God is of a fiery nature and is as fire in a man Now a mans care must be to keepe this fire alwayes burning and flaming and to take heed that he doe nothing that may extinguish and put out either the flame or the fire either the light or the heat of it It is a rule in the exposition of the Commandements that alwayes the negative includes the contrary affirmative as when we are forbidden to kill wee are also by all meanes commanded to preserve our neighbors life So here when we are forbidden to quench the spirit we are not onely forbidden the quenching but we are commanded withall to kindle and keepe it alive to keepe it flaming and burning in us This negative comprehends that affirmative 2 Tim. 1.6 stirre up the grace of God in the. He puts him in minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to blow up and to kindle and keepe alive the grace of God in him It must be with the Spirit of God and the fire of it as it was with the Lamps of the Sanctuary Ex. 27.20 they shall bring oyle for the light to cause the Lampe to burne alwayes It must alwayes be kept burning This fire must not sometime be burning and somtimes out but a mā must have a care to keep it burning alwayes See what the Canon was for the fire on the Alter Levit. 6.12.13 And the Jewes say that he that quenched the fire of the Altar was to be beaten yea though he quenched but one coale yea if he quenched but one coale that was downe from upon the Altar yet hee was to be beaten Thus should it bee with us in our care for preserving the fire of the Spirit in our hearts alive This fire should be alwayes burning it should not be put out and men should have a care that not one coale of it no not one sparke of it should be quencht It should burne and never bee put out Quench not the spirit Quench not the flame the coales the sparkes That which is the good huswifes commendation in one kinde Prov. 31.18 that her candle goes not out by night should in this kinde be the praise of a Christian that his fire and candle goe not out but are ever kept burning Lu◠12.35 let the lights be burning The participle notes the continuance that is alwayes burning We know who they were that said Give us of your oyle for our Lampes are quenched they were none of the wisest Matth. 25.8 The foolish Virgins said unto the wise c. They bee foolish Virgins that suffer their Lampes to quench The wise Virgins slept but yet their Lampes were burning But the foolish Virgins they had their eyes and their Lampes out And wee see that Hezekiah reckons this amongst other transgressions of their fathers 2 Chron. 29.6 7. Our Fathers have trespassed and have done that which is evill in the sight of the Lord. And what was that trespasse and what was one evill they had done in the eyes of the Lord They have put out or quenched the Lampes To quench the Lampes of the Temple was a trespasse and a thing evill in the eyes of the Lord. And so is it no lesse a trespasse a thing no lesse evill in the eyes of the Lord to quench this Lamp and to put out this fire of our Spirit Now for the further prosecution of this point consider 3. things 1. First The meanes and wayes to keep it from quenching to keepe it kindled burning and flaming in our hearts 2. Secondly The things that doe quench it which must be avoided 3. Thirdly The danger of quenching the Spirit that may make us afraid to quench it 1. First The meanes to keepe us from quenching and to kindle and keepe it alive and burning in us are these I. First to be carefull and watchfull not to quench it but to cherish it in the first motions thereof Quench not the Spirit Quench not the first motions thereof Quench not the spirit that is foster cherish and make much of the first motions of the Spirit In the first creation Gen. 1.2 it is said the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water or was moving Incubabat aquis sayes Junius viz. as Birds upon their egges or young They sit and are moving upon them to hatch them and bring them forth and when they are hatcht they still sit and move upon them to cherish and sustaine them with their heate and warmth till they bring them to perfection So the Spirit of God did sit or move upon that face of the deepe by his motion or incubation to hatch and bring forth out of that vast masse the severall kinds of creatures he by an effectuall and comfortable motion cherished that matter till he brought forth the severall creatures till hee hatcht them and brought them to perfection Now looke as the Spirit in the creation moved upon the waters just in the same manner the Spirit moves in mens hearts that by the gracious motions of his Spirit hee may hatch and bring forth graces and good workes in us and may bring them to perfection The same word is used of God againe Deut. 32.11 As the Eagle flutters over her young so the Lord alone c. The Lord as an Eagle over her young flutter'd over his people or moves As the Eagle stirres up her nest that is her young ones The Eagle shee stirres up her young ones and rowses them up with her cry and not onely sits upon them but flutters over them with her wings to awaken them So did God stirre up Israel to goe out of the land of Aegypt Ezek. 20.5 6 7. So that before God brought them out of Aegypt he first stirred them up to be gone He said unto them Cast away every man his abomination Now how did God stirre them up Not onely by Moses and Aaron in their Ministery but by the gracious motions and sollicitations of his Spirit and those motions by which hee stirred them up and called upon them to bee gone and to cast away their abominations those were the Eagles stirrings of her nest these were the Eagles flutterings with her wings As the Eagle stirres up her nest how stirres she up her nest her young ones She rowses them by her cry So the Spirit rowses excites and stirres up men by his voyce in the motions thereof And therefore those motions are called a voyce though not a voyce audible to the bodily eare yet audible and sensible to the soule Isa 30.20 Thine eares shall heare a word behind thee Behind thee as Iohn Apoc. 1.10 I heard a voyce behind me not before me as implying that the Spirit of God comes and calls upon us being secure passing by and not regarding those things it calls for It is a voyce that many times comes all on a sudden Cant. 2.8 The voyce of my Beloved behold hee comes It is a secret whispering voyce breathing holy motions into our hearts stirring us up to some good But
