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
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
may not onely have pardon but peace and joy of spirit Doe but consider that Text Zech. 3.3 4. Joshua was there cloathed with filthy garments and stood before the Angel before Christ and vers 4. Christ speakes twice hee speakes to them that stood by and to Ioshua himselfe To them that stood by hee said Take away the filthy garments from him It is my will and pleasure that Ioshua's sins be taken away and pardoned That 's happy for Ioshua But is that all No he speakes a second time And unto him he said not only unto them that stood by but unto him unto Ioshua hee said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee So that Christ doth not onely pardon a sinner but gives the pardoned sinner assurance of it There is not onely a sentence of absolution pronounced in the Court of Heaven before those that stand before Christ but a sentence of absolution pronounced in the Court of Conscience Hee not onely sayes to them that stood before him Ioshuaes sinne is pardoned but hee sayes to Ioshua himselfe and unto him he said Ioshua thy sinne is pardoned as to the palsey man Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee Therefore should we not onely labour for pardon but for the knowledge of it for thereupon lyes our peace and comfort Quest How may a man know then that his sinne is pardoned Answ Besides the secret testimony and witnesse of Gods Spirit sealing a mans pardon to him in the very acts of holy duties and Ordinances it may be knowne by these things First by the mortification of sinne and the taking away the reigning power thereof There is in sinne a double power There is a condemning power and there is a commanding power by which it rules and reigns in a mans heart so as hee is under the obedience of it There is the guilt of sinne and there is the dominion of sinne that by which it rules in the hearts and lives of men of the first yee have mention Rom. 3.19 That all the world may become guilty before God Of the second Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not have dominion over you The guilt is the damning power and the dominion is the reigning power Now David here prayes Take away the iniquity of thy servant that is pardon my sinne Now pardon of sinne stands in the taking away of the damning and condemning power and when a man knowes that the damning and condemning power of his sinne is taken away then hee may know that his sinne is pardoned But how shall a man know that the damning power of sinne is taken away Then is the damning power taken away when the reigning power is taken away Then is the condemning power taken away when the commanding power is taken away Then is the guilt taken away when the dominion is taken away Wheresoever sinne is pardoned it is sinne subdued it is sinne mortified it is sinne forsaken and cast off So that if a man know his sinne to be mortified subdued and know himselfe delivered from the reigning and commanding power of it hee may be confident in it that hee is delivered from the damning power of it Justification is called the Justification of life Rom. 5.18 As it is a Justification of life so it may be called a justification of Death A justification of life to a mans person that is pardoned a justification of death to a mans sinne when hee is pardoned because upon the justification of a mans person followes necessarily the mortification of a mans lusts And so pardoned sinne is deaded sinne Sinne no sooner loses the Sword to kill but it loses the Scepter to rule and therefore if the Scepter be lost the sword is lost If the dominion be mortified the guilt is certainely pardoned for all dominion flowes from guilt and it is the condemning power that enables sin with a commanding power So that if the commanding power be taken away it is a sure signe that the condemning power is taken away for otherwise the commanding power would remaine in full force and strength See Mic. 7.18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turne againe he will have compassion on us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depths of the Sea Marke then where God pardons iniquity and casts sinnes into the depths of the Sea there hee alwayes subdues iniquity And therefore where iniquity is subdued there iniquity is pardoned Lay together those two Texts Rom. 11.26 He shall turne ungodlinesse from Jacob that is hee shall take away and pardon the sin of Jacob. But now Isa 59.20 the words lye otherwise Vnto them that turne from transgression in Iacob This diversifying of the words teaches thus much That where ungodlinesse is turned from men there men are turned from ungodlinesse where mens persons are justified there mens lusts are mortified where God gives men pardon of sinne there God gives power against sinne And so also where God hath given power there God hath given pardon and where men are turned from transgression there ungodlinesse is turned from them Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law and so under guilt but ye are under grace you have your sinnes pardoned through the grace and mercy of God See then that so long as under the Law and under guilt so long under the dominion of sinne That when under grace and sinne pardoned then sinne hath no dominion And that therefore when men are not under the dominion under the commanding power of sinne that that is a sure signe they are under Grace their sinnes are pardoned and they are freed from the condemning power of them Doe but marke that Text Levit. 13.22 23. If it spread much abroad in the skin then unclean it is a plague To teach that if sinne reigne then a man is not pardoned hee must be pronounced uncleane But in the next verse If the spot stay in his place and spread not it is a bile and the Priest shall pronounce him cleane Strange that a man should have a spot and a burning bile and yet be pronounced cleane Why so Because it stayes in its place because it spreads not To teach that though men may have lusts and corruptions which are spots in the soule yea burning biles yet if they spread not reigne not they are not imputed they are pardoned Therefore where the reigning spreading commanding power of sinne is gone there the condemning power is also taken away Wouldest thou then know whether thy sinnes be taken away or no Looke into thine heart into thy lusts into thy life Are thine iniquities subdued Art thou turned from transgression Art thou free from the dominion of thy lusts Lusts thou hast but yet they are but burning biles they be spots
and he caused me to eate the roule Well but would the opening of his mouth and eating it with his mouth serve the turne No vers 3. Sonne of man cause thy belly to eate fill thy bowels with this roule that I give thee So in the eating of the Word delivered to us it is not enough to take it into our mouths but we must swallow it downe cause our belly to eate it and not onely fill our eares our heads memories but we must fil our bellies and our bowels with it This is done when wee not onely heare and meditate upon it but when it is so digested and concocted by us that wee by obedience and conformity to it even become one vvith it As vvhen meate is eaten and digested it becomes one vvith the substance of the body This point of eating is that Rom. 6.17 Yee have obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine whereunto ye were delivered That looke as meate eaten becomes one with the body and takes the same forme with it so then is the Word eaten when we yeeld such obedience to it as that we are delivered into the forme of the Word And this is indeede the maine and principall thing in this eating And till this be done the Word is not eaten Many have a conceit that they eate the Word because they heare take some delight in it c. but in the mean while they yeeld not obedience to it bring it not into practise it is in their eares it is in their mouthes it is in their note Bookes but it is not in their bellies and bowels It is just with them as in that case with those Jsa 29.8 As an hungry man dreames and behold he eates as in his dreame hee dreames he eates but he awakes and his soule is empty And so many they dreame they eate because they heare c. but yet their soule is empty and their belly is empty because they never caused their belly to eate they never filled their bowels the Word never yet sanke into their hearts to worke them to obedience to it And thus in these things stands this duty of eating and this is the duty that wee are to doe And that we may be stirred up to it consider these motives First eating the Word it is both the meanes and the signe of spiritiuall life It is the meanes of life Eating maintaines life let a man give up eating and hee must give up living no eating no life Gen. 47.15 Give us bread for why should wee dye in thy presence And if they had bread yet if they did not eate it if they had kept it in their cupboords laid it by and lookt on it they had dyed neverthelesse It is not the having but the eating of bread that makes men live Nehem. 