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{Sermons on Ephesians 5:15
The Doctrine Explained
Precisians Are the Sort Who Are Upright in the Way
Their Uprightness with Respect to the Commandments
They Endeavor to Obey Commandments to the Utmost}
With respect to endeavoring to observe every commandment to the utmost, I will give a fourfold description of them.
They Endeavor to Get Their Hearts up to the Highest Pitch of Affection, Care, and Activity
{Sermons on Ephesians 5:15
The Doctrine Explained
Precisians Are the Sort Who Are Upright in the Way
Their Uprightness with Respect to the Commandments
They Endeavor to Obey the Commandments to the Utmost
To Get Their Hearts up to the Highest Pitch}
Precise Christians endeavor to get their hearts up to the highest pitch of affection, care, and activity. Precisians desire to be the best possible Christians and the most humble, the most mortified,68 the most patient, the most exemplary, and most active Christians, “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11 NKJV). “Yes, what care; yes, what clearing of yourselves; yes, what indignation; yes, what vehement desire; yes, what zeal”; and so on (2 Corinthians 7:11). A sincere Christian desires to be a zealous Christian. In his sincerity stands the truth of his Christianity; in his zeal indicates the height of it. Zeal is not a distinct grace, but the height of every grace: love in the height of it, desire for God in the height of it, and care and resolution to follow God in the height of it. A zealous Christian exercises every grace and performs every duty, and does so with all his might. He is not willing to spare or favor himself, but will spend and be spent in the work of the Lord. The flesh will be pleading for a little ease and moderation. It will be soliciting the soul as Peter did Christ (Matthew 16:22), pity yourself, favor yourself. You will never hold out at this rate. You will pull all the country about your ears if you continue so hot and brash. But the soul returns the same answer as Christ did to Peter: “Get you behind me, Satan.” Hold your peace, slothful heart, and let me alone. For I will speak for God while I have a tongue to speak. While I have a heart, while I have a hand, while I have an eye, while I have a soul, and while I have a being—I will follow the Lord; I will serve Him; I will praise Him; I will sacrifice all I am and have to Him. And then come on me what will.
They Study and Seek Out Opportunities for Service
{Sermons on Ephesians 5:15
The Doctrine Explained
Precisians Are the Sort Who Are Upright in the Way
Their Uprightness with Respect to the Commandments
They Endeavor to Obey the Commandments to the Utmost
They Study, Seek Out Opportunities for Service}
Precisians are studying and seeking out opportunities for service. Such Christians are of strict lives, but of larger hearts. They are of strict consciences, but of large desires and aims. Grace sets limits to their consciences, but none to their holy desires; however much they do for God, they are studying how they may do more. “A generous man devises generous things” (Isaiah 32:8 NKJV). A merciful person devises merciful things. A righteous person devises righteous things. He exercises generosity and mercy and righteous works when he has an opportunity put into his hands. But more than that, he sits down and considers what great things the Lord has done for him and what marvelous lovingkindness the Lord has shown him. He therefore studies and designs greater things than he has yet done so that he may do yet more for the name of God. This is similar to what is said of the wicked: “He devises mischief continually” (Proverbs 6:14). “They search out iniquity, they accomplish a diligent search” (Psalm 64:6). The wicked search out opportunity to work wickedness to satisfy their lusts. Likewise, righteous people make a diligent search for opportunities to work righteousness. Said David, “Is there not yet a man left of the house of Saul to whom I might show the kindness of God?” (2 Samuel 9:3). Is there not yet a poor soul in distress to whom I might show kindness for the name of God? Is there not yet a poor family in misery to whom I might show mercy? Is there not yet a poor soul in want for whom I might provide? Is there not yet a poor sinner to whom I might give counsel? Is there not yet a poor saint to whom I might administer comfort for the sake of my God? As it is said of the devil, “He goes up and down seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). So it may be said of sincere Christians that they go up and down seeking those whom they might save and recover out of the snares of the devil. Other people, whatever good they do, it is as little as possible. When their consciences will not let them rest, but something must be done, they do just enough to keep their conscience quiet. A sincere Christian has his love to satisfy and his desires to satisfy, not merely his conscience. He loves much, and it is not a little amount of duty that will satisfy strong love.
