The Parable of the Ten Virgins

SECT. 1.

S Uch is the compassion of Christ to his people, that deep security cannot always make the Lord to reject them; and therefore we shall find three expressions of the love and kindness of the Lord to the wise and foolish Virgins also.

First, When they not only slumber but sleep, and that long, even to the coming of the Bridegroom almost, yet Christ spares them, and doth not all this while cut them off, and bury them out of his sight, as men that do forget him.

Secondly, He prevents them with awakening grace, and the Lord is up when his servants be abed, and is awakened for their good when they are asleep and regard not him; and first by his cry he awakens them before they shake up themselves; when once the Churches fall asleep, they would sleep their long sleep, and never awaken, if the Lord should not by some cry or other prevent them.

Thirdly, He longs for their fellowship and company though secure; and therefore it is not a cry of terror and wrath, the Bridegroom hath forsaken you, for your secure careless course; but it is a cry of grace, go forth to meet him; yet he is willing to have communion with you, yet he desires that you would have communion with him; oh come out to meet him; I shall wrap up all these together, because I shall be brief. Wonderful was the grace of Christ toward the old world, when for the space of one hundred and twenty years he waited for them, who after they had been an hundred and nineteen secure, yet then the same spirit that waiteth for us in these days of the Gospel, preached the Lord unto them.

Jeremiah was very long speaking to Israel (as the other Prophers) in so much that the Lord professeth to send the King of Babylon against them, yet the Lord's heart melts, cha. 26. 1, 2, 3. Speak unto them; it may be they will hearken, and turn that I may repent; So Ier. 3. they had polluted the Law, ver. 2. showers are withheld (which is no great matter) small evils are arguments of hearts revolted from God; they did the Lord as much mischief as they could, and were secure, verse 3. Yet mark, wilt thou not from this time cry My Father? meet the Lord as thy Husband? will he keep his anger forever? Nay, the Lord cast off Adulterous Israel, and they knew the cause, yet went on securely in the same sins; yet see, verse 14. Turn oh backsliding children, Prov. 6. 5, 6. How long, &c.

SECT. II.

IN regard of the foolish, there is no reason, but the Lord's pity and compassion to a sinful people; he hath compassion on them because he will; for he doth not pity people only in respect of their miseries, but in respect of their sins, 2 Chron. ult. 16. he sent his Prophets among them (and they despised them) because he had compassion on his people; the cords of grace are let down to all sinners, Blasphemers, Opposers of God, &c.

In regard of the wise Virgins, because his Marriage-covenant with them is not suspended on anything on his people's part; for though there is a condition which the Lord doth require of his people in Marriage-covenant, yet the Lord so requires it, as that he intends to work it, and undertakes to maintain it; and there is no evil in them, but he promiseth in this Covenant to remove; he will heal them of it, but he will not cast them off for it; hence Ephes. 5. 25. Christ loves his Church; what, because it had loveliness? no, but that he might wash it; and if he loves it to this end, that he might wash it, then no pollution can make the Lord utterly to cast it off; if he loves because of deformities, that he might wash them away, then none can quench his love; hence no security, no carelessness, though deep, though long, so long as the Marriage-bond between man and wife conti •• s, so long as no sin is committed that can break this Mariagebond, so long infirmities or other distempers never separate. Now, no sin in them that are given to Christ can break the Marriage-bond, because it is wholly undertaken on the Lord's part; women may commit Adultery, and break their Marriage-bond, because they are not kept by their Husband from that; but the Lord undertakes this for his people, to put his fear in their heart, that they shall never depart from God. Hos. 2. 19, 20. I will b • troth thee unto me forever, and you shall know the Lord; hence the Lord may humble, but never utterly reject his, for security in a lust.

SECT. III.

OF Direction and thankfulness to the people of God; Oh! do not always fall to fits of doubts after security, though deep and long (as many Christians do) and so are ever laying and pulling up foundations; after most peace of conscience, most security, and then the Sea rageth again, and it is hard for any man to keep his peace; have you had such mercy, and love, and will you thus be careless and loose again? believe it, the Lord will break your bones if you love your beds, and not give you rest till you find it on another pillow; but yet do not deny his love, though you have forgot it; do not say you are not Virgins, because fallen asleep; and that the Bridegroom will never come to meet you, because you have lingered in meeting him; for behold he cometh: I know there is a difference between the security of the wise and foolish; of which hereafter: The Disciples fall asleep in the garden after a treble warning, yet it was against much relucta • cy; hence Christ pitied them; the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak; and when they were awakened, their vessels were not found empty; Peters vessel was full of love to Christ before, and when the Lord awakens him, he tells the Lord he loved him; and his fall and security in it for a time made him more humble, and love the Lord with less self-confidence, and more purity: But oh, wonder at it, rejoice in it, and be thankful for it! especially you that have fallen into any secure frame since ye came into these Virgin-Churches; which you cannot but do, if you consider the greatness of this sin; to sin and be long secure, and fast asleep, is strange.

1. This is the great provoking sin; look throughout all the Book of God, let the sin be grear, and immediately after conscience smitten, bones broken, and heart awakened, we shall never see the Lord but he is pacified, the Lord hears their groanings, and remembers his Covenant; but little sins fallen into, and by security continued in, the Lord visits for this, Psal. 50. When a man shall not only sin, but take delight in it, as a man doth in his sleep.

2. This is a sin in places of liberty and Ordinances, whereas the Lord was never so good to thee, and thy heart never worse to him, never so secure, you thought and purposed never to be so watchful and tender as now; to be secure here, greatly aggravates such security.

3. This sin is a common sin; now this adds to a sin, when a man has a hand in a national sin, that runs in the blood of all the Churches; for so you see it is, all the Virgins secure: when all forget the Lord, as though there were not enough to lay more loab upon the Lord; what doth this but harden others in security; thy wives heart, thy brethren's heart, such a one is secure; as though it were not enough to fight against the Lord, but Ciant-like to fall among the troops of them that securely dishonor the Lord: When the old world was secure we heard nothing of that; but when the Sons of God came to be secure, and all flesh corrupted their ways, the Lord falls a mourning, and repents that he had made man: When any sin groweth general in Churches, that sin is most grievous to God; Princes children when they sin alone it is grievous, but when they take part with all the mutinous crew against their Father, this strikes deep; Oh that ever mine eyes should see this evil.

4. It is a sin which is the last, and is the ruin of all the foolish Virgins, and perfects their perdition, as here it did; they slept till it was too late; oh that the Lord should not cast you off for this! admire at this; and let thy heart, and house, and work be filled with praise for this: You have complained long of a secure heart; see it humble thee that it continueth, but make thee wonder that the Lord will not cast thee off.

SECT. IV.

TO all those that have been long secure; let this compassion of the Lord awaken you, and draw you to him, and make you come out and meet him; and give entertainment to the Lord, who hath not yet cast you off from him, but yet cries, oh come and meet me: Methinks this should awaken you; what, hath not the Lord cast me off yet? no! but his cry this day is, Oh come out and meet me! The Lord might have cut thee off in thy security; this is his season to others, when men cry peace, peace; and he might have let thee slept and never awake more till past hope; yet here is his grace, oh come and meet him! and will you despise it and refuse the Lord?

Object. 1. I have no oil in my vessel, no grace in my heart; what should I meet him for, or look for him! I am s • vile and so secure, he cannot look upon me.

Answ. 1. You have the more need of receiving him as your Bridegroom, that so you may receive the eternal anointing of his Spirit of Grace and Life in your hearts.

2. Now you have time to get both.

Object. 2. But it is long before the Bridegroom comes; there's time enough for this hereafter.

Answ. 1. Would you never look after the Lord, and being betrothed to him till the very time of his coming? will you despise Grace to the utmost, and weary out Grace to the last gasp? behold the Lord shall come, and thy eye shall see him, and wail because of him; and the Lord will make thee cry out on thy death-bed, and warn others to take heed of trifling with the Lord long, who didst never take warning thyself.

2. You see when the Cry is made, the Bridegroom is not far behind; now is his cry, and you see some that did awaken, and after the cry, had time too little to trim their lamps. It may be many cries have been sounding in thy secure ears; and yet there's time, he is not come; grant it, and will you therefore despise this rich grace the more because of his goodness.

Obj. 3. But I am well as I am without the Bridegroom.

Ans. It may be sleep is sweet for the present; but if thou wert awakened, thou wouldst be of another mind; there are many here present that can say, they thought themselves well, &c. but now I see my error, &c. Oh Lord, what if I had been left to these thoughts; yet this is ever the frame of a secure heart (like swine) well when it is in the mire, basking in the Sun.

1. It is pleasure; but consider, it is but short; long security will end in hideous affrights, and doleful awakenings, for one days short sleep: I remember Nineveh's are set out by this, Zeph. 2. 15. This is the rejoicing City, that dwelt carelessly; painting out their misery for this sin above all the rest; so when plagues be upon you, God and Angels shall point at you, This is the secure sinner that lived loosely.

2. It deprives you of more rest and ease; carnal security keeps a man from knowing spiritual security; while your sin and sleep is sweet, the grace of Christ and the sense of his love shall be strangers to you, and to your hearts; Christ is anointed to preach to a weary, not to a sleepy sinner: Isa. 50. 4. There are seasons of refreshings and coolings, which such shall never know.

3. This which is thy pleasure, is the Lord's sorrow and grief; look as when the sinner mourneth under his sin, the Lord's heart is quieted, Zeph. 3. 17, 18. I said I would confess, and thou forgavest: So when a man delights in his sin, the Lord's soul is then grieved; and the more delight, the more grief; Christ mourned for the 〈◊〉 of their hearts, Mark 5. 3. Now grant that you 〈…〉 what joy is it to think, that while I have my ease and peace, 〈◊〉 Lord hath his burden; my rest and peace is the Lord's sorrow in Heaven; when the sons of God grow fleshly, the Lord repented that he had made man; Oh let the groanings of a compassionate God awaken you out of this security!

SECT. V.

Object. BUt there's none s • cur here.

Answ. It's hard for wise not to fall here; but for foolish not to fall to this sin, at least to be long preserved from it, will be miraculous; but for the most part of men not to be drowned in it.

1. Have not divers lived and never been awakened at all, not so much as to cry out, I am a damned man, what shall I do? thou never hadst a spark of eternal flames of wrath to kindle thy conscience, and that after an ignorant and profane life.

2. If you have been troubled, have you not fallen asleep before ever you have gotten any settled peace and comfort in the blood of Christ, only hast got so much oil as makes thy lamp burn, and gives thee a name to live, when thy vessel is empty, and heart is dead.

3. Have not many, nay most of thy days been spent without any sorrow for, or reckoning concerning thy sin? it may be you have a Lent and a cleansing week sometimes; but most commonly it is otherwise, that you never see sin, but sleep in it, and set yourselves to go on, having found no hurt in such a course as yet.

4. How many use the Ordinances of God, come to them, but never gain good by them? What is there no gold in these mines? Yes, but a slothful, secure heart will not dig for them.

5. Nay do not God's cries make the sleep thee faster? he taketh away a great part of thy estate from thee; and thou lookest upon the misery and shame of rags and poverty; and thy heart dieth away with discontent, and grows more worldly. If light be darkness, if means of wakening be a means of sleeping, how great is that security? Oh therefore go out and meet the Bridegroom!

SECT. VI.

Quest. BUt how shall I receive the Lord as my Bridgroom and Husband?

Answ. 1. See what thy widowhood is, and forsaken condition, Isa. 54. 5, 6. When thou wast refused, the Lord loved thee; what creature can help thee, when the Lord forsakes thee? what a misery is it to live out of a fathers house!

2. See his love that he makes to you, otherwise you will never conclude it, but sink, saying, The Lord forgets me: Oh see his love he makes to thee to receive him; and that thou wouldest give thy consent to have him, that thou mayst love him, Isa. 56. 6. A carnal heart, a whorish lover desires to close with Christ, that Christ may give gifts to it and love it; but a Virgin that she may love the Lord, and be wholly his; and this will answer all doubts; what have you to do with Christ, and all that mercy, grace and glory? Oh 'tis that I may love the Lord more.

Object. 'It is presumption.

Answ. No, it is that I may love the Lord indeed; and now when the heart is drawn here, Psal. 45. 10. Then shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty; pleasure in thee, and all that thou dost: What, in me, that am weary of my self? Yes in thee. 1. When he forsakes others, he will meet thee. 2. Though he departs, and sorrows attend thee, yet thy sorrows shall be turned into joy, and he will see thee again, and never cease delighting in thee, but wrap thee up in everlasting embracings.

SECT. 1.

I N these words to verse. 10. is set down the effect which the cry had upon the Virgins.

First, Upon all of them in general, in this seventh verse.

Secondly, Upon the foolish in particular, in the next verses.

First the effect it wrought upon all of them in general, both good and bad, is set down in two things. 1. They did all arise, i. e. they were thoroughly awakened out of their secure condition. 2. Being awakened they fell to their work, which was to trim their lamps, as to beautify and adorn their lamps, which had now lost their • light and bea • ty by soiling themselves, and all through neglect; now they trimmed them, when first, they wiped off the soil; secondly, made search for that which was necessary for the shining glory of them; Thus far the foolish trimmed their lamps, who yet did not find that oil in their vessels, which was the main thing to beautify them indeed, which the wise had; so that they all trimmed their lamps; the wise trimmed theirs indeed; the foolish theirs, so well as they could.

That the serious real apprehension of the nearness of Christ's coming, is enough to awaken thoroughly the most secure Virgens: I say, if Virgins (especially that have been awakened to know anything of the Lord's coming) this will awaken them; for when the cry was made He cometh, now they all arose; whilst he did tarry as they thought, then they sleep; but when the cry comes, that he is near and coming, oh now they awake.

This coming is meant either of his coming to the last Judgment, or of his coming to particular Judgment immediately at and after death: I shall apply myself chie • lie to the coming of Christ at death to his people, because this doth chiefly concern us; the near approach of this will awaken, when apprehended near.

Rom. 13. 11. When the Apostle would awaken them out of security, Your salvation now is nearer than when you first believed, i. e. that perfect salvation which is at that time; now if the apprehension that it is nearer than at first awakens, much more when it is apprehended so indeed. I am. 5. 8, 9. There was it seems divers that were oppressed, and they ready to faint, and forsake the Lord, and wait no more; what therefore doth he do? the coming (saith he) of the Lord draweth nigh.

1 Sam. 12. 19. When Samuel told them before that misery should come if they would have a King, they cared not; now when thunder came, that they saw death and the Lord near them, now they feared, and cried, and repented; Oh we die, say they, pray for us: It is with the Soul as it is with Sea-men, when they first set out in the Main, if the wind be good, and all things well, they take their rest and sleep, though going nearer every day than other; but when they apprehend they are near the shore, now they look out, though in the night; so here.

SECT. II.

BEcause here a man sees an end of his sinful way, and of all his delights which have bound him up in the bonds of security; a soft bed, and an easy pillow, and much feeding in a place of rest, will procure much sleeping; the heart of a man would never be secure, if it had not some delight or other to quiet itself withal; now at Christ's coming there is an end of it, then a man is stripped naked of all his greatness and honor, friends, blessings; and when a man sees an end, and is come to an end of a sinful way, now all a man's delights and hopes perish; the beginning of a sinful course is sweet and beautiful (like pictures seen afar off beautiful) but the end is gal and woormwood; for every sinful secure course is sweet in appearance, or indeed; if only in hope, and conception (as in a dream) when the end comes, all a man's hopes perish. If indeed it hath been sweet, now there's the more grief; now my heart, my life, my blood must be taken from me, and what profit is there now in this my stubborn way! when a man is sinking, and the boat is breaking, what a miserable wretch now, Lord help! hence Ezek. 7. 3, 6. when an end is come, now they fling their silver in the streets; Oh the stumbling-block of mine iniquity, verse 18, 19. now they shall seek peace and shall not find it, verse 25. now they shall seek a vision of the Prophet, verse 26. Like a man that is drawn into a fair way, and is out of that his way, when he comes to an end, and is forsaken of all and left in a wood, now what's the profit?

Because at his coming there is the entrance and passage into eternity, and into an eternal state of weal or woe; now though the apprehension of the end of a secure sinful way, may and will awaken, yet when eternity is apprehended it will amaze; for this time is but a little spring or river which runs into eternity, and carries all men living down with it to eternity: Now when men see an end of time, and the beginning of eternity, and themselves posting thereto, it is as when a man sees himself floating upon the waters, where there's no bottom, and all stay gone, though he hath been long secure, now he will cry out if he sees it. It is with men now, as it is with those that are ready to be cast down from some Towr, it makes the heart tremble, oh! where shall I alight! oh it's impossible but if men do apprehend eternity, and that also near unto them, but it will awaken them; it will make a stout, stony-hearted Saul to run to Urim; it will make Kings and Princes run to Monasteries, and men to Cells and Deserts; It will make the proudest Felix tremble when Paul reasons of Judgment to come. It's usually the first thing that doth awaken the people of God; eternity doth amaze them, and them that have fallen to all • asciviousness. Oh eternity!

Because of the terror at the coming of the Lord; Revel. 6. ult. to them that be unprovided and unprepared; hence it is, and will be, when an evil is near, fear will fly out: Men as men will do it, unless they be walking blocks and bruits. For,

1. Then they are to stand naked before the Lord so great and holy.

2. Then they shall have all their sins set in order, Psal. 50. 21. and especially those secret sins which they never saw, and whereby they did perfect their own perdition.

3. Then the final sentence past, never to be recalled again, and they shall know it; for if there might be a day to repent, then some hope; but if not, o • this awakens.

4. Then to be surrendered up into the hands of Devils, to be kept by that Jailor in Prison, 1 Pet. 3. 19. until the coming of the great day; and so to be kept in their custody, and to be in their fellowship, looking back, and mourning for time mis-spent, looking to time to come, shortly to meet my body, and then to be parted forever from the Lord! oh when this evil is apprehended, it will awaken a man to search and look about him.

SECT. III.

HEnce see a great cause of the deep and long security of many a man, and that in Virgin-Churches under all awakening means, Ordinances and Providences of God; men put far from them this day of death, and time of Christ's coming, they think seldom of it, come not near to it, nor make it near to them; sometime they complain of a dead sluggish spirit, secure heart, and yet remain so, and wonder sometime at the reason of it why it should be so; why? this is one reason of it, either you think not of this coming of the Lord, or see it not near, even at the door, but number many days to yourselves, and this is the cause of it, you do not lodge in, nay look to your Coffins, and walk to your graves side often, and so stand there and hear the cry, and see the Lord a coming; there will be more in what I say than what you see at first blush of this truth; but this I know, and the Word proves it, universal security ariseth from hence. As for instance.

1. Why do men mind the things of the world so much? that there is such care for them, such eager desire after them, that many times prayer is neglected, Sabbaths neglected, when will they be at an end? God neglected, Souls of wife, children servants, a man's own soul neglected and overgrown with nettles; that there is such an high opinion, dreams of worldly goods, and when a man hath them, then at rest; because, with the glutton, they think they have goods for many a year; and hence we shall see when a man waketh, death is near to him; and when it is near to a man, now he thinks he hath been deceived in all the things of the world, that they are not good for him, 1 Cor. 7. 29. The time is short, and the fashion of the world passeth away: Nothing makes these things so sought after and good but only esteem; now this is because men look only to things present.