5.2 We tooke up corne that we may eate and live Men may have meat and may have bread and yet if they eate it not they may dye And when once men leave eating it is a signe they are neere dying Psal 107.18 Their soule abhorreth all manner of meate and they draw neere to the gates of death It is a signe men are in a dying condition when once they are past eating because eating is the meanes of preservation of life So it is here eating the Word is the meanes of spirituall life The Word is called the Word of life It is called our life Deut. 32.46 47. and so eating the Word is the eating of that which is life and eating of life the meanes of life There was an eating by which death entred into the world Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof surely shalt thou dye But this eating is that by which life comes to us and in the day that we eare the Word living wee doe live we have hereby the life of grace and shall be assured of the life of glory They that eate of this bread shâ—ll live for ever and not dye at all That as Joh 6.48 49 50. I am that bread of life Your Fathers did eate Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead This is the bread which commeth downe from heaven that a man may eate thereof and not dye So in this case And looke as Christ againe speakes of eating himselfe Joh. 6.53 54. Then Jesus said unto them Verely verely I say unto you Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye have no life in you Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day So here also for Christ is eaten by eating the Word Isa 55.1 Buy and eate vers 3. Heare and you shall live Blessed are they that eate bread in the Kingdome of God No eating bread in Gods Kingdome unlesse fitst wee eate the Word here And so blessed are they that eate the Word for they shall eate bread in the Kingdome of God They shall eate and live for ever And as it is a meanes so a spirituall life When men doe eate the Word it is a signe they are alive and and in spirituall health A dead man cannot eate onely living men eate and when men eate and fall hard to their meate it is a signe that they are alive and their health good When men can eate and fall hard to the Word it is a signe that they are in life and health Therefore as yee would use the meanes as have a signe of spirituall life so eate the Word Secondly That which moved Eve to eate the forbidden fruit should move us to eate the commanded fruit Gen. 3.6 And when the Woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise she tooke of the fruit thereof and did eate and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eate So here the word is good good for food it is that which is to be desired to make one wise therefore let us take thereof and eate heartily of it The goodnesse of the Word is that which should move to eate Good meate tempts men to eate and though men have no great stomacke yet if they heare meat commended for good meate they will eate of it Isa 55.2 Hearken and eate that which is good And it is Salomons argument Prov. 4.1 2. Heare yee children the instruction of a father and attend to know understanding For I give good doctrine Yea and hee presses this duty of eating upon this ground Prov. 24.13 14. My sonne eate thou hony because it is good and the hony combe which is sweet to thy taste So shall the knowledge of wisdome be unto thy soule when thou hast found it then there shall be a reward and thy expectation shall not be cut off The summe is As when men finde honey they doe not forbeare but will fall to and eate because they know it is so sweet and good So when thou findest the Word fall
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
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
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
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
the world especially to matters of vanity it quenches not only the fire and heate but quenches the frame of heart so as it is not easie to bring it to such a frame againe it exceedingly indangers the quenching of the life of grace When a man hath bin at a Sermon and hath had his heart affected with it and hee presently goes from the Sermon and holds not his heart in any thoughts of it no nourishing of his spirituall heate by meditation prayer or conference but he falls instantly upon the world is instantly up to the eares in the businesse of the world it brings a mighty dampe upon the Spirit It is as if a man should fetch fire out of the Sanctuary and as soone as ever he comes at the doore should cast it into water Psal 5.3 I will direct my prayer unto thee and will looke up That when his heart had done praying yet his eyes were praying he was still looking up the bent of his heart still stood heaven-ward But when we pray and presently looke downe scarce up from off our knees but our tongues are running upon the world or our vanities when we heare wee are scarce out of the Church doores but sheepe and Oxen and such things take up our thoughts and discourses we doe take water and flash it upon the fire that was kindled in our hearts in holy duties Take heed therefore of such a chopping off from holy duties and keepe a bent of heart still to them for a time after we come from them 3. Point The danger of quenching the Spirit There is a great deale of danger in quenching the Spirit so great as may make any wise man fearefull how he doth it David being in battell with the Philistines and being in danger of being slaine by Ishbi-benob the Gyant was rescued by Abishai which danger being escaped The men of David sware unto him saying Thou shalt goe no more with us out to battell that thou quench not the light of Israel 2 Sam. 21.17 It had beene a sad and a dangerous thing to have had the light of Isfrael quenched and therefore they would provide wisely another time against that danger And it is no little danger that followes upon the quenching of the Spirit It is good therefore to know the danger of it that the danger of it being knowne we may take the greater heed thereof and feare the more to quench the Spirit The danger of quenching the Spirit in the motions and sollicitations of it that is two-fold First Quenching the Spirit deprives us of Gods help and assistance when a man quenches the Spirit in the motions of it either by not observing them or not obeying them that he doth not marke them and yeeld a present obedience to them hee then looses the helpe and assistance of the Spirit which he might have had in the doing of those things hee was moved to which helpe he might have had if he had then listned to the motions of the Spirit This is a sure truth that whensoever the Spirit of God moves a man to any good duty as to beleeve to repent to pray to heare to performe any difficult duty of obedience that whensoever he moves to such duties he also offers his helpe and assistance so as to enable us unto them and to carry us thorow them