Quench not Which is likevnto thefire. Therefore,as trulyand ascertainlyas Wemay fay that there is fire,wherewe fee ftrawand fuchlike thingsconfumed,or gold and filuer finely purged,or great light in darkcplaces, or great. beate in bodies that were rimmedbefore : eues fo trulywemay fay,and focertainlyweemay perfwadeour felues, thatthe fpiritofGod is in vs,whenwe feeourcorruption confumed,ourfoulespurged from thedroffo offinne, our hearts inlightened and made hot inwalking,and working accordingto that light. The fecondquestion to bee confideredis, whether that manwhich hack once tafted of chefcand the fpirit,may lofeit,and haue it quenched in him. To this itmay be fayd,that becaufe the qt fiiao,robe' fpiritof God commeth to,andworketh in diuers men,diuerfly,in diuers meafures: there- m`r teeJperit fore wemutt confiderof thediners workingof the fpirit,and then frame our anfwereac- äY cordingly. Fir(t then,there is a lighter and letter worke ofthe fpirit, whichmay be quen- The G bier died in them that haue it :and that this inferiour orleflèr kinde of working maybe taken a d lé(Jer work away,appeareth plainly by the parable of the feedewhich our SauiourChrist propoun- oftbejplrir. deth,for that,befidesthemthatravine theword intogoadground,andbringfoorth fruites,fame un hundreth,famethirtie,fomefixtie földee: bee doti altomake mention of tome others that recemed the wordandyetcontinued not. And what,had not thefe the fpiritof God in Mateh.i;e them? Yes doubtleflè; for they received theword : yea, they receiued it gladly,and that inks. which is more,they belecued that which they had receiued. Behold then three finites ofMack.4. Gods fpiritinchefs unen,and yetthey continued not : for they beleeued indcede,but their faithwas temporarie, it lafted but for atime, and aftera time it vanifhed away,and the fpirit departed from them : for either theplealuresand profitsof this lifedid driue óut the graces ofGod,anddriethem vp, or elfe theAerie beate ofperlècution did quite confume them: More plaine and notablefor this purpofè isthat;in the fi in totheHebrues,for there the Apostlefaith,Thatfomèmay talleoftheholy Ghofl,andtherebybemadetotalkofthegoodword Hebr,s.r,z,j, ofGod,to beinlightened,to receivebeauenlygifts,yea, and to tattleofthepower of the lifeto come. 46 And what then? finely rise Apostle faith, That iffuehfall it is impofrible theyAhauldbee re- newed: giuingvs to vnder(tand,that euen theywhich haue receiued the holyGhoft, chat hauebeen inlightened,that liaise receiued heauenly gifts, and haue rafted of thepower of the life tocome,euen fuchmayfall away,and thefpirit maybequenched in filch. There isa fecond kiride ofworking of the fpnit,which is a more thoniughand effeStual working,which can neuer betaken away from them that haue receiuedit.This theApostle andeofe°h Peterdefcribeth, when hee faith,That the chofen of God, arebegottenagaine ofthe immortal[ tion,not serer- feedroftheword. This is notabare receiuing,or alighttatting ofthe word: but it is a deepe lygoenched. tafte ofthe fame,wherebywee arebegotten and borne againe. The ApoffleS.Iohn fetteth That the rege- downanother note ofir,faying, That theythat are thus borneagaine, cannotfn: that is,they aerate eleefe j cannotmake anoccupation of fin ne, they cannot fall flat awayby frnne: and why t Ewen eeoc t.firarien. becaufe thefeedeof Godabideth inthem,euen that feede, wherewiththey werebegotten to a i.loh.;.y.s. liuely hope oflife,euen that feede.. doth abide, andwill abide vnto the end. Who foisbe- gotten againe bythis feede, and bath this fèede abiding in him, the fpirit lathwrought that inhim, winch (hall not bee taken from him : and thereforeour SauiourChrist faith, Thewordthat Ifpeake,isfpiritand life. And inanother place he faith, That noneJhall take his loh.i s.sS, fheepefromhim,for the father is mightier then all: and therefore in another placehee faith, ,g, Thatitis impofiible that the eleflJhowld be[educed. Thus thenwee fee the question is anfwered : namely,thatthere is an inferiour working 1e(ot4 which may be loft; and asnoreeffeótuall workingofthe fpiritwhichcanneuer beetaken away from them thathaue it. And this mull not lèeme ltrangetovs, neithermuft wee be offended that the Lordfhouldtake fome, and leave others: or that lice fhould begin in tome, and not bring his worke to perfeétion: for fohee dealeth with otherthings in the world. Some corne is Cowen and neuer rifech:lòmefpringeth ,and yetfhortly withereth: Simile. fossegroweth vpto an eare,and yet then isftrnkenor blafted : and otherfome (at hisgood pleafure) doticome toatimely ripenes. In likemanner, force trees areplantedand ne- simile: uer takerooce: fometake roote,buc yetnot bloffome: forcebloflbme,and yet neuer bring forthfruite: andotherfome throughhisgoodnelle doebring forth fruite ingood feafon. F 4 If
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