Object. But this may be a Doctrine of ſecurity; what care I for quenching the flame, ſo long as the fire goes not out? what care I for my joy, if I loſe not my faith, &c.

Anſw. This Doctrine is no ground at all for ſecurity: For 1. it muſt be a mans care not onely to maintaine fire, but to maintaine flame; not only to have ſubſtance, but to have his leafe greene. The righteous muſt be a tree not only bringing forth fruit, but a Tree alſo whoſe leafe muſt not wither, Pſal. 1.3. 2. There is little comfort in life when there wants a leafe; little comfort in faith, when by ſinne we quench our joy. A man when he is a colde takes no pleaſure in a fire that burnes not, flames not, it does him no good to ſee the coales lye ſmothering under green wood. Though a man have the radicall graces, yet little comfort in them during the want of the other: Becauſe whilſt theſe ſecondary grace are wanting, it brings the conſcience to queſtion the preſence and truth of the primary ones. The want of the leafe makes the conſcience queſtion the life of grace. If there were any comfort in ſuch a caſe, what needed David, having the ſpirit, beg to have his Joy reſtored? And what makes afflicted conſciences in time of tentation call into queſtion the truth of their fundamentall graces, but the want of their flame, of their leafe: So that this gives no way at all to carnall ſecuritie.

2. According to the ſecond Diſtinction,

Firſt, there are the infuſed habits of Faith, Hope, Love, theſe habits cannot be loſt, and ſo in regard of theſe habits the ſpirit cannot be quencht.

Secondly, there is the act, uſe, and exerciſe of them: In that regard the ſpirit may be quenched: For though the habit of faith cannot be killed, yet the act, uſe, and exerciſe of it may bee deaded, ſo as it may not for the preſent act and worke, and a man not uſe it. A man in his drunkenneſſe loſeth the uſe, but not the faculty of Reaſon. A man in his ſleepe loſeth the uſe, but not the faculty of his ſenſe. Sinne and temptation may as much diſtemper the ſoule, as Wine and ſtrong drinke may doe the braine.

3. For the meaſure and degree, in that regard the ſpirit may be quencht. A man may come to have a leſſe degree of faith, hope, love, a leſſe degree of joy and zeale. The degrees of theſe may be abated, and yet the things themſelves remaine, Apoc. 2.4. It is laid to the charge of the Angel of Epheſus, That he had loſt his firſt love; he ſayes not, he had loſt his love, or all his love, but his firſt love, that degree of love he had at firſt; he had love ſtill, but it was not ſo fervent as before, it was abated in the degree of it, and ſo the ſpirit was quenched in degree. So then, looke upon the habits of grace, and in regard of the habit, there is no amiſsion of grace: Looke upon the act, and in regard of the act, there may bee an intermiſsion of it: Looke upon the degree, and in regard of the degree, there may be a remiſsion. A remiſsion of degrees, an intermiſsion of acts, but no utter amiſsion of habits, of fundamentall ſaving ſanctifying grace. And thus having opened and cleared the Text, come wee now to ſome obſervations.

And here firſt begin with the metaphor, Quench not the ſpirit. And out of it learne

The nature of the Spirit of God, and ſpirit of grace. That the ſpirit of God is of the nature of fire: ſo much the word quench implyes, for nothing is properly quenched but fire; Quench not the ſpirit, is as much as quench not the fire of the ſpirit. The Spirit of God then is of the nature of fire, Mat. 3.11. He ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire, that is, with the Holy Spirit which is as fire, Mar. 9.49. Every man ſhall be ſalted with fire: what fire? As the fire of afflictions, and the the fire of the word, ſo the fire of the ſpirit, Act. 2.3, 4. There appeared to them cloven tongues with fire, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghoſt. Sometimes the Spirit is compared to water, Iſa. 44.3. And ſometimes againe to fire. As the Word of God is a fire, Jer. 23. Is not my Word a fire? ſo is his Spirit a fire. Is not my Spirit a fire? And the Spirit is compared to fire in theſe regards.

1. Firſt, Fire, it gives light: And therefore in the want of the light of the Sunne, we make uſe of fire to afford us light for doing our workes. The Sunne was not created till the fourth day, and yet there was light all the three firſt dayes, which ſome conceive to have beene from the element of fire under the ſphere of the Moone, which gave light unto the world. So Exod. 13.21. They had a piller of fire by night to give them light: Fire and light goe together. So is it with the Spirit of God. It is a Spirit of light, Epheſ. 1.17, 18. All ſpirituall illumination comes from this fire. Gods Spirit is an inlightning ſpirit, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man perceiveth not the things of God; neither can he, becauſe they be ſpiritually diſcerned, viz. by the light of the Spirit, which Spirit a naturall man wanting, hee is in the darke for the want of light that ſhould ſhew unto him divine truths. The Spirit of God is fire that brings light with it, whereſoever Gods Spirit comes there comes light.

2. Secondly, fire as it gives light, ſo it alſo gives heate; fire and heate are inſeparable: when our bodies are pinched with cold in the winter, comming to the fire wee are warmed and heated; fire warmes and heates that which is cold, and by the heat of it thawes and melts that which is frozen. Thus is it with the Spirit of God, it is an heating warming Spirit, it warmes and heates the affections, our hearts that are frozen and cold in prayer, hearing, it heates and warmes them, it melts and inlarges them. It kindles both affections of love, zeale, Joy. The Spirit of God will make a mans heart burne within, in the hearing of the Word, Luke 24. Did not our hearts burne within us when he opened the Scriptures? It will make a mans heart glow and flame in prayer, it will melt a mans heart, and make it drop at a mans eyes, as Ice thawes and drops againſt the fire.

3. Thirdly, Fire as it heates and warmes, ſo it alſo burnes and conſumes whatever combuſtible matter it lights and layes hold upon: It feedes upon combuſtible matter, and leaves not till it have brought it into aſhes. Prov. 30.16. Fire is one of the foure things that never ſayes it is enough. A little ſparke of fire burnes downe and conſumes whole houſes and Townes. It is ever in action, and eating up and conſuming what it lights upon. So is it with the Spirit of God and the graces of it: When the Spirit of God comes once into a mans heart, looke what combuſtible matter it findes there, it conſumes and eates it up: it will conſume and burne up our luſts and corruptions. It will doe with the body of ſinne, as the King of Moab did with the King of Edom, Am. 2.1. He burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lyme; as the Papiſts did with Gods ſervants in Queen Maries dayes, burnes the body thereof into aſhes. It is like the fire that came downe from Heaven at the fir • ſacrifice in the Tabernacle, that turne the ſacrifices into aſhes. Like the fir • that came downe upon Elias ſacrifice it burnt not onely the Sacrifice, b • licked up all the water in the ditch • bout the Alter. The Spirit of Go • when it is kindled in a mans heart, makes ſore worke amongſt a mans co • ruptions. It eates and lickes the • up ſtrangely. A man may ſee the • hath beene fire by the cinders an • aſhes.

4. Fourthly, Fire is a purging, p • rifying, refining element: It purg • water of the ſcum, it ſeparates droſſe • baggage from the metals. And as the • is a naturall purifying property in fir • ſo there was a ceremoniall purificatio • by fire, Numb. 31.23. Thus is it wit • the Spirit of Grace. And that whic • is ſaid of prayer is true of the Spiri • Malach. 3.2, 3. For prayer purifies b • his ſpirit, therefore faith is ſaid to p • rifie the heart, Act. 9. and hope is ſai • to purge, 1 John 3. Gods Spirit is purging, purifying fire, that fetche • droſſe and ſcum out of a mans ſoule The fire of the Spirit, this is the true Purgatory fire, and the Purgatory fire that every one muſt paſſe, that ever meanes to come to heaven.

By all this may men try themſelves, whether they have the Spirit of God in them or not. If any man have not the Spirit of prayer, the ſame is none of his, Rom. 8. Therefore it concernes us as much to know whether we have the Spirit, as to know whether we be Chriſts. If men have the ſpirit of grace in them, their underſtandings are enlightned, they have a piller of fire that lights them in their way to Canaan. Is the ſpirit in them, they have their hearts warmed and heated in holy duties of prayer, &c. inlarged hearts in ordinances. They have their luſts conſumed, turned into aſhes, they have their ſcum and droſſe of earthlineſſe, covetouſneſſe purged out. If thus, it is a ſigne of theſe effects of fire that they have the Spirit of God. But theſe things ſhew that men are generally fleſhly, not having the Spirit, Jude 19. If thou have Gods Spirit in thee, ho • is it thou haſt no more light of knowledge in thee. Thou art in the dark therfore no fire in thee, for then woul • there be light in thee. How cold, an formall, and frozen is thine heart a Prayer, Sermon, Sacrament: Certainely, if there were fire in thee, ther • would be heate in thee alſo; no heat • therefore no fire. All thy luſts an • the body of ſinne is untouch'd, unhur • thy luſts as ſtrong, thy corruptions a potent as ever. Alas, it may be ſaid o • thee, as of the three children, Dan. 3 when they came out of the fiery furnace, not an haire of their head was ſinged, not the ſmell of fire upon their garments. Juſt ſo with thee. Alas, wha • doſt thou talke of having the Spirit o • God in thee; See Prov. 6.27, 28 Can a man take fire in his boſome, and h • clothes not be burnt? Can one goe upo • hot coales, and his feet not be burnt?

So in this caſe. It were impoſſibl • but if this fire were in thee but thy corruptions ſhould be burnt and conſumed. And what purity of heart o • life is wrought in thee? The droſſe and ſcum of thine oaths, thy rotten ſpeech is ſtill in thy mouth, the droſſe of the world is ſtill in thine hands. By this it appeares that men doe but vainely boaſt of having the ſpirit of Grace in their hearts, when they have neither light in their hands, nor heat in their hearts, nor mortification and holineſſe in their lives. Their fire is a fire without light, blinde darke fire; a fire without heat, cold fire, a fire that doth not burne, that doth not flame; It is but falſe fire, it is but a painted fire. It is a ſigne Gods Spirit, and that fire from heaven is not come downe into their hearts.

Now to come to the maine point of the Text: The leſſon it teaches is, that it muſt be the ſpeciall care of a Chriſtian, that Gods Spirit and the graces thereof be not quenched nor damped in him. The Spirit of God is of a fiery nature, and is as fire in a man. Now a mans care muſt be to keepe this fire alwayes burning and flaming, and to take heed that he doe nothing that may extinguiſh, and put out either the flame or the fire, either the light or the heat of it. It is a rule in the expoſition of the Commandements, that alwayes the negative includes the contrary affirmative; as when we are forbidden to kill, wee are alſo by all meanes commanded to preſerve our neighbors life: So here when we are forbidden to quench the ſpirit, we are not onely forbidden the quenching, but we are commanded withall to kindle and keepe it alive, to keepe it flaming and burning in us. This negative comprehends that affirmative, 2 Tim. 1.6. ſtirre up the grace of God in the. He puts him in minde 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to blow up, and to kindle and keepe alive the grace of God in him. It muſt be with the Spirit of God and the fire of it, as it was with the Lamps of the Sanctuary. Ex. 27.20. they ſhall bring oyle for the light to cauſe the Lampe to burne alwayes. It muſt alwayes be kept burning. This fire muſt not ſometime be burning, and ſomtimes out, but a mā muſt have a care to keep it burning alwayes. See what the Canon was for the fire on the Alter, Levit. 6.12.13. And the Jewes ſay, that he that quenched the fire of the Altar, was to be beaten; yea, though he quenched but one coale; yea, if he quenched but one coale that was downe from upon the Altar, yet hee was to be beaten. Thus ſhould it bee with us in our care for preſerving the fire of the Spirit in our hearts alive. This fire ſhould be alwayes burning, it ſhould not be put out; and men ſhould have a care, that not one coale of it, no not one ſparke of it ſhould be quencht: It ſhould burne, and never bee put out, Quench not the ſpirit. Quench not the flame, the coales, the ſparkes.

That which is the good huſwifes commendation in one kinde, Prov. 31.18. that her candle goes not out by night, ſhould in this kinde be the praiſe of a Chriſtian, that his fire and candle goe not out, but are ever kept burning, Lu • . 12.35. let the lights be burning: The participle notes the continuance, that is, alwayes burning. We know who 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 they were that ſaid, Give us of your oyle, for our Lampes are quenched: they were none of the wiſeſt, Matth. 25.8. The fooliſh Virgins ſaid unto the wiſe, &c. They bee fooliſh Virgins that ſuffer their Lampes to quench: The wiſe Virgins ſlept, but yet their Lampes were burning: But the fooliſh Virgins they had their eyes and their Lampes out. And wee ſee that Hezekiah reckons this amongſt other tranſgreſſions of their fathers, 2 Chron. 29.6, 7. Our Fathers have treſpaſſed, and have done that which is evill in the ſight of the Lord. And what was that treſpaſſe, and what was one evill they had done in the eyes of the Lord? They have put out (or quenched) the Lampes. To quench the Lampes of the Temple was a treſpaſſe, and a thing evill in the eyes of the Lord. And ſo is it no leſſe a treſpaſſe, a thing no leſſe evill in the eyes of the Lord to quench this Lamp, and to put out this fire of our Spirit.

Now for the further proſecution of this point conſider 3. things.