as if he should say Doe that which I move you to set upon it and goe about it now I call upon you to doe it and I that move you will also helpe you Hearken to my counsell and you shall have mine helpe to carry you thorow the work though it be an hard worke If you will close with me in my motion I will close with you in the action The motions of the Spirit are not bare motions but there is alwayes annext to them offers of helpe and the motions being hearkned to the helpe of the spirit goes along with them Motions of grace have offers of grace motions of the Spirit have the helpe of the Spirit offered with them The Spirit of God moves a man to beleeve repent to pray c. Now when he moves thee to doe these things at the same time he offers his helpe for the doing of them he offers his helpe and assistance to beleeve to repent to pray And a man that takes the advantage of the motions of the Spirit hath also his helpe and is enabled by him to doe these things As in that case Luk. 5.17 As he was teaching the power of God was present to heale them So it is in the motions of the Spirit as he is teaching urging pressing us to any duty the power of the Lord is just then present to helpe a man and the man that hearkens to the counsell of the Spirit shall be sure to have that helpe of the power of God that is then present As there in that case The power of the Lord was present then to heale them as he was teaching And see what followed upon it vers 18. And behold men brought in a bed a man taken with the palsey When did they bring him Just then when the power of God was present to heale They tooke the very inch of time And how sped they He that was brought in his bed walkes away with his bed and goes away whole So happy a thing it is to take the advantage of Gods helpe when his power is present to helpe Just so it is in the motions of the Spirit when he moves to repentance his power is present to help a man to repent And let a man then bestirre himselfe and though he have as little power to repent as the palsey man had to walke yet the power of God which is present at the motion made will doe as much for his soule as it did for that mans body See 1 Chr. 14.15.16 When David should heare a sound of going in the tops of the Mulberry Trees then he must goe out to battell for then God was present with his power to smite the Philistines Well David did so as God commanded him just when he heares the sound of goings hee goes out just then and what was the successe And they smote the Host of the Philistines Hee tooke the advantage of Gods presence and power that was then present to helpe him and so hee did the deede went thorow happily with the worke When we have motions from Gods Spirit to beleeve repent pray these be the sound of his goings why then set upon these duties But alas they be hard things alas I have no power to beleeve no power to pray to repent I but when thou hearest the sound of the goings of the spirit in his motions then is the Spirit of God going out before thee to helpe thee against thine hardnesse of heart to smite thine hard heart and to soften it and then is the time to set upon the worke of repentance prayer c. Doe therefore as the spirit of God moves thee
had knocked by his Spirit vers 2. It is the voyce of my Wel-beloved that knocks open unto me Christ knocks and she opened not the Spirit is quencht upon it and now she knocks and Christ opens not Shee is paid with her owne coyne served in her owne kinde She shal be taught to her smart and sorrow what a dangerous thing it is to quench the Spirit she shall finde to her griefe that being quenched it will not so easely be kindled againe It shall cost her seeking and calling much paines much prayer and yet not presently recover it neither They that do not open when the Spirit knocks and so quench the Spirit They shall knocke and knocke hard and knocke long before they recover the Spirit if ever they doe recover him I sought him but I could not finde him I called but hee gave me no answer Here was a deepe silence no answer Nay that 's not all but vers 7. shee is yet brought into further straits she is smitten and she is wounded by the Watch-men and her veyle taken from her by the Keepers of the Walls Thus though at last she recovered the presence of Christ and his Spirit againe yet wee see after her quenching the Spirit with what adoe with what toyle and difficulty it is recovered Such a danger is there in quenching the Spirit in the motions of it Take heed of it The Spirit quencht in the motions thereof is not recovered without much tugging and toyling it may make every veyne in thine heart ake againe or ever thou recover it many a bitter teare many a wrestling prayer many a sad sigh many a strong cry many a drooping day many a disconsolate night may it cost thee before thou mayst recover that gratious worke of the Spirit againe This is sad but there is a more sad thing yet behind Therefore 2. Secondly The Spirit quēcht in the motions thereof may bee quenched for ever the Spirit of God quencht in the motions thereof may be quencht for ever The Spirit of God moves in thine heart and sollicites thee to beleeve to repent c. Thou putst him off as Foelix did Paul When thou hast more convenient leasure thou wilt heare more of him thou neglectest and disregardest his counsels and motions and so thou hast quenched the Spirit Well what canst thou tell whether ever he will come to thee any more whether ever thou shalt heare that voyce behinde thee any more It may be that he will never sollicite thee more A neglected motion may be the last motion that ever he will make The Angel moved at a certaine season Joh. 5.4 and whosoever tooke the advantage of the motion was healed of his disease hee that stept in presently upon the Angels motion of the water had cure infallibly Now suppose a man had neglected to take the advantage of the present motion and had said with himselfe Now indeed the Angel moves the waters but yet I will not step in now he will move againe ere long it may be to morrow he will move againe and I will come againe to morrow and I will step into the water then when he moves next time Now how could such a man tell whether ever the Angel would move againe or no There was a time when that miracle ceased there was a motion of the Angel which was his last motion There was a motion after which there was never any motion more Now then how could such a man tell but that motion which hee neglected might be the last For ought he could tell the Angel might never descend into the Poole more might never make a motion in the waters more So when we neglect and quench the Spirit of God in the motions thereof who can tell whether ever the Spirit of God will doe him that favour any more whether he will ever dart any of those sparkes of that heavenly fire into his heart or no when he hath so foolishly quencht them The quenching of the spirit may justly provoke him to cease his worke and to stirre no more It is a sure thing that the Spirit of God unkindly used will forbeare and will be gone Isa 30. Yee shall heare a word behind you c. The stopping of our eares against his motions will at last prove the stopping of his mouth As in the case of the Ministry so God deales in this case Eze. 3.26 J will make thy tongue cleave to the roofe of thy mouth that thou shalt be dumb shalt not be to them a reproofe for they are a rebellious house Deafe hearts make Ministers dumbe and rather then disobedient people shall have the Ministry of the Word God himselfe will silence his Ministers as in Jeremies case God did not onely forbid him to pray for that people but he forbad him to preach to that people Jer. 36.5 Just so will God deale in this case When hee sends his Spirit to direct us reprove us and he comes and woes us allures us urges us to this and that duty and we slight his motions dis-regard and disobey them God when he sees us deaf he will make his Spirit dumb and hee will stop his Spirits mouth when wee stop our eares Hee shall no longer