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
but the flame and fire of hell scorching and burning his conscience It quenches the Spirit in the degrees of grace so as a man after sinne cannot doe as he did before See Judg. 16.20 He thought to doe as at other times Poore man hee was deceived he rises from Delilahs knees and communicates the secrets of his heart to her and now he hath quencht the Spirit and cannot doe as at other times So with men have committed some foule sinne they will goe to prayer to heare the Word to receive the Sacrament and they thinke to doe as they have done in former times to pray heare and receive as at other times but the Spirit of God that was wont to helpe and assist them that is quenched and departed and they cannot pray as they were wont nor heare nor receceive as they were wont to doe Their strength and graces are so decayed in their degrees that they are nothing the men that they were David went to the Temple no question and to the Sacrifices all the while that he lay in his sinne but what a difference did David finde in himselfe How farre did he finde himselfe from being able to doe in prayer and other holy duties as hee was wont to doe Sinne quenches the heate and warmth of the Spirit They that will quench the light of the Spirit in sinning against the light of it shall quench it in the heate and warmth of it Such a man may pray heare receive but alas how coldly and with what deadnesse they doe these things Their hearts that were wont to burne and to be heated and thorowly warmed in these duties are now key colde no heate nor warmth at all They doe these duties as the poore man gave thankes that gave thankes for his stolne mutton With what affection life heate and warmth of Spirit could he give thankes for that meate he had stolne Just such is the case of such as commit grosse sinnes against conscience and the light of the Spirit Sinning and praying cannot stand together If praying doe not hinder from sinning sinning will hinder from praying And as wee see it true in Davids foule sinne of adultery so it is in other foule sinnes they are all water cast on the fire The sin of drunkennesse it is a swinish sinne a man that commits that sinne casts water upon the fire of the Spirit it quenches the Spirit in the gifts of it The Prophet complains of the Priests and Prophets in his time that they had lost the knowledge of the truth that light was quencht But how came it so Isa 28.7 they were a company of drunken sots So Isa 57.10.12 They were a company of pot-companions fitter for a cellar and a pot then for a Church and a Pulpit therefore their gifts were quencht therefore they were blinde ignorant c. Some Prophets spirits are spirits of the cellar of the Taverne they be pot-Divines Mic. 2.11 and the spirit of God quenches and dyes where there is such a spirit And so it is in other men as well as Prophets the spirit of the Ale-house and the spirit of God will never sort together And we see many whose Apostacie hath had its beginning at the pot there began their first quenching of the spirit And this is that the Apostle points at Ephes 5.18 Be not drunk with wine but be filled with the spirit As if a man must needs bee empty of the spirit that will be filled with wine Drunkennesse wee often see quenches the very spirits of nature and makes men sodden-headed sots therefore no wonder if it quench the spirit of grace Gods spirit will not dwell in a Beere or Ale-barrell As therefore we would not quench the spirit of God so take we heed of committing any sinne but especially of sinnes against knowledge and conscience of foule grosse sinnes Water must needs quench fire But though all sinnes are quenchers of the Spirit yet there be some speciall sinnes that are not so grosse and scandalous that a Christian may bee subject to and have creeping upon him and are dangerous quenchers of the Spirit And they are these Worldlinesse though no scandalous sin yet it is a dangerous quencher of the spirit 1. First Worldlinesse an Inordinate desire of and affection to earthly things The inordinate love of the world is a dangerous quencher of the Spirit Demas quencht the Spirit hee had made zealous profession of the Gospel and Religion but hee fell off from the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and hence came Demas to quench the Spirit Demas hath forsaken us and hath embraced or he loved as he made it this present world It was Demas his worldlinesse and earthlinesse that quenched the Spirit see 1 Iohn 2.16 Love not the world nor the things of the world But why not If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him The love of the world quenches the love of God and so the Spirit for the love of God is a grace of the Spirit The love of the world quenches the love of the word Mat. 13.22 The world choakes the word Worldlinesse is a choaker and a quencher of the Spirit A man may put out and quench fire not only with water but with earth earth cast upon a fire though dry earth wil quench fire It is with the love of the earth as it is with the Dampe of the earth They that worke in Coale-mines and in the earth observe a dampe to rise out of the earth and when the dampe rises it will quench and put out their candles They burne dimme at first and so by little and little they quench and goe quite out with the dampe So is it with the love of the world when it prevailes in the heart it dampes the spirit of grace and quenches the spirit of God in the heart of a man And our Saviour having spoken against worldlinesse Mattew 6.19 20 21. hee comes verse 22 23. to shew the mischiefe of it and the mischiefe and danger of it is that