Of Quenching the Spirit, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Other Causes of Quenching the Spirit. The Evil of it, as proceeding from them, Discovered. The guilty Expostulated with, and Rebuked as before.
SECT. I.
8. MEn quench the Fire when they are warm enough without it, as in summer, and warm weather, then they say, what needs all this fire? 'Tis warm enough without fire, therefore put it out. So Professors when they are warm enough without the fire of the spirit. When they can live without the light and warmth of the spirit, having enough, even as much as they can desire in other things, in worldly pleasures, profits, praises, formal performances of Duties; when they have enough in these and such like things, then they quench the spirit. When they can kindle a fire of their own, and compass themselves about with sparks, and walk in the light of the fire, and in the sparks that they have kindled, this they think is far better than the spirit, not considering that indeed it is far worse, for God hath said, They shall lye down in sorrow. Behold all ye that kindle a fire, and compass your selves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled; this shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall lye down in sorrow, Isa. 50.11. By Fire here, is meant their own righteousness, and the acts of it, which may as sparks be struck forth by the power of the Word, and Education, inlightnings of Conscience, and workings of self-love; And secondly, outward comforts in the creatures, which in this world they enjoy. And by their walking in the light of this fire, is meant their resting in these things as enough and sufficient to make them happy, and therefore they quench the Spirit. As the Pharisees, that going about to establish their own righteousness, submitted not to the righteousness of Christ, they saw no need of that, they had enough of their own, and therefore opposed it. And the youngman, because he had great Possessions, this kept him off from closing with Christ; some fire there was kindled before, but now it was quite extinguished; having great Possessions, hee contented himself with those. The Apostle tells the Corinthians, Now ye are full, now ye are rich, yee have Reigned as Kings without us, 1 Cor. 4.8. therefore they began to slight the Apostle, and to quench the fire he had kindled among them, but would to God (saith hee) that yee did Reign, q. d. ye are so far from that, that ye are captives to your base lusts, yee are full, but indeed empty, rich, but very beggars; as Christ also told the Laodiceans, Because thou sayest I am rich, and encreased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, Rev. 3.17 where we have the different, nay contrary ju…gement of Christ and the Laodiceans, touching their spiritual state and condition; They sate down well appayed (as one expresseth it) in the apprehension, nay, admiration of their own happiness, and professed they had as much as they needed, and were as good as they desire… to bee, when as the Lord, who knew, and could judge better of their condition, passeth a peremptory sentence to the contrary, that they were wretched, and miserable, blinde and naked: They wanted not wretchedness, or misery, but wanted sense of either, and that was the reason they were so content with both, not coming unto Christ to buy of him Gold tryed in the fire, that they might be rich, nor white Raiment that they might bee cloathed (they were warm enough without it) nor Eye-salve, that they might see, they could see well enough without it. Thus it is with many, they need nothing in their own apprehensions, though indeed they have nothing; they see no evil or danger toward them, though they be compassed on every side, and beset with sins and plagues. Oh think upon this beloved, think upon it seriously; What, are you warm enough sirs, any of you, without the Fire of the Spirit? Have you indeed as much light and heat, as much peace, and comfort, and contentment without the Spirit, as you might have with it? Is the Spirit become an unnecessary thing, a meer superfluity to you, that of all things in the World, the gifts, and graces, motions and comforts of the Spirit, are least wanted, and may be best spared by you? Oh how unlike unto Saints are you my beloved, while you are at this pass: That you can bee content to be without fellowship with Christ, without the influence of his Spirit, whereas they have not been able to bear it? that you can bee content to be without Duties and Ordinances, at least without the powerful breatheings of the Spirit in them, whereas they have not been able to take comfort in the want of them? Oh take not thy holy Spirit from mee, saith David, lift up the light of thy countenance upon me, &c. My flesh and my heart longeth, Oh when shall I appear before God! that I might see his Power and Glory, as I have seen it in the Sanctuary? And how like unto the wicked are you, that say unto God, and to Christ, and to the Spirit, Depart from us, wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies? How like unto the Gaderens that prayed Christ to depart out of their Coasts, q. d. if we may keep our Swine, we are well enough without thee. How: like unto those abominable worldlings, Matth. 22. that were content with their Farmes, and their Merchandize, and Wives, without the Wedding Supper? Oh my Brethren, what can you think of your selves while 'tis thus? Do yee think yee are Saints? See then who you are like; see I say, who you are like: Are you like unto David? are you like unto Paul? are you like to the Spouse in the fifth of the Canticles? Was David well without the Spirit? was Paul? was the Spouse in the Canticles? did not her heart fail within her? did shee not rise? did shee not rise by night? and seek him whom her soul loved, when hee was gone? I wonder then you can think you are Saints; Saints? nay, you are very Hypocrites, you are very Gaderens. There are none that can live contentedly without the spirit, but St. Earthlings, St. Worldlings, St. Sensualists, St. Formalists. Therefore Consider. This the eighth particular.
