in prayer makes men utterly to seeke in prayer when theiâ— necessities are most urgent Many aâ— their death beds and upon other urgent occasions would faine pray and alas when they try to drive they drawâ— heavily they want Charriot wheeles they never wheeled their Charriots nor oyled their Charriots As therefore men would keepe up a Spirit of prayer so let them be often and frequent in the exercise of it 4. Fourthly in the ability and power of giving God obedience The more we obey God the more able we shall bee to obey God our ability to obedience is from the spirit Eze. 36. I will put my Spirit into you and cause you to walke in my Statutes When a man hath got some ability to walke in Gods Statutes his care should be to maintaine and increase that ability The way to doe that is to set our ability on worke and to exercise it That will both keepe and increase in us a spirit of obedience Psal 119.55 56. I have kept thy Law How came he by this ability This I had because I kept thy precepts A strange reason one would thinke I kept it because I kept it And yet a true reason for every new act of obedience fits for a following act and the use of spirituall strength increases spirituall strength Rom. 6.19 As in sinne so in grace Mar. 4.24 Certainely the not exercising and putting forth of our ability and power of obedience quenches the power we had and so enfeebles it that when we would at another time doe it we cannot Samson when his lockes were cut off thought he would goe out and doe as at other times but the Spirit was quenched and the Lord was departed from him and therefore he could not doe as he had done at other times So when God calls us to doe duties of obedience and hath given us his Spirit and some ability from it to doe such duties as we have formerly done and when God calls us to it we will not put forth our ability hee hath given us then wee quench his Spirit and when at another time we thinke to doe such duties we cannot doe them because by not exercising our ability we lose our ability I kept not thy precepts This J had because I kept not thy precepts 3. Third meanes to kindle and keep from quenching is the use of those holy ordinances that God hath appointed for this end They are these Hearing the word a speciall meanes to keepe the spirit froÌ„ dying 1. First Hearing the Word and attendance upon the Ministry thereof They that would keepe alive and increase the fire of the Spirit must waite upon the Ministry of the Word The Ministry of the Word is fire fuell and bellowes and all It is fire Jer. 23. Is not my word as a fire As the Spirit is fire so the Word is fire and one fire kindles another Pro. 26.21 As coales are to burning coales c. so the Word is coales to burning coales these laid together make the fire greater And the fire of the Word kindles the fire of the Spirit in our hearts and when it is kindled kindles it more and makes it flame the more Did not our hearts burne within us Luc. 24. There was a fire kindled and burning in their hearts I but how came it to kindle and when did it burne Did not our hearts burn within us whilest he opened the scriptures unto us He kindled that fire in their hearts by the preaching of the Word As Ieremy speakes of the Word in another case Ier. 20.9 His Word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones So it is true of the Word preached in the hearts of the godly it is a burning fire in their hearts that kindles in them the fire of the Spirit There is no grace of God that is not wrought and increased in the hearts of Gods people by the Ministery of the Word The Holy Ghost falles downe from heaven upon men in the Ministry of the word Acts 10.44 It is said of the Manna Numbers 11.9 that it fell with the dew in the night My doctrine saies Moses shall drop as the raine and my speech distill as the dew The Ministry of the word is a dew that distills from heaven Now in the dew of the word and with it this Manna Christ and his Spirit falls downe from heaven according to that 1 Pet. 1.22 by them that preached the Gospell unto you with the Holy Ghost sent downe from heaven See then that Manna came downe from heaven in the dewes of the Ministry of the Gospel So much doth Pauls question to the Galathians implie Gal. 3.2 This onely would I learne of you Received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith therefore by hearing the doctrine of faith preached in the Gospel the spirit is received not onely for the beginning but for the increase and continuance of it The Ministry of the word that is the fire that kindles this fire in our hearts It is also the fewell that feedes this fire The Lamps of the Temple must burne alwaies Exod. 27.20 But then there must be somewhat to feede and maintaine it burning therefore see what is commanded Command the children of Israel to bring their pure oyle olive to cause the Lampe to burne alwaies There must bee oyle to feede the fire and to cause it to burne The word is the oyle olive that causes the Lampe of the Spirit to burne alwaies that feedes and maintaines it that it quench not The fire upon the Altar must ever burne and not bee put out Levit. 6.12 13. but verse 12. middle And the Priest shall burne wood on it every morning There must bee a care had that there should bee fuell to keepe the fire burning Prov. 29.26 where no wood is though there be no water the fire goes out but verse 21. wood kindles fire As coales are to burning coales â—nd wood to fire so is a contentious man to kindle strife so is the word to â—indle the spirit and to keepe it from Quenching The word is the wood and the fuell that keepes the Spirit from quenching Therefore marke here the Apostle having said quench not the spirit they might happily aske what must wee doe that wee may not quench the Spirit see what the next words are Despise not prophecying the preaching of the word as if he should say the way not to quench the spirit but to kindle it and to keepe it alive in you is to make much of and to attend upon the Ministy of the word If once you despise and sligt that ye wil quickly quench the Spirit And to the same purpose is that Isa 30.20 31. Thine eyes shall see thy teachers and thine eares shall heare a voyce behind thee saying c. The way then to have our eares open to heare the words behinde us is to have our eyes open to see our teachers before us If
DIVERS SELECT SERMONS ON SEVERALL TEXTS Viz. 1. Of Quenching the Spirit 1 Thessalon 5.19 2. Of the Sinners suite for Pardon 2 Sam. 24.10 3. Of Eating and Digesting the Word Ier. 15.16 4. Of buying and keeping the Truth Prov. 23.23 Preached by that Reverend and Faithfull Minister of the Word IER DYKE late Preacher of Epping in Essex Finished by his owne pen in his life time And now published by his Sonne DAN DYKE Master of Arts. LONDON Printed by Tho. Paine for L. Fawne and S. Gellibrand at the sign of the brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1640. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTVOVSLY ENNOBLED Lady the Lady MAGDALENE BRVCE Wife first to the Right Honorable Edward Lord Bruce Baron of Kinlosse Master of the Rolls and one of the most Honorable Privie Councell to King Iames of happy memory Next to the Honorable Sir James Fullerton Knight Groome of the Stoole to his Majestie my very good Lady Right Honorable WEre I not in awe of your Honours Humility which though it selfe doth publish the rest of your graces yet commands me to conceale them I might here have given the world a tast of that which may more easily bee admired then either exprest or imitated For although such is your singular piety mixt with Prudence that you if any may iustly challenge the Doves heart with the Serpents head yet that which gives a redolency and fragrancy to all your beds of spices is the grace of Humility which is to vse the metaphor of S. Bernard as the violet though the lowest yet the sweetest of flowers And although hereby it comes to passe that you had rather deserve the praise of vertue then have it yet pardon me my most Noble Lady if I tell the World that which the World Fame have long since told me that you are one of those who have made Honour