2. Why do men's hearts sink with the meanness of their outward condition, and the troubles of it? (for this is security) it is because of this, they do not remember the nearness of the coming of the Lord; it is but a little while longer, and then the God I have chosen will alone be sweet, and he will make me amends for all my troubles, and therefore let me bear up my head a little while. Psal. 39. when David's heart began to be troubled by seeing others prosperity, his own misery, Lord (saith he) make me to know my end and the measure of my days, mine age is as an hand breadth; hence ver. 7. Lord what hope I for? truly my hope is in thee.

3. Why are men pu • t up with their own excellencies, and filled with such pride and high conce •• s of themselves, sometimes of their beauty, sometimes of their apparel, sometime their friends, sometime their esteem, and they value themselves much by this? men consider not the coming of the Lord, which shall stain the pride of all glory, Isa. 23. 8. and that this time is near.

4. Why do people complain they cannot prize the Lord or his Ordinances as they could? why do men on their death-beds then prize it, then pray, then hear? then oh a little mercy, then send for Moses, then the Lord is righteous; and if he show mercy, never such a pattern as I, because now death and Christ's coming is near: you do therefore undervalue the gain of Ordinances, because of this; if you did, you would glory in nothing but the Lord, Ier. 9. 21, 23.

5. Why do men go up and down without any assurance of the Lord's love, or the truth of any grace, and that after conviction? why do men upon their deathbeds seek for it, and then fall a searching, and then open their estates, and then desire peace? because the coming of the Lord is near; you put the day of the Lord far from you; if you saw it near, you would get on your armor in readiness against the day of battle; if your Husband be at door, you would get on your apparel, Psal. 89. 46, 47, 49.

6. Why is so much time spent unfruitfully, that a Christian is not abundant in doing and receiving good? who is the better for thy speeches, for thy prayers, for thy example? when Moses Psal. 90. had numbered men's days, then v. 17. stablish thou the work of our hands upon us; Look upon a Christian at first conversion, he thinks he shall not live long; it's strange to see what prayers, what tears; how fruitful, how diligent he is; Oh therefore see your sore this day! 'tis nigh almost, O therefore up and be doing.

SECT. IV.

OH therefore, if ever you would be freed from this infectious, this damning sin and plague of security, make the coming of the Lord near unto you, and come you near unto it, be ever near it; number your days, they are soon told over, and often think of your latter end when the Bridegroom comes; for this will awaken you out of your secure fits, and make you fall hard to your work.

First, This will make you do much work for the Lord in a little time; when Moses was to be gathered to his Fathers, now he provides for the Church, now he instructs the people more than ever concerning their e •• ates, &c.

Secondly, It will be very sweet; it is but a very little while though it be bitter, and it will put strength to do it; work is wearisome for want of strength; so Christ's work is wearisome, because we want strength; now this doth put strength into the soul, I am. 5. 8, 9.

Thirdly, It will be very glorious; works even of dying men are very glorious and successful: Speeches of living (yet dying Christians) sink deep; for then God is near unto us when we are near unto him, and see things as they are; and hence such speeches are commonly blest to men; the speeches and works and carriages of Christ were never so glorious, as when most near his end.

SECT. V.

Object. BUt should • Christian in Christ use this as a motive to stir up his heart, or no? this is mockery, this Philosophy sends men to; doth Divinity do so? a Christian must be acted by love, not fear.

Answ. 1. That which God hath sanctified for this end we may make use of for the attainment of it; now God hath sanctified afflictions, death, and the fear of them for this end, to awaken the secure sinner; Jehoshaphat fears and proclaimeth a fast; Noah feared and built an Ark; Christ himself to the Church of S • rdis (to awaken her) professeth he will come as a thief in the night suddenly, 2 Pet. 3. If the heavens shall be dissolved, what manntr of persons should we be: It is true, it is hypocrisy for a man to be led only by fear; but it is profaneness (the original of the Sadducees) not to be terrified at all; it is not hypocrisy to be awakened partly by fear to the apprehension of these things; for God hath sanctified them for this end, and though these do not work grace (where there was none before) barely, yet the awakening of conscience, is that whereby the Lord prepares for grace; and this is good in its kind; and it stirs up grace where it was before, as here this cry makes the Virgins to kindle their oil, and set that a burning.

Objection 2. But the time is not near; Should I apprehend an untruth?

Answ. It may be 'tis near; the apprehension of this is not false, and this the Lord gives verse 13. as the ground of constant watch, for you know not when he comes; now if men love their goods, they will watch.

2. It is near; if you had but wisdom to see into eternity, and the nature of time, you would say so also, Psal. 90. 4. A thousand years are but as yesterday, and as a watch in the night. Vers. 5. our time is as a sleep, short and vain. Ver. 6. it is but as a flower of one days glory; nay, it is but as a thought, verse. 9. It is so when you see things as they are, and you will account it so. Oh therefore let me beg this of you, make Christ's coming, and death near to you, tha • you may be delivered from your dead palsies, deep slumbers, and dying sick sleeps; especially seeing the signs of the Lord's coming to reckon with you, do you think to escape? Masters that betrust Servants with most, will they call others to account, to whom they have betrusted less, and not you? what people under heaven be trusted with more mercies and liberties than we! and do you think he is gone to a far Country, and will never return? He let Palatine and other Churches enjoy the means long, he summons them to an account by famine, sword, and pestilence, wild beasts, and cruel Soldiers; and shall he never ride in his circuit this way? yes verily: Do you boast in the goodly stones of this Temple? If the Lord by your security be despised, and his Messengers, and Ordinances, and Kingdom, he will not leave one stone upon another: When will this be? not yet: that's true; yet awake at the signs of it, Mat. 24. Wars, rumors of wars, famine, aerthquakes, deceivers that come in the name of Christ, Apostasy of Professors, whence many come • to be offended, Divisions and scatterings of one Brother against another, Iniquity abounding in the World, and Love growing cold in Churches; If these be not amongst us now, we have the less cause to fear; if so, have we not cause to awake one hour considering our time is nigh! if not, yet Christ's time is nigh of coming to particular persons.

SECT. VI.

Quest. HOw shall I make it near?

Answ. Truly till the Lord teach us the number of our days, we can never do it: yet three things do;

First, Convince thy soul of the sin and evil of looking after tomorrow, and reaching after that time which is to come, Prov. 27. 1. 1. It is none of thine. • . Nothing draws the heart so much from God. 3. You will never find what you expect hence; these are lying vanities, therefore come not to these wells.

Secondly, Either thou wantest assurance, then fear his coming, for fear will make misery present, and so awaken; and hope ( e contra ) good present: Or thou hast assurance; then love his coming, see all thy good wrapped up there; and love will make things absent beloved, and present comfort in the thoughts of them; as wicked men that love the things of this life, and are in certain hopes to have them, they oft rejoice in the hopes; because the good is present, they reckon upon it as theirs already.

Thirdly, See how near you are unto the Lord Jesus: 1. That you are made for the Lord, not to enjoy these things; they are made for you, and not you to serve them; because God hath called you out of this world, from the grave, hell, sin, to life; now the next is glory, 2 Cor. 5. 3, 4, 5.

2. That now there's nothing but thy breath, thy body between thee and Jesus Christ; when this shell is broken, thou art with the Lord, and shalt see him with open face; this will make you look for the day of delivery.

SECT. 1.

And trimmed their Lamps.

T HE word ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) signifies adorned, beautified their lamps, made clean or cleansed; It is the same word which is used 1 Tim. 2. 9. Womens adorning let it not be with pearls, but good works.

Quest. What is the glory of the Lamp?

Answ. First, When the filth is wiped away, which did defile it.

Secondly, When oil is gotten, and the lamp is lighted; now its in its full trim as it was at first when they went out; whilst they were sleeping, their lamps not being looked into, began to lose their shining glory; now they recover them.

Object. But how came the foolish to trim their Lamps?

Answ. They did endeavor it, and did something that way, as is apparent from the context, and so they trimmed them so far as they could reach; but the complete and full adorning of them was this of the wise. And therefore look as by oil in the vessel is meant the eternal anointing of the Spirit of grace within, so by shining is meant the glorious profession arising from it, as the adorning of women, 1 Tim. 2. 9. is their holy conversation.

That the Spirit of holiness abiding in the hearts, and shining in the lives of Saints, it is their excellency, ornament and glory: This adorns the Virgins lamps; through security they began to lose their glory; Now when they prepare their lamps, they adorn their lamps; and this is their glory.—

2 Cor. 3. ult. We are changed into the same image from glory to glory; grace and holiness is glory. Ephes. 5. 27. Christ presents a glorious Church; wherein? without spot or wrinkle, and holy before the Lord. 1 Thess. 4. 4. Sanctification and honor are joined together.

SECT. II.

Quest. WHat Spirit of holiness is it which is a Christians glory?

Answ. It is not every patched profession of holiness which is a Christians true glory; for by what means is the name of God more blasphemed by the wicked of the world, than by those that profess holiness, yet break out into scandalous sins! Rom. 2. 14. it is a wonder if a profane man be good a little; but it is a greater wonder and scandal if a professor be bad a little. Neither is it a most glorious appearance of holiness; this is deceit, craft, and hypocrisy, not a glory: A Stage-player that acts the part of a King, wants the glory of a King; and hence Paul opposeth himself to these, 2 Cor. 5. 12. But when there is first an exemplary holiness, arising secondly, from the fullness of the Spirit of grace within, as here in the Virgins, a shi • ing profession from an inward Spirit, when Christ hath attained the end of offering up himself, that men are a peculiar people, zealous of good works: Suppose the lamp doth burn, yet if not for the end it was made, so that a man can scarcely see his way, nor others by it, its glory is much lost: Now the end of the Spirit of holiness is this, the end of Christ's death and ministry is this; Phil. 2. 13, 14. and though they may speak evil, yet 1 Pet. 2. 12. they may glorify God in that day; when it is with men as it is with those, Z • ch. 8. • lt. We have seen God is in you; when a man maintains a sleepy careless profession and name, the lamp now wants its trim; when lamps are put under bushels, they lose their glory.

Quest. 2. Before whom is this their glory?

Answ. 1. Before the eyes of God the Father, John. 12. 26. He that shall serve me, him shall my Father honor; and though the world honor them not, yet they shall be spectators of it.

2. Before Jesus Christ his eyes, Psal. 45. 11. Forget thy country, and thy fa • hers house, so the King shall take pleasure in thy beauty.

3. Before all the people of God themselves, 2 Thess. 1. 4, 5. So that we glory of you among all the Churches; everyone will be speaking of such; oh there's one of a thousand; hardly shall you go into his company but you shall get some good, and life, and heat from him.

4. Before Hypocrites many times, who of all others are the greatest haters of the ways of holiness and the power of godliness▪ hence Herod, Mar. 6. 20. loved John, because a holy man, not because a deep Scholar, or a great man; hence, while Joshua and the Elders live, the people serve the Lord; and while Jehoiada lives, Joash is forward; the greatest Monarchs fall down here.

5. In the eyes of bad men, and hence Deut. 4. 6, 7. when they kept the Statutes of the Lord, what nation so great, as hath such Laws, and so wise also! this is their glory before all the world, at least in the consciences of all men, which is their better part, 2 Cor. 5. 11. we are manifest in their consciences; and hence the worst say often, if all were such as they are, &c.

Quest. 3. When is it their glory?

Answ. 1. In this life (as hath been already shown) in midst of reproaches, the Spirit of glory, 1 Pet. 4. 14. in midst of weaknesses, David's heart was perfect.

2. At the great and last day; let a man by his wisdom, conquests, excellencies get himself a name, yet when death comes, his glory perisheth; if it doth last, yet not long; the greatest Monarchs have been like a mighty wind, filled the world with a noise for a time, and then down; but at the last day, then Oh their shame, what everlasting contempt shall they arise unto! But this shall be our glory at the last day, 1 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7. which shall be to glory and praise at the coming of our Lord; and it is said, then shall the righteous shine as the Sun; and then all the world shall stand and admire, and wonder at them. And

3. Throughout all eternity this shall be their glory, even an everlasting name unto them, better than the name of Sons and Daughters; when the wicked shall see them all at the right hand of God, and gnash their teeth, that themselves are shut out, when the Lord and his Saints shall take infinite delight one in another, Luk. 12. 37.

SECT. III.

Quest. 4. WHy is this a Christians glory, excellency, and honor?

Answ. 1. In regard of the baseness of other things wherein men do use to glory; the wise man in his wisdom, the strong man in his strength, the rich man in his wealth: There are Three things which make these base.

First, These things make a man not the more to be accepted of God; the Lord respects not, values not the worth of any man by these things; and to make all the world know this, he staineth the pride of all glory, and chooseth the poor and foolish things of the world to confound the wise; a wise man will never respect the horse the more because it carries store of rich treasures, he will not fall down and reverence it for this; hang Swine about with pearls, who honors them the more? and will a wise God respect a man the more for these things? 1 Pet. 3. 5. What is that that is of great price with God? Holiness is of great price with God: And what though all the world honor a man, and a man honoreth himself, while this is wanting?

Secondly, All these things leave a man dead under the reign of Satan, power of his sin and dominion of death; and hence Ier. 9. 24. Let no man glory in his wisdom, &c. Death is entered into your windows; take any bondman bound with fetters (though golden) doth any man account him the more glorious? a Prince that is made a vassal and slave to every base fellow, is he the more glorious? no: So whiles men lie under the reign of death; stick a man that is dead with flowers, what is he the more glorious? alas no! his life is gone; now the Spirit of holiness is called the Spirit of life, even of the life that never shall die, Rom. 8. And therefore as it is said of a Flye, there is more excellency in a Gnat than in a Cedar, than in the glorious heaven, because it hath life, which the other hath not; so though men wonder at the goodly trappings of wicked men, yet the poorest and most despised Christian, that hath the Spirit of life, is more glorious.

Thirdly, Because these things only purchase the more credit and honor in the eyes of men, and that of wicked men; for 1 Cor. 5. 10. We know no man after the flesh; if they do, it is that which they account themselves beasts and fools for, as David did, Psal. 73. And what is the honor of man? it is the b • sest thing that is; for it is that which is without a man, it is no excellency within the man; it is but the thoughts of a man's head and heart, than which, what more vain, what more mutable? nay, 'tis but the dreams of a man's head, for they are mistakes: If all the town should dream another was a King, who yet were indeed a Beggar (which when they awake they see) what were he the better for this? Paul, 2 Cor. 11. 23. how he doth glory in privileges, which were better and more goodly hangings than these • this (saith he) I speak as a fool; and what be these a Christians glory? no surely.

Answ. 2. Because that is a Christians glory which is Christ's glory.

First, It is that glory wherein the glory of Christ consists, Psal. 45. 2. Thou art fairer than the children of me • , full of grace is thy lips; and 2 Cor. 3. ult. into the same image from glory to glory: Indeed Christ's greatness in governing the world is his glory, but it is because it is mixed with such holiness, Isa. 6. 1, 2, 3. Phil. 2. 8, 9. he humbled himself, and this hath given him a name, and shall be his name forever; this is that which makes the Lord Jesus lovely and amiable in the eyes of all his people, Rev • 15. 4. Who would not fear thee, or thou only art holy! and so he is, for all the stars receive their light and shine with it, by this Sun only; and so the more a Christian excels in this, the more like he is to Jesus Christ, and so more glorious and lovely.

Secondly, This is that which gives him glory, • . e. so far as creatures can, which is to manifest it, and hence 2 Cor. 8. 23. which is the glory of Christ; and hence Isa. 46, 13. Israel is called the glory of the Lord; Isa. 62. 2, 3. the righteous is called the glory, and crown, and diad • m in the hand of the Lord; and as God is better than the Soul, so this, viz. to glorify the Lord, is better than to be glorified by the Lord.

SECT. IV.

HEnce see one reason why men lose their honor, their love and respect in the eyes of God and men; their judgments are not revere •• ed, their persons not accepted, their names and practices despised; this is one reason among the rest, a decay in holiness; the lamp is defiled, the light and luster of it going out, and who will reverence it then? 'tis admirable to see the complaints abroad.

First, Look but into Families, what is the reason there is so much discontent there, that Servants are weary of their Masters, Masters of their Servants; and there is such complaints one of another, little respect one of another? it is for want of holiness, power, and life of godliness; the Master saith, the Servant is unruly, froward, surly, flothful, unfaithful, untrusty, and must not be spoken to; the Servant saith, his Master is passionate, unkind, wants pity to his body, and sometimes strikes him without cause, and much more careless of his soul, never instructs him, but is eaten up with the world, &c. truly this is the cause. It seems the Lord wrought upon divers in Primitive times, and the Apostle gives Servants an item, that they may glorify God, and adorn the Gospel of the Lord Jesus; how came Joseph into • o • iphar's books? oh, he was very holy, and very prudent; and I will warrant did his Masters work better when his Master was absent than before, and prayed for success in his business, as Abraham's Servant. Look but upon Husband and Wife, it is strange to see what divisions and jars there; and what's the cause of it, Wife doth not honor Husband, nor Husband honor Wife? how comes this? oh, there is little holiness seen in their private walking one with another; the woman thought the man godly; had I known this, I would have seen you a hundred miles off, &c. the man also he complains of his wife, I see now I am like to be troubled with a continual dropping, a very fury of hell, so impatient, (and the next neighbor hears of it) nothing can please her; what's the reason of this? your sin makes your shame, and there's the want of holiness, 1 Pet. 3. 3. man might be conve • ted by the Wife, and the Wife by the Husband; not that it is always so, but usually so.

Secondly, Look into Churches, what is the reason people lose their honor much in the hearts of Ministers? he respects others, but not me; and sometimes they think, now he strikes at me, and meaneth me, and then the heart swells, &c. what's the reason that Paul professeth he will come with a rod among the Corinthians? they were babes, and carnal, and contentious, and pu • t up, little love and life; and what's the reason he sets out the Thessalonians so? 1 Thess. 1. 5. because of this they did abound, and hence commended of all Saints; hence want of growth and holiness; they travel in birth till Christ be formed, and when they cannot see that, hence they are in throws for you; what's the reason Ministers lose their glory among people? I confess 'tis not always for decay here; for John in prison did not lose his holiness; and hence, when they despised him, Christ commended him, and his reward was with the Lord; it was not a testimony of his unholiness, but a fore-r • nner of the end of his days, as well as of the end of his work; and hence when all Asia forsook Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 16. it was the time of his departing now at hand. But that which is the cause of it many times, is want of holiness within; and hence though men fee not, yet the Lord will not give a false testimony, nor let men do so; hence neither judgments nor their speeches reverenced; or because men see not the ancient Spirit of holiness, hence no mourning for them in secret, no holiness in speeches, they smell of the field, not walking as patterns before them, Mal. 2. 8, 9. not caring for the f • ock which Christ hath purchased with his own blood. What's the reason there is that complaint of want of love one man to another, one member to another, who are bound by covenant to it, such jars, divisions? &c. Truly nothing makes so firm an union between man and man as holiness and grace, this tieth the knot; and it is not holiness hid, but now seen; it not being seen, hence comes all your breaches, its impossible else such small things should make it: Oh a tender heart and the life of Christ is not indeed seen; a holy man exact shall never want love, that in every company scatters something, that like Christ, goes up and down doing good, healing the diseases of men's hearts; there's a man I could die with him in my very bosom: I am persuaded the decay of holiness in the lives of men, is the cause why Sanctification is questioned as an evidence of Justification; and hence division.