it is a Dampe that puts out the candle quenches a mans light and so leaves him full of dangers Marke that discription of the Church Cant. 3.6 Who is this that ascends out of the wildernesse with pillars of smoake Elationibus fumi A christian therefore is a man ascending out of the wildernesse with pillars of smoake By the wildernesse is meant the world a Christian is a man not descending into but ascending up out of the wildernesse a man that is comming up out of the world And he comes up like pillars of smoak His affections his desires his thoughts they are the pillars of smoake now smoake goes upwards it rises and goes towards heaven So his thoughts affections desires they reeke and rise upwards they smoake heaven-wards Now we know there is no smoake but there is some fire what is then the fire from whence these pillars of smoake come There is in a Christians heart the fire of
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
beames of these be hindred yet there are coales of fire in the heart and the body of these is there The flame of the spirit the feeling sense of it may be quenched for a time in the seconda-graces thereof but yet the spirit it selfe and the cardinall graces thereof remaine still in the heart It may bee in this as in that case Isa 6.13 As a Teyle Tree and as an Oake whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves An Oake may be greene and flourishing all the Summer but when Winter comes it casts and loseth the leaves but yet when the leaves are gone the life is not gone the substance and the sap is in it still though the leafe be gone Faith Hope Love these are the sap and substance of a Christian joy confidence zeale these are his leaves There may come a Winter when a Christian may cast his leaves may lose his joy c. but yet even then his substance and his sap of faith hope and love is in him It is one thing to lose life another thing to lose a leafe A Christian may be a Teyle Tree or an Oke without a leafe but not without life This we shall see plaine in Davids case Psal 51.11 12. Take not away thine holy spirit from me Restore to me the joy salvation It is cleer therefore that though David had the joy of the spirit quenched yet the spirit still unquenched The spirit quenched in regard of the joy of the flame but not quenched in regard of the fundamentall graces thereof not in regard of the fire of it The flame was downe but the fire was alive That the flame was quenched it appeares because he prayes Restore to me the joy of thy salvation as if he should say Lord kindle this flame againe therefore the flame was quencht But yet the spirit was not taken away in the fundamentall graces thereof for he saith Take not away thy spirit from me If that had beene taken away he would have said Restore to me thy spirit againe as he doth his joy which his sin had quencht but saying Take not away that argues that hee still had the spirit though the joy was gone He was still as an Oake which had cast her leafe he had his substance in him he had lost his leafe his joy was gone but hee had not lost his life Gods Spirit was still in him untaken from him Object But this may be a Doctrine of security what care I for quenching the flame so long as the fire goes not out what care I for my joy if I lose not my faith c. Answ This Doctrine is no ground at all for security For 1. it must be a mans care not onely to maintaine fire but to maintaine flame not only to have substance but to have his leafe greene The righteous must be a tree not only bringing forth fruit but a Tree also whose leafe must not wither Psal 1.3 2. There is little comfort in life when there wants a leafe little comfort in faith when by sinne we quench our joy A man when he is a colde takes no pleasure in a fire that burnes not flames not it does him no good to see the coales lye smothering under green wood Though a man have the radicall graces yet little comfort in them during the want of the other Because whilst these secondary grace are wanting it brings the conscience to question the presence and truth of the primary ones The want of the leafe makes the conscience question the life of grace If there were any comfort in such a case what needed David having the spirit beg to have his Joy restored And what makes afflicted consciences in time of tentation call into question the truth of their fundamentall graces but the want of their flame of their leafe So that this gives no way at all to carnall securitie 2. According to the second Distinction First there are the infused habits of Faith Hope Love these habits cannot be lost and so in regard of these habits the spirit cannot be quencht Secondly there is the act use and exercise of them In that regard the spirit may be quenched For though the habit of faith cannot be killed yet the act use and exercise of it may bee deaded so as it may not for the present act and worke and a man not use it A man in his drunkennesse loseth the use but not the faculty of Reason A man in his sleepe loseth the use but not the faculty of his sense Sinne and temptation may as much distemper the soule as Wine and strong drinke may doe the braine 3. For the measure and degree in that regard the spirit may be quencht A man may come to have a lesse degree of faith hope love a lesse degree of joy and zeale The degrees of these may be abated and yet the things themselves remaine Apoc. 2.4 It is laid to the charge of the Angel of Ephesus That he had lost his first love he sayes not he had lost his love or all his love but his first love that degree of love he had at first he had love still but it was not so fervent as before it was abated in the