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Ephesians iv. 25-27.
"Wherefore, putting away falsehood, speak ye
truth each one with his neighbor; for we are
members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin
not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
neither give place to the devil."
Having spoken of the "old man" generally, he
next draws him also in detail; for this kind of
teaching is more easily learned when we learn by
particulars. And what saith he? "Wherefore,
putting away falsehood." What sort of
falsehood? Idols does he mean? Surely not;
not indeed but that they are falsehood also.
However, he is not now speaking of them,
because these persons had nothing to do with
them; but he is speaking of that which passes
between one man and another, meaning that which
is deceitful and false. "Speak ye truth, each
one," saith he, "with his neighbor"; then
what is more touching to the conscience still,
"because we are members one of another." Let
no man deceive his neighbor. As the Psalmist
says here and there; "With flattering lip and
with a double heart do they speak." (Ps.
xii. 2.) For there is nothing, no, nothing
so productive of enmity as deceit and guile.
Observe how everywhere he shames them by this
similitude of the body. Let not the eye, saith
he, lie to the foot, nor the foot to the eye.
For example, if there shall be a deep pit, and
then by having reeds laid across upon the mouth
of it upon the earth, and yet concealed under
earth, it shall by its appearance furnish to the
eye an expectation of solid ground, will not the
eye use the foot, and discover whether it yields
and is hollow underneath, or whether it is firm
and resists? Will the foot tell a lie, and not
report the truth as it is? And what again? If
the eye were to spy a serpent or a wild beast,
will it lie to the foot? Will it not at once
inform it, and the foot thus informed by it
refrain from going on? And what again, when
neither the foot nor the eye shall know how to
distinguish, but all shall depend upon the
smelling, as, for example, whether a drug be
deadly or not; will the smelling lie to the
mouth? And why not? Because it will be
destroying itself also. But it tells the truth
as it appears to itself. And what again? Will
the tongue lie to the stomach? Does it not,
when a thing is bitter, reject it, and, if it
is sweet, pass it on? Observe ministration,
and interchange of service; observe a provident
care arising from truth, and, as one might
say, spontaneously from the heart. So surely
should it be with us also; let us not lie,
since we are "members one of another." This
is a sure token of friendship; whereas the
contrary is of enmity. What then, thou wilt
ask, if a man shall use treachery against thee?
Hearken to the truth. If he use treachery, he
is not a member; whereas he saith, "lie not
towards the members." "Be ye angry, and sin
not."
Observe his wisdom. He both speaks to prevent
our sinning, and, if we do not listen, still
does not forsake us; for his fatherly compassion
does not desert him. For just as the physician
prescribes to the sick what he must do, and if
he does not submit to it, still does not treat
him with contempt, but proceeding to add what
advice he can by persuasion, again goes on with
the cure; so also does Paul. For he indeed
who: does otherwise, aims only at reputation,
and is annoyed at being disregarded; whereas he
who on all occasions aims at the recovery of the
patient, has this single object in view, how he
may restore the patient, and raise him up
again. This then is what Paul is doing. He
has said, "Lie not." Yet if ever lying
should produce anger, he goes on again to cure
this also. For what saith he? "Be ye angry,
and sin not." It were good indeed never to be
angry. Yet if ever any one should fall into
passion, still let him not fall into so great a
degree. "For let not the sun," saith he,
"go down upon your wrath." Wouldest thou have
thy fill of anger? One hour, or two, or
three, is enough for thee; let not the sun
depart, and leave you both at enmity. It was
of God's goodness that he rose: let him not
depart, having shone on unworthy men. For if
the Lord of His great goodness sent him, and
hath Himself forgiven thee thy sins, and yet
thou forgivest not thy neighbor, look, how
great an evil is this! And there is yet another
besides this. The blessed Paul dreads the
night, lest overtaking in solitude him that was
wronged, still burning with anger, it should
again kindle up the fire. For as long as there
are many things in the daytime to banish it,
thou art free to indulge it; but as: soon as
ever the evening comes on, be reconciled,
extinguish the evil whilst it is yet fresh; for
should night overtake it, the morrow will not
avail to extinguish the further evil which will
have been collected in the night. Nay, even
though thou shouldest cut off the greater
portion, and yet not be able to cut off the
whole, it will again supply from what is left
for the following night, to make the blaze more
violent. And just as, should the sun be unable
by the heat of the day to soften and disperse
that part of the air which has been during the
night condensed into cloud, it affords material
for a tempest, night overtaking the remainder,
and feeding it again with fresh vapors: so also
is it in the case of anger.
