Several Works

IN this Verse we have another part of the Parable, wherein we have, upon the awakening of the conscience of these hypocrites and formal professors, and the discovery of their condition, their request to the godly, their Application of themselves to them, and the reason of that request. The request, Give us of your oil; the reason of it, for our Lamps are gone out. The reason being first in order of nature, as the cause of the other, the root from whence the request doth spring, we will begin to speak a little to that.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , They are extinct, or they are going out, and yet we have not a supply to keep them alive, they are gone; and for their own part, they had no oil in their vessel to do it with; the Note from this Clause is,

An hypocrites profession will not carry him through all Conditions.

These foolish Virgins made a shift to satisfy themselves, and blind the world with their Lamps which they carried, and went as far with them a great while as the wise did, but the end is that which differenceth persons conditions; as the Holy-Ghost speaks by the Psalmist, Mark the perfect man, behold the upright, the end of that man is peace; he doth not say, mark the perfect man; for in his life time he hath such a distinguishing Character; his life is peace, and the other is trouble: No, but the end, whatever his life hath been before, his end is peace.

This is a clear case, his profession will not carry him through all conditions, and that for these two reasons. One of them will be sure to meet with them all; for either, 1. Their profession fails them before the day of death, and so carries them not through; or else, 2. At death.

First then, ordinarily; I think it is a truth, that a formality, or profession of Christianity, if there be no more, doth fail a man, and is discovered to others and to himself, so that though he hath rested upon it, and made it his hope heretofore, yet now it fails him: Here you see it is the very case, when the cry came to prepare them, to awake them, that they might fit themselves for his appearing; which is infinite mercy that he did not rather surprise them while they were in this sleep and security: Now I say, before the Bridegroom himself came actually to fetch them that were ready, it is discovered to themselves, and they see they are hypocrites. And it is discovered to others that their Lamps are gone out, they are themselves made the Publishers of their own shame therein. You know Judas was discovered, unmasked before his death, and laid open to be what he was indeed; a thief, a wretch, a traitor. And so those many Disciples that followed Jesus Christ, he knowing their hearts not to be right, delivered such a trying word as gave them offense, and they went backward, and walked with him no more.

And the Reason of this is very plain, Because they have not a spring within to feed their profession. As far as the spring they have, or the wet, or mire, they move by little; as far as that will carry them they will go, but then not a step further. A beast, and a servant, or a child follow a man; the one followeth him for a bottle of hay, so soon as he lays that down before him, he goeth no further after him; but the son followeth him home, and will not be shut out by any means. As haply now, while Religion thrives, he will be on the Sun-side of the hedge, where it is warmest, he is a Summer-bird; suppose now a time of tribulation come for the word sake, will he abide? No, he withers as the sandy ground, in the 13. Matth. Will he delight himself in the Almighty, and always call upon God? No, their profession are like Jobs friends, deceive him in the day of trouble; as a brook, and as the stream of a brook they pass away, like a loud flood, make a great show, run very fiercely, carry all before it for a time, but it is presently dried up, because it hath no spring to feed it; as some note, that in Peru there is a diurnal-River, which runs in the day with a great stream, but in the night the channel is dry, because in the day the Sun melteth down the Snow upon the Mountains, and that maketh a great stream, but in the night it ceaseth. In grace now it is otherwise, there is a principle within, there is the Spirit of grace dwelling in the hearts of Believers, and this supplieth them continually; there is a new nature, and that is a thing durable. But,

Secondly, If it fail not before death, as here it doth, yet some passions being longer then some, Joas • held out long, yet he was discovered before death; but suppose they continue longer, yet usually they will not carry them through death; men may make a shift to live by a form, but they cannot die by a form: indeed affliction opens many men's eyes to see that they were but rotten; counterfeit gold will not endure the fire, or not the seventh fire at least, fire is of a searching nature, and yet notwithstanding some they pass this trial, and are not discovered until death, and then it fails them. If Balaam die his own death, and not the death of the righteous, what a miserable creature will he be? And death doth open many men's eyes: O what laboring is there then many times to be spared a little, that they may recover strength before we go hence and be no more seen. All the life time they thought all was well, but now they find they are deceived, their Lamps are gone out. O brethren, the valley of the shadow of death is full of such damps, as every Lamp will not endure, every profession will not abide, but it overcometh them. But haply they may go down quietly, and go away with confidence in their conscience; a strange confidence have many poor blinded hypocrites, whose consciences are seared, Yet,

Thirdly, Be sure brethren, It will not carry them through the Judgment; after the death the Judgment; we may make a shift to pass through this world, and haply delude ourselves, and think all is well; and through death, and yet never dream of our misery; but if we be hypocrites, be sure that a form will not endure to appear in Judgment, before the ever lasting burnings, the consuming fire. There the Lord will examine men's hands, what ever their professions have been, and their hearts; as it is said of Tiberius, when he examined a fellow that pretended to the Crown, he was so confident and cunning, he could not trap him in his words; at last he examined his hands, and finding them hard with labor, he found him to be but a servile mechanic fellow; he was then so startled, saith Mr. Caryl, that he had no more to say. So the Lord will examine men's works then, and the principles of their works from which they acted, and they shall be forced to confess they are hypocrites, and their mouths shall he everlastingly stopped, depart from me ye workers of iniquity; you tell me ye have preached in my name, or prophesied, &c. let me see your hands, you are workers of iniquity.

For the Application then, What a terrible word to all formal professors, who have only a Lamp, a form of godliness, but deny the power of it in heart and in their conversations. Let all such, if any such be here present, know,

First, Your profession will fail you sooner or later. You think when you have done so many duties, you have acquired such gifts, and such supposed graces of the spirit, and 〈…〉 w all is well, these are enough to lift you up to heaven, a Tower, a Ladder that will reach to heaven. But alas, it is not so, it is but a Castle built in the air, they are lying words you trust in, who cry, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these. You are his people, and have his Ordinances; a fine web a spider weaves, takes great pains, spins it out of her bowels; but alas, it never cometh to anything, it will not make a garment to cover their nakedness from the Lord Jesus. Hypocrites rest in a formality, and some observances of the Law, as if it were their hope that should secure them from all storms and injuries whatsoever, but alas it will not, these things will fail.

Secondly, Is it not worthy observation also, that an hypocrite, if he go to decay in this life, his hypocrisy be discovered, he decays quickly, suddenly, more suddenly then another man ordinarily; therefore he is compared to a Bull-rush, that withers before any other plant when they are once blasted & cursed; as God doth curs them many times, alas the next day they are gone and withered; as the tree that was dried up by the root, which the Disciples wondered at; a sad thing to-have leaves without fruit, a form without power; the withering curse doth light upon them soonest, sooner then profane persons, and how quickly are they withered? they are like the grass upon the house top, that withereth before it groweth up.

Thirdly, It will be sure to sail a man when he hath most need of it; as in the hour of temptation, the hour of affliction, the hour of death, and the hour of judgment; in all these usually it fails as a man, standing him in no stead • ; as the brooks run in the winter when there is no need of them, but in Summer when the traveler is ready to perish for thirst, then are they dried up, in that place of Job: Like the Apples of Sodom; if a man come to touch them, would be refreshed by them, they turn to dust: poor creatures think they have faith until an hour of temptation or affliction; when they should act it, then they have none: So they think they have love and bowels, but when an opportunity is offered, and they have most need of them, then they fail; like the house there in Matth. 7. It was built as fair to see to as another, as the wise man's house, and served him while it shone upon his Tabernacle, but when once the storms arose, the winds came, and the waves beat against it, alas it fell, and great was the fall thereof.

Fourthly, that which will set an edge upon all the former, is the sad disappointment of the hypocrite or formalist in all this, for his hope is cut off like a spiders web; there are two Pillars he leans upon, as Sampson upon the Pillars in the house; the Jachin and Boaz: What are they, but the good things of this world, and life eternal; and alas, both fail him. For the good things of this life, they many times leave him; the mire and the water which made the Bull-rush to grow, they are dried up, & what is become of his hope then? he leans, lays hold on his house, and is loath to▪ let it go; but let him hold it as fast as he can, yet down it must go, when the Lord cometh to manifest his displeasure against him.

Secondly, For things eternal, those he expecteth, and is as high, until he be discovered to himself, in his expectation of heaven as any other; but alas, he is but in a golden dream all this while, as an hungry man dreameth he eateth, &c. but it is nothing but a fancy, when he awakes he is never the fuller, but rather vexed so much the more, being disappointed; for a man to have his hope cut off, is the greatest cut in the world, nothing breaks the creatures heart more then this. O how great hope may a Minister be raised to, being an instrument in the hand of God to save others, that he also shall be saved; they themselves have means to cast out the Devil, and shall they go to the Devil? It is indeed the very emphasis of damnation to be cast down from such a height of hope, to be so near to heaven in their hopes, and yet miscarry.

O, how should this make us afraid of hypocrisy and formality, which is ready to creep upon us? how bitter a thing is it in the end to hypocrites, yea to the people of God in their way, when God opens their eyes to behold it in its colors? therefore let us be exhorted everyone of us to take heed of it, lest it be found in such prevalency among us, as to denominate us hypocrites: believe it brethren, If we be hypocrites, our duties will not commend us to God, be they never so many, never so plausible, because our hearts are not changed, which is a notable sign of an hypocrite; he doth much duty, but never reacheth to a better heart, is not changed from glory to glory; but he prayeth and sinneth, and weepeth and sinneth, getteth no strength against corruption.

Again, an hypocrite, he will rest and lean to his duties, he leans to his house, which is of his own building. Now truly Brethren, true grace where it is, if we should lean to it instead of Christ, it would not stand, much less a counterfeit; the believer he rests upon God alone, his presence in the Valley of the shadow of death, not upon his house, upon the web of his own weaving, but would be found in Christ.

And lastly, how much comfort is here to a poor child of God, though it may be he flourish not so, and have not such a glorious show and formality, such a complete form of godliness as another, yea his own conscience beareth him witness before the Lord, that his heart is right before him, and he hath a power of grace upon his heart, to subdue that to the Lord. Surely brethren, it is much rather to be chose; a little spring, then a great swelling torrent, for there is a living principle, it will continue and hold out, it will not dry up in the day of drought and disappoint our hopes, but as great Rivers in their heads are small streams many times, so here it will increase and grow from one degree to another, to a place of broad Rivers, until it empty itself into that fullness, and so of glory to all eternity: Look to the truth of it Brethren, if there be oil in the vessels; you see the wise Virgins, though they had their Lamps to trim, yet they were not gone out; but so much shall serve for this Doctrine.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Having considered already, that a form of godliness without the power will not carry the hypocrite through all conditions, it will fail him sooner or later; I am now to consider of their reflection upon this failing of their Lamps, They were out, and they saw that they were out; and thence it is that they go a begging for oil; the note I will raise from hence shall be as comprehensive as may be, we will hasten; It is this,

Though an hypocrite may long be hiding himself, yet at last, when it is too late, he shall be discovered to himself; this is the very case of the foolish Virgins in this place. There will be two or three things considerable if we take the Observation asunder. As first; That an hypocrite may long lie hid from himself. 2. That at last he shall be discovered to himself. 3. That ordinarily this is when it is too late.

For the first, That they may long lie hid from themselves; this is plain from the Parable, for how long did the foolish Virgins walk with the wise, and thought their penny as good silver as theirs all this while? but they were asleep; they had good thoughts of their condition, else they would have had little lift to sleep; the wise Virgins would hardly have slept if they had not had some assurance, their mountain had not been made strong by the favor of God; and the foolish, as foolish as they are, would hardly have slept, if they had not had a good opinion of their conditions: If their consciences had been awaked, and their worm gnawing; could they have slept if they had seen their danger, now to have their portions with hypocrites, being such themselves? In that place formerly mentioned, you have seen, the hypocrite hath a hope until it be cut off, and his confidence is great, he leans upon his house; as the foolish builder in the Gospel, he thought his house a good security against all storms whatsoever. And so doth many a poor Formalist think his form of godliness, the green gourd shadow enough from the everlasting burnings. Did Judas suspect himself? he was not so jealous of himself, as it should appear by the story, as the rest of the Disciples were, but was last in the enquiry. And it is likely enough, Jehu when he proclaimed his zeal for God, spake as he thought, poor man; what was under those broad leaves of that profession, yet appeared not. As Hazael, Is thy servant a dog? It may be if one had told Jehu how afterward he would play the wretch and the carnal Politician, and build the things he now destroyed, or do God's work to the halves, no farther then his own interest led him, he would have thought as strange as Hazael did.

Now the grounds of this may be such as these, in a word or two.

1. The depth of our own hearts; hypocrisy, of all other works of darkness, hateth the light, and therefore if there be anymore deep and remote corner of the heart then another, there it lurks. O saith the Holy-Ghost, the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it? the most sharp and strong sight, the most eagle-eyed creature in the world cannot find it out to the bottom: indeed Brethren, there is darkness and depth enough in everyone of our hearts to deceive all the world; the most piercing discerning spirits are blinded and deluded▪ as Jugglers, they say, can cast mists, and make a man believe strange things, when it is nothing so; but that is not so much, but the depth of the cunning of the heart is such, that they can deceive themselves. It is great cunning to deceive others, but if that cunning be yet out-witted, and be deceived by itself, this is more. Yea, I will say it Brethren; with a holy reverence, that if anything in the world could lie hid from God himself, it would be the cunning heart of a sinner: If there be more difficulty, or could be, in God's discerning one thing then another, here it would be, and therefore his knowledge of the heart, is set forth by a searching of it; indeed he knoweth all things, but after the manner of men he speaks; if men cannot easily find a thing, it lies hid in the darkness, in some corner; then they must search, as searching for the lost groat; or else if they would find out anything to perfection, then they search: So here it noteth the perfection of God's knowledge of the heart, and withal the difficulty of the finding out the heart, though not to himself; yet after the manner of men, if anything were difficult to God, this would be. If any man seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, his Religion is in vain, he deceiveth his own heart; he is a cunning Juggler indeed, that can juggle himself into a belief of his own jugglings, &c.

2. From the subtlety of Satan: All his care is to keep a poor soul in ignorance of its condition; and how doth he be 〈…〉 ir himself he knoweth, if once the disease be discovered, it is in a way to be healed, and therefore it is said of sinners altogether in darkness, that they are under the power of Satan; to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; while they are under darkness, they are under the power of Satan, he can lead them whither he pleaseth, for they know not whether they go, as the wise man speaks. And that is the reason surely, that Antichrist, that first-born of the Devil, by might and main keepeth his Proselytes in the dark, takes away the Key of knowledge from them; he knoweth if once the light should break in upon them, it is very great hazard but they would break out from him, from that bondage and slavery that they are in to him; therefore Satan will be exceeding industrious, and how will he fill a poor creatures heart with false reasonings concerning his Condition? O if there be any stirring or conviction at any time, how doth he labor to lick them whole again, to make up the breach the Word hath made in their consciences, himself will turn Preacher and pretend to the tongue of the Learned to speak a word in due season, and put on the garb of an Angel of light, and preach peace, peace; O he is a cunning dauber, specially having our hearts on his side, and therefore as ready to be beguiled, as he is to deceive us.

3. From the similitude of a form of godliness, to the godliness itself. It is true, life cannot be pictured, but yet a man may be drawn so to the life, as by a dim sight, or by the help of a mist cast before the eyes, and wires whereby such poppets may move, we can scarce discern it from a man. Similitude is the mother of mistakes, therefore the Romans made their Ancilia so like to that which they say fell from heaven, that if any might steal it he might seem to one to be mistaken: how like brethren is gilded brass to gold? how like may a Bristol- stone be to a pearl? how like to a Saint was Judas? the Devil is God's Ap • , and he will imitate his work. And therefore for sincerity itself he hath a • counterfeit; which looks as like it as can be. As when men shall seem most self-denying for Christ, or forgo all, and give away all they have to the poor, as if they would become mendicants indeed, this is very much, and yet they might do this, give all to the poor, and give their body to be burned, and yet not have love to Jesus Christ; can there possibly be more love shewn then in this? and yet you see there may be counterfeits in that also. This is the third Argument.

And they do from hence deceive themselves. Such as will run from Sermon to Sermon, and with much seeming delight hear the word of God, are affected, moved; but they do it not, deceiving themselves with a paralogism, a false reasoning, for they are ready to conclude, O surel should not have such a desire to be up early and seeking after Christ, as they think, though indeed they seek him not, nor his face, but somewhat else in the Word; they should not delight in approaching to God, as you have heard, if there were not theroot of the matter in us; but they look not at the doing of the Word, the main thing, and therefore they delude themselves with this self-reasoning. So the fool building his house upon the sand from the foundation upward, they are as like one another as can be, and as likely to stand out a storm, and therefore they reason from hence, surely they shall hold out; if the wise man's hope will shelter him, theirs will shelter them. But alas, here is a paralogism, they look not at the different foundations, the one upon the rock, the other upon the sands; the one receiving Jesus Christ, but as Jesus it may be; the other as Jesus and Lord: the event showeth, that a deceived heart was their undoing.

Fourthly, Because alas, the hypocrite usually is not much in searching of himself. Surely, if God's knowledge of the heart be set forth to us as a searching of it, it will imply so much; we should search our hearts, else we shall never know them, for he speaks after the manner of men, with a special respect to the heart-knowledge; there they search as men do for hid treasures, for what they would find, and lieth secret. A cunning cheat looks like an honest man, until he be searched into, and thoroughly 〈…〉 ed, a slight examination will not find him out; and so truly will many a rotten heart go for an honest and good heart, until there be a search: Hypocrites are like Sepulchers, which appear not; they are fair and beautiful, being painted without, but it appears not what they are within; if you would see what a Sepulcher is indeed, you must break it up, and down into it with a Candle, & search it out; there you shall find loathsome rottenness, & dead men's bones. Now I say, an hypoerite oridinarily is not diligent in this work, and therefore his heart deceiveth himself, and this ariseth from several grounds. Haply, 1. He is too slothful, he is not one of the diligent laborious Christians that will take pains in this work. If an overly view of men's hearts would do, everyone would search, but to rifle every corner of their hearts, and when the heart turns the back tergiversatur, is loath to answer to the Queries which are put to it, but flings an hundred ways up and down, and no hold of it at all; now in such a case he is a diligent Christian indeed that will not be bastled, but will urge it home upon the heart, and will have an answer better or worse; and thus from time to time an hypocrite will hardly take pains in this great work; and therefore no marvel if his heart deceive him, and he be hid form himself. 2. Haply, he is confident of himself, as in the place of Job; and who almost are men of more flourishing hopes then the hypocrites? were there any deadly doubt of their condition, then the Pharisees; and yet were there anymore rotten then they were? they thought if there were any men should go to heaven, they were the men; men of such knowledge as they were, and such duties and strict lives as they were, was it possible they should miscarry; and you see how bold they are to plead it at the last day, as in that 7. of Matth. Now that which a man thinketh he hath already, or thinketh he is sure of, he will not trouble himself to inquire after it, it is but needless labor: If a man be sure, as he thinketh, he hath his groat, he will not light a Candle and seek it. 3. Because haply they have sometimes some of them misgivings of heart; sometimes hypocrites may, and therefore they may be loath to come to search, they suspect themselves, some do, and yet not so strongly, but that they have a false hope to balance their fear, and to prevail. A Bankrupt, he that suspects it, hath no mind to cast up his accounts, he had rather do anything; they may, I say, some of them lave such misgivings, which though they be not so clear as to amount to a knowledge condition, and to put them on to a recovery out of it; yet they may be enough to make them loath to search. A man is loath to search his coin, he suspects he shall find many bad pieces there, and haply thereby prove himself but a beggar; finding all brass instead of gold. A man is loath to take up the grave-stone, he may suspect what he shall find within, which he is not very willing to see it may be, nor to endure the stench of it, and therefore pleaseth himself with the paint and outward beauty of it, and therefore no marvel if it be hid from his eyes.

Fifthly, It is a righteous hand of God upon hypocrites, they are even paid in their own coin; that since they have deceived others with fair shows and pretences, and endeavored, as I may say, to deceive the Lord himself, that they should deceive their own souls, and should be hid from themselves; that they may go on the more securely, until they see by woeful experience, that they are tumbled into the pit. And surely this was one of the things which were hid from Jerusalem's eyes, the things which belonged to her peace; the first, i • not the chief thing, was the knowledge of herself, Luke 19. 42. is a choice place; of saving as well as moral knowledge; now they had neglected their time, implied; the hypocrites drew near God with their mouths, when their hearts were far from him, thinking to put off God with such Idol-worship, as if he had not been a God which searched the heart, and could find it out; therefore the Lord tells them; well, saith he, now the things which concern your peace are hid from your eyes, and this is one of them among the rest, the knowledge of Christ, the remedy is the other main thing. O it is a fearful hand of God brethren, when he giveth them up to blindness of mind, so that they shall discern nothing which concerneth them, and so not know their own conditions: if the Lord hide, who can find? as if he search, who can be concealed? But so much for this first thing.