SECT. 2.
9. Men quench the fire when there is no more work to bee done by it; when men have ended all their work, and have nothing to do, they put out the fire. And so Professors, when there is no more work to be done by the spirit, then they quench it. When men have their peace to make with God, and their calling and election to make sure, as in time of some great danger, or sickness, or terrible conviction of the unsoundness of their spiritual estate; oh then they will cherish the spirit, are afraid of slighting any good motions, are very tender and scrupulous, make conscience of all their waies, stir up themselves to Praying, Reading, Hearing, Meditating, attend the Ordinances, frequent the Assemblies, call upon others to admonish, counsel, comfort them, send for them to Pray with them, and for them, and beg them to watch over them, and tell them, if ever they see them walk contrary to their present purposes and resolution. But when the danger, the sickness, the conviction is over, then they neglect the spirit, because now they think they have no use of it. As when men are sick, they make use of Physick, but when they are well again, they think they do not need it. When men have no use of fire, they let it go out, and so when men have no use of the spirit, when there is no more grace to be gotten, no more corruption to bee mortified, no more Temptation to be resisted, no more burden to bee born, no more work to be done for the working but of their salvation, but they can go on end-waies in a formal profession, without any difficulty; then they neglect the spirit, then they disobey it, and quench it, slighting good motions, neglecting the means and exercise of Grace, not stirring up the gift they have received, because they can do well enough without it, there's nothing more to be done by it. Now consider Sirs; consider I beseech you, what a strange thing this is. What! nothing to be done by the spirit? why there's nothing can be done without the spirit. Oh how is it, thou should'st see no use of the spirit, when as thou hast use of it for every thing▪ All the good the Saints have, they have it from the spirit, and all the good the Saints do, they do it by the spirit; there's never a Grace they exercise, but it is a fruit of the spirit, Gal. 5.22. never a corruption they mortifie, but it is by the spirit, Rom. 8.13. Grace is a necessary good (as I have sometimes shewn you) necessary for every duty, against every sin, every temptation, every affliction; and the motions of the spirit are necessary for the acting of Grace. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord. What, doth this argue therefore that thou should'st have no more work to be done by the spirit, but either the bruitish folly and ignorance, or gross stupidity and fortishness of thy heart? Why consider, what canst thou do without the spirit? canst thou believe? canst thou repent? canst thou deny thy self without the spirit? canst thou mortifie any lust? canst thou exercise any grace? canst thou think any good thought without the spirit? nay further, canst thou perform any duty? canst thou pray? canst thou hear? canst thou meditate? canst thou do any of these without the spirit? or if thou canst, yet consider, canst thou do them acceptably without the spirit? Will God, that is a Spirit, and requires to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, be satisfied with the flesh instead of the spirit? will God accept of spiritless praying? will God accept of spiritless hearing? spiritless performing of spiritual duties? nay further yet, consider, will God accept of thy buying, selling, building, planting without the spirit? is not the plowing of the wicked sin, because without the spirit? Now if thou canst not do these without the spirit, how canst thou do the other? if thou canst not buy and sell, how canst thou pray without the spirit? if thou canst not do any thing of thy particular calling without the spirit, how canst thou do any thing of thy general? Again, was something to be done by the spirit in time of danger, and is there not as much to bee done by it in time of safety? hadst thou work for the spirit in time of sickness, and hast thou none in time of health? Could'st thou not make thy peace without the spirit, and dost think thou canst keep it without the spirit? could'st not tell how to want without the spirit, and canst thou tell how to abound without it? could'st not tell how to bee sick without the spirit, and canst thou tell how to be well without it? and for this reason, wilt thou neglect, wilt thou slight, and quench the spirit? Is it not as hard to exercise grace in one condition as in another? in time of peace as well as in time of trouble and danger? in health, as well as in sickness? in abundance, as well as in want? See thy folly therefore, see what a stupid sottish heart thou hast, in that thou quenchest the spirit, as having no more work to bee done by it.