our eyes see not our teachers we cannot expect wee should heare the voyce behind us The way to have the spirit follow us with his motions and worke of grace is for us to follow the word The hearing of the word then is a speciall meanes to cherish the spirit of grace in our hearts It is the oyle and the wood that keepes this fire burning It is also the bellowes that blowes and stirres up this fire in our hearts When a man would kindle a firc hee takes the bellowes and by their helpe hee makes the fire burne with a great flame and heate that before burnt little or nothing When a fire is quencht and is almost out the bellowes will quickly raise the flame againe The ministry of the word is the bellowes that blowes up and kindles the fire of the Spirit in us and makes it flame Ier. 6.29 All the preaching of the Prophets is in vaine it will not prevaile with them Therefore when the word is preached then the Bellowes blowes to kindle the fire Now when there is fire and fuell and bellowes blowing there is no danger of the fyre going out there is no question but that the fire will burne and be kept alive And the ministry of the word being fire fuell and bellowes it must needs bee a speciall meanes to keepe the Spirit from quenching to kindle and keepe it alive in us And therefore such as would take heede of quenching as would kindle and preserve this fire burning they must come to this fire and catch fire at it must lay on this wood must come under the blast of these bellowes that is they must come to and attend upon the ministry of the word And what is it that more and sooner quenches the Spirit then the want and neglect of the ministry of the word Many that have had faire lamps blazing faire fires burning yet it comes to passe that it may be said of them as Isa 43.17 They are extinct they are quenched as towe When wood burnes after quenches yet for some good time after there remaine some coales and some fire still but when burning towe quenches it leaves no fire or heate at all it goes suddenly quite out So many not onely quench in degree but quench altogether quench as towe Quench so as God in another sense threatens to quench the wicked Iob 18.5.6 Their light is quenched and the sparke of their fire doth not shine So quenched that all sparkes of goodnes are quenched in them Now whence came this mischiefe and where began this evill let it be considered if it had not its first rise from the neglect of the ministry The taking away and the losse of the ministry must needes bee a great cause of Quenching the Spirit in mens hearts When the lampes in the Temple are quencht 2 Cron. 29.7 the lampe of the spirit must needes quench in mens hearts Heb. 30.20.21 Thy teachers shall not be removed any more into any corner but thine eyes c. and thine eares c. Therefore when teachers are removed into corners then no voyce of the Spirit is to bee heard then the spirit is quenched As the quenching of the spirit is the cause sometimes of the quenching the fire of the word Apoc. 2. Thou hast left thy first love I will remove the candlesticke Thou hast left thy love There is quenching of the Spirit I will remove the candlestick there is the quenching of the light of the Gospel Thou hast quenched the fire of thy zeale I will quench the fire of the Gospel I will remove the candlesticke and quench and put out the candle the striving and burning light of the Ministry So also the quenching of the candle and light of the Ministry is infallibly a cause of quenching the spirit in mens hearts When once Preaching is taken frō men there must needes be a decay and a languishing of grace without wood the fire must needes goe out The want or losse of the meanes is a quenching But now when men shall voluntarily of themselves through negligence and disrespect of the meanes slight them this is a farre more dangerous cause of quenching the spirit for then there is a double cause of quenching First The want of fuell the withdrawing of the wood And Secondly Gods Justice who when hee sees men begin to neglect and shift the meanes hee will in his wrath smite them with the losse of those gifts and graces they had As ever therefore thou wouldest keepe the Spirit from quenching as ever thou wouldest kindle it and keepe it flaming and burning so diligently and conscionably attend upon the Ministry of the Word 2. Communion of Saints Communion of Saints a meanes to keep the Spirit frō quenching and the exercise of the duties of that Communion in mutuall exhortation mutuall provocation to love and good workes mutuall quickning and exciting each other unto good This is a speciall meanes to keepe the Spirit from quenching to keep the spirit burning and flaming and to increase the gifts and graces of the Spirit in us As of contentious men so is it true of gracious men and godly men in this sense Prov. 26.21 As coales are to burning coales and wood to fire so is a godly and gracious man to kindle the spirit Coales laid to burning coales doe mutually communicate heate each to other and make each others heate the greater A few stickes laid on the fire and that lye asunder too they make but a poore fire it gives but little heate but when a good company of stickes are laid on together and laid on close then the fire burnes to the purpose Wee see that smal stickes will kindle great ones In blowing of the fire the smaller wood takes fire first and that being fired it fires the greater wood Many times men that have greater measures of gifts and knowledge may want heat and be short in their fervour and zeale and they by their communion with Christians of meaner ranke and meaner gifts than themselves may bee warmed and heated and have the fire of love and zeale kindled in them We see that greene wood will hardly burn alone lay that on the fire alone and what a deale of blowing and stirring must there be ere it will take fire and if it doe take fire it will hardly burne any longer than it is blowne and but poorly then neither But now lay green wood on the fire with dry wood and the dry wood not onely burnes it selfe but sets the greene wood on fire also and makes it burne to the purpose Some mens hearts are exceeding dead and cold and it may be they use all private helpes by themselves and blow what they can but their solitary indeavours will not doe it If once they doe but joyne themselves in society with such as are godly and hold communion with them that will get heate into their hearts and those burning coales will set them on fire A live cole thrown out
but the flame and fire of hell scorching and burning his conscience It quenches the Spirit in the degrees of grace so as a man after sinne cannot doe as he did before See Judg. 16.20 He thought to doe as at other times Poore man hee was deceived he rises from Delilahs knees and communicates the secrets of his heart to her and now he hath quencht the Spirit and cannot doe as at other times So with men have committed some foule sinne they will goe to prayer to heare the Word to receive the Sacrament and they thinke to doe as they have done in former times to pray heare and receive as at other times but the Spirit of God that was wont to helpe and assist them that is quenched and departed and they cannot pray as they were wont nor heare nor receceive as they were wont to doe Their strength and graces are so decayed in their degrees that they are nothing the men that they were David went to the Temple no question and to the Sacrifices all the while that he lay in his sinne but what a difference did David finde in himselfe How farre did he finde himselfe from being able to doe in prayer and other holy duties as hee was wont to doe Sinne quenches the heate and warmth of the Spirit They that will quench the light of the Spirit in sinning against the light of it shall quench it in the heate and warmth of it Such a man may pray heare receive but alas how coldly and with what deadnesse they doe these things Their hearts that were wont to burne and to be heated and thorowly warmed in these duties are now key colde no heate nor warmth at all They doe these duties as the poore man gave thankes that gave thankes for his stolne mutton With what affection life heate and warmth of Spirit could he give thankes for that meate he had stolne Just such is the case of such as commit grosse sinnes against conscience and the light of the Spirit Sinning and praying cannot stand together If praying doe not hinder from sinning sinning will hinder from praying And as wee see it true in Davids foule sinne of adultery so it is in other foule sinnes