The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 12 · Section 5
SECT. V.
4. Uſe. DOth God give his own Spirit unto all his own people? Let them then who have received the Spirit, remember the duties which do in a more ſpecial manner concern them: Theſe are firſt, Negative: ſecondly, Poſitive.
1. Negative duties are
Firſt, Quench not the Spirit; this is the Exhortation of the Apoſtle: 1 Theſ. Duties of ſuch as have received the ſpirit. Quench it not Why the ſpirit is compared to fi…e.5. 19. Quench not the Spirit: The Spirit (in this Metaphorical expreſſion) is compared to fire, becauſe
1. Fire lightning upon any combuſtible matter, it doth burn and conſume it: So when the Spirit of God enters into our hearts, he doth waſte and conſume by degrees all our noyſome luſts, and vile affections, and ſinfull deeds. Rom. 8. 13.
2. Fire doth purge and purifie the mettals by burning up the d…oſs, and by making them more pure and bright: So doth the Spirit of God when he comes into our hearts, he purgeth the heart of ſin, and makes us holy, and fit veſſels of honour.
3. Fire doth mollifie, and ſoften, and melt the hardeſt Iron: So doth the Spirit of God the hardeſt heart, and makes it melt into godly ſorrow and feare.
4. Fire doth give light and heat; So the Spirit of God doth enlighten and teach us, and heats us, and warms us, and inflames our hearts with the love of God, and with a power to do his will.
5. Fire doth aſcend and mount upward; So the Spirit carries up our thoughts and affections unto things which are above, Rom. 8. 5.
6. Fire doth revive, and as it were put a new life into us, when we are frozen or benummed: So doth the Spirit quicken and enlarge our hearts when they are oppreſſed with dulneſs and deadneſs.
In theſe and ſome other reſpects is the Spirit of God (with his graces) compared to fire; which may be quenched either in part, as when you ſuffer it to decay and ſlack, or in whole when it goes out all together.
There are four wayes by which the fire is quenched.
Firſt, By withdrawing and with-holding the fuell which ſhould nouriſh it: How this fire is quenched.So when we withdraw our ears from hearing the Word, and reſtrain Prayer, and decline holy ſociety and conference▪ we do now quench the Spirit in his gifts and graces, they will decay, and fall, and dye with…n us.
Secondly, By caſting on water; though you put much wood to the fire, yet if you caſt more water upon it, this will quench the fire: So although you ſhould hear, and pray, yet if you admit groſs ſins, theſe will quench the Spirit; they will either totally extinguiſh, or elſe extreamly dimin…ſh the graces of the Spirit. David found it ſo by his groſs ſins of adultery, and murder: And Sampſon found it ſo in his looſneſs with Dalilah.
Thirdly, By ſmothering of it: Though you do not withdraw fuell from the fire, nor throw water upon it, yet if you heap upon it much cold earth, or green wood, this will ſmother and put out the fire: though you do not decline Ordinances and duties, you do not fall into groſs ſins, yet if you ſuffer your heart to be overcloy'd with the things of the world, with the cares and employments of it, theſe will choak the word, and theſe will ſmother and quench the operations of the Spirit within you.
Fourth By neglecting of it: If we do not look unto the fire, and put the Brands together, and ſtir and blow it up, it will decay and go out: So if we neglect the graces of the Spirit, if we do not ſtir them up as Paul adviſeth Timothy, 2 Tim. 1. 6. ſhake off the contrary indiſpoſition, and put them out in daily exerciſe, they will decay, and will be ready to dye.
Object. But ſome will ſay, Quorſum haec? may a Christian loſe the Spirit? fall away from grace? can the work of the Spirit be wholly extinguiſhed? where is then the comfort and the happineſs you lately ſpake of?
Sol. I will not take up (by the by) that debate of total and final Apoſtaty; only this I ſay for the preſent that there is ſuch a latitude and compaſſe in the graces of the Spirit, that as the Chriſtian may riſe higher in them, ſo he may fall and decay much in them.How the graces of the ſpirit may be conſidered In their Root.
