We are now to take notice of divers sorts of men that offend deeply against this merciful disposition of Christ: as, 1. Such as go on in all ill courses of life upon this conceit, as if it were in vain to go to Christ, their lives have been so ill; whenas, so soon as we look to heaven, all encouragements are ready to meet us and draw us forward. Amongst others this is one allurement, that Christ is ready to welcome us, and lead us further. None are damned in the church but those “that will. Such as either enforce upon themselves hard conceits of Christ, that they may have some show of reason to fetch contentment from other things: as that unprofitable servant, Matt. xxv. 30, that would needs take up a conceit that his master was a hard man; hereby to flatter himself in his unfruitful courses, in not improving that talent which he had.
2. Such as take up a hope of their own, that Christ will suffer them to walk in the ways to hell, and yet bring them to heaven: whereas all comfort should draw us nearer to Christ, else it is a lying comfort, either in itself or in our application of it.
And 3. Those that will cast water themselves upon those sparks which Christ labours to kindle in them, because they will not be troubled with the light of them.
Such must know that the Lamb can be angry, and they that will not come under his sceptre of mercy, shall be crushed in pieces by his sceptre of power, Ps. ii. 9. Though he will graciously tender and maintain the least spark of true grace, yet where he findeth not the spark of grace, but opposition to his Spirit striving with them, his wrath once kindled shall burn to hell. There is no juster provocation than when kindness is churlishly refused.
When God would have cured Babylon, and she would not be cured, then she was given up to destruction, Jer. li. 9.
When Jerusalem would not be gathered under the wing of Christ, then their habitation is left desolate, Matt. xxiii, 37, 38.
When Wisdom stretcheth out her hand and men refuse, then Wisdom will laugh at men’s destruction, Prov. i. 26.
Salvation itself will not save those that spill the potion, and cast away the plaster. A pitiful case, when this merciful Saviour shall delight in destruction: when he that made men shall have no mercy on them, Isa. xxvii. 11.
Oh, say the rebels of the time, God hath not made us to damn us. Yes, if you will not meet Christ in the ways of his mercy, it is fit you should “eat the fruit of your own ways, and be filled with your own devices,” Prov. i. 31.
This will be the hell of hell, when men shall think, that they have loved their sins more than their souls; when they shall think, what love and mercy hath been almost enforced upon them, and yet they would perish. The more accessory we are in pulling a judgment upon ourselves, the more the conscience will be confounded in itself, when they shall acknowledge Christ to be without all blame, themselves without excuse.
If men appeal to their own consciences, they will tell them, the Holy Spirit hath often knocked at their hearts, as willing to have kindled some holy desires in them. How else can they be said to resist the Holy Ghost, but that the Spirit was readier to draw them to a further degree of goodness than stood with their own wills? whereupon those in the church that are damned are selfcondemned before. So that here we need not rise to higher causes, when men carry sufficient cause in their own bosoms.
4. And the best of us all may offend against this merciful disposition, if we be not watchful against that liberty our carnal disposition will be ready to take from it. Thus we reason, if Christ will not quench the smoking flax, what need we fear, that any neglect on our part can bring us under a comfortless condition? If Christ will not do it, what can? Ans. You know the apostle’s prohibition notwithstanding, 1 Thess. v. 19, “Quench not the Spirit.” These cautions of not quenching are sanctified by the Spirit as means of not quenching. Christ performeth his office in not quenching, by stirring up suitable endeavours in us; and none more solicitous in the use of the means than those that are most certain of the good success.. The ground is this: the means that God hath set apart for the effecting of anything, fall under the same purpose that he hath to bring that thing to pass; and this is a principle taken for granted, even in civil matters; as who, if he knew before it would be a fruitful year, would therefore hang up his plough and neglect tillage? oo
Hence the apostle stirs up from the certain expectation of a blessing, 1 Cor. xv. 57, 58, and this encouragement here from the good issue of final victory is intended to stir us up, and not to take us off. If we be negligent in the exercise of grace received, and use of means prescribed, suffering our spirits to be oppressed with multitudes and variety of cares of this life, and take not heed of the damps of the times, for such miscarriage God in his wise care suffereth us oft to fall into a worse condition for feeling, than those that were never so much enlightened. Yet in mercy he will not suffer us to be so far enemies to ourselves, as wholly to neglect these sparks once kindled. Were it possible that we should be given up to give over all endeavour wholly, then we could look for no other issue but quenching; but Christ will tend this spark, and cherish this small seed, so as he will preserve in the soul always some degree of care. If we would make a comfortable use of this, we must consider all those means whereby Christ doth preserve grace begun; as firs, holy communion, whereby one Christian heateth another; “two are better than one,” etc, Eccles. iv. 9. “Did not our hearts burn?” Luke xxiv. 32, said the disciples. Secondly, much more communion with God in holy duties, as meditation and prayer, which doth not only kindle, but addeth a lustre to the soul. Z/irdly, We feel by experience the breath of the Spirit to go along with the ministerial breath, whereupon the apostle knits these two together: “Quench not the Spirit;” “Despise not prophecies,”.1 Thess. v. 19, 20. Nathan by a few words blew up the decaying sparks in David. Rather than God will suffer his fire in us to die he will send some Nathan or other, and something always isileft in us to join with the word as connatural to it; as a coal that hath fire in it will quickly catch more to it: smoking flax will o easily take fire. Fourthly, grace is strengthenéd by the exercise of it; “Up and be doing, and the Lord be with thee,” 1 Chron. xxii. 16, said David to his son Solomon: stir up the grace that is in thee, for so holy motions turn to resolutions, resolutions to practice, and practice to a prepared readiness to every good work.