they are all water cast on the fire The sin of drunkennesse it is a swinish sinne a man that commits that sinne casts water upon the fire of the Spirit it quenches the Spirit in the gifts of it The Prophet complains of the Priests and Prophets in his time that they had lost the knowledge of the truth that light was quencht But how came it so Isa 28.7 they were a company of drunken sots So Isa 57.10.12 They were a company of pot-companions fitter for a cellar and a pot then for a Church and a Pulpit therefore their gifts were quencht therefore they were blinde ignorant c. Some Prophets spirits are spirits of the cellar of the Taverne they be pot-Divines Mic. 2.11 and the spirit of God quenches and dyes where there is such a spirit And so it is in other men as well as Prophets the spirit of the Ale-house and the spirit of God will never sort together And we see many whose Apostacie hath had its beginning at the pot there began their first quenching of the spirit And this is that the Apostle points at Ephes 5.18 Be not drunk with wine but be filled with the spirit As if a man must needs bee empty of the spirit that will be filled with wine Drunkennesse wee often see quenches the very spirits of nature and makes men sodden-headed sots therefore no wonder if it quench the spirit of grace Gods spirit will not dwell in a Beere or Ale-barrell As therefore we would not quench the spirit of God so take we heed of committing any sinne but especially of sinnes against knowledge and conscience of foule grosse sinnes Water must needs quench fire But though all sinnes are quenchers of the Spirit yet there be some speciall sinnes that are not so grosse and scandalous that a Christian may bee subject to and have creeping upon him and are dangerous quenchers of the Spirit And they are these Worldlinesse though no scandalous sin yet it is a dangerous quencher of the spirit 1. First Worldlinesse an Inordinate desire of and affection to earthly things The inordinate love of the world is a dangerous quencher of the Spirit Demas quencht the Spirit hee had made zealous profession of the Gospel and Religion but hee fell off from the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and hence came Demas to quench the Spirit Demas hath forsaken us and hath embraced or he loved as he made it this present world It was Demas his worldlinesse and earthlinesse that quenched the Spirit see 1 Iohn 2.16 Love not the world nor the things of the world But why not If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him The love of the world quenches the love of God and so the Spirit for the love of God is a grace of the Spirit The love of the world quenches the love of the word Mat. 13.22 The world choakes the word Worldlinesse is a choaker and a quencher of the Spirit A man may put out and quench fire not only with water but with earth earth cast upon a fire though dry earth wil quench fire It is with the love of the earth as it is with the Dampe of the earth They that worke in Coale-mines and in the earth observe a dampe to rise out of the earth and when the dampe rises it will quench and put out their candles They burne dimme at first and so by little and little they quench and goe quite out with the dampe So is it with the love of the world when it prevailes in the heart it dampes the spirit of grace and quenches the spirit of God in the heart of a man And our Saviour having spoken against worldlinesse Mattew 6.19 20 21. hee comes verse 22 23. to shew the mischiefe of it and the mischiefe and danger of it is that it is a Dampe that puts out the candle quenches a mans light and so leaves him full of dangers Marke that discription of the Church Cant. 3.6 Who is this that ascends out of the wildernesse with pillars of smoake Elationibus fumi A christian therefore is a man ascending out of the wildernesse with pillars of smoake By the wildernesse is meant the world a Christian is a man not descending into but ascending up out of the wildernesse a man that is comming up out of the world And he comes up like pillars of smoak His affections his desires his thoughts they are the pillars of smoake now smoake goes upwards it rises and goes towards heaven So his thoughts affections desires they reeke and rise upwards they smoake heaven-wards Now we know there is no smoake but there is some fire what is then the fire from whence these pillars of smoake come There is in a Christians heart the fire of
moves and excites thee to Doe as thâ— at Bethesda they not onely watchâ— when the Angel moved but every oâ— laboured to step in and step in preseâ—â— â—y into the waters whilest the motiâ—n was on foot So soone as the Spirit â—trikes these sparkes into our hearts to â—ave our hearts as tinder to catch those â—parkes and to have them take fire in â—ur hearts Sparkes smitten into tinâ—er the tinder takes fire and by it a â—andle is lighted and so a greater fire A little spark that lyes in the ashes if it â—e let alone it soone dies and goes out â—ut if other small coales or small sticks â—e layed to it and it be gently and softâ—y blown it at length will kindle to a â—reat fire So deale with the motions of the spirit suffer them not to dye in â—he ashes but foster and cherish them till by little and little they grow from â—otions to actions and from many Actions to an Habit. The motions of â—he spirit are the knocking 's and rappings at the doore of the heart I stand at the doore and rap Now when one â—aps at the doore wee doe not onely take notice that one knockes but wee command the doore to be opened we are angry with our servants if they goe not presently and open the doore So that is it wee should doe when tâ—â— spirit knockes suffer him not to staâ— knocking too long but make haste open the doore and give him eâ—trance The motions of the spirit are tâ— strivings of the spirit Gen. 6. My sâ—â—rit shall no longer strive with man 〈◊〉 strives in them to bring us to soâ— good or to know some evill Nâ— when wee finde him striving with we should not strive against those mâ—tions we should strive with our selâ— to let the spirit of God overcome in his strivings We should close wâ— him and doe what hee calles for aâ— second his counsells by our obeâ—â—ence Wee see Marriners at sea if tâ—â— wind serves not how they are lookiâ—â— at their top saile to see and watâ— when the winde turnes and blowes fâ—â— them And when the winde blowâ— from the point they desire they prâ—sently take notice of it Now say thâ— the winde blowes faire but yet that not all so soone as they see they haâ— a faire gaile of winde they presentâ—â— get every man to his tackling and as fast as they can hoyse up their sayles So when the Spirit blowes in the motions of it we should not onely take notice of the blasts and faire gailes but presently hoyse up sayle set upon that thing the motion calls for Doe as God commands David 1 Chron. 