Of Quenching the Spirit, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
The nineth Effect of Quenching the Spirit, It hinders mens communion, that communion they might otherwise have with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. When God knocks at the door, by the motions of his spirit, if men would open to him, he would sup with them, and they should sup with him. When they will not open to him the spirit withdraws. What communion with God is. What communion with God is had, when the spirit is not quenched. No communion to be had, when the spirit is quenched. No communion then in Providences. None in comforts and blessings which one enjoyes, none in crosses and afflictions which one suffers. No communion then in Ordinances. The sweetest and fullest communion that Saints have on this side heaven, is that which they have in Ordinances. This lost by quenching of the spirit. Two sorts of persons that this speaks to. The sad conditio… of such, as by reason of their quenching of the spirit, never had communion with God to this day. The sad condition of such as have had it, but have lost it again by their quenching of the spirit. To be excommunicated fr…m the Church, dreadful. To be excommunicated from God, much more dreadful. When communion with God is lost, all is nothing that one enjoyes, though it be never so much.
SECT. 1.
9. IT hinders your communion; that sweet communion and fellowship that you might have with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. That there is such a communion and fellowship to be had with God, St. John testifies, 1 John 1.1, 2, 3. That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And Paul, 2 Cor. 13.14. The communion of the Holy Ghost bee with you. Oh God never comes to the door of your hearts, knocking by the motions of his spirit there, but if you would open to him, you should be sure of a gracious communion with him. Rev. 3.20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock! if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Hee would sup with you, and you should sup with him.
1. He would sup with you; he would accept of your graces and duties. He would gather his Mirrhe with his Spice: eat his hony-comb with his hony, and drink his wine with his milk; Hee would take such fare as he findes, accept according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not, if there be first a willing minde, closing with the motions of his spirit, 2 Cor. 8.12. Thus he would sup with you.
2. You should sup with him; you should receive of his blessings and favours. Hee would make you a Feast, a Feast of Fat things, a Feast of Wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of Wine on the lees, well refined, Isa. 25.6. And he would say, Eat O Friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O Beloved, Cant. 5.1. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Psal. 81.10. Thus if you would open (when hee knocks) you should sup with him. But when, as Cant. 5.3. thou wilt not open; though thou know'st it is the voice of thy Beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me my Sister, my Love, my Dove, my Undefiled, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night; yet thou sayest, I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? Then the spirit withdraws himself and is gone: Thou seekest, but canst not finde him, callest him, but he gives thee no answer, will have no communion with thee any longer. Thou wouldest have communion with him, but hee will have none with thee, and therefore though thou seekest, yet thou shalt not finde him. He hides himself purposely from thee, that thou maiest not finde him in this case. For now thou walkest in darkness, and hast Fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness, and therefore canst have no Fellowship with God. The spirit comes, and finding thee brought to bed of thy Iust (in the hour of darkness, the night of temptation) would have thee rise, and come out of thy sin. Awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light, Ephe. 5.14. But thou hast put off thy coat, &c. thou findest some ease, and carnal contentment in thy condition, and therefore canst not arise; therefore thou hast no communion with Christ. It may be thou thinkest thou hast Fellowship with him; but if any man walk in darkness, and saith, he hath Fellowship with God, he lies, and the truth is not in him, 1 John 1.6. What communion hath light with darkness? righteousness with unrighteousness? Christ with Belial? 2 Cor. 6.14. You cannot have Fellowship at the Table of the Lord, and the Table of Devils. 1 Cor. 10.21.
SECT. 2.
Communion, is the mutual enjoyment that God and Saints have one of another: 'tis an all-ternal and mutual embracement of each other: 'tis the spirit descending, and the heart with the spirit ascending, as the Angels on Jacobs Ladder. Saints have communion with God, when he makes familiar discoveries of himself unto them, makes something of his minde and will, and love and favour common to them, and that in a way of intimacy and familiarity: When he shews them his glory, and makes his goodness pass before them; when he falls upon their necks and kisses them with the kisses of his lips; when his left hand is underneath them, and his right hand embraceth them, and in the mean while he manifest himself unto them, opening not so much his hand (for so hee doth where there is no communion) but even his heart unto them.
SECT. 3.