Take me briefly thus; the graces of the Spirit may be conſidered
Firſt, In their Root which is Chriſt: And thus conſidered, as Chriſt lives for ever, ſo do the graces of Chriſt, he dies not, neither ſhall any Branch Rooted in him die.
Secondly, in their eſſential habit, or ſpiritual quality; thus likewiſe the, are In their eſſential habits.immortal ſeed, and abiding ſeed, and living, which ſhall never be cut off.
Thirdly, In their gradua… meaſures, and quick operations; herein there may be a decay and quickning: Rev. 2. 4. I have ſomewhat againſt thee, becauſe thou In their gradual meaſures.haſt left thy firſt love. Ver. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen, and d… thy firſt works. Rev. 3. 2. Strengthen the things which remain and are ready to die.
Fourthly, In their ſenſible and comfortable manifeſtations; and here likewiſe they may be extinguiſhed, at leaſt for a time; Pſal. 51. 12. Restore unto me In their ſenſible manifeſtations.the joy of thy ſalvation: He had loſt it by his ſinning, &c.
Now the people of God who have received the ſpirit, they ſhould be careful not to quench him at all, no not in the meaſures, no not in any degree of grace, not in any one lively operation of grace, not in any one comfortable fruit or effect of grace: O ſirs!
1. It is an exceeding ſoily to weaken (may I ſo expreſs it) the hands of the Spirit, to ſhake your foundation, to wound your ſelves ſo near the heart: The Spirit is the Spirit of your life and power.
2. It is an exceeding folly to looſe any of your precious treaſures; why! a degree or meaſure of grace, one dram of it is more than all the world for value?
3. It is an exceeding folly to bereave your ſelves of your beſt comforts, and only joyes, to turn your day into night, your peace in…o trouble, your hope into fear, your confidence into doubts.
4. It is an exceeding injury unto that good ſpirit and unto your own happineſs, &c.
Secondly, Grieve not the Spirit: This duty you have from the Apoſtle, Eph. 4. 30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, by whom ye are ſealed unto the day of redemption: Grieve not the ſpirit.Do nothing which may offend and diſpleaſe him, or make his abode in you uncomfortable and undelightful: The Spirit hath been the Comforter unto you, you have taſted of his comforts and joyes; do not grieve, and offend, and diſpleaſe him who hath comforted and rejoyced your ſoul.
Queſt. What will grieve the Spirit, that ſo we may take heed of grieving him?
Sol. There are … wayes by which the Spirit is grieved.
Firſt, When we do not hearken to his motions, and counſels, and commands: What grieves the ſpirit. Not to hearken to his motions.This doth grieve a Father, and a friend when his counſels are diſregarded and deſpiſed: So when the Spirit of God puts us upon holy wayes, and workes, and we regard not his motions and directions, this doth grieve and offend him? Pſal. 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation; and what was that which grieved h…m? they would not hearken unto his voice, they erred in their hearts, they would not know his wayes.
2. Secondly, When we do hearken to the voice, motions, and counſels of Satan, or our own corrupt hearts, which are contrary to him and his ſuggeſtions; When we hearken to Satan.as Chriſt ſpake in Joh 5 43. I am come in my Fathers Name, and ye receive me not; if another ſhould come in his own name, him ye will receive. This grieved Jeſus Chriſt that the Jews would not receive him, coming in his Fathers Name, and yet they would receive another coming in his own name. Simile In like manner it cannot but diſpleaſe and offend the ſpirit of God to ſee his holy and heavenly counſels, motions, commands neglected, and at the ſame time, the motions, and luſts of of our hearts regarded, embraced and followed: Why? this doth more diſpleaſe a parent, or friend, that the enticements, and ſeducemennts of baſe fellows prevail and take more then his grave, and ſound, and loving advice, &c. as Eſau went and married the daughter of the Hittites againſt the mind of his Parents.