degree of it and so the spirit was quenched in degree So then looke upon the habits of grace and in regard of the habit there is no amission of grace Looke upon the act and in regard of the act there may bee an intermission of it Looke upon the degree and in regard of the degree there may be a remission A remission of degrees an intermission of acts but no utter amission of habits of fundamentall saving sanctifying grace And thus having opened and cleared the Text come wee now to some observations And here first begin with the metaphor Quench not the spirit And out of it learne The nature of the Spirit of God and spirit of grace That the spirit of God is of the nature of fire so much the word quench implyes for nothing is properly quenched but fire Quench not the spirit is as much as quench not the fire of the spirit The Spirit of God then is of the nature of fire Mat. 3.11 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire that is with the Holy Spirit which is as fire Mar. 9.49 Every man shall be salted with fire what fire As the fire of afflictions and the the fire of the word so the fire of the spirit Act. 2.3 4. There appeared to them cloven tongues with fire and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Sometimes the Spirit is compared to water Isa 44.3 And sometimes againe to fire As the Word of God is a fire Jer. 23. Is not my Word a fire so is his Spirit a fire Is not my Spirit a fire And the Spirit is compared to fire in these regards 1. First Fire it gives light And therefore in the want of the light of the Sunne we make use of fire
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
moves and excites thee to Doe as thâ— at Bethesda they not onely watchâ— when the Angel moved but every oâ— laboured to step in and step in preseâ—â— â—y into the waters whilest the motiâ—n was on foot So soone as the Spirit â—trikes these sparkes into our hearts to â—ave our hearts as tinder to catch those â—parkes and to have them take fire in â—ur hearts Sparkes smitten into tinâ—er the tinder takes fire and by it a â—andle is lighted and so a greater fire A little spark that lyes in the ashes if it â—e let alone it soone dies and goes out â—ut if other small coales or small sticks â—e layed to it and it be gently and softâ—y blown it at length will kindle to a â—reat fire So deale with the motions of the spirit suffer them not to dye in â—he ashes but foster and cherish them till by little and little they grow from â—otions to actions and from many Actions to an Habit. The motions of â—he spirit are the knocking 's and rappings at the doore of the heart I stand at the doore and rap Now when one â—aps at the doore wee doe not onely take notice that one knockes but wee command the doore to be opened we are angry with our servants if they goe not presently and open the doore So that is it wee should doe when tâ—â— spirit knockes suffer him not to staâ— knocking too long but make haste open the doore and give him eâ—trance The motions of the spirit are tâ— strivings of the spirit Gen. 6. My sâ—â—rit shall no longer strive with man 〈◊〉 strives in them to bring us to soâ— good or to know some evill Nâ— when wee finde him striving with we should not strive against those mâ—tions we should strive with our selâ— to let the spirit of God overcome in his strivings We should close wâ— him and doe what hee calles for aâ— second his counsells by our obeâ—â—ence Wee see Marriners at sea if tâ—â— wind serves not how they are lookiâ—â— at their top saile to see and watâ— when the winde turnes and blowes fâ—â— them And when the winde blowâ— from the point they desire they prâ—sently take notice of it Now say thâ— the winde blowes faire but yet that not all so soone as they see they haâ— a faire gaile of winde they presentâ—â— get every man to his tackling and as fast as they can hoyse up their sayles So when the Spirit blowes in the motions of it we should not onely take notice of the blasts and faire gailes but presently hoyse up sayle set upon that thing the motion calls for Doe as God commands David 1 Chron. 14 15. The motions of the Spirit are the sound of his goings the footsteps of his anointed Psal 89. verse 51. The motions of the Spirit sometimes are for direction Isa 30.20 The Spirit sollicites a man to beleeve to repent to pray to good duties this is a good duty doe it Sometimes they are for correction and reproofe Jon. 4. Then said the Lord Doest thou well to be angry Doest thou well to sweare Doest thou well to break the Sabbath Doest thou well to neglect prayer in thy family c. Now then where motions are for direction take that good way they point to wheÌ„ they are for correction avoid that evill way they plucke from thus hearken to them and this will kindle and keep alive the Spirit in thine heart If I see a man will follow my counsels and reproofes I will follow him with counsels and reproofes still he encourages me to be forward to doe him that good office So here follow the motions of the Spirit and the Spirit will delight to follow thee with good motions still I stand at the doore and knocke if any will open What then I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me As if he should say if any will hearken to these motions of the Spirit he shall have the sweet worke and the sweet consolations of the Spirit in him the Spirit shall come in shall cheere and refresh him He that will make much of these sparkes shall have a comfortable fire kindled at which hee shall warme and comfortably refresh himselfe See how the cherishing of the motious of the Spirit keepes it from quenching and causes it to flame and burne But on the contrary when