Several Works
4. Remember this for thy comfort, If thou canst not see clearly, as happily under distemper, thou canst not, neither thy heart be asleep, or awake yet the Lord Jesus knoweth it, and he will acknowledge it; O, he is strict to mark what is good, if but a little spark in much smoke, or under much ashes, when to all men's thinking the life is gone, he seeth there is somewhat alive, and awake within, a Seed of God within, and he will take notice of it, for the comfort of his poor people; If ever in any example, we would have thought men had slept, will, and all; we would have thought so of the Disciples, that notable example, that being so often shakt with such sharp, and shameful rebukes; yet they should forth with be asleep again, as if they had not 〈…〉 heeded Jesus Christ at all, yet at last when they came to themselves and could sleep no longer, for the enemies were upon them: Now sleep if you can, lest this should too sorely assail them, that they had slept so soundly under such awaking means as they had, and be swallowed up of to much grief. O saith our Savior, the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak! he knew their Consciences would be ready to load them, and Satan would help forward their overwhelming grief, they wist not what to say to him, nor for themselves; and therefore our Savior himself letteth them know that there was some willingness within them, the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak, and that he took notice of it, and accepted according to what they had, and not according to what they had not, where there is a willing mind. O here is comfort indeed, to have to do with such a Master, such a father, such a Bridegroom, as both knoweth, and that little willingness that is in sincerity in his people's hearts not to sleep, though they themselves could not say so, he puts an answer into their mouths, to Satan's accusing, and the smitings of their own hearts, and a plea in their mouths to himself, to prevail with him for pity, and sparing of them!
Remember this, that though sleep and slumber, and many woeful interruptions are in thy service of God, yet remember Jesus Christ he hath served without any such slumbrings, and such imperfections, and this is thine, he will render unto man, if he do acknowledge to God he hath sinned, that is to say freely, feelingly, faithfully acknowledge it. Ah brethren, it was a time of prayer, and a duty for the Disciples to pray, when our Savior prayed; but they were all asleep! if now their righteousness, peace, and salvation had depended upon themselves, where had it been? or if Jesus Christ had slept as well as they, where had it been? but he was wrestling, and praying for himself, and for them in himself, at that time he never was heavy in his prayers, he never fell asleep, nor slumbered neither, with this spiritual slumber, he fulfilled all righteousness to a tittle. O then remember this brethren, this must be the ground of our grace, and comfort, you must have it in another, and not in yourselves. And magnify this rich grace of God in Jesus Christ, that hath laid up for such poor sleeping sinners, such a watchful Ordinance.
6. Another word may be this, though it be true, in thy sleep thou art in great danger, as you heard before, which indeed is enough to alarm us continually; yet if we do strive and stir up ourselves, a • d yet are overcome, though sore against our wills; and so are in danger of some deadly blow, are weak, and feeble, and the least temptation may smite us to the ground, much more then dreadful temptations; and without all question, Satan never lulls us asleep, but he hath a design upon us, to take away our life, our God, our Christ, our peace, our comfort, our strength from us; Yea to smite us to the ground at once, and smite us no more. As Abishai said to David, and as he begged he might have leave, so doth the Devil even beg; O how fain he would have leave to smite us then, as he moved the Lord against Job, so continually this accuser, and enemy whose work it is to devour! O when he findeth such a prey, how edged is his appetite, but remember this for thy comfort, and say not, surely Satan will smite me to the heart at one time or another, poor trembling soul, the Lord that keepeth Israel, and watcheth them, he never slumbereth nor sleepeth! Indeed if the Lord had slept, as we are apt to think he doth when he with-holds from us his quickening, or comforting presence for a time, and were apt to cry out as I may say to awake him, yet he never sleepeth, he watcheth and wards many a secret thrust, and blow, that when we are asleep, poor creatures we cannot be aware of, and though thou mayest grieve him by a slothful spirit, and he may make thee smart other ways for it, yet surely he wi • l not give up the life of dear Saints, the price of this life of his dear dear Son, to the will of Satan; No, they were bought at too dear a rate.
7. Again, O what a comfort it is to a child of God, that he hath to do with such a Christ, such a Bridegroom, the wise Virgins belong to, are espoused to, as when they do sleep, is willing to take so much pains to awaken them! This indeed it should grieve us so much the more; that we should put him to it, yet it is a comfort, and no weak one neither, that he is willing to be at suh pains, with us; to awake us. How long doth he stand at the door and knock, before they will open, they lie asleep still, he calls them with the sweetest compellations, My love, my dove, my undefiled, O thou dear and precious soul, it is I thy dear Savior, It is I whom thy soul loveth, wilt thou rise, and open to me! I am wet with the dew of the night, canst thou find in thy heart to put me to stand without, and indu • e the cold and the injuries of the night, and weather, and keep me out of thy heart the place which I have chosen for my habitation, and wherein is all my delight? O what workings of his bowels are here, one would think this were enough to awaken! No, yet she shifts, and maketh excuses, and very frivolous ones, as people will, when they are not very willing of a thing; Well, now a man would have thought, the Lord Jesus might have been justly grieved so as to depart, and leave her sleeping. No, saith the Text, He came nearer, and put his hand in at the hole of the door, Poor souls, he s 〈…〉 eth that the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak, that is to say, So far as carnal, we are weak, the strength of the flesh, maketh us weak and nothing else will do; therefore he is fain to come and take her by the heart, to touch her heart, to begin to unbolt the door himself: he cometh in some nearer, sweeter, powerful breathings of his spirit within, that now she is overcome and riseth, he would never let her alone, until he had awaked her. O this is his course, he continually holds with poor souls in the like condition, • onnot many a soul in this Congregation, seal to this truth! I believe they can brethren, though some of us happily have not known it. Now it is true brethren, it is meet the spouse should smart a little, for this her wretched sleepiness, for her slighting of his call, and shutting him out, it is meet she should now, when awake follow him, and not find him for a while, it cost her something; and infinite rich mercy that he would ever be found of her again: alas brethren, it was more grief to Jesus Christ to behold his poor spouse going up and down mourning after him, then it was to her to follow him; and therefore that was a part of his pains: and after all this love, he must himself awake poor soul, if that will not awake it; as sometimes it will not, or at least so much as he holdeth out will not awaken? why then happily he seeth it necessary to follow Jonas with a storm, put him into the belly of hell, do you think this was any delight to him? Surely no, to hear the cry of his poor people that was in the belly of hell, or out of the deep wherein they sink, out of the Dungeon where he casts them to awake them: Surely no, and so for David his condition, he was so heavy in a sleep his bones must be broken, &c. Is this any delight to him? no: surely brethren it is a grief to Jesus Christ, and a part of his pains which we put him to, rather then he should lose our souls: but here is the comfort, he will be at much pains to awaken us.
8. And lastly, It may be now thou art heavy, and sleepy, and napping, at every turn, there is a time when thou wast more diligent more wakeful, couldst serve the Lord with more instance and intention of mind, and O, thou recountest that, as a happy time, and thy sadness and misery, thou hast lost that frame of heart! O, how far art thou from it! Well, remember this, that the Lord he doth remember the love of thy • spousals, the kindness of thy youth, which some expound of their kindness to God in the wilderness; which if it be so, as divers understand it, then it is the more considerable; When thou followedst me in the wilderness, how did they follow him, was it not with murmurings and rebellion every foot almost, yet God remembereth this, even the love and affection shown in following him through such an uncouth place. O what a depth of bowels are here to cover, and forget all their rebellion, and to remember their love! or else, I remember the love, I shown to thee then; however it be, we may make use of it; for what great love doth the Lord show then in giving a heart to love him, and follow hard after him, not to slumber and sleep, for love will keep awake, it being full of solicitous fear? Who are we saith David, that we should have a heart to offer so willingly? The Lord will remember this, which it may be the present sense of thy sleeping, and slothfulness hath blotted out of thy remembrance, it is before the Lord.
9. One more, and that is this. He will likely by this heaviness, and slothfulness of thine, take occasion to do thee good by it, cure and heal thee: for will not the shame and sorrow which he casts upon a soul for sleeping, keep him more awake for time to come? When once they were awaked, as with the Disciples, they should have little list to sleep afterward. Or else happily, hereby he would heal the pride and self-confidence which thou art full of, and then which nothing more grieveth him I know thou wouldst count it the greatest favor, and wouldst be willing to undergo some smart; yea much, so be thou mightest be delivered from those grieving evils of thine own soul, it is the excellency of that heavenly Physician, to cure sleep with sleep, poison with poison, sin with sin, though it may be matter of sadness to us, to put him to it, to grieve himself so much with us.
And for the general condition of the Church, and people of God, It is matter of mourning indeed, that there is such a general sleeping, and such sad effects of it everywhere; Magistrates, Ministers and People, they all sleep; and let the envious man do what he will in many places. Here is the comfort, that he that keepeth Israel never slumbereth nor sleepeth. By this means our temptations are increased indeed, for false. Teachers they are a temptation, and a shrewd one too, and how dangerous, when we are asleep. Yet remember he that permitteth it, he never sleepeth. Ah brethren! If the Lord had not kept the Vineyard, better then men have done, what had become of it? long ago it had been a Wilderness and desolation. Doth he not see the designs of Satan and Antichrist, and all their fetches and slights to wind in themselves at the back door? and doth he not laugh them to scorn, the Lord shall have them in derision? If men will not take the little Foxes that spoil the grapes, he will in his own time; and they will find it most fearful to fall into the hands of God. He hath long since set the bounds of the sea, which check the proud waves thereof, though a man would wonder, when he beholds the mighty mountains, and swelling surges of the sea, that it should not overflow all, but the poor light loose sand, and plain ground, he maketh a check to it, hitherto shall ye go and no farther. Can we sufficiently wonder that the earth should be founded upon nothing but only his word of command? Well, He hath said he will make manifest their folly to all men, and they shall proceed no farther; and though he seem to sleep sometime; because his people give him rest concerning these things, yet surely he doth wake, he never slumbers nor sleepeth, and he will not permit these things further, then he will work his own glory, and his people's good out of them. O therefore give him no rest, you that are his remembrancers, keep not silence until the Lord make it appear to all the world that he did not slumber nor sleep, until he awake as a Giant refreshed with wine, and speak, and command all these tongues that speak lies in his name, into an everlasting silence! Amen.
The next Doctrine shall be this:
We are apt to sleep, when we had most need to be awake. This is raised from the circumstance of time, or the season, if I may call an unseasonable time a season; when they-slept, it was just before the cry came, which summoned them to meet the Bride-groom coming, and wakened them at once. The Proposition is universal you see, the subject is universal, and so is the predicate: for the subject, the Saints, the real Saints are apt to sleep, the Text itself proveth it beyond contradiction; for it is spoken of the wise virgins, which is comprehensive of all the Church of Christ, except the foolish; the foolish they slept, and no marvel, but all the question would be of the wise, specially at such a time as this: but the Parable plainly holds it out, they all slumbered and slept, and if they did it actually, sure there was an aptitude, a disposition to it; I know none can plead exemption, except they can be of the Church of Christ; and yet not come under the notion of foolish or wise Virgins. But the difficulty, and indeed all that will be worth the time to prove, will be the universality of the Predicate, they are apt to sleep, when they had most need to wake; that is to say, whensoever they had more need to awake, then at another time, then they are apt to sleep. This I know not how to prove better, then by an Induction of particulars, here is one in the Text, and there is the like aptitude found of their sleeping at all other times of need; therefore we conclude it so general, that they are apt to sleep, when they had most need to awake.
For this time in the Text, I think hardly any will question it: for men to be sleeping when they should be making ready, and stand ready for the appearing of their Lord Jesus Christ: Is to be sleeping when they have greatest need to be awake: the carnal mind indeed will be ready to sing a requiem to itself, and say it is no matter, so we have but a warning a little before he come, that we may have time to trim our Lamps before he come, though we be found sleeping; but surely brethren the spiritual part will judge otherwise, that there is great need to be waking at the latter end of the race, when they should lay hold on eternal life; Now is high time, saith the Apostle, to awake, your salvation is nearer. If ever there be need to have our ornaments on, our graces in a lively frame, and much in act; then is the time, if ever men would run in a race, towards the latter end of it is the time to spur hardest; it is a needful time, then it is a time of acting grace of spending grace, of using all you have, you shall have exercise enough likely for it; and therefore then to have our graces to trim and fu • bish up, as it will be if we sleep: surely this is to sleep in a most needful time, and yet this, the Saints are yet apt to brethren: how many do we see growing more heavy, and dull, less life, and vigor, and power to act their graces then before?
2. Again, another time of greatest need to be awake, is when there are the choicest communications of Christ to the soul, to be had, that is awake and ready to receive them, everyone sure will conclude this is a time of greatest need; for if we sleep out such a season as that, what may we lose! It may be that which we shall never have opportunity to have again while we live: So the Disciples, when they should have beheld Christ in his glory, he was praying, and took up his Disciples, those three favorites to pray with him, well he was praying, and as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering, and two men; Elias and Moses talked with him, but Peter and they that were with him, were heavy with sleep, and when they were awake, they saw his glory, &c. But how much of this fight did they lose before they were awake? O Prayer is a special duty, and how doth the heart drowse for the most part, when it should come to it! and when doth the Lord usually reveal more of his glory; when doth he usually make more of it to pass by a poor soul, or company of his people, then in their praying? therefore if at any time they had need to be awake, this is the time; but you see brethren, they themselves were asleep that were the choice of the Disciples, and what they lost, they were not like to recover, they were not like to see such a sight again: so much of his glory again. And truly brethren, ordinary experience teacheth us, some of us I believe, that in the special Ordinances of grace wherein Jesus Christ is held out Crucifyed, held out in his loveliness and glory; there our hearts are most apt to he asleep and drowsy, and much ado, to keep them up to anything. How many are we, sometimes in Prayer, get but off the legs, and we are lively enough for anything else, when there is most need, we are apt to sleep.
3. After the greatest discoveries of grace, and of Christ to a soul, after the most melting, warming Communion, and fellowship with Christ. As now after this tranfiguration when they had seen this glory passing by them, a man would have thought this should have ravished them so, as to have kept them awake; Yea, after they had the Supper in the iustitution, and no question, brethren, but there was a presence answerable to the Institution, and for the honor of the Institutor; as when himself was baptized, the Spirit came upon him; O sure, if the bodily presence were there, the spiritual would not be wanting! he would exalt that New Testament-Ordinance, or seal above the other; and not likely, but he would do so, that the Disciples might even take notice, that he was leaving the one, and taking up the other instead of it. At the Dedication of the Tabernacle, and of the Temple, the glory of God filled them, and I cannot believe, but there was a wonderful, glorious presence at the Dedication of this Ordinance, if I may call it so; well then, after such discoveries of Christ, brethren such warnings, to lie down and sleep, how dangerous is it to catch cold after such a heat? how will it grieve the Lord to see so much grace laid out in vain upon us in a great part, if we be sleeping so quickly again? And it appears, that Peter he had his Love, and faith much heigthned, but here was the mistake he rested too much upon it, upon what he had received: O saith, he, though all men forsake thee, I will not deny thee, &c! Yet alas you see, when he should have prayed with Christ, and so the rest, there in his agony in the Garden, he falls asleep again, and again, and again: so dead asleep, nothing would keep him waking. O how prone are the best of men to sleep, when we had most need to wake! after the richest discoveries of Christ, when we had most need to be most lively, to improve the grace we have received, to return love for love, even then, we fall asleep, the Disciples, as eminent as any, did it, sure then, they were apt to it; And if they, then, surely then any of the Saints are apt to it now.
4. Another time of great need of waking for the Saint is the hour of temptation, when that cometh upon them; If ever Soldiers had need to be awake, it is, when the enemy is upon them, when they are besieged, when they are ready to swallow them up. What need had Sampson to have been awake, when the Philistines were upon him; and he had experience of it, again, and again, and yet you see how securely he slept? And so the Disciples, it was the hour and power of darkness that now was come upon them, and if ever they would be awake, now was the time. Our Savior also warns them of their danger; O watch, and pray, lest ye enter into temptation; you never were in such danger as now; you are beset with temptations, will you be in danger of reproach for my names sake, even by and by; your enemies are ev • n upon you already, re • dy to apprehend me, and yet notwithstanding all this danger, they slept most securely; surely no man will deny, but the hour of temptation is one of the dreadfullest times to watch, or be awake; have we not found it by sad experience? have we not had exercises of faith in such an hour? for all the strength of our Patience, and submission to his will, exercise for all our love, and all our graces, and is not this a needful time then to have them ready at hand to us, and if we had not, how sadly should we have been foiled, and God dishonored? yea, hath it not been so with many of us in such an hour? we have fallen, been wounded, wounded his Name, and our own names, and our own souls, and all, because we were asleep? sure, if any other, this is a needful time: and yet truly, this is so ordinary, that when doth an hour of temptation come upon the people of God, that it findeth them waking, standing with loins girt with strength, ready to receive it? we are usually most sleepy at such a time.
5. After we have fallen by our former sleeping, then there is great need of being awake; for alas brethren, the deceitfulness of sin is such, that except it be presently repented of, and confessed, it hardens the heart, and so long we continue in a grieving condition to the Lord; Therefore there is need to be awake; and yet usually after falling, we are apt to sleep; and how long we should sleep, if we were left to this sleeping evil, we know not. Peter had his fall: O what need had he quickly to have repented! but poor soul he was asleep, and therefore instead of repenting, he acts the same sin over, and over again, and in a more fearful manner; If he had been awake at first, he had not committed that sin likely; if he had been then awake, he had not then repeated it, but he goeth on, being in a sleep; Ah it was high time to awake him! for who knoweth what he would have done, if the Lord Jesus had not looked upon him. And so David, O what need had he to have been awaked after his adultery, that his hard heart might not have been more hardened, and his soul exposed to more thrusts and wounds, and God's Name more dishonored; but alas, he is fast asleep! And so the case of Jonah, he had avoided that sad distemper of madness and passion, if he had been awake; but it seemeth though he had been in the belly of hell, he was not thoroughly awaked from his former sleep, in his former rebellion, and therefore he rebels yet more, and more, now I say, after sin, we are apt to be asleep, when we had most need to be awake. It is sad brethren, to consider what a frame the hearts of God's own people will be in sometimes; and what guil there is? as in David, that they will not confess their sin, when God hath discovered their folly in part, but will cloak, and shift, and excuse, and nestle themselves to sleep again, when they are a little awaked; O when had they more need to repent, to rouse themselves? for when are they more exposed to the rage of Satan? and yet then they sleep.