"Neither give place to the devil."
So then to be at war with one another, is "to
give place to the devil"; for, whereas we had
need to be all in close array, and to make our
stand against him, we have relaxed our enmity
against him, and are giving the signal for
turning against each other; for never has the
devil such place as in our enmities. Numberless
are the evils thence produced. And as stones in
a building, so long as they are closely fitted
together and leave no interstice, will stand
firm, while if there is but a single needle's
passage through, or a crevice no broader than a
hair, this destroys and ruins all; so is it
with the devil. So long indeed as we are
closely set and compacted together, he cannot
introduce one of his wiles; but when he causes
us to relax a little, he rushes in like a
torrent. In every case he needs only a
beginning, and this is the thing which it is
difficult to accomplish; but this done, he
makes room on all sides for himself. For
henceforth he opens the ear to slanders, and
they who speak lies are the more trusted: they
have enmity which plays the advocate, not truth
which judges justly. And as, where friendship
is, even those evils which are true appear
false, so where there is enmity, even the false
appear true. There is a different mind, a
different tribunal, which does not hear fairly,
but with great bias and partiality. As, in a
balance, if lead is cast into the scale, it
will drag down the whole; so is it also here,
only that the weight of enmity is far heavier
than any lead. Wherefore, let us, I beseech
you, do all we can to extinguish our enmities
before the going down of the sun. For if you
fail to master it on the very first day, both on
the following, and oftentimes even for a year,
you will be protracting it, and the enmity will
thenceforward augment itself, and require
nothing to aid it. For by causing us to suspect
that words spoken in one sense were meant in
another, and gestures also, and everything, it
infuriates and exasperates us, and makes us more
distempered than madmen, not enduring either to
utter a name, or to hear it, but saying
everything in invective and abuse. How then are
we to allay this passion? How shall we
extinguish the flame? By reflecting on our own
sins, and how much we have to answer for to
God; by reflecting that we are wreaking
vengeance, not on an enemy, but on ourselves;
by reflecting that we are delighting the devil,
that we are strengthening our enemy, our real
enemy, and that for him we are doing wrong to
our own members. Wouldest thou be revengeful
and be at enmity? Be at enmity, but be so with
the devil, and not with a member of thine own.
For this purpose it is that God hath armed us
with anger, not that we should thrust the sword
against our own bodies, but that we should
baptize the whole blade in the devil's breast.
There bury the sword up to the hilt; yea, if
thou wilt, hilt and all, and never draw it out
again, but add yet another and another. And
this actually comes to pass when we are merciful
to those of our own spiritual family and
peaceably disposed one towards another. Perish
money, perish glory and reputation; mine own
member is dearer to me than they all. Thus let
us say to ourselves; let us not do violence to
our own nature to gain wealth, to obtain glory.
Ver. 28. "Let him that stole," saith
he. "steal no more."
Seest thou what are the members of the old man?
Falsehood, revenge, theft.
Why said he not, "Let him that stole" be
punished, be tortured, be racked; but, "let
him steal no more"? "But rather let him
labor, working with his hands the thing that is
good, that he may have whereof to give to him
that hath need."
Where are they which are called pure; they that
are full of all defilement, and yet dare to give
themselves a name like this? For it is
possible, very possible, to put off the
reproach, not only by ceasing from the sin, but
by working some good thing also. Perceive ye
how we ought to get quit of the sin? "They
stole." This is the sin. "They steal no
more." This is not to do away the sin. But
how shall they? If they labor, and charitably
communicate to others, thus will they do away
the sin. He does not simply desire that we
should work, but so "work" as to "labor,"
so as that we may "communicate" to others.
For the thief indeed works, but it is that
which is evil.
Ver. 29. "Let no corrupt speech proceed
out of your mouth."
What is "corrupt speech"? That which is said
elsewhere to be also "idle, backbiting, filthy
communication, jesting, foolish talking."
See ye how he is cutting up the very roots of
anger? Lying, theft, unseasonable
conversation.
The words, however, "Let him steal no
more," he does not say so much excusing them,
as to pacify the injured parties, and to
recommend them to be content, if they never
suffer the like again. And well too does he
give advice concerning conversation; inasmuch as
we shall pay the penalty, not for our deeds
only, but also for our words.