14 15. The motions of the Spirit are the sound of his goings the footsteps of his anointed Psal 89. verse 51. The motions of the Spirit sometimes are for direction Isa 30.20 The Spirit sollicites a man to beleeve to repent to pray to good duties this is a good duty doe it Sometimes they are for correction and reproofe Jon. 4. Then said the Lord Doest thou well to be angry Doest thou well to sweare Doest thou well to break the Sabbath Doest thou well to neglect prayer in thy family c. Now then where motions are for direction take that good way they point to wheÌ„ they are for correction avoid that evill way they plucke from thus hearken to them and this will kindle and keep alive the Spirit in thine heart If I see a man will follow my counsels and reproofes I will follow him with counsels and reproofes still he encourages me to be forward to doe him that good office So here follow the motions of the Spirit and the Spirit will delight to follow thee with good motions still I stand at the doore and knocke if any will open What then I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me As if he should say if any will hearken to these motions of the Spirit he shall have the sweet worke and the sweet consolations of the Spirit in him the Spirit shall come in shall cheere and refresh him He that will make much of these sparkes shall have a comfortable fire kindled at which hee shall warme and comfortably refresh himselfe See how the cherishing of the motious of the Spirit keepes it from quenching and causes it to flame and burne But on the contrary when a man neglects the knockes of the Spirit and yeelds not obedience to them opens not the doore that causes a sad quenching of the Spirit See an example Cant. 5.2 It is the voyce of my Beloved that knocks saying open to mee my sister There be the motions of the spirit of Christ And she takes notice of them therein she did aright It is the voyce of my beloved that knocks But she failed in the second thing she doth not arise presently and open but shee shuckes and shuffles vers 3. and hath her put offs I have put off my coat c. Well what is the issue vers 5. she arose to open to her beloved after her heart smote her for not opening before I but it was too late for vers 6. See how for want of obedience to the motions of the spirit she quenched the coÌ„forts and joy of the spirit Therefore take heed of this How to save the Spirit froÌ„ quenching if we would save the spirit from quenching Have a care of these two things The neglect of these will quench the Spirit It is with the Spirit of God as with the Spirit of Satan It should be our care and endeavour to quench the spirit of the Divell Ephes 6.16 Wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked The darts of the Divell are fiery ones we must looke to quench them Now how may one quench the fiery darts of Satan The onely way to quench them is to quench them in the first motions when the first motions come minde them not dis-regard them slight them yeeld no obedience to them and then that fire of Hell will goe out and dye Just so is the spirit of grace also quenched Therefore the way to keepe it from quenching is to cherish it in the first motions 2. Second meanes to kindle and keepe alive this fire and to keepe it from quenching is to keep the graces and gifts of the spirit in action and exercise The gifts and graces of the spirit kept in action and exercise kindles and increases the fire of the spirit in us it so keepes the flame from quenching that it increases and blowes it up It is as with our naturall spirits when a man sits still and stirres not walkes not workes not is not in action his naturall spirits dampe and hee growes lumpish and livelesse But let a man in such a case be in action be in exercise let him walke or worke and that raises and recovers and increases his spirits in him So in this case the setting grace on worke the exercising of it doth so keepe it from
befalles him that 's threatned to him that curses Father and Mother Prov. 20.20 His lampe or his candle is put out in obscâ—â— darkenes His lamp go out and then fâ—lowes not only darkenesse but obscâ—â— darkenesse He not onely growes igâ—â—rant but sottishly grosely ignoraâ—â— But how come this candle this laâ— to bee quenched and to bee put ouâ— obscure darkenesse Hee hath puâ— under a bed or under a bushell 〈◊〉 hath had more minde of his bed aâ— his bushell of his ease and profits thâ— of giving and communicating his ligâ— to others Sloth and coveteousnesse haâ— made him neglect the use and exerâ—â— of his gifts and so the bed and the 〈◊〉 shell have put out his lampe in obscâ—â— darkenesse these put out their canâ— and make them goe out like the snuâ—â— of the candle with a stinke and anâ— savour A candle may bee put 〈◊〉 though it be not blowne out thouâ— water not cat cast into it by the pâ—ting of an extinguisher over it Negligence and slothfulnesse in not excâ—cising the gifts of the spirit is an eâ—tinguisher put upon the candle aâ— flame of the spirit that quenches aâ— puts it out Zech. 11.17 Woe to the Idole shepheards And who is the Idole shepheard That leaves his flocke Therefore an Idle shepheard that doth not exercise his gifts with his flocke hee is an Idol shepheard And what is the woe that shall befall him A sword upon his Arme and upon his right eye Hee did not stretch out his arme all the day long to gather in his flocke therefore his arme shall bee withered He did not use his eye would not bee a seer to instruct his people therefore his right eye shall not be dimmed but utterly darkened The spirit should bee quenched in him Hee had made himselfe an Idle shepheard and therfore God makes him an Idoll shepheard Of Idols it is said Psalme 115. Mouthes they have and speake not eyes they have and see not Hee made himselfe an Idoll a mouth hee had and spake not gifts he had and used them not hee leaves his flocke and therefore God will make an Idoll of him too eyes he shall have and not see his right eye shall be utterly darkened He leaves his flocke and Gods giftâ— leave him So dangerous a quencheâ— of the Spirit is the not using of gifts whether by Ministers or others 2. Secondly in the gift and grace of faith The way to keepe faith in vigour in life to keepe it from quenching in the desire to make it grow and increase is to put faith to it to keepe it in action to keepe it in exercise and to make it put forth it selfe in frequent acts So long as faith is on the increasing hand so long no feare of its quenching or decaying so long as faith is acted and in exercise so long it is on the increasing hand every new and fresh act of faith adds growth and increase to it the use of faith increases faith and the more fresh acts of beleeving the more the habit of beleeving is increased Many acts strengthen and increase habits Marke how that man speakes Mark 9. Christ tells him if hee can beleeve hee can heale his childe Lord sayes he helpe my unbeliefe as if hee should say Lord I would faine beleeve I finde much unbeliefe helpe me to overcome it I but first sayes he Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe That act of his in putting forth his faith to beleeve as he could was the way to overcome his unbeliefe and to come to beleeve as he would The way to have the faith we would have is to use and set on worke the faith we already have See John 1.48 49 50 51. as if he should say Since thou art so ready to beleeve upon so small a ground therefore thou shalt see greater things then these Great matters shall be revealed unto thee that shall set thy faith on worke in a great measure The way then to keepe faith in vigour and in life is to set faith frequently on worke and to have it ready and forward to beleeve Take the promises and set them before thee and put thy faith on worke upon them and stirre up thine heart to beleeve them strive to act thy faith in beleeving them and this will keepe thy faith lively and vigorous When faith is not exercised and set and kept to work it breeds a spiritual torpor in ouâ— faith and so quenches it that when wâ— may have most need of it it can doe uâ— no service