Thirdly, Look abroad into the world, what is the reason the Churches lie among the pots, and are soiled with so many disgraces, that though we be the people of the Lord, yet we are not called so? why, ja • s, divisions, earthliness, want of love and mercy, murmurings, loss of former life. When Jews are shining with the glory of God, Kings and all Nations shall bring in their glory to them: Oh consider this! sin doth make you vile in God's eyes and man's eyes: Many complain they cannot be respected, nor received; this is the cause of it, you excel not here; others take notice of your unrighteousness, unholiness of life; there's some evil in their bargaining and buying, and ill language from the people of God. Oh therefore go home and lament this, as she, The glory of God is departed from Israel; so do you here.

SECT. V.

HEnce see when the Lord doth honor us to do his work, what little cause there is to seek honor of men (nay though all the worlds glory be taken from you) because it is honor enough to do the Lord's work; would you have more honor than Christ? this was his beauty, glory, and honor; God hath an everlasting name for you, though you have disgrace by it, nay though no success, yet Isa. 49. 5. glorious in the Lord's eye: Oh it was a sweet course of Barak, Judge. 4. 9. thou shall • lose honor; that's all one, said she, Let me do the Lord's work, though it be in a difficult work of pursuing the Lord's enemies; what profit have you on the other side, when you seek it in your pitchers? what company? &c. this was Saul's sin, 1 Sam. 15. 30. Oh worship and honor me nevertheless this time before the people; it's his reward, and it's the Devils sin to be puffed up; this pulled down Nebuchadnezzar; Herod was smote with worms, because he gave not glory to God, but took it to himself; it was a heavy speech to Eli, 1 Sam. 2. 29. Because thou honorest thy sons above me, this and that I will do unto thee. Nay though men are so holy as to honor God with their lips, yet God will blast the wisdom of the wise for it: Oh therefore let this be enough, and then you will not hunger after other honor; for this is glory and honor enough, and you have thought so, when yourselves, Oh if I may but honor the Lord, it is enough.

Hence see what little cause any wicked man hath to lift up his head with any glory he hath, because the spirit of holiness, beauty and glory is departed from them; as when the Soul is departed from the body its glory and beauty is departed from them, it's withered; and therefore we shall read in Scripture what names the Lord gives them, as Dogs, Swine, Serpents, a generation of vipers, painted Sepulchers, Devils in the time of the greatest profession, as Judas, John. 6. Wilde beasts, and that in the greatest outward glory; and hence the four Monarchies of the world are resembled to such beasts, Bears, Leopards, &c. Thus for their persons: And as for their actions, all they do is unclean, and ignoble and hence compared to Thistles, that cannot bring forth Figs or Grapes; and hence Solomon compares them, As jewels in a Swines snout, so is a parable in the mouth of a fool, it becomes them not, it's abomination in the sight of God all that which they do, though glorious before men; and at last day they shall rise up to everlasting contempt; and it is said Isa. 66. ult. their worm shall never die, and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh, though they may carry it out fair for a time; the fairest professors that by their Sorceries and enchantments deceive the people shall be filled with shame, and as the Magicians were smitten with sores they could not stand before Moses (being smitten with sores) so you shall not be able to stand before the Lord at the last day; and look as it is with Christ and his people, their cross and shame here, it is but their preparation to their crown; and hence, when Christ was put to the most open shame, then was the daybreak of his glory; so all that you glory in, which God gives, 'tis but a solemn preparation for your shame: And hence, when Nebuchadnezzar is at his highest pitch and thoughts of glory, then is his downfall; if a man should have a crown upon his head, all honor given him, and it should be whispered to him, This is but a preparation to your execution, what little glory could he take in that? but rather fall a weeping as Paul, Phil. 3. 18, 19. when he saw some that made their belly their God, and boasted of the things of the earth, whose glory is their shame; and he speaks of them weeping: And therefore you that can sit in a chimney-corner, when you meet with your companions, hang, draw, and quarter within yourselves, and censute all Churches, Ministers and Christians of a Town and Country, and if you see any sores, like flies, go and suck them and make them worse; or if not, you can make them and imagine them, and scoff at holiness secretly; and though your consciences condemn you of wickedness, yet lift up yourselves with something that you have; Oh know it, your beauty is gone; never a man but glorieth in something; so much estate, so much esteem, so much wisdom, and gifts, birth, and beauty; and now as proud as Satan, but yet a stranger to the life of God, your conversation is not above: Oh poor creature! happy were it for thee if thou wer • no man, (dying so) but the most despised of all God's creatures, who art now abhorred of God, and shalt be the shame of all creatures another day.

SECT. VI.

HEnce if any man hath lost his glory and esteem in the consciences of the people of God, see how to recover it; the Country is full of complaints and murmurings; among the rest this is one of the sorest that many complain of' They are not respected, they are nobody; they had this and that esteem in their own Country of such Ministers, Christians, and were of this esteem; now the market is fallen here, and hence offended at everyone, and cannot pass for members in many Churches; and hereupon bear a private grudge against the Church, and all Ordinances in it, and fly Towns, or sit still, and comfort themselves their conscience is clear, &c. It is with many as it is with Bristo • -stones, they are like pearls, and so they go till they come to the Jewellers; and then when tried not worth two pence; so many men never came to the trial, as here God's providences try some men more than ever losses, sorrows; God's Ordinances try men, and thus they are found too light; would you now recover it? Oh get a Spirit of holiness! and think, Oh I have had a high esteem of myself; but I fall short of that brokenness for my vileness, and want that esteem of, and acquaintance with the Lord Jesus, that the glory of the Lord is not to this day risen upon me; Oh then make after, and merchandise for this, Prov. 3. 14, 15, 16. Sometimes a godly man loseth this; is there not inwardly a decay of holiness • and hence God hath forsaken, and suffered to fall into some sin, so as man hath seen it; do you think the Lord will honor you in the hearts of his people, while you dishonor him? when you live in a vain dead-hearted condition, and disguise yourselves, or in impen • tency for open offenses either of opinion or practice; Be it far from me, saith the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 20. them that dishonor me shall be lightly esteemed; and hence God will cut off Eli 's children; you know what a sad letter Paul wrote to the C • rinthians; but when they saw the spiritual meaning, 2 Cor. 7. 14, 15. Paul boasts of them; Titus his affection was abundant toward them; if not abund • nt confession and giving glory to God, how should you look that God should else give glory to you? it's wonderful to see, how men that have been convinced of sin, and yet would hide it, how the Lord in his jealousy hath discovered them in his time; the sin hath been committed by them, and enqu • ry hath been made, and some conviction, and yet they have wound off, and cried out of wrong; the Lord hath left them to worse evils; And so the Lord will deal with men; and so I say, hide your sin, it shall be your shame at last, and the Lord will never honor you in the consciences of his people till you out with it, and confess it; Jannes and Jambres, their madness shall be made known at last; I speak not this that men should make holiness a bridge to their own honor, and so to stand upon Christ's shoulders; but that this is the way to regain such a blessing, which an humble heart knows how to want, as well as to have.

Oh then place your glory in this; of all things in the world, a man des • res nothing more than honor; it's dearer than life, and it is that which everyone doth d • sire; Oh beloved, hunt not after shadows, feed not your 〈◊〉 with dreams; make not your Garl • nds of withered flowers, but in this which is your glory before God and men. Ier. 9. 24. Let not rich men glory in riches, but in this, that • e knoweth me; It was the heavy complaint the Lord took up against his people, Ier. 2. 11. That they did change their glory; the Lord himself is the glory of his people, as shining in them by his Spirit; it was the great sin of the Gentiles, Rom. 1. 23. that they changed the glory of the 〈◊〉 God, into an image of corruptible men and beasts; so you know this is your glory; and oh now to change this glory for an image of glory! and hence given up to vile affections, to a corruptible mind; and therefore Prov. 8▪ 4, 8. Exalt her, she shall promote thee; admire at this! a man excels in nothing but what he admires at, or seeks not to excel in anything but what he wonders at; you will never place your glory in holiness, nor excel in it, unless you admire at it, and it will then exalt you, and bring you to honor, because indeed it is your honor: Oh that God would work this, men would not be so greedy after the world, nor praise of men.

SECT. VII.

Quest. BUt how shall we come to this?

Answ. 1. Consider the example of Christ, and all the people of Christ at all times, who did not place their glory in these things, but in things above: If a man is to lay much out upon something in the market, if he be wise he will inquire of prudent men that know things, the worth of them, and then it falls out sometimes those things he esteems highly are of no value; so here, look upon Paul, Gal. 6. 14. God forbid I should glory in anything but the cross of Christ; 1 Cor. 4. 13. When the Corinthians were puffed up with greatness, to pull them down from this, he professeth he and others were the off-scouring of the world; and this was their glory, v • rse 16. Look upon Christ himself, he had as much excellency as could be, yet he cast it off, despised all the glory of the world, was a worm and no man; he professeth he sought no • onor of men, • ut the will of him that sent him; this was his glory.

2. Look upon the excellency of your estate in Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 21. Glory not in men, for all things are yours; take any Prince that hath a Kingdom, will he house in a cottage or spend his time and care to thatch and repair that? no, all the Kingdom is mine; and hence he will have Kingly thoughts and Kingly aims, and ends, and acts that ennoble him indeed: So here, 2 Cor. 5. 9. Knowing we have a house above, that there is but a breath between us and glory▪ we labor (are ambitious) that whether absent or present to be present to be accepted of him. The very reason why the hearts, minds, lives of men are so debased, as to seek their glory in that which is their shame, is this, they know no better estate, no greater glory; the God of glory, and Kingdom of glory, and promise of glory, and Ark, and Cherubims, and Oracles of glory in Christ have been to this day hid from their eyes; hence Heb. 12. 2. Christ for the joy set before him desp • sed the shame.

3. Make the Lord present with you, and see him shine about you in his glory; when poor men come to the Court and see no King there, they bow down to his Chair; whereas if he was seen he should have all the honor then; so when men see creatures, but see them like empty chairs, the God of glory not filling of them, we bow down to creatures, but when God is seen, now the soul gives all glory to him; a man that lives without any in his house as chief, all servants attend on him; but when the Prince comes with his train, now all his Servants with himself are too little to attend on the Prince; so here, when men come to pray, or preach, or speak, Oh how doth a wicked heart seek itself? but when the Lord is seen, now all attend on him; hence when God sends his people to honor him, he first appears to them in his glory, and it never is long out of their minds; hence Abraham forsook his own Country, Acts 7. Moses forsook Egypt, he saw God invisible, Heb. 11. 26, 27. Psal. 22. ult. All nations shall remember and turn to the Lord; when the Lord is seen, all our glory is shame, Isa. 6. and now glory in that, and make him as present as at the last day, then all shall fall down before him.

4. See how every service you perform unto him, every act of holiness, quickened by the Spirit of life is pleasing to him; if a Prince be with a man, and cannot be pleased, nothing can content him, or we hear not one word from him whether we please him or not, we shall grow weary of him at last; but to consider this, he that serves me, him will my father honor, that every cup of cold water, shall have a Disciples reward, that every groan shall be heard, that what you do to one of these little ones, you do it to Christ, and Christ takes it as kindly as done to himself, that the Lord remembers the love of your e • pousals, Ier. 2. when you follow him in a land not sown, that the comfort of all your labors, tears, sufferings, shall follow you to heaven, and forever lodge in that blessed breast of thine; Oh Brethren, saith Paul, always abound, and spend your time here, knowing your labor is not in vain in the Lord; why do men seek to please men, and place their glory there? because men see and approve them; Oh what is this to the approbation of a God?

SECT. VIII.

OH then preserve this your glory; when men have anything in the world that is their glory, their Crown their Treasure, Oh they will keep that especially; rather lose life than lose their names, and glory in the world; Oh preserve the spirit of holiness, especially in these places; this hath been this only shall be our glory; and that not in name, and yet dead, but in deed and in power we have had our Christian conversation, and that not by contenting our selves with a little, but to be exactly holy; a little spot is soon seen in your coat; you shall observe it.

1. When the Jews shall be made the glory of all the earth, their glory shall not consist then in immediate Revelations, but in Sanctification; there shall be holiness and sanctification; there shall be holiness on pots and horse bridles.

2. When the Lord will be a defense to his people, and a shadow from heat, and from the Sun! it shall be when the Lord hath purged away the filth of men by a spirit of burning; not which burns up all holiness, but filthiness and selfconfidence in any holiness, and hypocrisy, and so they shall be holy, Isa. 4. 3, 4.

3. How many men stumble by opinions, divisions, &c. (the fruits of a corrupt head, and streams of a dunghill heart) that had rather live in sorrows among enemies, than divisions among friends! Oh the spirit of people, as soon as any new Calf is made, fall down and worship it, and break the ancient Land-marks which the Word hath set, and then make prognostications of all ill weather, to arise from opposing their opinion; never shall our glory be recovered till these evils are confessed and lamented, and the sin of the heart, which begat them.

4. I have wondered why so few be converted (though blessed be God, some the Lord doth pick out, a few Servants, Children and Natives) is it not because either this exemplary holiness, which is our glory, is not, or not so shini • g, but our lamps are dim? Ministers preach, and hearers are • troubled, but they then look upon scandals and offenses from others, and so are beaten off again, Zach. 8. 20, 21, 22, 23. Oh therefore preserve it.

5. HOw will all the world ahhor the ways we walk in, if we miscarry?

6. God will have holy Churches, he is refining the whole world now for that end, and will do so more and more, and go on.

SECT. IX.

Quest. How shall we preserve it?

Answ. 1. Take heed of harboring an ill opinion of holiness, for then if your judgments dislike it, your tongues and your lives shall disgrace it: Take heed of imagining that First, there is no grace in Saints, only immediate actings of the Spirit; this is no spirit of holiness, no more than in Baalams Ass, through which God spake to him.

Secondly, That these graces are only common; who will seek much after that, or esteem that which is but common? this is to despise the Spirit, to contemn the blood of the Covenant, whereby the Church is sanctified.

Thirdly, That grace is so dark and obs • ure a thing always as no evidence can be had by it, though it be peculiar grace: this is a high degree of disgrace to the Spirit of Grace; if one should say here is a man, but believes not his testimony, 'tis doubtful and very questionable what ever he saith, it is a dishonor to him, take heed of this: When the Spirit of Holiness comes to us in form, it comes thus, with little peace; but when in power, with much assurance, 1 Thess. 1. 5. It is a sad thing, if that which was the complaint of the Prophet, shall be the complaint of the Spirit, Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed!

2. Take heed of decaying in a spirit of bounty and love, and in largeness of heart to all the people of God, nay, to all men, so far as you have time and strength; let a man be never so great a Prince, if he once lose his bounty, he loseth his glory; so here Isa. 58. 8. Give bread to the hungry, then shall thy light break out of obscurity: Many complain that New-England hath so little love, Non-members not visited, not regarded (though many times unjustly) Oh they thought to see so much love, and care, and pity; but here they may live and never be spoken to, never visited; Oh take heed of this; Nothing beautifies a Christian in the eyes of others more than much love, (hypocrisy is naught) Oh excel here; visit poor families, sit one half hour and speak to discouraged hearts, show kindness to strangers; such you were; I will warrant God will bless you, this was the glory of Christ, full of grace and truth.

3. Be very careful in receiving in of Members into Churches, one ill man will be a spot and pollution to all the rest, Jude 12. spots in your feasts; you know how many come over, how it begins to be pleaded for, What, not baptized, and Professors? and yet how many are disfigured? therefore try them well; take heed of thinking Elders or Churches are too strict.

Fourthly be much in prayer for the Churches, Isa. 62. 7. Give the Lord no rest till he make Jerusalem the praise of the whole earth, that's the way; do you see any sins in the Country, go and stand in the gap with Moses, and though the Lord offer to do good to you, yet turn him not off so, till he promise to relieve his poor Churches also; beg and this will do it; be much in fasting; it is a shame for us (who are laying the foundations of many generations) not to be much with God in prayer and fasting; and that when in other places there is so much sowing of this seed.

SECT. I.

I N these words is set down the effect which this awakening cry took in the foolish Virgins only:

First, They come to feel, and so to complain of the want of oil.

Secondly, They petition the wise, that they would give them of their oil; which latter is amplified in verse. 9. from the answer the wise made unto them.

We shall open the words as we come to observe anything from them; and begin now with the complaint [ Our lamps are gone out ] or going out, it is all one; The wise Virgins lamps did grow dim, but yet their oil was not spent; but here their oil was spent, and hence their Lamps were going out.

That counterfeit and c • mmon grace of foolish Virgins, after some time of glorious profession, will certainly go out, and be quite spent: It consumes in the using, and shining and burning. Luke 8. 18. To him that hath shall be given, but he that hath not, shall be taken from him that which he hath. Joh. 15. 2, 6. Every branch in me that beareth no • fruit it withers, then it is taken away, and so it is consumed, and in time burned; and hence, many that are first, are • n time last, Matth. 9. 20. and many that are last first: Men that have been most forward, decay; their gifts decay, life decays, and these are last: and last are first; many newly brought home to Christ, excel them, and live so, and die so, that one would think should never hold out. I need not speak more, Scripture is so abundant: I say it is after some time of profession; for at first it rather grows than decays and withers; but afterward they have enough of it, it withers and dies: And look as it is with some bodies when they are healthful, they grow by all means; but when once Nature is spent, and now declining, nothing recovers them, though they may be kept at a stay for a time, but die they will with their best cordials in their mouths; so it is here.

For Explication of this Point, we are to attend how and why this is thus; and that not in the worst, but in the best of the foolish Virgins.

First, The Spirit of God comes upon many hypocrites in abundant and plentiful measure of awakening grace; I say it comes upon them as it did upon Balaam, Numb. 24. 2. And as it is in overflowing waters, which spread far, and grow very deep, and fill many empty places, they fall upon the ground, they come not from any spring within the ground; and hence though they last not always, yet they last some good time; so it is here, the Grace and Spirit of God come suddenly and plentifully upon many a man, which gives them a time of flourishing, it comes not from imitation, or education, or moral persuasion only, but physically from the Spirit of God, 1 Sam. 10. 12. when they wondered that Saul was among the Prophets, one answered, who is their father? who gave them this gift of prophecy? is it not the Lord? so the fame Lord is rich to Saul also: And I say it is only awakening grace; for renewing grace, savingly to change their nature, is not given, but awakening grace, which works upon conscience, and conscience upon the whole man; and thus it was here with these Virgins, they had wonderful light, and a spirit of illumination to see the Lord Jesus, and hence to look for him with much affection and forwardness, as well as the wise, and to keep them company in Church-fellowship, and though they were secure, to complain of their decays, and desire the spirit of grace which they saw in the wise.

Secondly, Though it doth come upon them thus, yet it doth never rest within, so as to dwell there, to take up an eternal mansion for himself, Isa. 11. 10. his rest shall be glorio • s, Isa. 57. 15. This is a favor the Lord shows only to the 〈◊〉 above all people in the world besides. Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit which raised up Jesus Christ from the dead dwell in you, it shall q • icken you, and seal • ou up to be Sons, as it is there expressed.