Honorable and Nobility Noble Madam it is well knowne that though your House be illustrious and Family most Noble yet that you doe not borrow of but repay unto your Progenitors and give to your Posterity true honour And how To receive Christ to bee borne of God and so become of the blood Royall of Heaven this is honour of a double die no favour on earth can give it no malice of hell can staine it Alexander must draw his pedegree from the gods or else he thinkes himselfe ignoble I am sure to bee allied to the King of Heaven is true nobility and a greater honour to have the spirit of God flaming in the soule then to have the arteries flusht and the veines fraught with the heroicall spirits and noble blood of our forefathers and my short experience of your Ladyships conversation assures mee that this is not so much your ambition as your happinesse The world is to full of those Glowormes that shine not unlesse it be in the darke ignorance of true honour I meane that place their glory in the ostentation and pompe of their wealth and affluency many such if now there are not I am sure there were in Saint Chrysostome his time who thought it might bee served in to their Tables in costly plate or worne on their backs in gorgeous apparrell whom he wittily upbraides that they might thanke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Crysost in Epist ad collos Cap. 3. hom 7. the cooke the swineyard the weaver and kember the goldsmith and confectioner for their honour But he knowes you not who knowes not that your Ladiships soule is to sublime and heavenly thus to lay your honour in the dust To be a diligent peruser of sacred heraldry and to finde a name in the booke of life is superlative glory this refines the blood of the coursest peasant and creates him a regall pedigree but saith the text Act. 17.14 15. there were also honorable women that beleeved here is honour laid upon honour when terrene honour is the ground of celestiall Pious poverty is a head of gold on feete of clay but devout nobility apples of Gold on pictures of silver a religious Lazarus is an orient pearle on a dunghill but a godly Constantine a religious Emperour This is emphaticall this is monopolizing of honour this is as rare and infrequent so rare and excellent To say all this of your Ladyship as it is no flattery so not to say it is a more blacke sin then envy witnes your friends nay your enemies your acquaintance nay your conscience and lastly witnesse the backes and bellies of Gods pupills I meane the poore which are the field and furrowes receiving the liberall dispersion of that temporall seede which will rise no doubt in a crop of eternall glory Vpon all these your honours divine dispositions this one doth ensue of necessity that you are a patronesse of the messengers and a receiver of the messages of God which hath emboldened your servant to present unto your Honour though the posthumous yet not the spurious child of him whom God honoured to be a father of many children in his Church Jt hath indeede beene a iust complaint that the posthumous workes of many learned Divines have come forth like the heterogeneall monsters of Affrica which being generated of diverse species partly resemble the male partly the female or like the froggs on the Bankes of Nile which aequivocall generation leaves imperfect even so the corrupted matter of broken notes penned from the mouth of a preacher mingled perhaps with the weake conceits of some illiterate Stenographer cherisht with the Sunbeames of popular applause many times presents the world with monstrous and mishapen births to the unspeakeable iniury and dishonour of the deceased parents That this present worke is none of those slovenly meteors it is my taske to prove and that in a word I may give plenary satisfaction give mee leave to referre your Ladiship to the rest of this Authors workes if you finde not in these the same comely features and sweet complexions I meane the same strength of Judgement and clearenesse of phantacy that is in the rest reiect it as not his For the Author my Deare and deceased Father I neede not tell your Honour of his fidelitie both in preaching and writing ea libertate scripsit imperatorum vitas qua ipsi vixerunt how like e Suetonius hee tooke the same liberty to cry downe sin that men tooke to sin neither is it fit for mee to say how hee preacht and wrote by the same rule that Aeskines gives an Oratour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that his Oration and the Law must be unisones not to speake any thing aboue or besides the law How carefull and how precise he hath beene in this particular as in all his workes so especially in this may appeare as by the frequent so pertinent quotations of scripture wherein your Ladiship shall finde though abundance yet no superfluitie though many yet not too many As for other marginall Fringe I meane the quotations of Augustine or Crysostome c. which may seeme
here to be defective J shall desire your honour to understand that though the author had otherwise finished this worke yet this accomplishment as a thing lesse necessary he did procrastinate and so by immature death was of his purpose herein frustrate I know that to your Ladiship or any other iudicious reader it will be neverthelesse welcome because it wants this lace Who that is wise would refuse to see his face in a glasse because the verges are not guilded or the sides painted The arguments that induced mee to make that publike which I might have ingrossed for mine owne private good whether they are more or more perswasive I know not The intention of the authour and the necessity of the duties herein handled gave me not only a toleration but a command to print it it treates of the purchase of the most precious commodity the truth Of the Digestion of the most salubrious foode the word Of the suite for the most soveraigne balme pardon of sin And lastly of not quenching the spirit and if it be the duty of every man to cherish this holy flame in his owne soule for mee not to kindle it in others as farre as in me lay I held it piacular Jt is true indeede Philosophy tells us that elementary fire needs no fewell but that culinary doth experience informeth us The spirit of God consider it in it selfe is so far from needing any helpes to cherish the heate thereof that it is the originall of all both health and life in the soule but consider it as it worketh in the frigid soule of corrupted man So though the spirit of God neede no auxiliary excitations yet our deadnesse and coldnesse doth which considerations with a kinde of command enforced mee to bring this worke to the presse beeing nothing else but the fiery language of those Cloven Tongues which did rest on the head of that apostolicall divine the authour hereof which I hope being perused will cause your Ladiship to say it had beene pitty at the least if not impiety to have deprived the altars of so many Christian hearts of this sacred fewell Many other inducements J had to publish these Treatises and among many this not the least to testifie my readinesse to acknowledge your Honours noble love and favours to my selfe that J might not be of the ungratefull number of those that Seneca Quidam furtiué gratias agunt in angulo in aurem non est ista verecundia sed inficiandi genus Sen. de benef lib. 2. cap. 23. speakes of that love to conceale received benefits by private acknowledgements to acquit my selfe of which sinne I have thought fit to tell the world that I was never so sensible of my owne poverty as since your Honour brought me so farre in debt that when I thinke of repayment I finde a bottomlesse sea to fathom Madam with your leave J shall say to your Honour as Hanc unam habeo injuriam tuam effecisti ut viverem morerer ingratus Sen. de benef lib. 2. Cap. 21. Furnius to Augustus this is the onely wrong you have done me that I must live and die unthankefull and yet that my good will might bee seene I was glad to snatch this occasion to testifie both my thankes and duty to your Honour and since J finde not any thing to present unto you by way of retribution as Aeskines said to Socrates that one thing which I