1. Firſt, The meanes and wayes to keep it from quenching, to keepe it kindled, burning and flaming in our hearts.

2. Secondly, The things that doe quench it, which muſt be avoided.

3. Thirdly, The danger of quenching the Spirit, that may make us afraid to quench it.

1. Firſt, The meanes to keepe us from quenching, and to kindle and keepe it alive and burning in us, are theſe:

I. Firſt, to be carefull and watchfull not to quench it, but to cheriſh it in the firſt motions thereof. Quench not the Spirit. Quench not the firſt motions thereof. Quench not the ſpirit; that is, foſter, cheriſh, and make much of the firſt motions of the Spirit. In the firſt creation, Gen. 1.2. it is ſaid the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water, or was moving. Incubabat aquis, ſayes Junius, viz. as Birds upon their egges, or young. They ſit and are moving upon them to hatch them and bring them forth; and when they are hatcht, they ſtill ſit and move upon them to cheriſh, and ſuſtaine them with their heate and warmth, till they bring them to perfection. So the Spirit of God did ſit or move upon that face of the deepe, by his motion or incubation, to hatch and bring forth out of that vaſt maſſe the ſeverall kinds of creatures, he by an effectuall and comfortable motion cheriſhed that matter, till he brought forth the ſeverall creatures, till hee hatcht them and brought them to perfection. Now looke as the Spirit in the creation moved upon the waters, juſt in the ſame manner the Spirit moves in mens hearts, that by the gracious motions of his Spirit, hee may hatch and bring forth graces, and good workes in us, and may bring them to perfection. The ſame word is uſed of God againe, Deut. 32.11. As the Eagle flutters over her young, ſo the Lord alone, &c. The Lord as an Eagle over her young, flutter'd over his people, or moves, As the Eagle ſtirres up her nest, that is, her young ones. The Eagle, ſhee ſtirres up her young ones, and rowſes them up with her cry, and not onely ſits upon them, but flutters over them with her wings to awaken them: So did God ſtirre up Iſrael to goe out of the land of Aegypt, Ezek. 20.5, 6, 7. So that before God brought them out of Aegypt, he firſt ſtirred them up to be gone; He ſaid unto them, Caſt away every man his abomination. Now how did God ſtirre them up? Not onely by Moſes and Aaron in their Miniſtery, but by the gracious motions and ſollicitations of his Spirit; and thoſe motions by which hee ſtirred them up and called upon them to bee gone, and to caſt away their abominations, thoſe were the Eagles ſtirrings of her neſt; theſe were the Eagles flutterings with her wings: As the Eagle ſtirres up her neſt; how ſtirres ſhe up her neſt, her young ones? She rowſes them by her cry: So the Spirit rowſes, excites, and ſtirres up men by his voyce in the motions thereof: And therefore thoſe motions are called a voyce, though not a voyce audible to the bodily eare, yet audible and ſenſible to the ſoule, Iſa. 30.20. Thine eares ſhall heare a word behind thee. Behind thee, as Iohn, Apoc. 1.10. I heard a voyce behind me, not before me, as implying that the Spirit of God comes and calls upon us being ſecure, paſſing by, and not regarding thoſe things it calls for. It is a voyce that many times comes all on a ſudden, Cant. 2.8. The voyce of my Beloved, behold hee comes. It is a ſecret whiſpering voyce, breathing holy motions into our hearts, ſtirring us up to ſome good: But yet it is a preſſing voyce, that followes a man, and preſſes him cloſe to what it calls for, Act. 18.5. Paul was preſſed in ſpirit, and teſtified, &c. The Spirit of God moved him, and ſtirred up his ſpirit, and forcibly and ſtrongly moved him, ſo as his ſpirit was preſſed to doe: All this was, that he had ſtrong and vehement motions from Gods Spirit to doe that which he did. Now then, when we have ſuch motions, ſuch breathings, ſtirrings, flutterings, then ſhould our care be not to quench theſe, but to cheriſh, kindle, and uphold theſe motions. The Spirit of God is fire, the motions of the ſpirit, are the ſparkes of this fire; now our care ſhould be not to quench theſe ſparkes, not to let them goe out, but to kindle and cheriſh them unto a great fire, unto flame. It is ſaid of Chriſt, That he will not quench the ſmoaking flaxe. That if there be in a mans heart but a ſmall ſparke of grace, ſo ſmall that it burnes not, but onely makes a little ſmoake, and a poore ſmother, yet he will not quench it, but he will make much of it, cheriſh and foſter it till it kindle and grow to a great fire: So ſhould it be with us, when the Spirit of God injects and caſts into our hearts but the ſparkes of fire in the gracious motions thereof, quench not thoſe ſparkes, cheriſh and kindle thoſe ſparkes, keepe them from quenching and dying, and going out.

Now for the doing of theſe two things are required: Firſt, have a care to take notice of the motions of the Spirit, watch where hee moves and ſtirres, that a good motion may no ſooner ſtirre in thine heart, but thou maiſt preſently be able to ſay, This is Gods Spirit, theſe be the flutterings of the Eagles wings, this good motion is from Gods Spirit. Thus doth the Church, Cant. 2.8. whilſt ſhe is in that holy diſcourſe, ſhe findes a good motion ſtirring, and abruptly ſhe breakes off, and ſayes, The voyce of my welbeloved. Now Chriſt ſpeakes by the good motions of his Spirit. Excellent is that, Apoc. 1.10. I heard a voyce behind me, and verſ. 12. And I turned to ſee the voyce that ſpake with me. The voyce was behinde him at his backe; now when he heares the voyce behinde him, he does not goe on, and never minde, and not vouchſafe once to looke backe and to heed it, but hee turnes him about to ſee the voyce that ſpake with him, to take more ſpeciall notice of what was ſaid: So when we heare that voyce of the Spirit in the motions of it, and heare it behinde us, we ſhould not goe on negligently and careleſly, and leave and caſt it behinde our backes, but turne about to ſee the voyce, take ſpeciall and ſerious notice of it. Doe as the people did at the poole of Betheſda, they ſate watching for the mooving of the waters by the Angel, that the waters could no ſooner move, but preſently they ſaw it, obſerved it, tooke notice of it, and all cryed out the Angel moves in the waters. So ſhould we watch when at any time the ſpirit of God moves in our hearts, and take ſpeciall notice of it; and ſay, now Gods ſpirit ſpeakes to mee, this is the voyce of the ſpirit. That when a good motion ſtirres in our hearts, we might be able to ſay as Jacob upon his dreame, ſurely God is here, ſurely Gods ſpirit is here. This were a great meanes to kindle the ſpirit in us, and to make him continue his gratious counſells to us, as the contrary is a ſhrewd meanes to quench the ſpirit. If a man ſpeake to us, and give us good counſell, and adviſe for our benefit, if we hearken and give eare to him, and take notice of what he ſayes, then he will go on, and give us further information and direction; but if hee perceives that we regard him not, that we heare him with an oſcitancy of ſpirit, and that wee are minding othe • matters, and are talking, and twatlin • with other idle perſons that are b • us, the man hath done, he wil not trouble him, hee will not loſe his ſwee • words, he will have the witt to hol • his peace, and let him alone. Iuſt ſo here. If Gods ſpirit ſpeakes to us an • counſells us in the holy motions ther • of, if we will minde him, obſerve him, and give him audience, then will hee goe on and give us further counſell and continue his directions to us.

Wee ſhall ſee 1 Sam. 3. that God called Samuel three times, and Samuel thought it had beene Ely, and doth not take notice of it that it was the Lord: And all that while that hee takes not notice of it to bee the Lord, all that while God is ſilent, ſayes no more to him, cōmunicates not his mind to him. But at the fourth call, when Samuel anſwers verſe 10. Speake Lord for thy ſervant heares; then the Lord goes on, reveales his mind to him, & tells him all that in the verſes following, and all that chapter 2.27. ad finem, which is there ſet downe by way of Anticipation. So when the Spirit of God, calls and wee minde it, and note it, and ſay Lord I minde and marke that thou moveſt in my heart, and thou beginneſt to ſpeake to me, ſpeake Lord, thy ſervant heareth thee and takes notice of thee, then the Spirit of God wil goe on, will continue his counſels, and will reveale his minde further to us. But if Gods Spirit ſtirre in his motions, and we are • eedeleſſe, and ſupine, and regard him • ot, he will ceaſe and breake off, & we may be long enough ere wee heare of him againe. Apoc. 3. I ſtand at the doore and knocke. Hee knockes in the motions of his Spirit, every motion of the Spirit is a knock, a rap at the doore of our hearts to have us open. Now wee ſee if one of us come to a mans doore, and we knocke once, twice, &c. • nd either they within doe not heare • s, or if they doe, yet regard not our • nocking (what care they knock let him) • hen we will away, and knocke no longer, when it may be we come upon an errand that might be beneficiall to t • family. So if the raps and knockings the Spirit at the doores of our hea •• be neglected, and diſregarded, he w • have done knocking, and knocke 〈◊〉 longer, though hee knocke and co •• upon an errand for our owne goo • The obſervation of the motions of t •• Spirit is an excellent kindler, and t • neglect and diſcontinuance of them a very dangerous quencher of the S •• rit. As therefore wee would kee • the Spirit of God from quenching, we would keep it alive, and burning us, ſo have a care to take notice of, a • to obſerve the firſt motions of it in o • hearts.

Give preſent obedience to the Spirits motions.2. Secondly, The motions of t • Spirit obſerved, and notice taken them, in the ſecond place be carefull give preſent obedience to them a • to cloſe with them, and to doe t •• thing for which the ſpirit of G •• moves and excites thee to Doe as th • at Betheſda, they not onely watch • when the Angel moved, but every o • laboured to ſtep in, and ſtep in preſe •• • y into the waters, whileſt the moti • n was on foot. So ſoone as the Spirit • trikes theſe ſparkes into our hearts to • ave our hearts as tinder to catch thoſe • parkes, and to have them take fire in • ur hearts. Sparkes ſmitten into tin • er, the tinder takes fire, and by it a • andle is lighted, and ſo a greater fire. A little ſpark that lyes in the aſhes, if it • e let alone it ſoone dies and goes out, • ut if other ſmall coales, or ſmall ſticks • e layed to it, and it be gently and ſoft • y blown, it at length will kindle to a • reat fire. So deale with the motions of the ſpirit, ſuffer them not to dye in • he aſhes, but foſter and cheriſh them till by little and little they grow from • otions to actions, and from many Actions to an Habit. The motions of • he ſpirit are the knockings and rappings at the doore of the heart, I ſtand at the doore and rap. Now when one • 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 t •• ſpirit knockes, ſuffer him not to ſta • knocking too long, but make haſte open the doore and give him e • trance.

The motions of the ſpirit are t • ſtrivings of the ſpirit, Gen. 6. My ſ •• rit ſhall no longer ſtrive with man. 〈◊〉 ſtrives in them to bring us to ſo • good, or to know ſome evill. N • when wee finde him striving with we ſhould not ſtrive againſt thoſe m • tions, we ſhould strive with our ſel • to let the ſpirit of God overcome in his ſtrivings: We ſhould cloſe w • him and doe what hee calles for, a • ſecond his counſells by our obe •• ence. Wee ſee Marriners at ſea if t •• wind ſerves not, how they are looki •• at their top ſaile to ſee and wat • when the winde turnes, and blowes f •• them. And when the winde blow • from the point they deſire, they pr • ſently take notice of it; Now ſay th • the winde blowes faire, but yet that not all: ſo ſoone as they ſee they ha • a faire gaile of winde, they preſent •• 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; whē 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 cō forts and joy of the ſpirit: Therefore take heed of this,How to ſave the Spirit frō 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 decaying and dying, as that it increaſes and addes to it. Gal. 5.25. If we live in the ſpirit, let us alſo walke in the ſpirit. That's ſure, that the life of the ſpirit is to be evidenced by the workes of the ſpirit, the life of grace by the workes of grace. And what if a man doe ſo? Then it may be ſaid as truly, If we walke in the ſpirit, we ſhall alſo live in the ſpirit, and the ſpirit live in us. Walking in the ſpirit, acting and exerciſing the gifts and graces of it, will cauſe the ſpirit to live, and keepe it from quenching in the gifts and graces of it.

And this is that which Paul wiſhes Timothy to doe, 2 Tim. 1.6. to ſtirre up the gift of God that was in him. Hee ſpeakes of his Miniſteriall gifts. Now how are they to bee ſtirred up, and to be kindled and increaſed? Amongſt other wayes this is one, to be in action, in exerciſe of them, and not out of ſloth, or out of feare, verſ. 7. to let his gifts lye idle. Vſe legges, ſayes our Proverbe, and have legges; and uſe gifts and graces, and have gifts and graces. Wee ſhall ſee it true in particulars.

The way to keepe the gifts of the ſpirit from dying and decaying.1. Firſt, for the gifts of the Spirit in knowledge and utterance. The way to keep them from dying and decaying, is to be in action in the exerciſe and communication of them. It heates, keepes them alive, and increaſes them. See Deut. 4.9. Take heed to thy ſelfe, &c. as if he ſhould ſay, Take heed of quenching the Spirit: When a man forgets that which God hath taught him, and knowledge of God departs from a mans heart, that's a flat quenching of the ſpirit. It is the putting out of the light of the fire of the Spirit. Take heed of that, ſayes God: Well, but what courſe may be taken to keepe theſe gifts, to keepe a man from decaying in his knowlege? Teach them thy ſonnes, and thy ſonnes ſonnes. The exerciſing of thoſe gifts in teaching others, ſhould keepe alive their gifts in themſelves. Hee that in that kinde endeavours to kindle Gods Spirit in others, doth at the ſame time, and in the ſame action kindle it in himſelfe.

There be lippes, that Salomon calls, Lippes of knowledge, Prov. 20.15. and he ſayes, that they are a precious Jewell. Now a man if hee have ſuch lippes, ſhould be as carefull to keep them, as he would be to keepe a precious Jewell. How carefull is a man to keepe a precious Jewell, hee would not by any meanes loſe ſuch a Jewell: As carefull ſhould a man be to keepe the lippes of knowledge. And what are lippes of knowledge? when they are ſuch as Prov. 5.2. that thy lippes may keepe knowledge. Thoſe lippes are lippes of knowledge, thoſe lippes are a precious Jewell, that keepe knowledge: Well, but how ſhould a man come to have his lippes keepe knowledge? When he doth, as Prov. 10.21. The lippes of the righteous feede many. When a man uſes and exerciſes his gifts of knowledge, and communicates them to others, by feeding others with the knowledge he hath, his feeding lippes ſhall prove keeping lippes. Communication of knowledge and truth, is the preſervation, and our keeping of it, and the keeping our ſelves from loſing it.