Thirdly, Hence it doth decay by little and little; as a man that dwells not, but so journeth for a little time in a house, he removes by little and little, till at last he is quite gone; as ponds filled with rain water, which comes upon them; not spring water that riseth up within them, it dries up by little and little until quite dry; as it is with light, after the Sun is declining and setting, it decreaseth by little and little, until it be turned into darkness; so it is here; and as it was in the Cherubims, where the glory of God was, and the Lord departed by little and little; as in Saul, first he neglects the command of the Lord in one thing, then in another, then the Spirit of God departed, and 〈◊〉 vil spirit of sadness came upon him; and then he threa • ens David, then kills the Priests of the Lord, then goes to a Witch, and at last kills himself; and I say this is because the Lord dwells not there; and hence John. 15. because the branch is not engraffed into the stock; and this is usually at the very heigh • of affection on and profession; as the stony ground sprang up; when did it wither? when it came to its height; as flowers that come to wither when they are come to their height of growth; and hence also men when they have most, and best means, and affect, and love them, yet then they die and wither. And it decays by Four means.

SECT. II.

First THrough want of daily nourishment and supply from the Lord Jesus; for look as it is with many bodies, suppose they have life, yet if there be not daily nourishment for it, and wholesome also, it will die ere long, and consume; so it is here, there is a kind of life which hypocrites have from Christ, and it may be fed, and so they live for a time; but this the Lord ever doth for them, they are not always fed, and hence die, as it is John 6. some were quickened to follow after Christ in the wilderness for loaves, some for better ends (as his Disciples) but the Lord knew their want, labor not for them at that perisheth, but for that which gives everlasting life, which Christ will give you; and hence the whole Chapter is spent upon this, to feed upon himself, whence the best were offended: Let a man partake of all Ordinances, Privileges he shall find nothing else but decay unless the Lord be in them all to give daily nourishment, Ephes. 4. 16. daily, I mean, as there is decrease of that taste they have had of the Lord.

Secondly, Through the emptiness of a form; for when the Spirit of God dwells not, but only comes upon a man, it is not long but it corrupts into a form ever after; a man at first knows many truths, and at first is affected with them, he doth not presently forget them, or shut his eyes against them, but after he hath known them a little while, at last the sweetness of that knowledge is lost; and so he hath a form of knowledge, like lessons which a man hath been much affected with, but having played or heard them oft, he hears and knows them, but is not affected with them, Ezek. 33. ult. So at first a man doth many duties with delight; stay a while, and he keeps the duty, but the delight is gone in it, and so hath an empty form; now where the power of godliness and the eternal life of Christ is not, it degenerates firstly usually into this form, and this is all that is left; and the form being empty, hence first, A man comes to loath the truth, and profession of the ways of God which once he loved, and so in time to fall and decay without as well as within; as drink or milk at first are sweet, but stay a while and (the spirits not preserving themselves) then it grows dead, and sour, and sapless, and so it is here. Capernaumites at first be affected, then they fall to a form, then hard to be wrought upon, their hearts fat under all means; if thy light be darkness, how great is that darkness !

Thirdly, Through the power of lust; for where the Lord dwells not, there sin reigns, and it will get head where it hath had any affront, and so choke the power of all means, and hence a man withers, as in the thorny ground, it grew up and choked the word.

Fourthly, Through the fitness of external temptation, which must and will prevail, when the Lord is not within to keep the Palace; it is stronger than all common graces in the world, and will draw away the heart and life, Rev. 3. 10. there is an hour of temptation which tries men, which will discover men indeed; now those temptations are ever suitable to places and persons.

SECT. III.

First, SOmetime the temptation is extreme want, as it was with the Israel •• es, when they were under the oppressions of Pharaoh; Oh to sacrifice to the Lord in a wilderness, and to enjoy the land of Canaan, where they should have Ordinances, Oh they are much taken with this! and many prayers and groans to be delivered out of their oppressions; but when they came to the wilderness, and there did want bread, and then water, now they murmur; which murmuring God remembers, and casts them off for: Had they not Moses, and the cloud, and God's promise, and experience, why did they complain? Oh to bear want, they could not! extreme want is like extreme sickness, it makes all sweet things bitter; some wants men can bear, but not extremity; this saddle doth pinch so hard; so the young man, forsake all for me, saith Christ, but he could not; God and Creatures are enough, but not God alone; so it is with many a man, he can be content to lose something, but when brought very low, cares and fears grow up and choke all.

Secondly, Sometimes the want of spiritual supply; a man looked for much from the Ordinances, and finds it not; not because the Lord's heart is straitened, but because theirs are not enlarged; and hence they have enough of God, and all his Ordinances; they have had the heart of them, and now let them lie fallow, Zach. 11. my soul loathed them, and theirs me.

Thirdly, sometimes abundance of outward blessings, peace, liberty, plenty here; now these things, like ground in Summer, 'tis strange to see what lusty weeds now there be, that did appear dead in time of winter, D • ut. 8. 11. Oh then take heed thou forget not the Lord thy God; now proud and secure, and forsake all.

Fourthly, Sometimes persecutions from men: if hot and total ruin be threatened, this scares from God.

Fifthly, Sometimes corrupt Teachers and delusions among them.

Sixthly, Increase of iniquity in good and bad, in the place where men live; hence love waxeth cold: All which are Matth. 24.

I will name no more, but thus men's common grace comes to wither, and die in them; and the Reasons are these.

SECT. IV.

HEnce do not trust men too far, nor boast of any man too much, especially in regard of his glorious profession and affections at the first; God sends divers of his faithful servants to a place, and many at first hearing are wrought upon, battered down, convinced, mourning after peace, going to Ministers, delight in Ordinances; now many Ministers bless God for their conversion, and many a Christian is put out of doubt of it, parents of their children, and children of their parents, one brother of another, and one Christian neighbor of another; whom he got out once to hear, and once hearing overcame; and for a time there is no other: Oh take heed of boasting too much, it may be they may and will fall (before they have lived many years) down, when at their height: what man was ever sought unto more than John? all Judea came unto him, yet at last they forsake him, rejoiced but a season in that light; they went also from him to Christ, John. 7. 26, 32. yet John complains, none received his testimony; Christ himself preached in Capernaum, and 〈…〉 exalting a man, they boasted in him; yet only a few Babes which the Lord wrought upon; the Galatians would lose their eyes for Paul, yet a • terward they flight him, and join with false teachers against him: Oh therefore pray for them, and weep for them, but do not trust them too far; neither trust your selves too much; John. 8. 31. Then are ye my disciples if you continue; Demas forsakes Paul, all in Asia forsake me.

SECT. V.

HEnce be not offended if we see many apostatize, and fall from their most eminent profession; the Lord hath here foretold that after some profession their lamps will go out; we do not wonder if ponds full in winter are dry in summer, because it is the time and season of it, and they want springs to feed them; and never was there any time since the world began that there were such Apostacies as now.

First, One man after much profession intends to follow the Lord, conscience is troubled at human inventions; Oh, saith he, if delivered, well enough, though I lose never so much! well, he lays out all, and is delivered; but that which quiets conscience, doth not quiet his heart and affections; but his very loss for conscience makes his lusts and desires after other things break out more eagerly, and men cannot now live upon Gospel only, with bread and water; no, no, you are deceived; as it is with sick men, they let go all their estate for recovery; but when recovered, they must get up their estate again, this will not satisfy: And thus some fall spiritually.

Secondly, Others they sought for much in Ordinances, but finding not what they looked for, Ordinances are but as pictures fair a far off; but when men come near them, Word, and Fellowship, and people of God, then they despise them, because they find not a living God there.

Thirdly, While God keeps men under sad temptations, wants and afflictions; Oh then they are humble, and pray; but when blest with ease, and peace, and plenty, and honor, then how lofty and secure? this is better than the Lord: Never such a decay of the spirit of prayer; never was there such a conconfusion in the world, such burning of Cities, slaying of men, rents of Churches, God minding to stain the pride of all glory; and yet never such hearts.

Object. But to stand so long, and yet to fall, seems strange?

Answ. If soon it is a wonder, but if long it is no wonder; if once past growing, you do not wonder if an oak be now decaying.

Obj. But they keep their profession still, only in one thing vile, the error is only in their minds; a spirit of discention from the people of God.

Ans. Scarce shall you see one man in a hundred that is vile in everything, that falls totally; the foolish Virgins did not so, yet their oil was spent, and their lamps going out; there was a man that was slain suddenly, and his blood in his face was fresh, his beauty glorious, and many weeks continued without putrefaction, yet life within was gone; so 'tis the condition of many a man by one wound or sin: And hence a Physician at Wittenb • rg writes of the cause of it; be not therefore offended at them, but wonder at the Lord that he keeps thee; I know there are decaying Saints, but they recover again here.

SECT. VI.

OH therefore labor for the grace that may last, the bread that may last to everlasting life; in all bargains and buildings men will have a special eye to that which will last; if it be rotten, let whosoever will take it; and be sure it is so; for when God doth fully awaken you, you will see it is not right; the foolish Virgins they though they were we • l before; but now after some time, and awakened, they see it will not hold nor continue. For the Lord's sake be suspicious here; fear lest a promise being left, any fall short of it; other things will not last, neither Creatures, nor the Lord to do you good, unless you have everlasting grace. It is a time the Lord is stripping the world of all ornaments, your Wives, Children, Churches; God will take your Husbands, Parents, Members, Ministers from you; yet if a heart to close with the Lord, Oh this is right.

Quest. How?

Answ. 1. Take heed of any affection, without first subduing the contrary lust; for if you mingle them, the one will choke the other; this is sowing among thorns, Ier. 4. 3, 4.

2. Maintain it upon an everlasting root; if the Lord gives you grace, and you set it in your own garden, it will die; no, let it receive life from the promise, that unchangeable love, and grace, and faithfulness; say, if that supports not I fall, 1 Sam. 23. 5. Isa. 46. from gray hairs, I will carry thee; Psa. 23. 2, 3. the Lord leads to waters, he feeds: But I decay? yet he restores my soul: Oh but he afflicts much? yet his rod and staff comfort me; I shall dwell in the house of God forever. Be more empty as the Lord fills you. But oh the sin of this world; all the creatures in the world cannot content, but grace doth, and hence men regard not the Lord; and hence you perish, and your grace shall perish also.

SECT. I.

Our Lamps are out.

T Hat foolish Virgins, or unregenerate persons may see and so complain of an utter want of all saving grace.

Look but upon this pattern, they thought they were rich; and had something, but now they see they have nothing; and hence when they search their lives, our lamps are o • t; when they search their hearts, is there any Grace, or Spirit of Christ, or Christ by his Spirit there? no, our oil is spent, and hence give us of your oil; they saw nothing now. The same persons that are sometimes so puffed up, that they think they are rich and stand in need of nothing, may be basely dejected, and so feel a want of all things.

Quest. How may this appear?

Answ. First, Because this is no more than what the Devils have; if this be Sanctification, to see, I have no Sanctification; if this be Humility, to see, I have no humility; if this be cleanness, to see, I have nothing but uncleanness; the Devils then are sanctified and cleansed; who as they are unclean spirts, and accursed of God, and set apart to all evil and sin, and bound up in the chains of darkness, so they know it; they believe the Word, and they know they have no Christ, no Grace, no love of God, never shall see mercy, comfort, &c. and tremble at this, with whom there is nothing but a fearful looking for of Judgment.

Secondly, Because this is no more than what the Law may bring a man unto; For by the Law Rom. 3. 20. is the knowledge of sin; i. e. not only of gross sins but also of secret sins; for Conscience which is in every man's heart will discover the first, men that live under the Law see more; and hence Paul speaks of himself, so far forth as under the Law, Rom. 7. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Now that which may be wrought in a man merely by the Law, may be wrought in a man under the Law; a man under the Law, is under the reign of the Law, which is to convince of pollution universal, and so to curse; The Law is not the ministration of life to any man, 2 Cor. 3. 7. Gal. 3. 24. and if the Law may convince of sin thus, this sight of sin and vileness is no part of eternal life; and therefore foolish Virgins may well come thus far; and this will especially be found among them where there is a searching Ministry, that there is scarce any close conveyance but the Word discovers them: Gehazi cannot carry it so closely, not Ananias so cunningly, but Elisha and Peter will find it out; Heb. 4. 12. The Word is quick and powerful, and searchetls, which is but a common work; and hence when Peter had told Simon Magus, Thou art in the gall of bitterness, he denieth it not, but saith, Oh pray for me; indeed if the Word discovers the strong-holds, and high forts, and secret lusts and imaginations, and beats them down, and so brings the Soul in subjection to Christ, and into captivity, that is it which is the power of the Gospel, and love of Christ peculiar to his people's works; but to let a man see he hath nothing but filth, and to be a little affected with it, this is no more than what is wrought in a deceitful hearer. I am. 1. 23, 24. The Law or Word lets a graceless heart (a forgetful hearer) see himself; and what can it truly discover to him but his vileness? this glass will discover their smallest spots; this Sun will let you see • otes; you know and see, and that's all.

Thirdly, Because this is no more than the awakening of sleepy Conscience, which the worst man, and closest hypocrite may in time have; Cain 's conscience while it is secure, thinks his offering as good as his Brothers; but when awakened, now my sin is greater than I can bear; Saul goes on in persecuting David, and thinks God will help; and hence 2 Sam. 28. 5. goes to Urim, &c. but God answers him not; now he sees his condition, and makes a doleful complaint of it, That God was departed, and no answer: This is usual; Psal. 9. 20. Put them in fear, O God, that they may know themselves to be but men, weak, sinful, vile men: When the Lord sets up his Judgment Seat in a man's conscience, not only gross evils, but the secrets of all hearts, all men's hypocrisies are then opened to themselves, as at last day to all the world; and hence as hypocrites consciences shall be broken open at the last day, so now also in this life, they may see their profession to be but paint; hence Isa. 33. 14. Hypocrites are afraid when God appears in anger; Oh who shall dwell with God? they are sometimes so confounded with the holiness of God, and the terror of God from thence against sin, that who shall dwell with God? are there any in the world that can stand before him? now all is paint, and vile before him.

Fourthly, Because Hypocrites may have experience of a great change wrought in them, which decaying and corrupting, they may sensibly find a want of what once they had; which though they thought it had been saving grace, or that which would commend them to God; now they see they have no grace at all, hence are lest as these Virgins; if a man never was rich, he cannot be sensible of being a Bankrupt, a Beggar; Look as it was with Adam, he was in a happy estate, in the image of God; now when lost, he saw himself naked, and was ashamed, and was this saving grace? no: So though Hypocrites attain not to that righteousness, yet they may attain to many spirit • all excellencles, which they may prize exceedingly, as those that commend them before God and men; but these corrupting, they may now easily see their nakedness, and vileness, and want of all: Saul had the Spirit of God we know, but 1 Sam. 16. 14. an evil spirit came, and God's Spirit departed; did not Saul know this? the having of God's Spirit made him more sensible of the evil spirit; so it is with many a man; the Spirit of God doth depart, and he cannot pray nor prophecy, nor speak, nor think, nor do, as he did; nay he may find an evil spirit upon him; and is this unknown? may not foolish Virgins know this? as Sampson when shaved.

Fifthly, Because that which is sometimes a just judgment of God upon a carnal heart, that they may see and feel; but many times (I say not always, because the Lord doth use this to prepare for mercy) it is so that men that have despised grace, and Christ, men that have coloured it over with God, and thought highly of themselves for what they had; they shall see all their profession is but paint, and all their Gold, Tin and Copper: Io • . 8. 21. You shall seek me, and shall not find me, but shall die in your sins; seeking ever presupposeth a want; so that you shall find a want of me; and if of me, of all life, of all grace, of all comfort and good; and this loss the Lord makes a punishment which they shall bring upon themselves by contempt of him.

SECT. II.

HEnce we may see the woeful condition of those. viz. First, Consider how far from eternal life those are that never knew their fall; the foolish Virgins knew their want of oil and shining, and yet were foolish, and yet were shut out; how great is their fall then, and how great their misery, that have had burning lamps, but now know it not? this is the state of many a professor, many a man who is fallen from the Lord, and the affections once he had, but he knows it not; God did enlighten him, but now he is blinding of him; he did affect him, but he is now benumbing of him; he did make him tender, but not he is making his heart fat; he did make him low in his own eyes (as Saul, but when a King then pu • t up) so God is swelling of him; but this is most grievous, he knows it not, Isa. 6. If a man did know his lamp were going out, he might seek, as these, for it, and possibly find it; but now no hope unless the Lord help; as we see men wounded and falling, they are astonished at the blow, that they know it not, and may die, unless those about them dress them, and send to and fro for help for them; so it is with many; men are so stupifled with some blows of their lusts, that unless Christian friends exhort, admonish and send their prayers and tears to heaven to the Lord, no hope of recovery again; and whether the Lord will be entreated is hard to say; surely it is rare, and yet thus it is 1 John. 5. sometimes, if it be not a sin unto death; but in a Brother, grace will fetch help; but if the man never had grace, and now fell without feeling, there's little hope; if a man can feel no sun rising upon him, nor yet how the day goes away, whether the Sun be setting or no, it argues miserable carelessness, or miserable blindness, and that the man is in darkness; so here.

Secondly, What will become of them that were never cast down so low as these, that never came to be so good as Hypocrites,

For 1. You were born and have lived not only in a sinful estate, but in a Christless estate; dead without all life, every part of thee polluted.

2. If the Lord doth draw any out of this estate, he will make you know what poor creatures you be, that you shall say, I thought I had been thus and thus, but I see I am wretched; I thought I should be saved, but now I am condemned, so that your mouth shall be stopped, Rom. 3. 21. else you would never come to the Lord, to your Fathers house, and prize the grace of God, if any husks to live upon now.

3. You never knew this; never came to complain to any Christian, Oh my oil is spent, my lamp is out; Christ and Spirit, and all good is gone; no, you think yourselves rich and want nothing; you have some knowledge, restraint of good affections, and full of these, The Lord will spew you out his mouth, if it is thus with you: Nay, although you have means and hear of it, yet all the world cannot make you know your nakedness, misery, sin and emptiness; Well, if the Lord doth not set up a Judgment-Seat now, you shall be called before it one day, and then your secrets shall be made manifest before all the world; and because you say you see, therefore your sin remains; so say I to you: You never did contemn God, nor hate God, &c. therefore your contempt remains; if it be, there Christ will discover it, and so remove it; but is it not so • therefore you sin remains.

SECT. III.

HEnce see the deceit of that sinful opinion, That true Sanctification is to see I have no Sanctification; and cleaness of heart to see nothing but uncleanness; and that this is poverty of Spirit, to see no grace in a man's self, nor no Christ there; and this not only hath • been, but it seems is scattered still; which as it is pleasing to many a graceless heart, and suitable to his lust, so it carries a fair cloak of Humility and Self-denial in it, and makes way for such an Evidence which the Scripture did never yet declare.