have I give you even my selfe to be your servant and sollicitour in the Court of Heaven not so much that I think my selfe worthy as bound to pray for your Honour and all your most noble Family that as God hath made you an exemplary peece of piety heere so hee would long and long continue you an encourager of Christianity a comfort of Christians a refresher of the members of Christ till the time of your refreshing shall come when triumph shall bee your recompence glory your reward Angels your company God your glory Which shall be the dayly prayer of your Honours humble and devoted servant DANIEL DIKE OF QVENCHING AND NOT QVENCHING OF THE SPIRIT By IER DYKE Minister of Epping in Essex REVEL 2.4 5. I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes Dicit Apostolus Spiritum nolite extinguere non quia ille extingui potest sed quantum in ipsis est extinctores merito dicuntur qui sic agunt ut extinctum velint August Epistol Lib. Epistol 23. Interea partes nostrae sunt petere a domino ut lampadi accensae oleum suppeditet servet purum Ellychnium atque etiam promoveat Calv. in Epistol Pauli ad Thess 1. LONDON Printed by Tho Paine for John Rothwell and are to be sold at the signe of the Sun in Pauls Church-yard 1640. OF QVENCHING AND NOT QVENCHING OF THE SPIRIT 1 THES 1.19 Quench not the Spirit IN the 16. Vers the Apostle had exhorted the Thessalonians to rejoyce evermore That is that they should carry themselves so holily circumspectly they should walke so closely with God that they might have continuall joy in the Holy Ghost from the sence of Gods love and favour For it is a sure thing that a Christian so demeaning himselfe as his rule guides him may live the most comfortable life of any man in the world He may keepe a continuall feast and a feast is made for laughter Eccl. 10. Dayes of feasting are dayes of joy and so a Christian may make all his dayes festivall and joyfull like the dayes of the Jewes Purim Ester 9. dayes of feasting and of joy If it be not so with a Christian it is most what his owne fault and comes from some fayling and miscarriage in himselfe that hee doth not that which he should to maintaine his heart in this happie frame The Apostle therefore having advised hereto he layes downe some rules and meanes in certaine precepts for the procuring and preserving of this spirituall joy 1. The First Precept vers 17. pray continually He that would rejoyce continually must pray continually he that would rejoyce evermore must pray evermore As is our conscience of and constancy in the duty of prayer such is the constancie of our joy Prayer neglected intermitted brings an Eclips an Intermission and Interruption of our joy Seldome praying and constant rejoycing will never stand together 2. The second Precept is this vers 18. In al things give thankes He that would rejoyce in all estates and conditions must be thankefull in all estates and conditions He that would rejoyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether in every thing or in every time must be thankefull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The more thankefull wee are to God the more cause of joy we shall have in God 3. The third Precept is this verse 19. Quench not the spirit He that would rejoyce evermore must keepe the spirit unquench'd The way to keep ones self warme
is to keepe the fire burning It is a fond thing for a man to quench his fire and then thinke to keepe himselfe still warme It is no wonder that this man complaines of cold that hath let his fire goe out or hath himselfe quench'd and extinguisht it And thus we have the coherence of these words with the former Now for the words Quench not the spirit In them there is a Metaphor and a Metonymie The metaphor in the word Quench Quenching properly is of fire when the light and heate of fire is abated and put out wee use to say it is quenched And hence is this word borrowed to signifie the abating decaying or extinguishing of the spirit The Metonymie is in the word Spirit Spirit is taken I. For the essence of the Deity So John 4. God is a Spirit It is not so taken here II. For the third person in the Trinity the Holy Ghost 1 John 5.7 The Father the Word and the holy Spirit This is not meant here III. For the gifts of the Spirit And thus it is here meant Quench not the gifts and graces of the Spirit Now the Spirit in this sense is taken diversly 1. First for the gift of Prophesie 1 Sam. 10.6.10 Then the Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee And the spirit of the Lord came upon him viz. upon Saul 2. For Gifts and Abilities to discharge any calling whether it bee extraordinary or heroicall and this is called the Spirit of fortitude and courage Judg. 14.6 The spirit of the Lord came upon Sampson Judg. 3.10 Vpon Othniel and upon Saul against Nahash 1 Sam. 11.6 Or whether it bee ordinary gifts of government by which a man is fitted for Magistracy 1 Sam. 10.6 or for Ministeriall gifts Or for art and skill in any mechanicall trade Exod. 31.3 Bezaliel was filled with the Spirit of God to finde out curious workes to worke in gold 3. For the gifts and common graces of Illumination as knowledge of the doctrine of religion understanding of the truthes of the Gospel and other such common graces as Reprobates may have Thus it is taken Heb. 4.6 have tasted of the heavenly gift and made partakers of the holy Ghost That is if they had their understandings inlightned their judgemēts convinced of the Gospel if they were inlightned by the work of the Spirit of God 4. Fourthly It is taken for the graces of sanctification for the sanctifying gifts of the spirit And therefore it is that the name of the spirit is given to diverse graces as Isa 11.2 The spirit of meeknesse Ephes 1.17 The spirit of faith 1 Cor. 4.13 And the spirit of love 2 Tim. 1.17 that is the gift of meeknesse faith love infused by the Holy Ghost Now concerning these graces of sanctification we must remember two Distinctions Distinct 1. Some sanctifying graces are radicall originall fundamentall graces primary graces as they may be called which are the immediate worke of the spirit as faith hope love others are secondary graces issuing and flowing from these which though the Spirit workes too yet it workes by these such is joy which arises from faith Rom. 14. Fill your hearts with joy in all beleeving such is confidence arising from hope such is zeale and fervour of spirit arising from love These are as it were the lustre the shine the radiancy of the radicall fundamentall graces They are the flame of them There is a difference between the coales of fire that lye on the harth and the flame of the fire which is kindled from the coals on the harth When a mans faith causes joy then faith flames when his hope breedes confidence then hope flames and when a mans love makes him zealous then his love flames and burnes out They are like the body of the Sunne and the beames of the Sunne Faith Hope Love they the body Joy Confidence Zeale they the beames of the Sunne 2. Distinct Wee must consider in the sanctifying graces of the Spirit 3. things 1. There are the gifts themselves the habits infused the habits of faith hope and love 2. There is the use and exercise and act of them 3. There are the degrees and severall measures of them 4. The Spirit of God signifies the motions and holy suggestions of the spirit those gracious excitements to dutie The Spirit blowes where it listeth The motions of the spirit are the breathings and the blasts of it And this is also here meant Now seeing what Spirit signifies we are to inquire in what sense and after what sort the Spirit may be quenched Quenched it may be or else the counsell is in vaine not to quench it And againe if it may be quenched it may be an uncomfortable thing what comfort can a man have in having Gods Spirit if it may be lost what comfort to have this fire kindled in our hearts if so be it be a quenchable fire Therefore for the clearing of this point wee must know 1. First take the Spirit for the spirit of prophecie that may be quencht and lost and so for the gifts of government Ministery c. This Spirit may be quenched A man may have such gifts