SECT. 3.
10. Men suffer the fire to go out, when their minds are taken up about other things, and they do forget it. So professors out of sinfull forgetfulness do suffer the fire of the spirit to be quenched in them. Their mindes being taken up with vanities, and trifles, and earthly things, they do not think of the exercise of grace, and perfecting of holinesse. Martha, Martha, saith Christ, Thou art careful, and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary, and thou hast no care of that. So 'tis with many, they minde every thing, but neglect the main; while they are busying themselves inordinately about earthly things, they neglect the heavenly, never thinking in the mean while, how corruption grows, and grace languisheth and decaies, how they loose their first Love, and fall from their first works. This then being a cause of quenching the spirit; Oh reflect upon your selves, and think of the home-application of that dreadful place to your selves, Rom. 8.5. What if it should be true of any of you, which he there saies, That they that bee after the flesh, do minde the things of the flesh? What if this minding the things of the flesh, with a neglect of the things of the spirit, should prove you to be after the flesh, and not after the spirit? that is, to bee altogether carnal, altogether under the power of sin and corruption? Surely, they that are after the Spirit, i. e. they that are spiritual, they that are regenerate and sanctified, they do minde the things of the spirit, they do not so minde other things, as to forget the things of the spirit; they remember to keep in the fire of the spirit, and not let it ordinarily go out through forgetfulness of it. The Priests and Levites in the Temple, were to watch continually, to keep the fire of the Altar that came down from Heaven burning, when it began to decay, they were to renew it again, and never to suffer it to go out. And so thou, if this fire of the Spirit come down at any time into thy heart, God requires thou shouldest bee continually watching and attending it, that so it may never go out again, but be a fire burning there to all eternity. But Oh! how often dost thou forget? and this forgetfulness is out of remembrance; thou remembrest the things of the flesh, and the things of the world, and therefore forgettest the things of the Spirit: While thou art careful and troubled about the many things with Martha, thou forgettest to take care of the one thing necessary with Mary. How often is the fire of the Spirit quenched in thee e're thou art aware? e're thou canst bethink thy self, or recollect thy thoughts, they being so intent upon other things in the mean while? Now what doth this argue, but that thou dost not prize it as thou shouldest? if thou didst, thou couldst not forget it, at least so frequently and ordinarily as thou doest. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments? saith God, yet my People have forgotten mee, days without number, Jer. 2.32. q. d. If I were but so much to you, as toys and trifles are to a Maid, you would not forget me, and yet you forget me ordinarily, days without number. A godly man may sometimes forget, (though that is no part of his godliness) but you have forgotten me daies without number. Oh consider Back-slider, consider, canst thou tell the hours, the dayes, the weeks, not to say the years, that thou hast been unmindful of the Spirit? Oh 'tis time out of minde that thou hast forgotten the Spirit, that thou hast neglected the keeping of thy heart, the searching and trying of thy ways, the casting up of thy accounts; whereas heretofore, not a day could passe without minding these, and minding them as thy main business. And what hast thou been minding all this while, but vanities, and trifles, things not worthy of so much as a serious affectionate thought, much less of so many as thou hast spent upon them, and that infinitely without number. See thy wickedness therefore in that from hence it is, that thou hast quench'd the Spirit.