Poverty of Spirit is a Grace peculiar to them that shall have the Kingdom of Heaven; But to see no Grace is common to those that shall be shut out of the Kingdom of heaven; none but those that are justified can be savingly sanctified; many that shall be condemned, may see, do see that they have no Sanctification: And therefore this is no Sanctification.

1. If this be Poverty of Spirit to see no Grace, then Common-grace is Special-grace, peculiar to the Elect, as true Poverty is.

2. Then it is a grace of the Spirit of God to maintain an untruth, and to give the holy Ghost the lie; for where there is Poverty, there is Grace and Christ.

3. Then the Grace of Poverty of Spirit, should be quite contrary to the Spirit of Grace, which makes us know the things given us of God; but this poverty of Spirit makes us not to know them at all.

Yet many will profess this true Poverty of spirit, and this is true Sanctification indeed.

First, It is true, where there was never any of the Grace of Christ, but men have run upon Reformation without Christ, and affection, &c. there men are bound to see their black feet, and happy is the heart that can pull off every feather from such crests; but where it is, and the Lord hath given evidence thereby according to his Word; now to deny it is devilish, for it was he that said Job did not serve God for naught, and is a lie, of which he was the Father; and is great unthankfulness to the Spirit for what he hath done.

Secondly, If there be no Grace in a Christian nor Spirit, but all in Christ, then say it upon the house tops, and be not ashamed of it; men must see nothing, because they have nothing; otherwise let this delusion rot, and never find acceptance in holy hearts; and yet how many still describe an Hypocrite by all the Graces of the Spirit, Faith, receiving Christ as King, Priest, and Prophet, &c. and so are clean creatures and upright men, by seeing nothing in themselves, contrary to Christ, Io • . 13. You are clean, but not all.

Thirdly, It is true, a gracious heart is apt to deny all the Lord hath done for him; yet the Lord likes not this; as Calvin thinks Peter did, Lord, hands, and feet, and all; no, saith the Lord, thou art clean in head, and all but thy feet; and hence needs no washing but in that: And what more frequent than this sin? but to make what is sinful a duty, this is to turn day into night, and night into day, to call evil good, and bitter sweet.

SECT. IV.

Quest. 1. BV • doth not the Lord bring every man to see nothing in himself?

Answ. Yes, that the Lord doth in preparing him for Christ, or in drawing him toward Christ, but it is where there is nothing, neither poverty or any other grace.

Quest. 2. But is not this poverty of spirit, or do not those that are poor in spirit see nothing?

Answ. 1. In regard of their unregenerate part, which the longer they live, the more they feel of the evil of it, and so the more poor they grow; they see no good there, and so account themselves the most miserable men, mourning more under it than ever; yet to see no good at all in themselves, this, if their eyes be open, they are not to say, I delight in the Law in the inner man; and hence a regenerate Christian is vile in his own eyes after all duties and enlargements, he sees how all is defiled with a filthy heart, and hence Prov. 30. 4. I am brutish; and he speaks of his natural estate, and in that part, for else it is cross to 1 Cor. 2. 10.

2. They see nothing in themselves to commend them to God in point of Justification; here all Paul 's past and present righteousness is accounted dung.

Quest. 3. If an Hypocrite sees and feels nothing, and those that are poor in spirit do so? what is the difference?

Ans. The differences are many. 1. He that is truly poor, sees so much vileness, as that he loathes himself, Ezek. 6. But the Hypocrite if he hath any excellency, remains full of it, proud with it; if it be gone, he seeks himself again, and loathes not himself.

2. True poverty of spirit drives a man out of himself, and all carnal contents, tents, as well as graces, to mercy, to live there, and cleave there, as in the Prodigal, he did not only see a want, but feel a need of bread; I die without it, Psa. 40. 9, 10. But another that sees no good, either is not driven out of his contents, but when he sees nothing, as C • in, builds Cities, or if he see's some good in himself, then he is not driven out of himself.

SECT. V.

HEnce see which is the surest and safest way of evidencing our good estate, for here men now are perplexed, either 'tis by seeing no grace, and so expecting the witness of the Spirit, or by seeing some saving work of grace, and so looking to the witness of the Word, and waiting for the confirmation of the Spirit; for seals do but confirm the Promise and Covenant; if it be by seeing no grace, then either by seeing no grace, without having the being of it, and now wait for a revelation, and then 'tis a delusion, for he is under the condemnation of the Word, and therefore far from consolation of the Spirit; or by seeing no grace without seeing the being of it: If so, then a man must seek for a witness of the Spirit, without understanding the meaning of the Spirit, or of the witness of it; and so a man must shut his eyes against part of the truth, that he may see another part; a man must see that he is beloved, but not thou believer, or thou called, art loved or justified. Oh then take heed of this way of evidence; or else by now seeing grace, and waiting for a witness; now this is safest; for when ever the witness comes it is certainly right now, not a delusion: Hereby we shall see the full meaning of the witness and compass of the Lord's love. And therefore take heed of denying all grace, and seeing nothing, and then wait for a Revelation, and if it comes now 'tis right; no such matter; you may see nothing, and to hell, and no consolation to them that see nothing; think not that this is poverty; it may be a seal to a blank, to such a one as the Lord never intended mercy unto; that which God promiseth pray for, Zach. 13. ult. first, to say It is my people, and then the Lord is my God; find that the Lord makes you his people, and then say so. Let all know this is never questioned, whether the Spirit be the cause of witness, and clearing our estate; but whether by seeing nothing, or showing something; here's the mystery of it: Oh that God would make you hear, that are called away from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ: These foolish Virgins were wiser than many now a days in this particular, they cried for oil in their lamps, or they knew they could not be accepted of the Bridegroom.

Oh search and try yourselves thoroughly, for you may come in time to see all your paint fall off, all your guilt discovered, &c.

SECT. I.

Give us of your Oil, &c.

T Hat foolish Virgins may, and seriously do desire, not only Salvation, but Grace itself. For these Virgins did not only desire the Lord to open to them, but give us of your oil; and this they do not desire in show, but seriously, for they felt a want of it; our lamps are out, out oil is spent, our misery is great; Oh now help us with your grace: This may appear in these particulars.

First, They may feel a loss and a want of it, and having some hope in this life to gain it, hence may seek it; thus not only the Virgins, but Simon Magus Acts 8. 24. when he was convinced he was in the gall of bitterness; he doth not only content himself with his own, but doth commend himself to the desires of the Church, and Apostles, Oh pray for me, that none of these things may come upon me, but that I may be brought into another estate, whereby I may escape all this, Amos 8. 11, 12. I will bring a famine, not of bread, but of hearing the Word, i. e. you shall feel a woeful want of that, and of the consolation, life, and spirit of that, and you shall go from sea to sea to find it, and shall not: Oh that I had taken my time, will the careless ones say!

Secondly, They may have a high opinion of it, and see a marvelous excellency in it, and hence may be drawn to desire it, John. 6. 33, 34. My father gives you bread from heaven, which Moses gave not, and such bread as gives life unto the world; then said they, Lord, ever give us of this bread; and yet they were carnal, and desires carnal, arising from the sight of the excellency of it; that Scribe Matth. 12. 33, 34. To love the Lord thy God with all thy heart is better than all burnt offerings and sacrifices; Oh that's admi • able, the Ordinances are good, and Creatures are good, but this is better: As a man when he admires the world, he ever desires the world, though he never hath it; so here, as in Balaam: Not only Word and Spirit may commend it, and so they may desire it, but the excellency of it in the lives of the Saints will commend it, so as carnal hearts may desire the company and love of such men above all in the world, Rev. 3. 8. Gen. 26. 28. We saw God was with th • e, • nd that thou w • rt blessed of the Lord; and hence there are some desires after it, 2 Pet. 2. 19. Men escape pollutions by Christ.

Thirdly, They have a taste of the sweetness of it, and hence may desire it, Heb 6. John was a burning light, and they rejoiced in him, and all Judea and Jerusalem flocked to h • s Ministry, and came into the wilderness after him; the savor of the grace of Christ may wonderfully draw desires after it, they may find such a sweetness in it, L • k. 13. 26. Many shall say, Lord, have not we can and drank in thy presence? that is, they find much sweetness there; the Lord taught among them; they desired him, and thought he was their own, yet shut out; and hence verse 24. Many shall se • k to enter in, and shall not be able.

Fourthly, They may and do grow up in a glorious profession in the ways of grace, and such a profession as to stand it out against persecution, as the thorny ground did, and may have some growth toward it, which cannot be without some desires and springings of heart after it.

SECT. II.

HEnce let this be an item to all the people of God, to preserve with all care, and not to lose, but to make much of the Spirit of Grace inherent in them; for look as the Lord Jesus, when he would make his Disciples wonder at their blessedness, and make much of him, and his love, saith he, Many Kings and Prophets have desired to see these days, and have not seen them; so many professors of great parts and gifts shall desire to have that Spirit of Grace and Peace which you have, and shall never see it, never shall have it: when David's heart began to be drawn away by the evils of the world, and then beheld the vanity of that, his desires are now turned another way, Oh it is good for me to draw nigh to God, that's good: As if he had said, though it be good to have the things themselves; yet it is not good for me to draw too nigh in my desires and esteem of them, but good for me to draw nigh to him. It may be sometimes your hearts are taken off from esteeming your condition, and what the Lord hath done for you; and hence no desire after the Lord or his Grace, but the lawful comforts of the world, not inordinately, but if I had so much, or as good as others, then well. Psal. 141. 4. David entreats the Lord not to incline his heart after any evil thing, no not after the wicked's good things, Let me not eat of their dainties; for grant that thou losest all these things, which others have; the time will come when the greatest Prince, and those that have their desires filled here, shall say, Oh that I was in that man's estate! Let the Lord therefore exercise you with many wants and sorrows; remember this, your end will be peace, which the worst would give a world for another day.

What then will become of them that never desired grace at all, because they are well enough without it! a man cannot live (say they) by praying, and hearing of Sermons; such duties are troublesome; hindrances, not desirable helps; and when any Ordinance comes, when will Sabbaths be ended? and as for the people of God themselves they can see no difference between them and other men, nay, they think them worse; if this be your Religion, God keep me from your Religion. Nay; they can see no beauty in Christ to desire him; they can desire that they were not kept inso much on the Sabbaths, not so much pains taken with them to instruct them; it may be these may desire that their hands be kept from stealing, their tongues from cursing, and their feet from running to shed blood; but the life of Grace, and power of it, they desire not that, nor never did: I remember when David was in extremity, Lord, saith he, my groanings are not hid from thee; this was his comfort when he could not pray, Psal. 38. 9. But here it is otherwise: Canst thou if extremity should come upon thee, say, Now I am not able to speak, Oh remember my closet tears, my midnight groans, and daylight complaints, and those daily sighings after thee which have arisen from this sorrowful heart? did the Lord never work this in thee? if extremity comes, and thou hast no such thing to witness for thee, do you think that you shall meet the Bridegroom in peace? Oh no! go home, and make thy mo • n over thy own Soul; the Lord is far from me; if many seek to enter and shall never be able, what will become of me?

Hence see how many people deceive themselves in their evidencing of a good estate, who because they see no oil in their vessel, nor see no shining in their lives, yet because they desire it, they think hereupon the Lord accepts them and their desires, and therefore the Lord will fulfill them; this very conceit keeps thousands in their sins and miseries, and that under conviction of them; yet I desire it were better with me; and they think Hypocrites make shows of this and that, yet they have not unfeigned desires; and here thousands rest, and this slays them, as Prov. 27. 5. The desires of the sluggard kills him.

SECT. III.

Quest. BUt doth not the Lord respect the groanings of his people? doth not Christ say, Joh. 4. 10. if thou hadst asked, &c. doth not the Lord look upon the inner man, the very frame, nay, desires that have been past?

Answ. Yes, there be some desires which are evidences; some which are not; I shall discover them that be unsound in the particular example of these foolish Virgins, &c.

First, Those are unsound desires, which arise in the soul easily, without feeling a need of the Lord's almighty power and Spirit of life to work them at first; we shall find that the desires of regenerate Christians do not come easily, but they find a need of the Lord to draw them. Ier. 31. 10. Lam. 5. 21. but the desires of others spring up easily and quickly; as these foolish Virgins, they wanted oil, they could quickly desire it; and they go to their fellow-breth • en for help, Oh give us of your oil. Look as it is with wild Rye and Pease, they will come up at the season of the year in abundance, without sowing or plowing, the ground bears them naturally; but other corn and grain will not come so easily; your ground will not bear it till plowed and digged, and then the hand of man must set it, and die it must, before it can live again; so here, if desires come and spring up easily, it is a sign they are wild; the Lord must break the heart, and then sow these, and plant these from heaven, and you must fetch it out of heaven, else it is naught; for when the Lord works saving desires indeed, he ever sows them in a broken heart, which is thoroughly broken indeed; when God sets the smoking flax on fire (which are desires) he first bruiseth the reed itself.

Secondly, The subject in which these desires are; a man hath a Son and a Servant; the Son hath all his desires granted him, because he hath a sonly spirit; all the Father hath is for him, that may be good for him; a Servant desires importunately, but he prays from the spirit of a Servant, and all that his Master hath is not for him; and therefore if he pray for the inheritance or a part of it, of the portion of the Son, shall he have it? no, he shall have what is fit for a Servant; so it is here, the Lord hath some Sons in his Churches; these praying and desiring from a son-like spirit, all that God hath being theirs, they shall have it; and hence Psal. 145. 18, 19, 20. He will fulfil the desires of them that fear him, and love him, and delight themselves in him; for that is the son-like disposition; when he is cut short of all comfort in the world, nay, when he may have his fill of them, yet he delights in his Fathers face, love, and grace, and fellowship, and house, Psal. 27. 4. For they are heirs and coheirs with Christ, being Sons; but now there are Servants in the house of God; shall they have their wills and lusts? no; thus it was with these foolish Virgins; they were only Servants in the house, no true Spouse or Sons, and were foolish at best, and had not the spirits of Sons, but had their lusts; never were espoused savingly to the Lord Jesus himself, nor laid up all their hope in him, but were foolish and that is the ground why others desires are heard, not theirs.

Thirdly, Unsound desires make after a certain measure only, whereas the desires of Saints seek after this Grace without measure; and thus the foolish Virgins fell short of the wise; all that they could get was little enough for themselves; but the foolish look after some of their oil, as many a man looks upon the gifts and parts of another; Oh, saith he, if I was as honest, as humble a man as such a one! and many a man sets up such a measure, and if he hath that, is well, while he wants that miserably: Look wistly upon the foolish Virgins, they did content themselves with a measure, and now they are in want of it, seek for it; at first a little did content them, and now when it is spent, a little will serve them again: And what is their measure?

1. So much as will beautify and adorn them before men, our Lamp is out.

2. So much as will comfort them against the coming of Christ; for now they were troubled that their oil was spent, whereby they might meet the Bridegroom: he that desires it for a little measure of it, his desires are certainly unsound; so much as will serve his turn (he cuts his coat according to his cloth) but he that desires it without measure, e contra, as Paul, Phil. 3. 12. That I may apprehend by any means, that for which I am apprehended: As Chrysostom calls Paul that insatiabilis Dei cultor; for he makes it his last end; as he that desires wealth without measure, though he gets not all the wealth of the world, yet the more he hath, the more he craves; this his fleshly lust is his last end.

Obj. But he may desire it without measure for his own ends.

Ans. I confess 'tis true; for men may desire honor and no honor but by gifts, and no gifts but by grace; and hence may desire infinitely, but yet it is but a measure, viz. to serve his own ends, but not the Lord's ends; to set up himself; true desire of grace, is for that which may pull down self, and make God all, Psal. 119. 4, 5.

Fourthly, It is not their only desire, or the only thing they desire, viz. the good Spirit of the Lord, and that they might not live or anything else in them, but that the Lord may live, and his Grace and Kingdom may prevail in their hearts; the desires of Saints are only after this; or if their desires are after other things, the Spirit lusts against them, 2 Sam. 23. 5. As carnal desires are after life, and the comforts of it, so spiritual desires are after the life of Christ in them, and the comforts of the Lord thereby, Psal. 27. 3, 4. One thing I have desired, and that I will seek for; what was it? a Crown, a Kingdom? no, but that I may dwell in the Lord's house forever, and visit his Temple: Notable is that example of Abraham, Heb. 11. Two things he met with that might draw down his desires.

1. He came to a land which God promised to give him, where he lives among enemies and in fears.

2. He might have returned to another Country, and now have been better.

3. God blessed him, &c. but it was nothing he desired, only another above; hence God is not ashamed to be called his God; but the foolish Virgins fell short of this, and hence they now seek only in times of extremity: And this is the frame of many graceless hearts in time of extremity. 1. When all grace is gone. 2. When death is come, then they seek earnestly after the Lord, and Grace; Oh their sin lies heavy! Oh then an humble heart is sweet! but before their hearts were overcome with lusts after other things; and this double heart every carnal heart hath, Ephes. 2. 3, fulfilling the lusts of the mind, i. e. Diabolical lusts, and lusts of the fl • sh, i. e. sensual and beastly lusts, it's the state of all men; and hence promises are not made simply to men's seeking the Lord, for they may miss, but to them that do it with their whole heart Psal. 119. • 2. Ier. 29. 13. this they never do; and hence men pray daily, and live in their lusting all the day after; men long in misery, but are cool in peace.

SECT. IV.

Quest. BUt seeing there is in Saints two Natures, flesh lusting against the spirit, and spirit against flesh; and a double heart in a Reprobate, whereby he desires grace and other things, how shall we distinguish them?

Answ. 1. The lusts after grace and worldly things in an Hypocrite agree together in the same heart; but those lusts which are after the flesh and spirit in a regenerate heart are contrary one to another, and like fire and water one seeking to destroy the whole being of the other. Exem. gr. A man wants the things of this world, he seeks and desires after them, riches, honor, rest, and peace; but thinks he, if I have no more but this, I may to hell; if no Grace; hence he desires that, and so doing now he hath peace, and all is quiet with him, and goes on sweetly in a way of profession a • d prayer; and a gracious heart is ready thus to do, and to make his head lie soft with two pillows, but yet the Spirit riseth up against this, that the soul thinks, I shall fall by this heart; Lord, how apt to rest in these lees! lusts in Hypocrites are like brethren, that help one another, to this end to get peace; but here as enemies, to destroy such a cursed peace as that is in the Godly.

2. In a false heart, lusts and desires after these things are dear to them, like their limbs and best members, they cannot be nor cannot do without them; but in Saints they are sores and blains, and so hated of them; ex. gr. Let a man have a full table, and fair estate, and outward blessings, promising much, and the Ordinances of God, and a heart to follow God there; now see him lively in the service of God; but let him be brought to extremities, and want of all this, and fears of poverty, estate wasteth, poverty appears, many rates come in, and the wife cries out; now he falls down to the earth in discontent or worldliness, and his life and affection to Ordinances, or the fervants of God, is now gone; as it is with a bird, when she hath two wings she can fly, but when she hath only one, then she falls, and the fowler takes her, because it was a limb precious to her; so here: Thus it was with David's servants at Ziklag, 1 Sam. 30. 4. all wept till they could weep no more; but here it was otherwise with David, he could fly to God without those wings; so when God gives a man a condition not so great as he would, and the heart lusts after so much, and God crosseth; he cannot be content with a little, or with a mean estate, because his lust is his limb, he cannot suffer it to be cut off, or be pa •• d; if a man hath a wooden leg, he can cut it answerable to his shoo, but if but a limb, he must have his shoe cut answerable to his leg; because it is his limb, no cutting of that le • s; oh it is dear: So it is with a man that hath a lust after anything, it is dear, and hence he is said to live in them, and to be in the flesh; but the desires after these things in a gracious heart, they are blains, they can be without them; Oh never such a happiness if the Lord would dead them to me, Gal. 5. 24. they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof.