6. Another time, when we had greatest need to be awake, we are apt to sleep, and that is, when we should be a comfort and refreshing to others in their troubles and sorrows. Surely our Savior took his Disciples up into the garden, that they might pray with him and for themselves; and to have been with them praying, would have been a little comfort to him: therefore he came still, after he had been strongly wrestling, a while striving in prayer, even to an agony, to them he came as I may say, to have refreshed himself; as it was the Apostles joy, and comfort to see his Children in the Gospel to walk steadfastly with God and keep the faith; now we live, if ye stand fast; so it would have been a comfort to Christ at this time; but alas, all comfort forsakes him, he cometh again, and again, and findeth them sleeping; he sweat that bloody sweat, and instead of wiping it away, they laid more load upon him to increase it. O miserable Companions in affliction were they, miserable Comforters were they, they were asleep. Truly so it is with us brethren, when we should comfort one another with the comforts we have had of God, we have them to seek, we have nothing to say; Or when by our lively conversation; and standing fast, and being established • n the present truth, in these backsliding days, to the comfort and joy of them that Christ hath set over us; we are sleeping, and our foot sliding, into this, and that false way, and this is another great time of need. But I hope enough hath been said, many more particulars might be produced; I doubt not, to show that it is a like, in other cases of greatest need, we are apt to fall asleep.
The Reasons are from the desperate deceitfulness of sin, and our hearts, and the cunning, and malice of Satan, to do us most hurt, &c.
First Application, Then sure there is no such thing as perfection in this life, as some would have it, if we be thus prone to sleep, and when we had most need to be awake; yea rather it argues great imperfection, even in the best of the Saints that have a heart so untoward, and apt to be in the worst frame, when it should be in the best. To be out of frame at any time, to be sleeping at any time, argues imperfection, and weakness, and weariness, and therefore the Angels are called Watchers, wherein they approach nearer to the glorious perfection of God, who never slumbereth, nor sleepeth; but to be out of frame then, when of all other times, we had most need to be in • rame, showeth we are far from perfection; that Corruption is strong and cunning, and the Devil without, knoweth how to improve it to our great disadvantage, either unbefitting us for doing good when opportunity is offered, or for receiving Good, when the heart of the Lord is most widely opened.
This should be matter of deep humiliation to us all, that we are so apt to sleep, when we have most need to be awake. The other Doctrine gave us a humbling word, but this much more: If we consider these two things.
1. The more grace we have received, the worse we grow, turn the grace of Christ into wantonness; for usually at the first, when the soul is awaked out of its dead sleep, O how hard it followeth after God, it giveth no sleep to its eyes, nor slumber to his eye-lids! until he find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob in the soul. Well, it is true, the Lord hath done something for that poor soul; he hath opened his eyes to see the want of Christ, and touched his heart so, that now he followeth him, and cannot but follow him; this is unspeakable mercy. But now when the Lord hath done much more for the soul, hath poured upon it his Spirit, given the oil of gladness, as well as of grace, that then it should fall asleep; the more engagements of Love the Lord Jesus lays upon the soul, the more li • tless, the more lazy it should grow? The Apostle took it unkindly, and well he might, the more he loved them, the less he was beloved; and this could not but shame them, if they had any ingenuity; and may not the Lord Jesus take it as unkindly, that the more he loveth us, the less he should be loved of us, as his love groweth hottest, our love should grow coldest! O for a spiritual ingenuity, that we might lie down in shame before the Lord continually for this; O what ungodly hearts, &c. and how unkind, may poor creatures be, and are they, who have received greatest kindness from him? Paul labored more abundantly, because grace bad more abounded toward him, then others. We are prone to it, if we be not left to it; the more grace we have received, the more listless to grow, which ariseth no • from the nature of grace, but from self-confidence, and resting in our receivings, which lays us fast asleep; a man that hath one talent, improveth it; but he that hath ten, lays it to sleep, &c.
2. What a shame is it for us, that when we have most need to act our grace, we have the least use of it; for what was grace given us for brethren, but for action, not to lie idle, and rust for want of using, but to exercise it for his glory, our own comfort, and others good; Now how do we fall short of these ends, when we cannot use it in our greatest need, is in those times before mentioned; how would a man be ashamed, that is, or should be a man of his hands, and when there is not such need, he can sense and use his hands exactly to defend himself, or offend his enemy; but when he cometh to it indeed, that his life is in danger, he is in a deep sleep, as the Psalmist speaks, and none of the men of might find their hands. A man is very rational at all other times, only at a pinch, when he hath more then ordinary need of it, he is a very child, and can do nothing, this is a great shame. The Saints that have received much grace, and therefore should act strongly for God, what a shame is it, that when temptation cometh, or when anymore then ordinary occasion to exercise their grace, they are like Children sleeping in their Cradles, can do nothing.
Then, If this be so; Let us learn never to trust our hearts, when they at the best, in their highest frame, most spiritual, most enlarged; Alas, they are like a deceitful Bow, it seemeth firm, until you come to draw it; but when you have need of it, draw it, it will deceive you, fall asunder; he that trustoth in his own heart, is a fool, saith the wise man; and who more likely to know then he, who beside the Spirit whereby he spake, had had experience what a sad thing that self-confidence and security had been? how fatal it had proved to himself? be sure brethren, if there be any time more then another that we need our hearts to be present, or graces to be in act, they will be asleep; our corrupt part will cloud them, and bear them down. Do but observe it, if it be but to watch one hour with Christ in an holy duty, as prayer, or the like: It is strange, but it is true, our hearts will be less present then, then at anything else; Let the duty be done, or before it begin, and you shall not be troubled with such a stream of vain, and impertinent, if not sinful thoughts, but once go about this duty; and O how do they thrust upon the soul? and how lively sometimes, (when there is not so much need) are the affections? and how dull, and flat are they then? therefore trust not any frame you have at any time received; for indeed it will prove a broken reed, even grace itself, if you lean upon it, it will fail you, and pierce you also.
Then what need had we brethren, to ply the Throne of grace, to sit down by the fountain, and fullness of life, and quickening influence, even Jesus Christ. David did even when he was at the best frame, as in penning the 119. Psalm: when do we find more flaming affections towards God, and Heaven, and his Law, and Worship, so strong as to break through all oppositions of men, and Satan, and Corruption? and yet how sensible was he of his falling flat, even in the midst of such a rapture? O quicken thou me, quicken thou me according to thy Word, saith he; alas this vigor will not continue, except thou supply it with continual refreshing, and renewing of strength. And so in that place, O that thou wouldst keep this upon the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts forever; alas, else he knew if there were a like occasion for a free spirit in the service of God, and his Temple, it would be far from them. O therefore ply the throne of grace brethren, live by the faith of the Son of God: Faith will draw water out of the wels of salvation.
And O what need had we to keep in with the Spirit of grace, lest he leave us in a time of need! It is true, when we aprrehend a danger, or an hour of temptation coming, and the soul be anything awake, O then, what mean it will make for the presence of the Spirit? but brethren, he deals with us, as we deal with him; If when we have peace, and a calm, and in our ordinary waking we slight him, and sit loose to him, believe it, in our time of greatest need he may justly stand at a distance from us, and let us see what our own strength is, and what can we do without him? O therefore, let us take heed of grieving this holy Spirit, which is that Spirit that watcheth with us to keep us awake, lest if he withdraw, we fall asleep, when of all other times we had most need to be awake.
Fifthly, Then what have some of the people of God to bless him for, and to rejoice in the Lord, for that he hath kept them awake, specially in the time of need? it is double, and treble mercy. You heard before it is matter of great praises to be kept awake ordinarily. But in an hour of temptation to be kept awake, watching and praying; so that when others have entered into temptation, thou hast been delivered: O what mercy is this, and whence is it that the Lord doth so highly favor thee more then others of his people? So when he hath in his Ordinances sometimes been, as I may say, transfigured before us, and when others have been asleep, have seen nothing of it at all, or very little; thou hast been kept awake all the while. O that we could tell how to set a price upon such a mercy as this? how sad a loss would it have been, if thou hadst slept away such a season as others have done? that haply thou mightest never have seen again? what had the Disciples lost, if Jesus Christ had suffered them to sleep all the while of his transfiguration? somewhat they saw of it, and by that they saw they might gather the better what they had lost; it may be thou hast lost something in such a time by sleeping a while, but hath he awaked thee to see the rest? Oh that God would help to prize our mercies, to bless and magnify him for it.
Sixthly, in the last place then, if we find ourselves growing secure, and slumbering and sleeping, suspect there is an hour of great need to watch, to be awake, at hand. Either the day of our appearing before the Lord Jesus, which is a time of greatest need, and if Satan can but get us asleep against that day, he knoweth in likelihood we may set in a cloud, which will be dishonor to Christ, discomfort to his poor people; or else some hour of temptation is coming, and his design is now to lull us asleep, that he may the more deeply wound us, take his aim better, where to hit us, and if he might have his will, to smite us once for all. O suspect, if Delilah spread her lap for us; If the delights of the world do open their bosom for us to lie in, and begin to sing sweetly in our ears, and charm us? O take heed, rouse up yourselves with Sampson, before hand, as he did it afterward still, until he was taken indeed, the Lord being departed from him, a sad end of his sleeping. But suspect there is some design in hand upon us, the aim is to get away God and Christ from us, our peace, our holy frame from us, to bring the Philistines upon us. Or else that there is some glorious manifestation of God towards us in his Ordinances, he is about to cause his glory to pass by, and the envious man and our wretched hearts would sain rob us of it; therefore suspect ourselves, if we find we are growing thus sleepy, that there is some time of need near at hand for our waking, for we are exceeding apt to sleep, when we have most need to wake. But so much for this Doctrine.
Verse 6.
IN this Verse we have Christ his preparatory to his coming. In the next verse, Its influence upon those unprepared virgins, towards a preparation of themselves for his coming, and their own meeting of him.
In this preparation you have 1. A cry; which is laid down, first in general, or first it is declared 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that there was a cry. 2. 〈◊〉 what this cry was; Behold the Bridegroom cometh, &c. And then the season of it in the second place, it was at midnight. A Cry was made at his first coming, there was a forerunner, and that was John the Baptist, and he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness, an earnest, zealous, loud speaking, prepare ye the way of the Lord. And now at his last coming there is a like preparation of his way, there was a Cry made. Calvin thinketh the Cry here is put metaphorically for the suddeness of his coming, or that it may be understood so, because when any great thing cometh upon a people suddenly, they make a stir, a tumult, it discomposeth them. Or as Children, or Scholars, that are all out of their places, and at their sport, their Father or Master cometh upon them suddenly; O what a stir there is, an out-cry, the Master is coming, the Father is coming! Or when an Enemy surpriseth a place, cometh suddenly, beateth up their Quarters, there is a Cry; O horse, horse, arm, arm, they are here upon us. But I know not what Reason thus to understand it of the suddenness of his coming, the Effect being put for the Cause; because before the suddenness of his coming is set forth in the season plainly, as hereafter shall appear; he came at midnight. I rather therefore take this for a Cry by some messenger of God, as a fore-runner of his Sons appearing, or coming to his people, either to take them to the marriage, or shut them out of the marriage forever.
The Doctrine briefly will be this; The fore-runner of the coming of Christ, is a Cry. At midnight a Cry was made. It is likely that this is spoken by way of accommadation to the Prothesis of the similitude, as the manner of Marriages then, when the Bridegroom was coming, likely there was some messenger going before, to prepare them that were with the Bride, to meet him that there might be no confusion when he came, so here in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the similitude, the professors of Christ and the world, they are unready for the most part, and in a sleep: And therefore this fore-runner goeth before the coming of the Bride-groom, to give them warning that they prepare, &c.
That this is so, the Text itself is so express, I think it not very needful to prove it further by Scripture, but show you that it is his course in all his comings to send some messenger before him to prepare his way, to make way for his coming; his coming to particular Judgments, as with the old world, he sent his harbinger Noah, a Preacher of righteousness, and every blow of the workmen upon the Ark was a Cry, and might have been as a dreadful sound in the ears of the world, he being the warning; the Ark must be so long, an hundred and twenty years in building, the report of it then might go over all the world in that time, for ought I know. Was not Lot sent to Sodom before their ruin, Jonah to Nineveh, crying yet forty days, and it shall be overthrown; But I will not stand upon this, you see it is suitable to his former proceedings in coming to judge any people, or deliver his own among them, and destroy the rest, which will be the effect of this coming of his.
Only here, let us note something concerning this coming of Christ, in a word or two; for I will not dwell upon these things, having dispatched the main things in the Parable already for the most part, and 2. Something touching this Cry, what it is, and 3. Something concerning them both, relatively considered, one respecting the other.
1. For the coming of Christ, which is the substance of the Cry, as you heard before, either it is his coming at last to judge the world, to gather the Saints together, and carry them into the Marriage as one spouse, topresent them to his father, the purchase of his dearest blood which we must surely understand here to be principally meant. And 2. The coming of Christ to a particular soul, or people to gather them either to the spirits of just men made perfect, the assembly of the first-born, the general assembly, or else to separate them from the congregation of the righteous; here indeed they live mixed, as in the first Psalm, but then the sinners shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous; but then the wheat goeth one way, and the Chaff another, the Gorn one way, the Tares another, the good fish in the Net one way, and the weeds, and trash drawn in the Net another way. Before the foolish Virgins might be counted wise, it may by many as well as the wise, yea happily the only wise, and the wise Virgins the foolish; but now he cometh to make a difference, and lay it open to the view of all, which are which.
2. For the Cry: It is to be noted, that the force of the word imports a strong voice, such a voice happily as would Stentora vincere, there is a still voice, and a loud voice; a Cry is, when the voice is lifted up, when the throat is extended, as I may say, when persons are hard of hearing, Isa. 58. 1. Cry with the throat; Or it is to be extended to a great distance, there is a Cry made. So then, this is no ordinary voice or warning, but a loud Cry, a shrill sound, that is to be the fore-runner of Christ his coming.
But then, What this Cry is, that is here spoken of, will be the subject of a further enquiry? Why? surely brethren, we must understand it according, or suitable to our exposition of the coming in this place.
If we take his coming here, to be his general coming to judge the world, then the Cry may be one of these two, and both of them are fore-runners, though the one is more immediate then the other.
1. Then, The preaching of the Gospel to all the world, their sound is gone forth into all the world. The Gospel of the Kingdom must first be preached to all the World, and then shall the end be; it must be for a witness to all Nations; this is a sound,, a Cry, and the substance of the Cry is, behold he cometh, go forth to meet him; he that is the Bridegroom, that hath purchased with his precious blood a peculiar people to himself to be his spouse, even as many as shall believe in his name. Therefore go forth to meet him, make ready for his appearing, when he shall come to fetch his Bride, see to it that you be found in the number, this Cry is to go forth into all the world, But this is further off. But,
2. The voice of the Archangel; for the Lord himself shall deseend from heaven with a shout, with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a shout, Beza saith it is taken from Seamen, or the like, who when they are pulling an Anchor, or Cable, with one voice cry together, and pull together, as I may say a Hertamen, stirring up one another to pull; so this will be a shout happily of all, or many of the company which come with Jesus Christ, crying out, O he is coming, make ready for him; or what ever it be, some shout there will be, or like the shout of men ready to set upon, and destroy their enemies. The Archangel is chief, there being orders it should seem among them, he doth as I may say, cry before the rest, and instead of the rest, and Calvin maketh this exposition. The Trumpet also whatever it be sounds, to sound forth the majesty of the appearing of Jesus Christ; i • is the loudest sound that is made with instruments, I think, and used much in Israel in the gathering together their holy, and civil, and martial-Assemblies, and for preparation to warn. Well, this will be a Cry that all the world will ring of, the very dead in their graves shall hear it, they that are in the grave, &c. Not while they are dead, nor be quickened by any virtue of a Creature, as this Cry is, but the power of Christ then going forth, and raising them up, they may be said to hear it, or at least they are raised at that time; The trumpet Calvin mentioneth unto the Corinthians, to be nothing else but metaphorical, the voice of the Angel, the loud Cry, which shall be by the Angel formed; As a General by Trumpet calls together his Army, so God will cite all the world to his Tribunal; or as at Mount Sinai, to the giving the Law, one people were called together with a loud noise, or trumpets, so much more when all the world shall be called together, the Majesty and terror of the appearing of Christ.
If we take it here brethren, of his particular coming to particular souls, to gather them to himself in part before that day; which I know not that it can be excluded from being a part of his meaning, then the voice, the cry, is otherwise to be understood.
1. Then, It may be meant of the warning words which the Lord giveth his people by the Ministry of the Gospel every where in his Churches: specially indeed brethren, this hath been the voice of all the Messengers of Christ ever since his first coming, that he will come, and come quickly, his last and general coming will be quickly, but his coming to us particularly will be—quickly. Now the importunity of them that call upon us to repent, to prepare for the coming of Christ to our souls by death, when we are like to receive our doom for our everlasting state, this may be meant, cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice. Or else,
2. Happily some Afflictions, God opens the mouth of some rod, some heavy visitation, the rod crieth, as it is in that place of Micah, whether it be the affliction, the sickness, or stroke whereby the Lord takes men away, this crieth to men, repent: O prepare to meet the Lord Jesus, he is coming, he is now even at the door; therefore go forth now to meet him, as Hilarian chid his soul out, egredere O anima, egredere. Sometimes the Lord sendeth a long and a loud cry, a grievous, and heavy visitation upon many of us, yea upon his own dear children, as I have known some, the Cry hath been, he is coming, go forth to meet him, make ready; Or if it be a stroke that he removeth again, before we go hence, and we recover strength again: yet the Cry of it is, Behold he cometh, go forth to meet him, for we know not whether death be not in the cup of affliction we drink at any time.