a man neglects the knockes of the Spirit and yeelds not obedience to them opens not the doore that causes a sad quenching of the Spirit See an example Cant. 5.2 It is the voyce of my Beloved that knocks saying open to mee my sister There be the motions of the spirit of Christ And she takes notice of them therein she did aright It is the voyce of my beloved that knocks But she failed in the second thing she doth not arise presently and open but shee shuckes and shuffles vers 3. and hath her put offs I have put off my coat c. Well what is the issue vers 5. she arose to open to her beloved after her heart smote her for not opening before I but it was too late for vers 6. See how for want of obedience to the motions of the spirit she quenched the coÌ„forts and joy of the spirit Therefore take heed of this How to save the Spirit froÌ„ quenching if we would save the spirit from quenching Have a care of these two things The neglect of these will quench the Spirit It is with the Spirit of God as with the Spirit of Satan It should be our care and endeavour to quench the spirit of the Divell Ephes 6.16 Wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked The darts of the Divell are fiery ones we must looke to quench them Now how may one quench the fiery darts of Satan The onely way to quench them is to quench them in the first motions when the first motions come minde them not dis-regard them slight them yeeld no obedience to them and then that fire of Hell will goe out and dye Just so is the spirit of grace also quenched Therefore the way to keepe it from quenching is to cherish it in the first motions 2. Second meanes to kindle and keepe alive this fire and to keepe it from quenching is to keep the graces and gifts of the spirit in action and exercise The gifts and graces of the spirit kept in action and exercise kindles and increases the fire of the spirit in us it so keepes the flame from quenching that it increases and blowes it up It is as with our naturall spirits when a man sits still and stirres not walkes not workes not is not in action his naturall spirits dampe and hee growes lumpish and livelesse But let a man in such a case be in action be in exercise let him walke or worke and that raises and recovers and increases his spirits in him So in this case the setting grace on worke the exercising of it doth so keepe it from
befalles him that 's threatned to him that curses Father and Mother Prov. 20.20 His lampe or his candle is put out in obscâ—â— darkenes His lamp go out and then fâ—lowes not only darkenesse but obscâ—â— darkenesse He not onely growes igâ—â—rant but sottishly grosely ignoraâ—â— But how come this candle this laâ— to bee quenched and to bee put ouâ— obscure darkenesse Hee hath puâ— under a bed or under a bushell 〈◊〉 hath had more minde of his bed aâ— his bushell of his ease and profits thâ— of giving and communicating his ligâ— to others Sloth and coveteousnesse haâ— made him neglect the use and exerâ—â— of his gifts and so the bed and the 〈◊〉 shell have put out his lampe in obscâ—â— darkenesse these put out their canâ— and make them goe out like the snuâ—â— of the candle with a stinke and anâ— savour A candle may bee put 〈◊〉 though it be not blowne out thouâ— water not cat cast into it by the pâ—ting of an extinguisher over it Negligence and slothfulnesse in not excâ—cising the gifts of the spirit is an eâ—tinguisher put upon the candle aâ— flame of the spirit that quenches aâ— puts it out Zech. 11.17 Woe to the Idole shepheards And who is the Idole shepheard That leaves his flocke Therefore an Idle shepheard that doth not exercise his gifts with his flocke hee is an Idol shepheard And what is the woe that shall befall him A sword upon his Arme and upon his right eye Hee did not stretch out his arme all the day long to gather in his flocke therefore his arme shall bee withered He did not use his eye would not bee a seer to instruct his people therefore his right eye shall not be dimmed but utterly darkened The spirit should bee quenched in him Hee had made himselfe an Idle shepheard and therfore God makes him an Idoll shepheard Of Idols it is said Psalme 115. Mouthes they have and speake not eyes they have and see not Hee made himselfe an Idoll a mouth hee had and spake not gifts he had and used them not hee leaves his flocke and therefore God will make an Idoll of him too eyes he shall have and not see his right eye shall be utterly darkened He leaves his flocke and Gods giftâ— leave him So dangerous a quencheâ— of the Spirit is the not using of gifts whether by Ministers or others 2. Secondly in the gift and grace of faith The way to keepe faith in vigour in life to keepe it from quenching in the desire to make it grow and increase is to put faith to it to keepe it in action to keepe it in exercise and to make it put forth it selfe in frequent acts So long as faith is on the increasing hand so long no feare of its quenching or decaying so long as faith is acted and in exercise so long it is on the increasing hand every new and fresh act of faith adds growth and increase to it the use of faith increases faith and the more fresh acts of beleeving the more the habit of beleeving is increased Many acts strengthen and increase habits Marke how that man speakes Mark 9. Christ tells him if hee can beleeve hee can heale his childe Lord sayes he helpe my unbeliefe as if hee should say Lord I would faine beleeve I finde much unbeliefe helpe me to overcome it I but first sayes he Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe That act of his in putting forth his faith to beleeve as he could was the way to overcome his unbeliefe