nor comfort Lu. 24. O foole and slow of heart to beleeve God woulâ— have men quicke and ready forwarâ— to beleeve Now when faith is noâ— held to it and kept in action then is 〈◊〉 slow and backward to doe that worlâ— which God requires of it 3. Thirdly in the gift of prayeâ— The gift of prayer when a man câ—â— powre out his heart to God it is aâ— excellent gift and grace of the spirit And a man once having obtained thâ— grace should have a care to keepe up and increase it and no better waâ— to doe it then to be frequent in the â—â—ercise of it and to be often in tâ—â— worke Hezekiahs phrase to Isaiah 〈◊〉 that he should lift up a prayer Isa 3â— 4. A man that would be good at liâ—ting must often use himselfe to liftinâ— and the oftner he lifts the easilier heâ— lifts Lift up a prayer sayes Hezekiah lift up mine heart or my soule unâ—â— thee sayes David A man that doâ— not use to lift heavy burdens how hardly doth he lift what adoe hath he to get up an heavie burden when he comes to it But he that uses every day to be exercised in lifting it is an easie thing to him hee hath by his frequent use gotten a dexterity an handinesse at the worke To lift up a mans soule to God to lift up a mans heart so high as heaven is from the earth is an hard matter Oh how heavie a mans heart is by nature and how hard to lift it up to lift it up so high If a man be not practised and daily exercised in it a man will as soone lift up a mil-stone yea a mountaine unto Heaven But a man that is every day and upon every occasion at the worke he will finde the worke thereby facilitated and will get up his heart with much readinesse Prayer is a running to God A man that is to run must be in breath have his winde at command He that runs every day is every day the fitter to run yesterdayes running prepares for to day to dayes running for to morrow But put a man to run that hath not done for many yeeres he is so pursey and so presently out oâ— breath that hee is faine presently tâ— give out There is nothing so quenches thâ— Spirit of prayer as dis-use of the duty I cannot goe in these sayes David foâ— I am not accustomed to them And sâ— want of accustoming and exercising oâ— themselves
ease plod no more bustle about no more And so when a man ceases his paines and endeavours sits still and takes his ease then his goods come not in and increase not as they did before but he spends of his stock Just so here when a man thinkes he hath grace enough he will not doe as they Dan. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Indeede when men finde a want of knowledge and so of other graces they will runne to and fro for it and take paines for it and these paines shall not be in vaine their knowledge and their grace shall bee increased But when men thinke they have enough they will not run to and fro they will sit still and let fall all endeavours and then knowledge and grace shall not be increased but be decreased the stocke will waste and the spirit will be quenched The Church of Laodicea had questionlesse beene zealous and had the spirit kindled in a most goodly measure but yet see to what a temper she was come Apoc. 3.15 16. Thou art neither hot nor cold thou art luke-warme To have beene hot and to come to this not to be hot to have beene zealous and fervent and to come to be luke-warme this is a quenching of the spirit Luke-warme Christians are quenched Christians luke-warme Christians are quenchers of the spirit thus had Laodicea quenched he Spirit But how came Laodicea to quench the spirit Thou art neither hot nor cold thou art luke-warme vers 15 16. But when came this luke-warmnesse see vers 17. Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have neede of nothing Here was an opinion of sufficiency I have enough and this quencht her indeavours of increasing grace and this brought her to luke-warmnesse and so to the quenching of the Spirit Prov. 10.4 He that dealeth with a slacke hand becommeth poore He doth not say he shall not be rich but becomes poore though he had a good estate before yet he becomes poore It stands in opposition to the latter part of the verse The hand of the diligent not keeps riches but makes rich though otherwise at first but poore So a slacke hand makes a man poore that was rich Now when a man hath had spirituall riches of grace and sinkes in his estate and decayes that man quenches the spirit Now what brings a man to decay and to become poore when a man deales with a slacke hand He remits of his diligence and of his paines in using meanes to increase his spirituall riches And what is a maine thing that makes a man slack his hand No one thing more then a conceit that a man hath enough a sufficiency of grace Once admit an opinion that thou hast enough and then thou wilt deale with a slacke hand and wilt abate of thy paines and endeavors for grace And paines abated grace abates and grace abated the Spirit is quenched Once thinke thou hast grace enough faith knowledge zeale enough and it will quickly come to passe that thou thou shalt bee sure to have little enough No sooner is the Moone come to the full but it presently decreases and abates of her light And no sooner is a man come to be full to a fulnesse in his conceit but he presently inclines to the wane and is on the decreasing hand Therefore as we would feare to quench the spirit so take we heed of nourishing yea of entertaining such a conceit of a sufficiency of grace Remember the Spirit is here compared to fire and fire is one of the foure things that never sayes It is enough Prov. 30.16 It is a fire on the quenching hand and a fire that will soone be quencht that sayes It is enough There is nothing that so speedily and so dangerously beggers a Christian and decayes Abrupt over-sudden breaking off from holy duties a quencher of the Spirit and decreases the Spirit of grace in him as a conceit of riches and sufficiency 4. Fourthly an abrupt and over-sudden breaking off from holy duties in which wee have found our hearts heated and inlarged When a man in prayer hearing or receiving hath found spirituall heate raised and fire kindled he should have a care to keepe up that heate warming him and that fire burning in him so long as may be It is not possible after holy duties be ended to keep the fire in that heate and the heate in that frame it had in the performance of the duties but yet a man should keep it up so long as may bee and though that fire goe out yet it should not suddenly be quencht and put out so soone as the duty is over but it should goe out leasurely gradually When David found that holy and good frame of heart in the people 1 Chron. 29.18 See how he prayes for them He finds in them a float of good affections and he desires that this frame of heart may be upheld and kept in them for ever Not that that flame and float of good affections should alwayes bee in that heate and height that then they were in but that such a frame of heart might alwayes habitually be in them that upon all good occasions the like good affections might be raised and the like fire might flame Now the way to doe that is to keepe them up so long as may be and when they doe sinke yet to let them sinke so gradually that they may leave in the heart an habituall disposition and inclination to the like frame againe when occasion shall be The string of a Lute or a Violl if it have beene wound up to an high note if afterwards it be let downe a note or so yet it will of it selfe be rising again so when our hearts have beene inlarged in prayer hearing c. and our affections have been wound and skrewed up to a good height when we goe off from the duty yet should we goe off with a bent of the heart to the duty still and wee should doe our best to keepe our hearts as long as may bee in that holy and good frame in which holy duties left them And when this frame goes downe leasurely and by degrees it will leave in the heart an habituall disposition and preparation for these duties againe And this is that which causes a great quenching of the Spirit Men it may be have their hearts sweetly inlarged and heated in prayer hearing receiving and as soone as prayer is done the Sermon and Sacrament is done they chop suddenly off from these duties breake then off abruptly and fall to talke of the world too too suddenly so as the holy frame of heart got in these duties is suddenly gone and the fire immediately quencht When a man is very hot if he presently strip himselfe and throw off his clothes hee is in great danger to take such a cold as may quench the very life of him So such a sudden and immediate chopping from holy duties to matters of
