Exposition of 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5 · Verse 19
VERS. 19.
Quench not the Spirit.
THe third Precept ſubordinate to preſeruation of Chriſtian ioy: where the queſtion is vſual, whether Gods Spirit may poſſibly bee quenched in the hearts of his Children: For reſolution, I refer the Reader to what hath beene largely treated by others; Amongſt the reſt to my reuerend, and neuer-enough commended Colleague, Maſter Samuel Hieron of bleſſed memorie; to whoſe elegancies and iudicious reſolution, I preſume to adde nothing, except perhaps diſtinctneſſe of explication.
The termes are thus explaned: Gods Spirit in Scripture hath a threefold notion, vnderunder that name comes, Firſt, the perſon of the Spirit, the third in the bleſſed Trinitie. Secondly, the gifts and gracious endowments of the Spirit. Thirdly, thec1. Cor. 12.3. motions of the Spirit. The gifts and motions of the holy Ghoſt are here vnderſtood.
Quenching, in propertie of ſpeech, belongs vntounto fire; whoſe heat and light when it is put out, it is ſaid to bee quenched. Thence it is tranſlated, to ſignifie the quelling or aboliſhing of the gifts and motions of the holy Ghoſt, whereof the Scripture notes two degrees. Firſt, called by Paul thedEpheſ. 4.30. grieuing of the holy Spirit of God, when by any our miſdemeanour, or negligence, we cauſe him to abate the life and vigour of his operations in vsus. Secondly, the other is, the vtter loſſe and aboliſhment of his gifts or excitements.
His gifts are of three ſorts; Firſt, ſome tending to fit vsus to particular callings and functions; as weree1. Cor. 12.4, 5. thoſe extraordinarie in the Primitiue Church; as that of Saul, f1. Sam. 10.6.his fortitude, wiſedome, Kingly magnanimitie fitting him to manage the affaires of his Kingdome, the poſſible loſſe of ſuch gifts, Sauls example giues teſtimonie vntounto,g1. Sam. 16.14 The Spirit of the Lord departed from SAVL.
Secondly, There are gifts of other qualitie, tending after a ſort to ſanctification; as generall Faith, remorce for Sinne, ioying in the Goſpell, and whatſoeuer it is, that comes vnderunder that phraſe of the Apoſtle,hHeb. 6.4, 5. taſting the good Word of God, and powers of the World to come: The loſſe of theſe, or if there be any like diſpoſitions, as wee may call them, towards Gods Kingdome, is not queſtioned. HYMENaeVS and ALEXANDER made i1. Tim. 1.19.20ſhipwracke of Faith; and ſome receiuing the Word with ioy, kLuk. 8.13.in time of temptation goe away.
Thirdly, But the roote and plenarie habits of Faith, Hope, and Charitie, thelMatth. 16.18. Gates of Hell cannot preuaile to ouerthrow.
Howbeit here muſt be diſtinguiſhed, Firſt, the Gifts themſelues. Secondly, the vſe of the gifts. Thirdly, the degrees and meaſures of them. The exerciſe and vſe of the gifts admit, though not vtter loſſe, yet intermiſſion. In the murther of Vrijah, in Bernards iudgement,*Bernard. de Natura & Dignitate amor. diuin. cap. 6. Dauid loſt not the gift, but left the exerciſe of Charitie: Charitatis in eo facta eſt quaedam quaſi ſeparatio, non tamen abolitio: as in ſleepe, wee loſe not the facultie, but the vſe of ſenſe; as a man in his drinke, or ouercarryed with violent paſſion, loſeth not the facultie, but the vſe of Reaſon.
Like thinke of the feruour of Gods Spirit; the life and vigour of his operations admit their abatement. That made Paul remember Timothie, tom2. Tim. 1.6. ſtirre vp the gift that was in him. It ſhould ſeeme he perceiued decay of wonted feruour. The Angell of Epheſus left nReuel. 2.4.his first louelove; not the habit, nor wholly the exerciſe was loſt; but the vigour and heate of louelove that once ſhewed in him, beganne to be abated. The ſumme is this: Firſt, Habitus non amittitur. Secondly, Actus intermittitur. Thirdly, Gradus remittitur.
Laſtly, there are certayne motions of Gods Spirit, excitements perhaps, as we may terme them, whereby hee is pleaſed to direct, and prouoke vsus to holy dueties. It may be theſe are the voyce, ISAY ſaith, wee ſhall heare behinde vsus, ſaying, oIſay 30.21.This is the way, Walke yee in it. Not only GODS Choſen, but Caſt-awayes may heare it. Though I cannot thinke that auxilium excitans, ſo vniuerſall, that there is no particular of the ſonnes of Adam, to whom it is not ſometime vouchſafed: yet it is my perſwaſion, there are few in the Church of God, but feele ſecret ſuggeſtions of holineſſe, and excitements to Faith and Repentance. That compunction and remorce they are ſmitten withall, the vaniſhing flaſhes of goodneſſe they feele, are the good motions of the Spirit of God; vouchſafed to Caſt-awayes, to make them more inexcuſable, to aggrauate their condemnation. Take inſtance in SAVL,p1. Sam. 26.21 vowing to doe DAVID no more harme, and relenting, as ouercome with kindneſſe.