Secondly, At last he shall be discovered to himself: He shall see himself to be but an hypocrite, this is many times so. I mean not only in hell, men's eyes shall be opened, but at death, or before death many times the hypocrites eyes are opened to see himself what he is. It is true, sometimes he may go down in peace to the grave, such a peace as Satan, and an hard heart and seared conscience gives; but yet you see here in this Parable, that before the coming of the Bridegroom, they saw their Lamps were gone out, and that they wanted oil, the great work, the grace in the heart, which before they cared not for. I will not press it too far, and say, that because all the foolish Virgins here see that their Lamps were gone out, therefore all hypocrites and formal professors before their death, are discovered to themselves as well as to others, that they are but hypocrites, but it is so many times, and ordinarily; surely else I know not what can be the meaning of this part of the Parable; was it not so with Judas? was it not discovered to him when he was detected, and his conscience so wounded that he could not but go and proclaim himself a wretch, a traitor to his Master before all the Court? if he were so blinded before, by lust, by covetousness, as not to see what he did, yet now his eyes were opened, he saw what his condition was; and the terror of it was such, that he went and hanged himself.

But how and when doth the Lord discover hypocrites to themselves? Why truly brethren, haply in the hour of affliction, then the Alchemy gold being not able to endure the seventh fire, discovers itself what it is; so the hypocrite, will he pray always? Or in the general, by any other means whereby the Lord blasts their profession, and maketh it wither, then they come to see it was but a gourd, under whose shadow they delighted themselves; so you see God doth blast their profession. Here it was not until their Lamps were gone out that they saw it, that they wanted oil; while they could sparkle & walk in the light of their own sparks, & think all is well with them; while they can maintain their profession, and keep up duties, &c. haply, they see not the hypocrisy lies hid under those broad leaves, but when they wither, & they become as trees twice dead, then haply they come to see it. Not that always those whose professions wither, do see thenselves to be hypocrites neither, for they may turn down right profane, as many poor creatures have done, and returned with the swine washed, to the wallowing in the mir • , and grow past feeling, the conscience much seared and hardened; but yet many times this is a means whereby God doth discover hypocrites to themselves; sometimes they have had somewhat of a presence of God, and now they have none, now their leaf falls; now as Saul, they have no answer from God, neither by Vision nor Prophet, and now they see the woeful case they are in; now they are plucked, as I may say, of their plumes, their nakedness appears. Not that a child of God may not want his presence, and a great while too, but there is then a sickness of love for him, a mourning after him ordinarily, or a sad complaint that they cannot mourn after him; but an hypocrite, he findeth a want of the former presence, and his heart is little or nothing troubled for it, he is contented to let it go.

Secondly, It may be sometimes without any such affliction; yet the Lord may discover to an hypocrite that he is no better, that he is rotten at the heart; though the guilt wear not away, yet he can show the soul that it is but Alchemy; though the paint of the Sepulcher continue, and be not washed away, he can show a man that he is an Hypocrite; not but that a Child of God may think himself an Hypocrite, sometimes under temptation, but he is not so; but when God revealeth it to the soul, he setteth it on with an evidence indeed that it is so.

But why doth the Lord then discover Hypocrites before the day of the discovery of all things? why truly it is,

First, That they might have a taste of that bitter Cup which they are to drink the dregs of to all eternity; the Hypocrites Cup, if any be more deep then other, this is it; and if anymore deadly dregs in it, this is it. Now God will kindle a beginning of hell in their consciences, that as the Saints have some fore-tas • s of heaven, and the joys to be revealed, to sweeten their Cup of affliction, so Hypocrites might have some of the gall and worm-wood, to embitter all their delights in this world. What comfort had Judas of his thirty pieces of silver, when God opened his conscience, and let him see his condition? what an hypocritical, dissembling wretch he had been, to betray the Lord of life and glory with a kiss, a sign of love, and a bloody traitorous heart; to sell his Savior, whom he had followed so long, and acted by commission from him so long, and his Master that had never done him hurt, but good, to sell him, the Lord of life and glory, for thirty pieces of Silver? O this could not but gall, and cut him to the heart! the Devil helped him to a booty indeed, but God added this sorrow with it. Indeed of all sins, God hath not revealed himself so terribly against any in Scripture as this; and therefore when the soul cometh to see it, that hath any knowledge of the terrors of the Lord displayed against it, he must needs be for the present in a hell above ground; this shall they have of my hand, saith the Lord, they shall lie down in sorrow; Yea, and sometimes he anticipates their death, and they live in sorrow, and woe, and misery; God doth (as I may say) set a mark upon them, as upon Cain.

Secondly, That they might be warnings to others forever, to take heed of Hypocrisy; for when men that regard the work of the Lord, and consider the operation of his hand, shall behold a Judas hanged up in Gibbets, being made a Magor Missabeb to himself; doth it not preach aloud this Caution, to take heed, and beware of hypocrisy? these things, saith the Apostle, were written for our ensamples, that we might not do as they did; so are these things acted for our ensamples, that we might take heed; or, if they have not such terrors, but their professions are blasted only, and wither, and they prove fearful creatures, their latter end worse then their beginning; is not this a warning written in Capital Letters, that he that runs may read? O take heed of rottenness at the root, for all our fruit will give up as the dust, as the Apples of Sodom, we shall wither and come to nothing, and go out like a snuff, as well as them, if we be not sound at the heart.

Thirdly, It may be a stumbling block to some others, who are ready to receive any prejudice against the ways of Christ, and therefore they shall have a block to stumble upon. O here you see what becometh of this preciseness and flourishing profession of Religion, it is all but rotteness at the root, it is better to take on fair and softly; a soft pace in religion, saith the Moralist, or civil, honest Man; as good continue in a mere wallowing, as being washed, to enter into it again; yea better, saith the profane man, and therefore he satisfieth himself in his carnal state, which is wosul; for suppose some professors wither, yet do all? Some, they keep their leaf, it shall never fail; some lose their verdour, but recover it again; and what if some wither? will you therefore offend against the generation of the upright? saying, they are all of the same stamp. God forbid. It is a sad thing, to consider how many poor hearts are hardened in sin upon this very account, which addeth to the Hypocrites doom; but what if a discovered Hypocrite be so vile, the condition so dangerous? is not their own as dangerous? if thou be profane, and a worker of iniquity, there is no more entrance into glory for a Dog or Swine, then for a Goat; no more for workers of iniquity, that professedly commit iniquity, then for them who profess longer, do much in his name, and yet when all cometh to all, they are found but workers of iniquity, though secretly; but so much for the second.

The third and last thing considerable in the Observation, is, That many times it is too late, when Hypocrites are discovered to themselves; this is plain in the Parable; for the foolish Virgins all the time of the getting oil in their vessels, they complain not, not see their want of it, nor the going out of their Lamps, but only when it was too late; for before they could get it, the gates were shut.

We must not here understand it generally of all Hypocrites, as if none might be discovered to themselves, while there is hope, and so as to recover themselves; for then it would follow, they should none of them be pardoned; for the Lord Jesus is the Prince exalted to give repentance and remission of sins; Now if they never come to know themselves to be guilty of this great evil, even their hypocrisy, how should they repent of it? and if they repent not of it, how should it be pardoned? It is true indeed, there may be hypocrisy in a Child of God, which he may acknowledge only in the general among his secret sins, which he knoweth not of; but I think, where hypocrisy is so reigning a sin, as to denominate a man an Hypocrite, he must surely come to the knowledge of it, and acknowledge it before the Lord, or else how can he hope of pardon for it; now I say, there is pardon for all manner of sins, only that against the Holy Ghost excepted; and therefore sure, some Hypocrites God doth uncase▪ and unmask, and rip up, and show them the abominations of their hearts, that they may mourn over them, and mourn after Jesus Christ, and loath themselves for it, and so be pardoned; therefore remember this, lest if God should come now, and open any painted sepulcher, any rotten-hearted Hypocrite among us, when we see our wound, we should faint away; for though many times it is so, that God discovers it not to Hypocrites until it be too late, yet sometimes he doth, and the sin in itself is pardonable; therefore there is hope concerning this thing in Israel.

But for the making good this assertion, consider, either they are discovered not until judgment, or else not until death, or else not until their day of grace • e expired many times, though it be before death.

1. If they be not discovered to themselves until judgment, God never reproveth them of their hypocrisy, and sets it in order with all its circumstances, and aggravations, until the day of judgment, when the secrets of all hearts shall be displayed, and all the nasty corners of sinners souls, all the hidden things of darkness, then surely you will all acknowledge there is no remedy; it is past help; there remaineth nothing then, but a fearful looking for of their doom; and some may go down in peace to the grave, (that is to say) not a peace of God, but of Satan; a security and stupidity of conscience, knowing nothing of their fearful condition, which others also which are not so much as Hypocrites, may do.

2. If it be not discovered until the day of death, or the time of deaths approach; then, though not always, yet ordinarily, I believe it is too late, and that is not a time that ordinarily▪ God is found, or will be found; for indeed, if it were, then there would very few perish out of the visible Church; every man almost, except a very desperate, ignorant, profane wretch will have God, and Christ, and mercy in their mouths, and many liftings up of eyes and hands, though they do but dissemble, and flatter him with their mouths; as is proved by too ordinary experience; come to many a poor creature upon his death, and you would think him a Saint, a true penitent, and that if God would restore him, sure he would never return to his folly again; but alas, alas, experience proveth how quickly such men return to their vomit again, to their wallowing in the mire again, and lay out their strength, and time, and meats, and marrow, and money, and all upon their lusts, with as much eagerness, if not more then before, and prove very Devils incarnate; or at least; grow as listless and lazy in seeking God after their restoring as they were before, though in the time of visitation, then they would seek him early, and nothing but seek him▪

3. He may discover Hypocrites to themselves before death likely, and yet many times the time is past; for the understanding of which, brethren, we must know that every Professor, and all professing people, who have the means of Grace, the Sun of righteousness rising upon them in his Ordinances, whether he arise upon them in their hearts, or no, this maketh a day of grace; Jerusalem had her day, as you have it in that of Luke. Now this day may be conceived to be either revealed, so as that we may judge of it according to Scripture, or else secret, which God hath reserved to himself. The revealed is usually bounded by the time of a man's life, or the continuance of the means of Grace to a people at least: all that while according to our estimation, God's patience waiteth upon men, upon formal Professors, to see, if they will repent, and amend. Or else 2. There is a secret day which God hath kept in his own power, (that is to say) he resolveth with himself; however, it may be the means of Grace may continue longer to a people, yet if they stand it out such a time, so long, he will never make them available to their souls. So the Jews in that their day, O that thou hadst known, saith our Savior, in this thy day, but now they are hid; mind you, now they were hid, they should never have a sight of them; though they might have the means of Grace, the Gospel preached to them yet longer, as they had, yet the things which belonged to their peace, were hid from their eyes. And so it may be with an Hypocrite, for ought I know, the Lord may open an Hypocrites eyes, convince him that he is an Hypocrite, and yet the time be past of his recovery. So the foolish Virgins, you see their Lamps went out in obscure darkness irrecoverably, though there seemeth by the Parable, to have been a further time before the judgment, a time wherein they did use some impertinent and improper endeavors for their restoring; they went to the wise Virgins, and them that sold, of which afterward; not to Jesus Christ that was hid from their eyes, or else if they did, it was to no purpose; you see they missed their aim, and then brethren, one of these two things will be the effect of it. Either,

First, The heart will sink and die within them through some despair; either when God hath opened this wound in their Consciences, they will die of it; their life, and souls will go out at the wound, as you see in Judas 's case; he could not so much as look to Jesus Christ, that he might be saved; but his heart was sunk within him, when he saw how he had played the wretch with Jesus Christ, selling his Savior for so small a price, when he had pretended so much love to, and to value him at a so low a rate. Or else,

Secondly, The heart will grow desperately hard, and Conscience seared afterward, that it will be past feeling, and so commit all iniquity with greediness; and yet with a brazen face, and with the highest confidence, come, and cry, Lord, Lord, open to us, as it is here in the Parable, and in the seventh of Matthew; after a thaw, it will freez harder again, and then Conscience will be covered with a stone, as it said in Job.

And surely brethren, the reason is plain, why the Lord doth not ordinarily discover Hypocrites in his Church until it be too late; for a just recompense of their hypocrisy; his soul abhorreth hypocrisy more then anything; their Sacrifices, and solemn meetings are an abomination to him, he is even weary to bear them; why? because they drew near him with their mouths, honored him with their lips, but the heart was wanting; that which God looks at as all in all, in our services; and therefore they were like dead carcasses, however garnished with many, pretty, sweet flowers, common gifs, and very taking manner of performances of them, yet they are but dead Carkasses, and therefore he abhors them; and therefore no marvel, if he seal up men under such a Condition until it be too late. The Lord intendeth not mercy to such a soul, such a people, though their own hypocrisy and iniquity intervene as the immediate cause of the execution of this purpose, and therefore it is, that he letteth them walk in their own sparks, the light of them please themselves with their Lamps, their profession, until they have trifled away the season of grace: A sad consideration for Hypocrrites.

For Application of this; Then it may serve in the first place for a startling word to all formal Professors; the Lord make it an awakening word. I doubt I speak to many sleepy souls; our voice is not loud enough to pierce the ear in the heart, and therefore, O that he would do it. Brethren, if I seem uncharitable to you, it is my love to your souls, it is for your sakes, else I have no such delight to speak things so cutting and wounding as these are, I fear brethren, in such a multitude of Professors, that many of us have no more but a form of Godliness, and many of us not so much; but I speak not so much to them. You see that five of them were foolish, and they had nothing but Lamps, a Profession; I cannot conclude from the equality of number, that there are as many wise as foolish, or no more foolish then wise; but many foolish there are, that we may conclude, and yet we expound it according to the Analogy of faith, they are more by many then the wise. You may then brethren, be very confident of your estate, rest as securely as if you had the greatest assurance of your Condition; the foolish Virgins slept as soundly as the other, suspected their Conditions no more then the other, nor so much neither in all probability. You think, brethren, that because you conform to God's Ordinances, you have some knowledge, and there is the light of the Lamp, though it may be but little, a Glow-worm, or the Moon, no heat in it, no affections to Jesu; Christ, you never felt your hearts burn within you when he conversed with you: never knew what it was to be s • ck of love for him, to delight in him, and yet you are secure, and think all is well with you because you hear, and read, and keep the external part of Sabbaths, though you know not what it is to sanctify it in your hearts, you think all is well: Alas brethren, I pray you consider, did not Judas follow Christ up and down, and did more then many of us have done, & yet at last appeared to others; and himself to be but an hypocrite? though I discommend not, but encourage you to do these things, and to abound in him, yet let me tell you, and O that God would speak it to your hearts: you may do it, and much more, and yet be but Hypocrites: God looks not so much at the multitude of your sacrifices, as he doth at the frame of the heart, the truth in the inward parts, at the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit, that is to say, a heart made truly sensible of its own vileness and emptiness, so that it expecteth nothing for itself, but lies at Christ's foot for healing and mercy, and mourns after him. Now I pray you brethren, you that are so confident of the goodness of your condition, in the midst of all your Sabbaths you keep, and duties you perform, have you ever found such a heart, yea or no? O that the Lord would awaken you: yea, are there not some that ground their confidence upon their own security, because they never doubted, never suspected themselves; they can bless God for it, they have always had a good heart towards God, and they never had cause to suspect their hearts and affections towards him, and shall they begin now? Brethren, let me tell you, this is a truth in Jesus, that a notorious Hypocrite may go on long, and never question his condition; yea, it is rather the sign of an Hypocrite, that he never did question his condition. Was Judas ever the better for his backwardness to question his condition, because he was the last that we read, put the question, Lord, Is it I? Surely no, he was a Judas: the Lord pity you, for you know not the danger you are in, poor, confident, secure Creatures; You may take yourselves to be sweet Christians, and yet be in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity; your Lamps may burn long, and yet no oil in the vessel, and at last go out; and then you will cry out with the foolish Virgins, alas, our Lamps are gone out, our profession is gone, it will stand us in no stead now.

2. Another word shall be an Exhortation to us all then, If it be thus, that an Hypocrite may thus long lie hid from himself, and yet at last be discovered, and that when it is too late. O how should this quicken us Brethren, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling! O be not high-minded, but-fear. You see these foolish Virgins they had a glorious profession, and we may in our days come to the like pass, and when discovered, be made a Magor Missabeb. O fear, and tremble before the Lord, lest this prove our own condition; how should we be much in the great duty of self-exanimation and searching, whether we have misgiving hearts, or no? yet let us search, if we have misgiving of heart, that it is not right with us; O how inexcusable shall we be, that we were so lazy, we would rather venture our immortal, precious souls, then take a little pains to search, and secure their condition? Is there any man that suspects his estate, that will think much of his pains, to spend day after day, and time after time, to search into it, and if it be possible, to secure it? Why what account do we make of our souls, brethren, that we can be so wretchedly careless of them? do you believe you have souls? do you believe they are immortal? do you believe it brethren, that they shall live forever in the enjoyment of God, or else in inexpressible misery? do you believe, brethren, that hypocrites shall have the deepest damnation? And do you suspect yourselves to be hypocrites? and yet will not be persuaded to be at a little pains with your deceitful hearts? yea, much pains and often, to secure the eternal welfare of your poor, and yet precious souls?

2. Suppose you do suspect yourselves to be hypocrites, how do you make a shift to quiet your consciences? do they not trouble you? are your hearts so desperately hardened that you have no disquietness seizing upon you? can you enjoy yourselves? I believe you must needs then sometimes have a terrible apprehension of wrath approaching, why will you not search? It may be you may find your condition better then you expected, and so may live more comfortably and sweetly then now you can; while you have such a suspicion of yourselves, your condition may be safe, but cannot be comfortable, and you cannot be satisfied without this comfort in respect of your outward condition: Is that so great in your eyes and this so little? O for sin and shame let us set a higher value upon these things, be more afraid of losing our souls, then of losing the world.

But then see if thou be confident of thy condition; either this confidence is well grounded or groundless, and whether soever it be, there is great need of searching still. If well grounded, Brethren, yet we must know that the renewed searching and discovery of the soundness of our confidence, and the truth of our condition, is that which will renew our joy in the Lord; our thankfulness to him, for the impressions of these things upon our hearts, they are apt to wear away with time, and therefore if we would keep them fresh upon our hearts, the sweetness and safety of our condition, that our hearts may be more enlarged toward the Lord; then we must be often perusing our evidences, and the grounds of our confidence.

Besides, alas Brethren, how much doth daily intervene, which is enough to darken and cloud all; if we do neglect this great work of searching, it may be within a while our hearts will be so over-grown with weeds, that we shall not discern the root of the matter within us; so much ashes, that we shall scarce find the fire; O therefore keep up this inward difficult differencing duty of a diligent impartial search and trial of ourselves.

And then if we be confident upon no good ground, we had most need of all to search; yea, and how shall we come to know the grounds whereupon we are confident to discern them clearly, except we search? it may be thou mayest upon the search find, that thy condition is dangerous, thou art but a Formalist; is it not better then that thou shouldst know it, then be ignorant of it? is not the knowledge of the disease half the cure, if it be curable? is it not better to disease thyself a little now, then to go to hell in a golden dream?

Again, the time must come that thou must know it, when it is remediless, if thou know it not; there is nothing hid that shall not be revealed; do not think your Fig leaves will always hold before the everlasting burnings they will quickly scorch and burn, and then your nakedness and shame and confusion shall swallow you up. s 〈…〉 it not better for a man to know his wound before it prove incurable? surely it is.