much decayed and abated yea a man may wholly lose such gifts As it is said of Saul that the spirit of the Lord came upon him so it is said of him that ihe Spirit of the Lord departed from him 1 Sam. 16.14 Secondly Take the Spirit for the gifts common graces of illumination and so the spirit may be quencht and utterly extinguished so as such may quite lose that grace that look'd like grace and came very neere a saving grace If they fall away Heb. 6. Therefore men may have all that there is spoken of which fall away Thirdly take the Spirit for the sanctifying Spirit and then make use of this first distinction And according to it the radicall and fundamentall graces of the spirit such as faith hope love cannot be wholly totally extinguished where once they are wrought in the heart but yet their lustre their radiancie their shine and flame may bee quenched A man though he cannot lose his faith yet he may lose and want and quench his joy A man though he cannot lose his hope yet may lose his comfort and confidence A man though he cannot lose his love yet may coole his zeale and fervour Wee see in a fire the wood may bee burnt out and so the flame abated and quite quenched but yet there remains still an heap of coales on the harth and there may be a good fire still though the flame be quenched The beames of the Sunne doe not alwayes shine out a cloud may be interposed that may intercept the beames of the Sun and the bright and comfortable radicie and splendour of them but yet the body of the Sunne is in heaven still though the beames be intercepted So joy confidence zeale may for a time be quenched lost abated but though the flame of these be downe and the
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
yet it is a pressing voyce that followes a man and presses him close to what it calls for Act. 18.5 Paul was pressed in spirit and testified c. The Spirit of God moved him and stirred up his spirit and forcibly and strongly moved him so as his spirit was pressed to doe All this was that he had strong and vehement motions from Gods Spirit to doe that which he did Now then when we have such motions such breathings stirrings flutterings then should our care be not to quench these but to cherish kindle and uphold these motions The Spirit of God is fire the motions of the spirit are the sparkes of this fire now our care should be not to quench these sparkes not to let them goe out but to kindle and cherish them unto a great fire unto flame It is said of Christ That he will not quench the smoaking flaxe That if there be in a mans heart but a small sparke of grace so small that it burnes not but onely makes a little smoake and a poore smother yet he will not quench it but he will make much of it cherish and foster it till it kindle and grow to a great fire So should it be with us when the Spirit of God injects and casts into our hearts but the sparkes of fire in the gracious motions thereof quench not those sparkes cherish and kindle those sparkes keepe them from quenching and dying and going out Now for the doing of these two things are required First have a care to take notice of the motions of the Spirit watch where hee moves and stirres that a good motion may no sooner stirre in thine heart but thou maist presently be able to say This is Gods Spirit these be the flutterings of the Eagles wings this good motion is from Gods Spirit Thus doth the Church Cant. 2.8 whilst she is in that holy discourse she findes a good motion stirring and abruptly she breakes off and sayes The voyce of my welbeloved Now Christ speakes by the good motions of his Spirit Excellent is that Apoc. 1.10 I heard a voyce behind me and vers 12. And I turned to see the voyce that spake with me The voyce was behinde him at his backe now when he heares the voyce behinde him he does not goe on and never minde and not vouchsafe once to looke backe and to heed it but hee turnes him about to see the voyce that spake with him to take more speciall notice of what was said So when we heare that voyce of the Spirit in the motions of it and heare it behinde us we should not goe on negligently and carelesly and leave and cast it behinde our backes but turne about to see the voyce take speciall and serious notice of it Doe as the people did at the poole of Bethesda they sate watching for the mooving of the waters by the Angel that the waters could no sooner move but presently they saw it observed it tooke notice of it and all cryed out the Angel moves in the waters So should we watch when at any time the spirit of God moves in our hearts and take speciall notice of it and say now Gods spirit speakes to mee this is the voyce of the spirit That when a good motion stirres in our hearts we might be able to say as Jacob upon his dreame surely God is here surely Gods spirit is here This were a great meanes to kindle the spirit in us and to make him continue his gratious counsells to us as the contrary is a shrewd meanes to quench the spirit If a man speake to us and give us good counsell and advise for our benefit if we hearken and give eare to him and take notice of what he sayes then he will go on and give us further information and direction but if hee perceives that we regard him not that we heare him with an oscitancy of spirit and that wee are minding otheâ— matters and are talking and twatlinâ— with other idle persons that are bâ— us the man hath done he wil not trouble him hee will not lose his sweeâ— words he will have the witt to holâ— his peace and let him alone Iust so here If Gods spirit speakes to us anâ— counsells us in the holy motions therâ—of if we will minde him observe him and give him audience then will hee goe on and give us further counsell and continue his directions to us Wee shall see 1 Sam. 3. that God called Samuel three times and Samuel thought it had beene Ely and doth not take notice of it that it was the Lord And all that while that hee takes not notice of it to bee the Lord all that while God is silent sayes no more to him coÌ„municates not his mind to him But at the fourth call when Samuel answers verse 10. Speake Lord for thy servant heares then the Lord goes on reveales his mind to him tells him all that in the verses following and all that chapter 2.27 ad finem which is there set downe by way of Anticipation So when the Spirit of God calls and wee minde it and note it and say Lord I minde and marke that thou movest in my heart and thou beginnest to speake to me speake Lord thy servant heareth thee and takes notice of thee then the Spirit of God wil goe on will continue his counsels and will reveale his minde further to us But if Gods Spirit stirre in his motions and we are â—eedelesse and supine and regard him â—ot he will cease and breake off we may be long enough ere wee heare of him againe Apoc. 3. I stand at the doore and knocke Hee knockes in the motions of his Spirit every motion of the Spirit is a knock a rap at the doore of our hearts to have us open Now wee see if one of us come to a mans doore and we knocke once twice c. â—nd either they within doe not heare â—s or if they doe yet regard not our â—nocking what care they knock let him â—hen we will away and knocke no longer when it may be we come upon an errand that might be beneficiall to tâ— family So if the raps and knocking 's the Spirit at the doores of our heaâ—â— be neglected and disregarded he wâ— have done knocking and knocke 〈◊〉 longer though hee knocke and coâ—â— upon an errand for our owne gooâ— The observation of the motions of tâ—â— Spirit is an excellent kindler and tâ— neglect and discontinuance of them a very dangerous quencher of the Sâ—â—rit As therefore wee would keeâ— the Spirit of God from quenching we would keep it alive and burning us so have a care to take notice of aâ— to observe the first motions of it in oâ— hearts Give present obedience to the Spirits motions 2. Secondly The motions of tâ— Spirit observed and notice taken them in the second place be carefull give present obedience to them aâ— to close with them and to doe tâ—â— thing for which the spirit of Gâ—â—
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