God is not reserved, but open-hearted to his people, and hee makes them reciprocate with himself; he draws, and the soul runs after him, hee prepares the heart, and then the Spouse cannot be silent. In communion God opens his treasury, and enricheth the soul; and his banquetting house, and feasts the soul; and his banner over it is love. God doth, as it were, give away himself, and make a common doal, and distribution of his choicest favours and blessings among his people. And as he opens his heart to them, so they open their hearts to him. The Spouse, Cant. 1.12. speaks of this, While the King (saith she) sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof. Christ joyned himself to those two men that walked to Emmaus, and as they walked, he warmed their hearts, in so much that they said afterwards, reflecting upon it, Did not our hearts burn within us, &c. Luk. 24.32. The Scriptures have fire in them, which being kindled and applied by the spirit, will enflame the coldest affections. Oh the sweet enjoyments that a soul hath, that hath communion with God! What floods and high tides of spiritual raptures and ravishments, doth it sometimes finde in it self! how doth such a soul go out, yea, beyond it self! how doth the love of Christ constrain it, 2 Cor. 5.13. not against the will, but with it, so as to make it willing, yea, resolved, yea, resolute, and that with unspeakable delight and satisfaction (in reflection upon it) against all manner of disswasions and discouragements whatsoever! Thus it is when the spirit is not quenched, but cherished. And this is the consequent and effect of living and walking in the spirit, whereof the Apostle speaks, Gal. 5.25. But when the spirit is quenched, so that either thou dost not live in the spirit, or walk in the spirit; but walkest after the flesh, and not after the spirit, Rom. 8.1. then it is otherwise: then thou hast no communion nor fellowship with God, if thou sayest thou hast, thou lyest, and the truth is not in thee, 1 John 1.6.
SECT. 4.
1. Thou hast no communion in his Providences, neither Providences of Comforts or Crosses.
1. Not in Providences of Comforts, not in the blessings and comforts thou dost enjoy. O… there is that in outward enjoyments, that Saints taste, when they have Communion with God, that is better than the things themselves. Oh what stories, will they tell of the goodness of God in such and such things, that thou hast no experience of? Thou hast the things, the same things (it may be) that they have, but thou hast not the same thing, the one thing necessary. As a man may do the same things, and yet there is one thing lacking, which the Saints do (as Christ told the Young-man) which no natural man doth in any thing he doth; so a man may enjoy the same blessings, and yet there may be one blessing wanting, which the Saints enjoy in all the blessings they have, and that is communion and fellowship with God, which makes blessings to be blessings indeed, without which they would be but curses to them. Oh the circumstances of mercy and goodness, that they can tell of! Thou hast the same things, but not the same goodness and loving kindness along with them. God gives thee single blessings, whereas they have double; they receive double at his hands, not onelyonly nether, but upper springs, not onelyonly left-hand blessings, but right-hand blessings too. God deals with thee as a servant, but with them as Sons: God deals with thee as a Servant, but with them as Friends, with them as his Wife. There's a great difference in this. A Servant waits upon his Master, eats of the remainders that are left, but the other eats at his own Table with him; and they eat the fat, and drink the sweet, they have the choicest bits. He takes them to be his Companions with him, they are his Familiars, his intimates, that share with him in all his enjoyments; they are the men of his bread, the men of his peace, such as have communion with him in every thing he doth and doth enjoy, so far as they are capable of communicating with him in it. But thou art set at a distance, with the Dogs of the Flock; thou eatest alone, the Master is not with thee, the King doth not sit at the Table where thou art; 'tis not the Lords Table, but the Table of Devils, the Table of Drunkards, of Swearers, of unclean Wretches, &c. Thus thou hast no communion in the good things thou hast, they are not good for thee, but for thy hurt.
SECT. 5.