and to come to beleeve as he would The way to have the faith we would have is to use and set on worke the faith we already have See John 1.48 49 50 51. as if he should say Since thou art so ready to beleeve upon so small a ground therefore thou shalt see greater things then these Great matters shall be revealed unto thee that shall set thy faith on worke in a great measure The way then to keepe faith in vigour and in life is to set faith frequently on worke and to have it ready and forward to beleeve Take the promises and set them before thee and put thy faith on worke upon them and stirre up thine heart to beleeve them strive to act thy faith in beleeving them and this will keepe thy faith lively and vigorous When faith is not exercised and set and kept to work it breeds a spiritual torpor in ouâ— faith and so quenches it that when wâ— may have most need of it it can doe uâ— no service nor comfort Lu. 24. O foole and slow of heart to beleeve God woulâ— have men quicke and ready forwarâ— to beleeve Now when faith is noâ— held to it and kept in action then is 〈◊〉 slow and backward to doe that worlâ— which God requires of it 3. Thirdly in the gift of prayeâ— The gift of prayer when a man câ—â— powre out his heart to God it is aâ— excellent gift and grace of the spirit And a man once having obtained thâ— grace should have a care to keepe up and increase it and no better waâ— to doe it then to be frequent in the â—â—ercise of it and to be often in tâ—â— worke Hezekiahs phrase to Isaiah 〈◊〉 that he should lift up a prayer Isa 3â— 4. A man that would be good at liâ—ting must often use himselfe to liftinâ— and the oftner he lifts the easilier heâ— lifts Lift up a prayer sayes Hezekiah lift up mine heart or my soule unâ—â— thee sayes David A man that doâ— not use to lift heavy burdens how hardly doth he lift what adoe hath he to get up an heavie burden when he comes to it But he that uses every day to be exercised in lifting it is an easie thing to him hee hath by his frequent use gotten a dexterity an handinesse at the worke To lift up a mans soule to God to lift up a mans heart so high as heaven is from the earth is an hard matter Oh how heavie a mans heart is by nature and how hard to lift it up to lift it up so high If a man be not practised and daily exercised in it a man will as soone lift up a mil-stone yea a mountaine unto Heaven But a man that is every day and upon every occasion at the worke he will finde the worke thereby facilitated and will get up his heart with much readinesse Prayer is a running to God A man that is to run must be in breath have his winde at command He that runs every day is every day the fitter to run yesterdayes running prepares for to day to dayes running for to morrow But put a man to run that hath not done for many yeeres he is so pursey and so presently out oâ— breath that hee is faine presently tâ— give out There is nothing so quenches thâ— Spirit of prayer as dis-use of the duty I cannot goe in these sayes David foâ— I am not accustomed to them And sâ— want of accustoming and exercising oâ— themselves
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
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
for want of stirring the fire formality quenches the fire and lets it goe out if it puts it not out There be two severall paces in Religion and performance of religious duties and we finde them both together Prov. 4.12 When thou goest thy steps shall not be straightned and when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble There is a going pace and there is a running pace A man must first goe before hee can run and when a man begins with a going pace and rises to a running pace that 's commendable When a man begins to practise and performe duties it is a going but when he comes to be zealous and fervent in duties of obedience and service that 's running running is the pace of zeale Now so long as a man keepes running so long he keepes warmth and heate in him though it be cold weather So long as a man is zealous in the profession of Religion and performance of duties so long the fire of the spirit burnes and is not quenched But if a man leave running and slacks his pace and contents himselfe with a going pace his spirituall heate abates and is cooled and quenched And when a man hath beene zealous in profession and zealous in performances and afterwards falls to formality that 's to turne running into going and that 's the way to coole and quench the spirit It is formality in Religion that undoes men that 's the cause the spirit kindles not in some that the spirit is quenched in others Men content themselves with a forme of godlinesse but deny the power thereof men come to Church heare pray receive but there is no life no zeale no heate in their profession and performances and therefore the spirit kindles not and therefore the spirit is quenched We know what Isaac said to his Father as he was going to mount Moriah Gen. 12.7 My father behold the fire and the wood but where is the Lambe for the burnt offering But we may say to many Behold the wood and the Lambe but where is the fire Here is profession and here is praying and hearing and receiving but where is the fire where is the zeale the heat the life that these duties should bee done withall God was displeased with Nadab and Abihu because they offered with strange fire It is a provocation to God to offer with no fire as well as with strange fire And because men come to offer without fire because they performe duties formally Et solent non de pietate De diversis Serm. 120. sed de solennitate concurrere as Austin speakes therefore is the spirit of God not