have our sinnes pardoned so never give wee our soules rest till wee have gotten true faith indeed So long as you live and goe on in your unbeleefe it is impossible to have the pardon of sinne Hee that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3. ult There is no pardon so long as under wrath So long as in unbeleefe so long under wrath Tit. 1. To the unbeleeving all things are unclean their consciences being defiled So long then as a man is in unbeleefe so long hee is defiled because sinne being not pardoned the guilt thereof defiles his conscience and his person How many be there that have had the pardon of sinne preached to them and offered to them in the Gospel in the Name of Christ and yet to this day their sinnes are upon them and not taken away And what is the reason of it Because they are not sprinkled with Christs blood And why not Because they want an hand of faith to take the blood of Christ which is shed and to sprinkle it upon their owne consciences And so for want of faith they have all their sinnes lye unpardoned upon their soules Secondly repentance for sin There is no pardon to be had without repentance As there is a faith unto life Joh. 6.47 Hee that beleeveth on mee hath life And a justification of life Rom. 5.18 So there is a repentance unto life Act. 11.18 And as the Lord Christ is a Saviour so hee is a Prince Act. 5.13 And to what end is hee both A Prince and Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sinne Hee indeede gives forgivenesse of sinne but hee also gives repentance yea and hee gives repentance that he may give pardon And where hee intends the latter hee workes the former David begs to have his iniquity taken away God hee promises to take away another thing Ezek. 36.26 I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh It is a sure thing that they that will have iniquity taken away must have the stony heart taken away they that will have the sting taken out of their heart must have the stone taken out of their heart hee gives repentance and remission of sinnes when he gives remission hee takes away the sting when hee gives repentance hee takes away the stone and he first takes away the stone before hee removes the sting And therefore Christ joynes both these together in the commission hee gives his Apostles Luc. 24.47 And that repentance and remission be preached in his Name They that preach remission in Christs Name and preach repentance in his Name they must first preach repentance before they preach remission All to teach that they must have repentance that will have remission and that repentance is a speciall meanes to get the pardon of sinne And therefore wee shall see that the promises of pardon are made to repentance that when God promises to give pardon of sinne to any hee promises it to such as are so conditioned and so qualified with repentance Zech. 13.1 There is the promise of a fountaine that shall be opened for sinne that is to take away the sinne of Judah and Jerusalem I but that fountaine is yet unto the Jewes a sealed fountaine their iniquity is not taken away they yet lye under their guilt But yet there is a promise of a day when that sealed fountaine shall be broken up and shall be opened But what day is it In that day In what day It hath reference to that which goes before in the former chapter See vers 10 11. c. They shall looke upon me whom they have pierced that is they shall beleeve in Christ whom they crucified And upon it they shall mourne for him c. They shall repent for that sinne of the rejection of Christ and the murder of him In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem c. And in that day shall a fountaine be opened to the inhabitants of Jerusalem In that day then that Jerusalem shall mourne in that day shall the fountaine be opened to Jerusalem for sinne Oh that mine head sayes Ieremy were as a fountaine of teares When their heads and hearts shall be opened as a fountaine of teares to mourne for their sinnes then shall the fountaine of Christs blood be opened for their sinnes When they shall wash themselves in the fountaine of teares of repentance in that day will God wash them in the fountaine of Christs blood The day of repentance is the day of pardon in that day a sinner repents in that day God pardons and takes away iniquity There is no question but the Lord lives by his owne rule which he gives us to live by The rule hee gives us to live by is that Luc. 17.3 4. If hee repent forgive him if hee trespasse against thee seven times yet if he say I repent you shall forgive him As upon a brothers repentance wee must forgive so upon our repentance God will forgive Repent and thy brother must forgive and repent and God will forgive Alas what are our mercies to the mercies of God Gods mercies are an Ocean a boundlesse bottomlesse sea of mercies our mercies are but small drops out of this Sea Now if God do binde us that have but poore small and a few drops to be thus mercifull as upon repentance to forgive them then surely the Lord whose mercies are as the waters of the Sea that cover the earth upon our repentance will give us pardon or else our drops should do more than his Sea and hee should binde us to doe more with our drops of water then hee will doe with his whole Sea Surely as mans power wisdome justice cannot exceed Gods so neither can mans mercies and compassions goe beyond his He that will have a trespasser against man pardoned upon his repentance before man hee will pardon a trespasser against God upon his repentance before him To this purpose also are those promises Isa 1.16 17 18. Come now c. Now When Wash you make you cleane c. and then come and though your sinnes be as Scarlet c. Scarlet is a deepe dye a dye that will hold a dye that will not easily be fetcht out not easily made white And yet God promises to turne scarlet colour into snow colour scarlet into white It is easie to turne white into scarlet but not so easie to turne scarlet into white And yet God will doe it Hee will wash them with the scarlet blood of Christ and that shall turne their scarlet into white Other blood dyes and staines what is washed in it but Christs blood takes out staines and makes white Apoc. 7.14 These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe I but when will God thus change their scarlet white when will hee take away their iniquity Then when they were washed and made cleane c.