instruct us direct us reprove us but hee will suspend and silence his Spirit from doing these offices It suites just with that Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man As if he should say My Spirit hath striven with them for a long time hath striven in the motions thereof to bring them to repentance but he shall not alwayes strive with them there shall come a time that he shall strive no longer So then God would have his Spirit at last to forbeare striving And what was the cause of it That wee shall see by that place 1 Pet. 3.19 20. The Spirit of Christ went along then with the Ministry of Noah and seconded it by his sollicitations How were his sollicitations entertained They were disobedient They listened not to the gracious motions of the Spirit and so they quenched the Spirit And how did they quench it My Spirit shall not alwayes strive They so quenched it that it should not onely cease striving but it should cease for ever hee should never strive more with them but give them up for ever goe your wayes doe as you will yee shall never have a good motion from my Spirit more See how Christ speakes to the Pharisees Joh. 7.33.34 Yet a little while J am with you and then I goe unto him that sent me And what then Yee shall seeke me and shall not finde mee Christ was with them a little while striving with them to doe them good But they rejected the counsell of God and would none of him Well sayes Christ I am a little while with you and then I goe c. and then ye shall seek c. yee shall not finde me though ye would never so faine though ye would give all the world
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
Kings favour So in this case it is the favour of God in the pardon of sinne that sugars all outward comforts See Isai 40.1 2. Comfort yee my people c. Say unto her that her warfare is accomplished Is that all No And that her iniquity is pardoned It is a comfort to have peace liberty freedome from enemies molestations and oppressions I but then it is a comfort indeed and then it is sweet indeed when it comes with the pardon of sinne When the conscience hath peace with God then there is comfort great comfort in outward peace So when the palsey man came to Christ hee came for cure and it had beene a great mercy to have had his health and recovery from that disease But marke Christ sayes not Be of good comfort thou shalt have thine health that hee tells him after hee shall have but be of good comfort thou shalt have thy pardon To teach that then health and recovery is a sweet comfort when a mans sinne is pardoned Give us our bread forgive our sins teaching us that there is little comfort in having bread without pardon and that that which makes bread comfortable and sweet is when it comes with pardoning mercy A man that lyes in prison and is a condemned man cloath him with rich apparell feed him with delicious fare let him have the sweetest Musicke yet so long as he is a condemned man and lookes every houre to be fetcht out to execution all this gives him no content His heavy heart puts the Musicke out of tune takes away the rellish of his dainty foode But if now a pardon might but come from the King to such a man this would make the Musicke sweet the fare pleasant indeed Nay though hee had nothing but bread and water yet a pardon would so rejoyce him that hee would thinke his bread and water good cheere it would turne his water into wine This is the mercie that crownes all other mercies it is a crowning and the chiefe of all other David Psal 21. Had a crowne of pure Gold set upon his head But when David comes to blesse God for all his benefits Psal 103. Blesse the Lord c. Hee sayes not which hath set a crowne of pure gold upon thine head but vers 4. Who crownes thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies Hee blesses God for crowning him with mercy tender mercy for setting not a crowne of gold but a crowne of mercy upon his head But how did hee set it on his head vers 2. Who forgives all thine iniquity Pardoning mercy is crowning mercy and David more joy'd in that than in his crowne A crowne without pardon is but a crowne of thornes Davids greatest comfort is in his crowne of loving kindnesse and tender mercies Fourthly it is that which fits for duty for the duties of praying hearing receiving of the Sacrament A man is never fit for any duty till his sinnes be pardoned So long as a man stands guilty before God as hee doth till sin be pardoned all his duties are turned into sinne That 's an heavie imprecation Psal 109.7 Let his prayer become sinne But marke the ground of it and how it comes about When he shall be judged let him goe out guilty and let his prayer become sinne When therefore a man stands guilty then his prayer becomes sinne and every man whose sin is not pardoned stands guilty The person being in his sinne hee turnes his duties into sinne Not only the plowing of the wicked is sinne Prov. 21.4 but the praying of the wicked is sinne Plowing is an honest worke and praying is an holy worke but sinne unpardoned marres both plowing and praying turnes the honest worke of plowing and the holy worke of praying into sinne It is bad enough and sad enough that a man sinnes when hee sweares that his oathes are sinnes how much more sad is it that a man sinnes when hee prayes that his prayers are sinnes That is the sad condition of every man who stands guiltie and hath not his sinne pardoned The end of all duties is communion with God And a man is never fit for a duty till hee be fit to have fellowship and communion with God And a man is never fit for fellowship and communion with God till his sinnes be pardoned and so never fit for duty till sinne be pardoned There is no fellowship and communion to be had with God so long as there is a separation betweene God and us Now a mans sinnes unpardoned set God and us at a distance make a separation betweene God and us Isa 59.1 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot save neither is his eare heavie that it cannot heare But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that he will not heare As if hee should say therefore ye pray and God heares you not yee pray and yee have no fellowship with nor answer from God because your sinnns are upon you and they being unpardoned separate betweene you and God and they hide his face from you In vaine doth a man seeke communion with God when separated from him Sinne unpardoned makes the Lord a separatist he will not joyne with us nor have any fellowship with us in any of our duties Till sinne be separated from us God will separate and then sinne is separated when it is pardoned and when pardoned then fit for duty because then so qualified as God will have communion with us Wee are never fit for duty till wee can so doe duty that wee may expect good from duty Then fit for prayer the Word the Sacrament when so qualified as that we may receive good from God in them and by them And that is then when wee have our iniquities taken away Hos 14.2 Take away all iniquity and give good Why pray wee but that God may give good by that ordinance Why heare wee but that God may give good by that Ordinance Why receive wee the Sacrament but that God may give good by that Ordinance I but if wee will receive good by these wee must be fit to pray heare receive let us be qualified aright and God will give good But what is that qualification Take away all iniquity and give good Therefore men doe these and no good is given them because they first take not a course to have iniquity taken away Prayer would give good preaching would give good and the Sacrament would give good if wee would come fitted for these duties and this is the maine thing that must first be had to fit us the pardon of sinne No duty is accepted till a mans person be No mans person is accepted so long as he is in his guilt hee is in his guilt that hath not sinne pardoned but when sinne is pardoned then guilt is taken off when guilt is taken off then a mans person is accepted when a mans person is accepted then his duty is accepted