2. Not in Providences of Crosses, not in the Crosses and Afflictions thou dost suffer. No Communion of strength, peace, joy, and comfort; God doth not so much as look upon thee nor speak unto thee; whereas he is with them continually, sympathizing with them, and ministring to them. When thou goest thorow the fire, and thorow the water, I will be with thee, saith he, Isa. 43.2. Oh the Saints have sweet Communion with God in their greatest sufferings. Those that are led by the Spirit (as Christ) into the Wilderness, they have the communion of the Spirit in the Wilderness; the wicked one comes, but findes nothing in them, they quench all his fiery Darts, because they have not quenched the Spirit. They have the Assistances and Consolations of the Spirit, I will allure her into the Wilderness, and speak comfortably to her▪ Hos. 2.14. speak unto her heart; So 'tis when men follow the Motions of the Spirit, leading them into a suffering Condition. But when thou hast quenched the Spirit, thou sufferest, and hast nothing of God in thy sufferings, God brings thee into the Furnace, and there leaves thee. Ezek. 22.20. I will leave thee there, there suffer if thou wilt, saith God. Thou cryest it may be, but God takes no notice; the Philistims are upon thee (as upon Saul) and God is departed from thee. When I called saith God, Turn yee, and I will pour out my spirit unto you, ye would not, therefore, &c. Prov. 1.24, 25. Thus when the Spirit is quenched, there's no communion in Providences; neither Providences of Comforts, or Crosses.
SECT. 6.
2. No communion with him in Ordinances. And this is worse than not to have communion with him in Providences. The sweetest and fullest communion that Saints have on this side Heaven, is that which they have in Ordinances. There God meets with them and blesseth them, walks up and down in the midst of them, is nigh unto them in all they call upon him for; makes himself known, and manifests himself unto them; shews them his face, suffers them to take hold of him, and to stay him in the galleries, and wrestle with him, and not to let him go until he bless them. But 'tis otherwise with thee, God stands at a distance from thee, takes no notice of thee, or if he doth, 'tis not in a way of communion and fellowship with him. But as Joseph (before he made himself known to his Brethren) he speaks by an Interpreter; but to others he speaks face to face, and causeth them to sit down with him at his table, and to eat and drink with him. Some are in Heaven upon Earth, as it were, for the time. Every Ordinance is a little Mount Tabor to them; Christ carries Peter and John up thither, and is transfigured before them, but leaves thee behinde: shews them his power and his glory, as it is to be seen in his Sanctuary, whereas thou seest nothing. While others are in the Mount, lifted up to Heaven, thou art in the Valley, groveling here below upon the Earth; they hear things which cannot bee uttered, but eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, nor hath it entred into thy heart to conceive what great things God hath prepared for them that love him.
SECT. 7.
When God called Moses up into the Mount, he commanded that the rest should be kept off, and not come near, and if a beast touch the Mount, he must be thrust thorow with a dart. So 'tis with thee. And when Moses comes down his face shines, his communion leaves a lustre and b…ightness upon his face, the spirit of glory rests upon him, which thou art not able to behold, being in darkness, and blinded by thy lusts that cast a mist before thee, and so art far from having communion with God, yea, thou hast not communion with the Saints of God.
SECT. 8.
Why now consider, This is the effect of thy quenching the spirit. When the spirit comes it is in order to communion, that thou mightest have fellowship with God, but thou refusest, and then the spirit refuseth too. Thou wilt none of God, and God will none of thee, but gives thee up to thy self, and thy own hearts lusts, to have fellowship with Satan, and the unfruitful works of darkness. Psal. 81.11, 12. But Israel would none of me, so I gave them up, &c. So that this (you see) is an effect of quenching of the spirit.
SECT. 9.
Now see the evil of quenching the spirit in this respect. This speaks to two sorts of persons.
1. Such as never had communion with God to this day. Oh the sweet communion thou mightest have had, but that thou hast quencht the spirit! Oh the blessed intimacy and familiarity thou might'st have had with God! How often would hee have gathered thee as an Hen gathereth her Chickens, but thou would'st not! thou might'st have been in his arms, and have lain in his bosome, bin under the shaddow of his wings, have walkt, and dwelt, and supt with him, but thou wouldst not. Oh the wretched condition that thou art in! If communion with God bee our happiness, then the want of it is thy misery. And this is the effect of thy quenching the spirit, hence it is. Thou might'st have had God as familiar with thee, had as much enjoyment of God, both in Providences, and Ordinances, as others; but thou quenchest the spirit, and therefore thou art at a distance from God, and God from thee. Thou hast nothing from God, but in a common way, no peculiarities and specialities of favour, loving-kindness…s and mercies are taken away from thee. God doth not shew thee the favour that he bears unto his own people; hee is not good unto thee, as hee is wont to do unto those, that love his name. Thou art still a far off, and continuest to this day without God in the world. Oh that thou could'st see by this the evil of thy quenching of the spirit.