but they stay in their place they doe not spread Are thy lusts mortified be of good comfort thy person is justified Is the commanding power taken away be of good comfort the condemning power is taken away This sayes unto thee as Christ to Ioshua I have passed by thine iniquity But by this may many see that their sinnes are not pardoned If pardoned why under the power of habituall covetousnesse drunkennesse uncleanenesse How is it that thy loose lusts have such command over thee Thy lusts subdue thee they are not subdued therefore not pardoned The spot spreads much abroad in thy skin it is not a large bile it is a plague Thou art undone thou art in thy guilt thy sinne is unpardoned Apoc. 1.5 6. They who are washed in Christs blood are made Kings and Priests They that are pardoned have their iniquities so subdued that they reigne over as Kings and sacrifice the bed of sinne in mortification as Priests But now if sinne and lust be the King and that reigne over thee that be the King and thou be the slave and the drudge then art thou not washed in Christs blood then are not thy sinnes pardoned Take it for a sure truth that sinne unmortified is sinne unpardoned Sinne in the throne is sinne unforgiven Secondly By the sanctification of a mans heart and spirit When God takes away iniquity hee furnishes that man with all sanctifying graces of his Spirit Zech. 3 4. I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee There is the pardon of sinne And J will cloath thee with change of rayment I will furnish thee with the graces of sanctification That as Ezek. 16.9 10 11. Then washed I thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy blood from thee and anointed thee with oyle I cloathed thee also with broidered worke and shod thee with Badgers skin and I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with silke I decked thee also with ornaments and J put bracelets upon thine hands and a chaine on thy necke So in this case So that wheresoever a man findes true sanctifying grace in his heart it is an evidence that his sinnes are pardoned The love of Christ and the love of God it is a grace of sanctification and therefore it is a signe of pardon of sin See Luc. 7.47 Wherefore I say unto thee Her sinnes which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little Where the particle for is not causall not shewing the cause of her remission but onely a signe of her remission vers 39. The Pharisee findes fault with Christ for suffering a sinner to be so familiar with him Christs answer is shee is no sinner He proves it because her sinnes were forgiven her but how proves hee that For she loved much As if hee should say This grace of love is an evidence that declares her sinne is pardoned So 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbeleife And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love in Christ Jesus Therefore as love to God so love to our brethren and delight in their communion and society is made a signe of pardon Zech. 3.9 10. I will take away the iniquity of that Land in one day The iniquity of that Land that is the guilt of the Churches iniquities for by the Land of Canaan was typified the Church or people of God and this I will doe in one day that is by the alone and all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ offered up once for ever In that day saith the Lord of Hosts shall ye call every man his neighbour under the Vine and under the Fig-tree In that day namely when as the people of God should by that onely sacrifice so offered up to God for sinne through the alone justification of faith come to enjoy the true spirituall and inward peace themselves then should they expresse so much love and charity towards others as to call in them who were unconverted to come and partake of the same good with them By this try Is thy love to God and to Christ and to his Saints A good signe But on the contray the unholinesse of mens hearts and lives argues how it is with them To have sinne pardoned is to be under grace Rom. 6.14 For yee are not under the Law but under Grace Can a man bee under Grace and have no grace Can a man bee under Grace and gracelesse Certainely gracelesse persons are not under Grace have not their sinnes pardoned Such have never yet aright sought for much lesse obtained the taking away of their iniquity FINIS THE RIGHT EATING AND DIGESTING OF THE WORD By IER DYKE Minister of Epping in Essex HEB. 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it ROM 6.17 But ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine which was delivered you August in Psal 141. Enarrat Unde admoneamus charitatem vestram ut ea quae audiendo tanquam ventre memoria conditis rursus revolvendo cogitando quodammodo ruminetis LONDON Printed by Tho. Paine for L. Fawne and S. Gellibrand at the brazen Serpent in Paules Church-yard 1640. THE RIGHT EATING AND DIGESTING OF THE WORD JER 15.16 Thy words were found by mee and I did eate them c. THE Prophet complaines vers 10. of the course entertainment that he had amongst the people that hee was a man of contention to the whole earth hee was counted a contentious fellow and so hated and cursed as a man contentious That hath alwayes beene the lot of Gods servants and Saints to have that imputation laid upon them A man may strive in his Ministery to bring men to repentance Gen. 6. My Spirit shall strive no longer with man Therefore Gods Spirit strives in the Ministery of his servants whilest hee sets them on to make them strive to bring men to God And men may strive and contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints Iude 4. And yet this makes not men men of contention in an ill sense Indeed the world counts such contentious men But who they be that truly deserve that censure wee see Rom. 2.8 But unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath Therefore such as doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse they are the contentious persons Well but yet the Prophet must goe for a contentious man and so a man odious What 's the matter It may be hee was an usurious oppressor and therefore contentious and cursed Hee purges himselfe from that vers 10. I have neither lent on usury nor have men lent to mee on usury Therefore it must be some what else Hee therefore layes downe the true cause why hee was so judged and so hated And that in these words vers 15. latter end