3. The lusts and desires in a false heart are reigning lusts, and make the lusts after grace and holiness serve them; but e contra in a holy heart. Ex. gr. A man prays for the love of God, and the Spirit of grace, and 'tis affectionate, but yet 'tis ever for some lust: I am. 4. 3. a man desires grace to perfect his gifts, and gifts to deck him, and purchase him honor before men; a man desires grace to quiet his conscience in assurance of God's love, and pardon of sin, that he may live the more peaceably with his sin, Isa. 58. 3, 4. Now in a gracious heart, the desires of these things serve the desires after grace; for he desires the things of this world to be the more holy, Prov. 30. 7, 8. Feed me with food convenient, that I may not tempt thee; he desires, and hath them for Israel's sake, 2 Sam. 5. 12. Like a Tradesman, he buys and sells, but it is for gain, Phil. 1. 20. Oh consider of these things, and if your hearts have had only such false desires as these, know it, that as verily as these Virgins were shut out, so shall you another day.

SECT. I.

T Hat foolish Virgins in their first endeavors after the Spirit of Grace, usually cease from seeking farther, before they have got that measure and fullness of it which will continue to the last. Or,

That there is ever a cessation in the first endeavors of carnal professors from seeking after that measure of grace which will indeed last and continue until their meeting with, and appearing before the Lord Jesus Christ.

For these Virgins here did seek after the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of Christ, and hence did get that measure which lighted their lamps for a good season; and they contented themselves with this, and gave over seeking until it is too late; and therefore now they say, Give us of your oil, our Lamps are o • t: These foolish Virgins when they had got somewhat, they are carried with abundance of affection and profession, they think themselves as good as the best, and what need they seek for more! and then grow secure and fall asleep until all is spent. The Scripture is pregnant everywhere for this. But let us look and see the causes of this.

First, Sometime it is because they know not what that measure is which doth accompany salvation; but they set up an imagination of their own heads, which is a false image of Saving-grace, and when they have that, now they think all is well, and they go no further. Judge. 2. 11, 12. People that know not the Lord, nor the po • er of his grace, will set up other gods, and serve them, and there rest; until it is with them, as it was with those, when the anger of the Lord wax • th hot, and spoilers come, now they cry unto the Lord; What is the reason why many a man falls short of the righteousness which is of God, viz. of Faith? Because he sets up in his head a righteousness of his own; and if I get that, then I hope the Lord will accept me, and forgive me; and hence Rom. 9. 31, 32. why did they miss of it? Because they sought it by a righteousness which is of their own; so why do many miss of Faith? because they think it is an assurance; or when a man rests upon Christ, not considering the need of an Almighty power; and hence the Apostle prays for this, Ephes. 1. 19. So for Repentance, why do men fall short of it? they think it is when God's anger is expressed, the soul then comes to seek the Lord, and finds some comfort Psal. 78. Matth. 3. and so runs away with it: So for Holiness, they think it is to be like others; and then well, they think these are the men that shall live, and are happy; and look as it is like it was at Babel, when head and tongues were confounded, one calls for a Brick, the other brings him a Trowel, Hammer or Tile, because he did but imagine what he spake, and so understood not his language; So 'tis here; men read and hear God speak, and Ministers call for Faith, and knowledge of God; but earthly minds cannot understand heavenly language; and hence they imagine that is Faith and Repentance which indeed is not, and so miss of that which indeed else would continue; and this is the misery of many thousands that in seeing see not. The experience of the work of grace, makes men savingly to know what Grace is, John 5. 37, 38. Now men graceless never felt it in the life and power of it, and therefore cannot tell it.

Secondly, From the nature of Common-grace; the nature of which is as the Apostle speaks of lifeless knowledge, 1 Cor. 8. 1 to puff up; it never leaves the soul more sensible of his vileness, as Saving-grace doth, Ezek 16 ult. and so makes a man never rest in seeking after the Lord; but makes the soul feel himself full, and hence the stomach is gone from seeking after more, as Rev. 3. 17. She thought she was rich, &c. The Spirit of Grace which is but common, that heals a vile, proud heart, it easeth him, it quiets him, in healing some sin, which lies sore on the conscience; it heals and quiets the man, so he is well, needs no repentance; but the Spirit of life indeed destroyeth the man, and •• ays corruption, and hence he resists; and now saith the soul, I never felt my heart so vile as now; and hence, saith Paul, Sin revived, and led me captive, Oh wr • tched man ! as it is with a Prince, if any great ones come and serve him, he likes them, this gives him rest, settles him in his Throne; but if any one come to reign over him, now he gathers all his strength to oppose: So Common grace it ever comes as a servant to corrupt; and hence take a man of best wit and parts, he turns them against the Lord, and makes them serve himself.

Thirdly, From an apprehension of this difficulty, and an unwillingness in the heart to break thorough the difficulty of seeking after the Lord; many a man sees (as Dives in hell, Abraham afar off ) Grace, and God, and Christ afar off; but there is a great gulf between them and Grace; now to be watching, fasting, seeking the Lord diligently, to follow the Lord hard, Psal. 63. to keep the heart lamenting till the Lord comes, this is hard, as Heb. • . 'tis said, They could not enter in because of unbellef. 1. They thought they could never overcome. 2. They thought the Lord did therefore hate them, Deut. 1. 27. They did not regard the strength of God; they shall be but bread for us saith Caleb; they could not believe that to be bread that is so hazzardful. So 'tis with many a man; and hence he sits down with desires and hopes, and so perisheth; the sluggards desires slay him; hence many complain of difficulty, but never break difficulties, and so perish; and so not like to the Merchant that goes far for pearl. It is his business, and no storms no • ill weather drive him to desire the smoke of his chimney, till he hath got them, he hath now resolved to venture all for, Prov. 2. 5. if thou dig for silver, &c. many prize Christ and Grace, Oh that I had it, but are • oth to dig for it, they love their ease so well, and hence rest in their desire after it; but indeed miss it; and hence many can come to, and follow God in outward Ordinances, but never find fruit and comfort in any of them, because of difficulty, yet sit down content because they seek for Ordinances, as Prov. 12. 27. The sluggard roasts not what he had • ook in hunting; there is a very great delight in coming to Ordinances, as travellers under the shadow, but then to climb the tree that is hard, and hence lose the fruit; and hence God seeing a man love his sloth, and hath that base esteem of his Grace, as that he will not follow so hard after it as he hath done after his lusts, let's loose Satan, and he comes and stakes down a sinner in this, God must do all, and there he rests, and so he falls short; like one that comes to Husbandmen, and tells them they have taken much pains and care to get their ground good to bring forth much, but for time to come their ground shall bring forth fruit without planting or sowing, only reap you the fruit, it would be good news to them, and they believe it, and then when the year comes about, they are to seek for corn; so this affects, and here they rest, and by this means want.

Fourthly, From feeling the unprofitableness of seeking the Lord through difficulties, and hence they give over but a little before they find that that will continue.

1. Some follow the Lord for carnal ends, as Judas did, but he finding the purse grow lank, and the bag empty, he forsakes the Lord.

2. Some for comfort, and hence pray and mourn; and hence Mal. 3. 14. what profit is there that we have walked so? as it was with Naomi, when she returned home, both her daughters accompany her some part of her way, Return again, saith she, to your friends, here is no Husband for you where I go; the one would not be beaten off, it is not a Husband I came for, but a God; thy God shall be my God; the other hearing her speeches, and loving her Fathers house, and Country, goes back, not without some affection; so it is here; whereas Faith will cry the more.

Fifthly, From the offenses which usually Satan casts in when they are in the heat of their first endeavors; as the stony ground being offended fell away. As,

1. Persecution, and hence they fall; a child begins to look towards God; the Father, Mother, Friends scoff and reproach.

2. Corrupt Teachers, Matth. 24. that like false Christ's deceive, and put a world of scruples into men's heads, and then lead them away; as the Galatia • s that would pull out their eyes for Paul, yet by love and smooth carriage of false Teachers so plausible, they fell off strangely.

3. Corrupt company, women or men; many strong men have fallen by the one, and men also who having a form of godliness, yet denying the power of it, their hearts be taken in these snares.

4. Some hard point of doctrine, John. 6. 60, 66. something is preached that is cross to our apprehensions; I will never believe it, say they; and away they fall.

Sixthly, Because of false comforts which usually men meet with before they get that which will abide in them, in their worst hours; and this quiets all.

1. From themselves; A man sees Christ only can redeem him by price, but he feels no need of Christ to redeem him by power; and now seeing what a miserable creature he is, stays himself upon the Lord, and that it may be by some word which he hears. John 8. 30, 31. when they heard that, they believed; yet the Lord tells them, they are not free, but were yet captive to their sin, which they need the Son himself to die to save them from; and so many • a one comforts himself, and stays here, though he have no other assurance.

2. The approbation and comfort of others, Ezek 13. 3, 4.

• Strange ecstasies of joy which many a man meets with suddenly; they have 〈◊〉 and drunk in Christ's presence, and have been comforted at such and such a time in such a manner; this, we shall find it, persuades men that God is theirs, without revealing the subject, viz. we be his people, and that change which God hath made.

SECT. II.

Quest. WHat is that measure which will last, and throughout continue?

Answ. I have spoken of this at large; but he that loves the truth as his daily bread, will feed upon it, when ever it is set before him: Now there is one thing (this is different) and I shall express myself in one thing only, viz. They give over before they have tasted and drunk the satisfing sweetness of the grace of Christ, and the presence of his grace in their souls: That look as it was with Israel, they came out of Egypt, and saw the wonders of God in the wilderness, and had his fiery Law, and glorious Tabernacle among them, yet they never came to the la • d of rest; so it is at this day with many, they have some glimpses of the excellency of Christ, and his grace, and some desires after it, and some tastes of it; they are pulled out of their woeful bondage, and seeing words of God, are oft affected, yet their carcasses must fall in the wilness, because they never come to rest; they fall off from God because they never knew what this rest meaneth, Heb. 4. 11.

Hypocrites have awakening grace, and are much troubled; they have enlightening grace, and know more than many Christians; they have affecting grace, and are wonderfully taken with the glad tidings of the Gospel; but satisfying grace, or that grace which brings them to full rest, and satisfying sweetness in God, not only to their consciences but to their hearts; not carnal, but spiritual, this they never came to, John. 4. 14. he that drinks the wat • r I give, shall never thirst again; Joh. 6. 54. If ye eat my flesh and drink my blood, there is life, if not, no life; eating and drinking, is not sipping and tasting; many may eat and drink in his presence, as those Exod. 24. 11. but yet not feed at all on his person; this makes the soul hold out, Prov. 2. 10, 11. Psal. 90. 14. this makes the soul glad in God, and in all the days of his life; where any creature is at rest, there it is in the proper place; it is a token the Lord is the proper place of the soul, (not sin, nor hell, which was Judas proper place) when it is at rest there; and this is the last end, and fruit of the redemption of Christ, Ier. 31. 11, 14. i. e. not having so much of God as to be a God-glutted Christian (as he said) but so satiate as not to desire other things, but there to stay, though the heart doth oft feel not the same sweetness.

SECT. III.

NOw there be four things which do concur to this fullness of satisfying sweetness.

First, Manifestation of the Lord Jesus in his full proportion, and in all the dimensions of his goodness to the soul; the soul of man is made for, and so desires an infinite eternal good; whiles this good is not known to be such a one, it never satisfies; and hence let a man look upon any one creature, there is much sweetness in it, but not all; hence it satisfies not; there's sweetness in honor and wealth, but if sick, a miserable man; there is sweetness in health, but if poor and naked, a desolate man; and if one creature had all in it, yet when one thinks this must be taken from me, it is like Jonah 's gourd, it never satisfies:

Now the Grace which satisfies must first, Manifest the fullness of infinite goodness suitable to me in the Lord; if that now do I want any outward blessing it is in Christ, for he is Heir not only of heaven, but of all the world.

2. Do I want spiritual blessings? Ephes. 3. there is all in him; life, and peace and glory.

3. Have I nothing to move the Lord to do any of these to me? yet there is fullness of tender mercy, and pity in him, Eph • s. 1. 17. and 3. 18.

Secondly, Possession of this good as mine; let a poor man see heaps of gold before him, it satisfies not him, because it is none of his; let a Christian hear of Kingdoms, peace, glory, in and with Christ, yet it satisfies not him; it troubles him the more, if Christ forsake him, and grow strange to him; but to be sure that Christ is mine, this makes the soul do, nay suffer the utmost for Christ, and to know that nothing can separate, &c. as a man that knows he shall kill, and not lose his life, will venture like Sampson upon an host of men; they may wound me, they cannot bind nor slay me, Rom. 8. ult. there is joy and some satisfaction in finding the pearl of great price, what joy when it is possessed!

Thirdly, Communication of this good to the soul; let a man have meat and drink, but he cannot come at it when he hath need of it, will this satisfy if it be locked up? let a man have real possession of never so many lands, yet if he hath not the benefit sure to him, as well as the thing, he will never hold out; what am I the better? so that grace satisfies that brings the sold to fruition of the good, that it is now in respect of the benefit of it conveyed to the soul, Psal, 16. 4, 5, the Lord is the portion of my lot and cup, and he maintains both; and hence Ier. 14. 9. Why art thou like a man astonish • d, yet in the midst of us ! if a man have meat and clothes, and the one never feeds, the other never warms, would this satisfy? no, unless that he may feel them, nay he would think this a curse; so let Saints have God in his Ordinances, the best in the world there is, if not fed thereby, Lord! what a misery is this? especially if the Lord helps not in time of need.

Fourthly, Reflexion of good again to the good which doth refresh us, else it never satisfies; if a man have meat dealt out, and it is very sweet, yet if it gives him no strength to perform acts of life; if a man have a friend, and he cannot love again, nor show testimony of love, it will not satisfy him; so that grace satisfies which makes the soul reflect the love of God to God again; shall I serve the Lord, said David, of that which cost me nothing? you know the Vine and Olive, Judge. 9. were quietted by this, that they did rejoice the heart of God and man; what do you tell me of bonds? I acco •• t not my life dear to 〈◊〉 my course, saith Paul.

Now a carnal heart gives over before he sees or possesseth or enjoyeth the Lord, or found the sweetness of a holy life in walking with God. Hence,

1. He loathes and is weary of all his profession and truth he knows, and the God he talks of.

2. Hence they break out to some lusts or others; which because if not satisfied here, they must satisfy themselves some other way, either in vain conceits or opinions, or lusts of the world.

3. Hence, desperate doubts, Is the Lord mine? whereas if it were otherwise, then as it is with a man, ask him, how do you know you eat and drink? it satisfies me, saith he, it puts strength, I should die daily else.

SECT. IV.

OF Examination, Instruction, and Exhortation to all those who have rest content with that measure of the Spirit which will never last, to begin again, and lay a better foundation, lest it befall you as it did these Virgins, or as the sinner in Prov. 5. 11, 12, 13. you mourn when you, not your flesh, but soul is consumed; Oh how have I despised instruction ! lest wrath break out which cannot be quenched, for dealing slightly with God and your own souls; how many Christians take that for grace, which when it comes to trial will be found too light, and know it not, and regard it not, till the hand-witing of God is upon their consciences !

If therefore you have not found the satisfying sweetness of the Spirit of God's grace, that water which quencheth all your inordinate thirst, that bread which feeds you to life, be sure your oil will be spent, and your light will go out before you die.

SECT. V.

Quest. HOw sho • ld I know that satisfying sweetness?

Answ. Ah methinks you should say, Oh that I did know it! yet wary I would be of giving any just occasion to break off what the Lord in his grace hath wrought; yet you may know something of it by this.

1. When the Spirit of God's grace dispensed in his Ordinances doth glut you and slay you, and make you worse; here is not the grace of Christ which doth satisfy you; if the more knowledge you have of the truth, the less glory you see in the truth, and the less you love the truth; if the more comfort you have sound by it, the less you now desire after it; if the more abilities you have received by it, the more proud you grow, and high-minded; if having come for to seek the Ordinances of God, the less good you find by them, the more weary you grow of them, and the more you despise them; it is certain, the satisfying grace of Christ is not here, when the bread to feed, is poison to slay; is not this the condition of many? what is the cause they are growing worse, that they are worse in their latter end and middle of their Christian profession, than the beginning, because they are grown full by God's Ordinances, and so worse; what is the cause in places of persecution the Lord's Ordinances were precious, not when they come to them? God's Ordinances plenty makes them to undervalue them through their sin; that look as it is with men in consumptions, whose life is going out, they think they can eat, yet when it is before them, loath the smell of it, or a little serves them, whereas another finds it otherwise; not but that Saints may think thus, but they with Hezekiah mourn under it, 2 Chron. 32. Hos. 6. 5. I have hewn and slain, what is the cause? because your goodness is like a morning dew, which soon vanisheth, therefore have I slain them. Oh God loves us, and we are the best people in the world, because we have Ordinances; no, but because you be shallow, hence you shall have Prophets to slay you.

Secondly, If any man maintains any living lust in himself in the midst of his profession, and hungers after it, and the life of it; for when a man hath better food to feed upon, he will neglect his own at home, as Christ said to them when they asked him, why he did not eat; how many be there which have strange gifts, and have had marvelous ebbings and flowings of the Spirit of Life and Peace, and yet one sin have they lived in, and would not, could not live without it. Look as it was in the wilderness, they were for a time pretty well content with their allowance and wilderness • walks and provisions, but they could not stay long, They asked meat for their lusts, but he sent leanness into their souls, Psal. 106. 14, 15. So that there it is, if lust be stirring, the Lord either denies it his own people, because he will starve the lust, that the soul may grow, or if he gives it, slays the lust by it, gluts it, makes the soul grow weary of it, and prize his first Husband more; as Solomon by his experimental discovery of the creature: Many men confess and pray against their sins, but by their sorrows and desires, they do maintain the life of their sin, fall to it as the dog to the vomit; you will be cast away at last, 1 Cor. 9. ult. I beat not the air, lest I become a cast-away; whereas a gracious heart doth not maintain, but waste and consume his lust. His life is to live to God.