kindled therefore is the spirit of God quenched As therefore we would feare to quench the spirit so take we heed of formality in holy performances bring fire with your offerings bring fire with your incense what is fire without incense and what is incense without fire If you professe professe powerfully If you pray pray earnestly pray with your whole heart If we doe performe holy duties stirre we up our selves to doe them with all our might But if we doe holy duties onely for forme and satisfie our selves in the bare ceremony of the worke done wee shall never kindle the Spirit if it be not kindled and we shall quench the spirit if it be kindled He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. We are all baptized with water but yet a Christian should looke to it that hee be not onely baptized with water but with fire also And all that are truely baptized are baptized with fire as well as with water How many are baptized with water that were never baptized with fire Their coldnesse and formality in Religion shewes that they were baptized with water alone that there was not a sparke of fire in their baptisme Nay were it that men were baptized with fire yet coldnesse and formality in Religion and holy performances would make their baptisme a meere watry baptisme nay it would prove water to quench and put out that fire with which they had beene baptized Formality is water that will quench the fire of the Holy Ghost 3. Thirdly An opinion of sufficiency of grace is a quencher of the Spirit a conceit and an opinion of sufficiencie of grace and godlinesse When men once say of grace Religion and godlinesse as Esau said of his goods and wealth Gen. 33.9 And Esau said I have enough my brother c. As profane a person as hee was there be but a few that are of his minde and that can tell when they have enough It was well said of Esau in that kinde But when men come to say so of grace and godlinesse I have enough and entertaine a conceit of a sufficiencie of grace that they have knowledge enough they have faith enough zeale enough and that they need trouble themselves no more to increase their knowledge faith zeale they are in a direct and a dangerous course of quenching the spirit The next way to quench the spirit is to quench a mans cares desires and endeavours after more grace When a man desires no more grace than hee hath endeavours and labours for no more than he hath grace will dye and decay and so the spirit will quench Now there is nothing so quenches a mans cares desires and endeavours after grace as the conceit and opinion that a man is well that hee hath enough and that more is more than needes If a man have a good estate yet if he thinks that he hath not yet enough but hee yet wants so much and so much that very opinion that he hath not enough quickens his cares for his desires of his endeavours after more and so makes him ply his trading ply his Markets yet to get more And his desires and endeavours quickned by that opinion makes the mans estate grow makes him thrive and increase his wealth So a man that hath good measures of grace already yet if hee thinke that hee is short of that hee should be and have he hath not yet those measures of knowledge faith zeale c. he should have that very thought quickens his cares desires and endaavours to get more and these endeavours increase his stocke Paul Phil. 3. pressed hard forward to the marke that was set before him and so runne on still desired yet to goe further in grace and Religion But what made him doe it I forget the things which are behinde Hee did not looke at what he had already done as if hee had done enough hee did not thinke he had enough or had done enough and therefore he desired to have more to doe more When a man thinkes hee hath enough goods and riches enough for him and his he cares not for any more he will not ride and runne about and be early up and late downe hee will not be so eager in his trading but give it quite up Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeeres take thine
ease plod no more bustle about no more And so when a man ceases his paines and endeavours sits still and takes his ease then his goods come not in and increase not as they did before but he spends of his stock Just so here when a man thinkes he hath grace enough he will not doe as they Dan. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Indeede when men finde a want of knowledge and so of other graces they will runne to and fro for it and take paines for it and these paines shall not be in vaine their knowledge and their grace shall bee increased But when men thinke they have enough they will not run to and fro they will sit still and let fall all endeavours and then knowledge and grace shall not be increased but be decreased the stocke will waste and the spirit will be quenched The Church of Laodicea had questionlesse beene zealous and had the spirit kindled in a most goodly measure but yet see to what a temper she was come Apoc. 3.15 16. Thou art neither hot nor cold thou art luke-warme To have beene hot and to come to this not to be hot to have beene zealous and fervent and to come to be luke-warme this is a quenching of the spirit Luke-warme Christians are quenched Christians luke-warme Christians are quenchers of the spirit thus had Laodicea quenched he Spirit But how came Laodicea to quench the spirit Thou art neither hot nor cold thou art luke-warme vers 15 16. But when came this luke-warmnesse see vers 17. Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have neede of nothing Here was an opinion of sufficiency I have enough and this quencht her indeavours of increasing grace and this brought her to luke-warmnesse and so to the quenching of the Spirit Prov. 10.4 He that dealeth with a slacke hand becommeth poore He doth not say he shall not be rich but becomes poore though he had a good estate before yet he becomes poore It stands in opposition to the latter part of the verse The hand of the diligent not keeps riches but makes rich though otherwise at first but poore So a slacke hand makes a man poore that was rich Now when a man hath had spirituall riches of grace and sinkes in his estate and decayes that man quenches the spirit Now what brings a man to decay and to become poore when a man deales with a slacke hand He remits of his diligence and of his paines in using meanes to increase his spirituall riches And what is a maine thing that makes a man slack his hand No one thing more then a conceit that a man hath enough a sufficiency of grace Once admit an opinion that thou hast enough and then thou wilt deale with a slacke hand and wilt abate of thy paines and endeavors for grace And paines abated grace abates and grace abated the Spirit is quenched Once thinke thou hast grace enough faith knowledge zeale enough and it will quickly come to passe that thou thou shalt bee sure to have little enough No sooner is the Moone come to the full but it presently decreases and abates of her light And no sooner is a man come to be full to a fulnesse in his conceit but he presently inclines to the wane and is on the decreasing hand Therefore as we would feare to quench the spirit so take we heed of nourishing yea of entertaining such a conceit of a sufficiency of grace Remember the Spirit is here compared to fire and fire is one of the foure things that never sayes It is enough Prov. 30.16 It is a fire on the quenching hand and a fire that will soone be quencht that sayes It is enough There is nothing that so speedily and so dangerously beggers a Christian and decayes Abrupt over-sudden breaking off from holy duties a quencher of the Spirit and decreases the Spirit of grace in him as a conceit of riches and sufficiency 4. Fourthly an abrupt and over-sudden breaking off from holy duties in which wee have found our hearts heated and inlarged When a man in prayer hearing or receiving hath found spirituall heate raised and fire kindled he should have a care to keepe up that heate warming him and that fire burning in him so long as may be It is not possible after holy duties be ended to keep the fire in that heate and the heate in that frame it had in the performance of the duties but yet a man should keep it up so long as may bee and though that fire goe out yet it should not suddenly be quencht and put out so soone as the duty is over but it should goe out leasurely gradually When David found that holy and good frame of heart in the people 1 Chron. 29.18 See how he prayes for them He finds in them a float of good affections and he desires that this frame of heart may be upheld and kept in them for ever Not that that flame and float of good affections should alwayes bee in that heate and height that then they were in but that such a frame of heart might alwayes habitually be in them that upon all good occasions the like good affections might be raised and the like fire might flame Now the way to doe that is to keepe them up so long as may be and when they doe sinke yet to let them sinke so gradually that they may leave in the heart an habituall disposition and inclination to the like frame againe when occasion shall be The string of a Lute or a Violl if it have beene wound up to an high note if afterwards it be let downe a note or so yet it will of it selfe be rising again so when our hearts have beene inlarged in prayer hearing c. and our affections have been wound and skrewed up to a good height when we goe off from the duty yet should we goe off with a bent of the heart to the duty still and wee should doe our best to keepe our hearts as long as may bee in that holy and good frame in which holy duties left them And when this frame goes downe leasurely and by degrees it will leave in the heart an habituall disposition and preparation for these duties againe And this is that which causes a great quenching of the Spirit Men it may be have their hearts sweetly inlarged and heated in prayer hearing receiving and as soone as prayer is done the Sermon and Sacrament is done they chop suddenly off from these duties breake then off abruptly and fall to talke of the world too too suddenly so as the holy frame of heart got in these duties is suddenly gone and the fire immediately quencht When a man is very hot if he presently strip himselfe and throw off his clothes hee is in great danger to take such a cold as may quench the very life of him So such a sudden and immediate chopping from holy duties to matters of
no assurance that God accepts his prayers alas what a comfortlesse service is that from such prayers may a man rise with a sad Spirit Goe and eate thy bread with sorrow and drinke thy wine with a sad heart for God accepts not thy prayer God answers not with fire Now what is it that brings a man into this condition This is nothing else but a sad fruit of quenching the Spirit of Grace Because men quench the spirit therefore the Spirit burnes not in prayer and so gives no assurance of Gods acceptance What wonder that fire burns not when it is quencht Thou hast quenched it in the graces and degrees of it and therefore it is quenched in the comfort of it and now it gives thee no testimony of acceptance As therfore wee would feare to want fire to give us assurance of Gods acceptance so take wee heed that we before-hand doe not quench the fire 3. The Spirit