Law at first saith Thou shalt have no other gods before me Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image c. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy c. all is summed up in this short saying elsewhere Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and soul and mind and strength Exod. 20. 3-11 with Deut. 6. 4 5. Matth. 22. 36 37. To signify that the love of the Spirit is such as is exercised in abstaining from and denying all ungodliness and in cleaving unto and following whatsoever is well-pleasing in the sight of the Lord and this Spirit is also purifying the heart from all unclean and filthy love in obeying the truth unto the unfeigned love of the Brethren that they might love one another with a pure heart fervently 1 Pet. 1. 22. 1 Joh. 3. 16-18 And this Love thus begotten even by the Spirit in commending Gods love in Christ worketh no ill to ones neighbour and so preserves from Murder Uncleanness Thest bearing False-witness Covetousness Rioting and Drunkenness or any other thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine Rom. 13. 8-13 And also this Spirit in discovering the greatness and extensiveness of the Love of Christ to wit that this One died for all constrains the Believers thereof to love all men even their enemies also Mat. 5. 44 45. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. 8. Wine is proper to make men free to speak it causes them to be talkative to open their mouths freely in discoursing or speaking about any matter or business So Elihu saith Behold my belly is as Wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles I will speak that I may be refreshed I will open my lips and answer And that which made him so free to speak was this Spiritual Wine we are speaking of He was full of matter and the Spirit within him did constrain him Job 32. 17-20 And thus it was with the Apostles and the residue of the Believers when the Holy Spirit was poured down from on high upon them They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak c. They did freely declare the wonderful works of God And though some foolish ones mocking said These men are full of new wine because they were so free in speaking yet as Peter saith These were not drunken with Wine as they supposed But this was that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel It shall come to pass in the last dayes saith God I will pour out of my Spirit c. Act. 2. 1-4-11-13-17 18. This Spirit will apt and enable us to speak not as men filled with Wine do to wit vain and unprofitable things But it will help us to speak unto God and to pray unto him in Christs name for what we want And to give thanks unto him alwayes for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 5. 18-20 The Spirit in opening the things of Christ unto us helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought But the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession according to God Rom. 8. 26 27. And this Spirit will apt and incline us to be speaking unto our selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual songs Eph. 5. 18 19. To be teaching and admonishing one another Col. 3. 16. And to speak unto others even all men or any man we have opportunity to converse with that will hear To speak unto them and make mention of the sufferings of Christ and what he hath thereby done and obtained into himself for every poor sinful creature of mankind And the love of God manifested in Christ to man-ward And in all to make mention of Gods righteousness even of his
loved us and gave himself for us we should be helped to believe and confidently expect that he who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all will also with him freely give us all things Luk. 12. 29-31-33 Rom. 8. 32. 3. But if the employment be such as you know not how to follow it and avoid the snares that are in it it is better to leave it though it be never so profitable and advantageous and though thereby you be reduced to the greatest poverty imaginable than to abide in it if you cannot therein abide with God 1 Cor. 7. 24 By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharoah's daughter Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin which are but for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. And if our hand or foot offend us any work or way of ours let us cut them off and cast them from us It is better for us to enter into life maimed or halt than having two hands or feet to be cast into Hell into the fire which shall never be quenched where their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched As our Saviour saith Mark 9. 43-46 Obj. 2. Another may say Truly Intemperance is a thing I delight not in But when I meet with my friends or relations which are near to me I sometimes though seldom exceed in Wine or Strong drink And I do a little the more comply with them that I might be an instrument of good unto them and by that means bring them to hear and receive the Gospel And therefore I hope God will be merciful to me To such an one I may say many things 1. That it is good indeed for us to walk in love toward all men and to be courteous to them 1 Thes 3. 12. Luk. 6. 27-35 And especially he that hath friends or relations that are beloved in the flesh should shew himself friendly to such and be kind toward them Prov. 18. 24. Philem. 