A man is never fit for duty till hee be such an one as may be accepted and can never be accepted till his sinnes be pardoned When a man comes to God in any holy duty and comes in his guilt in his sinnes Satan is presently ready to put in a barre against him and to lay his sinnes in his dish that God may not regard him Lord here is a man prayes heares receives Lord respect not his service let him have no acceptance nor answer from thee I but why Satan Lord hee is a swearer a drunkard uncleane covetous hee hath committed such and such sinnes and the guilt of them yet lyes upon his soule And wilt thou have communion with guilty sinners Art not thou a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity And this is a strong plea and will carry meate in the mouth of it so long as sinne is unpardoned There is no way to enervate Satans pleas but by getting sinne pardoned that is it alone which will take off the edge of all his accusations Our prayers will never be of force so long as his accusations be of force His accusations will be of force and will enfeeble the prevailing of our prayers so long as sinne is unpardoned But when once sinne is pardoned then God hath to answer Satan with all It is true Satan that this man that now prayes c. hath committed such sins as thou accusest him and those sinnes of his deserve that hee should be rejected but yet those sinnes of his shall not prejudice his prayers nor be any stopping to my blessing for I have pardoned all those sinnes of his they are all taken away and forgiven Doe but consider that place Zech. 3.1 There is Joshua standing before the Angel of the Lord that is before Christ standing that is ministring in and executing his office offering up sacrifices and prayers for the people And at the very same time Satan is standing there also and standing at his right hand to resist him to be an adversary to him that is hee was there ready to hinder and frustrate his prayers by putting in accusations against him What was the ground of his accusations Wherein lay their strength That appeares vers 3 4. Now Ioshua was cloathed with filthy garments That is he was guilty of divers sinnes as vers 4. opens it And hee answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy garments from him And unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of raiment Now Christ is willing to accept Ioshua and to regard him in his service I but Lord sayes Satan hee is in his filthy garments hee is defiled with the guilt of his sinne Therefore that Christ may make way for the prevalencie of Ioshua's prayer see how hee answers Take away his filthy garments And hee sayes unto Ioshua I have caused thine iniquity to passe froÌ„ thee c. Ioshua thy sins are pardoned and so thy prayers shall speed and shall prevaile against all Satans resistance and accusations Out of which passage wee may observe these particulars First that whenever man comes to pray to God and performe that duty Satan will stand at his right hand to resist him Joshua cannot stand before Christ but Satan will stand at his right hand Secondly that the â—â—ine strength of Satans accusations lyes in the guilt of our sinnes Sinne unpardoned is that which puts validity into his resistances Thirdly that when sinne is pardoned and filthy garments taken away then a mans prayer prevailes findes acceptance and proves too strong for Satans resistances A pardoned sinners prayers are too strong for all the devils in hell with their accusations So that all this considered what a motive should it be to make us get our pardon As wee would not have all our duties to be turned into sinnes as wee would have communion with God in them all as wee would get good by and in them all as wee would have our duties accepted and prevalent as wee would bee fit to pray c. so get the pardon of our sinnes What a sad thing is it to lose all our endeavours to lose our prayers hearing and receiving all is lost and is lost labour if wee come unfitted to them Every man that is unpardoned is unprepared every unprepared man doth but lose his labour in all his duties and performances Fifthly it is that which exceedingly fits a man to suffer and to beare the crosse It is that which every one must reckon upon that will be Christs to take up the Crosse It is but a delicacy that men dreame of to divide Christ and his Crosse A man cannot take one but hee must resolve to take up the other Now no man can suffer unlesse hee be fit for it and well prepared for the service It is not an easie thing to suffer there is a great deale of patience of courage of resolution and Christian magnanimity of Spirit required in him that will suffer for Christ and the Gospell A man that is fearefull a coward will never suffer Hee that will suffer must be free from cowardise of spirit Now there is nothing so cowes a mans spirit as the feare of Hell and damnation Many a man could looke death in the face that dares not looke Hell in the face Many a man that shrinkes not at dying yet shrinkes at damning that quailes the stoutest courage in the world And there is nothing that puts a man more in the feare of Hell than guilt the want of the pardon of sinne And nothing that makes a man feare Death more then when through death hee sees Hell when hee sees the gates of death open into Hell and then a man sees Hell through death when hee apprehends his sinne unpardoned and seeing Hell through death hee is so affrighted at the sight of Hell that if hee can shift it hee will not dye but will redeeme himselfe from death upon any termes Hee will doe any thing yeeld to any thing be of any Religion of any faith rather than suffer death for the true Religion because if hee dye his sinnes being unpardoned hee knowes there is no way but Hell for him Thus doth sinne unpardoned unfit a man to dye for Christ an unpardoned sinner dreads the fire because it may but prepare him for a worse fire in Hell But now when a mans sinne is pardoned and his conscience discharged of the guilt his heart is quit of all feare of Hell and damnation Hee sees the gates of death open into Heaven into happinesse And Death is not dreadfull nor terrible at all when the doore opens that way There is nothing so animates a man so sills his heart with courage and resolution as pardon of sinne doth That is it which alone makes a Christian Souldier valorous that takes palenesse out of the cheekes whitenesse out of his Liver cowardise out of his heart such
68.11 The Lord gave the Word great was the company of them that published it Wee have had preaching and Preachers and this spirituall food Gods plenty wisdome cryes out to men as Prov. 9.5 Come eate of my bread And Christ calls upon men as Cant. 5.1 Eate O friends and fall to and take your filles And yet men sit and looke on and regard neither this food nor these invitations but deale with the Lord as Salomon wishes men to deale with a churle Prov. 23.6 7. Eate not the bread of him that hath an evill eye neither desire his dainty meates eate and drinke saith he but his heart is not with thee Just so deale men with the Lord when he calls upon them to eate the Word as if God had an evill eye as if his heart were not with them whereas as the Word and food is good so also is his eye good and his heart is with us and it would be meate and drinke to him to see us fall to and eate heartily Such carriage at our Neighbours Tables would be construed a discurtesie and men would force themselves to eate against their stomackes rather then to give their discontent at his Table And yet wee stand not upon giving the Lord such grosse disgusts as not to eate when he layes and sets meate before us There is much preaching and yet but little eating Many instead of eating the Word could finde in their hearts to eat the Minister And what thinke we is the reason that men eate the word no more then they doe It is from these three causes First from fulnesse The full soule loathes the honey combe Prov. 27.7 When a mans belly