Groſs ſins.Thirdly, When we do any notorious ſinful work which is unworthy of men enjoying the Spirit of God, and cauſeth diſhonour and reproach unto him: Simile. As when a child doth any thing unbecomming his relations, and diſhonourable unto his Father: Ye have troubled me (ſaid Jacob to his ſons, Simeon and Levi) to make me to ſtink amongſt the inhabitants of the land, amongſt the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, &c. Gen. 34. 30. So when men profeſſing the Spirit, do yet walk contrary to the nature and rule of the ſpirit, they do now trouble and grieve the Spirit: e. g. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth, and if we pretending Spirit, embrace or countenance doctrines of lyes and falſhoods: …he Spirit of God is a Spirit of holineſs, and if we pretending that Spirit, follow and countenance practices of unholineſs and profaneneſs: The Spirit of God is a Spirit of love, and meekneſs, and peace; and if we pretending that Spirit, yet live in diſcord, and wrath, and contention; theſe things are a grief and trouble unto the Spirit of God: 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Chriſt depart from iniquity: So ſay I, let every one that nameth the Spirit of Chriſt, let every one that pretends to his preſence, depart from iniquity.
Fourthly, Eſpeciall do we grieve the ſpirit, when we do ſin againſt the preſent When we ſin againſt the ſpirits workings.works and workings of the ſpirit: As
1. The preſent illumination of the ſpirit which at ſuch a time actually ſhines upon that work we intend to do, … diſcovers it plainly to be evil and offenſive, and yet we do it.
2. The ſtrange motions and operations of the ſpirit ſtriving to with-hold us from our purpoſe, by arguing and reaſoning with our ſouls, propounding argument upon argument not to do ſo wickedly: As when a man lyes, or ſwears, or commits uncleanneſs, or ſteals againſt the particular light and preſent ſtrivings of the ſpirit, ſinful actions thus ſubſtantiated, do not only grieve, but do alſo wound the ſpirit; theſe are bitter provocations; Ephraim provoked him to anger moſt bitterly, Hoſe. 12. 14. and theſe are preſumptuous ſinnings which will coſt us bitter deſertions, and bitter throws in Conſcience, and bitter lamentations, and bitter afflictions (perhaps) all our dayes, and bitter fears and diſputes and queſtionings in our hearts.
Thirdly, Neglect not the ſpirit; As Paul to Timothy, neglect not the gift that is in thee, 1 Tim. 4. 14. So ſay I, neglect not the Spirit himſelf that is When we neglect the ſpirit.in thee.
And there are two things of the Spirit which we ſhould not neglect. 1. His movings. 2ly. His removings.
Firſt, Neglect not the movings (or motions) of the Spirit, but take hold of them, obſerve and follow them. You have many times ſuddain and ſecret excitations to draw you off more from the world, to prepare for death, to make ſure work for your ſouls, to truſt more on God, to walk more evenly and profitably, to redeem the time, to pray and ſeek the face of God, to do more good in your places, &c. Now do not neglect theſe motions, do not throw them aſide, and do not delay or defer to act them; remember it, you ſhall be able to do much at that time when the Spirit of God ſtirs your hearts, if you preſently act upon his actings of you, Simile. as the ſhip moves the faſter when the Mariner takes the wind and tide; but if you neglect them, the work will be more difficult, and your hearts will be more untoward, and backward, and hardened.
Object. But ſome will ſay, It is an hard thing to know what motions are the motions How to know the motions of the Spirit.of the Spirit; if we could certainly know them to be his, we would not neglect them.
Sol. You may know the motions which are ſtirring of you, to be the motions of the Spirit of God, by the conjunction of theſe Adjuncts.
Firſt, They are holy and heavenly, they do reſemble himſelf; he never moves They are holy.you to any evil, but only to what is good and ſpiritual; to get grace, to increaſe it, to exerciſe it, to mortifie your ſins, to beware of all incentives and provecation unto ſin, &c.
Secondly, They are conformable to the written Word: All h…s motions are Agreeable to the Word.but the ſetting on of Gods commands upon your heart, and lives; he moves you not, and ſtirs you not to do any thing but what the Word of God expreſly commands.