16. But 2. This is not Love indeed nor Friendship toward them when we have fellowship with them in any unfruitful work of darkness such as Intemperance but hatred to them For Love worketh no ill to his Neighbour or Brother Rom. 13. 9 10-13 When we keep Company with them in any thing that is evil we do as Job saith Dig a pit for our friend Job 6. 27. This may be indeed called the love of the flesh thus to testify kindness towards them proceeding from that Wisdom which descendeth not from above but which is earthly sensual and Devillish Jam. 3. 15. But it is not Love in the Spirit It is not loving-kindness but hating-kindness towards them And therefore while thou pretendest to testify Love to thy friend thou dost but pretend it for indeed in such compliance thou hatest him and strengthenest him in those wayes which lead to the everlasting destruction of his soul And as the Apostle saith in another case so may I in this If any man see thee which hast knowledg some understanding of the Grace of God sit in Taverns or Alehouses and drink to excess shall not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldned in his evil wayes And through thy knowledg shall thy weak Brother perish for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8. 10 11-13 3. Consider Though he be a Friend or Brother to whom thou wouldest thus testify Love which is in truth hatred yet there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a Brother Prov. 18. 24. And one who hath infinitely exceeded all Friends in expression of Love and affection to us even our Lord Jesus who when we were become dead died for us and rose again and gave himself a ransom for us And while we were dead in sins caused his goodness to pass before us and is become our rightful Lord. Now then if we should testify love to a friend should we not first alwayes do it to this our lover who hath so greatly loved us and still continues his goodness to us Whether ought we to love him or others principally judg ye now our love to him is expressed and evidenced herein that we keep his Commandments Amongst which this is one That we be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess no not at any one time Joh. 14. 21. with Rom. 13. 13. Luk. 21. 34. And this our Friend saith to us If any man come unto me ard hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren c. he cannot be my disciple Luk. 14. 26. Matth. 10. 37. Deut. 33. 9. Oh therefore If thou wouldest be loving to thy Friend shew thy love to this Lover in observing his Commands so shalt thou be preserved from every path of the destroyer and rightly walk in and testify love towards such as are near to thee or related to thee in the flesh And in loving pureness of heart the King shall be thy friend Prov. 22. 11. 4. If by thy compliance with thy Brother or Friend thou couldest gain him to hear the Gospel yet thou shouldest not walk in this way to such an end For 1 Thou mayest see it's displeasing to God and forbidden by him who hath so loved the World as to give his only begotten Son to be the Saviour of it that thou shouldest do any evil that good may come Rom. 3. 8. He who is the Lord hates robbery for Burnt-offerings and will direct the way and work of his people in truth Isa 61. 8. Deut. 23. 18. 2. If by this means thou shouldest gain in thy Brother to hear and receive the Gospel after a sort yet it cannot be expected that thou shouldest as the direct consequent of such actings be any instrument of good to him But at best be a means of his hearing and receiving in vain as thou thy self also dost And like thy self he may become a sinner in Zion and an Hypocrite amongst Gods people and that in conclusion will aggravate his condemnation Do men gather Grapes of throns or figs of thissles Even so a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit Matth. 7. 16 17. That which is born of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3. 6. 3. If by occasion of thee and of thy compliance with him thy Friend or Brother come to hear the Gospel And the Lord who is not willing that any man should perish but that all should come to repentance open his heart and he heartily receive the grace of God and his Iniquities be pardoned and he be graciously received Do not thou upon this account sacrifice to thine own net nor burn Incense to thine own Dragge for it shall never be for thine honour He will say to thee as he did to the House of Israel Not for thy sake do I thus be it known unto thee Be ashamed and confounded for thine evil wayes Ezek. 36. 32. He will indeed be with his own Ordinances and people and where-ever he records his name
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