Thirdly, Then for the relative consideration of the Cry, with respect to his coming, whereof it is a warning: It is to be considered, whether it be so immediate, yea or no, as there can be no time of preparation after it, which seemeth not to suit with the parable here. It seemeth by the parable, if I may insist so much upon these particulars, 1. That there was some time between the cry and his coming, as there is some time between the Harbinger, and the coming of his Lord, whose way he prepareth; because the Virgins here seem to have some time to trim their Lamps, even the wise virgins; and for the foolish, it should seem by the parable they had some time to trifle away, in buying, or going to assay it; but this I will not press, or urge too much, only sure it is, that the wise virgins being found asleep, after the warning, had time, and a heart given them to prepare to trim them. And therefore, If we understand it of them which shall be found alive at the last day, remember this: Some it may be will not be so asleep, and yet need some preparation too. Some may be asleep, and therefore will need some preparation. Now it is said, that at the voice of Christ then coming with his Trumpet, those that are alive, shall not prevent them that are asleep, go to heaven before them, But the dead in Christ shall rise first, and what time there will be for it, or whether in a moment, I am not able to determine: Or whether they shall in a moment be changed, soul and body, that are alive, and so made ready to enter with him into glory? Or whether there shall be time for the working of it, I cannot say, but if their Lamps want trimming, their graces want furbishing, they shall have it. But if by the cry then you understand the Gospel preached, then they may have time enough. 2. If there be time between the cry, and his coming, to take his own to himself, it seemeth not to be much; but how much, or how little we cannot say: If the cry be the sickness, or messenger of death which is sent to them; there is usually some time, and not very much given, sometimes more, sometimes less. And so were the word importunately pressed, an awakening word, to rouse the poor secure people of God, there may be more or less time between this cry, and Christ his taking them to himself, but some time it seems there is for their trimming of their Lamps. But so much for Explication.
The Arguments now, wherefore there is such a cry before the coming of Jesus Christ.
The great reason is clear here in the Text; It is because men are asleep, many of them, both real Saints and formalists, they are asleep, and deep asleep; and therefore there cometh a cry to awake them, it is not an ordinary voice will do it, but a Cry. Some Boanerges, a son of thunder; to raise poor sleepy sinners, that he may not take them in a sleep. Let not men think, though now they have a still voice of the word, and they can make a shift to sleep notwithstanding, they are Sermon-proof. If this will not awaken, he will have another cry that shall awaken them, he will roar upon them out of heaven, thunder upon them, but he will waken them. While men are asleep, they are not fit to meet the Lord Jesus in his coming to judgment, whether it be to acquit them, or to condemn them: If it be in mercy, to take them to himself; while they are in a sleep, they are not fit to meet him their Ornaments are laid aside, their Lamps want trimming, as the Text hath it there; and therefore they must be awaked. Besides, they are not fit to take notice of the infinite, and unsearchable riches of his grace manifested therein to them, in gathering them to himself; if we should be called for in some f • ame that we are in sometimes, truly we should not be able to take comfort in our meeting with him, nor would he have any glory in our departure; and therefore usually he doth awake his people, stir up their graces, that they may shine, and be active when he cometh to gather them; and then if he come in judgment, as against these foolish virgins, to blow out their Lamps in obscure darkness, except they be awake in some measure, and their Consciences opened, they will not be sensible of it; but when the Conscience of an hypocrite is a little roused; O what fearful pre-apprehensions there will be of the displeasure of Christ! they are not fit to receive the sentence of condemnation, except their Consciences were roused; and therefore the Lord doth oftentimes, if not always, awaken the Conscience; the heart was never awake, but always asleep; but the Conscience hath been asleep, and now it must be awaked, ut sentiat se mori; It never troubled the foolish virgins, though their Lamps were gone out, all the while they slept, and if they had died in that sleep, they had as certainly perished; but not so sensibly, nor so severely, as knowing the terrors of God which belong to them before; and the Lord will have them to lie down in the confusion of their souls, for their folly, in resting themselves contented with a profession, without the possession of Jesus Christ; without this oil in their vessels.
Another ground may be, for the Majesty of the coming of Christ that there may be the more reverence, and awe of his Majesty, therefore he hath a Messenger going before his face, as Princes use to do; and happily in their Marriages of great persons, there might be some such thing, surely this is one reason wherefore he cometh at the last day, one piece of the glory of his appearing, the voice of the Arch-Angel, the Trumpet of God; so the cry that goeth before, it is much for his honor and Majesty, that all the Messengers he sends Either Afflictions, or Ministers, all their Message almost to his people is to prepare for his coming, to fit them for that appearing.
To render hypocrites inexcusable, since they have a cry going before them to awaken them out of their sleep, to set them awork to get their grace, this oil in their vessels, they might have said if they had been taken asleep; why if they had had any warning, they would have done as others did: but now they are awaked, roused by this cry; and yet alas, they cannot get this oil in their vessels, they slept away their opportunity, the Gospel must be preached for a witness to all Nations; and now they can have no cloak for their sin, for their unreadiness for his appearing, the • ord will manage his affairs so, as that every mouth may be stoped, and confess before him.
That none of his own may be • left; therefore he sendeth a Cry before him, for none that are unfit for entrance with him into the Marriage, shall enter into it; no soul shall go to heaven in a sleep; they are not fit for it, as you heard before, nor when he cometh will he wait upon any; now is the time of waiting to be gracious to poor souls, then is the time of recompense, either love or displeasure: • e will not tarry then; and therefore it is said here in the Text, those that were ready went with him in to the supper of the Lamb, into the marriage, those that had their Lamps trimmed, and the door was shut; if the Saints themselves should not be found ready in some measure, he would not then stay; love is impatient of delay, then; now he would not lose any, and therefore he is longsuffering, and patient, long before he cometh; for that very end, because he would have none of his perish: so also for the same reason doth he thus warn them by a Voice, a Cry, to rouse them, awake them, lest if they should be found unready, they might miss of entering with him.
For the Application:
Then brethren let us take notice of the goodness and tenderness of the Lord to his own people, in awakening them, though it may be it may disease them a little at first, to have such a cry in their ears, as not to suffer them to sleep when they would nestle themselves upon their pillow; he is loath to leave them behind, he will not lose any of them, and therefore he rouzeth them: If Jesus Christ had left his Church in Cant. 5. Or his Disciples sleeping, and gone his ways, their condition had been sad. If death had come upon poor David, while under that guilt in the matter of Uriah, and in so deep a sleep, how sad had his condition been? and so for Jonas, if the belly of hell had been his grave, the belly of the Whale, and he had not been awaked out of that sleep, what had become of him? he had miscarried forever, or at least he had suffered great loss; and therefore it is much tenderness in the Lord to his poor people, that he will not let them sleep, but he rouzeth them up.
2. How easy should this make, and how should it sweeten the severest of God's dealings with us, to awake us? Suppose we have a dreadful sound in our ears, when nothing else will do it, the terrors of God displayed, and set in battle array against our souls, God writeth bitter things against us, and all little enough to awaken us, we are so secure it may be; It must be the louder voice of the rod that must do it, if other means will not; and this seemeth not joyons, but grievous at present, but it brings forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness. O! the end will be sweet, when the soul thereby shall be awaked, and kept awake, and ready for the appearing of the Lord Jesus. I know the people of God would not for a world that day should come upon them and find them in such a frame, so heavy; so listless, so untoward as they are sometimes, and know not how to shake it off; I, but give the Lord leave to shake it off, bear then the Cry, though it be loud sometimes, and seem offensive, if this be the end, to awaken thee: O why shouldst not thou bear it thankfully and cheerfully?
3. If there be a Cry going before his coming, Then brethren see whether or no you have not had this Cry in part sounding in your cars, and what use you have made of it, hath it awaked you, or not? The Gospel, it is here the voice of the watchmen, that continually stir you up, and tell you the day of Christ is coming, is at hand; If not the general, yet your particular day, the day of his coming to our souls particularly cannot be far off: this is the daily cry in our ears; and O that we could cry louder, and lift up our voice with more affection to your souls; but as such poor worms are able, we cry to you, we are messengers sent before his face, the Cry is, behold he cometh, go forth to meet him: Now brethren where are you? Are you upon your beds still? How many have been awaked by this awakening word, the terrors of the Lord against them that sleep? Have you done anything to your further sitting for heaven? Can you with comfort go forth to meet Jesus Christ, open to him when he knocks? Surely you have not made use of this Cry that hath been made; Ah, how many are sleeping as deeply as ever, and do not yet dream of his coming, though they know not but that he is at the door, and this night their souls shall be taken from them!
4. Then how should this stir us up everyone to attend to the cry that is made, and obey it; now you have the cry made in the word, this is our preaching, to awaken you. Look not upon Sermons only as the affectionate discourse of a poor creature that wisheth well to your souls, but look upon it as the warning word of Jesus Christ, as the Cry that goeth before his presence, afterwards himself w • ll come, and that speedily, and how soon you know not, and as he findeth you then, so it will go with you. O that the Lord would speak by his Spirit, and rattle you up a little poor sleepy souls, both wise and foolish virgins, not that I desire the grief of yours or mine own soul, for if I make you sorry, who is it that must make me glad, but you that are made sorry by me? as the Apostle saith: Yet dear friends, as I hope, I could be contented rather to be shaken out of a sleep myself, then be found sleeping at the coming of Christ; so had I rather it should be with you: how shall I bespeak your poor souls this day? I would fain prevail with one poor soul, to shake off this drowsiness and sloth, and sleepiness that is upon us; O arise, arise, for your souls sake, for your peace sake, as you tender your comfort, now you hear the Cry going before him; think with yourselves sometimes, Can you look Jesus Christ in the face with such a frame of heart as you have every day? O arise, arise, will such sleepy souls be fit to sing Allelujahs to eternity to God? O arise, arise Deborah to sing praises to the Lord, awake then that sleepest, you cannot else be fit for heaven: this the first.
Consider secondly, If this Cry will not awaken you, you shall have a more dreadful sound in your ears, haply ere long some sad blow or affliction, as there in Job, Elihu saith God speaks once, yea twice, but man regardeth it not; often, but to no purpose; what then? Why then he chasteneth him with pain, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain, and openeth his ear, and seals instruction to 〈…〉 • oring of his ear costs him something; Why will you put the Lord to it to speak louder, and more terribly to you? for if you belong to him, awaked you must be, or if you do not, awaked you shall be some way or other; and if this will not do it,
3. Death shall do it, and O how sad will it be for a man to go on securely, and not to behold his unfitness for the appearing of Christ, until just he be upon him? but if that will not do it, Sure I am the everlasting burnings will awake you sinners, if you never wake until then. O the Lord forbid you should have hearts so desperately hardened from his fear, as never to awake until there be no remedy, no providing for your eternal state. O therefore arise, arise as those Virgins did here in the Text; yea, though they were but formal professors, yet they arose, their Consciences were awaked, and somewhat they did, though they fell short; what will become of you then, that never rise, but will sleep, let the Lord Cry, and though the trumpet sound louder and louder; you look at the terrors of God, as the horse that rusheth into the battle, looketh at fear, that which is a fear to others. Ah dear friends, it is no mocking at these things, your precious souls lie at the stake; therefore as you love them, beg of God a heart to tremble at this his Cry which is going out before him; how did all the Congregation tremble when the Lord sounded upon Mount-Sinai at the giving of the Law? do but think how terrible the coming of Jesus Christ will be, to avenge himself upon sinners that violated this Law, and are not found in him! O this will surely awaken you when you shall have little list to sleep or rest anymore forever. But the Lord give you rather to hear this Cry, to have it sounding in your ears continually; that you may recover strength before you go hence, and be no more seen, that with the wise Virgins, having your Lamps trimmed, you may go in with the Bridegroom into the Marriage.
FOR THE SEASON of this coming of Christ, its preparation to it, It is at Midnight; a time later then they thought of, and sooner then they expected; it is spoken by way of accommodation to the Parable, as the other was before, they fell asleep, the Virgins did, and in the deepest of their sleep the Bridegroom cometh, they are raised up to meet him. Note from hence.
That Jesus Christ his coming to many poor souls will be at Midnight, Or his coming ordinarily is at Midnight. What this coming is you have heard before. All the difficulty here is to understand what is meant by Midnight. Some have taken it properly for the Midnight, that part of the natural day, when the Sun is farthest off us, and when it is darkest in the night; and Jerome is said to report it for an A. • radition, that Christ should come at Midnight, and because it is first in the order of nature to know the day, before the hour; therefore the day was pitched upon, and that was the even of the Passover, when it is said, that the Primitive Churches did watch constantly yearly that night, expecting it, whereby it should seem they knew not the year, but every year stood upon the watch at the same time; but methinks the year is first in order to be known before the day, and the day before the hour; but surely this was vain, and a mistake of theirs, for our Savior saith, that of that day and hour knoweth no man.
Therefore we shall understand it here by way of Accommodation to the Parable; and first then at Midnight siguratively may import in the first place an unknown time, it was not revealed before hand at what time he would come; our Savior saith, If the good man had known when the thief would have come, he would have kept his house from being broken; of that day and hour knoweth no man, saith our Savior, speaking of his coming in general: it is a secret thing, belonging to God, he keepeth it in his own power, as he saith there in the first of the Acts. And for the particular day of his coming to us, it is not known to men for the most part; indeed Hezekiah his case was extraordinary, to have his limits set him so long before, to know the number of his days so long before hand, else ordinarily the people of God know not the time, or very little before they depart, or be called for. As these Virgins here, when they were asleep; alas they knew not what time it was that the Alarm came, the Midnight is usually the most unknown time, or at least a time wherein the coming of Christ is most unknown, for to that indeed the ignorance is rather to be referred, though persons asleep at midnight know not the time of the night, nor any evil, which is ready to surprise them at that time.
2. The midst of a man's life is such a time, as the coming of Christ is not looked for: Now this is more then the former, for though they had not known the time; yet they might have waited, and expected every hour when he would have come; but they, because it was uncertain, looked not for it: in a day he looked not for him, Luke 12. 46. It is likely they had looked for it, but their waiting was wearied, they went forth to meet him at first, with their oil, and Lamps, the wise Virgins, until they thought it long, for it is in respect of their opinions, that he is said to delay his coming, as you have heard; Well, now their watchful eyes were sealed up with sleep, so that he came later then their expectations, and he came sooner then their expectations also, for they were surprised by the Cry, before they were aware, just as a servant that hath in the beginning of the night expected his Masters coming home, and a good while waited for it; now he giveth over looking for him, so his Master cometh after his waiting, and yet before it too, for when he is at his rest, and before he awakes again to return to his waiting for his Master, he cometh upon him, this is the very case: a child of God it may be at the beginning when the impressions of God upon the heart are strong and fresh, he expecteth the day of Christ his coming hath it much in his eye; but after awhile, when he seeth he cometh not, he letteth down the watch, and groweth more remiss by far, and when he is in the depth of that sleep, before he renew his watching likely, the Lord Jesus cometh upon him.
3. A little more particularly, which is but the beating out of the former, he cometh at the midnight of men's lives, that is to say, at such a time of their lives, as they neither hoped for it, nor feared it, for the expectation of the coming of Jesus Christ doth diversely affect men, according to the different conditions of their souls, if they be such as are ready for it, for his appearing habitually ready, and actually ready; that is to say, such as have his grace in their hearts, oil in their vessels, and that grace doth not lie sleeping there, but it is in act, and lively, and the affection flaming towards heaven, and the eye upon the recompense of reward, such a man, he will act his hope for that day, look for it with hope, and with desire, because he expecteth then a Crown of glory, a fullness of joy unspeakable, everlasting bosom-communion with Jesus Christ; knowing also, that while he is present in the body, he is absent from the Lord, his looking for the appearing of the Lord, is I say with hope and desire, because it is the day of his reigning, the accomplishment of it, when the God of peace shall bruise Satan perfectly under his feet, with whose temptations it may be, he is even wearied out, and therefore as a laboring man longs for the shadow of the evening, so doth he desire it: Now a child of God, he may have the root of this grace of hope, for the coming of Jesus Christ; but while he is asleep, his hope is not in act when it should be, he doth not stretch forth the neck as one earnestly expecting it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he doth not lift up his head because his redemption draweth near, and his salvation is nearer now then it was when he believed, alas his hope is asleep with him. A woman espoused expecting her Husband to come and Marry her, desires the day, but in the mean time falls asleep, then her desires and hopes cease, looks not for him all that while, and in that time he cometh.
On the other hand they fear it not neither, for they are asleep, and so their expectation ceaseth; as prisoners, they fear the coming of the Judge, they have a dreadful sound in their ears, and fear exceedingly when the Judge will come to deliver them up to the tormentors, to the execution, Sentence being past upon them; but if they fall asleep now, their fear ceaseth if their sleep be fast; so a man that dwells in a place of danger for robbers, he may expect them and fear; and yet if after a while of waking, they come not, he falls asleep, he fears them not then, as he would do if he were awake, in an hour he thinketh not of it, Luke 12. So wicked▪ men and hypocrites, formal professors, if they be conscious to their conditions at any time, as when an hypocrite hath his Conscience enlightened at first, why then surely there cannot but be a fearful expectation of the coming of Jesus Christ to judge them; but when once they fall asleep, those impressions they had, wear off by degrees, then they fear not, though they have as much cause as ever they had; so then, the Midnight is a time not expected.
The Arguments whereby this may be confirmed. First, It is for his own glory, to come in such a time, unknown. The glory of God is to conceal a thing, but the honor of Kings is to search out a matter; here is an opposition of persons and actions; the persons opposed are Kings, and the God of Heaven, the King of Kings; the honor of Kings, is to search out a matter, they are men of poor, shallow apprehensions, and little knowledge; and therefore they had need to search to find out a matter; but now the Lord he is an infinite unsearchable wise God, and he knoweth all things, and it is for his honor to keep some things secret, that he may be admired, reverenced, adored, his unsearchableness acknowledged. No further then he pleased, were the mysteries of himself and his so • revealed to the ages before, nor now at this day, much he hath reserved for another time and place; and that is, the time of his coming, his own secret, which belongs to him, he hath kept in his own power, and it is for his honor so to do. And this is the first.
2. Therefore he will come so suddenly and unexpectedly, as I may say, at Midnight, that many, yea the most of men, that men might learn to watch, to be always ready; this is abundantly proved, by the many exhortations of our Savior to his Disciples to watch, enforced by this very Argument; therefore also be ye ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the son of man cometh, even as a thief in the night. In the foregoing Verse: Behold I come as a thief, saith he, blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he be found naked, and they see his shame. Whether this be understood of his last coming or no, if any coming of Christ, being sudden, unexpected, uncertain, it should teach us to watch; and is not this the Use which our Savior maketh of it in the thirteenth verse of this Chapter? And so in that Epistle to the Church of Sardis, If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief. The reason why he tells us he will come like a thief, suddenly, in the time least suspected, is to deter men from sleeping and security; for if they lie to sleep, it will be such a sudden surprisal, but if they watch and be ready, it will not be so unexpected, and this is a reason, I say, wherefore the Lord keepeth it secret and uncertain when he will come, that men might watch. As Caesar, it is said of him that he would never let his soldiers know the time of his removal, or the time of his Onset, scil. Ut paratum, & intentum momentis omnibus quo vellet state educeret. So the Lord Jesus, who is the Captain of our salvation, he letteth not us know when it will be, that we might expect it always. If men should know that Jesus Christ would come to call for them but sixteen years hence, or six years; alas, how bold would they make with him ordinarily, and spend five of the six in vanity, if not more; and truly such is the corruption of our hearts also, that that very thing which our Savior, who well knew the constitutions of men, and what might be the most likely Argument for watchfulness, lays down this, of the uncertainty of it, unexpectedness of it, if men sleep, surprizing them, yet we will make bold, and venture at all, in so much that he seldom cometh to a soul, and findeth him watching.