Thirdly, If a man's heart and affections reach not the people of God with the dearest embracings, no • yet mourn for the want of such a heart; for sometimes there are some drops of the Lord's goodness falling into the heart, whereby the soul cleaves unto the Lord, and is moved and ravished, and bears much 〈◊〉 , as it thinks, towards him; but look to their love to the people of God, t •• re they fall short; because the love of Christ is not shed abroad abundantly into their hearts, filling and satisfying of them; and hence have none to pour out upon the souls of their neighbors, 1 John 4. 20, 21. In our own Country, what was the accusation of Saints? viz. They are Hypocrites before God; What did you think of those men that said so? Answ. Surely they were enemies to the Lord, and that never loved him; for then they would love his people. But what is the occasion here? Now they say they come far for Ordinances; but they are unjust oppressors, cruel; poor men may starve before regarded by them; and so they cast reproach not only upon some few, but all the people of God, and Church of God; If that it be so, their accusation is God's accusation; if not (as generally it is) for many, though unable to do much, yet if called to it, would lay down their estates and lives for others; then know thou never hadst Christ's love shed in thy heart (which will continue) but drops of it only; because thy love cannot reach to these. Beloved, what is the end of your coming over hither? is it not to enjoy first Christ, and nextly his People, so his Ordinances? because next to fellowship of Christ, the Saints company is most precious; and do you here bite, and censure, and devou • e, and neglect, and reproach one another, and upon any conceived injury stumble? are poor men neglected? It is a sad sign the love of Christ in not in power, Heb. 6. 9, 10.

Fourthly, If there have been abundance of sweet affections and sweet refreshings, thereby rising up within the soul, without the death, and killing, and removal of the contrary lusts and sins; it is certain this soul was never truly filled nor satisfied with the Spirit of God's grace; for as it is with vessels, while they be filled with lime or chaff, they cannot be filled with wheat or with water; so while the heart is filled with some noisome distempers, it cannot be filled or satisfied with the Lord; look but abroad in the Churches; how many be there that say and think they • ate their sin as the only evil, they close with the Lord Jesus, they love the people of God all of them, they seek the glory of God, and yet they do but think so! for though they hate sin, yet it is unsoundly, because they see not how closely their hands are knit to their sin; they never did believe, because they never felt their unwilling heart to close with Christ; they never loved the Saints, because they never felt their contempt of Saints; never sought God's glory, because they never mourned under that which did stain it; they never make work with their own hearts; the stony and thorny ground withered because their soil was naught; a heart filled with sweet affections, which never felt the strength of contrary corruptions lying underneath, it is an ill soil, and where those affections will never prosper, nor prove right; and hence, 2 Tim. 2. 20, 21. he that purgeth himself from these things shall be a vessel of honor, ever preserved, never broken. Do not put it to a venture, it may be I may have grace, and so put your salvation on the hazard of such hopes; but the Lord that hath come to thee knocking, open the door that he may come in and feast; cry for infinite creating power and mercy to make haste and come and help thee; what have you to do else but to get your old lusts purged away? what do you labor for else? if you have children to bring up, if you have any love to them, nay if swine or cattle, meat you will have to feed them, and satisfy them if possible; and yet behold thy soul perishing for want of true spiritual refreshings!

SECT. VI.

OF Exhortat on to all young beginners, and so to all others; Take heed you chop not at your comfort too soon; take heed you do not perish in the way, that whiles seeking after the Lord and rest, you fall from the Lord by security and scandal, and so you perish; but labor for that which will continue and last.

1. Mariners when they go a voyage, they will trim their vessel, and search if there be not something amiss which may sink the ship at last; if once out at sea, they may die before they come home; and hence at first setting out are careful; so do you.

2. You will meet with trials enough to exercise all your grace, that you will find all little enough in the issue.

3. This will be your comfort at death, that • hough it be difficult, yet if you have fought a good fight, and run a good race, there is now a crown, this will make you to go out of the world wondering, and go up to eternity in your triumphant Chariot of glory, when you shall see on the one side, here a Demas forsaking, there a Judas betraying; here one Chri •• ian withered, there another scandalised and offended, and yet the Lord hath upheld thee (in thy integrity) a poor creature, that thoughst thou shou • dst never have held out at all.

That you may do thus, two things are to be done.

First, Be sure your wound at first for sin be deep enough; for all the error in a man's Faith and Sanctification it springs from that first error of his Humiliation; if a man's Humiliation be false, and weak, and little, his Faith is light, and his Sanctification counterfeit, as may be seen in the stony and thorny soil; if a man's wound be right, and Humi •• ation deep enough, that man's Faith is right, and his Sanctification is glorious; for Christ cannot be exceeding sweet and satisfactory to the soul, unless sin be first exceeding bitter; and this is the reason why Christ is not sweet nor precious at first nor afterward, because sin is not so better to them, especially heart sins; Christians shall find it, the esteem and price of Christ falls, whiles sin lies light and is not bitter.

SECT. VII.

Quest. HOw bitter must it be?

Answ. So bitter as that nothing contents your heart, whiles sin is with you, and the Lord is gone from you, Lam. 3. 49. Mine eye ceaseth not mourning, till the Lord look down from heaven; as a man that looks for a Prince to come and live with him, he prepares rooms for all his attendants, but he reserves the best lodgings for the Prince himself, and they are kept empty whiles he comes: So the soul entertains Creatures, and Ordinances, and Saints of God, but yet the heart is not content, but sits empty, desolate whiles the Lord is gone; for whiles the heart is delighted with somewhat else beside the Lord (that if the Lord comes, it is well, if not, it is merry and jolly) see what the Lord there speaks, I am. 4. 8, 9, 10. Cleanse your hearts and he will draw nigh unto you; turn laughter to mourning, else you are not humbled. Let God's own people do so, it stops up the fountain of God's love, and sweetness of mercy, Psal. 30. 7. When carnally confident, I was troubled; as it is in marriage, if a man knows there is familiarity between the woman and another Lover he will have none of her; but when sin is thus bitter, the Lord hath the garments of joy to give for the spirit of heaviness, Isa. 61. 1, 2. Oh therefore, though it be cross to have limbs cut off, and breasts feared, bones broken, &c. yet part with all for life, even this life of Christ in you, which will give you full content.

SECT. VIII.

Quest. HOw shall I do thus, my heart will be wanton and carnal?

Answ. 1. Set this down for a conclusion, I shall never be comforted by the Lord, whiles anything else comforts my heart, i. e. for itself, as hath been proved; and if this was well thought of, this would make a man above all other things detest his carnal content, because this indeed keeps the Lord from him.

2. Keep the remembrance of the bitterness of your sin and evil in it; thus David, Plal. 51. 3. set it ever before him; for all the sweet of sin comes into the heart by a delusion first begot in the mind, of some present good in it, which the soul not attending to is drawn away by it, •• am. 1. 14. drawn away and enticed; hence fortify here. Three things in sin, which if remembered, would make it bitter.

1. Sentence of condemnation past upon thee by the Law of God for it, which may make a soul to mourn: Little 〈◊〉 do men take in their Prison-bolts.

2. The death, and agonies, and sorrows of the Lord Jesus, to acquit the soul from this condemnation; this is that which may work bitterness as for a first born, Zach. 12. 10, 11.

3. Crossing the will, and so grieving the heart of Christ now in glory; as when the old world grew sensual it grieved God to the heart; keep these in remembrance; what pleasure canst thou take in that which makes the Lord sigh?

4. The end w • ll be bitterness, Psal. 73. 17.

Secondly, Take heed you miss not of that Faith which will bring in supply, He • . 4. 1, 2. Take heed lest a promise being le • t, any fall short of that rest which comes by the promise, by an unbelieving heart; for many desire the Lord, and rest upon the Lord, and they are satisfied with their hunger, and with their rest on him, without receiving life from him; truly you will fall from the Lord then; for if the Lord doth not daily drop life into your hearts, you will grow weary of him; and Ordinances they are empty wells, and Promises they are dry 〈◊〉 : if you have bread, but it feed you not, you will not care for it.

SECT. IX.

Quest. HOw shall I get this Faith?

Answ. 1. Honor and advance the Lord's rich grace in thy heart, before thou goest to him for the Spirit of life; thus that poor woman, If I can but touch his skirt, I shall be whole; if I can come to him, I shall have help; many can think before they go to Christ, I shall never speed, I shall never over come these evils; and hence the Israeli • es are excluded Canaan: though I know the Lord doth pity his poor people when they believe, though not thus far; as it is with men, if you would get their hearts from them; commend them; so here; and though this doth not move the Lord, yet it is an Ordinance; 'tis a way of God, Micah 7. 17, 18.

2. Take up a firm resolution never to let thy heart go from seeking the Lord till this is wrought, Psal. 27. 4. this I will seek after; see that thou must needs have this; and hence do not say, I have desired and gone to the Lord, and no help comes, and now sit down; no, but take advantage hereupon to desire the more, and to make the Lord's denials or delays the ground of the 〈…〉 Canaanitish woman, crumbs; as Jacob by wrestling against the Ang •• 〈…〉 blessing at last; Say, as it hath been long, so therefore Lord help 〈…〉 But sins are many, and the heart is worse: Oh the more need of 〈…〉 Exod. 33. 18. If thou wilt not go with us, carry us not up 〈◊〉 .

3. Wait for the Lord quietly, and lock out when will it be better. Isa. 64. 4. eye hath not seen; and wait for him first; and so for other things, Isa. 30. 18. Blessed are they that wait for him.

4. If the Lord gives not; yet seek to give him content, though he doth not content thee; as Mary, John. 2. when they wanted wine, 1 John. 3. 22. we do what pleaseth him; and hence have our answer; this will fetch it.

SECT. I.

H Erein is set down the Answer of the wise to the Request of the foolish Virgins.

This Answer of the wise Virgins contains two things.

First, A denial, together with the reason of it, which is a check to their folly.

Secondly Their counsel and advice directing them to the remedy, if there be any which might supply them with oil; Go to them that sell and buy for yourselves. The Spirit of Grace comes not so lightly by: You would have it given; no, you must buy it; you would have us help you; no, there are others appointed for to self it you; away to them before the Bridegroom comes.

1. Not so ] They are words inserted in the English Text, not so in the original; but yet they are safely put in, partly because they are intended directly in the strength of their reason, and involved therein, implied thereby; partly because they do more clearly express the meaning of the words, and give their sense more distinctly.

2. Lest there be not enough for us and for you ] What did the foolish now look to works of supererogation and prayers of Saints, and the treasury of the Churches holiness and Indulgencies? surely no, for these were Virgins, had escaped the pollution of Antichrist, and they go for this not to Popish Treasurers, but unto them that are wise; neither is it likely that Christ's coming could awaken them out of their security to fall to gross Popery so suddenly, whiles they were the Companions and Imitators of the wise, and therefore this is not the meaning, as some have wrested the words, and so make the Answer of the wise to be a Protestant Answer to a Popish Petition, and therefore bid them go to Shavelings that will for money sell Pardons, and Indulgencies, and Prayers, and Merits.

SECT. II.

Quest. WHat then are the wise unwilling to communicate of the Graces they have? what Christian but is willing?

Answ. First, We are not to adhere to words in opening Parables, but the scope; now their scope was hereby, First to sink and humble the hearts of the foolish, and to let them know that all that which they had in time of extremity, was little enough for themselves at this season.

Secondly, This answer is made answerable to the ground of their request; you know how Hypocrites in Churches rest in outward privileges, and how they are carried unto Ordinances, but not above Ordinances indeed to Christ; and though they have some knowledge of, and lookings above them unto Christ, yet missing him, like men sinking catch hold upon that which is next, and so look for help thence; so these being in the fellowship of the wise, and admirers of them, and having got good by them, and imitated them, hence they rely too much upon them for it; and hence they answer, We have but our measure, and therefore it is not in our hands to dispense grace in times of extremity; that must come from him that hath received the Spirit without measure; so that this answer doth not imply unwillingness to communicate, but to let the others see that they were not the first that could communitate.

Thirdly, You are to consider that God had now broken open the consciences of the foolish, that they professed they had no oil; hereupon the wise Virgins are not unwilling to communicate altogether; but considering other means are sanctified to beger Grace where it never was, or rather of greater efficacy and power; hence they send them to other means, to them that sell, professing this for their ground, that they had little enough for themselves; and it was not in their power now to convey any: This I conceive is the direct scope of the Parable in this Verse: Hence three Notes.

SECT. III.

THat the Grace of God's Spirit in other wise-hearted Christians, will do no good to foolish Virgins, and slothful Christians in the days of their extremity. Ezek. 14. 20. Though Job and Daniel stood before me, they shall but deliver their own souls; gracious holy men, if not only in misery but sin 1 John. 5. 16. they shall recover; not others, I • r. 4. 4. lest my wrath break out like fire. Oh therefore dally not under Ordinances; to have them, but no gain of them; to have Vines planted, but not to eat fruit of them, and all by reason of a slothful heart, is a dangerous thing; as many a man hath a rich stock, and a good trade, and yet thrives not; Oh he is not careful to keep, nor diligent to improve, but is idle; so here

Oh consider the wrath of God! In extremity usually the Lord hears and helps his poor people; but it shall be far from the Lord, when others shall say Lord help; no, let others tears and prayers be regarded; no, what Lord, not in extremity? no, not in extremity.

SECT. IV.

THat it is not in the hand of the most eminent Christians to dispence the Grace of Christ to whom, and when, and where they will: Not in all separably, nor in all jointly; it is not in all the wise Virgins hands together: It is not in the hands of a whole Church, or all Churches to do this. These poor foolish Virgins it may be they did not in their judgments think thus; however in their practice they now trust to this. But these answer, It is not in us.

It is not in Moses to give his spirit to whom he would, but the Lord, Numb. 11. 17.

It is not in Paul nor Apollos, the one deep in wisdom, the other admirable in expression, but in God, who gives the commission to fetch the whole world in, 1 Cor. 3. 5, 6.

It is not in Christ as Man, to give to one to sit at his right hand or left.

It is not in the hands of the best Parents; It is not in the wills of all men living, John. 1. 13.

SECT. V.

BEcause they have but their measure received wholly, and dependent wholly from another, answerable to their own necessities; therefore it is not in their freedom, but in the hands of him who hath received it without measure, John 3. 34, 35. but the Father hath put all things into his hands; as it is in stars, one star doth not give light to another, but the Sun to all, having received it without measure comparatively; so one Spring doth not beget another, but it is in the Sea, which hath water without measure, from whence they come and return again.

Because all the Saints, and all the fellowship of God's people, it is but a means, or they are but instruments in the hands of Christ to convey Grace; now you know all instruments act and work according to the will of the principal agent; as it is not in the axes hand to cut down one tree for fuel, another for building; but in the agents hand, especially if the instrument be weak and powerless, and such are the people of God; 1 Cor. 1. 29. they are poor things, and weak things, and nothings, things that are not; 2 Cor. 3. 5. not so much as to think anything of themselves▪ It is not in the people of God as it is in salves, that there is an inherent virtue abiding always to heal, and that in any man which is cureable; but there is only an adherent virtue which doth not always abide; and when it is there, works not upon all, but only at the pleasure of the principal Agent the Lord Jesus; those means which providence hath put an inherent virtue into, cannot bless, but as the Lord will; meat cannot nourish sometimes, muchless can these without the will of another; hence Ephes. 4. 16. the Saints are edified by this, but from Christ still.

In regard of the greatness of the power and honor that is required to dispence the Grace of God, and the Spirit of Grace, which the Church is not capable of.

First, Knowledge of the Elect; the Spirt of Grace which accompanies Salvation, shall never be given to any but to them, Rom. 11. 7. the election have obtained it; hence they must be known first to them that have power to dispence it; now that they cannot tell; indeed Paul by seeing the 〈…〉 forth, knew the election of the Thessalonians, 1 Thess. 1. 4. but not 〈◊〉 ; he could not say This man I will give grace unto, and not to that; a Minister, as Paul, Acts 18. 10. may in general know that there is some people in such a place, at least probably, but who they be he knows not, no more than Samuel, who knew one of Iesses Sons was to be King, but not one whom he liked, but whom the Lord did choose; and hence a Minister calls all, because he knows not who they be: only some are called, because Christ knew, and therefore in his hand it is.

Secondly, The power must be omnipotent, both to lay the foundation, and to go on with the building; now that cannot be put forth by a poor finite creature, when it will, but when the Lord will; a Minister may preach and quicken, a Christian may exhort and comfort, and yet they may hear and meet again twenty times and never find the like day, because their weapons are only mighty through God, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.

Thirdly, Shedding of blood, dying and bearing wrath, to purchase and so to have the Spirit to send; for the Spirit of Grace could never be given, nor increased, nor continued in any, had not blood first purchased this; our sins are said to be healed by blood, and we cleansed from them by it, i. e. by the Spirit purchased by it, Heb. 9. 14. Blood sprinkled purifies your consciences with blood, i. e. the virtue of blood applied by the Spirit: If any of the Saints shed blood for the Church to redeem it, then they have power to convey the Spirit of Grace to the Church; and it is as hard to convey one dram of Grace as to die.

SECT. VII.

HEnce we may see the glory and excellency of the Lord Jesus above all men; nay, above all the best men and best Churches living; ask David whom he loves and honors most, he will tell you, Psal. 15. 4. He despiseth a vile person, and honors them that fear the Lord; and that Christian that is most excellent had all his heart; ask any Christian, to what men his heart is most knit, and whom he doth most of all honor, if he sees one man in forty most holy most humble, most like to God, most acquainted with God, and the mind of God; a Paul for wisdom, a David for brokenness of spirit, an Abr • ham for Faith, a Steven for courage and zeal, &c. their very feet are beautiful, their very names are an alablaster-box broken up. And why doth he thus? Because he sees they are holy, and like to God; Oh but consider they cannot make thee holy, it is not in their liberty; though they should like thee, they cannot teach thee one truth savingly; thou hast a rugged heart, they cannot polish thee; and wild, they cannot tame it; they cannot convey one dram, or taste, or savor of the life of Grace to thee: Oh if these be lovely who only have oil in their vessels, though they can give none for thee: What is the Lord Jesus then? who is not only holy, fairer than the children of men, having all without measure; but can also make thee holy, which none of the Saints can; who not only▪ is good and holy, but doth good, and makes holy. Thou lookest sometimes upon Saints, and seest their grace and life, and mournest for want of it, keepest company with them, and wishest thou hadst their oil, but they cannot help thee to it: Oh look up to the Lord: If thou lovest and prizest them, oh prize and love the Lord much more who hath it in his hands to give it unto thee: who like a Spring sends not forth its streams to refresh itself, but the weary, but the faint, Isa. 50. 4. who like 〈…〉 sends not his beams out to enlighten itself, but 〈…〉 which sit in d ••• ness might see, and blind might know, Io • . 9. 49. John. 17. for their sakes I sanctify myself, he hath an humble, meek spirit to give to th • e that art proud and sturdy; he can make a Lion a Lamb, who hath a wise and heavenly Spirit to teach thee that art simple, and thee that art earthly, if his good pleasure will.

SECT. VII.

DO not say I have found good from them, as well as seen Grace in them 〈◊〉 I blessed God that ever I saw or spake with them, or ever saw 〈…〉 &c. I answer, Know it that they were but powerless instruments 〈…〉 of a merciful, yet powerful Christ, otherwise thou hadst never 〈…〉 from any Christian, any Minister, any Sermon; the Lord Jesus 〈…〉 have used them as means to have condemned thee, as he did 〈…〉 and Noah's example, by which he condemned the world, as well as to have called thee, or done the least good to thee; therefore this still 〈…〉 upon Christ above all others in the world; all the Saints and Ministers in the world could not have changed one hair from being black to white, no ••• all their cares for thee added one cubit to thy stature; Oh it was the Lord, 〈◊〉 if they have any pity, the Lord put in them; if they ever spake one word, or made one prayer, the Lord put it in them; if blessed, it is by him.