Again consider yet further the higher your confidence is now, the lower will your hearts sink when you come to see your disappointment; a fools Paradise, the Proverb hath it, is the wise man's hell: you are foolish Virgins, and please yourselves with a light of your Lamp, and can take as much delight as any other upon the best grounds: remember Brethren, it will be the cutting of your souls asunder, when you shall find too late, that you were so befooled out of your immortal souls. You have had heretofore many of you the signs and marks whereby you may judge in some measure of your condition, make use of them, and the Lord give you to understand wisdom in the hidden part. But when you have done all, this is the result, that you cannot find but your hearts are right with him. B • g of God to search you, for indeed he only can search the deep things of a man's heart, as it is in that 17. of Ier. and so the Psalmist tells him, Lord, for ought I can discern thou hast made me willing to part with all iniquity for Christ, to receive him as my Lord, but my heart is too deep for me, O do thou search me and try me, that if I be not willing, thou wouldest discover it to me: If I be, that thou wouldst seal it up to my soul; that which I know not show thou me, &c.

Lest any poor soul should gather discouragement from hence, whose portion discouragement is not, I will speak a word to such to stay their hearts. Some will be ready to say, alas, If this be so, then sad may be my condion, for ought I know; I may long be hid from mine own iniquities, and yet at last come to see I am an hypocrite and rotten.

1. Consider it may be so indeed oftentimes, and it may not be so; look not only upon the black and terrible part of the cloud, but upon that which may prove a door of hope to thy poor soul, therefore be up and doing, searching, that thou mayest find out the uprightness of thy heart; and then be sure, though thou mayest see afterward much hypocrisy in thy heart, thou shalt never see thyself to be an hypocrite truly. I deny not but a child of God may come in an hour of temptation to misjudge his condition, and mistake himself for an hypocrite, when his heart may be sound towards God; but if once sound, forever sound; thou never wilt lose it again, only be sure thou run not away with mistakes concerning thyself.

2. If thou do now or hereafter see thyself an hypocrite, yet there is hope concerning this thing to recover and restore thee out of this condition; though hypocrisy be a dangerous sin, yet it is not desperate.

3. For the discovery of it when it is too late, which some may catch at, and say, I, here is a word indeed, a killing word to my soul: for I cannot but suspect or judge myself an hypocrite, now I see my condition, though I have been led by a deceived heart all this while, therefore sure now it is past time, for God ordinarily discovers hypocrites to themselves when it is too late.

First, be sure thou make not a false judgment of thyself, that thou be not now under an hour and power of darkness, when thou canst not judge aright of thy condition, thou mayest upon the search be able to approve thy heart upright to the Lord, though now thou take thyself for an hypocrite, be not rash in so serious and everlasting a concernment as this is.

2. Thou bewailest it, mournest under it, and this is no sign of the time being past; usually then God seals up men under hardness, if they sink not into dispair. Why, but did not Esau that sold his Birthright, when the Blessing was gone, seek it with many tears? yea, he sought the Blessing, but he sought not Repentance; they were not tears of repentance for his wickedness and prophanness in selling his Birthright, if they had, likely he had not miscarried; thou mournest, and what is the matter? It is for thy hypocrisy: O thou wouldst fain have a chan • ged heart, a right spirit renewed in thee, this thou breathest after, this thy soul breaks for longing for: be not discouraged brethren, this is no sign the time is past. But blessed be the Lord, and magnify his grace towards thee, that he hath not let thee go on any further until the time might have been exp • red, and the door of hope shut against thy soul; thus of this Doctrine.

The next thing is the Question or Request that the foolish made to the wise, Give us of your oil, for our Lamps are gone out, &c. Give us of your oil. This short Question is a double demonstration of their folly. First, that they had their oil, their grace to get at such a time as this, when they should have been ready to have entered in with the Bridegroom. Secondly, that they sought to the creature, and not to Christ for it. Give us of your oil. From the first we may note thus much.

It is very great folly to put off the getting of grace until the last: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and these things shall be added, saith Christ, the Wisdom of the Father. Say our own hearts, seek first the world and the pleasures of sin, and afterwards the Kingdom of God when there is no more content to be taken in these things; thus we walk contrary to God, to Christ, and therefore surely that is folly. They are foolish Virgins indeed that had their oil to get, when if ever, they should use it. I will not stay upon it to give you more Scripture; But a few Considerations by way of Arguments, which if not singly, yet put together, I doubt not will amount to a demonstration of this folly.

First then, this shall be first, It may be had; though it be difficult, yet it is not impossible, you see many daily (some at least) do obtain it: Labor in vain, we count him a fool that will take it upon him to wash an Ethiopian, to wash a Boyl, it will never be white or clean; so if this were in vain it would speak men to be wise that do neglect it, delay it, put it off; however it is true, God knoweth who is his according to his purpose of grace, that we are not to eye, but look at what is before us, in Scripture Rule, we are called upon to come to Jesus Christ, to look to him, He is lifted up upon the Pole of the Gospel, he is held out Crucified before our eyes, there is a Fountain, and not sealed but opened Fountain for everyone that will; there is enough in the Fountain, and it is freely set open to everyone that will, to come and take of it freely; indeed if this were not so, there might be some show or color for men's putting off, or neglecting the getting their grace; but it is to be had brethren, and is exposed to everyone; Proclamation is made to every creature without any exception.

2. That which is only worth the having in comparison, to neglect this; the getting of this is folly: you would count him a fool in grain that should have an Inheritance offered, or a rich Cabinet of Jewels, but he should please himself with picking Straws, hunting Butterflies, or some such toys, this is childish folly, these are not worth the labor (the pains) truly brethren, all things you pursue while you neglect this, put off this, they are no better; what is the Chaff to the Wheat? what is the Shadow to the Substance? what is the Fancy to the Reality? and all the world is no more; with much fancy it is said Agrippa appeared, this meat that perisheth, the fat and sweet of all the creature delights, they are but shadows to set forth the substance, My soul is filled as with m • rrow and fatness, this is really so: Yea truly brethren, a form of godliness, though it be light of carriage, • n empty thing, and so may be had with more ease and less interruption to the stream of men's hearts, which run naturally another way, yet it is empty and not worth the having, and that poor hypocrites will know in the day of wrath▪ when they shall find that this will profit them no more then riches, and therefore as the Wise man speaks Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? so much more here a form of godliness, it is not, it hath no being: you would count him a fool that should choose the Shell before the Kernel, a Core before an Apple. Well brethren, these are the things that are worth the having. O it is precious; You have heard how precious a Christ we may have, and from him ariseth the preciousness of Faith, the preciousness of Love, and the preciousness of the Promises; a dramm of Gold, a spark of a Diamond, is worth an houseful of dung and dross; and such is all the world, yea, and a form of godliness, and all things else, to a spiritual discerning eye; therefore sure he is a fool that shall be ever laborious, & so expensive • aying out his money his time and substance upon that which is not bread, will not profit; upon dung and dross, and let his gold and pearls pass.

3. It is that which must be had of necessity, It is that one thing necessary, without which there is no seeing of God, without grace no glory, no heaven in heaven; if it be not begun upon earth no holiness, no happiness: There lies upon you all brethren, an undispensable necessity to get grace, to have it, if ever you be saved; sure we do not believe this, else we could hardly so put it off; you must have Christ, you must have Faith, you must have Love and obedience brethren, or else you are condemned; you may go to heaven though you be not rich, though you be not great, though you be not of a name among men, which are things men do so greedily gape after; but you can never go to heaven without grace, without Christ enjoyed; yea, you may go to heaven without so much guilt as some have, such gifts in Prayer, in speaking, such great endowments of a lower nature, but you cannot be saved without you have this true gold; you must have bread or else you perish, you may live without sauce, but you must have bread; what shut the Israelites out of Canaan but their unbelief? and what will shut us out of heaven but our unbelief? and so consequently the want of all other grace.

4. Another Consideration will be this; it is so necessary a thing, as that all things else will but help to sink us, all is vain without it, our Privileges will sink us, our outward mercies, or Church mercies, and Gospel mercies will but sink us so much the lower, as you heard well lately. It were better you had never taken up Lamps, then to have no oil in your Vessels; better you had never had the form, if you have not the power as well as the form; was not Judas a more miserable wretch then such as never owned Christ? he is the son of perdition with a witness, an heir of hell: that which now sinners most glory in, will prove intolerable to them another day: Ah, woe to Church-Members, woe to formal Professors above all others, woe to such as hear, and read, and pray, and receive, and have not Christ; above all men in the world, these are the fools, because they lean upon that which will not only fail them, but wound them, sink them so much the deeper; and neglect in the mean time that which should make those things useful to them, and for the glory of God and their own eternal peace.

5. It is that which will not always be to be had, and therefore to delay is very great folly; indeed if it were a thing of no value, a thing that men might not miscarry in, though they go without it, it were not so much matter: or yet, though it were a thing so absolute necessary, if they might have it when they would, or had their wills at their command, that it were always to be had, a man were not to be so deeply condemned for his neglect, but so it is brethren the Market is not always; He that in one place saith, Ho everyone that thirsteth come, saith in another place, O Jerusalem Jerusalem, that thou hadst-known in this thy day; It is but a day brethren, and will not last always, the night will come wherein no man can work: why, is not this a great piece of folly then when men know the Treasury wi • l not always stand open, though now it do▪ nor the Fountain always be open though now it is; and yet will content themselves with their dry bottles and empty purses in a poor condition as the Church of Laodicea: surely brethren, God will not always be men's sinningstock, nor always wait upon them to be gracious, though now he do, and then consider, is it not fo lie to put it off?

6. Yea, I will tell you brethren, It is that which will not long be to be had by us if we lay not hold upon it; It was not long after the Israelites came in out of Egypt before the Lord denounced against them, Said in his wrath they should not enter into his rest; though he bore their manners indeed afterward, yet they had quickly lost their hope of Canaan. Believe it brethren, God is now more swift and more peremptory in his determination against souls in these days of Gospel-light then heretofore; O how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation! saith the Apostle; your judgment is nearer then when you had no profession, no name; If a man continue a wild Olive, or prove an empty branch, he will not be long endured: now if men did believe this, sure they would count it gross folly to trifle away the season, specially being so short a season, and so uncertain a season; who can tell if he putoff Christ, how soon his heart shall be sealed up, and the everlasting doors of his soul have locks and bolts to clap upon them, that they shall never lift them up to receive the King of glory, and then they are undone forever.

First Use then will be to reprove us all of this folly as many as are guilty; how many poor graceless souls hear this Word this day? you think you are the wise men who by your wits can live, and by your industry increase yourselves for the world; but if you will believe God rather than your own deceitful hearts, or Satan, you are fools; was he not a fool that provided so industriously for many years, when he had not a day to live? This night shall thy soul be taken away from thee, and not one thought nor act of care for eternity, nor for his precious soul, though he might be sure he must live to eternity, Psal. 49 1 • . and 13. you hope that yourselves or else your houses shall continue forever, which maketh you so industrious to build, & enlarge, and beautify them, and fill them with treasures; Ah poor creatures, that spin their bowels out to make a Cobweb, & one stroke with a Wing sweeps it quite away, Psal. 39 6. In vain do men trouble themselves, geting goods and know not who shall enjoy them, whether themselves shall enjoy them one day, or whether any of theirs shall enjoy them a day; but you are sure that you must endure an eternity, your souls must last whether your houses do or not, either with God, or separated from him, and yet you generally neglect them; are we not fools? are not the most part of us such fools? many deal with God thu: so youth, they must take their pleasure; in old age they will not take so much pains, as Diong. when he took the golden cloak from Apollo, said, This garment neither agreeth with Summer nor Winter, in Summer it is heavy, in Winter it hath no warmth, &c: but because men have some secret reserves of others, that they think will bear them out, they can ward off many such blows as these, they never reach their hearts, because they have a privy coat of Male, some carnal reasonings or other wherewith they oil their spirits, that this Ink will not stick, will not take impression: therefore I will enforce this Use with some Considerations, which I intend as to cut off the very sinews and strength of a Formalists security.

First, We have not one day at command, this is that which men do not believe, they think they have much time before them, specially those that are young; and indeed old sinners dote in this point as well as others, they always think they may live a year longer still, if they were never so old, yea, they promise themselves long life, and then they cannot but believe themselves, they have so good an opinion of the faithfulness and wisdom of their hearts; but alas, do you not know the number of your months is determined, and have you one day at command? Guido Bituricens. reports that one inviting Menodamus to a Banquet tomorrow, he asked him why he did invite him tomorrow, he durst never promise himself tomorrow, expecting death every hour; we are but a breaths distance from eternity; who can say he hath such an interest in the dispensation of God, as to say he shall live unt ll tomorrow? who can say, that is in unbelief, but he shall be in hell before the morning light, before another Sabbath, do you not believe this? wherefore was that written, Thou fool this night, &c. but for our learning, that sinners might hear and fear. Men have not leisure to provide for their souls until they have filled such a bag, compassed such an estate, then they shall be at leisure, They must go to such a City, and buy and sell, & get gain; but what if in the midst of all that thou be cut off and have not grace, what will become of thee then? you cannot command a day; Can you say with Joshua, Sun stand still and hasten not; or Sun go backward; will the Lord hearken to your voice as he did to theirs, that so you may have a little time when your glass is run, to work out your salvation with; O that ever we should be so vain to believe our own hearts without the least ground in the world, and not to believe God▪ where there is all the reason and arguments, and all the experience in the world to confirm it.

Secondly, Remember this brethren, We have not God at command, the Spirit bloweth not where we, but were itself listeth; therefore Millers and Mar • iners will not lose the wind, they have it not in their fist. This is a deep deceit in the opinion, that lays men to sleep, they are so secure, putting off the main Work, they dream they have God and grace at command, as if he were bound to give them grace and heaven when ever they shall think they have enough of sin; O no brethren, he will not be commanded by us; no sure: will he be always entreated by us? there is a time when he will not be found. It is not your Lord, Lord, open to us, that will move him, if once the door be shut against you; Then shall they call, but I will not answer▪ they shall seek me early, but shall not find me; and what reason is there you should expect God should be at your beck when you have so long resisted his Spirit in his Word and his Spirit stirring and moving upon your hearts, whereby he hath striven and taken pains with you, when the Lord had his bosom ope • , his wing spread, his hands stretched out, his voice lifted up, his Ambassadors sent to woo you you would not know when the grave and hell shall swallow you up, or open for you, and you think you can have God at your call; believe it, believe it, He will not be found, He is not at your command.

Thirdly, Remember this, That you have not your hearts at command neither, you cannot always move towards God; this is usually a reserve to sinners against the fear of the other; though God be not at our beck, yet he hath promised if we return and repent, he will accept, be it when it will; I, but what comfort is this, except men believe thatthey can return when they please they can receive Christ and close with him at any time; Can you so? Surely brethren, if this were so▪ no man would hardly go to hell that is convinced there is a Christ to be had, and salvation through him, and him alone: O be not mistaken, you know not yourselves; how many resolutions of reformation have many of you broken? you see you cannot command your hearts, Ep • r im was sensible of it, O turn thou me, and I shall be turned▪ can you think a good thought of yourselves? what folly is it then for men presuming upon their own strength, which is none, to neglect the season when the Lord offers his Spirit and grace, yea, and striveth with us by his Spirit many times, and yet we will not, but put it off.

Then it may serve to stir us up everyone to cut off all delays whatsoever; and now brethren, while it is called today, to get this oil in your Vessels, that you may not have it to do when you should in the greatest extremity use it: Alas brethren, I am a child and cannot speak, and O that the Lord would persuade by his Spirit this day: now since he hath given you another Sabbath, and another opportunity to be called upon; what doth the Lord yet say unto thee? Seek his face, will you not be clean, will you not close with Jesus Christ, O when shall it once be? O answer the Lord, and say, today Lord Jesus, today will we close with thee, we will put it off no longer; blessed be the Lord that hath not taken the advantage against us, and put an end to our day of grace long since: O admire that mercy, and now improve it, lay hold upon the opportunity.

Shall I a little stir you up to this?

1. Consider I pray you, and believe that it is the greatest design of Satan to fool us out of our salvation, to draw away from us day after day, until we have not one day more to live; when God cries today, today, today, If you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts: who is it think you that crieth tomorrow, tomorrow, that Corvina vox, as Augustine calls it, Cras, cras? Surely it is Satan that Liar, that will not stick to contradict the Lord: and what is the devils intent in this think you? doth he mean you shall repent tomorrow, as he saith? no I warrant you but when tomorrow is come, it will be tomorrow still, and the next day, it will be tomorrow still; and O how this pleaseth him to steal away our precious time, and rob us of our lives, our day of grace, and our souls at once. If you be ignorant of this device of Satan know it this day for a truth; The devil careth not if all the world were such Christians in the future tense, Semper vic 〈…〉 , as Seneca saith, but never live indeed; they will, and they will, but never do it; the Lord make you wise to discern this cunning craftiness of the wicked one.

2. Do but consider, How long a day of grace you have had many of you already, you have even grown old under the means of grace, and yet are to begin to get grace; me thinketh this should shame us, and warn young, ones, for it is likely many that are older thought they would repent and believe and close with Christ long enough before this, but that to Morrow never came; if we had any shame in us, it might wound us and shame us that Jesus Christ should wait so long upon us, and we never had a heart to give him any entertainment yet to this day; If many a poor soul had had but half the patient waiting upon them, what would they have been long before this?

3. Though you delay the getting your grace, remember that your Judgment lingers not, nor Condemnation slumbereth not, it cometh on apace, whether you go towards heaven or no; there is a set time to every poor soul wherein he shall get grace, or else not forever; and how doth this hasten upon you, do you know how near it is? and there is a set time for • udgement to seize upon you, if you be found without grace: O therefore be exhorted, now while it is called today; there will be no Manna found upon the seventh day; if you get it not before, you are undone, they found it so by experience.

4. Do not expect brethren to have a second day of grace if you trifle away one; if once the Apostles shaked the dust off their feet against a people, sad was their condition; when the Apostles turned away to the Gentiles, and the Sun set among the Jews, did it ever rise again? surely no. Though we have a day, yet remember it is but a day, and one day, and no more: if we let it slip we are und one, because we shall never have a second day: Felix put off Paul▪ when he was so far wrought upon, as to tremble, he put him off until a fitter opportunity, but it never came for ought we read; well, if the Spirit do move, and stir, and strive with thee, take the opportunity, strike while the Iron is hot, thou dost not know but this may be the last hour of the day with thee, and that thou shalt never feel any such breathings more, but thy heart shall ever be like a dead Sea, and seared, and past feeling anymore.

5. Untill then all our services are abomination to God; let our professions be what they will, and let us think as well of our conditions as we can, believe it breth en our Prayers, our. Hearings, our Receivings are abomination: what do we do here to receive the Supper, if we have no grace, no faith, no love, no repentance, can we be prepared? do we not imbrew our hands in the blood of Jesus Christ? and is not this an abomination? were not the Sacrifices of the Jews abomination, as if they slew a man, as if they cut off a dogs neck? was, or could this be acceptable? did not his soul hate these things? and what are our sacrifices but the slaying and crucifying Jesus Christ Ah, while we come with ungracious hearts to those Ordinances, O how often hath many an hypocrite had his hand in the blood of Jesus Christ? every such service and duty he performeth to God; and is not this sad? is it not high time to look about us?

6. Lastly, If at last you do come to get Christ, and God will wait upon you so to the last as to overcome you at the last, and you shall not mifcarry: Suppose it be so, though this is not ordinary that men should so desperately presume upon it, yet it cannot but be a grief and wound to you then to remember how you have spent your strength in sin and upon your lusts, & now have little or no time remaining, little strength to lay out upon his service; to testify your love to the Lord Jesus; surely this will be a burden: And therefore brethren, as you tender your souls welfare, as you would not be cheated out of your souls, and held in a sools Paradise until it be too late, or at least until you lose your comfort much of it, which otherwise you might have. O now while it is called today will you hearken to the voice of him that speaks from heaven, even Jesus Christ, hast thou not as much need to make haste as David had? I made h • ste and delayed not to keep thy righteous judgments; haste not thou as much need as Paul, he went presently, consulted not with flesh and blood, but • orthwith went to preach the Gospel; the Disciples forthwith, saith the Text, Left their Nets and followed Jesus Christ; if they had lingered, who can tell whether &c. O therefore let me bespeak to you in those words of the Prophet, If you will inquire, inquire, return come; those that either mockingly, or else fearfully asked, Watchman what of the night what of the night, &c. when will this burden come upon us? we see it not, yet your morning cometh, and also the night; though you have a morning of flourishing and light, yet the night as surely followeth it, as the night doth the day; therefore if you will inquire, inquire, return, come: how many expressions here are to show the vehemecy of the call? O come now, now, now away, come away, come away; the dullness of them to whom it was made, if you will inquire, inquire; every man will pretend a willingness to have Christ and grace, and they will inquire after heaven if you will inquire, inquire; then saith he, now or never, if you mean to escape, lay hold upon salvation before it be past, and no recalling of it; the word Inquiring: signifieth an earnestness; this inquiring, like the bubbling up of a Pot through heat; so then, it may be that God puts fire under thy conscience, and it beginneth to bubble, & thou art restless; now if thou wilt ever inquire, inquire after Christ, and grace, for this is the expected time, this is the day of salvation: while he thus moveth by his Spirit, there is hope he will be found; therefore as you love your souls, trifle not away such a precious season.