3. To make his coming like an evil snare to sinners, to hypocrites. So it is in that place of Luke, take heed your hearts be not over-charged with cares of this world, &c. and that day come upon you as a snare; A snare you know, is a sad thing, and that which suddenly and unavoidably seizeth upon the poor beast or bird; they are taken in an evil snare, when they are sleeping, and so brought to ruin, this is the case, it cometh on them like a snare, like a Net, from on high, as snares rained from Heaven, no avoiding them; or else as a snare hid, when men think nothing, or the beasts are at their prey, and delighting themselves in that, before they are aware the foot or neck is in the snare, and there is no breaking of it, it is too strong a snare.
4. Then usually hypocrites and sinners are at the worst, and the people of God after their awaking, and stirring up, will be at the best; sinners at the worst, when they have settled upon their Lees in security, and sleep for a while, the foolish virgins never 〈…〉 d a heart awake towards God; their heart never answered that Call, Awake thou that sleepest, their eyes indeed were opened, and they walk • up and down as men may do when the heart is asleep; they had their Lamps, some show, some formality, but now when this day surpriseth them, all is gone, their form perisheth, or at least will stand them in no stead, their Lamps were gone out; and therefore this is the very nick of time wherein the Lord Jesus will surprise hyporrites, and give them their recompense of reward. The people of God that sleep, it is true they are unready when the Cry cometh, but O how will this humble them, to be found sleeping, and what is the top of the Ladder but humility? when will the • oul be fittest to e • alt Christ but then? and so when their Lamps are trimmed up again, they will shine more bright then before, and therefore then also will be a time for his coming to them.
1. Then by way of Application, this may inform us how it cometh to pass so many in the midst of their plots and purposes are taken away, without any hope in their death; surely every man would be happy, they would have heaven, but they think it is time enough to look after that when they have nothing else to do. O if they had compassed such a thing, such a Land, and such a House, gotten such an inheritance, then they would lay down these things, and prepare for heaven! and so the milk of their breasts, and marrow of their bones, they lay out upon their youthful Lusts, and think their old age time enough to mind those serious things; But the day cometh upon them at unawares, and snatcheth them away in his wrathful displeasure, in the midst of their endeavors for the world, plucks them away from their place, and it knoweth them no more. Go to, ye that say, we will go to such a City, and buy, and sell, and get gain; whereas they know not what is in the womb of a day; hence it is, that so many perish from the way, they are cut off in the midst, and never reach their expectations, and so remedilessly perish. This day cometh upon them as a snare, when they are sitting like so many Birds, pluming themselves, feeding, and sporting, and singing, it cometh upon them, and they are carried away to their place. Ah dear friends! what sottish, stupid, and strange presumption possesseth poor sinners hearts, as if they were of the Counsel of God, as if they knew the number of their Moneths before hand, as Hezekiah did, and therefore might make bold to lavish out week after week upon their lusts? do you know whether this night the snare will come upon you? O that Sinners could but lay these things to heart, that they might not perish like Beasts overtaken i • an evil snare: but this is but the first.
2. It will be a word of Reproof of the boldness of some, who take upon them to know the time, and many wanton wits have dared to sport themselves in so serious a thing, to foretell the year, one placing it upon 1533. others upon 1657. Alsted. Chronol. 1494. Pi • us Mirandula; upon 1905. Nicol. Cusanus, upon 1700. and many others; See Trap upon Mat. 24. 36. Many whereof time hath already refuted, the grounds are weak of many of them, this is to be wise above what is written, vain man would be wise, and herein he showeth himself a wild Asses Colt indeed, to pry into the secret which God hath kept in his own power; no, no, it is unknown, the day, and hour, the longer, or shorter time, there is no limiting of it by us, it will be at midnight, when men least suspect ordinarily, but enough of that.
3. It may teach us further, that when we least expect it, it is likely to be nearest to us; a man would think this should be a startling word to all poor sleeping sinners; you put away the evil day, the day of the Lord far from you; it is never nearer to you than then; never are men usually more unfit for that day, then when they put it far from them, and never is it usually more near to them, then at that time. It is observed in nature, that usually before an Earthquaeke cometh to swallow up men, there is a great calm; the air is quiet, and the wind lies, before the great rain falls. When was the Old World more near destruction by that day of judgment from the Lord, then when they thought least of it, put it farthest off, were most secure. It is observed, the Flood came in the Spring-time, when the Spirit of God, began to renew the face of the earth, they had as fair, a hopeful, a fruitful year as before; though there was one doubting Noah among them that dreamed of a dry winter, yet when they were most secure, most deeply secure, then the Flood came; when things were in their prime, and their hopes of corn, and wine, and oil in their flower, the Flood came, and swept them away. And so Sodom, when the Sun arose upon it, what fairer ground of hope? of a fair day doubtless they expected it: they put off the day, but then it was nearest to them. So Laish, secure before ruin, and Agag; so when they cry peace, peace, they shall do well, God proclaims war against them by his Messengers. Think of it brethren, with yourselves; how stand your hearts affected, in respect of this day? are you not secure? do you wait for it, believe it? the less you fear it, the more cause you have to fear it; or the less hope, and love, and desire, and waiting there is in any of us to it, the more cause we have to fear it; for it usually seizeth upon men at midnight. Is it not midnight with some of us? dost not thou sleep thy fast, thy dead sleep? nothing will awake thee, thou makest a mock of all these things: The Lord give you but an eye to see, for the snare is even coming upon you, it is nearest to such persons of all others.
4. It will be a word of Terror then, to all hypocrites and formalists, and all sinners, in that this day of the Lord will surprise you and come upon you at unawares. What maketh death so terrible to poor sinners when they come to it, but the judgment which followeth it? so that let a sinner have warning of it, and it is terrible, but when it cometh upon a sudden and unexpected this exceedingly addeth to the terror of it, it amazeth, astonisheth. O what a terror must it needs be to the old world! that when their hopes were in the spring, in their verdure, then all on a sudden, the world was on a flood, the fountains of the deep and the clouds above conspired to swallow them up; And will it not be, think you, as great an astonishment, when the world at the end shall look for nothing less, and before they are aware the world shall be on a flame about their ears? O then the sinners in Zion will be afraid, and fearfulness will surprise the hypocrite! put as good a face upon it now as you can. How terrible is a sudden storm upon the poor Mariners? which they never looked for, they are all inveloped in darkness; the clouds and seas seem to come together. How terrible was the coming of Gideon upon the Midiani • es on a sudden at midnight, when all asleep likely, to see and hear so many Trumpets blowing, so many pitchers clattering, so many Lamps burning! such a cry, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon, all on a sudden! O how terrible it was, it put them besides themselves, they knew not what to do, they thrust their swords in one another's bowels! O that we had but hearts to believe how terrible a day it will be to us, if it overtake us as a snare. Yea surely it will have somewhat of amazement, terror in it, to the people of God themselves that shall be found sleeping, with whom it shall be midnight, in respect of security; And though they may avoid the ruin and destruction of the day, they shall have a share in the distraction and terror of it, but poor sinners, poor hypocrites, poor formalists shall have the amazing terror, and never come to themselves, never recover themselves, but perish forever by it.
5. Then knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men to this watching, which is the main thing intended in the Parable. And concerning which you have heard somewhat already, having spoken so largely to the Privation or defect of this watching, in the slumbering and sleeping of the Virgins; Nor do I intend to insist largely upon this watching here, only here I suppose it most naturally falls into this main part of the Parable. Watching here, is as much as diligent taking heed to ourselves that that day come not upon us at unawares; As a man that watcheth against an enemy is surprised, he takes diligent heed: so our Savior, take heed to yourselves that that day come not upon you as a snare, so take heed to yourselves, and the flock over which the Lord hath made you overseers, &c. Watch therefore, saith he, for after my departure grievous wolves will enter. As a party of soldiers, when they would take diligent heed to themselves, lest they be surprised by their enemy, they watch, they express it that way; so here then, The Exhortation is brethren, to us all, To take diligent heed to ourselves, lest we be surprised by the coming of Jesus Christ; for we know not when he will come, there is no determined time, and if we take not diligent heed, it will come upon us unawares.
You have had some of the Motives to press this duty heretofore, or the Caution against sleeping; I pray you remember, how you cannot be too often put in mind of them; surely our Savior cometh over with it so often, again, and again; you have heard the danger you are in while you sleep. But we will rather take up a Consideration or two from hence.
First, the difficulty of the duty, so continually to take so diligent heed; If the good man had known what hour the thief would have come, he might more easily have watched to have prevented him; it is much more easy to hold out such a watch for a while, then constantly, now every hour being in danger, because we know not what hour he will come, this is more difficult; which should not discourage us, but whet us on to double diligence. Jam per periculum anim • Alexandri; It is an easy thing to be a Christian as many are, lazy drones, listless, sleepy Professors, that alas, alas, would scarce ever be found upon their watch, when ever he should come; But it is a matter of great difficulty, and will work all your faculties to the utmost, to watch for his appearing.
2. The dreadfulness of the thing; if you be surprised would you have Jesus Christ find you with your ornaments laid aside, find you naked? how will you hold up your heads, and look him in the face? either you will perish with the foolish Virgins, (and I doubt that will prove the portion of many of our souls) or else you will be saved; but you must run through fear, through some shame, confusion, distraction, when you are taken unawares. Besides, you are not of the night, but of the day, saith the Apostle, that that day should not take you at unawares, 1 Thes. 5. 5. And otherwise, we give not God the end of his dispensations, which is that we might watch.
What then should we do? surely brethren, There are two things specially for us to do, according to the scope of this Parable, which our Savior thus applieth, because the foolish Virgins, and the wise, both by their sleeping suffered such loss; the one lost all their precious souls, all the world not being able to recover them; the other lost their comfort, and sweet peace, and quiet, and had much coniusion in their latter end, the soul being in a hurry to make ready; when it should go forth to meet the Lord Jesus, should have nothing else to do but to die; Therefore this watching being opposed to both their sleeping, I conceive there are two things specially in it.
First, That you be sure to have your oil in your vessels ready, that we have grace in our hearts. Take heed to yourselves diligently then in the name of Jesus Christ, that you give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eye-lids; give not the Lord, nor your souls rest, until you have this Communication of Christ to your poor souls; how many poor hearts that hear this word, have not a dram of grace? though you have long had a name to be Christians, yet that hath been all, Brethren, What do you mean? can you die comfortably, hopefully, except you have grace in your hearts, this oil, this Spirit of grace dwelling in you? will anything else enable you to lift up your faces before him, but his righteousness and holiness made over to you, imputed unto you as an Inner, and Outward Garment, or Cloathing? I have hope of you you would not prove Foolish Virgins, and that you are not so careless as not to regard whether you be found to have grace, yea, or no; If there be any such, let me tell such a man, his Condition is next to desperate; the Lord smite such sinners hearts; but if you do not care, there will come a time when you will care, and every vein in your hearts will ache, when you shall find, alas, you have trifled away your time, your day you had to get grace in, and now you have none; Do you think brethren, to go to heaven without grace? must there be a wedding garment to his Supper here, and must not there much more be a wedding Garment upon them that come into that nearest Fellowship with the Lord Jesus forever? Do poor sinners eat, and drink judgment to themselves, if they come without grace to the Supper? O brethren! do you think he will endure you to enter, if you have not grace to sit with him at his Table to eternity? No: believe it, Sinners shall not stand in the Congregation of the upright; O that the Lord would persuade you! How far are many of us from the Apostles temper! he counted all things dung and dross, not worthy his thoughts in comparison of being found in Christ; and do not we count these things dung and dross in comparison of the world? if it were not so, surely men would lay out some of their care, some of their thoughts some of their time for the getting Christ and grace.
2. We must labor also to have our graces, to get and keep our graces in act, in a lively frame, our hearts flaming towards the Lord continually; the wise Virgins they slept, and while they slept, they could not watch; now they had grace in their hearts, but they kept it not in use, in exercise, as they should have done, and therefore they underwent much inconvenience, as you have heard; and therefore our Savior exhorts us to watch, to take diligent heed, that we run not the like hazard with them, no more than with the foolish virgins: Therefore labor to get your graces lively: how should we think with ourselves often when we find a listless f • ame growing upon us: O what would my Condition be, if the Lord Jesus should come this day to my poor soul? Labor to keep your faith lively, your Love lively, so your humility and selfabasing, that you may exalt him.
But alas, you will say, how can we do this? we are poor, imperfect creatures, and therefore can we be always acting our graces? is it likely we should keep them always in act? that is enough for Angels, and glorified Saints to do, who are therefore called watchers.
I answer to this; It is true, it is not required we should always be acting of grace, for then we should be able to do nothing else; then we should neither sleep, nor follow the works of some of our callings, which require the intention of the mind as well as the labor of the hand, therefore that is not the meaning, nor indeed were we able to do it, our spirits would fail us. But how then?
Why, We must be acting our graces when we are called to act them, when ever is a time; Mephibosheth eats bread continually at David's table; not that he did nothing else but eat, without any intermission, but at meal-times he did eat continually. Note brethren, we should see to it, that upon all occasions we act our graces, upon every temptation wherewith we are assaulted, we should act our faith, upon every trial our patience, upon every manifestation of himself to us to act our love, and humility, and thank-fullness.
But specially in our drawings nigh to him, then see to it that we have our graces in act; which alas, how sar short do we fall of, as in our daily performances, prayers, public, secret; So, meditating, reading, hearing, receiving the Lord's Supper, if we would have them bright, we must exercise them at these times, how should we now renew our repentance, in washing our hands in innocence, as clean as if washed in innocence itself, and so compass the Altar of God? How should we as Jacob his family, besides putting away their Idols, change their garments also! we should labor to get clothed with another Spirit, another frame then ordinary, when we come before him upon these occasions. It is said concerning the Steward, which specially concerneth the Ministers of Christ; Blessed is that servant, whom his Master shall sinned so doing, giving everyone their portion in due season; A slothful servant is a wicked servant, our Savior saith, he that receiveth grace in vain, improveth it not, stirreth not up himself to lay hold upon Christ, upon special occasions; such as are on foot upon such a day as this, oporte • Episcopum concionari, saith one eminent in his time. The Lord hath given his Spirit to all believing people, they have the habits of grace, and he giveth it them as a stock to trade with, as principles to act for him in their places; O blessed is that servant whom his Lord shall find so doing; he saith not, whom his Lord • hall find with grace in his heart, but so doing; acting his grace. Ah blessed souls, whom he shall find praying, keeping up those duties in a lively manner, whom he shall find receiving the sealing Ordinances, and with a wedding Garment upon him, a lively frame of spirit fit for it. You have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you, if you be his, and will you let such a precious principle lie idle, it is given to mortify, to sanctify; O blessed soul that shall be found so doing, even by the Spirit, to mortify the deeds of the Flesh; surely brethren, nothing will keep us more awake, then action will; if we be found sleeping, it will not be comfortable to us, therefore look to the acting of your graces, I beseech you.
Again, Labor to love his appearing so, as that we may wait for it; for indeed if we love it not, we shall be apt to put the thoughts of it far from us, labor either to love it, or fear it, according to thy Condition; if thy Calling and Election be made sure, if thou knowest the things freely given thee of God, then be ashamed that anything in the world should lie so near thee, as not to desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; renew these desires day by day, nothing but the greater glory of God should make us willing to be here; indeed action for Christ and his honor is of a high nature, and ought to have great weight with us, as the Apostle hath it; but yet methinks the burden of sins should make us groan for it; methinks if we have an eye upon the recompense of reward, the joy that is set before thee, that full enjoyment of Jesus Christ, there should be a greater desire to be with Jesus Christ, knowing you are absent; now where there is such a desire, and such a groaning, surely that day will not come upon them so unexpectedly and terribly.
If we have not this assurance brethren, methinks then the fear of this day of Jesus Christ should hold us in such bondage all our lives-long, it should so keep us awake, we should have little mind to sleep, if we labor to keep upon our hearts fresh▪ our own Condition, but we should be up, and working to make our calling and election sure, and so we might be found doing; and surely brethren, that poor soul trembling, that thus follows hard after Christ, if the day come upon him before he have this assurance, yet shall it be more comfortable to him, then to a man that hath had more peace, and falls asleep in the lap of it, and so is overtaken.
Verse 7.
IN the former Verse, we have a preparative Cry, behold the Bridegroom cometh; In this Verse we have the effect of it in part, which is general to them all, both wise and foolish; then when that cry was made, that dreadful sound was made in their ears, it startled them, roused them out of their sleep, they arose from their bed of security, and one as well as another; all those Virgins, those he had been speaking of, all those that slept, which were wise as well as foolish, and foolish as well as wise. And that it is thus generally taken, it is further plain; because afterward he cometh to divide them, and the foolish said unto the wise; while they were both asleep, the one could not speak, nor the other hear; but now they were all roused, they universally particle, they all arose, and trimmed, &c. It hath influence upon both parts of the Predicate. The words are a plain Proposition; the Subject is the Virgins; the universality of the Subject, all of them, those Virgins that were asleep before. That which is spoken of them, is double; they arose, and they trimmed their Lamps. And we have also the time when they did this, then, then when the Cry came, they heeded not what Condition their Lamps were in before.
There are two things mainly noteworthy in the verse, according to the two sorts of Virgins, which divide this universal; all those Virgins, they were wise and foolish; some of them were Virgins in deed, the other in profession and appearance such; now it is very considerable concerning them both. That the Hypocrite should ever arise out of such a deep sleep, considering that his heart was never awake, is a matter worth our noting; and that he that had nothing else but a Lamp, and that even now wearing out, yet should be trimming of it up for heaven; On the other hand, and it is as observable, that the Child of God hath his Lamp to trim now at such a time as this is, when the Cry is come, he is summoned to meet the Lord Jesus, who is near at hand. Accordingly, I shall take up a double Observation from the words.