SECT. 4.
11. Men quench the fire, when they have a minde to pleasure others, that are offended with the heat of it, and therefore would have them put it out. And so many professors, to pleasure and gratifie carnal Friends, whom they inordinately love, and wicked and ungodly men, of whom they stand in awe, that are offended at their zeal and fervency of spirit in the waies of God, do quench the Spirit. Some so far as not to make a Profession at all, as those Rulers, of whom 'tis said, that they believed, but for fear of the Pharisees durst not confess Christ, least they should be put out of the Synagogue. John 12.42. And others so farre as not to make a Profession for a time, as Peter, who before that certain came from James, did eat with the Gentiles, but when they were come, hee with-drew, and separated himself, fearing them of the Circumcision, Gal. 2.12. And other Jews (the Apostle saith) dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carryed away with their dissimulation, ver. 13. Thus many when false Teachers come in, (as those, for instance, amongst the Papists, like these of the Circumcision) that are for Ceremonies, and a devised Worship of their own, for fear of displeasing and angering them, for fear of making them their enemies, they begin to grow shy of their brethren, and to associate with these false Teachers, and to be present with them at their Will-Worship, quite contrary to their former Profession, and so quench the Spirit. But what is this but to work the will of the Gentiles, or of Gentile-Christians, carnal men, or if otherwise, yet as they are carnal. Oh saith the Apostle, the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries, wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you, 1 Pet. 4.3, 4. How vile and abominable a thing this is, you may see by what Paul concludes concerning it, as to himself, Gal. 1.10. Do I seek to please men? saith he, why, if I yet pleased men, (saith he) I should not be the servant of Christ. Oh consider of this thou man pleaser, thou that art for pleasing both parties, God and Mammon, Christ and Belial, there's a contrariety betwixt them, and they can never be reconciled; for so saith the Apostle, what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel? and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? Wherefore come out from amongst them, and …e ye separate, saith the Lord, 2 Cor. 6 15, 16, 17. Therefore thou canst not serve two Masters, no m…n can do it, saith Christ, therefore thou canst not; for either thou wilt hate the one, and love the other, or else thou wilt hold to the one, and despise the other, Matth. 6.24. Thou thinkest of displeasing a friend, an enemy; but why dost thou not think of displeasing a God? Is not he the best friend? and cannot hee bee the worst enemy? Think with thy self then, how by thy man-pleasing thou hast quench'd the Spirit; For art thou not quite another person than thou wert formerly? Dost thou not see what a change there is made? how stupid, and dull, and heavy, and cold, and liveless, and deadhearted thou art grown, whereas before, thou wert zealous and active, and chearful, and fervent in spirit, delighting in the society and fellowship of the godly, and loving to bee with them. Alas poor creature how hast thou quencht the Spirit?
SECT. 5.