There are three or four Considerations that I would propound to you, at tending to the furtherance of this work.

First, That you labor with God and your hearts, to shake off your • loathfulness; men would have grace and heaven, but they would have it drop into their mouths; they would have Christ, but they will not follow him, nor follow hard after him; you see many of the Israelites, when they were on the other side Jordan, could have been contented for their ease sake, to have continued where they were, if God would have let them alone; they had so many enemies to encounter, and such a Jordan swelling to pass through, they had little mind to it; and when they were on the other side, gotten over Jordan, what did they do? Up saith Joshua. Many years after they came over Jordan (some say seven years after Judah had their lot, as long as the whole Land was in conquering) and had conquered a great part of the Land; why are ye slack to go up and possess the Land? they were contented now to have sitten still, and taken their ease; and truly, I doubt it is so with many, they are afraid if once they begin to stir and to close with Christ, O they shall have their lusts, their sins about their ears, temptations thick and threefold; it may be some have found some such thing when they have begun to stir, and therefore they are willing to take their ease.

Secondly, Be sure you miss not an opportunity you might enjoy; do you know where or when the Spirit of Christ will breath? Lie at the house of mercy, thou knowest not when it may come to thy turn to be put into the water; O hear, and hear as for your lives, and think with thyself when thou hearest, that this voice of God sounds in thy ears, O today, today, if you will hear his voice.

Thirdly, Take heed of hardening your hearts, as the Psalmist speaks, harden not your hearts. It is said of the people to whom that Evangelical Prophet was sent, that they made their ears heavy: God said, make their ears heavy, because they themselves had • hut their own eyes, clapt to the windows, and would not admit the light; like the deaf Adder, which they say, stoppeth one ear with her tail, and closeth the other to the ground, lest they should hear the Charmer, and so be taken. Ah Brethren, are we not guilty in this kind? we stop our ears, if we come to hear, we fill them full of prejudice, or else we resolve what we will do before we come; we resolve not to be taught by any Minister of them all, we are at a period concerning our souls; and some are so desperate as to speak such words as these are haply, or think so; if they speak them not, all the arguments in the world shall not persuade them to leave their profitable sins, or their pleasant lust, they will put it to the venture. O Brethren, how just is it with God, when men harden thir own hearts, especially if they have any stirrings and convictions within, how just is it with God to say Amen to such resolutions; you will not hearken to my voice, well, you shall never hearken to my voice: you will have your lusts, well, you shall have them, and judgment and damnation to boot, Acts 7. 51. they always resisted the Holy-Ghost, and Ezek. 7. and 9. and 12. they hardened their hearts like an Adamant.

4. Cast away from you, Brethren, those nets and snares which entangle you, and hinder you in this great work; as the Disciples did their nets when Christ called them, they left all and followed him; I mean not that every Christian is called to leave his employment, but such as are called to be Ministers of the Gospel, I think are called to cast away worldly incumbrances altogether: but thou must take heed they hang not so fast upon thee as to hinder thee, be sure thou sit loose to the world, it will else sooner or later be a pull-back to thee. O for such a resolution as Jerome had, If his Father were weeping upon his knees, his mother hanging about his neck his Brethren, sisters and kindred all with lamentation entreating him to forbear, he would cast down his Mother, and trample upon his Father, run over them all to go to Christ. Do as Bartim. then, Doth he call thee? off with the Cloak, away with that which hinders thy running to Jesus Christ; every weight, and the sin which so easily be setteth us, as the Apostle saith. If we come with the world rooted in our hearts, it is five to one but we shall be tried as the young man in the Gospel was; and as that other was, the Foxes have holes, &c. you hear no more of that forward man afterward.

O but we are young, and therefore we may have time enough before us, it is time enough for us to look after grace many years hence. No my brethren, it is your duty to remember your Creator in the days of your youth, while the milk is in your breasts, and you have some strength to lay out upon Christ: The first-fruits were not to be delayed to be paid, Exod. 22. 29. A young Samuel seasoned so young, a young Timothy, they may be eminent servants of Jesus Christ, when others at the same years are but beginning to enter upon the work. Besides, is not thy life as uncertain as another's? do you not see that young men die even as the old? and young men are like to perish as well as old, if they be not found with oil in their Lamps? and young men may enter with the Bridegroom as well as old, if they be found ready. And therefore I pray you, for Christ's sake, do not so deceive yourselves, but while it is called today, young and old, hearken to this voice of God, and put no • off this main work any longer.

Alas, but you will say, my case is the case of these foolish Virgins, I have long made a profession, and I have my grace to seek, and therefore there is no hope for me, a gray-headed sinner, who have trifled away my time.

You know some were called at the 11. hour, Brethren, and endured not the heat of the day with others, and yet miscarried not; while the day of grace lasts there is hope, and while the Lord knocks by his Spirit and Word there is hope, that to us appears to be a day of grace; and that thy spirit is moved, is yet a further Argument. And therefore be of good courage, if he have given thee a heart now at last to look after him; and though thou lingeredst with Lot, until God was even fain to pull thee out of the burning, the everlasting burnings; thou haste so much the more cause to magnify the grace of Christ toward thee, that he would after so much abuse of the day of grace, look upon thee at all, and when thou wert as a dry stick, no strength nor vigor to serve him at all; therefore God could have no eye at thy service, nor anything thou wert like to do, but merely to exalt his grace, and therefore forever thou mayest more easily Conquer over-that temptation of resting in anything in thyself, priding thyself in anything of thine own, and give him the glory of all, in an humble walking before him.

The second demonstration of their folly is, that they went to the creature for grace; They said to the wise, give, &c.

It is a note or point of great folly to seek unto the creature: when men have neglected to seek to Christ, then to go to the creature for grace; you see this is the practice of foolish Virgins; how far we may urge this, I cannot tell, but me thinks we do not put it too far, if we may stand upon it at all; Whether they would now at last, being sensible of their want of the oil in the vessel, the grace in the heart, they would have some of that oil which they had in their vessels; or whether only somewhat to make their Lamps burn as they did before, it appears not, nor yet what their highest • nd was in it, appears not; if they aimed not at the highest end, God's glory, and their own salvation, as the ultimate end, then they were grossly foolish in that respect; for to miss the end is the most fundamental point of error and folly; but if they be supposed to aim right, yet there is this Argument of their folly in the very Text, which shall be all I will say for the confirmation of it.

They take not the right means for the accomplishing that end, and therefore they are foolish; for wherein doth folly consist else but chiefly in this; they find not out or use not the right means, for the attaining of a right end. Now was this a right means, to go to the creature, to the wise Virgins for oil? Give us of your oil; this argues either desperate ignorance, that they knew not whither to go to get oil, that they were ignorant of the Fountain of Israel, the fullness that is in Jesus Christ, from which fullness his people receive grace for grace; and such blindness as this to be in men that profess Christianity, it is very strange, and argues great stupidity and folly; or else if they did know it, they had no heart to go to him, they would not; if they could get it otherwise well and good, and bring oil to him, they had hope of acceptance, but they would have none from him, and this would argue a worse kind of blindness: But of these things we will not spend our conjectures, nor in such uncertainties. Whatever the case is, sure it is, that they went not to him, but to the creature for their oil; from the Sun to the beam, from the fountain to the stream, and so to the broken Cistern: and is not this folly?

This then will teach us thus much, That the Papists are as like these foolish Virgins as they can look; poor creatures, those merit-mongers and money-changers that fill the Temple of God; do not some of them sell, and others buy their pardons and indulgences? do they not go to the Church-treasure of merit, to make up what is wanting of their own, and not to Jesus Christ in the hour of their necessity? I know not what some of them may do, and some others I believe may be wiser in this thing, but surely many poor creatures are led away with this wicked error; I cannot call it better. Surely Brethren, If any be the foolish Virgins to the life, the Papists are, some of them, if they be true to their Principles.

2. It may serve to reprove many among ourselves, that put off all the work which concerneth their souls; live as if they cared not for God, nor regarded him at all; the people of God, and Ministers of Christ are the object of their scorn or disregard, they sleight them above others; but when an hour of destruction cometh, O then, when they are ready to die, the Minister must be sent for, and he must speak a word of comfort, right or wrong; they are ready to think, I doubt, that as much is in it, as in a Popish Absolution, according to their conceit then, as if it were in their power, or they were in Christ's stead to give them grace; they hang much of their confidence upon them: This is just like the foolish Virgins. Brethren, the Lord deliver poor souls from such an end as God made with them, as you have it in the Parable here. It is the way indeed to stop our mouths, to hang too much upon any creature.

3. It may be we are a little better instructed many of us, then to think that men can give grace; But it may be we expect it from Ordinances, which alas are but empty pipes, though they be golden and precious pipes; this opus operatum sticks closer to us, then we are aware, many of us, I doubt. If men did not look for it from Ordinances, would they not labor to bring better frames of heart with them, and bring the Lord along with them to the Ordinances, that his presence might fill them? Well, let us take heed of this Brethren, sit not down by broken Cisterns, for they all say it is not in us, the Word saith, and Prayer saith, and Receiving saith, it is not in us, we can give no more then we have, we are but the means. And therefore let us all learn to be wise in this point to salvation, go where it is to be had, to the Fountain, his fullness, Jesus Christ is the Olive Tree, he that emptieth himself into the golden pipes: O therefore in all our wants of grace make out to him, eye him in every Ordinance; the fatness and sweetness must come from the root and not the branches, therefore look to it, Brethren, that we be in him, abide in him, live by faith in him, in Ordinances above them. Yea, when we have most refreshings in them, remember who it is that hath filled them, lest when all is done, we prove ourselves but foolish Virgins.

But so much for this Doctrine.

HEre we have the wise Virgins answer to the foolish Virgins request; their request was, that they might have some of their oil, because their Lamps were gone out; to this the wise Virgins answer; wherein we must note concerning the reading of the words, they may be read two ways, either by way of redundancy, yielding to the cutting off that particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , [but] go you rather to them that sell; and then the words are read thus, lest there be not enough for you and us, go you rather to them that sell: Or else by way of Elypsis they are read, and then the defect is to be supplied, as in our translation, not so, lest there be not enough for you and us; not so, are not expressed in the Original, but are supplied, as you see they are written in another Character: Such defective speeches are ordinary in Scripture, as in that of Abraham and Sarah, when Abimelech asked him, What sayest thou, that thou hast done this thing? and he said, because I thought that surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will slay me for my wives sake: here somewhat is to be supplied, his resolution to dissemble his wife, that is concealed and supposed, and only the reason expressed; and so it is here. Now which way ever we read the words, the sense is the same still, and in both, the denial is implied, and but implied, yet necessarily implied, for without it the sense is not full nor clear: as if we should read them thus, lest there be not enough for you and us, but go and buy for yourselves; there is not a complete sense; but read them either of the other ways, and the sense is full and plain, as by adding the denial, as in our Bibles, not so, lest there be not enough; or else by cutting off that (but) that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 thus, lest there be not enough for us and you, go and buy for yourselves: here the denial is implied also, and must be understood. But because generally they are read as in that translation, by the most learned and godly, as Beza, Grotius. So then the denial being here necessarily supposed and supplied, from thence I would take up this Note.

They that go to the Saints for grace, for oil, are like to have▪ a denial.

Here at last they went to them; when they had spent their time and opportunity of getting grace, they go to the wise Virgins for grace; but they were too wise to give an yielding answer to such a request. Indeed so far is that rock, the Lord Jesus, higher then we, that we are exceeding prone rather to take up nearer, and anywhere, ready to hang our hopes upon every hedge. You see the Prodigal, as long as ever he could hold out, he would never come unto his Father. The poor man in the Cospel brought his child to the Disciples first, to have him healed, before they went to Christ, until they found them empty, that they were Physicians of no value, healing was not in them; and so it is with us all: If we can have grace by any other means, we would not come to Christ, such is our natural enmity against him, such is our despondency many times when we come to be sensible of our condition. But alas, every creature, if they understand themselves, must needs say, it is not in me to▪ give, as Peter said in another case of healing, Why look you upon us, as if we had healed this man by our holiness. But let me give you some few considerations to make it out; and then we will apply it.

First then, It is above their fullness; though many a child of God have a great fullness of grace indeed, be ye filled with the Spirit, and not with wine, saith the Apostle; and so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God: there may be an abounding of grace, yea of all grace towards them, that in all things, always, they might have an all-sufficiency, though I think there are but very few that here below do know by experience such a fullness, by comprehending the height, and depth, and breadth, and length of this love of Jesus Christ; but suppose every child of God be thus filled, every wise Virgin sooner or later, yet it is not a fullness of redundancy, that is to say, such a fullness, as that from it there can be spared anything for another, as we shall add by and by. It is but the fullness of a Cistern, not of a Fountain, which can still shed abroad, and be full still; So it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell in Jesus Christ: All fullness, that of his fullness we might receive grace for grace; Of his fullness, he is the fullness of the Sun, the fullness of a Sea, of a Fountain, and such is no creatures fullness, there can be no redundance.

Secondly, As their fullness is not enough, so also have they not a strength and power to communicate of their grace to another, no more then a man can devide and part his life between him and another that is dead, it is above his power, and therefore in Scripture usually it is called a new creature, to show us the great transcendent power, whereby Jesus Christ is formed in a soul: It is the Fathers proper work, through the Son, by the Spirit; the Father giveth it, the Son purchaseth it, the Spirit applieth it and works it; Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew a right Spirit within me, saith David; holiness is a creation, and peace is a creation, he will create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace; a creation is of nothing, or somewhat utterly unfit to receive such a form or being, so that the fruit of the lips they are weak, and cannot reach such an effect, it is God's Almighty power, and the same power that raised up Jesus from the dead, that must raise a dead soul to believe in Jesus Christ. When Rachel would have of Jacob that which was beyond his power to give, he saith, Am I in God's stead, that I should give thee children? So may the people of God and Ministers say to some sometimes, who come to them as if they could give them peace or comfort, and expect that as soon as ever they speak a word, presently all their doubts and fears should be quelled and subdued; no, no, it is too heavy a weight you lay upon them; it is a thing above their reach. This the second.

Thirdly, If they were able to do it, they have no authority, no commission to do it, and therefore they may not do it; Jesus Christ was anointed for this very end, to do the thing, I come to do thy will O God, in the 40. Psal. and what is that will? Why, that none that the Father hath given him should be lost or perish, but his blood and Spirit should be given to them; grace and glory should be given to them; this is the will of God, even your Sanctification, and this will he came to do, it was that the Father designed him to; to deliver his people from their sins, therefore was the spirit poured out in such a full measure, yea without measure upon the head of this our high-Priest, that it might run down to the very skirt of his garment, to the very lowest Christian that belongs unto him. It is not every member in the body, nor any other, but the head which is made the seat of the animal Spirits, to communicate them to the least and lowest member: Now it is not what men are able to do, but what they have Commission to do, that is authentic: If they were able, there is no Commission, the Lord Jesus only came Authorized to open the Prison doors, to Preach deliverance, and to give deliverance to the Captives. This the third.

Fourthly, If all these did concur in men, yet they might want a heart when all is done, and then all the rest would avail little to us in our necessity; and though it be true, the Saints do retain bowels of mercy, and do put them on, and longsuffering and patience, yet alas, how short-nostrilled are the best of the Saints, in comparison of God: Moses his patience was at an end, yet the weakest man, and had often interceded for them; yet ye Rebels, must we fetch water out of the rock for you? though the murmuring was not against him, but against God. If a sinner put off getting grace and coming to Christ until the last, our patience will hardly hold out so long, let the power of my Lord be great, as thou hast said, &c. herein our weakness doth much appear, we are ready to cast off and give up men if they come not in quickly, and if afterward they do come in, we are ready to shut our hearts against them. But if there were a heart, yet there is no power, and that will answer all; therefore if we go to the creature for grace, we are like to have a denial.

Before we apply this, or else as a part of the Application, shall be to speak somewhat by way of satisfaction to a doubt. This seemeth to cross the Scriptures; are not the Saints bound to communicate one to another? to do good, forget not; is not this of a larger sense, then merely giving a little of our estates to them, if in want? So again, when thou art converted, strengthen thy Brethren, saith our Savior to Peter; and, how can you say then, that if we go to the Saints for grace, we are like to have a denial?

To this I answer, the Saints may and ought to communicate their experiences to others, as their necessity requireth; the humble shall hear hereof and be glad; how? when his soul made her boast in God. And so again, the Psalmist as a type of Christ, He brought me up out of the horrible pit, out of the mierie clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings; he hath put a new song in my mouth, &c. And what then? Many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in God: And so saith the Apostle, That ye may comfort others with the comforts wherewith yourselves are comforted of God; this is doubtless a duty, to communicate our experiences, and also to exhort one another while it is called today, as the Apostle hath it; and to reprove one another, this is a duty, but this is far from giving of grace: For the more distinct understanding therefore of this note, only two or three particulars.

1. For any merit of our works we cannot give, for indeed there is none at all. If we deserve anything at the hands of God, it is wrath and ruin, it is mere mercy we are not consumed every time we approach this consuming fire with our filthy garments upon us, because his compassions fail not; when we have done all commanded, if we could do it, we are but improfitable servants; but alas, how infinitely short do we fail of what is commanded in many things; in all things we offend all, for who doth anything as he should? & our sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared to the glory: there must be a proportion in merit, now they are light, that is weighty, they are for a moment, that is eternal, and a far more exceeding and eternal weight. Now no man can give that which he hath not.

2. The glory of our works; That we cannot give away that is the Lord's, that others may see them, and glorify your Father which is in heaven, Mat. 5. 16.

3. The influence of them upon others hearts. That, we cannot give neither, we may speak and do, plant and water, but it it God that giveth the increase; the husband-man may plough, and sow, and harrow, but he cannot give the rain of heaven, former and later, he cannot give power to the seed to die and rise again, it is beyond his reach; who can touch the heart but the Lord, he is the God of the Spirits, whose dwellings are with our spirits especially, and he can fashion them as he pleaseth, but this is not in our power, and therefore no marvel if they that go to the creature for grace, they miss of their purpose.

For the Application; this reproveth then the Papists, who take upon them to give, or which is worse, to sell grace, to sell merits, to sell pardons of sins past, yea and for sins to come also; are these like wise Virgins, they would not take upon them to give any of their oil to the foolish; if any were wiser then others, me thinks they should be afraid to buy and sell heaven, and pardon, and merit; the Church of Rome indeed is not like the wise Virgins: This gave such offense to Luther, he could not brook it, but it was a great occasion of his casting off the Antichristian yoke.

Do but consider two or three things, wherein it may appear how much they are too blame in this respect.

1. They take upon them the office of Christ, intruding into those things which are above them; he inviteth, Come to me, and I will give you rest; I counsel thee to buy of me wine and milk without money, or money worth. No, say they, come to us, to our treasury of merit, though they pretend to make the blood of Christ the substractum, the bottom of their treasury; which to me, maketh the matter so much the worse, the abuse of the name and blood of Jesus Christ to so high a wickedness, as selling and buying pardons for money, being most abominable. Christ calls poor sinners to him, and they call them to them, so that they usurp the power and authority of Christ. Let them see to it.

2. Yea that which is given freely by Jesus Christ, they would sell for money; for money they would sell pardons for never so many years to come; strange prodigious fopperies are there reported concerning them; Without money, and without price; but they will have money for their Pardons & Indulgences: Was not this a Declaration infallable, that Simon Magus was in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity, because he would have bought the gifts of the Holy-Ghost for money; yea the power of giving the gift of the Holy-Ghost to others, and is it not more dangerous then; to buy or sell the grace of God? that which is saving for money; to pretend to it, for do it they cannot. Simon Magus his great guilt was this, that he would have the power of giving the gift of the holy Ghost, as the Apostles had, that so he might make a rich trade of it, to sell it to others, as he himself had bought it; and truly those that will buy in such cases, will not stick to sell: O how much more then are these men in the gall of bitterness, that shall sell grace, sell pardons, sell merit for money! Surely the wise Virgins refusing to give, would much more have abhorred this, to sell the Gifts of the holy Ghost for money? What got Gehazi by making that which was free, mercenary.