It is in this as in that caſe, Gen. 22.16, 17. Becauſe thou hast done this thing, and haſt not with held thy ſonne, in bleſſing I will bleſſe thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy ſeed: So if men withhold not their gifts, but uſe and exerciſe them in inſtructing others, and teaching others, God will in bleſſing bleſſe our gifts, God will in multiplying multiply our gifts, and exceedingly increaſe them. The loaves did not multiply whilſt they were in the basket, nor whilſt they were whole, but when they were breaking and diſtributing; under the breaking and diſtribution it was they multiplyed. Gifts of knowledge are not ſpent in diſtribution, but increaſe and multiply thereby. It is true here wch Salomon ſpeakes, Pro. 11.24.25. The ſcattering of knowledge makes it increaſe, and watering others with thoſe waters, will but make way for the more abundant watering of himſelfe.

The gifts that God gives men are pounds he gives them. And hee gives a pound to a man not to be put into his purſe, but to be put into the banke. He gives men a pound with a command to trade, Luke 19.12. Trade till I come. And what was the iſſue? Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. Lord thy pound hath gained five pounds. Trading therefore with the gifts of Gods ſpirit, is the increaſing of the gifts of the ſpirit. On the contrary, the want of exerciſe of gifts, the not imploying them in cōmunicating our knowledge decayes them, & quenches the Spirit. In the former parable wee finde ſome ſervants trading with their pounds, and another ſervant layes up his pound in a napkin. Now one would thinke that this ſervant had tooke the onely ſure courſe to have kept his pound Trading we ſee often proves hazardous, and uncertaine, and many a ma • trades away his ſtocke, and loſeth al • hee hath by trading, but when a ma • ties his money up in a napkin & binde • it, he ſeemes to take a ſure courſe fo • keeping of it. But yet not ſo in thi • trading in the gifts of the ſpirit. They that traded, gained more pounds, kep • and increaſed their gifts, he that trade • not, he loſt his gifts, verſe 24. Tak • from him the pound. Hee hath quench the Spirit, he loſt his gifts. And how comes he to loſe them? becauſe he • imployed them not, becauſe hee lap • his pound in a napkin. We ſee 2 King. 4. that the oyle ceaſed and ſtayd not till for want of veſſels the widdow powred not out. It is not powring out, but want of powring out tha • dries up the ſtreames and fountaines o • grace. And the oyle ſtayed ſaies th • text, verſe 6. When ſtayed the oyle • not when ſhe was powring, but whe • ſhee ſtayed powring, ſhee firſt ſtaye • powring, before the oyle ſtayed running. No man when a candle is light puts it under a buſhell. The putting of a candle under a cloſe buſhell or any other cloſe veſſell may quench the • ight, and put out the candle which would have continued burning if it had beene ſet upon the table. The Mothers milke dries not up with drawing out her breſt, and giving ſuck, but it dryes up with being kept up, with not giving ſuck; quench not the ſpirit. Fire is quencht not onely by water, but by want of vent. If fyre bee ſhut cloſe up • n an oven, or a ſtill, it dies and goes • ut, but if it hath ayre and vent, then • t lives and burnes. And what is it that more quenches the ſpirit in this kinde, then our not uſing and exerciſing of mens gifts. No man when he lights a candle puts it under a bed, or under a buſhell. The ſpirit of God • ights many a mans candle, gives him much light, hee hath a faire burning lampe, and yet the ſame things befalles him that's threatned to him that curſes Father and Mother, Prov. 20.20. His lampe or his candle is put out in obſc •• darkenes. His lamp go out, and then f • lowes not only, darkeneſſe but obſc •• darkeneſſe. He not onely growes ig •• rant, but ſottiſhly & groſely ignora •• But how come this candle & this la • to bee quenched, and to bee put ou • obſcure darkeneſſe? Hee hath pu • under a bed, or under a buſhell, 〈◊〉 hath had more minde of his bed, a • his buſhell, of his eaſe and profits th • of giving and communicating his lig • to others. Sloth and coveteouſneſſe ha • made him neglect the uſe and exer •• of his gifts, and ſo the bed and the 〈◊〉 ſhell have put out his lampe in obſc •• darkeneſſe, theſe put out their can • and make them goe out like the ſnu •• of the candle with a ſtinke, and an • ſavour. A candle may bee put 〈◊〉 though it be not blowne out, thou • water not cat caſt into it, by the p • ting of an extinguiſher over it. Negligence, and ſlothfulneſſe in not exc • ciſing the gifts of the ſpirit is an e • tinguiſher put upon the candle a • flame of the ſpirit, that quenches a • puts it out. Zech. 11.17. Woe to the Idole ſhepheards. And who is the Idole ſhepheard! That leaves his flocke: Therefore an Idle ſhepheard that doth not exerciſe his gifts with his flocke, hee is an Idol ſhepheard. And what is the woe that ſhall befall him? A ſword upon his Arme, and upon his right eye. Hee did not ſtretch out his arme all the day long to gather in his flocke, therefore his arme ſhall bee withered. He did not uſe his eye, would not bee a ſeer to inſtruct his people, therefore his right eye ſhall not be dimmed, but utterly darkened. The ſpirit ſhould bee quenched in him. Hee had made himſelfe an Idle ſhepheard, and therfore God makes him an Idoll ſhepheard. Of Idols it is ſaid, Pſalme 115. Mouthes they have, and ſpeake not, eyes they have and ſee not. Hee made himſelfe an Idoll, a mouth hee had and ſpake not, gifts he had and uſed them not, hee leaves his flocke; and therefore God will make an Idoll of him too; eyes he ſhall have and not ſee, his right eye ſhall be utterly darkened. He leaves his flocke, and Gods gift • leave him: So dangerous a quenche • of the Spirit is the not uſing of gifts, whether by Miniſters or others.

2. Secondly, in the gift and grace of faith. The way to keepe faith in vigour, in life, to keepe it from quenching in the deſire, to make it grow and increaſe, is to put faith to it, to keepe it in action, to keepe it in exerciſe, and to make it put forth it ſelfe in frequent acts. So long as faith is on the increaſing hand, ſo long no feare of its quenching or decaying; ſo long as faith is acted and in exerciſe, ſo long it is on the increaſing hand; every new and freſh act of faith adds growth and increaſe to it: the uſe of faith increaſes faith; and the more freſh acts of beleeving, the more the habit of beleeving is increaſed: Many acts ſtrengthen and increaſe habits. Marke how that man ſpeakes, Mark. 9. Chriſt tells him, if hee can beleeve, hee can heale his childe: Lord ſayes he, helpe my unbeliefe; as if hee ſhould ſay, Lord I would faine beleeve, I finde much unbeliefe, helpe me to overcome it. I but firſt, ſayes he, Lord I beleeve, helpe my unbeliefe. That act of his in putting forth his faith to beleeve as he could, was the way to overcome his unbeliefe, and to come to beleeve as he would. The way to have the faith we would have, is to uſe and ſet on worke the faith we already have. See John 1.48, 49, 50, 51. as if he ſhould ſay, Since thou art ſo ready to beleeve upon ſo ſmall a ground, therefore thou ſhalt ſee greater things then theſe. Great matters ſhall be revealed unto thee, that ſhall ſet thy faith on worke in a great meaſure. The way then to keepe faith in vigour and in life, is to ſet faith frequently on worke, and to have it ready and forward to beleeve. Take the promiſes, and ſet them before thee, and put thy faith on worke upon them, and ſtirre up thine heart to beleeve them ſtrive to act thy faith in beleeving them, and this will keepe thy faith lively and vigorous. When faith is not exerciſed, and ſet, and kept to work, it breeds a ſpiritual torpor in ou • faith, and ſo quenches it, that when w • may have moſt need of it, it can doe u • no ſervice nor comfort, Lu. 24. O foole and ſlow of heart to beleeve. God woul • have men quicke and ready, forwar • to beleeve. Now when faith is no • held to it, and kept in action, then is 〈◊〉 ſlow and backward to doe that worl • which God requires of it.

3. Thirdly, in the gift of praye • The gift of prayer, when a man c •• powre out his heart to God, it is a • excellent gift and grace of the ſpirit And a man once having obtained th • grace, ſhould have a care to keepe up, and increaſe it; and no better wa • to doe it then to be frequent in the •• erciſe of it, and to be often in t •• worke. Hezekiahs phraſe to Iſaiah, 〈◊〉 that he ſhould lift up a prayer, Iſa. 3 • 4. A man that would be good at li • ting, muſt often uſe himſelfe to liftin • and the oftner he lifts, the eaſilier he • lifts: Lift up a prayer ſayes Hezekiah. lift up mine heart, or my ſoule, un •• thee, ſayes David. A man that do • not uſe to lift heavy burdens, how hardly doth he lift? what adoe hath he to get up an heavie burden when he comes to it: But he that uſes every day to be exerciſed in lifting, it is an eaſie thing to him, hee hath by his frequent uſe gotten a dexterity, an handineſſe at the worke. To lift up a mans ſoule to God, to lift up a mans heart ſo high, as heaven is from the earth, is an hard matter. Oh how heavie a mans heart is by nature! and how hard to lift it up, to lift it up ſo high! If a man be not practiſed, and daily exerciſed in it, a man will as ſoone lift up a mil-ſtone, yea a mountaine, unto Heaven: But a man that is every day, and upon every occaſion at the worke, he will finde the worke thereby facilitated, and will get up his heart with much readineſſe. Prayer is a running to God. A man that is to run, muſt be in breath, have his winde at command. He that runs every day, is every day the fitter to run: yeſterdayes running prepares for to day, to dayes running for to morrow: But put a man to run that hath not done for many yeeres he is ſo purſey, and ſo preſently out o • breath, that hee is faine preſently t • give out.

There is nothing ſo quenches th • Spirit of prayer, as diſ-uſe of the duty I cannot goe in theſe, ſayes David, fo • I am not accuſtomed to them: And ſ • want of accuſtoming and exerciſing o • themſelves in prayer, makes men utterly to ſeeke in prayer, when thei • neceſſities are moſt urgent. Many a • their death beds, and upon other urgent occaſions, would faine pray, and alas, when they try to drive, they draw • heavily, they want Charriot wheeles, they never wheeled their Charriots nor oyled their Charriots. As therefore men would keepe up a Spirit of prayer, ſo let them be often and frequent in the exerciſe of it.

4. Fourthly, in the ability and power of giving God obedience: The more we obey God, the more able we ſhall bee to obey God; our ability to obedience is from the ſpirit, Eze. 36. I will put my Spirit into you, and cauſe you to walke in my Statutes. When a man hath got ſome ability to walke in Gods Statutes, his care ſhould be to maintaine and increaſe that ability. The way to doe that, is to ſet our ability on worke, and to exerciſe it: That will both keepe and increaſe in us a ſpirit of obedience, Pſal. 119.55, 56. I have kept thy Law. How came he by this ability? This I had becauſe I kept thy precepts. A ſtrange reaſon one would thinke, I kept it becauſe I kept it: And yet a true reaſon, for every new act of obedience fits for a following act, and the uſe of ſpirituall ſtrength increaſes ſpirituall ſtrength, Rom. 6.19. As in ſinne, ſo in grace, Mar. 4.24. Certainely, the not exerciſing, and putting forth of our ability and power of obedience, quenches the power we had, and ſo enfeebles it, that when we would at another time doe it, we cannot. Samſon when his lockes were cut off, thought he would goe out and doe as at other times, but the Spirit was quenched, and the Lord was departed from him; and therefore he could not doe as he had done at other times: So when God calls us to doe duties of obedience, and hath given us his Spirit, and ſome ability from it to doe ſuch duties as we have formerly done; and when God calls us to it, we will not put forth our ability hee hath given us, then wee quench his Spirit; and when at another time we thinke to doe ſuch duties, we cannot doe them, becauſe by not exerciſing our ability we loſe our ability. I kept not thy precepts, This J had becauſe I kept not thy precepts.