12. Men suffer the fire to go out and bee quenched, to please themselves; when they are taking their pleasure, or are about some pleasing business, from which they are loath to bee called away, And so Professors, for the same reason quench the Spirit. So they, Mat. 22. they could not leave their Farmes, nor their Wives, nor their Merchandize, and therefore neglected the Marriage-supper. Taking contentment in giving present satisfaction to some base lust, that one is making provision for (so that they are loath to be called off) makes many quench the spirit; As the sluggard, his bed is so easie, and his slumbers so sweet, that when he is called by Conscience or others to arise: Oh saith hee, yet a little more slumber first, yet a little more folding of the hands to sleep, he turns as a door upon the hinges, still hangs in the same place, and cannot be gotten off, and therefore for that time cannot tend the fire. So when a person is eating or drinking a little more than is fit, conscience tells him of it, but he is loath to put the knife to his throat, and so quencheth the Spirit. Though the Spirit say, it is enough, yet lust is craving, and therefore to satisfie lust for that time, he goes against Conscience. So for staying in company at unseasonable hours, the Spirit says, 'tis time to break up and be gone, but he is loath to leave his company, and so quencheth the Spirit. So when at work in thy particular calling, and thou hast wrought the full time, Conscience puts thee in minde of the duties of thy general Calling, as Prayer in the Closet, in the Family, &c. but thou art loath to give over, and for that reason quenchest the Spirit. Oh consider of this, how often, how many times a day, thou dost thus quench the Spirit? And what doth this argue, but that lust is dearer to thee than the Spirit? And what a vile thing is it, that thou shouldest take more pleasure and contentment in closing with thy lusts, than with the motions of the Spirit? But so thou dost, and I am perswaded that it is ordinarily from hence most, that men quench the Spirit.
SECT. 6.
13. Men quench the fire, or suffer it to go out, because they are lazy and sloathful, and loath to take pains to fetch fewel and blow up the fire. And so Professors out of a spirit of sloathfulness quench the Spirit. Praying, Reading, Hearing, Meditating, Heart-examination, Watchfulness, and striving against sin, are i…ksome and tedious, (Oh what a weariness is it? say they, Mal. 1.13. and When will the New-Moon be gone, and the Sabbath, say they, Amos 8.5.) and therefore they quench the Spirit, stirring them up to the performance of Duties, and attendance upon God in his Ordinances. And is not this true of thee, thou drowsie Christian? speak, is it not true? dost thou not know how backward thou art? how long it is, e're thou close with a good Motion to Duty? How many excuses of a Lyon, and a Bear in the way thou makest? Is it not thy usual language, Yet a little more slumber, yet a little more sleep? I have put off my Coat, how shall I put it on again? Doth not a kinde of heart-qualme come over thy heart, when the first thoughts of a Duty come into thy minde? dost thou not know this is so? and doth it not Testifie against thee, of the vileness and wretchedness of thy Spirit? We cannot say worse of a man, than to say that hee is an Idle Fellow, which is most of all true of one that is spiritually Idle. Thou wicked sloathful servant, saith Christ, Mat. 25.26. a sloathful servant is a wicked servant. The desire of the sloathful kills, saith Solomon, 'tis a bloody, soul-murdering desire, because, he hath no heart to endeavour answerable to his desire. Oh how dost thou rest in thy wishings and wouldings, thy good meanings, and good desires? thy half perswasions, and languishing velleities, not considering they will kill thee, while they suffer thee to be idle, and do not quicken thee to effectual endeavours▪ to labour and strive, least when thou hast done all, thou shouldest bee a cast-away in the end? Why dost thou not consider the benefit of diligence? will not that move thee? nor the danger of sloathfulness? will not that move thee? hadst thou rather freeze than fetch wood? wilt thou chuse rather to steal than to work? to begg rather than to take pains? Even those that are diligent, and willing enough to bodily labour, may yet bee spiritually sloathful. Thou hatest bodily sloath, but spiritual sloath is far worse. If …hou canst see a vileness in bodily sloath, why, how is it, thou canst not see it in spiritual? Is such an one good for nothing? why so art thou; will such an one be a beggar? so wilt thou: (foolish Virgins will begg at last, and too late.) Is such an one not to be pitied? neither art thou. Is such an one to be cast out of humane society? so art thou, out of the society of the Saints. Read the Scripture, and there thou shalt meet with the wrestlings of Jacob, the watchings of David, the more abundant labourings of Paul. What art thou then, and to which of the Saints art thou like? A sloathful man is Brother to a great waster, and so art thou. Some quench the Spirit by doing evil, but thou by doing nothing; some by commissions, but thou by Omissions. See thy vileness therefore in that from a spirit of sloathfulness it is that thou dost quench the Spirit. And thus I have shewn you the evil of Quenching the Spirit from the causes, whereof it is an Effect.