3. They wrong the Saints exceedingly, such as were so indeed, whose merits they pretend to sell; for if they were wise Virgins, they had none to sell; if they were foolish, none can question it, but they had none at all; and if they were wise, and had never so much, yet they had none to sell, none to give. Surely God is not more tender of his Name in anything, then in his Grace, not more tender of wrong anywhere, then here, and his people are not more tender, or should not be more tender anywhere of wronging him, then here in his Grace. And therefore surely those that are Saints indeed, will be little beholding, they shall have little thanks for their labor.

4. Besides that, They do but delude poor souls, and so bring their blood upon their heads; alas poor deluded creatures! they make account they are enriched out of a treasury of the Church, and their iniquities are done away, and to their woeful and everlasting confusion, they will find one day, this hath but increased their guilt and condemnation. Woe be to them that go down to hell with the blood of so many poor deluded Creatures upon their heads; the Devil deludes men, makes them believe he giveth them great things, great sums of money, and when all comes to all, they prove but leaves; thus do they carry on poor souls in a golden dream, until they awake in hell, in remediless ruin. Well, If there be any such here, that heareth this word, I would advise them and entreat them, to take the Apostles advice to Simon Magus, O pray, if it be possible, that this thought of your heart may be forgiven; it is, that you should either buy or sell, give or receive from the Creature this Grace which is proper to Jesus Christ, and to him only to give: you have infinitely wronged a gracious Savior, you had need to bleed over him, to mourn over him, to be deeply humbled indeed for it.

Again, How should we then bless the Lord, that we are delivered from this Antichrist, darkness and bondage; that it is given to us through rich grace, to see this, that we should not go to the Creature, but to Jesus Christ. Our Fore-fathers were under this bondage brethren, many of them, and so might we be, but that Grace hath made the difference; and what had become of us then? he hath shown us wh •• • s good, and what is right, when they are left in Egyptian darkness; and what is the best thankfulness for this brethren, but to improve this our privledge, that we have a Fountain, fullness to go to, who cannot, who will not say that he hath nothing for us, that he hath but enough for himself, for he hath enough for us all, being the Olive-tree, the fountain, the Sun of righteousness. What should we do; but make use of Jesus Christ, and much use of him? he hath much to give, he hath a fullness of great redundancy, and he hath a commission to give it, and power to convey it, and a heart as long as his power, and commission to give, and to give freely to every poor Creature that cometh. If you go to men brethren, you are like to have a denial; the wise Virgins, they say they have it not to give; if any be so foolish and proud, as to think they have any to give you, and you so foolish as to believe them, alas you are but deluded; but the Lord Jesus will neither deny you, nor delude you, you shall have, if you come to him, buy wine and milk, yea this oil of grace, yea you shall have abundantly, he came that his people might have life abundantly; Eat and drink abundantly my friends, saith he there in the Canticles, and freely shall you have it without money, or moneys worth; be as poor as as you may be, it is all one, you shall have enough to enrich you, and no delusion, but a reality. O who would not then go to the fountain, rather then to a dry bottle, a broken cistern, wherein no water is! you shall have a denial from the Creature, but Christ never denied any that came in the sense of his wants, and waited upon him for supply; and so much for this.

Lest there be not enough for you and us; they might well doubt indeed, whether there would be enough for themselves and them, for even now their own Lamps had need of a supply; though the form of words seem to carry a doubtfulness in them, there might be enough, and there might not; yet I cannot believe, but the wise Virgins knew full well, and so they do know at this day, that there is not enough for them, and others; This is most suitable to the Analogy of Faith in other Scriptures.

The Doctrinal Note from thence, will be this; There are none have any surpl • sage of Grace, or more then will serve their own turn. They have none to spare, lest there be not enough for you and us; and that this is so, other Scriptures plainly speak; If the righteous scarcely be saved, saith the Apostle; the righteous, be he as eminent as he may in righteousness and holiness, yet he is scarcely saved, so as through many difficulties, many a hard pull he hath, when all is ready to fail him, but that God never fails him, else all were gone; His flesh and his heart fails him many times; Strive to enter in at the strait gate, saith our Savior, for many shall seek to enter, and shall not be able. Suppose that some men strive more then others, yet all will be little enough, they shall hard and sharp be saved; they have none to spare; he that gathered much had nothing over; saith the Text, concerning the Manna; though some are more industrious, painful Christians then others, yet they have nothing over: the very Angels in Heaven, that have such a fullness as no Creature on earth yet hath, yet they cannot spare a jot of their fullness, though they be so full; not a jot of their holiness; how much more we then?

First, Let a man begin never so young, to look towards heaven, as young Timothy, and young Sam. and yet they shall not have anymore then what is necessary for themselves to have; a man would think, he that beginneth so young, should in time grow to be exceeding rich in faith and good works, that if there were any works of supererogation, these should be the men; but yet we find not in Scripture any of them in so high a strain. 2. If a man be never so earnest, diligent and forward, zealous for God, though he serve the Lord instantly night and day, yet shall he have no grace to spare. David was a man of strong affections, as most Christians, and as warm they were toward God, as strong were his desires after him, and love to him, as will appear by his spiritual breathings, and was as much in following after God, and after grace; in so much that when he was debarred from the Tabernacle, and Ordinances, where he used to behold the goings of God, the way of God, his glorious power and grace; when shut out from these, how sadly doth he take on? you may see then by the stir and disquietness of his heart in the interruption, that he was strongly bent to follow after Christ, and yet at the close of all, had he any to spare? Yea, 3. Let a man continue so to the end, if it were possible, without any interruption in his growth, and yet he shall have no grace to spare; had the Apostle any to spare, who was a man labored as abundantly as any other? yea, more then they all, and yet he was nothing, and when all was done, he would be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness upon him, he had not yet attained the resurrection from the dead. But then,

2. For the opening of the Point, let us note this also; That though a Christian may have more gifts of Grace then may be sufficient for Salvation, yet he never hath more, especially saving grace, then is needful. I mean he hath none to spare; a man indeed haply might spare some of his gifts, but none of his Grace; though it is true, whatever Talents the Lord bestoweth to fit a man for his Condition, his place, he should be answerable to the Lord, and so they are necessary to the fruitful carrying on of his Calling or Condition, yet to heaven they are not so necessary; but all the Grace a man hath, is necessary for him, so necessary, as he can spare none: especially that Grace which is more particularly a man's own (if I may so call it) and that is, sincerity and uprightness of heart; others do partake with us in the sweet effects of the other Graces, of faith and love, &c. but the sincerity of all without the rest, are nothing: this is more especially our own, and who is there that could ever say, that he had so much uprightness of heart, that he could spare any of it? can a man spare any of his life? this is the life of Religion and Grace.

3. Another thing to make this out, will be this: The greatest Grace where it is given, usually hath the greatest corruption to wrestle with; a spring-tide of Grace, a spring-tide of Corruption: strong workings of the spirit, strong lustings, of the flesh, and strong temptations, such as many of us never knew what they meant: so that a Child of God indeed that is proved, knoweth that he hath little enough for himself, though it may be God hath given him more then to many others; where sin abounds, Grace abounds: may there not be temptations to exercise the strongest Faith? Some Goliath- lust, or another, which requireth all their faith, and humility, and patience, to encounter with it; we never turned God's treasuries of temptation, to know what he hath in store for poor souls.

4. Let a Child of God have never so much Grace here, yet he falls short of the resurrection of the dead; short of that pitch which he ought to aim at. Indeed if men could reach this fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ, and go beyond it, then there might be some thoughts of having somewhat to spare; but until then, we are always on the wanting hand, sure, always under emptiness. Now though some be so bold, as to plead for a perfection in our days, we see by a divine hand upon them, they are let loose to all manner of wickedness, and except that were the perfection, I understand not what perfection they are capable of.

5. When they have attained to the top and pitch, (brethren) yet alas, if God should enter into judgment with us, we should never be able to stand, as you have it; therefore the Apostle would be found in him, when he had done all; surely then brethren, if when all is done, there is such an imperfection, incompleatness, as to justification, and eternal life, that we must go out of all, deny all, as we have heard, then no man surely hath any grace to spare.

For the Application then, It is a reproving word to as many as are ready to think they have enough. The Papists tell us of works of supererogation, and I believe that piece of Popery may cleave to some of us faster then we are aware; but let us take heed of it; when we begin to be so full, as we think we run over, and could spare any of what we have, and we may therefore sit down and breath us. Believe it, this is the way to make the Cruse of oil give over running; as long as they had an empty vessel, the Cruse ran, but when all were full, it gave over; God will not in vain pour out this precious oil of his Spirit, to have it lost upon proud Creatures, and bury the Glory of his Grace in an unthankful, proud heart. That Ancient could say, and likely by experience, Si dixisti, sufficit, periisti; and may not many of us say so, did we ever get good by it? it is the ready way to go backward, to tumble to the bottom again, when we think we are got high enough, higher then this or that Christian; the Apostle saith, God resists the proud, but he gives Grace to the lowly. The Heathen could say, even Plato, that a proud man is void of God, without God, God is far from his thoughts, and he is far from the favor of God; and indeed so it is, God knoweth such a man afar off, at a distance, he shall have no close familiar communion with God. Well, the Lord reprove us, as many as are guilty in this kind.

2. It may serve then, to press with the Apostle forward toward the mark of the prize, &c. O how lazy are most Professors! who walk as if they never cared whether they reach perfection, or the fullness of the measure of the stature of Christ; as if we were unwilling to grow too like heaven, for fear we should be taken from this earth sooner then we are willing to depart. O what earthly, heavy, drowsy spirits have we! how slowly do we drive? What, is heaven nothing in our eye? the enjoyment of Jesus Christ nothing to us, that we make no more haste toward him? O then, as the Martyr said, haste after as fast as we can; Take heed of such a thought, you have been diligent long enough, you may now slack your pace, you are pretty well for one; believe it brethren, nothing will sooner quench the spirit then this: nothing will sooner damm up the fountain, and shut out the light; you can never have too much; It may be you have (through rich mercy) what carrieth you (in some measure) through your present condition, you know not what you shall meet with: believe it, before we die, we shall have exercise for every degree of our Grace, our Faith, our Love, we shall have nothing over. It may be with thy measure, which is less, thou mayest make a hard shift to get to heaven; but why should we not all press after a more abundant entrance into Glory, which will be much more for the Glory of his Grace, and much more for the comfort of our souls? Well then, place that behind you brethren, which we have attained; as Jehu in his furions march caused the Messengers, as he reached them, to turn behind him still, and so went on; let not our eying what Grace we have received, be any further then to thankfulness; take heed of poring on them to pride, for that is the way to decline; who knoweth how much one thought of pride doth cast us behind hand, if the Lord take the advantage, for he resisteth the proud above all others; cast them behind then, stay not, rest not until we come to the resurrection of the dead. And then,

In the last place, It may be an encouragement to some poor trembling hearts, who it may be, when they hear this word, are ready to lament themselves. If this be a truth, that they that have most grace, have none to spare; what a condition then are such as I in, who have so little? If they have occasion to use all, and little enough sometimes: What will become of me, who have so little, like a grain of Mustard-seed? If the Cedars of Lebanon have no strength over much, but are ready to be blowed up by the roots, all they can do is but to stand to the utmost: What shall such a bruised reed as I do in the contrary winds of temptation and corruption?

First then, do not judge amiss of thy condition, thou thinkest such a one is so & so eminent for grace, an Oke of Bashan, a Cedar; God judgeth not as man judgeth, thou mayst have more humility, and more love to Jesus Christ; there may be more sincerity & truth in the inward parts, in a poor creature, that hath little parts or gifts to make a glittering to dazzle the eyes of men; Herein lies the strength or weakness of the soul indeed; Look to this then, and gaze not so much upon glorious outward appearances.

2. Remember that thou are not accepted for the greatness of thy grace inherent. God doth not give his Spirit and such graces, in a greater and a smaller measure to some then to others, and then accept accordingily; he accepteth in Jesus Christ, and every poor believing soul doth enjoy whole Christ, his righteousness fully imputed to them: Therefore this is your acceptance, and herein you are alike, blessed be the Lord, that in this, which is the main thing, he maketh no difference between the strong and the weak, though one man may more strongly and clearly apply him, and have more of the comfort, yet thou mayst with a trembling hand, hold him as surely; or rather he will hold thee, if thou canst not hold him, for the embraces are mutual between Christ and a poor believing soul.

3. If thou have not so much as another, thou shalt not likely have so great trials, so great things to do with it, thou shalt not be tried above what he will enable to bear, and he will make a way to escape also. If his grace be sufficient for thee in all conditions, what matter is it? only press hard after more and more, whatever thou hast reached too; and at last thou shalt attain the end of thy hope, the salvation of thy soul, and in due time thou shalt reap, if thou faint not.

HEre is the third part of the answer of the wise Virgins to the foolish Virgins question: Which is not to be understood as a serious advice from the wise to the foolish, directing them to the ready course to procure oil to themselves; except we could understand by them that sell, Jesus Christ, or Father, Son and Spirit, who selleth, and would have us buy of him without money and without price, Isa. 55. 1. for the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, seemeth to be distinguished here from them that sold, according to the meaning of the wise and foolish Virgins here; but for that I shall leave it. If that may be the meaning of the wise Virgins, surely the foolish Virgins understood it not; for it appears not that they went to him to buy, but used some other impertinent endeavors; as they went to the wise Virgins before, and not to Christ. Here is little ground for Papists to bottom their Doctrine of perseverance to be attained by their own industry and pains; for always his price is not comprehended from being, if it be from God, from Jesus Christ; it is always excluded, Come buy without money, or without price, as before, except they purchase it of men. But we may understand these words, as many godly, learned do, for an upbraiding, a mocking, an Ironical consent, as there are many instances in Scripture; Rejoice O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee; but remember, that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment. And so that of Elijah, he is a God, cry aloud, he is either in a journey, or talking, or some such thing, that he cannot hear. And so Micaiah spake to Ahab, Go, and prosper, and the Lord shall deliver it into thy hand. And that of Jesus to his Disciples, sleep on now, take your rest, which is Ironical. So as when Ahab would be humoured, the Prophet speaks after his mind; if so, as it should seem, he might perceive he spake not as he meant, how long shall I adjure thee to speak nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord? So these foolish Virgins, they would have their grace from a creature, and the wise answered them according to their humor, and Ironically yield to them, to send them to others, though themselves had none to part with; Aug. Ep. 120. and Calv. so understood them; and so doth Beza and our Annot.

The Note I would briefly hint to you from hence is this;

That such as trifle away the day of grace, and are not serious in the work of getting grace, the time shall come when they shall have none to pity their misery.

If men may expect pity or compassion from any; it is either from the Lord, who is a God of bowels, and unspeakable, unsearchable compassions: Or else from the people of God, who as the children of God, do put on bowels of compassions, as the Apostle speaks, they are cloathod with bowels, so that their compassions are eminent, and to be seen by them that have to do with them; but yet the time may come brethren, if you now neglect so great salvation as is offered to you, held out by Jesus Christ himself the Son of God, speaking from heaven, not frō the earth, that you shall have no pity from the Lord; no nor from his people: from God, that is plain. I will but name it, because it may seem impertinent to the Text; yet if it serve to no other purpose, it may serve to show us, that the Saints, if they do not pity in some cases, where it is evident the day of grace is past, and men have wretchedly sinned it away, that they have the Lord for their pattern for it, therefore I mention it; Then shall they call, saith the Lord, and I will not answer, they shall cry, &c. I will mock when their fear cometh, and laugh at their calamity; Prov. 1. 26. It is spoken after the manner of men, and showeth the heavy aggravation of their misery, that the Lord shall be so far from pitying them, that he shall laugh at them. So in the 2. Psal. where the Anointed of God is lifted up upon Zion, there are some that will not be bound, will not have him to reign over them, count it a bondage, and a grievous one indeed, the Lord shall laugh at them, he shall have them in derision. But for the people of God, they expect it may be to be pitied in such a condition by them, but they may meet with nothing but a mock, though a holy one; and indeed there is need of much holiness, and in act too, to mock and not to sin; So here you see, and so the Prophet by a spirit of Prophesy, go and buy of them that sell. But lest this may seem to be ground enough to build it upon, because it is of doubtful interpretation. therefore take another Scripture, where he speaks of the Destruction of persecutors of the people of God, such as Doeg was, and there is the like reason for hypocrites, when discovered undeniably, and their Lamps gone out; as here, the righteous shall see it and fear, and laugh at him; when God should destroy him forever, and pluck him out of his dwelling place, and root him out of the Land of the living, then the righteous should see it, and laugh at him, have him in a holy derision; yet with an holy awe of that glorious and fearful God, who was so just in his judgments upon him.

And is it not just with God it should be so, When such hypocrites have in their hearts despised the longsuffering, and patience, and tenderness of the Lord waiting upon them; and made a mock and a jest, it may be, at the entreaties of God, at the earnestness of the Saints, and their pressing so hard forward, that now themselves in extremity should be mocked at by the people of God themselves?

This may be then in the first place, a warning-word to all such trifling professors, as all the while Jesus Christ stretcheth out his hands to them, even all the day long, they will not come to him, they will sit under the shadow of their own gourd, while it is green, and not under the shadow of Jesus Christ; they will sit by their own bottle, their own cistern, and not come to the Fountain which is opened for sins, for uncleanness. Remember Brethren, there will come a day upon you, wherein (to the cutting and wounding of your souls) you shall be sent to those empty things for comfort. Papists will not now be persuaded but there is enough for them in their Church-treasury, and lay out their money upon them; but when the Lord shall show them their treasure is empty, there is nothing in it, it will not reach to pay the uttermost farthing, no no • one farthing will it reach to pay, then will the Lord and his people send such poor deluded souls to their Merit-mongers, to their indulgences; Now go to your treasury of Merit, for some sucker and r • lief; now go to your dry bottles, see if there be any drop of water there to cool your tongues, your inflamed souls with the displeasure of the Lord. As the Lord in the day of his people's deistruction, sends them to their Idols which they doted upon; in a mocking way at their callings, I will save you no more, go to your Idols, your gods that have eaten the fat of your sacrifices, &c. You have made lies your refuge, now go and shelter yourselves under them; now go and see whether your gourds will shade you from the scorching of the everlasting burnings? O how this will grate and gall a guilty conscience, every such word will speak confusion and hell to the very heart of a sinner, and this is that you must expect. You that now cannot down with a searching powerful Ministry, can abide the shining, but not the burning of a John the Baptist, that will deal faithfully with you; but you must be daubed and bolstered up, you must have such as will speak peace, peace to you, right or wrong; the time will come when God shall show you that this hath been the ruin and undoing of your souls; and then in contempt and scorn you shall be sent to them, Go now to your Parasite-Preachers; when the consoience is all on a flame, and you see your Lamps are gone out, and the Bridegroom is ready to come, and there is but a step between you and hell▪ Ah the woeful condition of such a soul! then may the Lord and his people say, Now go to your daubers, now see if they can heal your breaches, see if they can bind you up, if they can cool you and quench you? you shall have it of God's hand to lie down in sorrow: and then see whether your daubers with untempered mortar, shall lull you asleep? O how grievous will this be from the Lord, when they shall have nothing but derision from him, and from his people! Now, the people of God will pity you, and pray for you, but the time may come, if you know not the things which belong to your peace in this your day, that they shall laugh at you, they shall in a mock, a holy scorn, send you to your false refuges for help; Go to them that buy, go to your flatterers, see if they can comfort you.

2. This then is a comfort to the people of God, that are now guided by the holy Spirit to go to Jesus Christ, to the Fountain indeed, to hang their souls upon him, replenish themselves still from his fullness, as it is in that first of John; because Brethren there will come a day of distinguishing between such as have made the Lord their hope, their strength, and such as have dallied and trifled; and as the one shall have a mock from God, and from his people; the Believer that hath been used to make the name of the Lord his refuge, he shall then find acceptance, find a free access, What time I am afraid, saith the Psalmist, I will trust in thee; dost thou not love to be flattered? wouldst thou have thy soul dealt faithfully with, and not gently, as is said concerning Absalom; happy art thou: when others shall be sent to their broken Cisterns, thou shalt be admitted to the Fountain, to the fullness of Jesus Christ, to which thou usually hadst recourse: as the wise Virgins here, they trimmed their Lamps, they got a new supply of oil; but the foolish are sent to them that sell, to their flatterers, their Mountebanks, their money-changers, to see what they can afford them.