That an Hypocrite, a formal Professor may go very far towards heaven and salvation. And I think this droppeth like honey from the comb, without crushing, or wrong to the Text.
That a Child of God may have his Lamp to trim when he should use it.
The first of these, A Hypocrite may go very far, his Profession may carry him a great way, and yet fall short at last. You see here in the Text, God doth not pluck away the vizard at first, but letteth them proceed; he could have discovered them when he pleased: they take up their Lamps, and they go forth to meet the Bridegroom; more then many will be persuaded to, that will hardly stir a foot for Christ, they continue so doing, until the Bridegroom tarried so long beyond their expectation; then indeed they fell asleep, then they roused again, and trimmed their Lamps. All these put together, which are in the Text, will make it appear, that a Hypocrite may go far, and fall short: A Doctrine never more need for to be pressed then now: And therefore though you have heard, not very long since much concerning it, and much more then I am able to speak, and better for the matter, yet let me also put you in remembrance of these things brethren, and the Lord open all our eyes in a thing so nearly concerning us all. I shall therefore propose what I have to say by way of proof of the Doctrine in several heads or degrees whereto a Hypocrite may reach; the Lord give us all understanding in them.
First then, a Hypocrite, he may have much knowledge, much light, a head full of notion, and this is one thing necessarily imported in the Lamps which the foolish Virgins had. Some have thought their Lamps were dead, they had no flame, no light, nor heat at all, but I see no reason of it; for it is said their Lamps were gone out, which argues they were in before; but I think this will hardly be denied, but a Hypocrite may be a man of much knowledge; do you not see it in the Pharisees? were they not men of much knowledge and understanding, able to teach others? they had Moses 's Chair, and so the Scriptures, the Doctrine of the Law, men of great knowledge, and yet our Savior brands them for Hypocrites; that is, an aëry religion that lies in the head. So the Jews, the Apostle speaks to them by way of concession, yielding to them what they had, but showing them where they fell short; thou art a Jew, and restest in the Law, and makest thy boast of God: as we do now, make our boast of Christ, that we are Christians, and cannot bear it, to be accounted otherwise; and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the Law; there is the principle of their knowledge, not a light within them by nature, but to the Law, and to the Testimonies; they had their light from thence, and so well grown in knowledge, that they were confident that they were guides to the blind, and therefore had no need to be blind themselves; a light to them which are in darkness, an instructer of the foolish, a teacher of Babes. And not only he is confident of it, but the Apostle yieldeth it, that he had the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the Law, and then he reasons ex concessis; thou which teachest another, teachest thou not self? &c. We glory in these days, as much in our light as ever they did; never such times of light, though for my part I cannot see but much that passeth for light, is gross darkness; but suppose it be so, there may be light enough, a shining Lamp, and yet but a foolish Virgin; surgunt indocti, & rapiunt coelum, & nos cum doctrinis, &c. I know it is true, where a people are void of knowledge, they must needs perish; God will not be merciful to them, Isa. 27. He hath a controversy, because there is no knowledge of God in the Land, Hos. 4. and where no vision is, the people perish; they perish for want of knowledge, which cometh by vision, and yet it is not knowledge alone will stand them instead; the Devils are called, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and that for their knowledge, and yet are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for their malice; thou mayst have enough then to light thy Lamp, and yet have no Oil in thy vessel; remember this.
Secondly, A Hypocrite may have not only knowledge, but his affections may be stirred also; he may be warmed in the Lamp, before it be extinguished; there was heat as well as light. Some have light without heat, such are mere notions; others have heat without knowledge, and this is not good so far; but the Hypocrite he may have light, and he may have heat and affection also, and yet be a foolish Virgin when all is done. Let me speak a little to some affections, among many others, which they may have. As,
1. They may have sorrow for sin, being convinced of it, and what it exposeth them unto; How doth Darius, when he had signed the Decree against Daniel, and his kingdom lay at stake, his people would rebel, if he executed not the Decree, he labored to deliver him, he was sorry for what he had done, and he could not rest, nor sleep that night, and early in the morning cometh with a lamentable tone to him: O Daniel, servant of the living God, art thou yet alive? There may be a spirit of bondage to fear, or witnessing to a man that he is in a condemned state, which is not succeeded with a Spirit of Adoption: Sinners, you may have your Consciences so galled sometimes with the Law, that you cannot rest, but cry out of sin; O sin, sin, what a bitter thing is sin; yea so far may this sorrow prevail, that it may make you vomit up your sweet morsel, make you make restitution with Judas; God may so fire the Coal, you cannot hold it in your bosom any longer: the fire of God's wrath upon Judas, even melted his pieces, they were too hot for him to hold, and yet but a Judas still: And I tell you brethren, this is much, a strong effect of those troubles.
2. There may be some desires, and seemingly earnest desires after things really good, and which bring to salvation: as those there in that place of John, were they not much affected, when they cried out, Lord evermore give us of this bread? As very a wretch as Balaam was, yet he had his wishings and wouldings: O that I might die the death of the righteous, &c. O how beautiful are his Tabernacles, &c. he seemeth to be taken with them, or desires to enjoy that communion and fellowship with them in their Ordinances: how beautiful are they? And the young man in the Gospel, had he not good desires? and is it not said, our Savior loved him for that good that was in him, though not with that special love of pity to save him, that we read of? his desires carried him out far, and yet never reach heaven; I doubt not brethren, but many of us this day have sometimes some good desires, and you would have it go well with your souls; you may cry out sometimes with the multitude, O Lord evermore give us this bread, you would be loath to part with the Ordinance of Christ, it is good; but all this may be in you, and yet you may be hypocrites, foolish Virgins; O that you could lay it to heart.
3. There may be also some hope, we read often in Job, of the hope of the Hypocrite; he hath certainly an hope for heaven, else he would never be at so much pains, as many a Hypocrite is at, as you shall hear afterward; would the foolish Virgins, think you, have done so much as they did, if they had not had a hope? when hope expireth, all endeavor giveth up the ghost with it.
4. There may be also a joy and delight in holy things, as those that kindled a fire of their own, in that place of Isaiah, saith the Text; They walk in the sparks of their own fire, that is to say, they delight themselves in it. And surely brethren, the Galatians, when they would have plucked out their eyes for the Apostle, they had no ordinary rapture upon them; and yet alas, how did they apostatize some of them? And is is not sad, to see in our days many, that the Ministers of Jesus Christ, whom he hath made instruments of God to their souls, they have been as dear to them as their eyes, and what is it come to with many of them? are they not come to cast off all? what shall we think brethren, of such, in such cases? According to the hope, so is the joy; if the hope be sound, so is the joy; if the hope be false, so is the joy which springs from it; the Lord hinders it not haply, doth not damp, and overcast the soul; and O how Satan endeavors to water such a plant as that is! for what more available to lay a soul asleep then this? he hath joy in holy things, this is an high attainment indeed, they take delight in approaching to God. And we read in Heb. 6. that such as fall away, may have a taste of the joy of the world to come; such a temporary faith, the light of it doth convince, and show us things worth the rejoicing in, and then a false hope of a title to them, when it is no such matter; it will raise the spirit to rejoice; Well, this is no ordinary pitch of affections, and yet but a Hypocrite; the stony ground received the word with joy, and they rejoiced in John Baptists light for a season; Thou art unto them as one that hath a pleasant voice, &c.
5. There may not only be those affections and others, but the fervor of them; a man's affections may seem to be boiled up to a great height: Zeal for God seemeth to be much, this is Jehu his case, how hot and zealous was he for God? and so Judas seemed very zealous of good works, when he would have had the box of ointment spilled. Ananias and Sapphira seemed to have more heat of love then others, to sell their possessions to be with the forwardest, and yet you see what became of them; and so may we brethren. Not but that zeal is exceedingly to be commended, and lukewarmness is the most loathsome temper to the Lord, he will spew such a man out of his mouth; yet there may be this fire, which is not of God's kindling. The false Apostles did zealously affect those Christians to whom the Apostle writeth, they seemed to be men of more then ordinary love, and warm affections to their souls; but yet they were but false Apostles, they did it enviously, to work the Apostle out of their hearts, so to hinder this work among them. Well remember this, such as are more forward then others are, there may be heat, as well as light, and yet but foolish Virgins, but hypocrites▪ when all is done.
Thirdly, An hypocrite, he may be careful in avoiding much sin; not only in an imperfect will, which is overcome by an interest, such as Herod and Darius had, who were wretches, though not so properly hypocrites; but an hypocrite may go as far as they surely, they may forgo their Idolatry and gross wickedness, as Simon Magus left his Sorceries; and these virgins, therefore they are called virgins, though foolish virgins likely, though I will not build much upon it; but yet we see the unclean spirit may go out of a man for a time, and yet enter again; he may forsake his gross pollutions, and yet return to that folly again, wallowing in them as the swine and the dog, in that second of Peter; there is an escaping the pollutions of the world, and yet notwithstanding a returning to them again; he that stole, stealeth no more: I was a drunkard may someone say, but now I thank the Lord I am none; I was a filthy wretch, but now I am filthy no more, this is very far, and yet all this may be but hypocrisy▪ a profession and no more, in the end we may appear to be foolish Virgins.
Fourthly, An hypocrite may have conflict within himself concerning sins, that others can take no notice of, and this is more then the former; there may be an inward▪ regretion and re 〈…〉 ctan • y against our secret evils; the Conscience being enlightened and di 〈…〉 ng, • hose vain thoughts should be abandoned; this pride of heart is loathsome against God, it quarrels with the Affections and Will, if it be a sin a man would keep, and so there is a busle in the soul, and many of us may mistake ourselves, and think it is the lusting of the flesh against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh in us, when it proveth nothing so.
Fifthly, They may also do much, many duties & services, be much in action, not Napkin up their Talent, but act, and act much, as the foolish virgins, you see they went as far as the wise, for ought appears, step for step. Did not Judas act as well as the rest, following Christ up and down, going forth to preach the Gospel as well as the rest? did not Jehu act in an high manner for God? Come and see my zeal for God, he did much more then many would do. And did not Joash reform much in Jehoiadah • time? he was zealous for the Temple of the Lord, and blamed 〈◊〉 Priests, they were not so forward as himself was, and yet what 〈…〉 d he at the last? have we not fearful examples in our own times, how many diligent Christians, as they seemed to be, and yet alas how went they out? yea truly I will say one thing more, sometimes there may be a doing, very great self-denying actions: Was not that a self-denying action of Rehoboam, and far greater then this of Jehu? he had an Army ready to fight with Israel when they revolted, 180000 fighting men, and yet when the word of the Lord came and told him it was of God, and bid him cease, he obeys, though a kingdom lay at the stake, and he was in so fair a posture for it; and yet he is but a Rehoboam still, and one that forsook the Law of his God when he was strengthened, though before he made much of the servants of the Lord.
Sixthly, An hypocrite may have the assisting, enlarging presence of God with him in his service. They had preached in the name of Christ, his presence had been with them also, and yet you see they are cast out: It is said of Saul, that he had another spirit given him from that day forward, a spirit to gift him for the government, and when God had rejected him and his service, the spirit departed from him, and an evil spirit vexed him; he had a more then ordinary presence of God with him, and yet but a Saul, a wretch; many a Minister that preacheth your souls to heaven and salvation, may perish himself: he may have great gifts given, and much of Christ his presence with him in the exercises of them, and yet perish for all this. As the Nurse, though for the present eats dainty fare, not for her own sake, but the sake of the great man's child whom she nurseth: So may it be with us, the Lord prevent us with his loving kindness. And you that are Christians, God may give you a gift of Prayer, a gift in conferring, you may be eminent therein, God may assist you much therein; It is for his people's sakes that he will build up thereby, refresh thereby, yourselves may perish notwithstanding. O brethren, Is not this fa • that an hypocrite may go?
Seventhly, He may hold out very long, and yet in the end prove but an hypocrite, and this is the saddest of all the rest, and this you see plainly here in the Text, the foolish Virgins had well nigh gone to the end; when the Cry came they were found with the wise, indeed in a sleeping condition, but they were as forward as they for externals, had not their Lamps gone out; it is strange to 〈…〉 der that Judas should be such a rotten creature at the heart, and yet should follow him so far; many of his Disciples were quickly offended at him and went backward, and never walked with him again, but Judas went far; it may be we may think the better of ourselves for our continuance so long in the ways of God▪ it is good if it be right in the root, so that it hold o • t to the end▪ Hypocrites may hold until they come, as I may say, within the sight of heaven, or the p • ice of the Goal, and then they tire, and give up: Joash, how long did he continue following God? it was a long passion, considering it was not a new nature in it that was the principle▪ a torrent without a Spring to feed it, to run very long indeed; and so it may be with many a poor soul: do but consider under this head two things.
1. They may continue and weather out a persecution, endure the storm, and yet perish in a calm; may have endured persecution for Christ his sake, for his name and cause, and yet alas, fall short: as for instance, the third sort of ground, it was not scorched with the Sun when it was up, but continued, and yet alas, brought not forth fruit to perfection, for the Thorns choked it; he not only withers like the Bull-Rush, before other hearts, but sometimes like a tree, he continueth and abideth the heat of the Sun, Job 8. 17. And that Alexander that endured so much for the Apostle, hazarded his life for him, Act. 19. 32. is thought by some to be that Alexander which did him much evil, of which he complains 2 Tim. 4. 14. And have we not too much sad testimony of it in our days, such as endured much affliction and persecution from the opposers of God's people, yet now have turned their backs upon that truth for which they suffered.
2. Consider yet further, they may continue so long, as though they fall asleep with the wise Virgins, yet to rise again with them, they may be deeply seized on by security; and a man would think that then an hypocrites profession should come altogether to an end, he should never open his eye more; and yet you see the foolish Virgins after this, the Cry awaketh them as well as the wise Virgins, and they bestir themselves as well as the wise, to trim their Lamps; their Consciences had been awaked before, though their hearts were never thoroughly awaked; Some Will and Affections they • ad, but never through, and prevailing against the • lesh; well, that which was awake, falls asleep, and yet it holds out to be awaking again, and trimming up their Lamps again, as if none were more likely, nor fairer for heaven then they, until they find upon the trial, alas they were going out. Well then brethren, we may continue through changes of times, through changes of our own hearts, we may have sleeping fits, and rise again out of them, and s • ir up ourselves, trim our Lamps, and yet prove but foolish Virgins.
Eighthly, a foolish Virgin, or an Hypocrite may carry it so, as that the Saints have a good esteem of them, yea, the most searching of God's people, as some have a more piercing eye, and can see further into an Hypocrite then others can, as the case may stand; but indeed some hypocrisy is of so fine a thread, that it doth e • fingere aciem oculorum, some Hypocrites are double and treble guilt, so that they are not so easily discerned to be copper, until it come to wear off, and it holds long; the Disciples of our Savior, even he that lay in his bosom, could not discern who was the Traitor by anything that appeared; they had as good thoughts of Judas, as they had of themselves, there was their simplicity and love, and yet he proved but a Judas, he walked with them, ate the Passover with them, if not the Supper with them. Thus we may have a name to be alive among the people of God, and yet be but dead; as it is said of that Church in the Revelations. And so the wise Virgins you see, walked hand in hand with the foolish, they pass for all alike; and no marvel, when a man hath so much knowledge, such good and stirring affections, so full of action for Christ, walks so unblamably, suffer for Christ, hold out so long, no marvel if the people of God in love, which thinketh no evil, do judge well of such persons.
Ninthly and lastly, they may also upon all these grounds foregoing have a very great confidence of the goodness of their own condition; the foolish Virgins had admittance into the fellowship of the wise, walked with them, with their Lamps burning and shining; we find not that they suspect themselves at all, until at last they awake out of this sleepy condition of theirs, and then they see their Lamps are gone, or going out. I deny not, but an hypocrite may sometimes be self-condemned, as the Apostle speaks of Heretics, after the first and second admonition reject, for fundamentals are so clear, that if he • earken not to the first, and second admonition, according to the Rule of Christ, in clearness, and meekness held forth, then he must needs be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , condemned of himself. If our own hearts condemn us, saith the Apostle, God is greater then our hearts. But yet others may go on, and not suspect themselves. There is a Generation, saith Solomon, that are pure in their own eyes, (as they judge of themselves) yet are not washed from their filthiness. It is worth the noting, that all the Disciples were more forward to doubt their conditions then Judas, for they all asked, Is it I Lord, is it I? and our Savior was fain to set it on with a terrible threatening, It were better for that man that he had not been born: and then he cometh out with it, Master is it I? thou hast said it, saith Christ; if he suspected himself before, yet he kept it close however. The hypocrite may hold fast his duties, gifts and performances, as his house when it beginneth to totter; he may hold them by his teeth as it were; as the godly man holds the practice of them, and will not let them go, so a hypocrite holds his confidence in them, and will not let it go. The world giveth him a good testimony, the Saints they bear witness to him, Satan he applauds him, his own heart flatters him, no marvel if he build a confidence upon all this; and therefore the foolish Virgins here, how confident were they, not only not suspecting their condition all this while, but when they saw that their Lamps were out, yet they go and cry for mercy, with what confidence, Lord, Lord open to us; though now they saw they had been hypocrites all their days, yet so high were their hopes and confidence. You see then Brethren, a hypocrite may go very far. So much for the Doctrinal part.
For the Application then of this Doctrine: How sad is their condition, if a man reach to all this, and yet fall short of heaven? What shall we say of many of us, that have nothing almost of all this to say for ourselves; have not so much as Lamps, so much as a profession of Christ? It is true, we have the name of Christ upon us, but what have we else? If a man may have so much knowledge and fall short, what shall we say to such as have no knowledge of God in Jesus Christ, as sottish and ignorant as if they never had heard of Christ, of heaven or hell almost? It is true, a less measure of knowledge, for the quantity, may prevail more upon a man's heart, then a greater sometimes; but where there is no knowledge of God, Jesus Christ will come in a terrible manner against such as know him not, as well as those that obey not his Gospel. It may be you have some knowledge, yet alas, where is your affection? you fall short of hypocrites in that: how many in this Congregation, that never knew what one heart-pang for s • n meant? do not dissemble before the Lord, didst thou ever mourn either Legally or Evangellically? And so for desire, have you thus desires toward the Lord and his ways? are they such a delight to you? thou hast heard his word many a hundred times, and didst never taste any sweetness, any savor or relish in it at all. Say, are not many of us so far from delighting to draw nigh him, it is the most burdensome day in all the week, the Sabbath is, we care not how seldom it cometh; but I hope better things of you in this particular for the most part. If you have such affections, do you not, many of you, wallow in your filthiness? Indeed it is strange to see how some men have a tongue to speak for Christ, & seem to be wonderfully affected with any dishonor put upon him, and to be great disputers for his Ordinances and Sabbaths, ready to fly in the faces of them that speak against these things, and yet themselves are very Sinks and Puddles of uncleanness; will be drunk, will be filthy, will swear, and lie, and come and stand before the Lord, as if they were delivered to do all these things: what will become of thee? if a foolish hypocrite shall perish, where wilt thou appear? It may be, if thou avoid these gross sins, thou makest nothing of a secret lust, so be thou canst hide it from the eyes of men, thou despisest the presence of the Lord with thee in thy secret place.