SECT. 10.
2. It speaks to those that have had it, but have lost it again by their quenching of the spirit. Oh how well was it once with thee! compare thy present condition with thy former, remember from whence thou ar… …llen. Art thou not ready to say, Oh that I were as in the months past, as in the daies when God preserved me, when his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light, I walked through darkness! as I was in the daies of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle, when the Almighty was yet with me, &c. Job 29.2, 3, 4, &c, Art thou not ready to say, I will go to my former Husband, for then it was better with me than now, Hos. 2.7. Oh it is far worse with thee, that thou hast lost the communion (in some respect) than if thou hadst never had it. Thy former happiness aggravates thy present misery. God is departed from mee (saith Saul) and answers me no more, no manner of way; Oh what shall I do? what will become of mee? I am undone, and must needs perish.
SECT. 11.
If it were but the loss of communion in a common way (which scarce bears the name of communion) yet it were miserable; but to loose communion in a special way, how much more miserable and wretched is it! Now the sweet influences of the spirit are withheld, God keeps at a distance, passeth by as a wayfaring man, that turns aside to tarry but a night. Before there was intimate familiarity, God dealt familiarly with thee.
1. Thou hadst the secrets of his will manifested to thee, wert guided by his counsels, there was a voice behinde saying, This is the way, when thou wert ready to turn aside, &c.
2. Thou hadst the secrets of his love, wert sustained by his comforts, and his love shed abroad in thy heart; there was a voice saying to thy soul, I am thy salvation.
3. Thou hadst frequent visits, God was ever and anon coming to thee, and meeting thee with a blessing.
4. Continuing abiding presence; God was near unto thee in all thou calledst upon him for, he walked with thee, and was with thee whithersoever thou wentest.
5. Didst partake of the choicest favours; God dealt not so with other persons.
I but now it is otherwise, God is a stranger to thee, and thou to him; God takes away loving-kindnesses and mercies from thee, hast little more, then what is given to the worst, for the time. And this is the effect of thy quenching of the spirit; hence it is, because thou slightest the motions of the spirit. And is not this evil then?
SECT. 12.
Do but consider what 'tis to loose communion with the Saints; to be excommunicated from the Church, is dreadful: Oh but what is it to be excommunicated from God! to be cast out from the society of the blessed God! Depart from me, will be a dreadful word at the last day; it will be as terrible, as Go ye cursed into utter darkness, nay, indeed it is in effect the very same. This will be dreadful at the last day; but do but consider, what it is for the present. To be left alone is miserable (woe be to him that is alone) or else to the wicked (woe is mee that I dwell in Mesheck, Psal. 120.5.) but to be left to the Devil, to have Fellowship with Devils, oh how much more miserable is it! Why this is thy case. For if thou hast not Fellowship with God, thou hast with the Devil: When once thou art excommunicated from God, thou art given up to the Devil. Thus 'tis when excommunicated but from the Saints. 1 Cor. 5.5. but though the Saints cannot excommunicate thee (thou being not guilty of any open scandalous sin) yet if thou quench the spirit, God may excommunicate thee.
SECT. 13.
How wilt thou bee able to bear this, when once thou com'st to be sensible of it? What are Houses, Lands, Buying, Selling, Health, Wealth, &c. at such a time? what was Paradise to Adam, when he had lost his Fellowship? what is all to the wife, when she hath lost communion with her husband? will it satisfie? will it content her? what is all the world to her? what was Jerusalem to Absolom, when he might not see the Kings face? Could corn and wine content David without the light of Gods countenance? was the Spouses bed any longer pleasant, when her Beloved had withdrawn himself? Oh what dost thou now loose! How must thy soul needs pine away in this condition! If the Fountain be stopt, the Cistern must needs be dry: if the root be dryed up, the branches will quickly wither. Besides, consider the fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness thou hast in the mean time, the fellowship thou hast with the Devil the Prince of darkness; the poor, low, vile, and base things thou livest upon, as the Prodigal that fed upon husks, when he was out of his Fathers House. And by this judge of the evil of quenching the spirit, that is the cause of it.