They Shun Occasions and Temptations to Sin
{Sermons on Ephesians 5:15
The Doctrine Explained
Precisians Are the Sort Who Are Upright in the Way
Their Uprightness with Respect to the Commandments
They Endeavor to Obey the Commandments to the Utmost
They Shun Occasions and Temptations to Sin}
Precisians desire to keep themselves as great a distance from sin as possible. They are careful to keep far enough within their boundary; they dare not venture to their utmost border, lest they go beyond it before they are aware. A wary Christian has observed what things have proved snares and temptations to him and have drawn him aside to iniquity in times past. He will take heed how he comes near them again. If carnal society has cooled and damped his heart and left a fleshly stink on his spirit, he will take heed how he comes into such company again. If going to his utmost liberty in the use of earthly goods (such as food, drink, or clothing) has enticed him beyond his bounds, he will be wary how he allows himself similar liberty. He will deny himself the freedom he might have used, rather than run into danger again. He is sensible of his weakness in standing against temptation and therefore is the more watchful that he not run into temptation. There are those people who are bold to venture into temptation, to venture into evil company, or to venture themselves among frothy and vain people, especially when they have demonstrated to themselves what a snare such temptations have been again and again to them. It is a sign that they have little fear of sin, care of the souls or consciences, or regard to God or godliness. A circumspect Christian dares not venture so. Profane people wonder why they will not be more free or familiar with them, not so much as to sit and be merry with them. Said the apostle: “They think it strange that you do not run with them” (1 Peter 4:4). Well, the reason is that they are afraid of the hook and therefore dare not meddle with the bait.
They Abstain from All Appearances of Evil
{Sermons on Ephesians 5:15
The Doctrine Explained
Precisians Are the Sort Who Are Upright in the Way
Their Uprightness with Respect to the Commandments
They Endeavor to Obey the Commandments to the Utmost
They Abstain from All Appearances of Evil}
Circumspect Christians abstain from all appearances of evil. “Abstain from all appearance69 of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV). That is the command. They desire to live, not only without reproach for actual sin, but without disgrace as if from sin, not only without any fault, but without any flaw or blemish upon them as if from sin. “Caesar’s wife must live without any suspicion upon her.” They wish to eliminate all opportunities from those who seek an accusation against them. Thus, they desire not only to do honest things, but also things of good report. They inquire concerning what they are about to do, asking not only if it is moral, but if is it fitting and seemly. They ask not only if it is lawful, but if it is comely. There are many different things that may be lawful in themselves, but which are unseemly and may present an evil face. Said the apostle: “All things are lawful, but not all things are expedient” (1 Corinthians 10:23). A circumspect Christian endeavors to keep both a good conscience and a good name. He desires to keep a good conscience for his own sake and a good name, as far as may be, for his brethren’s sake. His desire is only to hold up the power of Christianity and to keep up the reputation of Christianity. Therefore in this matter he exercises himself to keep both a conscience empty of guilt in the sight of God and also a conduct of life empty of offense in the sight of people (Acts 24:16). The servants of Christ see that there are many eyes on them that will spy out the least spot on them. Therefore their care is to keep themselves unspotted from the world and to carry themselves in such manner that, if it be possible, the world may find nothing against them. They are sensible how exposed they are to the severe and rigid censures of the world and aware that all of the reproaches that fall on them fall on the Lord and His Gospel. What an outcry there is in the world against those who fear God; it is as if they were briars and thorns, the firebrands of the world, the troublers of nations, and those who turn the world upside down. It is as though there were no lions in the world except for Christ’s lambs and as though Christ’s sheep were all wolves. Therefore, to prevent this and to put to silence the ignorance and malice of evil people, circumspect Christians endeavor, to the extent possible, to win the hearts and good opinion of all people. They wish to walk in such a way that they may not only profit, but please others and render the Gospel more lovely to them. They not only wish to wrong no one, defraud no one, and provoke no one, but they wish to displease no one. They wish to not give any person any occasion of offense or annoyance at them and their way.
Sinners take note: as much as the poor saints are clamored against for being troublesome and turbulent, they actually desire to please you, rather than provoke you. They would please all the world so far as they may without hurting themselves or others. Indeed, they do not wish to sin against God to please people. They do not want to wound their consciences to win the esteem of people. They do not desire to lie, dissemble, flatter, connive with you, or comply with you in sin in order to gain your good will. But as far as they can, for your good, they are willing to become all things to all people. So leave them alone that they may do their duty to God, to your soul and to their own soul. And, if that does not displease you, they are willing in all things to do their best that they may not offend you.
And thus I have given you the description of these people: They walk exactly according to the Scriptures and endeavor to obey every command. They endeavor to do so down to the most inward and spiritual part of every command. They endeavor to observe every command to the utmost. To this, I shall add two things.
68mortify: put to death; especially in this context, to put sin to death.
69The Greek εἶδος [eidos] may be validly translated either “appearance” (KJV, NASB marginal note only), as relating to the outward appearance, form, or shape, or translated as “form” (most other versions). Alleine’s point is not unscriptural, however, as may be seen in Matthew 17:24–27; Romans 12:17; or 1 Corinthians 10:28–33.
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