3. Third meanes to kindle, and keep from quenching, is the uſe of thoſe holy ordinances that God hath appointed for this end: They are theſe:

Hearing the word a ſpeciall meanes to keepe the ſpirit frō dying.1. Firſt, Hearing the Word, and attendance upon the Miniſtry thereof. They that would keepe alive, and increaſe the fire of the Spirit, muſt waite upon the Miniſtry of the Word: The Miniſtry of the Word is fire, fuell and bellowes and all. It is fire, Jer. 23. Is not my word as a fire? As the Spirit is fire, ſo the Word is fire, and one fire kindles another, Pro. 26.21. As coales are to burning coales, &c. ſo the Word is coales to burning coales, theſe laid together make the fire greater: And the fire of the Word kindles the fire of the Spirit in our hearts, and when it is kindled, kindles it more, and makes it flame the more; Did not our hearts burne within us? Luc. 24. There was a fire kindled, and burning in their hearts. I but how came it to kindle, and when did it burne? Did not our hearts burn within us, whileſt he opened the ſcriptures unto us? He kindled that fire in their hearts by the preaching of the Word: As Ieremy ſpeakes of the Word in another caſe, Ier. 20.9. His Word was in mine heart as a burning fire ſhut up in my bones: So it is true of the Word preached in the hearts of the godly, it is a burning fire in their hearts that kindles in them the fire of the Spirit. There is no grace of God that is not wrought and increaſed in the hearts of Gods people, by the Miniſtery of the Word. The Holy Ghoſt falles downe from heaven upon men in the Miniſtry of the word. Acts 10.44. It is ſaid of the Manna. Numbers 11.9. that it fell with the dew in the night. My doctrine ſaies Moſes, ſhall drop as the raine, and my ſpeech diſtill as the dew. The Miniſtry of the word is a dew that diſtills from heaven. Now in the dew of the word, and with it, this Manna, Chriſt and his Spirit falls downe from heaven, according to that, 1 Pet. 1.22. by them that preached the Goſpell unto you with the Holy Ghoſt ſent downe from heaven. See then that Manna came downe from heaven in the dewes of the Miniſtry of the Goſpel. So much doth Pauls queſtion to the Galathians implie. Gal. 3.2. This onely would I learne of you, Received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law, or by the hearing of faith; therefore by hearing the doctrine of faith preached in the Goſpel the ſpirit is received, not onely for the beginning, but for the increaſe and continuance of it. The Miniſtry of the word, that is the fire that kindles this fire in our hearts. It is alſo the fewell that feedes this fire. The Lamps of the Temple muſt burne alwaies, Exod. 27.20. But then there muſt be ſomewhat to feede, and maintaine it burning: therefore ſee what is commanded. Command the children of Iſrael to bring their pure oyle olive to cauſe the Lampe to burne alwaies. There muſt bee oyle to feede the fire, and to cauſe it to burne. The word is the oyle olive that cauſes the Lampe of the Spirit to burne alwaies, that feedes and maintaines it that it quench not. The fire upon the Altar muſt ever burne, and not bee put out, Levit. 6.12, 13. but verſe 12. middle And the Prieſt ſhall burne wood on it every morning. There muſt bee a care had that there ſhould bee fuell to keepe the fire burning, Prov. 29.26. where no wood is (though there be no water) the fire goes out, but verſe 21. wood kindles fire. As coales are to burning coales, • nd wood to fire, ſo is a contentious man to kindle ſtrife, ſo is the word to • indle the ſpirit and to keepe it from Quenching. The word is the wood and the fuell that keepes the Spirit from quenching. Therefore marke here the Apoſtle having ſaid, quench not the ſpirit, they might happily aske what muſt wee doe that wee may not quench the Spirit: ſee what the next words are, Deſpiſe not prophecying, the preaching of the word, as if he ſhould ſay, the way not to quench the ſpirit but to kindle it, and to keepe it alive in you is to make much of, and to attend upon the Miniſty of the word. If once you deſpiſe and ſligt that, ye wil quickly quench the Spirit. And to the ſame purpoſe is that, Iſa. 30.20, 31. Thine eyes ſhall ſee thy teachers, and thine eares ſhall heare a voyce behind thee ſaying, &c. The way then to have our eares open to heare the words behinde us, is to have our eyes open to ſee our teachers before us. If our eyes ſee not our teachers, we cannot expect wee ſhould heare the voyce behind us. The way to have the ſpirit follow, us with his motions, and worke of grace, is for us to follow the word. The hearing of the word then is a ſpeciall meanes to cheriſh the ſpirit of grace in our hearts. It is the oyle, and the wood that keepes this fire burning.

It is alſo the bellowes that blowes and ſtirres up this fire in our hearts. When a man would kindle a firc hee takes the bellowes, and by their helpe hee makes the fire burne with a great flame, and heate, that before burnt little or nothing. When a fire is quencht, and is almoſt out, the bellowes will quickly raiſe the flame againe. The miniſtry of the word is the bellowes that blowes up and kindles the fire of the Spirit in us and makes it flame. Ier. 6.29. All the preaching of the Prophets is in vaine, it will not prevaile with them: Therefore when the word is preached, then the Bellowes blowes to kindle the fire. Now when there is fire, and fuell, and bellowes blowing, there is no danger of the fyre going out, there is no queſtion but that the fire will burne and be kept alive. And the miniſtry of the word being fire, fuell, and bellowes, it muſt needs bee a ſpeciall meanes to keepe the Spirit from quenching, to kindle and keepe it alive in us. And therefore ſuch as would take heede of quenching, as would kindle and preſerve this fire burning, they muſt come to this fire, and catch fire at it, muſt lay on this wood, muſt come under the blaſt of theſe bellowes: that is, they muſt come to, and attend upon the miniſtry of the word. And what is it that more and ſooner quenches the Spirit then the want, and neglect of the miniſtry of the word. Many that have had faire lamps blazing, faire fires burning, yet it comes to paſſe that it may be ſaid of them, as Iſa. 43.17. They are extinct, they are quenched as towe. When wood burnes, & after quenches yet for ſome good time after there remaine ſome coales, and ſome fire ſtill, but when burning towe quenches it leaves no fire or heate at all, it goes ſuddenly quite out. So many, not onely quench in degree, but quench altogether, quench as towe. Quench ſo as God in another ſenſe threatens to quench the wicked, Iob 18.5.6. Their light is quenched, and the ſparke of their fire doth not ſhine. So quenched, that all ſparkes of goodnes are quenched in them. Now whence came this miſchiefe, and where began this evill? let it be conſidered if it had not its firſt riſe from the neglect of the miniſtry. The taking away and the loſſe of the miniſtry muſt needes bee a great cauſe of Quenching the Spirit in mens hearts When the lampes in the Temple are quencht. 2 Cron. 29.7. the lampe of the ſpirit muſt needes quench in mens hearts. Heb. 30.20.21. Thy teachers ſhall not be removed any more into any corner, but thine eyes, &c. and thine eares, &c. Therefore when teachers are removed into corners, then no voyce of the Spirit is to bee heard, then the ſpirit is quenched. As the quenching of the ſpirit is the cauſe ſometimes of the quenching the fire of the word, Apoc. 2. Thou haſt left thy firſt love, I will remove the candleſticke. Thou haſt left thy love. There is quenching of the Spirit. I will remove the candleſtick, there is the quenching of the light of 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the Goſpel. Thou haſt quenched the fire of thy zeale; I will quench the fire of the Goſpel, I will remove the candleſticke and quench and put out the candle, the ſtriving and burning light of the Miniſtry. So alſo the quenching of the candle and light of the Miniſtry is infallibly a cauſe of quenching the ſpirit in mens hearts. When once Preaching is taken frō men, there muſt needes be a decay and a languiſhing of grace: without wood the fire muſt needes goe out. The want or loſſe of the meanes is a quenching. But now when men ſhall voluntarily of themſelves through negligence, and diſreſpect of the meanes, ſlight them, this is a farre more dangerous cauſe of quenching the ſpirit: for then there is a double cauſe of quenching. Firſt, The want of fuell, the withdrawing of the wood. And Secondly, Gods Juſtice, who when hee ſees men begin to neglect and ſhift the meanes, hee will in his wrath ſmite them with the loſſe of thoſe gifts and graces they had. As ever therefore thou wouldeſt keepe the Spirit from quenching, as ever thou wouldeſt kindle it, and keepe it flaming and burning, ſo diligently and conſcionably attend upon the Miniſtry of the Word.

2. Communion of Saints,Communion of Saints a meanes to keep the Spirit frō quenching and the exerciſe of the duties of that Communion in mutuall exhortation, mutuall provocation to love, and good workes, mutuall quickning, and exciting each other unto good.

This is a ſpeciall meanes to keepe the Spirit from quenching, to keep the ſpirit burning and flaming, and to increaſe the gifts and graces of the Spirit in us. As of contentious men, ſo is it true of gracious men, and godly men in this ſenſe, Prov. 26.21. As coales are to burning coales, and wood to fire: ſo is a godly and gracious man to kindle the ſpirit. Coales laid to burning coales doe mutually communicate heate each to other, and make each others heate the greater. A few ſtickes laid on the fire, and that lye aſunder too, they make but a poore fire, it gives but little heate; but when a good company of ſtickes are laid on together, and laid on cloſe, then the fire burnes to the purpoſe. Wee ſee that ſmal ſtickes will kindle great ones. In blowing of the fire, the ſmaller wood takes fire firſt, and that being fired, it fires the greater wood. Many times men that have greater meaſures of gifts and knowledge, may want heat and be ſhort in their fervour and zeale, and they by their communion with Chriſtians of meaner ranke, and meaner gifts than themſelves, may bee warmed, and heated, and have the fire of love and zeale kindled in them. We ſee that greene wood will hardly burn alone; lay that on the fire alone, and what a deale of blowing and ſtirring muſt there be ere it will take fire; and if it doe take fire, it will hardly burne any longer than it is blowne, and but poorly then neither: But now lay green wood on the fire with dry wood, and the dry wood not onely burnes it ſelfe, but ſets the greene wood on fire alſo, and makes it burne to the purpoſe. Some mens hearts are exceeding dead and cold, and it may be they uſe all private helpes by themſelves, and blow what they can, but their ſolitary indeavours will not doe it. If once they doe but joyne themſelves in ſociety with ſuch as are godly, and hold communion with them, that will get heate into their hearts, and thoſe burning coales will ſet them on fire.

A live cole thrown out 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 quenching4. 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 Chriſt, as if he ſhould ſay, oh my ſpirit blow upon the hearts of my people, that their graces may abound in them, and increaſe in them, worke abundance of grace in them. It is ſure, that the ſpirit of God muſt blow upon the garden before the ſpices thereof can flow out, before the graces can increaſe and abound. But yet there muſt bee ſomewhat done before the North winde doth awake, and this South winde blowes. Not only the voyce of Chriſt muſt ſtirre up, and raiſe this winde, but the voyce of prayer on our parts muſt raiſe the winde. The ſpirit blowes where it lists, but yet there is a way to raiſe this winde ſo to blow, that ſpices may flow out. Then when we are frequent and earnest in prayer, then when our hearts are enlarged in prayer, then Chriſt ſtirres up his ſpirit to blow, then hee raiſes that winde to make the ſpices flow out. If ſpices flow not out, if graces abound not, it is becauſe the North and South winde blowes not. If they blow not, it is becauſe Chriſt ſtirres not, nor awakens them. As hee rebuked the windes, and they were ſtill, Mar. 4. ſo when hee commandes theſe windes, they blowe. And if Chriſt awake not this wind, it is becauſe wee awake not him by prayer: when they awakened him Mar. 4. hee ſtilled thoſe windes, and when we awaken him, hee will Awaken, and ſtirre up this winde to blow ſo, as the ſweet ſpices of his graces may flow out. All riſes to this, that the more wee have our hearts enlarged in prayer, the more will the Lord enlarge his hands in the graces of the Spirit. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Pſal. 81.10. The wide mouth proves the full mouth, the wider the fuller. The more our hearts and deſires are enlarged in prayer, the fuller of the graces of the ſpirit ſhall our hearts bee. Prayer will helpe us to every grace, and cauſe every grace to increaſe in us. It will helpe us to a ſpirit of knowledge, and underſtanding, Dan. 9.21.22. Iohn 16.25, 26. It helpes to a ſpirit of Repentance, and godly ſorrow Zech. 12.10, 11. They ſhould powre out their ſoules in mourning for their ſinnes. There ſhould be a great mourning, great meaſures of the grace of the ſpirit: but how ſhould they come to ſuch meaſures of the ſpirit of Repentance! I will powre upon them the ſpirit of grace and ſupplication. Hee would powre a ſpirit of prayer upon them, and then ſhould that ſpirit kindle and increaſe the ſpirit of Repentance. It is that which helpes to ſpirituall wiſdome, James 1.5. and to the increaſe of faith. The Apoſtles Luke 17. tooke a right way for the increaſe of faith, whileſt they prayed, Lord increaſe our faith. It was wee ſaw before a great meanes of kindling, and keeping the Spirit from quenching, to keepe the graces of the ſpirit in action. Now prayer that keepes grace in action, it ſets the graces of the ſpirit on worke, exerciſes them, and ſo keepes them in vigour. It ſets faith on worke, love on worke, humility on worke, hope on worke, and ſo keepes and increaſes life in them all. As therefore wee would keepe the ſpirit from quenching, as wee would keepe it alive, and increaſe it, ſo we muſt be frequent & diligent, & fervent in the duty of prayer: grace cānot abate, nor decay, or dye, ſo long as we keepe alive a ſpirit of prayer. The neglecting and letting fall this duty, hath beene it, that hath quenched many a mans graces, that lets them dye and come to nothing: lay the ſeventeenth and the ninteenth verſes together; Pray without ceaſing, Quench not the Spirit. As the way to pray without ceaſing, is not to quench the ſpirit, ſo the way not to quench the ſpirit, is to pray without ceaſing: As when the ſpirit ceaſes burning, men ceaſe praying; ſo when men ceaſe praying, the ſpirit ceaſes burning.