"But such as is good," he proceeds, "for
edifying, as the need may be, that it may give
grace to them that hear."
That is to say, What edifies thy neighbor,
that only speak, not a word more. For to this
end God gave thee a mouth and a tongue, that
thou mightest give thanks to Him, that thou
mightest build up thy neighbor. So that if thou
destroy that building, better were it to be
silent, and never to speak at all.
For indeed the hands of the workmen, if instead
of raising the walls, they should learn to pull
them down, would justly deserve to be cut off.
For so also saith the Psalmist; "The Lord
shall cut off all flattering lips." (Ps.
xii. 3.) The mouth,-this is the cause of
all evil; or rather not the mouth, but they
that make an evil use of it. From thence
proceed insults, revilings, blasphemies,
incentives to lusts, murders, adulteries,
thefts, all have their origin from this. And
how, you will say, do murders? Because from
insult thou wilt go on to anger, from anger to
blows, from blows to murder. And how, again,
adultery? "Such a woman," one will say,
"loves thee, she said something nice about
thee." This at once unstrings thy firmness,
and thus are thy passions kindled within thee.
Therefore Paul said, "such as is good."
Since then there is so vast a flow of words, he
with good reason speaks indefinitely, charging
us to use expressions of that kind, and giving
us a pattern of communication. What then is
this? By saying, "for edifying," either he
means this, that he who hears thee may be
grateful to thee: as, for instance, a brother
has committed forni cation; do not make a
display of the offense, nor revel in it; thou
wilt be doing no good to him that hears thee;
rather, it is likely, thou wilt hurt him, by
giving him a stimulus. Whereas, advise him
what to do, and thou art conferring on him a
great obligation. Discipline him how to keep
silence, teach him to revile no man, and thou
hast taught him his best lesson, thou wilt have
conferred upon him the highest obligation.
Discourse with him on contrition, on piety, on
almsgiving; all these things will soften his
soul, for all these things he will own his
obligation. Whereas by exciting his laughter,
or by filthy communication, thou wilt rather be
inflaming him. Applaud the wickedness, and
thou wilt overturn and ruin him.
Or else he means thus, "that it may make
them, the hearers, full of grace." For as
sweet ointment gives grace to them that partake
of it, so also does good speech. Hence it was
moreover that one said, "Thy name is as
ointment poured forth." (Cant. i. 3.)
It caused them to exhale that sweet perfume.
Thou seest that what he continually recommends,
he is saying now also, charging every one
according to his several ability to edify his
neighbors. Thou then that givest such advice to
others, how much more to thyself!
Ver. 30. "And grieve not," he adds,
"the Holy Spirit of God."
A matter this more terrible and startling, as
he also says in the Epistle to the
Thessalonians; for there too he uses an
expression of this sort. "He that rejecteth,
rejecteth not man, but God." (1 Thess.
iv. 8.) So also here. If thou utter a
reproachful word, if thou strike thy brother,
thou art not striking him, thou art "grieving
the Holy Spirit." And then is added further
the benefit bestowed, in order to heighten the
rebuke.
"And grieve not the Holy Spirit," saith
He, "in whom ye were sealed unto the day of
redemption."
He it is who marks us as a royal flock; He,
who separates us from all former things; He,
who suffers us not to lie amongst them that are
exposed to the wrath of God,-and dost thou
grieve Him? Look how startling are his words
there; "For he that rejecteth," saith he,
"rejecteth not man, but God:" and how
cutting they are here, "Grieve not the Holy
Spirit," saith he, "in whom ye were
sealed."
Moral. Let this seal then abide upon thy
mouth, and never destroy the impression. A
spiritual mouth never utters a thing of the
kind. Say not, "It is nothing, if I do
utter an unseemly word, if I do insult such an
one." For this very reason is it a great
evil, because it seems to be nothing. For
things which seem to be nothing are thus easily
thought lightly of; and those which are thought
lightly of go on increasing; and those which go
on increasing become incurable.
Thou hast a spiritual mouth. Think what words
thou didst utter immediately upon being
born,-what words are worthy of thy mouth.
Thou callest God, "Father," and dost thou
straightway revile thy brother? Think, whence
is it thou callest God, "Father"? Is it
from nature? No, thou couldest never say so.
Is it from thy goodness? No, nor is it thus.