decaying and dying as that it increases and addes to it Gal. 5.25 If we live in the spirit let us also walke in the spirit That 's sure that the life of the spirit is to be evidenced by the workes of the spirit the life of grace by the workes of grace And what if a man doe so Then it may be said as truly If we walke in the spirit we shall also live in the spirit and the spirit live in us Walking in the spirit acting and exercising the gifts and graces of it will cause the spirit to live and keepe it from quenching in the gifts and graces of it And this is that which Paul wishes Timothy to doe 2 Tim. 1.6 to stirre up the gift of God that was in him Hee speakes of his Ministeriall gifts Now how are they to bee stirred up and to be kindled and increased Amongst other wayes this is one to be in action in exercise of them and not out of sloth or out of feare vers 7. to let his gifts lye idle Vse legges sayes our Proverbe and have legges and use gifts and graces and have gifts and graces Wee shall see it true in particulars The way to keepe the gifts of the spirit from dying and decaying 1. First for the gifts of the Spirit in knowledge and utterance The way to keep them from dying and decaying is to be in action in the exercise and communication of them It heates keepes them alive and increases them See Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy selfe c. as if he should say Take heed of quenching the Spirit When a man forgets that which God hath taught him and knowledge of God departs from a mans heart that 's a flat quenching of the spirit It is the putting out of the light of the fire of the Spirit Take heed of that sayes God Well but what course may be taken to keepe these gifts to keepe a man from decaying in his knowlege Teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes The exercising of those gifts in teaching others should keepe alive their gifts in themselves Hee that in that kinde endeavours to kindle Gods Spirit in others doth at the same time and in the same action kindle it in himselfe There be lippes that Salomon calls Lippes of knowledge Prov. 20.15 and he sayes that they are a precious Jewell Now a man if hee have such lippes should be as carefull to keep them as he would be to keepe a precious Jewell How carefull is a man to keepe a precious Jewell hee would not by any meanes lose such a Jewell As carefull should a man be to keepe the lippes of knowledge And what are lippes of knowledge when they are such as Prov. 5.2 that thy lippes may keepe knowledge Those lippes are lippes of knowledge those lippes are a precious Jewell that keepe knowledge Well but how should a man come to have his lippes keepe knowledge When he doth as Prov. 10.21 The lippes of the righteous feede many When a man uses and exercises his gifts of knowledge and communicates them to others by feeding others with the knowledge he hath his feeding lippes shall prove keeping lippes Communication of knowledge and truth is the preservation and our keeping of it and the keeping our selves from losing it It is in this as in that case Gen. 22.16 17. Because thou hast done this thing and hast not with held thy sonne in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed So if men withhold not their gifts but use and exercise them in instructing others and teaching others God will in blessing blesse our gifts God will in multiplying multiply our gifts and exceedingly increase them The loaves did not multiply whilst they were in the basket nor whilst they were whole but when they were breaking and distributing under the breaking and distribution it was they multiplyed Gifts of knowledge are not spent in distribution but increase and multiply thereby It is true here which Salomon speakes Pro. 11.24.25 The scattering of knowledge makes it increase and watering others with those waters will but make way for the more abundant watering of himselfe The gifts that God gives men are pounds he gives them And hee gives a pound to a man not to be put into his purse but to be put into the banke He gives men a pound with a command to trade Luke 19.12 Trade till I come And what was the issue Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds Lord thy pound hath gained five pounds Trading therefore with the gifts of Gods spirit is the increasing of the gifts of the spirit On the contrary the want of exercise of gifts the not imploying them in coÌ„municating our knowledge decayes them quenches the Spirit In the former parable wee finde some servants trading with their pounds and another servant layes up his pound in a napkin Now one would thinke that this servant had tooke the onely sure course to have kept his pound Trading we see often proves hazardous and uncertaine and many a maâ— trades away his stocke and loseth alâ— hee hath by trading but when a maâ—ties his money up in a napkin bindeâ— it he seemes to take a sure course foâ— keeping of it But yet not so in thiâ— trading in the gifts of the spirit They that traded gained more pounds kepâ— and increased their gifts he that tradeâ— not he lost his gifts verse 24. Takâ— from him the pound Hee hath quench the Spirit he lost his gifts And how comes he to lose them because heâ— imployed them not because hee lapâ— his pound in a napkin We see 2 King 4. that the oyle ceased and stayd not till for want of vessels the widdow powred not out It is not powring out but want of powring out thaâ— dries up the streames and fountaines oâ— grace And the oyle stayed saies thâ— text verse 6. When stayed the oyleâ— not when she was powring but wheâ— shee stayed powring shee first stayeâ— powring before the oyle stayed running No man when a candle is light puts it under a bushell The putting of a candle under a close bushell or any other close vessell may quench the â—ight and put out the candle which would have continued burning if it had beene set upon the table The Mothers milke dries not up with drawing out her brest and giving suck but it dryes up with being kept up with not giving suck quench not the spirit Fire is quencht not onely by water but by want of vent If fyre bee shut close up â—n an oven or a still it dies and goes â—ut but if it hath ayre and vent then â—t lives and burnes And what is it that more quenches the spirit in this kinde then our not using and exercising of mens gifts No man when he lights a candle puts it under a bed or under a bushell The spirit of God â—ights many a mans candle gives him much light hee hath a faire burning lampe and yet the same things
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
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
of the fire dies and quenches presently A dead cole cast into the fire amongst coales that are alive presently is on fire And this very thing Salomon intends Eccl. 4.11 If two ly together then they have heat There is a mutuall contribution and communication of heate from each to other One gives heate to another Alter caelidus alter frigidus Calidus frigidum accendat qui parum ardet optet augmentu Aug. de divino serm ser 87. and one receives heate from another each are the better and the warmer by the others society But how can one be warme alone especially if hee be naturally cold and withall the weather and the time be cold A man that is then alone must needs be cold Wee see when David grew old his naturall heate abated and decayed and hee grew cold withall 1 Reg. 1.1 And they used meanes to make him hot they covered him with clothes but yet he gat no heate clothes must bee first heated from a principle of heate in the body before they can heat and warme the body But vers 2.3 Abishag lying in Davids bosome hee gat heate and warmth Cloathes were dead cherishers they could not warm David but Abishag having naturall and living heat this helpt David to warmth So here if men doe use meanes in private by themselves and have not exercise nor communion with others all meanes so used will be but covering with clothes by which wee shall neither get nor keepe heate Holy conference a duty of this communion It kindles and stirres up the spirit it refreshes it cheeres the spirit in us Ephes 4.29.30 Corrupt communication grieves