awake out of Sleep for now all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light Rom. 13. 11-14 with Eph. 5. 13-18 They that sleep sleep in the night and they that are drunken are drunken in the night But let us who are of the day be sober For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him 1 Thes 5. 4-8-10 The grace of God which bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly c. Tit. 2. 10-12 The true light now shineth love not the world neither the things that are in the world not the lust of the flesh c. 1 Joh. 2. 8 15 16. At the times of mens ignorance God winketh at them Act. 17. 30. But now mens sins will be greatly aggravated if they count it a pleasure to riot in the day time 2 Pet. 2. 13. Surely it will be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom and Gomorrha than for such as now walk on in preferring darkness before light 2. In the Gospel of Christ the holy Spirit is discovering to us infinitely better things prepared for us in Christ than any of those things in the abuse whereof we are vainly seeking comfort and contentment to our Souls Therein is discovered to us that by means of the precious blood of Christ all things are now actually prepared and made ready for us The holy Spirit is lifting up Christ as an object in whom there are all spiritual blessings in heavenly things provided for mankind A feast of fat things for all people of Wines on the Lees c. That we might look unto him and be saved from our sins and from the vanity of our conversations Luk. 14. 17. Gen. 22. 18. Eph. 1. 3. Isa 25. 6. and 45. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. And that we might labour for and seek after not that meat which perisheth but this which indureth unto everlasting life which the son of man will give unto us Joh. 6. 27-35 And in hearkening diligently unto and coming to him we may eat that which is good and our souls may delight themselves in fatness Isa 55 1-3 we may rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory in the worst of days and times 1 Pet. 1. 6-8 Alas men do propose a great deal of satisfaction and contentment to themselves in the abuse of God's mercies they think that is the way for them to lead merry and comfortable lives and to spend their days in gladness and jollity that this is the way to be delivered from all melancholly and evil and afflictive sadness And especially in evil times in days of affliction and mourning they suppose the only way then to drive away sorrow from their hearts is to pour in Wine and strong Drink till Wine inflame them when as in such a time the Lord is then calling to weeping and to mourning And therefore sorrow is better then laughter for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth Eccles 7. 1-5-14 And besides men do but deceive themselves in promising to themselves any solid or durable joy and comfort from their excessive partaking of Wine and strong Drink or eating any dainty and delicious food to excess for this is but deceitful meat Prov. 23. 1-3 Many times hereby men make themselves sick and so increase and heap up sadness to themselves and add grief to their former sorrow Hos 7. 5 they distemper and bring diseases upon their bodies waste their substance lose their good names amongst sober people wound their consciences such shall not find quietness in their belly or spirit for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Job 20. 20. Isa 57. 21. And therefore such persons do but deceive themselves and are deceived by Wine for Wine is a mocker strong Drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise Prov. 20. 1. The holy Ghost saith not who hath a merry heart and cheerful spirit who hath solid and substantial joy and gladness But who hath wo who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath wounds without a cause c They that tarry long at the Wine they that go to seek mixt Wine And though while they are drinking and in their Cups they may outwardly laugh and be merry yet such laughter is but the laughter of fools which is like the crackling of thorns under a Pot which though they make a great blaze and noise for the present yet they are out in a moment And the end of such mirth is sorrow yea an heap of grief For at last this Wine wherewith they so abuse and distemper themselves will bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder this they shall receive from God's hand they shall lye down in sorrow Prov. 23. 29-32 Isa 50. 10 11. For God giveth to the Sinner to him that wanders out of the way of understanding travel and grief Eccles 2. 26. But now in Jesus Christ God hath prepared for us and in the Gospel the holy Spirit is discovering to us that which is proper to comfort and rejoyce the hearts of all that mourn here is a Cup of consolation which being Drunk in by us will comfort us in all our tribulations and sadnesses and make the heart truly and lastingly yea everlastingly merry And though all the days of the afflicted are evil yet he that hath a merry heart hath a continual feast Prov. 15. 14 15 such an one is filled with joy and peace in believing and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy Rom. 15. 13. Prov. 14. 10. And though in evil days outward occasions of sorrow are presented and administred to him and his belly trembles his lips quiver and rottenness enters into his bones And all seen comforts and delight are removed and taken away Although the figtree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines and so the Drunkards weep and Drinkers of Wine and strong Drink howl Joel 1. 5. yet they may and shall rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of their salvation Habbak 3. 16-18 Cant. 1. 2-4 When God's judgments are so in the earth as that the new Wine mourneth the vine languisheth all the merry-hearted do sigh the mirth of tabrets ceaseth the noise of them that rejoyce endeth the joy of the harp ceaseth they shall not drink Wine with a song strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people even then the righteous who are seeking the Lord and seeking his face and his strength such as have their dwelling in Heaven they shall lift up their voice they shall sing for the majesty of the Lord c.