2. Point. Such things as quench the Spirit, wee must be carefull to avoide. And they are theſe.

1. Firſt, Sinne in generall,Sinne a meanes to quench the ſpirit. the committing of ſinne againſt knowledge, and light: this quenches the Spirit, as water quenches fire. There is a quenching of fire by ſubduction of fuell, Prov. 26.20. But it is a worſe quenching of fire by caſting on water, it is a more ſudden, and a more ſure quenching, and ſuch a quenching as gives not way ſo ſoone to kindling againe. Fowle ſins committed againſt conſcience, they are like the caſting of water upon the fire. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſayes Chryſoſtome upon this place; and he illuſtrates it by a ſimilitude taken from the Lampe that he was preaching by: As, ſayes hee, if a man ſhould take water, or earth, and put upon the light of this Lampe, hee quenches the light thereof, &c. His ſimilitude is ſo much the more worth noting, becauſe it lets us ſee, that it was Chryſoſtomes practiſe to preach in the afternoone, and by candle light though he were a great Biſhop. It is no new thing to have afternoone Sermons, it was an ancient and great Biſhops practice. Well then, ſinne to the Spirit of God is as water caſt on fire: It quenches the Spirit. Sin committed againſt conſcience quenches the Spirit in the ſparkes of it. A man hath had many motions and ſollicitations againſt a ſinne from the Spirit of God; a man againſt theſe commits the ſin. The Spirit of God upon this, is ſadded and grieved, yea quenched, hee lets a man alone, and leaves him a long time ere he ſhall heare of him againe. No queſtion, but when David was in that tentation to adultery, but Gods Spirit did his part, and plyed him with many ſollicitations to the contrary, yet David does it: And what followed but a long and a ſad ſilence of the Spirit, and a ſuſpenſion of that worke? he lyes almoſt a yeere in that ſinne (till Nathan comes to him) and never heares more of the Spirit of God, no ſollicitations nor motions to repentance; for ſurely had the Spirit of God followed him, he would have beene awakened ere that time. And therefore no marvell that David not onely prayes, Pſal 51. Reſtore unto me the joy of thy Spirit, but Lord take not thine holy ſpirit from me, Lord uphold me with thy free ſpirit, verſ. 11, 12. Hee had found ſo long a ſilence of the ſpirit after his ſinne, that hee began to feare the loſſe of the ſpirit it ſelfe, and that God would take it quite away.

It quenches the flame of the Spirit. So David after his ſinne, twice prayes, verſ. 8.12. Make mee to heare joy and gladneſſe; Reſtore unto me the joy of thy Spirit. Before his ſinne, the Spirit flamed in him; O what joy and peace! what ſence and aſſurance of Gods love! but now that he had adventured to commit that foule ſinne, he had caſt water on this fire, had put out the flame: Now his joy was gone, his peace was gone, his aſſurance of Gods love was gone; now he felt no other flame, nor fire burning in him, but the flame and fire of hell ſcorching and burning his conſcience. It quenches the Spirit in the degrees of grace, ſo as a man after ſinne, cannot doe as he did before. See Judg. 16.20. He thought to doe as at other times. Poore man hee was deceived, he riſes from Delilahs knees, and communicates the ſecrets of his heart to her, and now he hath quencht the Spirit, and cannot doe as at other times: So with men have committed ſome foule ſinne, they will goe to prayer, to heare the Word, to receive the Sacrament, and they thinke to doe as they have done in former times, to pray, heare, and receive as at other times, but the Spirit of God that was wont to helpe and aſſiſt them, that is quenched and departed, and they cannot pray as they were wont, nor heare, nor receceive as they were wont to doe. Their ſtrength and graces are ſo decayed in their degrees, that they are nothing the men that they were. David went to the Temple no queſtion, and to the Sacrifices all the while that he lay in his ſinne, but what a difference did David finde in himſelfe? How farre did he finde himſelfe from being able to doe in prayer, and other holy duties as hee was wont to doe? Sinne quenches the heate and warmth of the Spirit. They that will quench the light of the Spirit, in ſinning againſt the light of it, ſhall quench it in the heate and warmth of it. Such a man may pray, heare, receive, but alas! how coldly, and with what deadneſſe they doe theſe things? Their hearts that were wont to burne, and to be heated, and thorowly warmed in theſe duties, are now key colde, no heate nor warmth at all: They doe theſe duties, as the poore man gave thankes, that gave thankes for his ſtolne mutton. With what affection, life, heate and warmth of Spirit could he give thankes for that meate he had ſtolne? Juſt ſuch is the caſe of ſuch as commit groſſe ſinnes, againſt conſcience and the light of the Spirit. Sinning and praying cannot ſtand together: If praying doe not hinder from ſinning, ſinning will hinder from praying. And as wee ſee it true in Davids foule ſinne of adultery; ſo it is in other foule ſinnes, they are all water caſt on the fire. The ſin of drunkenneſſe it is a ſwiniſh ſinne: a man that commits that ſinne, caſts water upon the fire of the Spirit; it quenches the Spirit in the gifts of it. The Prophet complains of the Prieſts and Prophets in his time, that they had loſt the knowledge of the truth, that light was quencht: But how came it ſo? Iſa. 28.7. they were a company of drunken ſots: So Iſa. 57.10.12. They were a company of pot-companions, fitter for a cellar and a pot, then for a Church and a Pulpit; therefore their gifts were quencht; therefore they were blinde, ignorant, &c. Some Prophets ſpirits are ſpirits of the cellar, of the Taverne, they be pot-Divines, Mic. 2.11. and the ſpirit of God quenches and dyes where there is ſuch a ſpirit. And ſo it is in other men as well as Prophets, the ſpirit of the Ale-houſe and the ſpirit of God will never ſort together. And we ſee many whoſe Apoſtacie hath had its beginning at the pot, there began their firſt quenching of the ſpirit. And this is that the Apoſtle points at, Epheſ. 5.18. Be not drunk with wine, but be filled with the ſpirit: As if a man muſt needs bee empty of the ſpirit, that will be filled with wine. Drunkenneſſe wee often ſee quenches the very ſpirits of nature, and makes men ſodden-headed ſots; therefore no wonder if it quench the ſpirit of grace. Gods ſpirit will not dwell in a Beere or Ale-barrell. As therefore we would not quench the ſpirit of God, ſo take we heed of committing any ſinne, but eſpecially of ſinnes againſt knowledge, and conſcience, of foule groſſe ſinnes. Water muſt needs quench fire.

But though all ſinnes are quenchers of the Spirit: yet there be ſome ſpeciall ſinnes that are not ſo groſſe and ſcandalous, that a Chriſtian may bee ſubject to and have creeping upon him, and are dangerous quenchers of the Spirit. And they are theſe.

Worldlineſſe though no ſcandalous ſin, yet it is a dangerous quencher of the ſpirit.1. Firſt, Worldlineſſe, an Inordinate deſire of, and affection to earthly things: The inordinate love of the world is a dangerous quencher of the Spirit. Demas quencht the Spirit, hee had made zealous profeſſion of the Goſpel and Religion, but hee fell off from the Apoſtles doctrine and fellowſhip, and hence came Demas to quench the Spirit. Demas hath forſaken us, and hath embraced (or he loved as he made it) this preſent world. It was Demas his worldlineſſe, and earthlineſſe that quenched the Spirit, ſee 1 Iohn 2.16. Love not the world, nor the things of the world. But why not? If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The love of the world quenches the love of God, and ſo the Spirit, for the love of God is a grace of the Spirit. The love of the world quenches the love of the word, Mat. 13.22. The world choakes the word. Worldlineſſe is a choaker, and a quencher of the Spirit. A man may put out and quench fire not only with water, but with earth; earth caſt upon a fire (though dry earth) wil quench fire.

It is with the love of the earth, as it is with the Dampe of the earth. They that worke in Coale-mines, and in the earth, obſerve a dampe to riſe out of the earth, and when the dampe riſes it will quench and put out their candles. They burne dimme at firſt, and ſo by little and little they quench, and goe quite out with the dampe. So is it with the love of the world, when it prevailes in the heart, it dampes the ſpirit of grace and quenches the ſpirit of God in the heart of a man. And our Saviour having ſpoken againſt worldlineſſe, Mattew 6.19, 20, 21. hee comes verſe 22, 23. to ſhew the miſchiefe of it, and the miſchiefe and danger of it is, that it is a Dampe that puts out the candle, quenches a mans light, and ſo leaves him full of dangers. Marke that diſcription of the Church, Cant. 3.6. Who is this that aſcends out of the wilderneſſe with pillars of ſmoake [Elationibus fumi?] A chriſtian therefore is a man aſcending out of the wilderneſſe with pillars of ſmoake. By the wilderneſſe is meant the world, a Chriſtian is a man not deſcending into, but aſcending up out of the wilderneſſe, a man that is comming up out of the world. And he comes up like pillars of ſmoak. His affections, his deſires, his thoughts they are the pillars of ſmoake; now ſmoake goes upwards, it riſes and goes towards heaven. So his thoughts, affections, deſires, they reeke and riſe upwards, they ſmoake heaven-wards. Now we know there is no ſmoake, but there is ſome fire; what is then the fire from whence theſe pillars of ſmoake come? There is in a Chriſtians heart the fire 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 (for want of ſtirring the fire) formality quenches the fire and lets it goe out, if it puts it not out.

There be two ſeverall paces in Religion and performance of religious duties, and we finde them both together, Prov. 4.12. When thou goeſt thy ſteps ſhall not be ſtraightned, and when thou runneſt thou ſhalt not ſtumble. There is a going pace, and there is a running pace: A man muſt firſt goe before hee can run, and when a man begins with a going pace, and riſes to a running pace, that's commendable. When a man begins to practiſe and performe duties, it is a going, but when he comes to be zealous, and fervent in duties of obedience and ſervice, that's running; running is the pace of zeale: Now ſo long as a man keepes running, ſo long he keepes warmth and heate in him, though it be cold weather: So long as a man is zealous in the profeſſion of Religion, and performance of duties, ſo long the fire of the ſpirit burnes, and is not quenched: But if a man leave running, and ſlacks his pace, and contents himſelfe with a going pace, his ſpirituall heate abates, and is cooled, and quenched. And when a man hath beene zealous in profeſſion, and zealous in performances, and afterwards falls to formality, that's to turne running into going, and that's the way to coole and quench the ſpirit. It is formality in Religion that undoes men, that's the cauſe the ſpirit kindles not in ſome, that the ſpirit is quenched in others. Men content themſelves with a forme of godlineſſe, but deny the power thereof; men come to Church, heare, pray, receive, but there is no life, no zeale, no heate in their profeſſion and performances, and therefore the ſpirit kindles not, and therefore the ſpirit is quenched. We know what Iſaac ſaid to his Father as he was going to mount Moriah, Gen. 12.7. My father, behold the fire and the wood, but where is the Lambe for the burnt offering. But we may ſay to many, Behold the wood, and the Lambe, but where is the fire? Here is profeſſion, and here is praying, and hearing, and receiving, but where is the fire? where is the zeale, the heat, the life, that theſe duties ſhould bee done withall? God was diſpleaſed with Nadab and Abihu, becauſe they offered with ſtrange fire: It is a provocation to God to offer with no fire as well as with ſtrange fire: And becauſe men come to offer without fire, becauſe they performe duties formally, Et ſolent non de pietate, De diverſis. Serm. 120. ſed de ſolennitate concurrere, as Auſtin ſpeakes; therefore is the ſpirit of God not kindled, therefore is the ſpirit of God quenched. As therefore we would feare to quench the ſpirit, ſo take we heed of formality in holy performances, bring fire with your offerings, bring fire with your incenſe: what is fire without incenſe? and what is incenſe without fire? If you profeſſe, profeſſe powerfully. If you pray, pray earneſtly, pray with your whole heart. If we doe performe holy duties, ſtirre we up our ſelves to doe them with all our might: But if we doe holy duties onely for forme, and ſatisfie our ſelves in the bare ceremony of the worke done, wee ſhall never kindle the Spirit if it be not kindled, and we ſhall quench the ſpirit if it be kindled. He ſhall baptize you with the Holy Ghoſt, and with fire, Matth. 3. We are all baptized with water, but yet a Chriſtian ſhould looke to it, that hee be not onely baptized with water, but with fire alſo: And all that are truely baptized, are baptized with fire as well as with water. How many are baptized with water, that were never baptized with fire! Their coldneſſe and formality in Religion ſhewes that they were baptized with water alone, that there was not a ſparke of fire in their baptiſme: Nay, were it that men were baptized with fire, yet coldneſſe and formality in Religion, and holy performances, would make their baptiſme a meere watry baptiſme, nay it would prove water, to quench and put out that fire with which they had beene baptized. Formality is water that will quench the fire of the Holy Ghoſt.

3. Thirdly,An opinion of ſufficiency of grace, is a quencher of the Spirit. a conceit and an opinion of ſufficiencie of grace and godlineſſe. When men once ſay of grace, Religion, and godlineſſe, as Eſau ſaid of his goods and wealth, Gen. 33.9. And Eſau ſaid, I have enough my brother, &c. As profane a perſon as hee was, there be but a few that are of his minde, and that can tell when they have enough. It was well ſaid of Eſau in that kinde: But when men come to ſay ſo of grace and godlineſſe, I have enough, and entertaine a conceit of a ſufficiencie of grace, that they have 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 knowledge enough, they have faith enough, zeale enough, and that they need trouble themſelves no more to increaſe their knowledge, faith, zeale; they are in a direct and a dangerous courſe of quenching the ſpirit.

The next way to quench the ſpirit is to quench a mans cares, deſires, and endeavours after more grace. When a man deſires no more grace than hee hath, endeavours and labours for no more than he hath, grace will dye and decay, and ſo the ſpirit will quench. Now there is nothing ſo quenches a mans cares, deſires, and endeavours after grace, as the conceit and opinion that a man is well, that hee hath enough, and that more, is more than needes.

If a man have a good eſtate, yet if he thinks that he hath not yet enough, but hee yet wants ſo much and ſo much, that very opinion that he hath not enough, quickens his cares for, his deſires of, his endeavours after more, and ſo makes him ply his trading, ply his Markets yet to get more. And his deſires and endeavours quickned by that opinion, makes the mans eſtate grow, makes him thrive and increaſe his wealth. So a man that hath good meaſures of grace already, yet if hee thinke that hee is ſhort of that hee ſhould be, and have, he hath not yet thoſe meaſures of knowledge, faith, zeale, &c. he ſhould have; that very thought quickens his cares, deſires, and endaavours to get more, and theſe endeavours increaſe his ſtocke.

Paul, Phil. 3. preſſed hard forward to the marke that was ſet before him, and ſo runne on ſtill, deſired yet to goe further in grace, and Religion: But what made him doe it? I forget the things which are behinde. Hee did not looke at what he had already done, as if hee had done enough, hee did not thinke he had enough, or had done enough, and therefore he deſired to have more, to doe more.