Christ as if he should say oh my spirit blow upon the hearts of my people that their graces may abound in them and increase in them worke abundance of grace in them It is sure that the spirit of God must blow upon the garden before the spices thereof can flow out before the graces can increase and abound But yet there must bee somewhat done before the North winde doth awake and this South winde blowes Not only the voyce of Christ must stirre up and raise this winde but the voyce of prayer on our parts must raise the winde The spirit blowes where it lists but yet there is a way to raise this winde so to blow that spices may flow out Then when we are frequent and earnest in prayer then when our hearts are enlarged in prayer then Christ stirres up his spirit to blow then hee raises that winde to make the spices flow out If spices flow not out if graces abound not it is because the North and South winde blowes not If they blow not it is because Christ stirres not nor awakens them As hee rebuked the windes and they were still Mar. 4. so when hee commandes these windes they blowe And if Christ awake not this wind it is because wee awake not him by prayer when they awakened him Mar. 4. hee stilled those windes and when we awaken him hee will Awaken and stirre up this winde to blow so as the sweet spices of his graces may flow out All rises to this that the more wee have our hearts enlarged in prayer the more will the Lord enlarge his hands in the graces of the Spirit Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 The wide mouth proves the full mouth the wider the fuller The more our hearts and desires are enlarged in prayer the fuller of the graces of the spirit shall our hearts bee Prayer will helpe us to every grace and cause every grace to increase in us It will helpe us to a spirit of knowledge and understanding Dan. 9.21.22 Iohn 16.25 26. It helpes to a spirit of Repentance and godly sorrow Zech. 12.10 11. They should powre out their soules in mourning for their sinnes There should be a great mourning great measures of the grace of the spirit but how should they come to such measures of the spirit of Repentance I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and supplication Hee would powre a spirit of prayer upon them and then should that spirit kindle and increase the spirit of Repentance It is that which helpes to spirituall wisdome James 1.5 and to the increase of faith The Apostles Luke 17. tooke a right way for the increase of faith whilest they prayed Lord increase our faith It was wee saw before a great meanes of kindling and keeping the Spirit from quenching to keepe the graces of the spirit in action Now prayer that keepes grace in action it sets the graces of the spirit on worke exercises them and so keepes them in vigour It sets faith on worke love on worke humility on worke hope on worke and so keepes and increases life in them all As therefore wee would keepe the spirit from quenching as wee would keepe it alive and increase it so we must be frequent diligent fervent in the duty of prayer grace cānot abate nor decay or dye so long as we keepe alive a spirit of prayer The neglecting and letting fall this duty hath beene it that hath quenched many a mans graces that lets them dye and come to nothing lay the seventeenth and the ninteenth verses together Pray without ceasing Quench not the Spirit As the way to pray without ceasing is not to quench the spirit so the way not to quench the spirit is to pray without ceasing As when the spirit ceases burning men cease praying so when men cease praying the spirit ceases burning 2. Point Such things as quench the Spirit wee must be carefull to avoide And they are these 1. First Sinne in generall Sinne a meanes to quench the spirit the committing of sinne against knowledge and light this quenches the Spirit as water quenches fire There is a quenching of fire by subduction of fuell Prov. 26.20 But it is a worse quenching of fire by casting on water it is a more sudden and a more sure quenching and such a quenching as gives not way so soone to kindling againe Fowle sins committed against conscience they are like the casting of water upon the fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Chrysostome upon this place and he illustrates it by a similitude taken from the Lampe that he was preaching by As sayes hee if a man should take water or earth and put upon the light of this Lampe hee quenches the light thereof c. His similitude is so much the more worth noting because it lets us see that it was Chrysostomes practise to preach in the afternoone and by candle light though he were a great Bishop It is no new thing to have afternoone Sermons it was an ancient and great Bishops practice Well then sinne to the Spirit of God is as water cast on fire It quenches the Spirit Sin committed against conscience quenches the Spirit in the sparkes of it A man hath had many motions and sollicitations against a sinne from the Spirit of God a man against these commits the sin The Spirit of God upon this is sadded and grieved yea quenched hee lets a man alone and leaves him a long time ere he shall heare of him againe No question but when David was in that tentation to adultery but Gods Spirit did his part and plyed him with many sollicitations to the contrary yet David does it And what followed but a long and a sad silence of the Spirit and a suspension of that worke he lyes almost a yeere in that sinne till Nathan comes to him and never heares more of the Spirit of God no sollicitations nor motions to repentance for surely had the Spirit of God followed him he would have beene awakened ere that time And therefore no marvell that David not onely prayes Psal 51. Restore unto me the joy of thy Spirit but Lord take not thine holy spirit from me Lord uphold me with thy free spirit vers 11 12. Hee had found so long a silence of the spirit after his sinne that hee began to feare the losse of the spirit it selfe and that God would take it quite away It quenches the flame of the Spirit So David after his sinne twice prayes vers 8.12 Make mee to heare joy and gladnesse Restore unto me the joy of thy Spirit Before his sinne the Spirit flamed in him O what joy and peace what sence and assurance of Gods love but now that he had adventured to commit that foule sinne he had cast water on this fire had put out the flame Now his joy was gone his peace was gone his assurance of Gods love was gone now he felt no other flame nor fire burning in him