him And whatsoever grieves doth quench the Spirit Now as evill speech and communication grieves and quenches so holy speech and conference it cheeres and so kindles the Spirit in us But if a man have communion with such as have spirituall life in them the fire of the Spirit in them the vigour and warmth of Grace in them have society with them in prayer conference mutuall excitations unto God this will be an excellent meanes to keepe our heate from cooling and quenching yea to increase and adde to it Me thinkes there is somewhat in that Act. 2. If wee consider when the Holy Ghost came upon them and that there were cloven tongues of fire upon them And when was it vers 1. they were all with one accord in one place met together in an holy communion and about duties of holy communion And then followed that vers 2 3 4. How much mutuall communion of Saints quickens the life of Grace and the heate of it we may see in one particular 2 John 12. That our joy may be full An Apostles graces furthered and quickned by the graces of a woman When such Grandies in grace have benefit by communion of Saints how much more may they whose measures are lesse It is certaine that the neglect of this communion and the duties of it is a great quencher of the Spirit When men fall off by Apostacie that is a quenching of the Spirit The highest degree of quenching the Spirit is in the great sinne against the Holy Ghost And it is a cleere case that the letting fall of this communion and the neglect of that is one of the first steps to Apostacie and the sinne against the Holy Ghost Heb. 10.23 24 25 26. By which he implyes that as a speciall meanes to keep men from such a quenching of the Spirit as makes way to the sinne against the Holy Ghost is to uphold the practise of the duties of the communion of Saints so a speciall cause of such quenching as makes way unto that sinne is the neglect and throwing up of the practise of the duties of the communion of Saints 3. Thirdly the duty of meditation Though there be wood and fire yet if they be not laid one to another there will be no flame nor heate but when they are laid and applyed each to other that kindles and makes the fire burne especially when the fire is blowne upon the wood being laid on Meditation layes wood and fire together it blowes the fire also and raises the flame All the prodigall sonnes graces began at this I will arise said hee he said it in his heart in his thoughts in his meditations and goe to my Father He was in serious meditation what a great man his Father was what an excellent house he kept what a miserable case he himselfe was in and this meditation quickned his heart to this I will arise and goe to my Father So mens bethinking themselves is made an excellent helpe unto repentance 1 Reg. 8.47 That is when men seriously use to meditate and use to thinke with themselves what they have done how God is offended with them how great their misery is where remedy is to be had c. This is an excellent helpe to make way for the spirit of repentance It is a great measure of grace the godly man attaines to Psal 1.3 But marke what is a great meanes conducing to these measures of grace and the spirit verse 2. To bee spiritually minded is life Rom. 8.6 This is in one sense to be spiritually minded when the mind is imployed in spirituall meditations and this is life also in this sense in that it breedes and maintaines the life of grace and the spirit in us The want and neglect of this duty doth exceedingly chill and coole and danger the graces of the Spirit in us therefore as we would not quench but keepe alive the graces of God in us so exercise we our hearts often in the duty of meditation Prayer a meanes to keepe the spirit from quenching 4. Fourthly the duty of prayer It is a speciall meanes to keepe the Spirit from quenching ye to cause the spirit to kindle and increase in us to bee frequent and feruent in prayer It is that by which we get the Spirit encreased in us Luke 11.17 how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that aske him which is not to bee understood so much of the first infusion and gift of the Spirit as of the increases of the graces of this Spirit For a man to speake properly cannot pray till he have the Spirit and then when a man hath the Spirit and sets that Spirit on worke in the duty of prayer then the spirit which was given before is given in a larger measure in greater abundance in the graces thereof The Apostles had the spirit of God in them before Christs death and after his resurrection Iohn 20. he breathed upon them and sayd Receive ye the Holy Ghost And yet after this it is said that they were filled with the Holy Ghost that is at that time the Holy Ghost came upon them afresh But when was it that they were afresh filled with the Holy Ghost Prayer brought downe a fulnesse of the Spirit That speech Cant. 4.16 is conceived to bee the speech of
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
Gods love the coales of it are as coales of fire the flame of Jah Cant. 8.6 The fire of God the fire of the spirit Now marke then where the fire of the spirit is and the fire of the love of God there will bee pillars of smoake there the Affections Desires Thoughts of the heart will bee rising and reeking heaven-ward This a discription of a Christian he is one cum elationibus fumi But yet marke when these pillars of smoake rise and so marke when the fire of Jah burnes Who is this that comes up that ascends out of the wildernesse therefore then this fire burnes this smoake ascends in pillars when a man comes up ascends out of the wildernesse Then the spirit of God and the fire of God burnes when a man hath his heart comming out of the world forsaking and renouncing the world If then a man descend into the wildernesse the pillars of smoake fall because then the fire goes out A descent into the wildernesse takes away the pillars of smoake puts out the fire Cant. 8.3 much waters c. that is many afflictions tribulations and persecutions cannot quench the love of God nor abate it That is meant oftē in Scripture by waters But yet many times a little earth may doe that which many waters cannot doe A little inordinate love of the World may doe more mischiefe in abating cooling and quenching the love of God then all the malignity of the world can doe The hatred of the world against a Christian is not so dangerous to quench the love of God as is our owne inordinate love of the world Persecutions kindle the spirit Whilest the persecutors in Queen Maries dayes kindled the fires it did withall kindle the fire of the Spirit in love and zeale the more in their hearts But the loving of the world that damps and extinguishes this fire As therefore wee would take heede of quenching the Spirit so take we heede of the love of the world if once that creepe upon you and get hold on you you are in great danger of quenching the spirit What is the reason that it is with many Christians as it was with Nebuchadnezzars Jmage Dan. 2.32.33 This Jmages head was of fine gold his feete part of yron part of clay a great deale of difference betweene the head of the Jmage and the feete of it So you have many in their young time in their first beginnings that seemed to bee golden Christians full of life full of zeale full of good But in their elder age are cold dead brazen little life or vigour in them their feet part of yron part of clay What is the reason that they that began with a golden head have feete of clay Because they came to have hearts of clay and they did loade themselves with thick clay Hab. 2. They by degrees suffered the earth and the love of it to creepe into their hearts And so having clayie hearts their golden heads have had clayie feet The love of the world being therefore gotten into their hearts hath quencht the Spirit of God in them and they have growne cold and dead hearted in their old age in which the trees of Gods plantation use to bee most fruitfull Therefore as we would take heede of quenching the Spirit so take wee heede of an earthly heart of the besotting and bewitching love of the world Formality in Religion a quencher of the spirit 2. Secondly Formality in Religion and holy performances God requires in all duties of religion and holy performances that wee doe them as David danced before the Arke 2 Sam. 6.14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might If in such a service David put forth himself with all his might how much more think ye would he do it in other cases If he danced before the Lord with all his might how much more thinke we did he pray unto the Lord with all his might Hee that sets all his limbes on worke and puts forth the utmost of his strength in dancing before the Lord how much more would hee set all the powers and faculties of his soule on worke and put out the strength of them all in praying in hearing c. So should men pray heare receive the Sacrament doe duties of obedience to God as Sampson bowed himselfe in pulling downe the house Judg. 16.30 He bowed himselfe with all his might So when men pray they should pray with all their might Psal 119.58.145 So when men heare they should doe it with all their might Ezech. 