is full hee hath not onely no minde to eate but hee loathes to eate and that not onely course and common foode but the daintiest and sweetest food hee treadeth under foot the honey combe The Word is honey and this honey is to be eaten when it is found Prov. 24.13 And yet when men finde it they eate it not but loath it and tread upon it And the reason is because they are already full Such a fulnesse as that Rom. 1.29 Being filled with all unrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse covetousnesse maliciousnesse full of envy murther debate deceit malignity whâ—sperers Their hearts are cram'd full of their lusts And their hearts being already filled with carnall and worldly lusts they loath these honey combes Some feed so full upon that hony Pro. 5.3 The honey which drops from the lips of a strange woman that they tread this honey combe under foot There be a great many that eate as the Serpent doth Gen. 3.14 Dust shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy life All worldly hearts are of the Serpents dyet they eate dust and so fill themselves with the dust of the earth that they loath to eate the Word Because mens hearts are stuft with this baggage and base food therefore will not men eate this Angels food this bread of Heaven Secondly from lingring and hankring after some other food Such a disposition takes off the stomack from wholsome food The Israelites had Angels food the bread of Heaven and yet at last this food would not down with them nay they loathed their Manna And a man will not eate what hee loathes But what was the cause that they cared not to eate manna See Numb 11.4 They fell a lusting or they lusted a lust and said who shall give us flesh to eate and vers 5. fish to eate and they long after the garlicke and onyons of Egypt and therefore now this Manna will not downe with them So men when once they begin to lust a lust after novelties in doctrine the wholsome savoury truth of God they begin to loath they are weary of it quite cloyed with it then no wonder it is not eaten When once mens lippes hang after Egyptian food popish and corrupt doctrine then truth will not downe by any meanes Isa 44.20 He feedeth on ashes That is but strange food a mad dyet for a man to live and feed on ashes But what makes him feed so fondly A deceived heart hath turned him aside So with many deceived heart hath turned them aside and then they fall to eating of ashes and therefore like those that have the greene sicknesse their mindes hang after ashes and such trash and so no mind to the wholsome food of sound Doctrine See the case cleare 2 Tim. 4.3 4. They will not endure it therefore not eate it not indure it as a man cannot indure the meate he loathes But why not indure it They have itching eares that itch after novelties and therefore shall turn away their eares c. Thirdly from sicknesse or if yee will from deadnesse Sicke men forsake their meate and refuse their meat Men are spiritually sicke and have some diseases upon them that make them eate nothing at all or else they doe but piddle and trifle as good never a whit as never the better Nay men are dead void of the life of God and that 's a maine reason that they eat not Dead men cannot eate Secondly since it is a duty that must be done therefore let people examine themselves whether they doe it or not whether the Word be eaten by them or not Quest How may one know whether he eates the Word or not Answ By these things First By spirituall cheerefulnesse livelinesse and quickning When a man hath eaten it makes him cheerefull and lively Act. 14.17 He fills our heart with food and gladnesse A man when hee hath fasted and long forborne his meate his spirits waste and decay but when hee eates that repaires his spirits and renewes them and so makes a man come to himselfe and makes him fresh and lively See Jonathans case 1 Sam. 14.27 29 30. Hee was faint and his spirits spent so that his eyes began to grow dimme through faintnesse and want of spirit and he doth but eate a little honey and his spirits are refresht and repaired that his eyes were enlightned And if but a taste of the honey did so much How much more sayes Jonathan if the people had eaten freely had they beene cheered and repaired Wee finde a man 1 Sam. 30.12 that had eaten nothing in three dayes and three nights by reason of which his spirits were quite gone and hee was even a dead man But see vers 11. 12. And when he had eaten his spirit came againe unto him It was in a manner gone from him before but now hee had eaten hee was so refresht and cheered that hee was alive againe his spirit came againe So it is in this eating it fills the soule with cheerefulnesse and livelinesse A man that eates the Word indeed findes his heart finely cheered filled with spirits Thy words were found by me and I did eate them How did that appeare And it was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine heart Oh how mine heart was cheered within mee oh how my spirit was refresht Prov. 24.
My sonne if thou finde honey as Jonathan did eate it for it is good So eate this honey for it is good Why what good will follow upon it If thou be faint lumpish spirits downe dim sighted it will enlighten thine eyes it will so cheere thy spirits that it will recover thy deadnesse and dimnesse it will enlighten and enliven thee When that man had eaten his spirit came againe If before thou wert dead and heavy and lumpish unto good duties yet if thou doe eate the Word one good meale of it will recover thee out of that deadnesse and make thee lively and cheerefull in duties of worship and obedience By this try thy selfe If thus it be with thee thou hast eaten the Word but the little quickning refreshing the little enspiriting of men after the Word heard argues how little men doe eate it Secondly by spirituall satisfaction A man that is hungry his stomack is stil craving and he desiring something that he wants and let him have this or that yet hee is not satisfied unlesse he may eate Mirth musick company pleasure let an hungry man have yet there followes no satisfaction still his stomacke craves But let a man but eate then there is a satisfaction and that craving is over Nehem. 9.25 They did eate and they were filled And so in the miracle of the loaves it is said they did all eate and were filled their hunger was allayed and satisfied So it is here The heart of man is full of cravings and hungrings after profits pleasures vanities lusts and though a man eate of these never so much these satisfie not the hungry cravings of the heart nay the more they are fed upon still the heart craves them more But now when a man eates the Word all these cravings of the heart cease and are satisfied A man upon eating the Word findes such satisfaction in it and his heart so fitted that it is at rest from those troublesome and inordinate cravings these unnaturall dogged appetites are quenched The soule that eates the Word findes it selfe so abundantly satisfied that it lingers not after the profits and pleasures of the world Hee that eates this Manna lingers not after the flesh-pots the onyons and garlicke of Egypt Isa 55.2 Wherefore doe yee spend mony for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me and eate yee that which is good and let your soule delight it selfe in fatnesse though these things then satisfie not yet the Word it satisfies and fills and feeds and fattens By this may men try themselves if they have so received the Word as that their hearts are weaned from their carnall and worldly lusts those insatiable cravings are at an end such satisfaction is a signe that a man hath eaten But the contrary shewes how few have eaten Many would seeme to eate and professe they have eaten but yet their hunger after the world their profits and pleasures are as keene and as eager as ever Their hearts doe restlesly crave these things Thine heart is not filled therefore thou hast not eaten Thirdly by spirituall strength fatnesse good liking good complexion so it is in bodily eating keep men from eating and their strength decayes they grow feeble their complexion decayes and they looke with an ill complexion pale wan and ill coloured As wee see in a siege when men have beene coopt up and have not had meate to eate they have come out like so many dead carkaises out of their graves so weake so poore such ghostly lookes as it is enough to scare a man with the sight of them But now eating mends all this that breeds good blood health strength fatnesse and a good habitude of body Upon eating followes strength strength to walke and to worke 1 King 19.8 And he arose and did eate and drinke and went in the strength of that meate forty dayes and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God Upon eating followes fatnesse Nehem. 