In such a time as this, thou shalt come to the true Physician, to the high-treasurer of heaven, &c.

HEre it seemeth they had no more wit then to go to buy of them that sell.

How difficult is it to beat a man off his creature-confidence and refuges which he hath for his soul?

For these foolish Virgins here, they had kindled sparks of their own, and walked in the light of their own sparks a great while, and all that while it was an exceeding hard matter to persuade them to the contrary, but their penny was as good silver as other men's; to persuade a painted hypocrite, while his paint lasts, that he is but a Sepulcher, and full of rottenness, and no resting in that conditlon, is as hard, as to persuade a man that looks upon his money bags, he is a beggar. But now a man would have thought when this Lamp had gone out, and they saw their sparks of their own kindling would not endure to eternal life, that then they should have bethought themselves of a higher born flame, a higher principle that would endure to get that oil, and that fire from heaven that would aspire, and never rest until it reached heaven: my meaning is, that when they saw the profession and form which they could by their industry and parts work out of themselves, went out and failed them, they should have thought of going to a higher principle, but what do they do? they go to the creature you see, to the wise Virgins for oil, & there they have another repulse; they had none to spare for them: By this a man would have thought they might have taken a hint, that sure it is not to be had then from the creature, we must look higher; if any creature could furnish us, tht wise Virgins, the Saints indeed could furnish us; but we have knocked at their doors, and it is not to be had there. And do they now bethink themselves of going to Christ? no, not at all. Let it be considered yet further, that they had a very sharp blow, to rap their fingers off the creature, which a man would have thought should have made them afraid of ever laying hold upon an arm of flesh again, for this Irony, or holy mock of them, go to them that sell, if they understood it so, was a reproof as full of Vinegar as can be. As that of our Savior, sleep on, now, (saith he) take your rest; now they are at hand, let us go hence; they had little list to sleep after such a reproof as that: and yet we see these foolish Virgins are so stupid, that this mock of them, it beateth them not off at all, but to the Creature they go still, to try whether there be any oil to be had among them that sell; the flatterers and merit-mongers, they think not of going to Jesus Christ.

And whence doth this appear brethren? but first, From our corrupt nature, which hath departed from the Lord, and is now full of enmity to him, and is loath to return to him; so proud we are, that as long as we can find anything in ourselves, we will go no further; but when we see our own gourd is withered, our torrent is dried up, such is the enmity of our wretched hearts to God in the way of his Grace, that we would go any whither for succor rather then to God, to Christ; the Jews would not come to Christ, that they might have life; they might have it for coming for, but they would not, they would take any pains in their own works; men will rather put themselves to any penance, mortifyings and maceratings of the flesh, as the Papists some of them do; will be at any charge for their indulgences, from men, rather then they will go to Jesus Christ. Thus the Lord complains of his people, that they did wander from mountain to hill, expecting help here and there, but forgot God their resting place. The Raven would not return to the Ark, if she could get a place to rest anywhere upon the earth, though the Dove had no rest anywhere else but in the Ark. Ah what woeful natures have we brethren! so contrary to the God of love, and fullness of bowels and compassions; surely we can see nothing in him, wherefore we should be so averse, but the pride and rebellion of our own desperately wicked hearts; how should this exceedingly humble us!

2. Not only nature, but it should seem, they were accustomed to it also, and that increased the natural inclination to it; at first their sparks were of their own kindling, they would have fire out of their own flint, and oil from within: well, this failed you, so they went to the wise Virgins, and were habituated in it, it was a rooted evil, and well watered; and therefore no marvel, if at the very last, they thus go to them that sell, Can the Ethyopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? no more can ye that are accustomed to do evil, learn to do well; here is a first nature, and a second nature, nature upon nature, and what is harder to carnality then nature, while it remaineth unchanged? naturam expellas, &c. You may keep a Woolftame, and train him up like a Dog to follow you, but he will retain his woolfish nature still, and if he have occasion, will manifest it; where a Creature hath been used to betake itself for refuge, thither will it go in time of need, the Chicken to the wing, the Conies to the rocks, the Fox to her holes, and the Child of God to the rock; what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, as before; and poor Hypocrite to the Creature, this or that, somewhat in himself, or somewhat in some other, as you see: for this he is accustomed to, to go to his prayers, to the opinion of flattering persons, &c.

3. Another reason may be this, in Professors that have long rested in a formality, and now at last come to see their nakedness, God plucks off their plumes, letteth them see they are naked, and yet they go not to Christ, it may be, because he holds their eyes, hideth this wisdom from their eyes: alas, if the Lord show us not the path of life brethren, we can never find it out ourselves, we shall grope at noon-day, though we have never so much glorious light about us, and Christ be held out never so plainly to us: we shall grope and wander, and never have a heart to come to him, as it is said of the Israelites, God did not give you to this day, a heart to understand. O saith the Psalmist, Teach me thy way, and I will walk in thy truth. Now God and Christ, in a just displeasure against us in such a case, may hide himself from us, a • d will not be found: either we shall not have an heart to seek him at all, or else not an upright heart to seek him, and therefore though we seek him, he will not be found.

As this should teach us all to be humbled before the Lord for wickedness and averseness of our hearts to Christ, that we will not come to him, so long as we can get a drop out of our dry Bottle: we will not come to the Fountain, but wander up and down, and weary ourselves to seek rest anywhere then in Jesus Christ. Hast thou been a Prodigal, and hast thou known this by experience? hast thou shifted, and shuffled, and lick • thyself whole as often as thou couldst, and born it out by head and shoulders, the Convictions thou hast had sometimes, when thy Lamp hath been dying? O how should this teach thee now, if the Lord have, notwithstanding this, shown thee the path of life, shown thee the Fountain, the Olive, whence the oil is to be had indeed: this should teach us I say, to loath ourselves: Ah wretch, wretch that I am, that should carry such a heart toward Jesus Christ!

2. It may serve to advance and magnify the justice and mercy of the Lord: on Hypocrites justice and severity, that since they have loved to wander from Creature to Creature, and would never come to Jesus Christ. Now at the last, when they must come to close with him or never, he should be hidden from their eyes: Is not this a righteous, a severe hand? are they not paid in their own coin? the Lord grant we fall not any of us under this stroke of Divine justice, to be left and given up to a wandering heart, because we love to wander. O methinks, this severe hand of God upon them, lying upon them to the very last, should affright poor Formalists, that have nothing else but a few broad leaves to be their refuge: when these wither, what will you do? what must shadow you from everlasting burnings? you will say Jesus Christ; but do your hearts say so indeed? and why do you not now make sure to close with him? for if you wander thus up and down from Creature to Creature, who knoweth whether he may not make you examples of his displeasure, and suffer you, yea, give you up to wander, as those foolish Virgins, that you shall never be able to look after him, because he will never look after you again.

And then it serveth to magnify the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, that notwithstanding this be the natures all of us, and we practice accordingly, and have made many a poor shift likely to quiet a guilty, accusing, galled Conscience, sometimes with one, sometimes with another shift, sometimes with a duty, a prayer or tears; O if we could but weep for our sins, all would be well; this would make a calm, and we are at peace; sometimes the opinion of others, or sometimes our own opinion of holiness and ourselves, to which we have done all that we have done it may be. Well, that after all this, now the Lord Jesus after so long being slighted, and such forms, and duties, and fig-leaves, and any broken Cisterns, empty Bottles, and husky vanities, preferred before him, that yet he should manifest himself to such, to any of us, and give us that true oil of Grace in the heart, whereby the sinfulness and emptiness of all our former shifts have been discovered to us. O what shall we render to the Lord for his love! behold what manner of love is this, that will overcome all our slighting of him, that will not let us alone under our fading gourds, until he bring us under his own shadow, and never suffer us to wander up and down from him anymore; have our souls tasted of this his love? O bless him, magnify him, make your boast in God, let the humble hear thereof, and be glad, live his praises; what, can you do too much for him who hath thus loved you? but so much for this.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Here we have had the sad surprisal of these poor Creatures, that have their Grace to get, at the last they are taken, before they are ready for Christ; for alas, their Lamps ware out. Let men put off the coming of Christ as long as they will, and trifle away their day of Grace, though he tarry a while, yet he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Well, now he cometh.

But that is not all neither, he cometh upon them, not only while they are getting their Grace, but while they are seeking up and down to the creature for it, and never look at him at all; and this maketh it so much the sadder indeed, when Jesus Christ shall come to judgment, particular or general, to find men with their backs upon himself, and their faces upon their formalities and profession, upon their flattering false Teachers, that at a venture cry peace, peace, though there be no ground; will it not be sad brethren? The Lord help us everyone to look to it, for I intend not to stay upon this; either we are such as seek our oil of Jesus Christ, we live by faith in him; or else we seek to the Creature, we hang our hopes upon somewhat else; if so, whatever it be that relieveth us in the time of our trouble on this side Jesus Christ, this is the object of our whoredom; Now shall the Bridegroom find us in the very act of whoredom, playing the whore, in departing from him, and will this be peace or comfort to our souls? How will you lift up your faces before him? brethren, how can a Woman that pretends faithfulness to an Husband, if he take her in the very act, how can she hold up her head to him? O the confusion and amazement will be upon us, if Jesus Christ find us in the like Coudition! can you think how poor creatures will hang the head, and be filled with their shame, whether shall they cause their shame to pass from them?

O then brethren, If you have neglected the day of Grace, and while oil hath been offered you, and that upon easy terms, without money, and without price, and now you be convinced of your want of it, because you know not how soon it may come upon you. Let me beg of you, that whenever he cometh, he may not find you going up and down to buy of the Creature, but coming to him, waiting upon him, (as the Apostle did) that you may be found in him; hence the poor thief upon the Cross found mercy, though it were at the last. O take heed of deceit here, for everyone will say, that they have no other hope but in Jesus Christ, and him they wait upon all the day: O that it were so brethren; but I doubt he will find many of us going to buy, when he cometh, and not of him, but of them that sell; then they are running to their flattering parasitical Preachers, then they must have an absolution, a comfortable word, though they have lived never so wretchedly, as if a few comfortable words of a daubing Mountebank, would transform them from Devils incarnate, into Saints in a Moment, which is not much better (if anything) then the Priests mumbling over the bread and wine, to change it into the body and blood of Christ. Then when Christ is coming, the Bride-groom cometh; doth he not find many running then to a prayer, then to a Sacrament? if they can but have that, they think they are secure enough; poor ignorant creatures! what is this, but to go and buy of them that sell, instead of going to Jesus Christ? Well surely, as this will much concern him to find men so undervaluing him, who is a Savior to the utmost, to go any whether, rather then to him; so will it be confusion to your souls, if you be found in the very act; there will be no denying, no excusing of it; you will have nothing to say for yourselves; therefore let us be warned to take heed of this. But so much for this.

IN this Verse you have a twofold observation of the coming of the Bridegroom: His coming is, to make a full distinction and separation between the precious and the vile, the end is the differencing thing, Mark the perfect, &c. the end of that man is peace; hypocrites and real believers promiscuously go in and out in this Church Militant, this heaven upon earth; but now there shall be a difference put; to some the door of heaven is opened, and they enter, to others it is shut, it is clapt against them.

We will in the first place a little consider the first, they that were ready went in with him unto the Marriage. There are divers things Note-worthy in this little clause; I shall but briefly run over them. 1. Some then it seemeth are ready for entrance into glory. 2. Such as are ready do enter. 3. That they enter with Christ, with the Bridegroom. And 4. That this glory is set forth by a Marriage, or a Marriage-Feast, as the word elsewhere imports, of which afterwards.

I will wind up the two first into one Note or Doctrine.

That such as are ready when Christ cometh, do enter into glory.

This is sufficiently clear from the Text, the Parable setting forth the state of all the Saints as they shall be differenced from hypocrites at the day of their appearance before Christ, for it is the Kingdom of heaven is here compared to the Virgins, the Church visible, to the wise and foolish, the Church invisible to the wise Virgins, so I understand it. Now these wise Virgins, they were ready prepared for the entrance in to the Marriage, though the foolish were not; they that were ready, that is to say, all the wise Virgins, they entered in; so that this reacheth the condition of God's people in all times and ages, who are a part of this Kingdom; The Israelites, when God had proved and prepared them, by enuring them to the wilderness, to so many hardships, then they entered into Canaan. 〈◊〉 not before forty years; they wandered before they must enter, but when once prepared they enter. So the Apostle, when he had finished his course, and fought the good fight, then he was ready to enter, and he entered into glory; therefore it is, that it is said of the righteous, he is gathered like a Shock of corn in his due season: that is to say, when it is fully ripe and ready to the sickle; a wise husband-man will not reap the field while it is green and unready, no more will the Lord gather his Saints to him until they be prepared; they must hang in the Sun so long, and endure the nipping of cold and injuries of weather so long, until they be ready, and then they are gathered.

Two things I shall do before I come to the Application. First, a little inquire what is meant by this readiness; and herein indeed only put you in mind of what you have heard in a great part, while I have been upon this parable already, and all of it doubtless at other times you have heard again and again; but I would put you in remembrance, as is necessary; and then, 2. The arguments to confirm this point, and so to the Application.

First then, a man is ready, or this is a part of it, when he hath gotten this oil in his vessel, without this no readiness; though the foolish Virgins be awaked after their long profession and falling asleep; yet you see they are unready, and are all in a hurry, as people unready use to be; when the Bridegrom cometh, they are going to them that sell, that they might buy oil, therefore they were unready; my meaning is Brethren, until a man hath received from the Lord the spirit of holiness to dwell in him, to be a living Cruse of oil that never fails, to be a spring of grace in his soul, to water, and refresh, and supply him in all his conditions, a man is not ready to enter. Paul was a chosen Vessel, but though he: was a strict man, (I pray you mind it Brethren) I doubt stricter then most of us, the strictest sect of the Pharisees, and touching the Law blameless, at least in the Pharisees sense, in the outward observance of the Law, which is more then many can say. Well, now when the Lord meeteth him going to Damascus, If he had called for him out of the world, had he been ready for him? surely no▪ woeful had been his condition: there must then be a holiness, without which there is no seeing God. This is one thing then, he that hath the root of the matter in him, the seed of God in him, he is ready in part, so far he is prepared.

2. There must be also the brightness shining, the activity of the graces, they must be in act, or stirred up and bettered before we can be ready, for the wise Virgins were not ready, though they had oil in their vessels, because their Lamps were not trimmed, their oil grew low, must be supplied, therefore they go about that work in the first place; If Christ had come and given them no warning, but taken them sleeping, they had been all unready, therefore you shall find still in Scripture, the graces of the Saints smell sweetest, and be most lively usually toward their latter end: When was Paul, or David, or any of them more sweet? they must stand with their loins girded and Lamps burning, else they are not ready altogether.

3. There must be mortifying of corruption, a subduing of iniquity in a good part, in how great a measure is hard to say: It is true, at the first when we believe, sin hath its deadly wound, but it many times recovers in a great measure, and struggleth hard for life; it must have many a thrust, a blow by the sword of the Spirit, wielded by the hand of faith before it will die. When our Savior saw how lively that pride and ambition was in his Disciples, he telleth them, they must be converted, and become like little children, in respect of that emulation, before they could enter into the Kingdom of God. When sin had gotten such a hand over David, had he been fit to have died then, to have entered into glory then? though I believe it cast him not out of the state of grace, yet it laid him in a swoon, and prevailed much against him; now was he ready to enter while sin was so strong? surely no: We must first overcome, before we sit down with him in his Throne; we must fight the good fight, of which this is a great part; and how low the Lord will have our corruptions brought, and how much deadened he will have the root of sin, before he tumble down the walls of these Tabernacles of clay, we are not able to say.

4. A man is never ready until he can go out of all this, and the main thing with him is to be found in Jesus Christ, &c. This is indeed the first and last, upon the matter, of all, for Christ is all; we are ready then to go in to our heavenly Father, when we have our elder Brothers garments upon us, when we have put on Christ, which is for holiness, as you have heard, & for redemption from our sins, our vain conversations, our foolish and hurtful lusts. But withal, if we have him not on, and girded close to us for righteousness, we are not ready; if we have him on, but he sitteth loose upon us; therefore you shall find this was the main thing the Apostle Paul minded and strove after, that he might be found in Jesus, not having his own righteousness upon him, he speaks of the day of death and appearing before him, the resurrection, that he may be found then in Jesus. When we have done all, if we deny not all, we undo all again, this only will terminate the sight of the Father, he will see through all other coverings whatsoever; therefore the Apostle prayeth that One siphorus may find mercy in that day. It is mercy then that must stand us instead, even when we have done all. Remember this brethren as a fourth part of this readiness.

5. A finishing our work; so our Savior, I have finished my work, &c. Joh. 17. 4, 5. and thus Paul; I have finished my course, &c. 2 Tim. 4. 7. And thus David, Acts 13. 36. served his generation, &c.

Now these are the readinesses for an entrance. But we must know that some of the Saints have not only an entrance, but an entrance is ministered to them abundantly into glory, they go with a full sail, not only make a shift; though it is true, they have no oil to spare from themselves, for they can spare none of their abundant entrance, it is that wherein God is most glorified in them, and this they cannot part with, and themselves have greates comfort in. Now this is not common indeed to all Believers, I pray you mind that, lest any poor soul should be causelessly discouraged, because he findeth not that readiness for it, to which afterwards we shall speak.

First then, to this abundant entrance into glory, as a readiness or preparation, there is required, besides a faith in Jesus Christ for righteousness, holiness, redemption, a knowledge reflecting, whereby they know that it is thus with them; many a poor soul hath the salvation of God near him, and Jesus Christ in their arms, and knoweth it not, and is weeping after Christ when he stands by him, as he did Mary; and it may be, if they should now die, they would think themselves undone, the terrors of God are ready to cut them off, the fear of what would become of them; and yet they shall have an entrance into glory too, they would not miscarry, but they pass as through a narrow pinching wicket: But now a man that hath a persuasion, he hath an abundant entrance into glory; there must be then to this readiness, a making the calling and election sure, by adding faith to faith, and grace to grace, as it is in that place of the Apostle Peter. Then when Simeon had gotten Jesus Christ into this arms of his faith as well as of his body, and saw his salvation with the eye of faith, as well as of the body, then he crieth out, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. Now he was ready to enter into glory. And so the Apostle Paul had such a persuasion, and therefore he was ready, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of glory, &c.

2. There goeth many times, if not always, to this abundant entrance, as a readiness or preparation to it, an earnest waiting of the soul for its change, a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is far better: There is many a poor heart when the body of death weigheth them down, and trieth them, groan earnestly, and could be contented to die, that sin might die with them. As Sampson said, let me even die with the Philistines, if no other way will destroy their lusts. But alas, when they are to seek in point of assurance, they look upon death as a dark passage that leadeth them they cannot tell whither, this maketh them fly back, this kills those desires, nippeth them as soon as they put forth, they come to no maturity: But now when a man hath the right art of believing, notwithstanding his body of death he groans under, as the Apostle, that yet he is persuaded through Christ it is pardoned, and shall be utterly dissolved and not hinder him, then he can bless the Lord, and desires with Paul to be dissolved. So many of the Patriarchs it is said of them, they died full of days, satisfied with days; that is to say, they lived as long as they desired, they had now a desire to be at home, knowing that while they are present in the body, they are absent from the Lord, from that near, and sweet, and full Communion with him, whereof they have had a little taste and earnest, but if they know not that they shall be present with him by departure▪ but for ought they know, more separate from them, no marvel if they go to death with drawing back.

Yet I deny not, but a child of God may be ready before he desire 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 it; And may desire it before he be ready for this entrance. I say, a child of God may be ready before he desire it, as in the case before mentioned (and upon other grounds, as Hezekiah and David, that I may declare thy power to this generation) may be ready and not have such an assurance, but he is not ready for an abundant entrance, until the Lord come with a full sealing of his love to his heart.

2. He may desire it before he be ready, as in some passionate impatient fit, as Elijah, 1 King. 19. 4. weary of his life, the King persecuting him, and thinking he should fall by his hand, would have God take away his life from him, but he had not yet done his work. And so Job, God had not yet done with him, he must pass through more changes, and prosper and flourish again, and hold forth his name to that generation before he departed, he had not done his work. But I speak of the serious, settled, well-grounded frame of a Believers heart, upon a sound persuasion of the Love of God in Jesus Christ, and a knowledge that he hath finished his course, then for such a one to wait for his change, when the blessed hour will come, is a part of readiness for an entrance, an abundant entrance into glory. But this is not the portion of every child of God; many Suns set in a Cloud, &c.