When a man thinkes hee hath enough, goods and riches enough for him and his, he cares not for any more, he will not ride and runne about, and be early up and late downe, hee will not be ſo eager in his trading, but give it quite up, Soule thou haſt much goods laid up for many yeeres, take thine 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 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.

Firſt, our very life lyes upon it. Every ſinner in his guilt, having his ſinne unpardoned, let him be what he will, hee is no better than a dead man. That as God ſpake to Abimelech, Gen. 20.3. Behold thou art but a dead man for the woman which thou haſt taken. So, behold thou art but a dead man, and a dead woman for the ſinne which thou haſt committed, if thy ſinne be not pardoned. An unpardoned ſinner is but a dead man, Epheſ. 2.1.5. Wee uſe to ſay of a condemned perſon, that hee is a dead man: But now when a mans ſinne is pardoned, then hee hath his life; as when the King gives a condemned man his pardon, wee ſay hee gives him life. Our Juſtification is called Juſtification of life, Rom. 5.18. A maine part of our Juſtification is the pardon of ſinne: So that pardon of ſinne it is our life. I ſaid unto thee in thy blood, live, &c. Ezek. 16.6. and Epheſ. 2.5. Wee which were dead in ſinnes hath hee quickned, made alive. How come wee to be made alive? for by grace wee are ſaved: God of his free grace hath pardoned us our ſinnes, and thus are wee quickned that are dead. Now if our life lies upon our pardon, and wee be no better than ſo many dead men without it, doth it not concerne us to looke about us, and to get our pardon? Is there any thing of that concernement that our life is? Therefore as Moſes in that caſe urges them, Deut. 32.46, 47. And hee ſaid unto them, ſet your hearts unto all the words which I teſtifie among you this day, which yee ſhall command your children to obſerve to doe all the words of this Law. For it is not a vaine thing for you: becauſe it is your life, and thorow this thing yee ſhall prolong your dayes in the land whither yee goe over Jordan to poſſeſſe it. So in this, ſet your hearts upon this buſineſſe, and make it the greateſt of all your care to get pardon of ſinne; it is not a vaine thing, nor a trifling buſineſſe, it is your very life. If yee get not your pardon yee dye, yee periſh, yee are undone unto eternity. When a man is condemned to dye, if he have any friends that can doe any thing with thoſe about the King, hee ſets them all on worke, and there is great mediation, great and earneſt ſuing, no paines nor coſt ſpared, riding and poaſting to and againe. Now what is the reaſon of all this adoe? Becauſe the mans life lyes upon the Kings pardon, if that buſineſſe be not plyed and effected, the man dyes, and is ſure to be executed: And therefore life lying on it, no marvell hee beſtirres himſelfe, and ſets his wits and his friends on worke with all their might. It is our caſe if ſinne unpardoned, wee are but dead men, and undone men, our life lyes upon Gods mercy in our pardon: And our life lying upon it, how doth it concerne us to beſtirre our ſelves, and to give our hearts no reſt till wee have prevailed with God for this favour, the taking away of our iniquity. Our life ſtands in our Salvation, our life ſtands in our Redemption, our life ſtands in our Reconciliation to God: And all theſe ſtand in the pardon of our ſinnes. Our Salvation ſtands in it, Luc. 1.77. Where the end of John Baptiſts going before the face of the Lord is ſaid to be, To give knowledge of ſalvation unto his people, by the remiſſion of their ſinnes. As a man is ſaid to bee ſaved when the Kings pardon comes. Our Redemption ſtands in it, Epheſ. 1.7. In whom wee have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſſe of ſins. We may talke of Chriſts blood, and redemption by him, but redemption wee have none, and benefit of Chriſt wee have none, till wee have the pardon of our ſinnes. Our Reconciliation with God ſtands in it, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Chriſt reconciling the World, not imputing their ſinnes. And therefore ſince our Salvation, our Redemption, our Reconciliation ſtands in it, our life ſtands in it: And ſince our life lyes upon it, it ought to be our greateſt care above all things to get the pardon of our ſinnes.

Secondly, it is the in let to all other mercy, and that which uſhers in all other good, Hoſ. 14.2. Take away all iniquity, and give us good. They muſt pray for good to be given. I but your iniquities with-hold good things from you, Jer. 5.25. Therefore their firſt petition is, Take away all iniquity: So that wee can looke for no good to be given, till ſinne be forgiven: And when ſinne is forgiven, then that is removed that with-holds good from us, and then way is made, and the paſſage cleered for the entrance of good. And therefore when God intends any mercy or a ſpeciall good to a people, hee firſt makes way for it by the taking away their iniquity: Hee prepares a way for his bleſſings by the pardon of our ſinnes: So when God intended the mercy of peace and liberty to his Church, deliverance from the ſorrowes, ſee what hee doth withall, Iſa. 40.1, 2. Speake comfortably to her that her warfare is accompliſhed, all her troubles and afflictions ſhall have an end. I but alas, might they ſay, wee have ſo many ſinnes, and ſo great guilt upon us, that wee cannot hope to have that comfort. Therefore ſee what followes, an anſwer to that objection, That her iniquity is pardoned; As if hee ſhould ſay, I will take away your iniquities, and ſo make way to that mercy; your ſinnes ſhall be pardoned, and ſo ſhall be no hindrance to you. And ſo when the palſey man came to bee healed, what was it that made the way to that mercy. So ſoone as Chriſt ſees him, hee ſayes not Sonne be of good comfort, thy palſey is cured, but Be of good comfort, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee, and then when that is done, then Ariſe take up thy bed, and walke: The pardon of ſinne made way for the cure of his palſey And ſo David makes that the in-let of his bodily health, Pſal. 103.3. Who forgives all thine iniquities, who heales all thy diſeaſes. Davids diſeaſes were healed, and what made way for the healing of them, who forgives all thine iniquities. Pardon of ſinne makes way for this bleſſing. See Iſa. 38.17. where King Hezekiah confeſſeth it had made way for the ſame to him; Behold, ſaith hee, for peace I had great bitterneſſe, but thou haſt in love to my ſoule, delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou haſt caſt all my ſinnes behinde thy backe. Nay, for health to an whole Land, Iſa. 33.24. The inhabitant of the Land ſhall not ſay, I am ſicke. The Land ſhall be free from contagious, infectious, peſtilentiall, epidemicall diſeaſes. That's a great bleſſing, but what ſhall make way for ſuch a mercy? The people that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their iniquity. And therefore when David ſets himſelfe to praiſe God for being a God that heard prayer, hee makes this the ground of it, Pſal. 65.2. Bleſſed be thy name that haſt heard my prayer. Oh, how could God heare thy prayer when thou hadſt many ſinnes, which covered God with a cloud, that thy prayer ſhould not paſſe thorow, as Lam. 3.44. Anſw. It is true, verſ. 3. Mine iniquities had prevailed againſt mee, and they had kept good things from mee, and brought evill things upon mee; but yet for all that God heard my prayer, and to make way for hearing my prayer, As for our tranſgreſsions thou ſhalt purge them away, and ſo make way for hearing prayer, and doing mee good.

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, wh • 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.

This price that God ſets is not a matter of money, Simon Magus would have bought that gift for money. Act. 8.18. He offred them money. But thy money periſh with thee, ſaith Peter to him. We our ſelves are bought with a price. 1 Cor. 6. but yet 1 Pet. 1. are not redeemed with Silver, and Gold, and corruptible things, ſo Truth, and Grace muſt bee bought, but yet it is not gold that will buy this Gold. But there is another price with which Truth muſt bee bought. The uſe of thoſe meanes which God hath appointed, that is the price; that look as by the giving of a price an earthly commodity is bought, and obtained, ſo by the uſe of the meanes, Truth, and Grace is gotten, and obtained. And what then are thoſe meanes?

Firſt, Prayer, Buy the truth, pray for the knowledge of the truth, pray for grace. As by money wee obtaine and buy the commodity wee neede, and have a minde to, ſo by prayer wee obtaine and buy the truth. Jam. 1.5. If any of you lacke wiſdome. Shop-keepers as men paſſe by their doores, aske them, What doe yee lacke? what is it that you want? So the Apoſtle here ſeemes to ſay, what is it that ye lackc? what is it that ye want? Doe yee want grace? Do ye want knowledge and wiſdome? Well, what if we doe? How may wee come by it? Buy it, ſayes the Apoſtle. I, but what is the price that muſt be given for it? If any man lacke wiſdome, ſtand in need of this commodity, let him aske of God. And it is the price that Chriſt ſets upon grace, Matth. 7. Aske and ye ſhall have. The price that the Lord ſets upon the knowledge of the truth. Jer. 33. Call upon me, and I will anſwer thee, and ſhew thee great and hidden things which thou knoweſt not. God highly befriends us, hee ſets the commodity at a low price. It is little worth that is not worth the asking. The way then to buy, is to beg; begging is buying, and praying is paying. And therefore how often finde wee David in thoſe ſuites, Teach mee thy truth, teach me thy Statutes, &c. David knew the commodity would not be bought without this price, and therefore hee ſtickes not at it, he gives the price, and ſeekes grace, and the knowledge of the truth by prayer.

Secondly, hearing the Word, and attending upon the Miniſtery thereof. As Paul ſpeakes of Chriſt, Rom. 15.8. That Jeſus Chriſt was a Miniſter of the circumciſion for the truth of God: So it may in another ſenſe be ſaid of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, That they are Miniſters of the Goſpel for the truth of God, to make knowne the truth of God, to offer and tender it unto people. And Mal. 2.6. The Law of truth was in Levi's mouth. God ſends them to ſet his truth to ſale, they bring this commodity to Market: So that if wee would buy the truth, wee muſt attend upon them whoſe worke is to diſpenſe the Word of truth, as the Goſpel is called, Epheſ. 1.13. And it is a part of the price that is to be given for it, to come to, & attend upon their Miniſtery. See Mal. 2.6. The Law of truth was in his mouth, and verſ. 7. They ſhould ſeeke the Lawes (of truth) at his mouth. So then, they that would get the truth, muſt ſeeke it at the mouthes of Gods Miniſters, and that is the way to get this commodity. This is part of the price, to come to the publike meanes, and to attend upon them. Come and buy, Iſa. 55.1. Even comming is a part of buying. If Jacobs ſonnes would buy Corne, they muſt not onely give money, but they muſt goe into Egypt, and their going into Egypt was one part of the price of it. They could not buy unleſſe they went into Egypt, where it was to be bought. They that will buy a commodity, they muſt goe to the Market, and the ſhops where the commodity is to be bought, Matth. 25.9. Goe to them that ſell, and buy for your ſelves. So if men would buy the truth, they muſt goe to them that ſell, and there buy. Now Gods Miniſters are they that in a good ſenſe ſell, and therefore to them, men muſt goe and buy. The Sabbaths are the Market dayes, the publike aſſemblies are the Market places, and the ſhoppes where this commodity is to bee bought. And if men would buy, thither they muſt goe, there they muſt waite. And this going to, and attending upon the ordinance of preaching is a part of the price that muſt be given to buy this pearle. Buy the truth then, that is, goe to the Word, and attend upon the preaching of the Word, goe to the Market and waite upon that Ordinance.

Thirdly, reading the Scripture, and other Bookes, that may helpe us to the knowledge of the truth, and build us up in grace, mutuall conference, and meditation. This is a price that muſt be given for truth. It is not enough to uſe publike helpes, but wee muſt uſe private helpes alſo, wee muſt trade and traffique in private, as well as in publike. Thus in the uſe of the meanes that God hath appointed, wee muſt buy this pearle of Truth and Grace. God can infuſe grace and knowledge into us without our endeavours in the uſe of the meanes, but God will not doe it. His way is that the meanes ſhall be uſed, and the uſe of the meanes is the price hee will have for this commodity. God gives grace, and the knowledge of the truth, as Boaz gave Ruth corne, Ruth 2.15, 16, 17. Could not Boaz have given her at once as much corne as would have yeelded her an Ephah of Barley, and ſo have ſent her home without any more adoe? Yes ſurely, hee could have done it, and it had beene no more charge for him to have done ſo: But yet hee would have her uſe her endeavours, to gather and to gleane it, and beat it out to, when ſhe had gleaned it; and that labour of hers ſhould bee the price ſhee ſhould pay for it. So God can give us knowledge by immediate revelation, and grace by immediate infuſion, but yet hee will have us uſe the meanes in praying, hearing, reading and conference, and our labour and endeveavour in the uſe of thoſe meanes ſhall be the price with which the truth muſt be bought.

Secondly, in giving and paying the full price for it. A man that will buy a commodity, muſt not onely give a a price for it, but hee muſt give the full price that is asked for it. When Abraham was to buy the field of Ephron, I will give thee money for it, and Ephron tells him it is worth foure hundred ſheckels: Now if Abraham will buy it, hee muſt give him his price: And ſo hee did, Gen. 23.16. Hee weighed unto him the ſilver which hee had named, hee gave him the price which hee asked, and ſo bought the field. If Abraham had offered him three hundred and fifty or three hundred and ninty ſheckels, hee had offered him a price, but not Ephrons price; hee had offered him ſilver, but not the ſilver hee named; hee had offered a price, but not the full price; and ſo the bargaine had not beene ſtrucke thorow, the field had not beene bought. Gen. 23.9. for as much money as it is worth, for full money, that is, as in the Hebrew, for the full price.