9.25 They did eate and they were fat Upon eating followes goodnesse of complexion Dan. 1.13 upon the eating of this pulse their countenances were faire and fat And thus is it upon eating the Word men have strength in their soules to walke in the wayes of God men grow fat grow up as calves of the stall full of good Rom. 15.14 they are fat and flourishing Psal 92.14 They have faire and good complexions their wisdome and other graces cause their faces to shine their lives and carriages are faire and lovely And by this may men know whether they have eaten the Word or not If it be thus with them that they have strength against their lusts if they have strength to walke in obedience c. a signe they have eaten the Word But this shewes that few have eaten and doe eate the Word Many say they doe but how is it they be so weake and so feeble that they cannot walke and worke How is it that they be so leane that there is such an emptinesse of grace and goodnesse 2 Sam. 13.4 Why art thou being the Kings sonne leane or thin from day to day so how is it that thou eating the Kings dyet the bread of heaven art thus thin and leane How is it that thy life thy complexion mends not but thy complexion and conversation is so ill It fares with many as in that case Gen. 41.18.21 When the seven leane kine and ill-favoured had eaten up the fat It could not be knowne that they had eaten them they were still as hadgeld hildings and carrion-like scroyles as before So here men say they have eaten but looke on their lives and it cannot be knowne as arrant scroyles as ever as very swearers drunkards as ever as proud covetous loose as ever A cleare signe that such doe not eate the Word Fourthly they that eate the word will ever doe as Eve did when shee did eate the forbidden fruit Gen. 3.6 Who gave also to her husband and hee did eate so ever here There is no such good fellowship as in this eating where there is no man that would eate alone As Job 31.17 where that holy man professeth That hee had not eaten his morsell himselfe alone and the fatherlesse had not eaten thereof so here none that eateth the Word of God eateth his morsell himselfe alone and giveth not the fatherlesse and needy soule to eate thereof But as in Samsons Riddle Out of the eater came meate so here out of the eater of the Word commeth meate to feed others judge by this Thirdly if the Word must be eaten then it teacheth us to be frequent in hearing and diligent in taking all opportunities Some men can content themselves if need be with one Sermon in a yeere and it is enough a conscience if well followed One meale in a yeere were short commons A man desires to eate every day twice some thrice a day There is a necessity of eating frequently so here take all opportunities of hearing
bullockes rammes c. So when wee see it to be market time and the good penny worths of the Gospel are stirring then all the time all the paines all the labour you can finde in all your course offer it willingly as a price that you may buy speedily with your paines and diligence in the use of the meanes knowledge of the truth grace and godlinesse When Christ bid Judas That which thou doest doe quickly the Disciples thought hee had meant That those things were necessary to be bought hee should buy quickly Joh. 13.29 Surely so it must be in this case with all that will buy the Truth That which yee doe doe quickly that which yee buy buy quickly So long as the Gospel is preacht to us so long it is market day buying time Therefore if yee will buy the Truth now now is the time put it not off I will buy to morrow or next weeke or next yeere or at my lives end but buy speedily and buy presently If yee lose the market day and market time yee shall not then buy though yee would The market may be done to morrow the market may be past in another yeere and it will be too late to buy when the market is done See Matth. 25.9 10. c. The foolish Virgins had their oyle to buy when they should have had greatest use of it It was no time to goe to buy oyle when the Bridegroome was come it was too late then whilest they goe to buy then and furnish themselves then the Bridegroome comes and they are shut out of doores Had they bought their oyle when the time of buying was then they had entred Presse men to get grace the knowledge of the truth to be trading now whilest the market time of the Gospel and their life lasts and their answer is all in good time hereafter may serve at the hardest at their death I but then it is no buying time Alas it is an ill time to be catechised in and to be learning the knowledge of the Truth when a man is upon his death bed That 's the time to spend oyle not to buy oyle It is then dying time not buying time it is ill buying when a man is dying If a man be to buy then the doore of heaven will be shut upon him before hee can returne from the shops In vaine shall men seeke the truth and grace and to be taught when the day of grace is past that would not take and buy it whilest the market of the preaching of the Gospel was on foot See Joh 8.21 When the market is done and over then yee shall seeke to buy and all the world if yee had it yee would give to buy the Truth and ye shall not buy but yee shall dye and dye in your sinnes It is not in the markets of the Gospel as it is with other markets Wee see many will put off buying in other markets till toward the end of the market till men have some commodity lye upon their hands and there be but few left to buy and then they make account at the latter end of the market to buy at lower prices to get better penny-worths And so it oft proves But it will not prove so here the best penny-worths here are to be had at the beginning of the market At the end of the market it is a great venture if any thing will be to bee bought at all or if it be to be bought it cannot be had but at farre dearer prices then it might before If thou doe get any thing it will cost thee double and trebble the price it might have beene had for in the prime of the market If thou get any grace and mercy at thy death that hast neglected it in thy life time and in the time of grace it must be had with farre more struggling sorrowing weeping lamenting repenting then it might have beene had for before God is ever deerer and his prices higher at the latter end of the market then at beginning Vse To condemne men for the neglect of this duty their grosse neglect of buying the Truth God offers men in the Ministery this pretious commodity of the Truth and wooes men to buy it and yet men will scarce looke upon it It is strange to see how dead the markets are growne and how this commodity hangs in our hands that God hath betrusted us with the sale of That shall be a good time when it comes Apoc. 18.11 that no man shall buy Romish merchandise any more when Romes markets shall goe downe and the Whores trading shall decay when men shall buy Pardons Reliques Masses Dirges Agnus Deis hallowed Graynes and such trumpery no more When men shall buy lyes no more An happy thing when the Popes Merchandise shall no more be bought but a sad and wofull thing when men will not buy Gods Merchandise any more As 1 Cor. 7.3 Let them that buy be as though they possessed not as though they bought not That 's commendable in