40.4 And of all duties of Religion and obedience that may goe for a rule Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thine hand findes to doe doe it with thy might Though it be spoken in an ill sense of the Epicure yet it is a good rule to live by in holy performances what ever duties wee have to doe doe them with all our might And that is a speciall meanes to make the Spirit kindle glowe and burne in our hearts that preserves and keepes alive the vigour of the Spirit in us Judg. 5.31 Let them that love the Lord bee as the sunne when he goes forth in his might When the sunne breakes forth and shines in his strength and full force what a deale of heate there is And so they that love the Lord they are like the Sunne shining and going forth in his might because they doe all they doe with all their might and that fills them with heate But on the other side when men pray heare c. and doe duties slothfully sluggishly and with formality of Spirit that quenches and damps and cooles the spirit of grace in a man Formality is slothfulnesse and slothfulnesse is a quencher Rom. 12.11 Not slothfull in worke fervent in spirit Fervency of Spirit and slothfulnesse in holy businesse stand in opposition and it implies thus much That where men are slothfull there will not they be fervent in spirit that slothfulnesse will quench the spirit and where men are formall in duties they are slothfull for formality is spirituall slothfulnesse The Apostles counsell to Timothy is to stirre up the grace of God that was in him 2 Tim. 1.7 so long as it is stirred up it is out of danger of quenching and dying There is a complaint Is 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy Name and that stirres up himselfe to lay hold upon thee There were that did call upon God but did not stirre up themselves in the performance of the duty They prayed but they did it sluggishly and formally Now when men doe pray and stirre not up themselves to prayer they pray formally And when men pray and doe not stirre up themselves and stirre not up their affections they stirre not up the grace of God in them and when they stirre not up the grace of God in them they quench the Spirit Fire stirred up gives the greater heate but fire not stirred up cooles and quenches There is no stirring in formality and so
one that sinnes against the Holy Ghost begins his sin at quenching the spirit These five bee the five stayres downe to Hell and to damnation unquestionable And this sinne of the quenching the spirit is the first stayre of the fire A danger able to make our hearts tremble Is it not dangerous to step one stayre downe towards Hell If thou wilt adventure to goe downe one step what canst thou tell but thou mayst goe downe the second the third c. If thou wilt adventure to quench the spirit thou mayst come to the sinne of grieving the spirit and when thou hast urged it thou mayst come to despight the spirit of grace And when thou art there where art thou then As surely damn'd as irrecoverably gone as if thou wert in Hell already Would we then avoid the danger of that sinne of despighting why then take heede of vexing if not vex take heed of resisting if not resist take heede of grieving if of grieving take heede of quenching Hee that keepes himselfe from quenching shall never come to a despighting of the spirit of grace But if thou wilt be too bold to meddle with the first take heed that thou come not to the last 5. Fifthly the quenching of Gods spirit and the fire of it will prove the kindling of the fire of GODS wrath 1. First it may kindle the fire of his wrath to bring temporall judgements As when a Nation and a Church shall quench the spirit shall forsake the truth of God and the zealous profession of his Name such a quenching will kindle a fire that will not be quenched See 2 Reg. 22.17 Because they have forsaken mee and have burnt incense unto other gods that they might provoke mee to anger with all the workes of their hands therefore my wrath shall bee kindled against this place and shall not bee quenched Gods Spirit you may quench but yee cannot so easily quench the fire of his wrath that will consume a Nation with temporall judgements 2. Secondly it may kindle the fire of his wrath to bring spirituall judgements in the removall of his Ordinances of his Ministers Ephesus quenched the spirit Apoc. 2.4 I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Thou hast quenched the spirit in that thou hast not that zeale and fervency in the profession of the Gospel c. Well what followes Lest I come and remove thy Candle-sticke vers 5. As if hee should say Because thou hast quenched the spirit therefore I will quench the Candle and the light of the Ministry Hezekiah complaines that the Lampes of the Temple were quencht 2 Chron. 29. God doth it often hee causes the Lampes and lights of the Temple to be quencht and people they complaine of it and finde fault with it But let them consider whilst they complaine of others whether they have not most cause to complaine of themselves Have not they quencht the spirit have not they quencht their love to and zeale for the truth therefore it is just with God to quench light as you quench heate You put out the Lampe of the spirit therefore God puts out the Lampes of the Temple As you feare this so look that you keep the spirit burning and you shall keepe the Lampes burning But quench the spirit and looke for it and bee sure of it God will quench the Candles and remove the Candle-sticke 3. Thirdly it may and will kindle the fire of his wrath in eternall judgements Did yee never reade of a fire that shall never be quencht that can never be quencht If not see Mark 9.43.46.48 into the fire that shall never be quencht Now then if ye will make no conscience of quenching the Spirit yet remember there is a fire that shall never be quencht And that the quenching of the fire of the Spirit puts you in danger of bringing you into the fire of Hell that shall never be quencht If you can quench the fire of Hell then quench the spirit and feare not But if when you have quencht the fire of the Spirit you cannot quench the fire of Hell then as you feare the vnquenchable fire of Hell so feare the Quenching of the Spirit FINIS THE HEART-SMITTEN SINNER'S SVITE FOR PARDON By IER DYKE Minister of Epping PSAL. 21.1 For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquitie for it is great Rogandus est deus ut nos aspiciat avertat autem faciem suam a peccatis nostris ut deleat ea Quae enim non aspicit delet quae deleverit ea a memoria sepelientur Ambros Lib de Apolog. David cap. 8. LONDON Printed by Tho Paine for Iohn Rothwell and are to be sold at the Sun in Pauls Church-yard 1640. THE HEART-SMITTEN SINNERS SVITE FOR PARDON 2 SAM 24.10 And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant WEE read in these two Books of Samuel that Davids heart twice smote him once 1 Samuel 24. and another time in this 2 Samuel 24. there before here after the Lord had set him upon the Throne of his Kingdome there for cutting off the skirt of Sauls garment here for the numbring of the people And Davids heart smote him saith the Text after