Again, it may be thou hast done something for Christ, but thou couldst not suffer for him, but turn, and shift, and deny him before men: O, far before thee have many gone, and yet perished, never reached heaven. It may be thou art so gross, that even the people of God themselves can discern thy hypocrisy, and thy own heart may condemn thee: Well, if others that have out-stripped thee in these things fall short, where wilt thou appear? thou comest behind the Pharisees far enough, and they enter not, they fall short; what will become of thee? If the Virgins, because foolish Virgins, are not thought meet to enter into the Marriage-Supper, the door is shut against them; What will become of thee that art an arrant strumpet-soul, that hast thy gods, thy Idols to worship, thy gold, and thy belly, thy sport and pastimes, to which thou devotest thyself, so that thou canst not come under the notion of a Virgin? O that the Lord would make men sensible! If such as take all this pains for heaven fall short, what is like to befall them that never set foot forward towards it?
Then, It may serve to stir up everyone of us, that heareth this word this day, to take heed, be not high-minded, but fear, as the Apostle saith. You see how far a hypocrite may go; It may be further then many of us have gone; what need then had we to look to it, that that we have, and that we do, be in sincerity and uprightness; for then it will hold out with the wise virgins. To you that make a profession of Jesus Christ and of his ways, I direct this Exhortation to you especially: And I shall back it with these two or three arguments; and then propound some few considerations to be made use of here in the trial.
1. Then consider brethren, What ever men judge of you, or you judge of yourselves, through mistakes sometimes, yet God he seeth through all. It may be, the cobweb is so thick woven, that the piercing eyes of the most judicious child of God cannot see through it, but God can see through it. And so the foundation of the house, he seeth to be upon Sand, when it may be the people of God cannot discern it. We are exceeding apt, secretly to bless ourselves when the people of God think well of us; and if we may be but admitted into their fellow ship, we are well; it is a thing to be eyed in its place, but to make this our rest, is desperate; alas, they have so much to do at home with their own hearts, they cannot have so much time to pry into the actions of others; nor if they do, to enter into the heart of any; and charity binds them to think the best, where there is no discovery to the contrary; but what if all the Saints should admire thee, and look upon thee as a most precious glorious creature? Yet the Lord sees thee to be but dung, and dross, and rottenness: Men look upon the outside of the Sepulcher, God pierceth to the rottenness within, his eyes behold the evil and the good; let it lie never so deep, the ends, God discovers them; Did you at all fast unto me, saith the Lord? no, but to yourselves. So the Pharisees, they had covering upon covering to hide their rottenness with, but all would not do; they had their long garments, long prayers, and many good actions which they did, and much zeal which they seemed to have; and yet God seeth through all this, and calls them wretched hypocrites when all is done, and tells them for what end they did it, to devour widows houses, and to be seen of men. So God saw the Idols of their hearts, though the Prophet could not. Our Savior knew their hearts, and would not trust himself unto them. Would it not be a confusion to you, if the people of God should see your hypocrisy? how would you hold up your heads before them? Ah brethren, how will you lift up your faces before the Lord then, who searcheth the hearts? If you be found with no oil in the heart, in the vessel, only a Lamp, a show, he can, he will search it out, and that your souls shall one day know. And therefore it concerneth us now to search.
2. The great danger of hypocrisy in profession in these days, now the times smile upon it, for indeed, let hypocrites pretend what they will, they are sensual, and it is their belly they serve, and not the Lord Jesus, and therefore as the times sway, you shall have them bow; where the loaves were, there those hypocrites would be, they followed not the Ordinance, the bread of life for itself, but for the loaves, they subjected it unto their bellies; the Bull-rush will not grow, except it have much mire and water; no more will an hypocrite, except he hath his advantages ordinarily, though sometimes they may go through persecution; yet that is somewhat more then ordinary. O how Judas loveth the bag, more then the Master, it was that that kept him so close to Jesus Christ: he had a sweet place of it while he had the bag. WelL, If ever men's souls were in danger of being undone by hypocrisy, now is the time Brethren; And now it is the more hard to discern whether we follow Christ for the leaves, yea • r no: therefore upon that account also, we had the more need to search and try our hearts, whether we be sound at the bottom or no.
3. The danger of the cure, if we be pocrites: Indeed in this respect the condition of a profane man is better then a close hypocrite, his distemper is more apparent, and his own conscience cannot but judge him of many things; but now many times a hypocrite seeth not his hypocrisy, though sometimes he do: it may be at the first if he had hearkened to the voice of his conscience charging him with hypocrisy in this and that, he might have kept it tender; but smothering it, at last it groweth silent and harder seared, and the eyes by degrees are blinded, so that he seeth not his disease. 2. It is so like to uprightness of heart, that it is scarce discernible to the Physician that should be instrumental to heal it: Morbus vix sanabilis, saith one, qui sanitatem imitatur, and then when it is discerned, there is much more goeth to the healing of an hypocrite, then another sinner; he must first be emptied of himself, whereof he is full; he must be untaught, before he can be taught anything of Christ. 3. If he do see his disease, he is usually unwilling to have it healed, he liketh it better to keep his lusts, secretly to have the delight of them, and pleasure of sin secretly, and yet the show of godliness. Like a s • urdy Rogue, he hath a sore, and he knoweth it well enough, but he careth not for having it healed, because it is his Plow; it is that which brings in his profit or advantage, by moving others to commiseration; but many times, such persons as these die of their wounds, and when the • would have them healed, they are fostred so and corrupted, there is no healing of them. The Lord grant it prove not the case of our souls.
Why, but you will say, how should a man know then (If a hypocrite be such an one that may go so far) whether he be an hypocrite or no? for it may be you will say, for ought I perceive, an hypocrite is gone so far that I doubt I shall hardly reach it. For answer to this, I shall say these few things.
First then, for matter of affection, for knowledge, I think we can hardly make that Characteristicon, because it is common to both; and when men speak of it as a practical knowledge, an humbling knowledge, a warning knowledge, &c. These are the effects of it. But knowledge considered as knowledge, it is alike, though the Spirit of the Lord do shed it abroad upon some men's hearts and affections, so that it works there mightily, and remaineth imprisoned in some men's heads and understandings. Therefore for the Affection, I cannot stand to give account of every affection spoken of before, but for That of mourning for son, which is specially considerable, you have heard a heart may be troubled for sin, and it is questionless true. But how shall we know then, whether our trouble for sin be right or no, or whether we be hypocritical therein? Truly Brethren; If ever we could look upon Jesus Christ crucified by his sins and for them, with such an eye of faith, and so mourn over him crucified by us, and yet for us; this surely none else can work, but the spirit of grace, it is a special fruit of it, in that 12. of Zach. It may be thou hast been a poor creature, much vexed with thy sins, and weary by reason of them, and weary of thy groa 〈…〉 ing and trouble; but hast thou ever had a sight of Christ crucified, and mouraid over him whom thou hast crucified? This is the bitterness indeed, that a hypocrite cannot reach unto.
Secondly, Though an hypocrite may avoid many sins, yet he will have some lust, some Delilah, some little one, and his soul shall live. Now if a man regard any iniquity in his heart, be it never so plausibly maintained, have he never such fair pretences for what he doth, that man is a hypocrite, and God will not hear such a man's prayers. If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayers. Judas must have his covetousness, he could forego all other. Herod must have his sisters daughter, all else he can forego. If there be any one lust, wherein thou sparest thyself, keepest it under thy tongue, be it never so secret, thy heart is not right. It may be a man would think, that the sin of his constitution he may give himself a little liberty in, and this is thy plea, It is my temper, to be vainly merry, a man's temper to be wanton, to be foolishly jesting, and men will plead their nature for it; why truly so might Job, he made a covenant with his eyes: David, I kept me from mine iniquity, whether the sin of his nature, or his present condition, that is to say, revenge upon his enemy, when he had him in his hand. So the sins of a man's place, Job kept himself from them all; he did not oppress, wrong his man servant, despise his cause, oppress the poor when he had his help ready▪ in the gate to have sided with him. If men shall in any case, though they have never so urgent temptations, allow themselves in any sin; surely such men are hypocrites and no better.
Thirdly, an hypocrite will do much, but he will not do all; he never hath respect to all the commandments of God. Why but you will say, No more can the most upright man upon the earth do all. Not Legally, but Evangelically he may, he may aim at all; though the Commandment be exceeding broad, he may search after all, that he may do them, he may endeavor it, though he cannot reach it, I have a respect to all; and where he cometh short, that is his burden, that is matter of mourning to him. Take it in two or three particulars, that I enlarge not too much.
1. It may be an hypocrite will be wonderful strict in the duties of the first table, which we call ordinarily religious duties, as praying, reading, hearing, &c. But you shall find him very slight and slack in the duties of the second. Those in the 7. of Matth, they would Preach and Prophesy in Christ his name, but yet they would work iniquity with both hands. Judas would pray with Christ, Preach for Christ, receive with Christ, but he would then cozen and defraud, made no conscience of secret thievery. And it is very plain in that first of Isaiah, who were more forward then they in their sacrifices, abundant in their worship, multitude of their burnt-offerings and solemn assemblies, but in the mean time their hands were full of blood, they made nothing of that. And is it not so with some of us, we are frequent in hearing, frequent it as much as others, and yet notwithstanding make nothing of the duties of the second table, drunkenness is nothing, though wine be raging; make nothing of railing, reviling, of covetousness, which is Idolatry; he will hardly make a Covenant with his eyes, as Job did: maketh nothing of uncleanness, if not outward in act, yet contemplative, of a wandering eye, and wandering heart; and so of deceit. O this is dreadful, let not that man deceive himself, certainly he is an hypocrite, and though he may go far, yet he will be sure to fall short.
2. An hypocrite in his obedience, he will be much about little inconsiderable things. Some ceremonious things, or the like, more then the weighty matters of the Law; so the Pharisees, they forsooth would not come into the Judgment-Hall, because it was the preparation to the Pass-over, lest they should be defiled, and not fit for the Pass-over; but they made nothing of the greatest moral pollution that could be, of falsely accusing the most innocent person, and prosecuting him to the death, this they made nothing of: and so they scrupled not to give thirty pieces of Silver, as a price for Jesus Christ, that they might bring him to death, but when they had done, they would not cast it into the Treasury. The Papists, they make much ado, it is a grievous offense to violate one of their fasting days enjoined by the Pope, but to murder Christian Princes under the notion of Heretics, they make nothing of that; this is the condition of many a poor creature, Mint, Annice and Cumin they must tythe, these externals and ceremonials; a Gnat they strain at, but a Camel they can swallow.
3. Another thing in their obedience is this; an hypocrite, he can be contented to take up the easy part of Christianity ordinarily, but not the difficult, that which is more inward and laborious: they can come to he • the word, to confer with the people of God, to receive, &c. But the inward part, the great duty of self-examination, alas they are strangers to it, that high duty of spiritual contemplation, that of keeping their hearts with all diligence, because out of it are the issues of life, this they are strangers to, they cannot down with these things; to forgive injuries from their brethren, this is a hard duty, to love their enemies, yea to love them that think meanly of them, despise them, as well as those that think more highly of them, this is no easy duty; here the hypocrite will give others leave to take up this part ordinarily: truly Brethren, Search and see, is it not so with some of us▪
4. Another consideration is this, An hypocrite maketh not Jesus Christ his last end, he doth all for self-ends. Who do seem to be more Religious then the great Questionists of the times usually? yet the Apostle tells us, if they consent not to the wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, doting about Questions and strife of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil su 〈…〉 isin 〈…〉 and perverse disputings, of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness; there is the root of all this Brethren, of all this zeal and contention, supposing that gain is godliness; was not this the argument whereby the Devil would have proved Job an hypocrite? if thou touch all he hath, he will curse thee: doth he serve thee for naught? he hath self-ends in it. O surely brethren, if our hearts condemn us, and tell us We work for our penny in the Vineyard of the Lord, we serve for our penny, it is not right; it may be we may pretend the glory of God, and may seem to take a right aim for God and for Christ, but like a deceitful bow, we turn aside, and have somewhat else in our eye that setteth the wheels awork, when the glory of Christ will not; O this is gross hypocrisy. So those in Mat. 7. they prophesied in the name of Christ, but not for his name, but for themselves; and though a child of God may be pestered with such thoughts creeping in upon him, yet he suffers them not to lodge with him, but whippeth them, and giveth them their pass, he mourns under them, prayeth for pardon of them, and healing and subduing of them.
5. Another thing is touching the conflict which the soul may have with sin. How may we know whether that be right or no? An hypocrite may have some regret doubtless in sinning, until he hath hardened his conscience so by custom, that he is past feeling.
Do but mind these two things. 1. Where the quarrel lies, where the battle is fought; Is it between the understanding, the judgment, or the conscience convinced, and the will? or is it between the will and the will, the affections and the affections? the former may be in an hypocrite, the other is not. Peter had this conflict between his will and will, he should be carried whether he would not, that is to say, to be martyred; Why then, if he were altogether unwilling, how could he be a Martyr? No, he was willing, and yet unwilling; there is a lusting of the Spirit, and a lusting of the flesh; it is not for nothing that the Holy-Ghost expresseth it in those terms, he doth not say the spirit judgeth one thing, and the flesh lusteth after another, but there is lusting on both sides, the flesh against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and those two are contraries; and they are in the will and affections, and therefore as contraries, they must needs fight until one be subdued; the Apostle saith, with his mind he served the Law of God, and with his flesh the Law of sin; but mind, there is not meant the understanding as distinct from the will, as sometimes it is understood, but it is understood of the regenerate part set in opposition to the corrupt part in the soul, and the one fighting against the other, so that the things we would do, we cannot do many times. Consider then, Is it thus with thee? carnal affection carrieth thee out this way, but thou hast not only a judgment to the contrary, but thy affections and will carrieth thee to the contrary, and thou art not always overcome, but ordinarily prevailest: O this is a sign of an upright heart.
2. Consider in this conflict also another thing, Whether you • e not treacherous, always holding on the side of sin. So an hypocrite will be; he hath some regret against sin its true, but yet he favors it, and would willingly excuse for it, palliate and plead for it; and O how glad such a man is, when he hath but any Scripture that will seem to make for it, that he may have but liberty for his lust; as a covetous man, O how he is more then ordinarily pleased with those Scriptures which seem to make for it; and such a man holds in with sin, and will not come to the light, but hates it, is willingly ignorant of some things, libenter ignorantur, ut liberius peccent. Is it thus with us brethren? believe it, if it be, we have cause to fear all is not right with us, we are unsound at the heart, and though we may go far, yet the end will be rottenness.
Again lastly, See to it whether we love anything else more then Christ: If House or Land, or Father or Mother, or nearest relations, or life itself more then Christ, we are hyporcites sure, and this is a thing will not be so easily known, specially by such as with • eter, denied him, being ashamed of him; it may be upon a slight account; O happy is he that can afterwards say as Peter, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest I love thee; though I dealt so unkindly and unfaithfully with thee for the time past, yet now sure I am I love thee, and that love preferred Jesus Christ before his life. If the heart be but upright, if there be never so little at first, yet it will grow, it will continue, the Seed of God will abide. And if never so much, if the heart be not right, it will fall short of heaven, as these Virgins, they went far. Well, the Lord give us understanding in these things.
Verse 7.
WE have done with the former member, that is to say, the foolish Virgins trimming their Lamps, going so far in a profession of Christ, and yet fail when all is done. Now we are to consider the second member included in this general; and that is, that Believers are now to trim their Lamps; the wise Virgins were now to do it as well as the foolish; the real, as well as the formal professor. I will only briefly note two things from this clause of the Verse.
First, That though a Believers profession may decline and grow low, and that towards his latter end, or after he hath long professed Jesus Christ, yet it is not altogether extinct; it wants trimming indeed, but it is not out with the foolish Virgins.
2. When this profession groweth thus low, it is the Believers duty to renew it, to trim up his Lamp.
Of the first in the first place, wherein are comprehended three notes, which for brevity sake I wrap up into one; partly, because some of them have near affinity with what hath been already delivered; and partly, because I would not dwell too long upon the Text.
First then, That a Believer his profession may decline and grow low, and need a renewing. 2. That it may come to this pass after he hath long professed, or near the time of his Calling for. And 3. That yet notwithstanding it is not extinct altogether, as the profession of the foolish is, of which afterwards. A word or two briefly to each of these.
First, That a Believers profession may decline; which is somewhat of kin to what we spoke before, and therefore the less here. The Lamp may grow low.
First then, The light which appears to be in the Saints may grow low. It may admit of mixtures, sometimes of darkness which much dimmeth the light. I mean they may be much corrupted in their judgments, and turned aside from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ; this is clear in the Galatians their • ase, ye did run well, who hindered you, what was the matter? It was an error and a gross one crept in among them, to set up the Law and Moses with Christ, as necessary to Justification and Salvation: What a • mist is here about the Lamp? this made it twilight with them.
2. The lightsomness and joy of faith, this also may wear away in great measure, yet not altogether; the faces of the Saints do shine by a reflection of the countenance of God upon them, as the face of Moses did, when he had been with God in the Mount; but alas, though they walk long in the light of his countenance, may it not be lost▪ as we find the Psalmist complaining, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation: he had it before, but now he had lost it, both which are implied in that word restore: And do we not find it in that 50. of Isaiah, Who is there among you that walks in darkness and s • eeh no light? Where is the lightsomness of the Lamp then? the pleasant paraphrase upon the works of the grace of Christ in their souls, so that they can see nothing at all. Look what comfort it is to have a • ight or a Lamp in the darkest night; such comfort it is to have the smiling presence of the Lord. But now this is lost, thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled; God's face was clouded, and his face was covered.