If of ſuch motions the queſtion be, whether they may be quenched: it is out of queſtion they may be, and are in Caſt-awayes; would God not too often in GODS deareſt Children.
The whole amounts to this ſumme. Firſt, gifts qualifying to particular callings. Secondly, diſpoſing to ſanctification may be loſt. Thirdly, exerciſe of gifts habited may be intermitted. Fourthly, feruour of all gifts in meaſure abated. Fifthly, ſuggeſtions and particular motions repelled; though the habits of holineſſe are not vtterly extinct in men truly regenerate.
Queſt. Of whether muſt the Text be vnderſtood?
Anſw. Of all; gifts of all ſorts, iſſuing from the Spirit of God; the exerciſe of the gifts: feruour in exerciſe; particular motions comming from the holy Ghoſt: that the ſenſe may be this: The gifts of Gods Spirit, with all his holy motions and operations, muſt be by all meanes cheriſhed in our hearts: All indeuour giuen, that the Graces we hauehave receiued, may be preſerued in their fulleſt feruour, without any the leaſt abatement.
Therefore Paul exhorts his Timothy, toq2. Tim. 1.6. ſtirre vp the gift in him; and to Epheſians permits not ſo much as to rEpheſ. 4.30.grieue the Spirit of God; to giuegive him any occaſion of withdrawing the liuelihood and vigour of his operation in them.
His reaſon, me thinks, is forcible; becauſe by him, we are ſealed to the day of Redemption; as Theophylact expounds; hee is to vsus Gods Character and marke, ſet on vsus, and ſeizing vsus for his owne; aſſuring vsus thereby, that that day of Iudgement ſhall be to vsus no day of Wrath, but the day of plenarie and full Redemption. q. d. As you deſire to retayne aſſurance of your deliuerance from the wrath to come; that the Lord ſhall take notice of you for His, in the Day of that dreadfull ſeparation: ſo by all meanes cheriſh in you the gifts, and operations of his holy Spirit: It is the only euidence wee hauehave of our freedome from condemnation. If that moue not, heare then the Apoſtles Paul and Peter thundering to awake vsus, out of our neglect of ſo great ſaluation.
The loſſe of Gods Spirit, the reſiſting of his motions; if it be but want of care to cheriſh his gifts and operations in vsus, toſHeb. 6.6. & 10.25, 26. how fearefull and hopeleſſe eſtate doth it hazzard vsus? In caſe of loſſe, the recouerie for euer becomes impoſſible; No hope left, in that caſe, to be renewed to repentance; nor expectation of any thing from God, but ſorest vengeance, and violent fire to deuoure. Thet2. Pet. 2.20. laſt end of men ſo vngracious, becomes worſe then their beginning.
Let no weakling miſtake in this Argument; as if the ſuppreſſing of eueryevery good motion, or the abatement of the Spirits feruour, or the interruption of his ſenſible operation in vsus, ſhould caſt vsus into this irrecouerable condition. The ſinne is fearefull, and diſcomfortable, to reſiſt any his gracious ſuggeſtions; but the Apoſtle apparantly ſpeakes of a totall loſſe, not only of the exerciſe, but of the gifts of the holy Ghoſt; to which hee intimates, neglect to cheriſh them, may indanger vsus. The Precept hath beene thus explaned and proued.
Sinners againſt it, are, Firſt, Reuolters from the grace of God; ſuch as ſet themſelues wilfully to quench, or by willing negligence, ſuffer the worthy gifts of Gods Spirit to be extinct in them. A curſed generation of men and women; with whom when the Lord hath pleaſed to deale ſo graciouſly, as to giuegive them ſenſe of their miſerie in Nature,uNum. 23.10. ſight, as to BALAAM; it may be, taſte alſo of the bleſſed ſtate of his Children; yea after a ſort, tox2. Pet. 2.20. waſh them from their old ſinnes, if not in affection, yet in practice; they turne backe from the holy Commandement giuen vntounto them; either intangled in the world, as Demas: or beſorted with pleaſures, as thoſe Epicure wemen; or as temporaries, deterred with afflictions. Oh miſerable ſtate of ſuch mens ſoules, if they had hearts to conſider it! of whom may it not be ſaid, as Paul in another ſenſe of voluptuous women; Theyy1. Tim. 5.6. are dead while they are aliue; and as our Sauiour, TheyzIoh. 3.18. are condemned alreadie? For ſuch, if for any, is that aIſai. 30.33.Tophet prepared, the burning whereof is fire and much wood, which the breath of the Lord as a ſtreame of brimſtone kindleth, and for euer keepes burning.