that hee had numbred the people Which smiting of Davids heart here is me thinks most like to the smiting of Moses when hee smote the Rocke Numb 20.11 whereupon the water came out abundantly so here Davids heart had no sooner smote him but the water came out abundantly hee thereupon First confessing his sinne when hee said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done Wherein you see First peculiarity in respect of the object person to whom hee made confession which was not Gad though a Prophet and his Seer but the Lord And David said unto the Lord I have sinned Secondly Particularity in respect of the object thing the sinne hee made confession of when hee said unto the Lord I have sinned in that I have done Thirdly impartiallity towards himselfe the delinquent in the thing And David said unto the Lord not I have sinned only or I have sinned in that I have done but I have sinned greatly Secondly upon such his confession hee falls immediately to deprecation and begging pardon of sinne the second thing that his hearts smiting of him wrought upon him here And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant Where you see the substance of his deprecation is the taking away of his iniquity Take away that is Lord pardon and forgive the sinne of thy servant His heart smites him his conscience accuses and prickes him and hee falls to begging of pardon and forgivenesse Whence learne First Doct. That the onely thing that can give ease and quiet to a smiting accusing troubled conscience is the pardon and forgivenesse of sinne Nothing can ease and quiet a troubled and a smiting heart but pardon of sinne As nothing can trouble and pinch the conscience but sinne
to afford us light for doing our workes The Sunne was not created till the fourth day and yet there was light all the three first dayes which some conceive to have beene from the element of fire under the sphere of the Moone which gave light unto the world So Exod. 13.21 They had a piller of fire by night to give them light Fire and light goe together So is it with the Spirit of God It is a Spirit of light Ephes 1.17 18. All spirituall illumination comes from this fire Gods Spirit is an inlightning spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God neither can he because they be spiritually discerned viz. by the light of the Spirit which Spirit a naturall man wanting hee is in the darke for the want of light that should shew unto him divine truths The Spirit of God is fire that brings light with it wheresoever Gods Spirit comes there comes light 2. Secondly fire as it gives light so it also gives heate fire and heate are inseparable when our bodies are pinched with cold in the winter comming to the fire wee are warmed and heated fire warmes and heates that which is cold and by the heat of it thawes and melts that which is frozen Thus is it with the Spirit of God it is an heating warming Spirit it warmes and heates the affections our hearts that are frozen and cold in prayer hearing it heates and warmes them it melts and inlarges them It kindles both affections of love zeale Joy The Spirit of God will make a mans heart burne within in the hearing of the Word Luke 24. Did not our hearts burne within us when he opened the Scriptures It will make a mans heart glow and flame in prayer it will melt a mans heart and make it drop at a mans eyes as Ice thawes and drops against the fire 3. Thirdly Fire as it heates and warmes so it also burnes and consumes whatever combustible matter it lights and layes hold upon It feedes upon combustible matter and leaves not till it have brought it into ashes Prov. 30.16 Fire is one of the foure things that never sayes it is enough A little sparke of fire burnes downe and consumes whole houses and Townes It is ever in action and eating up and consuming what it lights upon So is it with the Spirit of God and the graces of it When the Spirit of God comes once into a mans heart looke what combustible matter it findes there it consumes and eates it up it will consume and burne up our lusts and corruptions It will doe with the body of sinne as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom Am. 2.1 He burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lyme as the Papists did with Gods servants in Queen Maries dayes burnes the body thereof into ashes It is like the fire that came downe from Heaven at the firâ— sacrifice in the Tabernacle that turne the sacrifices into ashes Like the firâ— that came downe upon Elias sacrifice it burnt not onely the Sacrifice bâ— licked up all the water in the ditch â—bout the Alter The Spirit of Goâ— when it is kindled in a mans heart makes sore worke amongst a mans coâ—ruptions It eates and lickes theâ— up strangely A man may see theâ— hath beene fire by the cinders anâ— ashes 4. Fourthly Fire is a purging pâ—rifying refining element It purgâ— water of the scum it separates drosseâ— baggage from the metals And as theâ— is a naturall purifying property in firâ— so there was a ceremoniall purificatioâ— by fire Numb 31.23 Thus is it witâ— the Spirit of Grace And that whicâ— is said of prayer is true of the Spiriâ— Malach. 3.2 3. For prayer purifies bâ— his spirit therefore faith is said to pâ—rifie the heart Act. 9. and hope is saiâ— to purge 1 John 3. Gods Spirit is purging purifying fire that fetcheâ— drosse and scum out of a mans soule The fire of the Spirit this is the true Purgatory fire and the Purgatory fire that every one must passe that ever meanes to come to heaven By all this may men try themselves whether they have the Spirit of God in them or not If any man have not the Spirit of prayer the same is none of his Rom. 8. Therefore it concernes us as much to know whether we have the Spirit as to know whether we be Christs If men have the spirit of grace in them their understandings are enlightned they have a piller of fire that lights them in their way to Canaan Is the spirit in them they have their hearts warmed and heated in holy duties of prayer c. inlarged hearts in ordinances They have their lusts consumed turned into ashes they have their scum and drosse of earthlinesse covetousnesse purged out If thus it is a signe of these effects of fire that they have the Spirit of God But these things shew that men are generally fleshly not having the Spirit Jude 19. If thou have Gods Spirit in thee hoâ— is it thou hast no more light of knowledge in thee Thou art in the dark therfore no fire in thee for then woulâ— there be light in thee How cold an formall and frozen is thine heart a Prayer Sermon Sacrament Certainely if there were fire in thee therâ— would be heate in thee also no heatâ— therefore no fire All thy lusts anâ— the body of sinne is untouch'd unhurâ— thy lusts as strong thy corruptions a potent as ever Alas it may be said oâ— thee as of the three children Dan. 3 when they came out of the fiery furnace not an haire of their head was singed not the smell of fire upon their garments Just so with thee Alas whaâ— dost thou talke of having the Spirit oâ— God in thee See Prov. 6.27 28 Can a man take fire in his bosome and hâ— clothes not be burnt Can one goe upoâ— hot coales and his feet not be burnt So in this case It were impossiblâ— but if this fire were in thee but thy corruptions should be burnt and consumed And what purity of heart oâ— life is wrought in thee The drosse and scum of thine oaths thy rotten speech is still in thy mouth the drosse of the world is still in thine hands By this it appeares that men doe but vainely boast of having the spirit of Grace in their hearts when they have neither light in their hands nor heat in their hearts nor mortification and holinesse in their lives Their fire is a fire without light blinde darke fire a fire without heat cold fire a fire that doth not burne that doth not flame It is but false fire it is but a painted fire It is a signe Gods Spirit and that fire from heaven is not come downe into their hearts Now to come to the maine point of the Text The lesson it teaches is that it must be the speciall care of a Christian that Gods Spirit and the graces thereof be not quenched nor damped in him The Spirit of