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
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
sanctified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Joh. 13. 8 Unto him as our redemption to free us and set us at liberty in our minds from all bondage and thraldom whatsoever whether to sin death Satan an evil conscience Law world or whatever we are naturally inslaved withal Joh. 8. 31 32 36. Rom. 8. 1 2 3. Gal. 5. 1 13. 1 Cor. 1. 29-31 The work of this Holy Spirit is to lift up and glorify Jesus Christ that we may run unto him continually as to that good and only foundation of faith and hope Isa 28. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 4-7 As to the fountain of light and teaching who is the light of the world the Son of righteousness Joh. 8. 12. Matth. 4. 2. To him as the matter of our feeding who is the living bread and the bread that he giveth is his flesh which he hath given for the life of the world Joh. 6. 35. 51-58 So as to have our life in him and he to be our life the life of our Souls and Spirits to be our self as it were Gal. 2. 20. Colos 3. 3 4. And they are in some measure filled with this Spirit who are not led by themselves as men but led and guided by this heavenly Wine so as they suffer the loss of all things and go on to count them as dung that they may gain Christ and be found in him that Christ may be all unto them as the life of their Spirits Philip. 3. 7-9 When they are overcome of this Spirit and subdued and conquered by it to be under its regiment and government and being brought out of themselves are translated and removed into Jesus Christ who is the beginning of the creation of God And so live in the Spirit Gal. 5. 25 and are new Creatures 2 Cor. 5 14 17. Eph. 2. 10. and helped to reckon themselves in and after Jesus Christ Rom. 6. 3-11 Col. 2. 12. And then men may be said to be Filled with the Spirit when they grow up into the knowledg of Christ in all things so as that He in the full of the Testimony is formed in them Gal. 4. 19. And they are filled with the knowledg of Gods will in all wisdom and Spiritual understanding Col. 1. 10. And have through the knowledg of Christ in the Gospel a right judgment concerning all things effected in them He that is Spiritual judgeth discerneth all things yet he himself is judged discerned of no man 1 Cor. 2. 13-15 16. and chap. 3. 1 2. For this the Apostle prayes for these Ephesian Believers that the God of our Lord Jesus the Father of Glory would give unto them the spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the knowledg of Christ the eyes of their understandings being enlightned that they might know what is the hope of his calling c. This he prayed for them who were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise after they believed Eph. 1. 13-17 18-23 and 4. 30. And when as the consequent of the former the Believers are established in the faith and rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ standing fastly and firmly in him For this the Apostle also prays for these Believers That God would grant them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ migh dwell in their hearts by faith That they being rooted and grounded in love might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledg That so they might be filled whth all the fulness of God Eph. 3. 16 17-19 And unto this the Apostle exhorts the believing Colossions that they would walk in Christ rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as they had been taught c. Colos 2. 6 7. And when also with the former they are filled with joy and spiritual mirth and have a merry heart effected in them rejoycing in Christ Jesus rejoycing with joy unspeakable and full of glory and having no confidence in the flesh rejoycing in Christ in his Cross and what he hath thereby done for us and obtained into himself and is become and is and in what he is now doing both from Heaven in the name of the Father and in the anointing of the Holy Spirit to us and in Heaven with the father for us and what he will do hereafter As a man when he is in Wine his heart is made merry and chearful therewith he remembers not his former or present poverty affliction and misery but he sings and rejoyces So also it is here in a spiritual consideration This Heavenly Wine being largely drunk in by us will cause our hearts to rejoyce as through Wine even to rejoyce in the Lord Zech. 10. 7. So here the Apostle exhorts these Believers Be ye filled with the spirit singing and making melody in your hearts c. Eph. 5. 18 19 Giving thanks alwayes for all things not only at some times and for such things as our natural spirit is desiring and pleased withall but for those things which seem to be grievous unto us also unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ vers 20. In being filled with this Spirit they are filled with joy and peace with joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and 15. 13. And whatever occasions of sorrow and sadness they have as with respect to the temptations trials and troubles which they here meet with and depravations which are ordered to them Though their belly trembles and lips quiver and rottentess enters into their bones c. Yet they rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of their salvation and even glorify him in the fires Habbak 3. 16-19 Isa 24. 7-14 15 1 Pet. 1. 6-8 Psal 89. 15. 16. Prov. 15. 15. And then they may be said to be Filled with the Spirit when they walk in Christ Jesus as they have received him and through this blessed Spirit crucify continually the lusts and affections of the Flesh Mortify their members which are upon the earth then are they led by this holy Spirit as the Apostle signifies when he saith If ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God intimating to us that such as these are in and led by the Spirit Rom. 8. 7-9 13 14. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16 17. If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit let us not be desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another vers 24 25 26. To this the Apostle exhorts these Believers That they put off as 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 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
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