3. Believers, as they may lose in a great measure their joy of faith, so may they lose their confidence of hope, so that they may be ready to say many times, their hope is even perished from the Lord, and hath God forgotten to be gracious, and will he be merciful no more? this you may see in many cases of the Saints. David, I shall one day perish by the hands of Saul. O I shall never see through this world of wickedness that is in mine heart, but sooner or later, I shall be swallowed up by it.
4. A Believer may lose the degrees of those graces which are radical, and which indeed more principally are like the oil in the vessel, yet that may grow low, and then no marvel if the Lamp which is fed by them do grow low also. As that of their faith, how low may they grow in faith? Indeed our Savior hath prayed that their faith fail them not altogether; but in a great part it may, decline. We see it in Asa, one while he could trust in God when a great host of the Ethiopians and Lybians come against him. By & by, when he was not so hard put to it, he rests upon the King of Assyria, for which the Lord reproveth him by the Prophet. Where was Peters • aith when a little carnal fear turned him aside in so sad a manner? and indeed it is the want of faith in the people of God, that is the very root of all those turnings aside from the Fountain to the broken Cistern, from God to the creature: And so that of love as well as faith, faith works by love, and this also may de • line. You find the Church of Ephesus, She had left her first love; and that Angel of the Church also, he had it may be heretofore been full of love to Jesus Christ, and that love very laborious in feeding the Flock of Christ, but now his love was remitted. May not every man's heart Seal to this, that the Love of his Espousals to the Lord Jesus, the love of our youth, those springing affections are gone?
5. Another is this, A Believer may lose the fervor of all those holy affections that he hath had, his desires, his delight and joy, his anger and hatred against sin, loathing and abomination; time hath been, we could have cried out for the living God▪ their souls break for the longing they had to God; but now the Chariot wheels drive more heavily. We have felt sometimes the babe springing in the womb; but now we can hardly feel in, our affections languish towards Jesus Christ. Solomon once had a zeal for the house of God, when he laid out himself in building a house for his name, but what was become of that zeal when he could build a house to Chemosh the God of the Moabites; in favor of his Moabitish wives where was his zeal then? So Laodicea was grown luke-warm, theywere hot at first.
6. The outward acts of grace, they may be remitted; which indeed are a great part of the profession. It is not a bare confessing Jesus Christ the Lord▪ with the mouth, that maketh a profession, but a suitableness of conversation, walking in Christ Jesus the Lord; now there may be remission of these acts. The acts of a moral man; which he elicits from the power of nature by moral precepts, or the power of Education, are called sparks, in that of Isa. which are of a man's own kindling; & the works of holiness & righteousness in the Gospel, is called the light of a Believer, which shines before others, and is indeed the main thing, let your light so shine before men; that they may see your good works. Now I say, a Believer, he may have interruption in this remission, in this he may either neglect them, or else do them in a slight manner, and that ordinarily. So the Apostle speaks to the Philippians, that their care again towards him had flourished, by which is implied it had flourished before, but now it had languished and faded, they had not put it forth for him as they might have done; but now it revived. As a man in a fit of passion hath not the use of his reason; so the best of the Saints when the wills or lusts of the flesh prevail, (as they may in the best) they have not the use of their spiritual part. But so much for the first thing. I am brief, because I have had occasion to speak much what to the same purpose before.
The second will be this, That these declinings may be in the people of God, even near their end, and the coming of Jesus Christ. This will be justified by the Parable, here the cry cometh which rouseth the wise Virgins, and when they awaked and came to themselves, their consciences were awaked, then they saw that their Lamps wanted trimming, they burned low; when they should burn the brightest, they are dim & dull; you need not much to be said for the proof of this part of the Doctrine, for of Solomon after he had lived long, and followed God, and had had extraordinary appearances of God to him again and again, public and privately; yet when he was old, saith the text, and should have grown better, he then began to love many wives, and then fell to countenance Idolatry, which is a blemish upon him to all posterity. And so you see it in Asa his case, a good man, and a man very forward and diligent for the reformation; and yet in his last days, see how many failings are noted of him, his unbelief, resting upon an arm of flesh, his imprisoning the Prophet that reproved him, his going to the Physicians and not to God, his oppressing of many of his people; the lower he ran, his day ran, the more dregs he ran, he ran not clearest at the bottom. So Sampson, some twenty years after he had been overtaken with a Philistian woman, and likely repented of it; yet twenty years after, he goeth in to an harlot there. And the
Reason is plain for this, because that grace at the best, when it is at its perfection, it is but a creature, and depending upon God as the beams upon the Sun, and as the stream upon the Fountain, and therefore no longer then he is pleased to feed it, will it subsist; let our vessel be never so full of oil, our hearts never so full of grace, yet it depends upon the Lord Jesus and his fullness; and the Spirit, like the two Olive trees that empty the golden oil into the vessels, uphold me with thy free Spirit, saith the Psalmist. And, O that the Lord would keep this upon the frame or imagination 〈…〉 of their hearts forever. Thou maintainest my lot, Psal. 16. Now if he withdraw and forbear to empty out of that fullness upon us, let our conditions be what it will, alas grace will languish, our Lamps will burn dim.
2. Because (truly many times) this is the time the people of God grow most secure, they have long followed hard after God, and now they think they may slack their pace a little; we are exceeding prone to set up grace received instead of Christ; when our mountain is made strong we lean upon it, whereas we should only lean upon our beloved; as the Church. And then no marvel if he let us see, to our sorrow, that grace is but a creature, and loseable in its own nature; the child getteth most falls, when it thinketh it can go itself without any holding; and this much for the second.
The third thing is, That though the Lamps of the wise Virgins come to want trimming, to burn low and dim, and at such a time as this, yet they are not put out; which is the complaint of the foolish Virgins in the following verse. The declensions of a godly man, at the worst they are recoverable. An emblem of this, was the fire upon the Altar in the Sanctuary, it never went out after once it was kindled. It is said of the good woman's Candle, it goeth not out by night; she may sleep it may be, but it is by Candle-light; as persons that intend to rise again, and haply not to sleep long, will sleep by a Candle. Believers may fall asleep, and the Candle may burn dim, but yet it goeth not out.
Indeed it is true, a child of God his profession of Christ may be at such a low ebb sometimes, as scarce to be visible. A candle in the socket sometimes will burn so low, that a man would think it were even out, but it riseth again. So we would have thought Peters profession had given up the ghost, when he denied and forswore his Master, in such a sad manner. And so David, his profession was very low. And so some of the Martyrs that subscribed a recantation, as Cranmer▪ So Tho. Whittle and Benbridge, Bilny and others, Fullers lives, pag. 122. now we could hardly see the light, yet it broke forth again, and shone gloriously in them all.
Again, It cannot be denied but that a child of God may decline and lose divers degrees of grace, which for ought we know he may never recover again, never have his Lamp trimmed up as it was before; but yet, it never goeth quite out.
And so for comfort, they may live and die haply, without the light of his countenance, and yet their Lamps burning. Our Savior himself died without the sense of the Love of his Father, he had his supporting presence, but not that sweet refreshing presence, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? for this is not necessary to the being of a Christian, as to believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth is, in persons grown.
Now that it is so, that their Lamps do not go out, neither the light nor heat altogether, nor the acts of holiness and righteousness towards God and towards men, are not altogether lost and laid aside. It will appear,
First by Scripture, the path of the just is as a shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day; Some interruptions there may be, but yet it shineth more and more; the Sun runneth his race, though now and then a cloud intercepts his comfortable beams from the earth. And that of the Psalmist, his leaf shall never wither, the leaf is the profession, he shall not wither but be green. An hypocrite indeed like a Bull-rush will wither, as we shall see by and by, when the mire and the water fails; but a child of God withers not. There are two Conditions which usually wither men's profession, but the child of God stands it out in both. 1. In a prosperous state, that useth to choke the word; they that will call upon God in the day of distress, in their afflictions will seek him earnestly, yet when his hand is taken away, they no more remember▪ the Lord their Savior; but a child of God now in his prosperous condition, he loseth not his profession altogether, though the Lamp may be damped, yet not extinguished. And 2. For adversity, that indeed is a trying time: all this is come upon us, yet have we not dealt falsely in the Covenant; will the hypocrite always call upon God? he will not call upon God always, nor wait for him. Yea, the time of affliction usually is an advantage to the people of God; if ever their Lamp burn brighter then another, it is in the dark and cold night of persecution and affliction; a Torch, the more knocked against anything▪ the more it burns.
Secondly, Because they have within them a Spring of oil that feeds the Lamp, therefore it goeth not out. It is set forth in another metaphor in that place of John, out of his belly shall flow Rivers of water, springing up to eternal life. Now where there is this within, the flame will live while there is oil to maintain it: It is like fire in a man's bosom, he cannot carry it so surely, but it will discover itself as fire in the bones, as the Prophet speaks of the word of God. And,
3. Because that cruse of oil is continually supplied by the Spirit, and from the fullness of Christ, therefore it never fails. If the oil in the vessel could fail, then the Light in the Lamp might fail, but it fa • ls not; and why? not because it is not perishable in its own nature, being but a creature, but because it is kept by the power of God; we are kept by the power of God to salvation; alas, if it were in our keeping, we should quickly, with the Prodigal, run ourselves out of all, as we do in a moment lose the most precious frames the Lord is pleased to put upon us, but it is kept by that power, none is able to pluck them out of this hand of the Father & the Son. Sin is strong indeed, strong lusts; and Satan is strong, a Lyon, a Dragon, a Prince of the power of darkness; and Armies of lusts he hath warring in our members, a great strength, and all these pluck at us, but they cannot pull us out of this hand of Christ. And thence it is that their Lamps are not put out in obscure darkness. O how fain would Satan blow out the Candle, that we might walk in the darkness, not knowing whither we go; but it is held in the hand of Christ, and it is above the reach of his poisonous breath to do it. A damp of lusts from our own hearts, if anything would do it, this would, and it maketh them burn very dimly and blew many times, but yet cannot overcome; the Lamp may want trimming, but it is not out.
For the Application then of this Doctrine. If it be so, that Believers are subject to such declinings, yea when they should be at the best, in their latter end, when they should bring forth fruit in old age, that then they may be ready to wither, or in a great part, the leaves, their profession may change color, and lose its greenness: What should this teach us all in the first place, but to take heed of placing our confidence in anything which may fail us. If anything on this side the Lord Jesus himself might be trusted in, it might be grace, for there is not any other so near approach to God, without which Angels were but Devils, the very perfection of Saints and Angels; And yet because it hath its imperfections, therefore it is not to be trusted to. Nothing indeed is more spiritual then grace, the choicest communications of the eternal spirit to the Creature, but yet considered in comparison with the God of grace, it is but flesh, if it be rested upon; the strongest mountain, that a man would think should never be shaken, yet sin and Satan, if the Lord permit, can get under it, and blow it up. Yea, if our grace were perfect, yet we might not rest in it, because yet it hath its comparative imperfections, itself being but a derivative, and dependent Being upon the God of grace at the best; it is but a stream, a beam, though nearer the Sun, and nearer the Fountain; and but the water of a Cistern, and if whole before, yet this resting upon it, would make it a broken Cistern. Well then bretbren, if our profession flourish never so, if it be spring time with you, trust not in it; for there may come a fall after this spring, there may come a time of scorching heat may make you wither, in a great part at least. Though your Lamp burn, and shine never so gloriously, and the light be great which ariseth from these sparks of God's kindling, you see it may come to want trimming, to burn more dimly, therefore trust not in it.
2. It should teach us then to live by faith, in respect hereof. Alas brethren, we are withering every moment; if we have not waterings every moment, what would become of us now? whence must this come, but from the fountain of Israel, the eternal spring and fullness which is in Jesus Christ? Of his fullness we receive, saith the Evangelist: What made the difference between the rest of the Disciples, their profession of him, and Peters? all their Lamps were damped in that hour and power of darkness, it was so great and gross; but his was almost gone and giving up. And for those acts, the flame was even out, but that the Lord blew it in again by the breathing of his spirit, O Labor to live by faith in Jesus Christ, for preventing grace then, that we may not be removed from our stedfastness. The Apostle had a strong persuasion, that neither life nor death, the intisements of the one, nor the terrors of the other, should separate him from the Love of God in Jesus Christ, O it was that love he hung upon! You see that grace itself, which is the oil in the vessel, which seeds the Lamp, is loseable, and therefore much more the external fruits and effects of it. Now if the power of God do not keep us we are gone, therefore we must hence learn to live by the faith of the son of God, as the Apostle did, not by sense nor what we fee • ; though never so much, yet that must not be our life, or if never so little, that must not be our death, but still live by faith in the son of God, who liveth forever, and therefore his people shall not die, nor their Lamps be put out in obscure darkness.
3. Consider then, have we not declined? have not our Lamps burned much clearer then now they do, hath not our light been clearer then now it is, and our warmth been more then now it is? this is matter of humbling to us. Have we not received much mixture of error in these erting times? we cannot imagine how much darkness it brings upon our Lamps, to have one error mixed with much truth. Besides, may not the Lord Jesus say to us all, I have somewhat against you all, in that you have left your first love? Time was, when you were zealous for the house of God, and it did even eat you up; now you are grown to a Gallio 's spirit, care not for these things; Now we seek our own things, and nest ourselves in security, it is well with us, and therefore we consider not the danger poor souls are in, by such as go up and down with the power of delusion, few mourners in Zion for these things. If the Church were under persecution, it is likely we should lament; truly I look upon its present state as more destructive to it; so many Vipers • ating at the very heart, and bowels of Religion; where is our burning of zeal for God against these things? sure it should humble us.
4. We see that Believers may decline, and these times do give an abundant proof of it; how many that have been as burning and shining lights, have been benighted, and inveloped in the most Egyptian darkness, entertaning the most desperate opinions, walking after their own Lusts; and yet afterwards have been restored? O how should this make us fear before him! be not high-minded, but fear; here thou seest one, and there another, their lamps next to a being quite extinct, yet thou hast light and heat maintained; O boast not thyself, lift not up thyself, but fear before the Lord: humility indeed is a kind of a nurse of the graces, conservatrix virtutum, as Bernard saith. If he spared not the Angels in their pride, will he spare thee? A Novise is in danger of falling into the condemnation of the Devil, in danger of being puffed up; He giveth grace to the lowly, but resisteth the proud. Some do observe that word, be ye clothed with humility, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , be ye clothed; the word cometh from a word signifying a knot, because it ties all together (as I may say) and so knitteth the graces together, as pearls upon a Braslet, if the knot be broken, they are quickly lost. It is indeed brethren, the thief in the candle, the great waster; the Moth in the clothe consumeth it, and spoileth the beauty and strength of it. It is the worm at the root of the Guord, it will smite it, and we see it by sad experience, when men grow so proud, and pretend to Angelical perfection in our days, they fall as low as hell, and brutish bestiality in their lusts. O therefore let us labor to walk humbly with God, be not high-minded; though at present we stand, and flourish, and shine, and burn, we are liable to declinings.
5. If we be so liable to declinings, then it should teach us so much the more to be diligent in improving. I am sure the Apostle giveth it as a preservative against declining and apostatizing; But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; grow in grace, and in knowledge; knowledge is that whereby the Lord doth reveal himself to his people, from grace to grace, as you have it in that place of the Apostle, whom beholding as in a glass, &c. But observe here, keep yourselves, that is, fall not from your own stedfastness; and how should this be? One means is to grow in grace; If we would not have our Lamps burn dim and low, we must labor to supply them, so as they may increase; the path of the just is as a shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day; and the wind of that Spirit, which bloweth where it listeth, it riseth higher and higher, as some note. O see to it then, ordinarily while the fruit is in growth, the leaves wither not, nor the fruit falls, except in some great storm or wind. Labor to grow then, first in bigness, then in sweetness; grow more mellow, sweet, full of love, humility and self-denial.
6. If we be so liable to decline, it should teach us to avoid all those things which tend to a declining, else we shall never avoid the thing itself; we must take heed of sleeping then; for though our Lamps be never so bright when we begin to sleep, when we awake, they will burn low, if not extinct, and will have great need of trimming up. Security is the undoing evil in all things; where was the joy of David's faith when he began to be secure? Psal. 30. 7. Take heed of putting off the day of his appearing, that will gender to security, and that security will bring a neglect of our Lamps, and then they will grow low and decline.
2. Take we heed of false Teachers, try the Spirits, whether they be of God or no; they have a strange influence upon the life and liveliness of men's profession; were they not these that hindered the Galatians? Ye did run well, who hath hindered you? who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? Ye did run well, in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . the rase wherein they had Lamps or Torches; but who hath hindered you? The Apostle Peter maketh it the immediate cause of the backsliding, and declining at least, if not utter apostasy: Beware, saith he, lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, and fall from your own stedfastness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is to be carried out of his way, to go with another; the power of error is greater then we are aware of. The Apostle speaks thus, This I say, lest any man deceive you 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with enticing words beguile you. They have cunning craftiness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 cogging with the die, Satan changing himself into an Angel of light, and his Ministers into Ministers of light, and cogging with the die, like cunning and deceitful Gamsters: how easy is it to deceive the hearts of the simple, yea the hearts of his, but that they are kept by that power? But a great way they may prevail, and so we may lose our stedfastness; and therefore take heed what spirits we give ear to. Alas, do we not see in our days, what fearful work Satan hath made among Professors? how many have their Lamps quite put out, that went for zealous Christians, are become mere Atheists? how many have suffered a great abatement in their zeal, and vigor, and life, and closeness of walking with God by this means? O therefore take heed of falsehood at the beginning.
3. Take we heed of learning their ways, by conversing with dead-hearted Professors, where there is not that life and power, that light and heat, but a cold, luke-warm frame; for such as our Company is, such shall we be in a great measure; why, must men make no friendship with an angry man, lest he learn his ways? And truly brethren, a formal Professor, a loose Professor, that hath little of the power of Godliness upon him, he is a quench-coal, and by degrees you shall find yourselves growing to a more listless indifferency, then before; therefore though you may pity them, pray for them, stir them up, and provoke them as occasion serveth, yet that inward familiarity, as to lie in their bosoms, which will be followed with a conformity to them, take heed of, you shall find it will work a declining.
4. Take heed of deceiving ourselves with false measures and weights. The Apostle tell us of some that compared themselves with themselves, and were not wise; or comparing themselves with some others, which are haply behind them, this maketh them slack So the Church of Laodicea, what was the reason of their lukewarmness? they lost their love, the heat and burning of their Lamps were gone, whatever light they had, why they thought they were rich, and had need of nothing, they needed not that eye-salve to buy of Christ, nor gold, nor raiment. O this is the desperate undoing sin indeed, when men think now, O they bless God they are rich, it is for others to press forward, they need not walk so painfully as others, their corruptions are more subdued then others, Si dixisti sufsiciat, periisti. See Phil. 3. I forget what is behind, &c.