So it is here in the buying of the truth. Not onely muſt a price bee given, but a full price, Gods price that hee askes and ſets. I may allude to that ſpeech of Chriſts, Zech. 11.12. If yee thinke good, give me my price, and if not forbeare. So the Lord in this caſe ſaies to us, If yee thinke good of my commodity that I offer to you, yee ſhall have it, but then you muſt not thinke to have it at your owne price, but you muſt give me my price, the price that I aske and ſet you. The ſeller ſets one price, and the buyer offers another, but if the buyer offer too low a price, hee muſt riſe and come to the ſellers price if hee will have his commodity. It is not enough then if wee will buy the truth to offer a price, and give a price, but wee muſt give Gods price, that is, the full price. Now Gods price, the full price is this, it ſtands in theſe two things:

Firſt, in an induſtrious, painefull, ſerious uſe of meanes. The uſe of meanes is a price, but the full price is the ſerious, induſtrious uſe of the means, the uſing of the meanes with all our might, Hoſ. 6.3. Then ſhall wee know if wee follow on to know the Lord. Many pray, heare, reade, &c. and yet buy not the truth, nor get knowledge, nor grace, they indeed give a price, but it is not Gods price, not the full price, and therefore they have not the commodity. The Apoſtle ſayes of thoſe women, 2 Tim. 3.7. They were ever learning, and came not to the knowledge of the truth. They were cheapning and offering for it, but they never bought the truth, and all becauſe they came not to Gods price. There be ſome that are ever praying, ever hearing, ever reading, and yet never come to the knowledge of the truth, never get true grace. Heere indeede is a price given, meanes are uſed, but the full price is not given, meanes are not uſed in good earneſt, ſeriouſly, induſtriouſly with all their might. It is not enough to pray for grace and the truth, but men muſt pray ſo as God would have them pray, Jam. 1.5. If any of you lacke wiſdome, let him aske of God, which giveth to all men liberally, and reprocheth no man, and it ſhall be given him. Well may one ſay, if that be all, I will ſoone aske it, I will give that price willingly for it. I, but marke verſe 6. But let him aske in faith: That teaches thus much; That asking is not enough, unleſſe men aske in that manner, for faith, and ſo for all other qualifications, as God requires. It muſt be faithfull, and fervent, earneſt prayer which is Gods price. See Prov. 2.3, 5. If thou cryeſt and lifteſt up thy voyce, then, &c. Hee ſayes not, If thou prayeſt, that is to be done, that's part of the price, but if thou cryeſt. That's Gods price, to have fervent prayer, full of earneſtneſſe and contention of ſpirit. Cold, formall, dead-hearted prayer is not Gods price, it is too low a price to fetch ſo rich a commodity. What muſt I give you, ſay wee, when wee come to buy a commodity? So if wee would know here, My ſonne, give mee thine heart. In prayer for grace, give God thine heart. The tongue, the lippes, the voyce, is too low a price, God muſt bee prayed to ſeriouſly with the heart. Is that all? No, there is more yet; that ſame, Pſal. 119.145. I cryed with my whole heart. That's the whole price, and full price in the point of prayer. Not ſome of the 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 heart, but the whole heart muſt bee given to God in this duty. It is not enough to heare the Word, to get grace and the truth, but men muſt ſo heare as God requires, with ſuch preparation, with ſuch affection, with ſuch attention, with ſuch after endeavours as God commands. Ezek. 40.4. Sonne of man, behold with thine eyes, and heare with thine eares, and ſet thine heart upon all that I ſhall ſhew thee. Eyes and eares, and heart, muſt all be ſet on worke in the duty. Thoſe Ezek. 33. heard the Word, but they gave not the full price, the price that God asked, Their hearts were running after their covetouſneſſe. It is not enough to reade, but it muſt be ſuch reading as God requires that will helpe a man to the truth, and to grace: It muſt be reading with induſtry, diligence, heedfulneſſe, and much paines-taking. Therefore Chriſt bids us not barely, Reade the Scriptures, but to ſearch the Scriptures. A man muſt ſet his head and his heart on worke both in reading the Word. Prov. 2.4, 5. If thou ſeekeſt her as ſilver, and ſearcheſt for her as for treaſures: Then ſhalt thou underſtand the feare of the Lord, and finde the knowledge of God. There is the full price. What paines doe men take to ſeeke and ſearch for treaſures hid in the earth, for ſilver in the Mynes: They dig thorow rockes, dig wonderfull deepe, follow every veyne, and ſearch every cranny where the ſilver lyes; It coſts a great deale of paines and labour, in ſearching, and digging for ſilver; and ſo it muſt coſt a great deale of paines and induſtry in the reading of the Word and ſearching of the Scriptures, that's Gods full price in this particular, if we will buy the truth. Slight and overly formall uſe of theſe meanes, are not price enough to buy the truth.

If a man aske ten pounds for a commodity, and one bid him but tenne pence, hee cannot buy that commodity: The buyer and ſeller will never meete at ſuch a diſtance. God hee askes diligence, painfulneſſe, induſtry, and labour of ſpirit in the uſe of meanes: Now if wee come with our dead and cold formalities, and make prayer but a lip-labour, hearing but an eare-labour, reading but an eye-labor, this is to offer God but ten pence, nay but ten tokens, when hee ſets the price ten pounds: And they that come ſo ſhort of Gods price are never like to buy: God muſt have his full price, his whole price, and they are never like to buy that doe not give him his whole price, that offer him not halfe his price.

Here is that which keepes men off from buying, becauſe they are loth to goe to the full price, to bee at all that paines that muſt be taken in the uſe of the meanes. If prayer, hearing, reading, would doe it, they would not ſtick at that, but if ſo much paines and labour muſt bee taken in theſe, they thinke it too deare at ſuch prices & rates, they will forbeare. See Prov. 24.7. Wiſedome is too high for a foole. It is too high prizd in a fooles conceit, and therefore he buyes it not. The Wiſe-man ſpeakes in the fooles language, Wiſedomes in the plurall are too high. As if he had ſaid, fooles when they look upon this commodity of wiſedome, Oh ſay they, it is Wiſedomes, oh what a multitude is there of theſe truthes! what a deale of paines will it require to know all theſe things! and beſides, They be high points, deepe matters, what a deale of ſtudy, what beating of a mans braines will they aske, what a deale of ſtriving in prayer before wee ſhall attain to them! there is no medling with them, as good goe without them, as take them at ſuch a deare price. And thus fooles loſe a good bargaine becauſe they thinke it too deare upon thoſe tearmes, becauſe they will not give the full price. It is otherwiſe with an underſtanding man, that underſtands the worth of Truth. Prov. 15.14. The heart of him that hath underſtanding ſeeketh knowledge. Hee ſeekes or purſues it. There bee many difficulties to be overcome, ere he can have it, it will coſt much paines, but he yet for all that ſeekes and purſues after it, hee ſtickes not at that price. And againe, The heart of him, &c. ſeekes. Hee doth not onely ſpeake of it, or heare others ſpeake of it, but his heart, and his minde is upon it. And though a commodity be deare, yet if a man have a minde to it, he will have it though he pay the price. A man that hath an heart, and a minde ſeeking Truth, thogh the price of it be ſo much pains, labour and induſtry in the uſe of means yet he will buy it at that price, he will give the full price of it. So that when he bids us Buy the truth, hee bids us not onely pray, but pray hard, pray earneſtly with thy whole heart, not onely heare, but heare with all diligence, attention, and intention of ſpirit: not onely reade, but reade ſearchingly, diligently. This is Gods price, this is to give the full price. Give that and then wee buy.

Secondly, in a cheerefull parting with, and giving for the Truth ſuch things as are deare to us, or of price, and worth to us. Theſe may be referred to three heads.

Firſt, our luſts, and corruptions which are deare to us, which we count ſo dearely of as our right hands, and our right eyes. And yet as deare as they be to us theſe muſt bee given, and parted with for the getting, and buying of the truth; Gods full price is that theſe muſt bee given, and bee all ſold, and made off to buy this purchaſe. So the merchant that findes the pearle of great price, Matth. 13.46. hee goes and ſells all that he had, and bought it. All that hee had was the full price of the pearle, and he came to the full price, parts with all that hee had, and ſo bought. Hee ſold not ſome of that he had, that was but a pinne of the price, not halfe that hee had, that was but halfe the price, but hee comes to the full price, All that hee had, and bought it. A man that will have Chriſt, and buy his Truth, muſt part with all his luſts, and give them all for this bargaine. Some man likes Chriſt and the Truth ſo well, that hee could bee content to part with this and that luſt, hee could as Herod, bee content to doe many things, and part with many things for the truth, but Herod hath one jewell, his Herodias, hee is loath to buy truth ſo deare as to give her for it: It is too deare a price to buy truth at, to part with one ſo deare to him. I, but if Herod will have the truth, hee muſt come to Gods full price, not doing of many things, not the parting with ſome luſts and vanities, but the parting with all, Herodias and all, is Gods price. Bid wee, and offer wee what wee will, uſe meanes and endeavours, and goe on in them, yet if wee will not part with our luſts, we ſhall never have the bargaine, nor buy the pearle. It is a pearle of great price, and therefore a great price, the ſelling and putting off all our luſts, muſt be given for it, or elſe bid as oft and as faire as we will, it will not doe. See 2 Tim. 3.7. Ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth. They bid faire for the truth. They were content to learne, and to bee at ſome paines to get the knowledge of the truth, which is more then a great many will bid for it, nay they doe it not for a fit, but are ever learning, they ſeeme to follow it with ſome cloſeneſſe, and yet for all this never come to the knowledge of the truth, ever bidding, but never come to buy the truth. Why? what's the matter they buy it not? Becauſe though they ſeeme to bid faire, yet they come not to the full price. They would ſell ſomewhat to buy the pearle, but not ſell all, not part with their ſinfull luſts, and therefore God denyed them the knowledge of the truth, verſ. 16. They leade captive ſimple women laden with diverſe luſts, which women are ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth. Prov. 14.6. A ſcorner ſeeketh wiſdome, and findeth it not. Hee bids, and buyes not, hee will not give the full price, hee ſcornes at ſuch a deare price as to part with all his luſts. There is no reaſon or equity that the buyer ſhould have a mans commodity at the price hee will ſet: The ſeller is to ſet the price, and if hee cannot have his price, hee wrongs no man to keepe his commodity to himſelfe, ſpecially when it is richly worth the price hee ſets. If therefore wee would buy the truth, ſell away and part with all 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 thy luſts, that's Gods full price, of which hee will not abate any thing. It is but a folly to hucke, and to hope by hucking, to fetch downe the market. If yee thinke good, give God his price, if not, forbeare. Either all, or nothing at all. As men ſay to ſuch as offer ſhort of their price, I had as live ye offered me nothing.

Secondly, Our money and meanes in that kinde when God calls for it, theſe temporall things. It is true indeede that money will not buy grace: Indeed the Popes graces may be bought with money. There be Bookes in print of the taxes of the Apoſtolicall Chancery, in which bookes are ſold diſpenſations and abſolutions for all manner of villanies, and ſome not to be named. And, ſayes that Booke, theſe kinde of graces are not for the poore, becauſe they are deſtitute of goods and means. But therefore theſe graces are for the rich, they may for money buy the Popes graces: But Gods graces are not to be had for money. So Simon Magus would faine have been trading. And yet in one ſenſe wee muſt buy the Truth with our money, and temporall good; That is, wee ſhould bee willing to be at coſts and charges, and to ſpend money for the maintaining of thoſe meanes, and thoſe Ordinances in the uſe of which the truth is to bee gotten. Though we cannot buy grace for money, yet with our money wee may buy preaching, maintaine the Miniſtery, we may buy Bibles, buy good Bookes, by all which wee may come to get the knowledge of the truth. And ſo in this ſenſe, wee muſt buy the truth with our money, and it is a part of Gods full price, and ſuch a price as muſt be given if men will buy the truth. Prov. 4.7. If need be part with any gettings to get the truth.

Though our money cannot buy grace, yet it can procure and mainetaine the Miniſtery of the Word and preaching of the Goſpel, by which the knowledge of the truth and grace is to be gotten. And therefore it is well noted by ſome on that place, Matth. 13.44. That the Merchant finding a rich treaſure hid in the field, is ſaid to ſell all and buy the field. He doth not buy the treaſure, but the field, and ſo in buying the field hee buyes the treaſure therein. The field is the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, in which the treaſure of grace is hid. And ſo ſome expound thoſe words, Col. 2.3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; in which Miniſtery of the Goſpel, verſ. 2. are hid all the treaſures of wiſdome, and knowledge. Now though our money will not procure grace and knowledge, yet it will purchaſe that field, the preaching of the Goſpel, in which theſe treaſures are to be had. And this price God requires, a part of his full price, Gal. 6. Let him that is taught make him that teaches him partaker of all his goods. God will not have the Miniſtery of the Word eleemoſynary, to be matter of meere almes, but hee will have not onely mens paynes to heare the Word, but mens purſes to maintaine the Word, and his Ordinances, by which the truth is to be had. God himſelfe would not have the doores of the Temple ſhut for nought, nor fire kindled upon his Altar for nought, Mal. 1.11. And would hee then have his Word opened for nought, and the fire of the word kindled for nought? No, but Numb. 35.8. Every one ſhall give of his Cities to the Levites according to his inheritance which hee inherites. And will have him that keepes the Fig-tree, eate of the fruit thereof, Prov. 27.18. and will have the Oxes mouth unmuzzeld that treads out the corne. So buy the truth, that is, be at coſt, and let your purſes walke for the maintaining of the Goſpell. Though our money cannot buy grace and knowledge of the truth, yet our money may buy Bibles, and good Bookes, by the reading whereof wee may come to get knowledge and grace So that when hee ſayes, Buy the truth, hee ſayes, Buy Bibles, buy good Bookes, and ſticke not at the coſt and charge of them, but willingly bee at ſuch charge for the getting of the truth. It was a great price thoſe Bookes came to which they burned after they came to the knowledge of the truth, Act. 19.19. They brought their Bookes together, and burned them before all men, and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thouſand peeces of ſilver. Surely they that in honour of the truth burned Bookes of ſo great price, would not have ſtucke in deſire of the truth to have bought Bookes of great price. And thus our fore-fathers, godly chriſtians, before Luthers time here in England, when there was ſome glimpſe of the light of the Goſpel, they bought the truth, though at an high price. It is memorable which Mr. Foxe ſpeakes of them. They did ſit up whole nights in reading, and hearing good Bookes read. That was one part of the price they gave. But they did not onely buy with their paines, but with their purſes, with their goods, being at great coſt and expences in buying Bookes in Engliſh. They gave ſometimes five markes and more for a good Booke; they gave a loade of hay for a few chapters of Saint James, or Saint Paul in Engliſh. It was more money, five markes then, then ten pound is now. What a deale of coſt was it to buy ſuch bookes. I, but it was to buy the truth, and good men they thought truth deare at no price, nor the meanes of truth too high at any rate. It was Gods price then, and they ſhukt not at it. Thus is truth to be bought.