Secondly, To theſe are added, thoſe that, as Stephen ſpeaks of Iewes, alwayes bAct. 7.51.reſiſt the holy Ghoſt, and labour to ſuppreſſe the holy motions ſuggeſted by him. How oft doe I perſwade my ſelfe, the worſt men vnderunder our Miniſterie, heare that voice behind them, This is the way, walke yee in it? and as Agrippa, arecAct. 26.28. almoſt perſwaded to become Chriſtians. But ſee the curſed vnthankfulneſſe of men, wilfully ſetting themſelues to repell ſuch motions: thoſe ſweet inſpirements of Gods holy Spirit, they call, I would I might ſay, ignorantly, fits of melancholy; I am ſure, profanely, qualmes of deuotion. And then, haſte to their curſed companie, and no leſſe then abominable courſes, to chaſe away thoſe qualmes of conſcience. Oh wonderfull mercy of God offered to ſuch mens ſoules, had they grace to conſider and accept it! How iuſtly may the Lord ſay to them, as he ſpeaks to Iſrael;dHoſh. 13.9. Your deſtruction is of your ſelues; and as to Ieruſalem,eIſai. 5.4. What ſhould he hauehave done more that he hath not done? Teaching them by his Word, wakening them by his Rod, inuiting them by his bountie, offering himſelfe to them by his Spirit; whiles they deſperately forſake their owne mercy. The iſſues vſuall of ſuch men are, Firſt, that their hearts grow thereby more obdurate. Secondly, the life more brutiſh and abominable. Thirdly, elſe fall they into agonies of conſcience, ſuch as wherin they periſh through euerlaſting deſpaire.
Thirdly, A third ſort there are, and they are much amongſt vsus; men that vnderunder pretence of diſcretion, and ſeeing more into the ſtate of Religion then at firſt entrance they could ſee, abate of their feruour, and, as they now terme it, violence of gracious affections; ſeeming to conceit, there may be a nimium of deuotion; men may be ouer-forward and zealous; A Sermon now and then doth well; eueryevery weeks hearing is not ſo neceſſarie; ſtudie of Scriptures is good at leiſure times, as it were for recreation; we be not Angels, but Men; and there is a reaſon in all things, euen in religiouſneſſe, if men could hit on it. I confeſſe there is a kind of deuotion, wherein men may be too feruent; but that deuotion is ſuperſtition; a kind of zeale whereof may be a nimium; but that isfRom. 10.2. zeale not according to knowledge: yet beware, I beſeech you, you giuegive not the Lord the leaſt occaſion to complaine of you, as of the Angell of Epheſus, that you hauehave left your first louelove: and take heede, this temperateneſſe and diſcretion, as it is called, degenerate not into gReuel. 3.16.luke-warmeneſſe, the worſt temper, that can be, of our Religious affections. Feare to bee noted of backe-ſliding; Tremble to loſe the leaſt meaſure of Gods gracious gifts; to abate any thing of the heat and feruour of ſanctified affections. It is a ſtep towards quenching, but to ſlake the fire of Gods Spirit in our hearts.
Meanes of cheriſhing and keeping in life, our ſpirituall gifts. Firſt, exerciſe and imployment. Secondly,h1. Tim. 1.19. Good Conſcience and holy obedience; which while ſome neglect, they make ſhipwracke of faith. Thirdly, humilitie, in Bernards iudgement, is, conſeruatrix virtutum. Fourthly, iHeb. 10.25.Forſake not aſſemblies of Saints; neglect no meanes ſanctified to worke eſtabliſhment.
How may the motions of Gods Spirit be diſtinguiſhed from Diabolicall deluſions? Satanicall ſuggeſtions are oft ſubtilly contriued, cunningly coloured; that lying ſpirit ſometimes dares counterfeit the Spirit of truth. Scarce euer was heretique ſo phantaſticall or impudent, but pretended guidance by the Spirit of God. Anabaptiſts, teaching to deſpiſe Authoritie, to vilifie all other ordinances of God, pretend I know not what inſtincts and reuelations from the Spirit of God. Montanus tells of a ſtrange Paraclete, that inſpired him; and guided to publiſh his damned errors.
Meanes of diſcerning. Firſt, Iſai his watch-word let it be our rule:kIſai. 8.20. Deut. 13.2, 3. To the Law, and to the Teſtimonie, if they ſpeake not according to this word, it is euidence that there is no light in them.
Secondly, The gift of Prophecie, as of miracles, is now ceaſed in the Church: God deales not now, as in former times, by extraordinary inſtinct or inſpiratiō. His charge is, To lReuel. 22.11.adde nothing to the words of IOHNS Prophecie, vnderunder paine of addition to be made to our plagues.
Thirdly, If the matter of the ſuggeſtion be euill, either in the whole kind, or by circumſtance; it is no Diuine motion; but either amIam. 1.14. concupiſcentiall phantaſie, or a nIob. 13 2.Diabolicall deluſion.
Fourthly, Euer be iealous of all motions, leading thee beyond thy calling, or meaſure of gifts. The rules are, oRom. 12.6.Sapere ad ſobrietatem: andpPſal. 131.1. not to meddle with things too high. It is glorious to exerciſe the Miniſterie; but examine thy gifts. Excitements to enter that function without gifts, thou mayeſt well thinke are but ſuggeſtions of pride.