worldly mercature To be sure so men deale here Buy as if they bought not as if they cared not whether they bought or no that 's a miserable thing in trading with God It was made a cause of publike fasting and humiliation amongst the Jewes when trading decayed and grew dead And what is it then when this trading growes dead Prov. 17.16 Wherefore is there a commodity of Truth and Grace in Gods hand and a price a meanes in a fooles hand to get wisdome and truth and he hath not an heart Here is a rich commodity men see the price and have the meanes in their hand and yet have no heart to buy no minde to trade slight the commodity as if not worth looking after When God offers this commodity to buy they shuffle it off they have farmes to buy yoakes of Oxen to buy Luc. 14. they have so many things to buy that they will not buy the Truth I pray thee have mee excused I must lay out my time and paines for other things I have not wherewith to buy this Truth It is miserable to see how cold mens desires are after the Truth Just as Pilate Joh. 18.38 What is Truth A good question but asked with a base oscitancy of spirit hee cares not to know what Truth is but before an answer can be given hee goes his way out and turnes his backe upon Christ Just such respect give me not the Truth Presse them to buy the Truth Why what say they is truth but they care not so much as to heare what the Truth is they ought to buy Some it may be could be content to buy it so it might be at their owne price if now and then a Sermon a Chapter reading a good Booke in a good fit would helpe them to it they would not greatly sticke at it But as Zech. 11.12 13. They weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver And the Lord said cast it to the Potter a goodly
price that I was prized at of them So a goodly price that Truth is prized at of men as if God offered trash when he offers Truth The Devils cōmodities goe off roundly men will buy their lusts though it cost them the price of their soule and men will buy toyes buy Play-bookes ballads Dice Cards these commodities hang not but Gods market is at a stand For shame be awakened to this duty and now that God offers to deale with us let us fall to buying Consider but two things to quicken us First It is a commodity that is like to grow deere it is a commodity that may rise and may be that it will bee very hard to be had See how the world went in Elies time 1 Sam. 3.1 And the Word of the Lord was precious in those dayes there was no open vision The Truth rose to an high price no publike prophecying Wee have no charter for the perpetuity of the Truthes abiding with us What know wee but it may grow as precious to as deere and high prices as it did in Elies dayes There is a time when running to and fro will increase knowledge and helpe to buy the truth paines are to the purpose Dan. 12.4 And there is a time when running to and fro will doe no good when for no price nor paines Truth will be had Am. 8.12 And who knowes but hee may see such dayes And is it not better to runne to and fro to take paines when good will be done upon it then to runne to and fro when all the paines in the world will not helpe us to this bargaine Wee see how deere extraordinary deere one kinde of graine is now with us Had a man foreseene it a yeere before what a deale might hee have saved and gained by buying good store of that graine then When Joseph foresaw the seven yeeres famine in Egypt it was his wisedome and providence to buy all the Corne that ever hee could lay his hands on and what a world of advantage did it bring in to the King of Egypt If hee had stayed buying till the famine came hee could have had Corne for no money none was to be had and Egypt had starved for it So wisely he did to buy Corne whilest Corne was plentifull Secondly Buying the truth will keep the Truth and the Gospel amongst us but if wee neglect and slight the buying of it it will be the losse of the Gospel and all the good wee have with it Wee see a man that comes to market so long as men buy up his commoditie and hee hath store of customers he keepes the market constantly and will not leave comming to the market But if once his takings faile and men cease to buy hee may come a while still to try if his markets will mend but if hee sees they mend not and men buy not hee goes quite away and carries his commodities to some other place where hee may finde better trading Just so here Buying will keepe God and the Gospel with us keepe the market going and the Gospel will never goe but once slight Gods Truth and regard not the buying of his commodity God will packe up and be gone and try a new place for trading Hee cast those out of the Temple that bought and sold Luc. 19. hee cast them out for trading in the Temple but here hee will cast men out of the Temple will unchurch them will take away Church and Gospel because men doe not buy in the Temple If ever yee lose the Gospel and Truth bee assured that yee lose it because yee make no more regard of buying the truth Yee see many places that were great market Townes that now their market is downe and quite decayed Why so because men come not in to sell commodities And why came they not in to sell Because men came not in to buy So here If wee will not buy the Truth God will take his Truth away our markets shall downe and God will carry his Truth to Turkes Indians Jewes and there God will have great and goodly markets God will not stay long where once markets grow dead Secondly the prohibition followes Sell it not When once thou hast gotten the truth and gotten grace by no meanes part with it againe but hold and keepe it fast In selling there is a parting with that wherein we have a propriety and wherein wee have a possession In selling there is an alienation of our right propriety and possession of the commodity sold so upon the sale of my commodity I part with it it is no more mine I have no more to doe with it my commodity and I are wholly parted And thus hee prohibits the selling of the truth Doe not sell it when once thou hast it part not with Truth Grace Religion upon any tearmes whatsoever Doct. That the Truth of God once bought must never be sold once gotten and obtained must never be parted withall It is not with this as with other worldly commodities Other commodities a man may buy and may sell againe A man may buy an house and sell it againe may buy land and sell it againe Yea men doe buy other commodities on purpose to sell them as Merchants and Tradesmen In this kinde men may buy and sell but for this commodity of Truth men must onely buy and not sell Other trading lyes in buying and selling both but a Christians trade lyes onely in buying Buy they must and buy they may as much as they will but sell they may not at any hand Buy the Truth and sell it not Prov. 4.5 6. Get that is Buy the same word And not onely buy but when ye have bought sell it not that is exprest in the words following forget it not decline not forsake her not And therefore Prov. 19.8 Hee that gets wisdome loves his owne soule hee that keepeth understanding shall finde good Marke then it is not all that God requires of us to get wisdome but hee requires that when wee have gotten it wee keepe it Hee that sells it keepes it not A man keepes not that which hee sells but parts with it Hee that gets and he that keepes Christians must be keepers as well as getters Buy the truth and keepe the Truth keepe it fast and sure never to part with it more 2 Joh. 2. for the Truths sake which dwelleth in us Truth must not onely lodge with us and be a guest with us for a night or so must not sojourne with us be with us for a yeere or so but it must dwell with us I but a man may dwell a long time in an house and yet be turned out for all that I but it must not be so with the Truth The Truth which dwells in us and shall be with us for ever Truth once bought must be bought for ever must never be sold more nor parted with It is with Truth as it was with the Land of Canaan Levit. 25.23 The Land shall