Buy the truth, lay out money and ſtick not at it, to maintaine preaching, to buy a Bible, &c. Alas I want money, I have ſo many occaſions, and the world ſo hard, I cannot be at the charge of maintaining preaching, buying Bibles, &c. Thoſe be the ſhuckings of earthly hearts, that are of Judas minde, that the oyntment was waſted that was beſtowed upon Chriſt. But ſuppoſe there be truth in it, yet I ſay buy the truth, and rather then not buy it, doe as our Saviour adviſes, Luc. 22.36. He that hath no ſword, let him ſell his coat and buy one. So ſell thy coate, and purchaſe a Preacher, ſell thy coate, and buy a Bible: Thou muſt come to Gods price, if buy.

Thirdly, Our comforts of this life, as peace, liberty, houſes, lands, husbands, wives, children, life it ſelfe. 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Sometimes truth is at dearer rates then at other times. God ſometimes raiſes the price, that truth cannot be bought nor had but at theſe high rates, That if a man will have it, it may coſt him his deereſt comforts, his very blood and life it ſelfe. Truth was very deare, at very high prices in Queene Maries dayes. It pleaſed God that by the raiſing up Queene Elizabeth, a nurſing mother in Iſrael, that the prices fell, and truth was had at eaſier and lower rates. But yet when truth was at theſe deare prices in Queene Maries dayes, we ſee the ſervants of Chriſt did not ſticke to give the price of their blood for it: And though it were as much as their lives were worth to be medling with the Truth, and the Goſpel, yet they were content to come to Gods full price, to the very higheſt price of all, to part with all the comforts of this life, and life it ſelfe for the truth, when God pitched that price. And though it be ſometimes at lower prices, yet that is a price that muſt be pitcht upon, and wee muſt be willing to give it, if God call for it. Joh. 8.31, 32. Yee ſhall be my Diſciples, and yee ſhall know the truth. The knowledge then of the Truth, and being a Diſciple are both of a price. Looke what it will coſt to be a Diſciple, that it may coſt to get the truth. At what price then is it to be a Diſciple, Matth. 16. If any man will be my Diſciple, let him take up his croſſe and follow mee. So that hee that will bee a Diſciple muſt reckon upon the price of the Croſſe, and ſo muſt hee that will buy the truth, for a man muſt bee a Diſciple that will have the truth. I confeſſe this is a ſharp price when God calls for it, and yet this price muſt then be given. Wee ſaw before that it is a commodity royally worth what ever God askes for it. This men count too high a price and ſo ſtart at it that they let the bargaine goe. They deale juſt in this caſe as Boaz his kinſman did in the buying of Naomies land, Ruth 4.3, 4. Hee ſaid, I will redeeme or buy it: I, but verſ. 5. Boaz tells him of a condition that goes with the bargaine, What day thou buyeſt the field of the hand of Naomi, thou muſt alſo buy it of Ruth, &c. thou muſt take her to wife, &c. The man had a good minde to buy the field, but when hee heares of that condition, hee ſtarts at it, verſ. 6. by no meanes can I buy it, leſt I marre mine inheritance. So when truth is offered unto men to buy it; God offers to ſell truth to you, ſay his Miniſters, Buy it therefore, and let not ſuch a commodity goe. Oh ſay men, wee will buy it with all our hearts. I, but what day you buy the truth you muſt make account to take up the croſſe, make account of loſſe of liberty, &c. when men heare that, and ſee the price ſo high, oh ſay they, wee cannot buy it, leſt wee marre our credit, our liberty, our houſes and lands, and our very lives. This price is thought too high, and thereupon men breake off. Thoſe in the parable, the ſtony ground, ſeemed to be very forward to buy the truth, but when perſecution and tribulation ariſes becauſe of the Word, they are offended, they ceaſe trading any longer, they like not the buying truth at ſuch ſmart rates as thoſe. If men might have the truth, and their credit, the truth and their peace, eaſe, liberties, they could be well content to buy it, but if it cannot be bought but upon ſuch hard termes, they will none, they will ſtay till it may bee had better cheape. And this is the ſecond thing in which is the full price of Truth, a willingneſſe for truths ſake to part with any thing that is deere and pretious.

The third thing in which this buying ſtands, is in paying current money for it. Hee that buyes a commodity, and comes with falſe coyne, hee doth not buy, but hee cheats: Hee is a cheater, not a chapman. When Abraham bought the field of Ephron the Hittite, Gen. 23.16. Hee weighed him foure hundred ſhekels of ſilver current money with the Merchant. So muſt God be dealt with all, men that will buy his commodity, and trade with him muſt pay him current money. Now money that is current, muſt firſt bee good mettall; ſecondly, it muſt bee weight. If a man pay gold the mettall is currant, but if gold want weight, and be light, it will not paſſe, and proves not currant for want of weight. If money be weight, yet if it be not good mettall, be falſe and counterfeit coyne, be braſſe and copper, be gilded or ſilver'd braſſe, that's not currant: But when money is good for the materiall, is true ſilver and true gold, and when it is good for the weight, then it is currant money. And ſuch money muſt they buy withall that will buy truth, and will trade with God for this commodity. Now this currant money is not onely to uſe the meanes, and to uſe them with induſtry, but to uſe the meanes with induſtry in ſincerity, out of a love and with a love of the Truth for it ſelfe. To uſe meanes and uſe them induſtriouſly for the getting of the truth, and not ſincerely out of a love of the truth, but for other ends, this is to offer copper, and counterfeit coyne, and God will not part with his commodity for ſuch coyne: Hee will not part with it but for currant money: Hee will buy, and weigh every peece of our money, and when hee findes that men goe about to cheat him with falſe and counterfeit coyne, they ſhall none of his commodity. I conſell thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire. We muſt not thinke to buy gold with copper and braſſe, but men muſt give good gold for this gold if ever they meane to have it. As hee offers gold tryed in the fire, ſo hee requires gold tryed in the fire, 2 Pet. 3.1, 2. To ſtir up your ſincere mindes, that yee may bee mindefull of the words, &c. And ſo men muſt come with ſincere mindes, if they would underſtand the words of the Prophets, and come to the knowledge of the truth in the Scriptures. Yea, when men will be buying with falſe coyne, they ſhal not only not buy what they would have, but they ſhall forfeit, and loſe what they ſeemed to have bought, Matth. 13.12. that which hee had ſeemed to have bought. They ſhall miſſe of what they would buy, and they ſhall loſe what they have bought. And therefore David deſires of God that hee may have the Truth, and the knowledge of it, becauſe hee dealt honeſtly with him, paid him current money, Pſal. 119.10. With my whole heart, that is, with a ſingle and ſincere heart, have I ſought thee, and thy truth, Oh let mee not wander from thy Commandements, let mee not miſſe of the knowledge of thy Truth: Lord here is current money, let mee have the commodity. Simon Magus offered money for the gift of the Holy Ghoſt. Hee is denyed it, becauſe he thought to buy it that way: But if hee had offered to buy it another way; hee ſhould have beene alſo denyed it upon that ground, Act. 8.21. Thine heart is not right in the ſight of God. Hee would have had that gift onely to have made an advantage of it, to have brought him in money, and therefore he offered money, therefore he deſired not that gift ſincerely for the gifts ſake. So when mens hearts are not right in thē, they uſe meanes, and take paines to get knowledge of the Truth, not for the love of the Truth, but for other by, and baſe ends, that they may have credit or advantage by it, this is to offer falſe coyne, and their heart is not right, and Gods Truth and Grace ſhall never be bought for falſe coyne: But when the meanes are uſed, uſed induſtriouſly and ſincerely, it is much to ſee how freely God will part with his cō modity to ſuch, ſincerity will bring in great encreaſes of the knowledge of the Truth, and all other graces. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that feare him, Pſal. 25. When God ſees mens hearts ſincere in the ſeeking of the Truth, hee will liberally communicate his gifts and graces to them; nothing helpes a man to buy ſuch great penny worths as ſincerity doth: For as men, ſo God loves to trade and deale with ſuch as will deale honeſtly, and will be currant pay-maſters, will pay currant coyne.

The fourth thing in which this buying ſtands, is, To buy in time, and whilſt the commodity is to be had. A man that meanes to buy a commodity will take his time, and his ſeaſon, will be ſure to be at the Market, and the faire, when the commodity is to be had. A man that meanes to buy, will not miſſe nor loſe the Market day, nor the market time. Hee will make haſte to the market, and be ſure to take his time, becauſe if hee come too late the commodity will be gone, and then he cannot buy that hee wants. If a man come the day after the fayre, and the morrow after the market, hee may goe home as wiſe as hee came. Nay, if a man come to the market to buy, and walke up and downe, talke with this body, and that: If hee goe and ſit and talke away the market time in the Ale-houſe, bibbing, and twatling with this and that idle companion, before hee mindes it the market is over, and done, and hee cannot buy becauſe the commodity is all gone. Hee cannot buy becauſe through negligence and idleneſſe hee loſt this market time. But hee that meanes to buy will doe that firſt, will waite upon his market time, will doe that buſineſſe firſt, and then if hee have any ſpare time, hee can ſpend it upon other leſſe neceſſary imployments. So here, hee that will buy truth, muſt watch and take his market time, muſt be buying truth whileſt truth may be bought. There is a buying time, and a trading time for truth, Eccleſ. 3.1. To every thing there is a ſeaſon, and a time to every purpoſe under Heaven. And there is a time, and a ſeaſon, in which God offers Truth to bee ſold, in which men may buy it, and obtaine it, Luc. 19.42. If thou hadſt knowne, at leaſt in this thy day, &c. verſ. 44. Thou knoweſt not the day of thy viſitation. This thy day, that is, this market day, in which truth and grace might have beene bought. The time of thy viſitation, that is, the market time of Grace. There is then a day, and a time, a market day, and a market time, a day and time in which Grace and Truth are to be bought. 2 Cor. 6.1, 2. Wee then as workers together with him, beſeech you that yee receive not the grace of God in vaine. For hee ſaith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of ſalvation have I ſuccoured thee: behold now the accepted time, behold now the day of ſalvation. Now then they that will buy the truth muſt be buying whileſt it is market time, muſt be trading for Truth and Grace whileſt they may be had, muſt ply their market whileſt the market laſts. To day if yee will heare his voyce. Luc. 12.56. Yee can diſcerne the face of the skie, how is it that yee doe not diſcerne this time? This buying time, this ſelling time, this market time. It muſt be a man care that will buy, to diſcern the buying time, and to lay hold upon that time, and to follow his market cloſe whileſt it laſts. If men will buy the truth, let them not neglect buying whileſt God offers to ſell, doe not trifle away the market time of Grace, in following the world, and thy luſts: Firſt make thy market, and when thy market is made, and thou haſt bought this commodity, that ſpare time thou haſt beſtow that upon ſecular buſineſſe of leſſe moment. A man that will buy the truth, when hee ſees it is market time, muſt doe as hee ſpeakes, Ezra 7. 16, 17. And all the ſilver and gold, &c. That thou mayeſt buy ſpeedily with this money, 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.

Ʋſe 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 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 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 not be ſold for ever, or to be quite cut off. As that which a man ſells hee ſells for ever, and a man quite cuts off all future claime and right to it. The ſale quite cuts it off from him. The land of Canaan, and mens inheritances therein might not be ſold, and a perpetuall alienation of it be made from the owner. All they might doe was but a kinde of leaſe, which muſt determine too at the yeere of Jubile. It is mine ſayes the Lord, therefore muſt not be ſold. And ſo, the Truth muſt not be ſold, no not leaſed out neither. The Jewes might ſell their land for a time, but not for ever. But the truth may not be ſold though but for a time, a little time. The Land ſhall not be ſold for ever. The truth muſt not be ſold at all, Apoc. 3.11. Behold I come quickly, hold faſt that which thou haſt. 1 Theſſ. 5. Hold faſt that which is good. Prov. 7.2, 4. Would a man ſell his eyes, or ſell his ſiſter, and kinſwoman, the one were madneſſe, and the other barbarous inhumanitie.

Firſt, It condemnes ſuch as are not Ʋſe. 1 ſo wedded to the truth, but can and doe make ſale of it for their owne advantages, and to ſerve their turnes. They know ſuch Doctrine to be truth, the very Truth of God, have profeſſed it and preacht it for truth: But if times change, and favour, and preferments, and gaine, and advantage may be bought, they ſticke not to buy theſe with the ſale of the truth; yea, and ſell truth by whole ſale, not onely part with ſome ſmaller truths, but even with maine fundamentall truthes of Religion. Some ſell the truth for a Benefice, for a good Looke, for a little good opinion. It was a vile price that Chriſt was ſold at, for thirty peeces, the price of a ſervant: A vile price, to ſell a boy for an harlot, and a girle for wine, Joel 3.3. To ſell the poore for a paire of ſhooes. At baſer rates doe too many ſell the truth.