Thirdly, They are ſuitable to your place and condition: The ſpirit moves to Suitable to our place and condition.do that good work w…ich belongs to us in our place: He did not move Ʋzza to put forth his hand to hold the Ark, nor Uzziah to burn incenſe; It pertaineth not to thee Uzziah to burn incenſe unto the Lord, but unto the Prieſts, the ſons of Aaron that are conſecrated to burn incenſe, 2 Chron. 26. 18. He is the Author of order, and not of confuſion; he moves men to exerciſe the gifts which he hath given them, in the places and callings wherein he hath ſet them.
Fourthly, They are ſeaſonable: He puts in good motions, not to hinder a preſent good work but to further it; when we are ſometimes praying, or hearing, you ſhall They are ſeaſonable.have many good things preſented unto your minds which come not from the Spirit of God, but from Satan; for they are put in as diverſions and diſtractions from that good work in hand; but when they are from the Spirit, they are ſeaſonable and helpful: As when you are hearing, and …, and confeſſing your ſins, all thoſe good motions which drop into you to humble your hearts, enlarge your hearts to attend, to mark, and remember, and to yield conſent and obedience, and to take delight to raiſe heavenly reſolutions to walk according to the will of God revealed, theſe are motions from the Spirit.
Fifthly, They are gentle and ſpiritually rational▪ men talk of impulſives and violent They are gentle.motions upon their ſpirits for particular works for the doing of which they can give no religious account or ground; Thoſe are dangerous motions, and are to be ſuſpected and queſtioned; but the motions of the Spirit are not turbulent, nor violent; though they be ſtrong, yet they are gentle; they are leadings, but not diſquieting motions.
Secondly, Neglect not the removings of the Spirit: The Spirit of God (by reaſon of our ſpiritual pride, and ſecurity, and formality, and other ſins) may remove from us (i. e.) you may not find that comfort from him, and you may not find that ſtrength, and aſſiſtance, and vigor from him, and you may diſcern a general Hatneſs and lowneſs in your graces and ſervices, they come not off with that zeal, with that delight, with that care, with that love, with that importunity, with that fervency, with that faith as formerly; and you are more ready to fall under temptations, and ſinful occaſions; you cannot make that reſiſtance which you were wont to do! The Spirit in theſe caſes is removing and withdrawing: And it is a moſt dangerous folly now to ſit ſtill and to be careleſs and regardleſs. If a Guard which preſerves you, draw off, are you not in danger? are you not expoſed to enemies? why? all your ſtrength, ſupport, ſufficiency, ſafety is in the preſence of Gods Spirit. Therefore take notice of his removings or or withdrawings at any time, and do it quickly, and ſeriouſly; for though his removes be not (uſually) all at once, yet the oftner he removes, he removes the farther from you; and the farther he removes the ſtronger will hardneſs grow upon you.
Queſt. Why! what is to be done in this caſe?
Sol. I will tell you.How to prevent the Spirits removoings.
Firſt, Search your hearts, and enquire what is amiſs, what cauſe you have given unto the Spirit of God thus to withdraw from you, what harndneſs, what offence; you may read in Scripture theſe cauſes.
1. Pride of heart, as in Hezekiah.
2. Self-confidence, as in Peter.
3. Careleſs neglect, as in the Church Cant. 5. 6. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himſelf. See the cauſe of this in Ver. 3. I have put off my coat, how ſhall I put it on?
4. Foule tranſgreſſions, as in David, Pſal. 51. He had almoſt loſt all. Secondly, Then repent; it is the counſel given to the Church of Epheſus which loſt her first love, Rev. 2. 4. 5.
Thirdly, Cry out with David, Pſal. 51. 11. Caſt me not away from thy preſence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. O Lord, I am willing to let my ſin go, but I cannot be willing let thy Spirit go! When the ſpirit is removing, move after him, and lay hold on him with tears, and ſupplications, and faith, and ſay, O forſake me not utterly, O return in mercy! revive thy work again in me, and quicken, and reſtore, and eſtabliſh me, &c.
Fourthly, Do not injure the Spirit.