For the second thing, which are the arguments of the point, they are such as these. First, because else God's work would be in vain, he hath prepared an inheritance for the Saints, a Kingdom prepared before the world was; and his work upon our hearts, what is it but to prepare us for this Kingdom? as the Apostle speaks, he that hath wrought us to this self-same thing, is God, he hath wrought us to it, there is no suitableness between heaven and an ungracious heart; a glorious Kingdom, and a vile filthy spirit; therefore the Lord takes much pains with us to purge us to himself, to purify us, to adorn us with the rich graces of his Spirit, and all is to work us to heaven, to salvation, to prepare us for this entrance, and therefore when God hath done this, shall his work be in vain? surely no: not a soul that is so wrought up by the Lord to a heavenly frame, and temper, and nature, that shall miss of an entrance, when it is thus prepared, else God's work were in vain, the greatest work of God.

2. Because else the Lord Jesus would fail of his purchase and prayer for his poople, who did buy us at so dear a rate as his own most precious blood; was it think you, to suffer us forever to be at such distances from him, whom he so dearly loved? did his love to us draw him out of heaven to us, and will it not (think you) draw us to heaven to him? he will not have his Spouse that he hath redeemed with his blood, to be absent from him any longer then is needful for his Fathers glory and their good. It is a fruit of his death and of his prayer, Father I will, that where I am, there they may be, for they are the fullness of Christ, and he accounteth himself, as I may say, imperfect without them: and therefore he will have them there. Indeed Brethren, so dear is the heart of Jesus Christ to his people, that he would not suffer so long an absence, at so great a distance from them, but that there is a necessity in it; though at his first pitching his love upon us, he looks at nothing, but notwithstanding all blackness, and deformity, and loathsomeness, his love overcometh all: Yet before they come to this Communion and fellowship with him, they must be purified with spices and odors, as those were for the King of Assyria, and for other holy ends.

3. Because else the promise of God, and hope of the Saints would fail, and heaven and earth shall sooner fail, then the word of promise. Christ hath promised not only to give life, but eternal life; God hath promised to give not only grace but glory; there is a Crown laid up in the purpose and promise of God, and if they should miss of this, they would be made ashamed of their hope; now this cannot be, the Psalmist prayeth, that he might not be ashamed of his hope, which is virtually a promise, it shall not be; never any yet were disappointed that hoped upon right grounds▪ Indeed if men make Promises to themselves of heaven, let them live after the imaginations of their hearts; or whether they truly believe or no, their own promises may fail, but God's promises never fail, nor a lively hope founded upon them.

4. That the poor, weary, tossed, afflicted people of God may have rest in the bosom of the Father and the Son, and holy Spirit, there remaineth a rest to the people of God, they have not their rest here, expect it not; but either from within, or without, or both, we have our troubles; the world casteth them out as the off-scouring of all things, they are the despised, hated, mocked people; the song of the drunkard, the laughing-stock of the world, and therefore because they cast them out, the Lord will receive them. If we have not persecution without, we shall have our exercises, what between corruption and temptation, and sometimes the terrors of God, and sense of his wrath, sometimes breaking bones, hiding his face from us; there is no rest until we come to enter with him; now we lie among the pots, but then we shall indeed be made glorious, like the wings of a Dove in sulness. Now this is agreeable not only to the truth, but the goodness, tenderness, bowels of the Lord to his people, that his poor afflicted People should rest with himself, when he hath by these filings, and scourings, and siftings, and turnings up and down made them meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light. So much for the Arguments.

For the Application of this, that they that are ready do enter into Glory. First, it serveth to show the blessed condition that the diligent, lively, prepared soul is in; heaven Gate is ready to receive such a soul: the bosom of Abraham, of Christ opened ready to receive him, he shall enter; they have this privilege, that many that profess Jesus Christ have not; many shall seek to enter, but shall not be able, that strive not, as he doth: Blessed is that servant (saith our Savior) that his master shall find watching, shall find ready for his coming: why he will not leave any such soul behind, they shall all enter into glory: how blessed a condition this is, may appear by many considerations more.

2. Such a soul as this cannot be surprised, so far as he is ready, he is never surprised: surprizals are terrible: if Jesus Christ had come without any warning upon the wi • e Virgins while sleeping, it had been terrible to them, though they might have entered with him also; but if we be ready, that day will not take us at unawares: indeed if a child of God be once ready, he cannot be altogether surprised more, though in part he may, if he carry it not the better; he will be still habitually ready, if not actually; so the foolish Virgins were not. They still have the root of the matter, though it may be under ground, and hid from their eyes, and is not this a blessed thing? as often as you think of the coming of Christ, to think, now let my Savior come when he pleaseth; I am through rich grace ready for him. A servant, when his work is done, a Spouse, when her ornaments are put on, and the house trimmed, and all ready for her Bridegroom, now come when he will, I am ready for him; before the thoughts of his coming are troublesome and painful, now they are pleasant and delightful.

3. When death comes, how shall they lift up their heads with comfort, because their Redemption draweth near; O how will they be able to welcome death, welcome Jesus Christ, welcome the kingdom of heaven! it is their entrance into a kingdom, though it be bitter indeed, and terrible to the wicked, and though there be some reluctancy in nature against death, and a Paul would rather be clothed upon, then dissolved; and since it is the birth of sin that brought it into the world, no marvel if Grace itself have no delight in it, yet considering that it is an entrance (though narrow and pinching) into Heaven, into Glory: the Saints that are ready for it, they can bid it welcome. As a poor, weary, tossed Mariner can bid his Port welcome, though there may be some fear of Rocks, or the like in his landing.

4. Are they not blessed souls that shall enter, that now all their distances between them and Jesus Christ shall be done away? now he whom your souls loved and longed for, yea, your souls have many times broken within you, for the longing for him, now he cometh to take you to himself, that you may be with him, near him, always in his bosom. Is not this a blessed Condition? what tends all your striving, and running, and fighting, your wrestling, praying, and weeping to, but this? now the end of your hope, the salvation of your souls cometh upon you: blessed, yea forever blessed is such a soul: if Christ and heaven, the Father, Son, and Spirit enjoyed in an unspeakable bosom-communion, will not speak a man blessed, nothing will: but thus much for this first.

2. Then methinks brethren now we should be putting the question to our own hearts now, whether we be ready or no? O here is blessedness indeed! you cannot but judge that man or woman (though a man of sorrow while in the world) haply through temptations, and a heavy body of death, yet that shall enter in Glory when all is done; sure you cannot but judge this man a blessed man, that is ready for it, for he, and he only shall enter. And can it be but you should reflect now, and inquire of the Lord, and of your own hearts? Lord, am I ready for this coming of Jesus Christ, or am I not? for one of the two I am; Dear friends, I shall not use anymore arguments to you, but these two or three considerations.

1. How uncertain this coming of Christ to you, to call for you, is? do you know when he will appear? do you know brethren, whether you shall be warned again, called upon again to prepare for his coming? this may be the Cry, it may be the Cry is past with many of you already: is it not high time to awake, to look about you, to consider whether you be ready or no?

2. To consider, That there will be then no time given to prepare. If you be ready, well and good, you enter; if not, you are shut out, as afterward we shall speak. O then, how can we satisfy ourselves, and quiet our Consciences with an ignorance, how it is with us? It is high time surely brethren, to inquire.

3. Except we do inquire, we are not likely to take a course to make ready: he that thinketh he is ready, or careth not whether he be ready or no, if he be unready; now he is like to be unready, for such a man will not set about the work. O that the Lord would therefore persuade you this day to consider with yourselves, are you ready, or are you not?

4. There is very great need of this enquiry, because alas, many are ready, and think they are unready, and then cannot have the comfort of their Condition, except they come to see to it in some measure. 2. Others are ready, and know it, but are not so thankful for it, have not the sweetness of their condition so fresh upon their spirits, because they do not oftentimes review their condition. 3. There are many that are unready, and think themselves ready: and O how is it likely it should be better with them, until they come to know how the case stands with them? will any go to buy Gold that they might be rich, or white Rayment that they might be clothed, until they see they are poor and naked? surely no. 4. Others are unready, and though their hearts misgive them they are unready, yet they care not much for it; or else, they know not how it is with them, and they are contented to be ignorant. Now except the Lord persuade us all brethren, to look into our state, it is never like to be better with us: such as we are, such shall we be found at the appearing of Christ, yea, every day farther and farther off.

Therefore shall I beg of you brethren, that you would consider it, set some time apart, it is the weightiest business you have to do in the world; you will have a time for all other necessary things, your eating, drinking, managing your civil affairs; and is the soul-concernment the least, that you should so slight it? Well then, will you this day retire yourselves, deal effectually with your hearts? what if this night you should be taken away, or you should never see Sabbath more, are you ready for the coming of Jesus Christ? I doubt our hearts would answer no; alas, our work is to do: alas, how many poor souls that have not a week, a month haply to live, yet have not one dram of Grace! O put that question, have you this oil? have you the Spirit of Grace and Supplication given to you? have you Christ dwelling in you, and transforming and changing you into his image from Glory to Glory? Ah dear friends, what mean our loathsome conversations then? what mean the vileness of our hearts, the fullness, and rottenness, and sin that is there? are you mortified in any good measure, or no? It may be you have forsaken the pollutions of the world, but is the heart of sin killed, hath it its deaths wound, out of which continually the life and spirits of sin are emptying, are you weary of it? do you loath it, and yourselves for its vileness? O do not deceive yourselves.

Again, Are your Graces lively? It may be thou hast a spark, but it is buried in the ashes. Indeed I doubt brethren, these times of prosperity to the Church, bury more Christians alive, then any days that ever we saw: why now, are we ready? are our Lamps burning, our loins girded? O how active, and stirring, and lively are the Graces of the Spirit in some, over they are in others! you are so far unready for the coming of Jesus Christ, and so far it will be uncomfortable to you; besides, do ye live by faith above all this for righteousness, else we are not ready? Is this the top of all, that we might be found in him? (saith the Apostle) search and see, take heed, you have to do with desperately wicked and deceitful hearts.

Again, Are we ready for the abundant entrance? how few of us have this persuasion? our calling and election is not made sure; we do not know what would become of us, if God should call for us: how can his coming be comfortable to us? we are so far from waiting for his coming, that every thought of it goeth cold to our hearts; that which should most warm us, refresh us. O brethren, let me beg of you for Jesus sake, no longer to slight this great and necessary work; give your hearts no rest, until you see whether you be ready or no. Suppose you shall find yourselves unready, it is better to know it in time, then when it is too late: now there is hope, if you be not ready, you may obtain mercy: you may make the more haste to get ready, that that day may be a blessed, a comfortable day to your souls.

3. Then brethren, If we be not ready for his appearing, shall I beg of you brethren, for Jesus sake, and for your poor souls sake, that you would now resolve whatever business be done, you would not leave this at six and sevens. It is the one thing necessary you have to do: nothing will yield you a dram of comfort, nor arm your hearts against the fears of death, but this; nothing will give you entrance into Glory, but this. Indeed if riches would be an entrance, or he that keeps the doors, and openeth, and no man shutteth, could be bribed with the multitude of gold, it were somewhat for men to heap it up as the dust, and raiment as the clay; if men were admitted according to their glorious apparel, or if the riches of the head, and treasuries of human knowledge would do it, Scholars might do well to spend all their time in searching after that, and none, or little or none to make ready for the appearing of Jesus Christ: but surely brethren, surely you will find, nothing will find an entrance, but readiness for his coming. The Lord give you believing hearts this day: how unwearied are men for other things which are trifles, and will not profit, and not one hour in an hundred spent seriously with their own souls? And though some men have more time then others, yet surely brethren, he that is most busy, must find time for this great work, or misearry. O therefore labor, press hard after it, use all means possible, you must take pains brethren; such unready hearts as we have, will not be had in readiness without much and constant pains-taking: As a Garden that is quickly overgrown with weeds, it must be taken pains with again and again; so here, &c. And so in keeping an house clean and ready, there must be pains taken with it. Ah brethren, except your souls follow hard after Christ, you will never find him to your comfort. The Lord touch your hearts, and then you shall find him.

Again, you will say, Why I hope I am ready; Well then labor to maintain this readiness. Alas, how soon is the sweetest frame lost? think not, I have now done the main work, therefore you may take more liberty then other men, now you may indulge yourselves, take more ease, more liberty about the world, then other men. Alas brethren, how soon will the world, and cares of it overcharge you? how hard a thing is it to buy, as if you possessed not, to use it, as if you used it not? and if you be overcharged with the cares of the world, this day will overtake you at unawares. Yea, I tell you brethren, if that day take you at unawares, as I doubt, if it should come at any day upon us, it would take many of us when we are overcharged: O ease yourselves of some of your burden, have no more to do then will give you leave to maintain your communion with God, and make sure of the main thing, to get your souls ready, and keep them ready for the appearing of Jesus Christ: O that we would be persuaded to this end, to have every day some converse with this his coming, and to labor to work the thought of it upon our hearts, that accordingly we may be affected with it, as we find ourselves ready or unready, and so be carried out to make provision for it.

And how should we willingly submit to any dealings of God with us, that tend to make us ready. Therefore the Apostle would have them count it all joy, when they fell into many temptations or trials; this is the knocking of the torch, this is the snuffers which must take off the wick of our Lamps, and so trim them up; we shall find one day, we have more cause to be thankful for our afflictions, if sanctified, then for the contrary dispensation: I do verily think there is nothing here below helpeth us forward more. And labor to see all working together for this great end, that we may be found ready at the appearing of the Lord Jesus. And labor for a readiness, for an abundant entrance into Glory. As the Apostle exhorts them.

And though at present thou canst not find thou art ready, be not discouraged, for thou mayst be ready in a good part, and for the main, and yet not know that thou art ready: only stick not here, let not fear so overcharge thee, as to hinder thee, and weaken thy hands, but make it thy work with thy whole might, to make ready for his coming, pray hard, study thy heart much, stir up thy soul, and the graces that are there; though much corruption do appear, & the ashes fly about their ears in this searching, yet search and try, and yet not so much blow the little spark as to blow it out, but labor to cherish it, increase it; O Lord increase our faith; then corruption will down, then communion with Christ will rise higher and higher, for it is with us indeed according to our faith; therefore whatever we do, take heed of what weakens our faith, of discouraging, desponding thoughts, study promises, the necessity of God in Christ: O the unsearchable treasures of comfort that are in every promise, in every letter of his Name! Labor to live by faith brethren, and as that groweth, all the rest will come on; and thou wilt come at last to be sensible that thou dost believe, to feel it, and know it, and then thy readiness for Christ will be more then ordinary, and thy entrance abundant into this Glory.

The next thing we are to consider in this coming of Christ, is, that they went in with him to the marriage, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The note will be this.

That such as are ready for the coming of Jesus Christ, they go in with him to the Marriage with the Bridegroom.

Here is to be noted then. 1. The Marriage; and 2. The going in with Christ the Bridegroom to the Marriage: and some what said for the opening of them. And then we shall confirm the Doctrine, and apply it.

First, The Marriage here, what is meant by that? Here then by Marriage, we may understand a Marriage-feast, the consummation of the Marriage, and the Marriage-feast, made in token of joy: nothing was more ordinary then this, at Marriages to make feasts. As in the example of Sampson, at his Marriage they made a feast. And so Laban made a feast of seven days long for the Marriage of his daughter, fulfill her week, and then I will give thee the other also. And so again in Cana of Galilee, you see they were at a Marriage-feast. So now at the Marriage of the Lamb; of the Lord Jesus, there is a feast, a Marriage-feast: Yea, but you will say, this is not ground enough to understand here by the Marriage, a Marriage-feast, for they are distinct things: It is true, they are distinct, but yet in ordinary practice they were not separated one from another, but went so together, that usually in Greek and Latin, the Feast is comprehended under the word for Marriage, if not principally signified in many places. So in that of Laban, he made a Feast, saith the seventy Interpreters, he made a Marriage. So there was a Marriage in Cana of Galilee, (that is to say) a Marriage-feast was made there. And so it seems the Syriach renders it usually in the New Testament by a Feast; as Grotius upon this place, and Matthew in the beginning noteth. Therefore here by Marriage, we will understand a Marriage-feast; So Esther 1. 3. The King made a Marriage-feast.

Now the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Feast, both the kingdom of Grace, and the kingdom of Glory. The kingdom of Grace is a Feast, and a rich Feast, full of royal dainties, as you may find by several Scriptures; In that of Matthew, The Kingdom of Heaven shall be compared to a certain King, who made a Marriage for his Son, which the Syriach well terms a Marriage-feast or Banquet, which Matthew calls a Dinner, and Luke calls a Supper; and indeed it is both, for the Father, Son, and Spirit do come in, and dine and sup with us; they do continually eat bread at his Table, as Mephibosheth did at David's Table, 2 Sam. 9. 7. So it is clear, Behold I make a Feast of fat things, of wine on the Lees, a Feast to all Nations; what is that, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Ordinances thereof, and Christ held forth in them to be a Feast to everyone that will come to him, as the carcass is to the Eagles; as the Lord sometimes in Scripture invites the fowls of heaven to a Feast he maketh for them, (that is to say) to the dead carcasses of his enemies; but here, to the carcass of his Son, who is slain for Sinners, a crucified Christ is the carcass, he is the fatted Calf indeed, he is the kidneys of the wheat, the fat, the finest of it: his flesh is meat indeed, and drink indeed. Now this must be spiritually understood, not carnally; the Kingdom of Heaven is not in meat and drink, much less in eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Christ, carnally, as the Papists say, but spiritually: It is joy, peace, and righteousness, joy in the holy Ghost, here is the Feast. If here below we must know that this Feast may be looked upon, either according to the externals, or else the internals of it; and yet in both respects spiritual; The Jews that fell in the wilderness, did all eat the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual drink and yet they fell in the wilderness. The ordinances, the word, the sealing ordinances, baptism and the Lord's supper, sitting at the Lord's Table, these are the externals of the Feast, that many Carrion-Crow may come to. And you see there in the Gospel, He that had no wedding garment upon him, yet came to the Feast; Sure he went no further then the externals, you see he is cast out into utter darkness.

Now this may be called the Marriage, or the Feast, because here below they are necessary for us as signs of that spiritual communion; the Lord seeth it good we have these royal dainties thus represented to us by visible, sensible things, because of our weakness; and to magnify his own condescending Grace to us, to make that mystery of salvation by a crucified Christ, which all the reason in the world cannot fathom; and that which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, yet in a sort visible to the eye, and to be perceived by the ear, that we might even in this sacramental sense even touch, and taste, and handle (as I may say) the word of life.

2. As they are seals and pledges of this spiritual communion, being seals of the Covenant of Grace whereof Jesus Christ is the sum and substance, it sealeth it up to a believers Faith, and so stands us in great stead: And,

3. It is a means of our spiritual communion, the Conduitpipe that runs wine, the dishes that hold the dainties, though but gold, as Kings and Princes use to be served up in such State, yet it is not them we feed upon, they are but the means, the vehicula, and therefore because they have such a respect to our spiritual communion with Jesus Christ, they may be so called.

But secondly, the internal communion with Jesus Christ is that indeed which is the Feast, the Marriage-feast, even here below, to eat and drink the flesh and blood of the Son of God, which giveth life, and maintains life; this is the Feast, Eat and drink, yea drink abundantly, saith the Lord; I shall be satisfied abundantly with the goodness of thy house; abundantly satisfied, watered, inebriated with the fatness of thy house: what is that? not merely with the Ordinances, no; but with Christin them, beholding his might and glory in the Ordinances, the mighty prevailing of the Spirit of Christ against our unbelief, to quiet all our doubtings, O it is this, to see the good of the chosen of the Lord; those choice inward refreshings which the poor believers have from the presence and powerful workings of Christ in them, to the joy of faith, and to strengthen against corruption, to strengthen for action, for suffering his will, this is that they cry out after, even after the living God, to enjoy him. And all this is but the Kingdom of God below, this is but the first course, as I may say, of this feast.