makes our prayers accepabe The Spirit of God doth us this good office to make our prayers acceptable Prayer is not acceptable unlesse it be fervent Jam. 5. It is fervent prayer that prevailes therefore it is fervent prayer that is acceptable There is a phrase Am. 5.21 I will not smell in your solemne assemblies What that meanes see vers 22. I will not accept When incense was offered upon the Golden Altar if the Priest had layed incense upon it upon the cold Altar if there had been no fire there had beene no smell it must burne before it could smell For as in that case Ex. 29.41 For a sweet savor an offering made by fire unto the Lord so this it must be fire that must make an offering of sweet savour So all our prayers if there be no fire they have no smell they have no acceptance Now if we quench the spirit we quench the acceptance of our prayers our incense is not accepted if it doe not smell it cannot smell unlesse it burne and how can wee thinke it should burne when wee have quencht the fire of the Spirit by which our incense should burne The Spirit gives us a comfortable assurance of our good condition before God 4. Fourthly the Spirit of God doth us this good office to give us a comfortable assurance of our good condition before God Rom. 8.16 The same spirit beareth witnesse c. yea it seales to us our adoption 2 Cor. 1.21 ye were sealed with the spirit But now if the spirit be quenched where is that comfort of Adoption Can a quenched spirit be a witnessing spirit Can a quenched spirit be a sealing spirit Can a quenched spirit be an assuring spirit Can a quenched spirit be a spirit of consolation It is a dangerous thing to quench the spirit it is the quenching of his witnesse it is the blurring and defacing of his seale it is the quenching of a mans own comfort 5. Fifthly The Spirit guides us in the way of truth the Spirit of God doth us this good office to leade and guide us in the wayes of truth and life Joh. 16.13 The Spirit will leade you into all truth and 1 Cor. 12.3 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit It is he that by his light guides us and shewes us what is truth Hee is as the pillar of fire Exod. 30.11 to give light to goe by day and by night Wee live here in the darke and if we have not the light of the Spirit wee cannot but wander and goe amisse And this is a danger of quenching the spirit that it being quenched wee are in danger of being in the darke and being in the darke of miscarrying of falling into dangerous and foule errours It seemes that sometimes Israel did travell by night by that place Exod 30.21 and there was no danger of going out of their way or falling into pits c. because they had the pillar of fire to give them light to goe by night If they had gone by night and had not had the pillar of fire in what danger had they gone They had been in danger of being wilderd of losing their way of falling into holes and pits into which they might have broken their neckes So here so long as wee have the light of the Spirit to guide us we are safe from such danger but if once wee quench the spirit wee quench the light of it and then are in danger of being wilderd and losing our way of falling into this and that dangerous errour Experience lets us see the truth of it Wee see some that have beene very forward in godlinesse and Religion very Zealous and active and who but they But after they have abated their zeale and fervour fallen off from good society and duties they have quenched the Spirit And what hath become of them Why not one odde opinion stirring in a Country not any dangerous errour abroach but they fall presently into it and are ensnared And no wonder that such fall into the ditch for the light of the Spirit is quencht And thus the Spirit is quenched in the offices thereof when quenched in the graces 2. Secondly To quēch Gods Spirit kindles the divels a second danger of quenching the spirit in the graces thereof is this The quenching of Gods Spirit is oftentimes the kindling of the spirit of the Divell Saving and sanctifying graces though they cannot bee quenched in their habits yet wee saw before that they may bee quencht in their acts and operations may be quencht in their measures and degrees And the quenching of sanctifying grace though but in the act and degree yet it makes way for the kindling of the fire of the spirit of satan Wee are counselled Ephes 6. to quench the fiery darts of satan Now when wee quench the spirit of God in the acts and degrees of grace wee are farre from quenching the spirit of satan nay wee doe certainely thereby give so much the more advantage for the tentations of satan to prevaile and the fire of them to kindle so much the easilier But now when the spirit is quenched in the common gifts and graces thereof such as reprobates may have then the quenching of the spirit of God is the kindling of the spirit of the Divell so as hee enters with so much the more power to carry men into all manner of sinne with greedinesse Marke that passage 1 Sam. 16.14 But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul There was the spirit of the Lord quenched And what was the issue Was that all No marke the danger that followed upon it And an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him Gods Spirit goes and the Divels spirit comes Yea hee came so that Saul was carryed into horrible and fearefull sinnes Hee proved unreasonably malignant and malicious against David Hee commits a most barbarous and cruell murder 1 Sam 22.16 Thou shalt dye Ahimelech thou and all thy Fathers house It was a bloudy act to put Ahimelech to death
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