But whence then is it? It is from pure
lovingkindness, from tenderness, from His
great mercy. Whenever then thou callest God,
"Father," consider not only this, that by
reviling thou art committing things unworthy of
that, thy high birth, but also that it is of
lovingkindness that thou hast that high birth.
Disgrace it not then, after receiving it from
pure lovingkindness, by showing cruelty towards
thy brethren. Dost thou call God "Father,"
and yet revile? No, these are not the works of
the Son of God. These are very far from
Him. The work of the Son of God was to
forgive His enemies, to pray for them that
crucified Him, to shed His blood for them that
hated Him. These are works worthy of the Son
of God, to make His enemies,-the
ungrateful, the dishonest, the reckless, the
treacherous,-to make these brethren and
heirs: not to treat them that are become
brethren with ignominy like slaves.
Think what words thy mouth uttered,-of what
table these words are worthy. Think what thy
mouth touches, what it tastes, of what manner
of food it partakes! Dost thou deem thyself to
be doing nothing grievous in railing at thy
brother? How then dost thou call him brother?
And yet if he be not a brother, how sayest
thou, "Our Father"? For the word "Our"
is indicative of many persons. Think with whom
thou standest at the time of the mysteries!
With the Cherubim, with the Seraphim! The
Seraphim revile not: no, their mouth fulfills
this one only duty, to sing the Hymn of
praise, to glorify God. And how then shall
thou be able to say with them, "Holy, Holy,
Holy," if thou use thy mouth for reviling?
Tell me, I pray. Suppose there were a royal
vessel, and that always full of royal dainties,
and set apart for that purpose, and then that
any one of the servants were to take and use it
for holding dung. Would he ever venture again,
after it had been filled with dung, to store it
away with those other vessels set apart for those
other uses? Surely not. Now railing is like
this, reviling is like this. "Our Father!"
But what? is this all? Hear also the words,
which follow, "which art in Heaven." The
moment thou sayest, "Our Father, which art
in Heaven," the word raises thee up, it gives
wings to thy mind, it points out to thee that
thou hast a Father in Heaven. Do then
nothing, speak nothing of things upon earth.
He hath set thee amongst that host above, He
hath numbered thee with that heavenly choir.
Why dost thou drag thyself down? Thou art
standing beside the royal throne, and thou
revilest? Art thou not afraid lest the king
should deem it an outrage? Why, if a servant,
even with us, beats his fellow-servant or
assaults him, even though he do it justly, yet
we at once rebuke him, and deem the act an
outrage; and yet dost thou, who art standing
with the Cherubim beside the king's throne,
revile thy brother? Seest thou not these holy
vessels? Are they not used continually for only
one purpose? Does any one ever venture to use
them for any other? Yet art thou holier than
these vessels yea, far holier. Why then
defile, why contaminate thyself? Standest thou
in Heaven, and dost thou revile? Hast thou
thy citizenship with Angels, and dost thou
revile? Art thou counted worthy the Lord's
kiss, and dost thou revile? Hath God graced
thy mouth with so many and great things, with
hymns angelic, with food, not angelic, no,
but more than angelic, with His own kiss, with
His own embrace, and dost thou revile? Oh,
no, I implore thee. Vast are the evils of
which this is the source; far be it from a
Christian soul. Do I not convince thee as I
am speaking, do I not shame thee? Then does
it now become my duty to alarm you.
For hear what Christ saith: "Whosoever shall
say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in
danger of the hell of fire." (Matt. V.
22.) Now if that which is lightest of all
leads to hell, of what shall not he be worthy,
who utters presumptuous words? Let us
discipline our mouth to silence. Great is the
advantage from this, great the mischief from ill
language. We must not spend our riches here.
Let us put door and bolt upon them. Let us
devour ourselves alive if ever a vexatious word
slip out of our mouth. Let us entreat God,
let us entreat him whom we have reviled. Let us
not think it beneath us to do so.
It is ourselves we have wounded, not him. Let
us apply the remedy, prayer, and reconciliation
with him whom we have reviled. If in our words
we are to take such forethought, much more let
us impose laws upon ourselves in our deeds.
Yea, and if we have friends, whoever they may
be, and they should speak evil to any man or
revile him, demand of them and exact
satisfaction. Let us by all means learn that
such conduct is even sin; for if we learn this,
we shall soon depart from it.
Now the God of peace keep both your mind and
your tongue, and fence you with a sure fence,
even His fear, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, with whom to the Father, together with
the Holy Spirit, be glory forever. Amen.
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