For secondly, The Kingdom of glory as well as the Kingdom of grace; which is that now I am to speak to; this is a feast, a Marriage here called, that is to say, a Marriage-feast; for what is the Kingdom of grace here below, but a foretaste of heaven? as Grotius upon Matth. 22. saith. As in the Marriage-feast at Cana of Galilee, contrary to the usual manner, our Savior kept his best wine last; so it is here, as by and by we shall see here the wine, the spirits indeed. But a little to prove this by a Scripture or two, that it may appear plain, ye that have continued with me in my temptation, I appoint to you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table, in my Kingdom: So many shall come from the East, and from the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven; sit down, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , their table gesture, Joh. 12. 2. they that sit at the Table are Guests: But now eating and drinking in Scripture many times do signify a feasting; and so it is here to be taken: and let it be noted by way of further proof, that the Jews did not ordinarily drink wine, except at their feasts, and then they did drink abundantly, if the observation of some be true, as Piscator in his Schol. upon Math. 26. 29. cited by Mr. Brinsly; but whether so or no, sure we are, they did use to drink more liberally then, eat the fat and drink the sweet, when it was a good day or a merry day to them; for his heart was merry, his heart was good; and the sadness of the heart was called the evil of the heart in the Hebrew often; insomuch that the ordinary word in the Hebrew for a feast, is a drinking, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . So in Ahasuerus his feast is called, and Laban's feast is called a drinking; and it appears by the abundance of wine our Savior made at the Marriage-feast at Cana of Galilee. Therefore you shall find that the feast which Christ maketh is a feast of wines on the Lees well refined; come and buy wine and milk without money, and without price. And so for this Kingdom of heaven, this Marriage-feast at the height, is called a drinking of new wine with them in the Kindgom of the Father, that is to say, the Kingdom of glory, called his Fathers Kingdom; because at that day, that is to say, at the day of the resurrection, he will give up his dispensatory Kingdom to his Father, that God may be all in all: And for other reasons, but I must not stay upon that. Well, here he will drink new wine with them, which is nothing else but a periphrasis of this feast, this Marriage-feast in heaven. The cup of blessing, the cup of consolation, the cup of health or salvation is the feast of Christ here below: but this now must be drunk new in the Kingdom of his Father; there will be a new feast of wine, a feast of new wine. And so much for the proof of this.

Now we must understand Brethren, that this feast in heaven is not any corporal thing, I hope it is needless to tell any of you this; the heathens dream of an Elysian- field, and the Mohammedans of their carnal delights after death, those are poor husks, that will not satisfy a soul of a child of God here, they are sordid and infinitely below a heaven-born spirit; no, it must be somewhat of as high a nature as the spring from whence they come. Why you may judge what it is in the General Brethren, though particularly we know not what we shall be: What is the Kingdom of heaven here below, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy-Ghost, the sweet and spiritual communion with Jesus Christ, the fellowship of his death and sufferings, life and resurrection, whereby we are in part changed into his Image? that a man liveth upon will change him ordinarily, therefore the King, you know, would have the children in Dan. fed with a portion of his meat; generousspirited wine, will beget more and better spirits then course and cold, &c. So here, by this communion we are changed in part, though alas, in how little a part. But now in heaven Brethren, the same communion heightened, it shall be so powerful, as that we shall be like him indeed; then shall we be like him, this we know, saith the Apostle.

I will instance in a few things Brethren: Then will there be the love of Christ manifested to us. It may be thou hast had thy heart touched with him, and thou knowest not what aileth thee, poor soul, but follow him thou must, thou canst not give him over, thou art sick of love for him; but thou hast scarce ever had a good look from him, little of his love, or as thou thinkest, none. Now Brethren, will it be the Love of God in Jesus Christ to us, that will be the feast indeed, O thy love is better then wine; it is better, it is spirits, it is life, it is that which giveth life, and keepeth life, and fetcheth life again when it is even going; this then is the feast, the love of God in Jesus Christ to thy poor silly soul, that thou lookest upon as neglected by God, and neglected by men, no man careth for thy soul. Believe it Brethren, you that follow Christ thus, you shall have a time of making out his love to you, and this will be the feast, the Love of God will answer all the dainties that can be devised, a complete feast, it is virtually all. Even among men you see, Love will turn a dinner of herbs into a feast; O how much more then where Love itself is the filling of every dish!

2. The souls joy in this love, not to speak of the souls returns of love again, and praises, hallelujahs to eternity, which are the fruits; but the joy in this Love, it consists here in joy, in that place to the Romans; can it chose but be joy to a poor soul think you, to see the heart of the Father. opened to us in Jesus Christ, his bowels of Love all shed abroad upon us? therefore the Kingdom of heaven is so expressed by joy, enter thou into thy Masters joy, or the joy of the Lord. But to speak a little to soul-heightening considerations of this feast in those particulars, that we might get our hearts in love with heaven, with this feast.

First consider, It is now Brethren to be more immediate, then here below, it is new wine, the most excellent in its kind, that is reserved until the last; the excellency of this feast of wine in heaven will appear by this among other considerations: That the Communion shall be more immediate, Dulcius ex ipsofonte, waters are most sweet out of the Fountain immediately; now God shall be all in all when the Kingdom is given up to him, he shall be instead of all Ordinances; Now indeed the Conduits run wine, and we may drink, and that freely, but yet it is not so immediately, we are indeed not fit for such a condition; we must make use of them until he come again, use these shadows and types; So that the communion is not so immediate 〈…〉 N 〈…〉 e see him not as he is, but then we shall, saith the Apostle 〈…〉 more through a glass darkly, and sullyed glass by our polluted breath our corrupted hearts do sully Ordinances, else we should see him much more brightly then we do; but there shall be no more need, but face to face. If the beauty of Christ his love do take us so, when we have but dark hints of it, as a face in a dim glass: O what will it be when we shall see him as he is? we shall not need the pipes anymore, but even go to the Fountain, the Rivers, the Seas of Love.

2. More sincerely, it is now altogether without mixture: Alas Brethren, we now eat the Lord Jesus our Pass-over, and feed upon his love, but all the while it is with sour herbs, there is a mixture of grief when we look upon our crucified Savior. Crucified by us and for us, and so his love is better then wine now to us; but alas, there is some gall or Vinegar mixed with it; some sin, some temptation, some affliction without, that weakens the comfort the soul might take in the love of Jesus Christ. But in heaven there shall be none Brethren, no mixture at all, here the Lord giveth us a cup of trembling to drink, a cup of mixture: that is to say, ready prepared wine, and his people drink round of it usually, and he seeth it necessary; there must be some Acrimony, some salt to keep us from corrupting, before we come to our glorified state, and so be able to bear that his love without any mixture at all of the contrary; No anger, the meat sweet, the sauce sweet, the wine sweet, the bread sweet.

3. More fully, infinitely more fully; if I may so speak of that which a finite, though a glorified creature is capable to receive: Now we have a drop or two Brethren, but then our fullness, then the narrow-mouthed vials shall be enlarged to receive more fully, and to express more fully to Jesus Christ again in his high and everlasting praises. What is that which cometh through the Conduit to the Fountain? the Sea itself. Ah Brethren, here we are at a loss, we do not know what the Lord hath to pour out upon us, the fullness of his Love in Jesus Christ, so as that we shall be swallowed up. It is so much here, that the Apostle admireth it, behold what manner of love is this, that we, poor worms, should be called the sons of God? then they shall admire much more; but alas, the measure doth not appear, it cannot enter into the heart of man, it is too narrow, and the love too great, it cannot enter into his heart to conceive: Some of the Saints have had so much of love manifested, and joy in that love, that they have been fain to beg of God to hold his hand, they could hold no more; and so great, as to quench the flames, that they could not hurt nor pain them, they could feel nothing; O sure this was a flood, that could put out such flaming torments. But yet this is nothing, it appears not what we should be, at thy right hand there is fullness of joy; and so much, as that the Saints are said to enter into it, it cannot enter into them, they are swallowed up; O this will be a full feast indeed; here there will be an abundant drinking. And it must needs be so, Brethren, if we consider;

1. What it is that maketh this feast; or first, that it is a feast; it is not an ordinary meal: Now you know men at a feast do more liberally provide for their friends here below, it is a feast indeed, but nothing to this.

2. Who provideth this feast; it is not a poor man's feast, but the feast of a King; such a feast you see Ahasuerus made for his Princes; now a King will make a feast like a King; Princes have their names from liberality and free, with a free spirit, thy Princely spirit, all those as a King did Arauna give to the King, liberally, freely; it was a great gift freely given. So here, it is a King that maketh this feast; Kings usually have larger, more noble spirits, as they have larger purses, and therefore at their feasts they use to show the Magnificence, and glory of their Kingdom. And so doth God here Brethren; A King, yea the King of heaven, the King of glory, the King of Kings, and King of Saints, he will show the glory of his Kingdom, and his magnificence, the excellency of his greatness in making this feast; therefore surely there must needs be fullness of love and joy.

3. It is a feast, not an ordinary, but a Marriage-feast, and such used to be more then ordinary also, being a time of greatest rejoicing; you see the Marriage feast at which Christ was, what an abundance of wine there was turned from water by our Savior; if you compute it, it will appear some 300. gallons full; six water-pots, holding three measures a piece or two, and each measure an hundred pints; very great store indeed.

4. It is a feast, a Marriage-feast, not only for a servant or friend being married, but for a Son, the only Son, a Son and heir of all, a beloved Son, most dearly beloved; all these surely will exceedingly heighten the considerations of the fullness of the feast brethren, the fullness of that love which shall there be manifested, and of the Believers joy in that love; these things are heightened to us in that place of Matthew: Indeed the very feast here in the Gospel is heightened by these considerations; but much more then this. Yea,

5. Consider yet further, It is a Marriage-feast, for which preparation hath been making from eternity, God hath been providing for it, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the world; in these things he would have us surely to understand the decree and purpose of such a thing: And withal, we may note the greatness and magnificence of the feast. You know men if they would royally entertain a Prince, they make provision long before, and as long as they can, to get all about them, the rarities that the earth or Sea affords, specially if a King be the provider. O Brethren, the Lord hath been laying in, as I may say, this wine, preparing it for us from eternity: therefore surely it will appear in an unspeakable fullness.

Lastly, It will be more constantly, without interruption; and lastingly, without any end: No interruption at all; here we have our vicissitudes, now we have a sweet cup, a draught, a full draught, a flagon, it may be to stay us when we are sick of love; by and by we have nothing but our wormwood and our gall to chew upon; now we can behold him, have a glorious view of him, and our hearts ravished with it; by and by he is upon the Cross nailed by our sins, and we cannot but look upon him with a mourning eye. But there, Brethren, shall be no interruption, nothing but eating and drinking this Love of God in Jesus Christ. All his thoughts will be love to us, and all our thoughts love and joy: no room for one sigh, for one tear of sorrow, for one groan anymore: and then, it is not for a term, and then to end, but it is forever, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

For the time when, and the place where this shall be; It will be at that day in the Kingdom of the Father: It will begin at the souls going to the spirits of just men made perfect; it goeth to Christ, this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; it goeth to the bosom of the Lord Jesus, to Abraham's bosom; and beginneth this feast. But the fullness of it is not until the glorified body shall be united to the glorified soul, and then both together shall be filled with this fullness of love, and fullness of joy to all eternity.

For the place, It is in heaven, where Jesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Father: There Stephen saw him, and there he abideth, where he is, there the Saints will be; some think this is typified probably by the upper Chamber where they did eat the Pass-over and the Supper; but no more of that.

Now the second thing cometh under hand, that is to say, That they go in with the Bridegroom to this feast. Wherein these things will be considerable.

First, How he brings them in unto the feast. And then,

Secondly, Why it is so. And then somewhat to the Application.

First then, he may be said to bring them in, and they to go in with him into the feast, because he is the meritorious cause of their entrance into glory: As he is the entrance of a Believer into the grace wherein we stand, as the Apostle speaks, so also into the glory. There is no acceptance with the Father, no access, but in and through Jesus Christ; as a poor creature hath no admittance into the presence and table of a King, but that the son takes him by the hand and leads him in; the Lord Jesus then is the meritorious cause, he went to prepare a place for us.

Secondly, he doth now, as I may say, when a soul is brought to heaven, after the manner of men, I may say, he doth receive it, and so present it; they go in with Jesus Christ. But,

Thirdly, And chiefly at the last day, at that day he shall come again with his glorious Angels, to gather all the Saints together, and so to bring them to his Father, to deliver the Kingdom up unto him, to present them as a Spouse without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; thus he shall appear the second time without sin, to them that look for him, and so they shall forever be with the Lord.

Fourthly, He brings them unto the Marriage, they go with him even into those joys, unto that eternal bliss and glory he leads them into, and there sitteth down with them at the Marriage-feast, eating & drinking with him this new wine in the Kingdom of the Father; It is not only his bringing of them, or their going in with him into the place where these glorious manifestations of God shall be forever, but even into the very depth of those discoveries, and there he sitteth down with them.

For the Arguments, Besides that none else could do it for us, as you heard.

First, His faithfulness to them requireth it, He hath promised he will never leave them, until he had fulfilled for them all the good that he hath spoken; now this is spoken, that he will give them glory as well as grace, that he will give them eternal life, and raise them up at the last day, else he were not a faithful High Priest nor a faithful Savior, if he should leave them short; you know it was his last Will and Testament, in that place of John 17. and will he see his own Will and Testament violated? Father, I will that where I am, they shall be also; now they cannot come to be where he is, except he bring them with him, as the Apostle speaks, they shall enter in therefore with him; having undertaken to save them, he will do it to the utmost: yea, it is the will of his Father also, which he hath undertaken to see fulfilled, therefore how can he be faithful except he make it good to the utmost? this is one.

2. His own Communicative, He is not willing to be alone in the enjoyment of this glory wherewith he is glorified with the Father, he would not ingross those delights and pleasures which are at the right hand of the Father for evermore, but would communicate them to some; now he is in heaven, and his people upon earth, yet he would not be alone in those comforts, but though himself must sit at the right hand of his Father, yet he sendeth the Spirit the Comforter to his people, to give them a taste, an earnest of those joys of that Feast that is to come; indeed so much joy, that it is unspeakable and full of glory to many of the people of God: many Saints are, as I may say, in heaven upon earth; the Lord Jesus would not eat and drink abundantly, and let his people have none, that were unkindness indeed; where there is little goodness in a creature, as all in the creature is but little in comparison of him, Job would not eat his morsel alone; so will not he Lord Jesus, but he will have his people to go in with him to the Feast, to the Marriage, and drink wine with him, as you have it in the Canticles, He hath eaten his honey and honey Comb, and drank his wine and milk, and what then? Then drink ye, O my friends; yea, drink abundantly, &c.

3. Because they have set their love upon him, therefore he will put this high favor and honor upon them; as it is in the Psalms, Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I be with him, and deliver him, and honor him; with long life will I satisfy him, and show him my Salvation. Give him to enjoy it, and not only here but hereafter: The Saints they do love the Lord Jesus, everyone of them, their hearts are set upon him, and they cleave to him with full purpose of heart in all conditions; as the Disciples did, they continue with him in his temptations; in his poor condition, in his imprisoned condition; therefore he appointeh them to sit down with him: And so you know they are not everyone that is admitted to a Marriage Feast, they were the friends of the Bridegroom, or of the Bride: there were thirty young men attending Sampson, these were at the Feast among others: And so, who goeth to the Kings Banquet of wine, but the Kings Favorite, even Haman? he goeth along with him, he puts it upon him as a great honor; and this is the glory of Jesus Christ, the honor which he doth to the man whom he delights to honor, who hath set his love upon him, even to bring him in to the Feast, the Marriage Feast; he hath not been ashamed of him before men, nor will the Lord be ashamed of him before men and Angels, and his Father, though while he was here below, it may be a man full of infirmities; so the Saints are called his friends in many places: Abraham my friend: Ye are my friends, John. 15. and so his Mother, and brethren, and sisters they are called these are the Favorites which must needs be at the Marriage Feast.

4 For his glory as well as for theirs: Indeed his glory is theirs, and theirs is his; now the Lord Jesus cometh to be made glorious in his Saints, when the light of the Saints shines before men, and they see their good works, he is glorified; the virtues of him that calls them out of darkness to light are shown forth: but alas, this is with so many cloudings & interruptions, it can scarce be called a glory; He shall come to be glorified in his Saints, saith the Apostle; will not the fullness of the Saints being brought in, be his glory? they are called the fullness of Christ; so that he accounteth not himself full without them, but to be, as I may say, imperfect, without some of his Members; now at that day he will bring them all, and then he will be glorified indeed in them more fully then ever; then the general assembly of the first born being gathered together, how much honor will he have in it? that by his death, by his blood he hath redeemed such an innumerable company, that he hath by his Spirit sanctified them, kept them alive, cheered them, comforted them, raised them, and brought them together, and put so much glory and beauty upon them all; herein he will be much glorified: and that everyone of them shall have to the full, be filled even to admiration of him; will not this honor him exceedingly, acknowledge and hold forth the glory of his grace before his Father and Angelsglorified?

5. He will exceedingly rejoice in them, as well as they in him; he spake those things, made that prayer in the world, that they might have his joy fulfilled in themselves: his joy efficienter, and his joy subjective, for herein he did and doth rejoice exceedingly, surely according to his desire to communicate with his people, which is according to his strength of Love to them, will be his joy in the communi • n, therefore saith he, thy love is better then wine; to see his own love take such an impression upon our hearts as to draw out our love to him, this is a great joy to the Lord Jesus. I desired with desire to eat this Passover with you, saith he to his Disciples; great desire, so great joy: so saith he, I have eaten my honey and honey comb: he doth, as I may say, feed upon the graces of his people, that is to say they are pleasing, delightful to him, even when there is mixture in them. O what will it be then when there shall be no honey comb, no wax, no imperfection, when grace shall be glorious: will it not be his joy and delight to pour out of his love, and manifest himself in the most open glorious manner to his people, and then to behold them, to be filled with love, swallowed up of this love, and filled with this joy? yea, swallowed up with that also, to see their faces to shine gloriously with grace, and joy, and comfort inconceivable O this will be joy to him!

6. Because indeed the Saints they are ready to enter in with him; they are his Spouse, though here considered only as Virgins waiting upon the Bride, yet they are the Spouse; and sure, if any must be brought to the Marriage Feast, the Spouse must be there, the Angels shall be rather attendants; the Saints shall sit down with Jesus Christ at his Table as his Spouse for ever: as the poor man in the Parable, his wife is compared to an Ewe Lamb, which did lie in his bosom, and eat and drink with him; so shall the Saints surely, because of this relation of theirs to the Lord Jesus. Ah, blessed are ye Believers, ye that are ready for the appearing of the Lord Jesus.

Again, Now the Saints are made ready for this glory; now we are not able to bear it old Bottels will not hold this new Wine that he will drink with them in his Fathers Kingdom: strong Duties were too strong for the Disciples then in their minority, as I may say, how much more the Duties of heaven, everlasting Hallelujahs, and admiring of God in Christ: therefore they must be changed before they can be fit for that feast; a little joy now would swallow us up, so as to unfit us for anything: Alas, the Apostle, like a wise Nursing Father, would not give strong meat to babes, they could not bear it: and so our Savior, when upon the earth, they could not bear many things, therefore he fed them with milk; if you should give strong meats to children, and wine, what would sooner ruin them? therefore saith the Apostle, I speak the Wisdom of God in a M • sterie among them that are perfect, yet he had some things which he saw in his Vision that he could not, or might not utter to them; likely they could not bear them. You see Israel could not endure to behold Moses face when it had but a beam of the divine glory within the cloud reflected upon him; and the glory of the Angel astonished John▪ so eminent a man in saith, and love and holiness: therefore I say, we shall then be fitted for this Communion; the old Bottles be made new, the capacities of soul enlarged, the mouth opened wider then we can conceive, and the body raised in power. It must be an extraordinary stomach, brethren, that can continually sit at a Feast and d • gest it and never be satiated; therefore it is that the Marriage feast, the fullness of it, is reserved for heaven, and heaven is so compared in Scripture.

For the Uses of the Doctrine, First then, Behold what manner of love the Father hath loved us with, that we should be made the Favorites, a people so near to him, that he will take any of us with him into the Marriage. The Apostle admireth the condition of the Saints for what they have in hand already: What manner of love is this, that we should be called the Sons of God? that is to say, made such; his Word is operative, he calls things that were not, as if they were; but saith he, this is not all, it doth not yet appear what we shall be, until Christ who is our life appear, then shall we appear with him in glory: the Saints in heaven, though their apprehensions, as well as the rest of their capacities shall be enlarged, heightened, perfected, yet shall not be able to comprehend the depth of the river of pleasures at the right hand of God, no more then a Vessel that is put into the Sea can comprehend the Ocean, and therefore they shall admire it, then the Lord Jesus shall come to be admired in all the Saints, their fullness will be unspeakable, greater then that of the Saints