5. Arm yourselves against the smiles, and discouragements of the world, for though like Samson's foxes, they look with their faces contrary ways, yet the effect is one and the same; not to fire, but to quench that light and heat that is in a believer, for the smiles of the world are her embraces, she doth use to smother with them, and as I may say, overlay a soul; when David's mountain was made strong, and by God's favor too, then he began to be secure, to fall asleep, and his Lamp was almost gone, when God hid his face from him, his comfort was lost in a great measure. How many Demas's are there, which forsake the work of Christ for this present world▪ yea, indeed many that can endure the frowns of the world, yet are overcome by her smiles; Jesurun kicked not, nor forgot the God of her salvation, so much as when she waxed fat. So in that of Nehemiah; they took strong Cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all, wels digged, vineyards, and olive-yards, and fruit-trees in abunndance; so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat; and delighted themselves in the great goodness; notwithstanding they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy Law behind their backs, &c. and slew the Prophets which testified against them. O wat • h against this, take heed we do not abate our earnestness after more and more of Christ, lest while we are panting like the Hart after the water brooks, we take up with a drop, for all the Creature-comforts in the world are no more, and our thirst after spirituals be more cooled, and we solace ourselves under our Guord, instead of the Aple-tree, the sweet shadow of Christ. And to this end, always keep fresh upon your hearts the love of Jesus his smiles; when the Diamond is present, the Load-stone cannot draw.
Again, Arm we ourselves against the frowns of the world; discouragements we must expect to meet with sooner or latter, specially if we do not like a hollow-hearted bulrush bow and bend, and comply with everything, a notable emblem of an Hypocrite; If we stand firm like an Oke or Cedar, we shall feel strong gusts; It may be some of us have known what they meant▪ and some have had experience of their weakness to bear up against them. O how should this humble us, and make • s double our watch! Satan will raise a storm, if the Lord permit him; thinking on a sudden to blow out our Lamps, but we must arm against it, and be sure to go on, though it be weeping; As the Milch-kine that carried the Ark up from the Philistines to Bethlehem, they had their Calves left at home, which were a strong avocation, and yet saith the Text, they went strait forward, lowing and lamenting after their Calves, but yet they went forward. It may be we may be put to it; as that Marquess of Vioum in Italy, even Galeacius, that forsook house, and lands, and wife, and children▪ and all for Christ. It may be we cannot do it without some reluctancy, yet it must be done; it may be we shall have many discouragements from our own hearts, strong temptations, violent temptations; haply more then ever yet we have had, so that we cannot go on but weeping and wailing▪ yet resolve upon it, by his grace, however we will go on; such a well-grounded resolution, often renewed with a waiting upon the Spirit for his strength to perform it, will carry a man on far.
6. Be sure not to neglect the Ordinances of Christ, nor be slight in the using of them. And one of the two I doubt we are often guilty of, and therefore we may thank ourselves for much of the deadness that groweth upon us daily: these are the golden Pipes, whereby this Oil is conveyed continually from the Lord Jesus, for the keeping our Lamps alive and lively. Would you not wither, but continue your verdour and greenness? you must keep close to the waters of the Sanctuary; they shall be like Trees planted by the rivers of water, his leaf shall never fail; he that delights in the Law of God, meditates in it day and night, there is private conversation with God. And they that are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God, yea in old age they shall flourish, and b • ing forth more abundantly, when many times it is the declining time. A diligent, careful, serious use of all the Ordinances, with an eye to faith, seeing through them all, but as empty pipes without his presence to fill them, this exceedingly conduceth.
7. Be sure your aim be as high as heaven, and the perfection which shall be at the resurrection of the dead. So the Apostle, N • t that I count that I have attained, but I press hard forward, and all his diligence was, that he might attain the resurrection of the dead; by a Metonymy of the Adjunct, it is put for the perfection of that 〈…〉 a • e at the resurrection; see how high he aimed at, and therefore he did not languish, nor loi •• r, nor stay in what he had received, but pressed hard forward toward the mark of the pri • e of the high calling; he that aimeth short, even at so much as will serve his turn, and compass his design, when he hath done that, there is an end. But I a • m at perfection, saith the Apostle, and so should we if we would keep our Lamps alive, never rest.
8. Be much in prayer; pray hard for the supplies of his Spirit, he hath promised them if we ask; importunity will prevail if we be Strangers, much more, if Children; it is the spirit, that keepeth all alive, and therefore pray for more and more of this Spirit of Jesus Christ. See how Moses followeth the Lord with request upon request, when he had been in the Mount, and seen him face to face; one would think this was enough to have stopped his mouth for a great while; no sooner was he come down, but he is praying for the guidance of that good Spirit, O Lord, show me the way where in thou wouldst have us to go; well, God grants him this, this satisfieth him not, but he must have God's presence with him, an Angel would not serve his turn, but his presence he must have, and when this was granted, this would not serve his turn neither, but then, O Lord show me thy glory: Prayer is the richest trading for heaven: Build up yourselves, praying in the holy Ghost. Ah it is the prayer of faith that fetch • h in rich supplies from the Lord continually.
9. Take heed of grieving this good Spirit then, when we have his presence, by any willing transgression: this grieveth him, our unthankfulness, and slighting of him, minding the world; grieve him not, for if he depart, be sure our Lamps will be but in a sad taking.
10. Then every day we must be trimming; the Lamps of the Sanctuary were dressed or trimmed every day, he made them well, as the Original word signifieth, they were disordered; burning every night, there was somewhat wanting oil, and raising the week likely, and removal of dross from them, which they might contract; he dressed them, and made them ready every morning; the morality implied in this Type, surely is this; that we should daily dress up our Lamps, they will need it every day; renew our repentance, renew our resolutions, our walking clos 〈…〉 r with God, to love him, &c. daily endeavor to draw nearer to him; neglect your Lamps but a week or so, and see what fearful work there will be.
Again, such then as can say with Moses, they have lived thus long, and their sight fails not, nor their strength, &c. They have great cause to bless the Lord.
But though a Child of God is thus apt to decline his profession, thus apt to grow dim, his Lamp to want trimming, yet it never goeth altogether out: And what use should we make of this.
1. It reproveth that opinion of falling away utterly from justifying and renewing grace; the condition of all believers is here set down by the state of the wise virgins, their Lamps indeed did decay, and suffer an impairing, but not altogether die; No, this spring of grace, once sprung in the heart, springs up to eternal life, though some interruptions there may be; did he pray that Peters faith should not fail him, and did he not pray for all believers? indeed his faith did as near fail him, as ever man's did, but yet it revived again, and so David, and others.
2. Yet do not abuse this Doctrine of grace, as our hearts are exceeding apt to do: If we cannot fall away utterly, then if once, Be sure, we have the root of the matter in us; if once we have Oil in our vessels, it will never be altogether spent, our Lamps will never be blown out. This is dangerous and next to desperate; and therefore the Apostle in a like case, with a kind of abhorrency at the thought of such a thing, speaks thus; shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid; because he hath made us partakers of the sure mercies of David, that will never fail, shall we therefore neglect our worthy walking of them? it argues a very ungodly frame of heart where this is to be found. We should the rather be encouraged, our hands strengthened, to work out our salvation with so much the more earnestness; were it not a very unchild-like and wretched frame of heart for a child to say: Well, I know my fathers heart towards me, let me do what I will, he will not cast me out of doors, his inheritance is sure; he may haply be mistaken, and prove himself a Bastard and not a Son: And so it is here, God's Children have all of them such childlike dispositions in them, as they will hardly dare to make such an use of such a rich treasury of grace. Or if they do, they are like to smart for it.
3. A word of strong Consolation to many a poor drooping soul; If once thou have but grace in thy heart, the oil in thy Vessel, it is never lost again, though in its own nature it be loseable. Thou art afraid some temptation or another from Satan, the world, or thy own heart will blow it out; some blast or other will wither thee; O thou shalt never be able to keep thy Lamp burning in the midst of so many contrary winds of lust and corruption; but though thou canst not keep it alive, the Lord can do it, and he will do it. Indeed while the Virgins slept, for any care they took of their Lamp, it might have gone out; but the Lord kept it burning though it were but low, and needed dressing. Be of good courage then, poor drooping foul, and he shall strengthen thy heart; didst thou ever know of any that had this oil in their vessels, that had the real work of grace upon them, that did quite extinguish and die? surely thou didst not. If the Lord do but seal it up to thee, that thou art one of the wise Virgins; believe it for thy everlasting comfort, thy Lamp shall never be put out in obscure darkness.
4. What shall we render to the Lord for this unspeakable grace towards us? how hath he lifted up our condition above innocence itself in Adam? he was made liable to fall away, and the Lord did not engage himself to keep him; we are made now in the second Adam in a surer Condition, we have a better tenure in Jesus Christ, which is the root of our stedfastness and standing; because he liveth, we shall live. If Jesus Christ could die anymore, then might the Saints that are in him, die again altogether, when once they are implanted into him. O he liveth forever, and that Spirit of Christ which liveth and dwelleth in his people, it never dieth and faileth, and he hath made it the very tenure of his Covenant, he will put his fear into their hearts, that they shall never depart from him. We it may be that know not what it is to be almost gone and blown out, at the brink of obscure darkness, know not what that mercy is; but such as have been made to believe that God would cast them into the bottomless pit, that he would utterly destroy them, and forsake them, O how sweet a truth must this needs be! that though their flesh and heart fail them, yet God will never fail them, whatever he may seem to do for a season; but so much for this Doctrine.
The second Doctrine is this: When a Believers profession groweth so low, and he is declined, specially at such a time, it is his duty to trim his Lamp, to renew his profession, to look after a restoring. So here, they arose, and trimmed their Lamps, when the Cry came; and this did the wise Virgins as well as the foolish. Concerning the foolish Virgins I have nothing here to say, nor shall I trouble myself, or you with what haply might be spoken of the Hypocrites trimming his Lamp, wherein it differs from the Believers. The wise Virgins trimming, I have spoke the last-day to that purpose, showing how far they might go. But I will speak here to the wise Virgins, because I would not dwell too long upon these things.
So you find Solomon: his declinings were great, and that at his latter end; but he arose again, and repented, as appears by his Book of Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs, &c. written after this his backsliding, as is generally conceived. And so the Church of the Philippians, their love and care of the Apostle suffered a nipping, a winter, and had ceased to flourish as formerly, but they renewed it again; It hath flourished it again, saith the Apostle: Eurychus may fall down, and almost beat his life out of him, but it is still in him, and there must be means used to draw it forth, as there is pains taken with Trees that have a fit of barrenness come upon them; Spiritual life runs to the heart, and there appears little or nothing without, sometimes; as conquered men do from their outworks to the Tower; but it must be brought forth again, we have a command for it, to those two Churches in the Revelations, Sardis had a name to live and was dead; likely the most of them were dead, and yet there were some things remaining, which were ready to die, and these must be strengthened, the things which remain, which were ready to die; for their works were not perfect before God. O it was hypocrisy that did eat them out of their life of Godliness, its a consuming thing indeed. And so the Church of the Laodiceans, their love was waxed Luke-warm, neither hot, nor cold, neither dead altogether, nor lively; now saith the Lord, be zealous therefore, and repent. But you will ask me here,
What it is to trim these Lamps that is here required? I will speak but to two or three particulars.
First then, In the trimming of the Lamp, there is usually a supply of the Oil, if it wanted; as when it hath burned long, if it be not supplied, the oil being spent, it will not live, except it be supplied. And it was high time for these Virgins now to be awaked hereunto, they might else have slept until all had been spent, and the Lamp had gone out, as well as the foolish; grace being but a Creature, it liveth by a continual supply of the Spirit of grace, the first cause of it. So then in the trimming of the Lamp, there must be a fetching in of more grace, a recourse to the fullness that is in Jesus Christ; for the Lamp is ready to languish or die else for want of oil.
2. There is a stirring up also of the grace which doth remain, some oil remaineth, that must be made ready, the ready passage between the Vessel and the Lamp, the heart and the conversation; it must indeed be cherished; for being little, haply it is ready to die, like a spark among much ashes, stir up the gift that is in thee, there is none that stirreth up himself to lay hold upon God. The wick in the Lamp must be raised, it being burned low, so it is in this case. It may be, in such a declining condition of a poor soul, there is more grace lying deep, and low, lying asleep in the habit, more then the soul is aware of; this must be stirred up, faith stirred up, and love to Jesus Christ, and his people stirred up.
3. In the trimming of the Lamp, there is a taking away the filth, and the dross that it gathers, and snuffing the wick which would hinder the light and burning of it, that it would be very dull and dim. Now what is this brethren, but the putting away those iniquities, repenting of those evils; whatever they have been that have thus far prevailed against their profession, that security, that carnality, that self-confidence, those things which laid them asleep, which choked the Lamp, that it could not burn. Whenever we are under any declining, do but search and see, commune with your own hearts, and you will find there is some evil which lies close, some soil we have gathered, and hereby the spirit of grace hath been grieved, and he is departed from us. Now this snuff must be taken off, deal not gently with it, this filth and dross must be removed, if we would trim up our Lamps.
For the Application then of this briefly in a word.
It may serve to stir us up everyone to this duty; If our Lamps be at present, or shall hereafter come under any declining. Alas brethren, do we not slumber and sleep often, and neglect all this while the trimming of our Lamps, and will they not quickly burn low and dim, and need a serious trimming of them? I doubt this duty will be incumbert upon us, and required of us oftener then we are aware of. Do we know how soon the Bridegroom will come? his voice goeth before him, we have often heard, but have we trimmed our Lamps to this day, are our professions more glorious then formerly? And for Motives hereunto, consider,
First, Such a restoring is a thing feizable, hough the duty be thine, yet the work is God's: he engageth to help, yea to do it indeed, he restoreth my soul, saith David, and it is for his own name sake; for the glory of his Grace. David had many decays and backslidings, witherings, and faintings, but God restored his soul still; and he is as ready to do it for his people now, as ever he was; therefore do not say, alas this is a work too difficult, or hard, or there is no recovery; my Lamp is so near extinct, as there is no hope for me; he that kindled it at first is able to restore it. It is indeed a work of some difficulty, and will cost you something, but yet it is feizable. Peter was at as low an ebb as ever poor Believer was; what was become of his profession? and yet Peter is recovered, and after the recovery owned as eminently as any of the rest, and more for his Comfort. The lost groat was found again, and the lost sheep was found again. And so the Prodigal Son, he ran far, and lavisht away his Patrimony, and yet he is restored again; the winter may deform the face of the earth, but the Spirit of God can renew it again in the Spring; now he hath promised to give this Spirit, and he sendeth forth his Spirit to find out the lost Child, the lost sheep, and therefore there is encouragement.
2. Consider, until this be done, you are not fit for Heaven, nor to enter with him, you are not ready: the wise Virgins trimmed their Lamps, and then they were ready, saith the Text, and they that were ready went in with him; happy creatures that are found ready with their Lamps burning at that day of his appearing, which we know not whether it may be at hand. A wicked man is not fit for heaven upon any terms, it would be a place of no rest unto him, no more then the Air is to the fish, or the water to a man, they are not con-natural; and truly no more is a gracious man fit for heaven while his Lamp wants trimming. Heaven is the inheritance of the Saints in light, and is he fit for it that is even going out in darkness? O no, the Lamp must be shining and burning bright, or else there is no suitableness to heaven.
3. Hereby God will have much more glory by you then otherwise he is like to have; for mind you, it is the shining of our Lamps, the glory of our conversations, suitable to our profession, that giveth occasion to the men of the world to glorify him; so saith our Savior, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven: This is all the Lord expecteth, that he may be acknowledged, and have the glory of all his grace of us; we have the sweet and comfort, and everlasting advantage of it; and it cannot but be upon every believers heart to glorify God, it is indeed the end of our coming into the world; now we cannot glorify him so, while our Lamps burn so low, we are under declinings, but when we are fruitful and abound in it, as our Savior saith, herein is my father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit; this is that which God is glorified by. It may be, we have some few good works; but they are but a few, and so few, that scarce any can take notice to glorify God for them; methinks this should stick much with us. Specially the nearer we come to glory ourselves, the more should we mind the glory of God, the more zealous should we be for it. O begin to lay about us to glorify him here, learn the work of heaven forever, if not before, yet at least now we are ready to reap the wages of heaven, the glory and joy unspeakable, and Rivers of pleasures for evermore.
4. Consider, Is it not a shame for us brethren, whose salvation is much nearer now then when we believed, began to believe that our light should not be more dim, our heat more abated, our zeal for God, the fervor of our affections; surely it is a very great shame: as if the nearer we come to the enjoyment of God, the less desirable he were; time hath been when we have some of us followed hard after God, it is well if we have mended, or held on our pace; the time hath been haply when our Conversations have been bright, and a beauty of holiness appeared in them, and others have taken notice of it, and glorified God; it is well if we be not grown Luke-warm. O what a shame is this, the nearer we come to the Sun to be the colder: hath not the Cry passed and awaked us, and do we not find that our Lamps are dim, and we are in our profession very low? O look to it, that our last days be our best days, and we go not out like a snuff.
But you will ask me, what should we do to trim up these Lamps of ours?
First, You must remember from whence you are fallen, look up to the top of the hill where once you were, and now you are undiscernably tumbled to the bottom, you know not how: O how much ground have you lost, search and try brethren: Commune with your hearts: Consider your ways, as David did, and turn to the Lord. It will exceedingly shame us, and that shame be a spur to us to consider how far short we are of that love, that zeal, that diligence and closeness of walking.
Secondly, We must repent of it, we must be humbled for our former miscarriages, our declining to lose our first love; the more love we have received, the less we return to him again: Is not this unworthy? Besides, how much might we have honored the Lord, if our light had shone before men, if there had been a Majesty of holiness always upon our conversation, such as sometime haply there hath been, and is not this matter of humbling?
Thirdly, Then we must do our first works, It is not a sorrow only for our miscarriage that is enough, but we must do our first works; If we have been zealous before, and now are become Luke-warm, be zealous and amend, do our first works; we have been more diligent and close in our walking with God, now we are more remiss, we must remember whence we are fallen, and do our first works. O why should we not labor to exceed the love of our espousals, when we followed so hard after him?