Now dost thou honor and love them, because they have done thy soul good, else thou hadst been in hell? Oh admire the Lord much more, for they were but set on work by him; and now they have done thee good, there is a stop, they can go no further you think; I did receive good by a little, while being with such Christians, but now when thou comest hither again, thou thinkest (it may be) thou shalt receive much more; no, their hands and feet may be bound, those Conduit-cocks cannot turn themselves. O • but Jesus Christ he can go on, nay, he will go until he hath made thee like unto his own self; and hence 1 John. 3. 2. then we shall be like him, now we be sons; children though born of poor men, yet love their poor father that begat them: Who gave you your being? who begat you to God, and so made you sons of God? Oh methinks the Lord that did this should be precious and lovely! that you should call the world to wonder at it, that the Lord hath made an incarnate Devil a blessed Angel: But thou hast a vile heart still; Oh but you shall be like him; he will make you like himself at the last day, who is brighter than Angels, and whose face is fairer than the children of men; only he will do it by little and little here, rather by causing thee to feel thy vileness, than removing it wholly.

Therefore, as the Apostle Gal. 4, 9. when they were turned from the Gospel to Mosaical observances, he calls them weak and beggarly rudiments, which had no power of themselves to convey Grace, not at best in that abundance which the Gospel did; so say I, do you now know the Lord, who did not once know him; and do you now admire and love Chirstians and others, if they do good especially to you; and do you refuse to honor the Lord, but look only upon beggarly, weak means and Christians? God forbid; it is the Lord only that can enrich you, &c.

2 Cor. 3. If the ministration of condemnation was glorious, oh what is the ministration of the Spirit; if those which have the Spirit be glorious, what is the Lord that not only hath it, but can also give it, and make you like unto him in glory, and that by the very beholding of him ! verse. ult. If a man had such a glass which not only gave him the sight of some dear friend always, but as oft as he looked in it, makes him like unto him, how would he prize this glass, but especially the image of his friend in it! so Christ is not only glorious, but he thereby makes himself glorious.

SECT. VIII.

Object. DO not say the Lord can do this, but he will not; Saints would if they could.

Answ. 1. You do not know but that he will do it; when Christ was here on earth, and men were sick, though their friends willed their good; yet I doubt not but Christ was most glorious, because though they knew not that he would, yet they knew that he might heal and pity, and if it were for his honor he would.

2. Pray to him for it, and do it; he will pour water on the thirsty, and give the Spirit and water of life to them that ask; Do not think you seek in vain, especially if your cries arise from a sick heart, that sin is thy disease not torment only; it is not thy delight, you need a Physician, he will not heal you, if it is not your temper, your food, &c. If a man hath a mind to a thing, and another denies him, he will not see less beauty then, than he did before; if you have a mind, Christ hath a mind also.

Obj. But I do not feel the Lord giving me the Spirit.

Answ. Yet if you prize it, and reach after it, the Lord hath done this for you.

SECT. IX.

TO all the Servants of the Lord, if ever you did any good to any, Oh boast not of yourselves, but carry the glory of it to the Lord Jesus, as he said the Lord doth good by me, but I know no reason why: So add also, but I wonder at the manner how a poor, weak, dead nothing, whose unclean heart and lips might have made others worse, not better, as infection sticking to the best garments, Act. 3. 12, 13. Why stand ye looking on us? be it known to you, by the name of Jesus it is that which is done; when Christ was known to heal all diseases, all the Country round about by this fame of him came to him, and so he healed them; this will bring in customers to Christ: Some Christians are very forward to speak to others, to let in some new notion, or to convert, that they may make an Absolom's pillar afterward, and that they might report I did this; some take content in speaking of conversion of others, that I did this. Let your works praise you, but let your tongue praise Christ; it was the Lord that did this. If bread could speak it would say, it is not I that feed; and fire, not I that warm: You can speak, tell others so; you would fain be accounted somebody, and therefore will devise new Gospels, and mint new notions; that not only Christ may be pleased, but men may say, this I received of such a one, that their names might be spoken of. The Thief takes the sheep for himself, a good Shepherd carries it home to his owner.

SECT. X.

OH then do not rest in this, that you have now got to partake of the fellowship of God's people; I confess next to fellowship with God, their fellowship is best and most sweet, 1 John. 1. 3, 4. and nothing more powerful to preserve and keep God's people from Apostasy than this, Col. 2. 5. order and stedfastness in faith are coupled; they that be planted in the Courts of the Lord shall flourish here, nothing increasing Grace more, Col. 2. 19. when many eyes to see by, many hands to help work by: When a man sinned, if one or two men only took up stones to stone the sinner, it may be they might miss, or the man live; but when there be many it is strange if it doth not kill; so out of fellowship of the people of God, one may admonish then another, and it may be he can shift, but here there be many, &c. 2 Cor. 2. 7. When a man's life is going away in a swoon, if one or two be there present only, he may never recover; but when one rubs, another chafes, another holds him, another runs and fetches hot water for him, it is a hundred to one but he escapes. But yet as the best means, if neglected or trusted to, will make men worse, as Caperna • m was worse for Christ's preaching, which they boasted of; so the best means if not trusted to, will make men better; as it is with some Extracts, and Spirits, they will make quick work one way or other.

1. If ever you see or receive any good, look to the Lord in them, 1 Sam. 10. 11, 12. who is their father.

2. If ever you look to receive any, look to the Lord that by them he may convey help and succor in his time.

SECT. XI.

Quest. HOw shall I get that good?

Ans. 1. Feel your need of their fellowship, and their help, you will then be getting good by every example, every prayer, 1 Cor. 12. the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee: Oh be not full; for God hath not made you so full, but if you be an eye, you need the foot, &c. David knew more than the Levites did, yet how did he long to see God, and the goings of God in the Sanctury!

Paul did need the mutual comfort of Christians; it was a strange thing in Paul when he was to carry money to others, yet he beseecheth them, Oh pray for me, Rom. 15. 30, 31. Do not say only, I feel a need of Sacraments or Ministry, but I need the prayers, the counsel, the examples, the exhortation of the meanest Christian.

Secondly, Be sure you join yourselves to living Christians, that is, not only such as have Grace, but such as are lively in the use and exercise of it; for those God sanctifies especially to communicate Grace to you; if a living hand be knit to a dead arm, sure little good will it receive from it, Rom. 1. 12. a lively believing Christian will comfort Paul, and an humble Christian will humble.

This is the very reason why Christians do not get good, because their hearts are dead, and their fellowship with God little; and hence others despise them, and withdraw from them.

Thirdly, Love them dearly▪ a man will never get good from any Christian that he despiseth, or slighteth; as it is with a man, if his hand would have life from the head, set it in his place, and let not it be tied outwardly, but united as a member, and then it receives it; and hence it edifies itself in love; so by love are men edified.

SECT. I.

Now follows secondly, their Counsel and Advice, [Go to them that sell and buy, &c.

T Hem that sell ] Some there be that make this an Irony, or a plain mock of the foolish Virgins for their folly; as if they should say, You have lived like Hypocrites hitherto before the Lord among us, and deceived us and your own souls; now you would have out Grace to help you; no, get you gone to Mass-Priests, and Pardon-sellers, and Merit-mongers, and buy for yourselves, they have merit enough, &c. But this meaning as it cannot be evinced necessarily from the words▪ so such an answer cannot stand with that sad and gracious compassionate spirit which is in every holy Virgin; for suppose God should break open the conscience of any in these days, and they opening their hearts to others, they should receive this answer [ Nay seeing you have neglected your season so long, get you gone to Mass-Priests, let them help you; ] would any of common honesty in like manner mock? much less a gracious heart; no, but if any have a true sense of their misery for sleeping out their season of Grace, their bowels will melt over them.

Those that sell ] These are the Ministers of the Lord Jesus.

For 1. 'It is manifest it is not a mock.

And 2. Those that sell are not ordinary Christians; though they may and do convey the Spirit, yet not in this case so powerfully; and hence they do send them from themselves.

3. They do send them to those means which do most abundantly convey the Spirit; now the Word and the Spirit are united, as shall be proved; the chief dispensers of which word, are the Ministers of the Gospel.

4. Because Ministers are called such as sell, Prov. 23. 23. Buy the truth and sell it not; now where is the truth chiefly sold, but by the prime publishers of it? Mal. 2. 6, 7. Not that the Holy Ghost is to be sold for money; but to buy it there, as it is to be sold without money, Is. 55. 1, 2, 3. Come and buy wine and milk, that is in the ministry of the Gospel, which calls all that thirst to come, Rev. 3. 18. not that they should fix their eyes upon them, as upon the chief means to convey it, for the Lord Jesus fells, and we are to buy of him; only these are servants under him, and appointed as an Ordinance of his for this end; the Apostle conveys his ministry, 2 Cor. 2. ult. sincerely and gloriously.

Buy for yourselves ] that is, seek for it there, though you lay out never so much of your money, your time, and thoughts, and affections for it, and receive it there when it is offered upon any terms, though you part with all you have, that so you may make it your own, and so have of your own, and so may with comfort meet the Lord; and this suits with the custom of the Saints, to send them there where they got theirs.

SECT. II.

THat the Spirit of Grace is principally and most abundantly dispensed in the ministry of the Gospel by the Ministers thereof; That is, they are those that sell; this is their business, and trade, and work, like the Olive-tree to the Candlestick, Zach. 4. 5, 6. which take rooting in the Courts of God to this end, to drop in their golden oil; but still observe it is as servants under the Lord Jesus, who gives what and when he will by them.

You know the famous expressions of the Apostle, How can they hear unless they have a preacher? Rom. 10. 14.

2 Cor. 3. 7. The Gospel is called The ministration of the Spirit in the mouths of the Apostles and their Successors; by which it is made more glorious than the Law delivered in tables of stone, though less outwrd glory, for we have it but in earthen vessels.

Gal. 3. 2. By whom received you the Spirit? by hearing of the Law? no, but by the hearing of Faith; thereby is the Spirit revealed and dispensed.

SECT. III.

BEcause they are set apart principally by the Lord for this end; for God's separation of anything for an end, though the thing be unlike to bring that end about, yet by this it hath a strange power accompanying it; as the Brazen serpent, how comes it to heal? It was set a part for that end, and sanctified of God; and hence God setting apart an Ordinance, is present with his Ordinance; as Aaron and his Sons were sanctified for the service of the Tabernacle: and this is done two ways.

First, By the Church, according to the will of God, they are set apart from all other employments, unless those which other relations bind them too, that so they may dedicate their time, their strength, their private studies, their selves, their prayers, and tears, and all for them; and this ought so to be unless necessity compels, Act. 6. 4. The Disciples would give themselves to the word and prayer, and would not be cumbered about the Deacons office; and so their studies; Paul exhorts Timothy to give himself to reading, to think on these things, 1 Tim. 4. 13, 15.

Secondly, By the Lord himself, Gal. 2. 15, 16. What is true of God's separating Paul to an extraordinary, is true in a measure of all his servants set apart for ordinary work, Mal. 2. 7. For the Church sometimes may not set a man apart, yet the Lord may and doth; and hence (by these sometimes he sends to call a Church before there is a Church to call) and how is such a one set apart? not as an ordinary Christian, but as an extraordinary Ambassador, as it were in the room of the Lord Jesus himself; For Christ being Mediator of his Church, two things are required to make peace. 1. To speak to God for us. 2. To speak from God to us; The first he doth by his intercession. But we hear not from him? Yes, for he sets these in his room, and by them he speaks as Mediator to our ears and hearts, 2 Cor. 5. 20. so that if Christ was here present to speak, we would look for the Spirit by him and his Ministry; Now all Messengers of the Lord Jesus are in the room of the Lord Jesus, &c. Nay, if Christ was here, the Spirit would not come but by this means; and hence Christ converts not so many as the Apostles by their Ministry within Judea.

Because the Lord hath furnished them with special abilities to dispense the Grace of Christ for the Churches sake; 2 Cor. 3. 6. Christ ascended on high to give gifts for edifying the body; if a man should have an Apprentice set apart to sell, but his shop is not furnished, how could he then sell, and how should men in wisdom expect to buy? I will not speak of what is required to make men able; Christ not only as a free agent sets them apart, but as a wise agent furnisheth them with abilities for that end. There must be that knowledge which may make the man of God wise to salvation from the Scriptures, which cannot be without knowledge of Tongues and Arts in some competency and study about both.

1. They cannot think a thought; Christ furnisheth them with thoughts; the Minister knows not what to say, yet his thoughts are from him.

2. They cannot speak; hence Ephes. 6. 19. the Lord opens their mouth; Ezekiel must be dumb for a time.

3. Have they therefore any knowledge of the mysteries of Christ? it is to teach the Church, 2 Cor. 4. 5, 6. all their gifts and spiritual abilities, though never so great, and peculiarly sanctified, but it is for them, 2 Cor. 2. ult. have they any temptations, tribulations, and gain by them, viz. spiritual consolations? it is for them that are sad, that want it, 2 Cor. 1. 4, 5. (and though it is true, there is in other Christians Christian abilities to help and comfort others, yet not ministerial in every Christian (the whole body is not an eye) nor which hath a special presence of the Spirit of God in it and with it) which they should never have received but for the necessities of some in the Church; there is good to be had by watering-pots, when grass and herbs are dying; but yet sometimes the rain falls, and that hath a peculiar virtue in it, as being fitted for that end; and hence Ministers are compared to clouds; and hence men will pray especially when many clouds are, the Lord grant these bottles may drop; so hither you are to look; dish-milk and flit-milk may convey some nourishment, but breast-milk hath spirit going with it; good books may be blest, but there is not that spirit in them as in lively dispensations of the Gospel by Ministers themselves.

Because the Lord hath given them hearts enlarged to dispense the Gospel, that so the Spirit may be conveyed; we preach not ourselves, but the Lord Jesus, and ourselves your servants, &c. 2 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Thess. 2. 8. If one be appointed and furnished but hath no mind to sell, they have other trades to follow, little help is to be expected there; take a Minister of large abilities, if once he comes to have some other penny in his eye, besides the souls of people, seldom shall it be seen that the Lord is present there; Satan doth not cast out Satan, neither is his Kingdom divided; when Peter fisheth for himself, all night he catcheth nothing, but when the Lord comes, and for his sake he casts out the net, then the net is full; and for to be a means to convey the spirit to any, it is their life; as in others, when gain comes in, they could not live without it; Now we live, saith Paul, if you stand, 1 Thess. 3. 8. This is their glory, You are our joy and glory, 1 Thess. • . 20. this is their gain though it be by loss of all; life is not dear to finish their Ministry, I suffer all things for the elects sake, they are willing to spend and to be spent, 2 Cor. 1 • . 15. Paul wisheth himself anath ••• , amor divin • s est exst •• cus, • carries; out of self, Rom. • . 1, 2, 3. though it is true the Ministry was not blest to all, yet the election obtained it, Rom. 11. 7. hence the ministry is from men not Angels, that there might be the more pity, and so the more help, Heb. 4. 2.

SECT. IV.

2. BUt why by the Ministry of the Gospel?

Because the Law cannot give life, Gal. 3. 21. Now the Lord cannot make him that hath sinned not to have sinned, that would be a contradiction; and he that hath sinned must die; and hence there is no possibility for the Spirit to give life here; hence the Spirit takes another instrument, the Gospel can persuade to believe, and bring to Christ, where life is feared.

Because there is more of Christ's blood here, and hence more Spirit; for they are all one to be cleansed with Blood and Spirit; for the Lord Jesus did not by his blood purchase the unsealing of the Law; but the Gospel is a secret, and not known but by this means; it is the New Testament which ariseth from the death of the Testator; to have the ne •• of the Gospel printed, it is by means of Christ blood; but to have men sent to open it, there is more of his blood therein; and hence more Spirit.

Because there is more of Christ's love in the Gospel; and where most of his love goes, there his Spirit goes most; it is love to make us know the Law, though it be a hand-wr • ing against us; but now (when we see death) to bring the Gospel and therein to entreat and wait, there is great love; and hence it is called the Ministry of R • conciliation. Oh it is infinite pity to offer to take a dead • artion up under his wings; here he lo • gs for the salvation of a si • ner most: if we were fallen Angels, he would never send the Ministry of the Gospel to us; but so it is now, that he hath taken the seed of Abraham.

SECT. V.

OF Instruction. 1. Hence we may see the glory of the Gospel, in that it is the Ministry of the Spirit of God; this the Apostle professeth it exceeds in glory; glorious light it scatters, that which hath been hid from the wise, nay, from Prophets, and Abraham who desired to see this day, and saw it but •• far off; hence it is called marvelous light, which brings the foul to the light of that blessed face of Jesus, and his glorious love, which never shall be sounded to the bottom of it, which damps the glory of all other things; and although many great and wise despise it, yet if they did know they would not despise the Lord of glory, nor crucify him; but their eyes shall never see those glorious consolations and comforts promised to the people of God; I will send the 〈◊〉 , saith Christ, which 〈◊〉 can be taken 〈◊〉 from Believers, which in midst of all misery comforts; it is a great mercy when a man sees his sin, else he would never seek for remedy; but the Law cannot do anything but arrest, and imprison; it cannot get sin removed; yet the Gospel can set at liberty, which 〈…〉 prisoners; John 8. 32. You shall know the truth, and that shall make you free. I can through Christ, &c. Phil. 4. 13. It is a marvelous mercy to tremble before God, and see, and know, and be affected with God's wrath; but yet if this be all, the heart will sink and fly from God; now the Gospel reveals Christ, and so John. 10. 16. his sheep he ar and follow him; and the Gospel comes to hell with the Spirit, to a poor sinner when he is blind, captive, broken, mourning, never so miserable; now the Gospel penetrates thus low, and brings the Spirit with it; it makes the soul not only to see Christ, but gives it him, and now it is safe. Oh (beloved!) if the Spirit be glorious, then is the Gospel glorious; if the Ministry of men could bring in, and draw with them the Princes of this world, and all their wealth to serve you, Angels and their Ministry, nay, bring Christ himself bodily to you, how glorious were this? but what is this to bring the Spirit into a Sty, into thy Soul! Oh therefore take heed of a light esteem of the Gospel, as those Matth. 22. 3. which were shut out: Men must speak something; take heed you that have once esteemed it, of accounting it a common thing (it is next to the unpardonable sin) of accounting the Gospel, Ministers, Truths, Justification by Faith, &c. common things; but see them glorious; the greatest glory that ever was in the world, did once lie hid under the meanest outside, viz. Jesus Christ, and yet the Apostles beheld his glory; so the Gospel is most glorious now, as being his glass, and this notwithstanding is most mean in the account of many; Paul is in the eyes of the Corinthian Doctors a mean man, his presence was contemptible, his words mean also; men despised them.

Secondly, hence see what cause they have to sit, and go home to their houses lamenting, that never found the Spirit conveyed by the ministry of the Gospel in life and power. Lam. 1. 16. Oh the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me; if there be any hope of help, it is by the Spirit; and if the Spirit, it is by the Ministry where the Gospel is published and the Spirit conveyed: Oh thinks many a one in himself, I find no such good! thus long have I heard, and thus oft do I hear, but I come, and go away as I came, my heart never shaken, my soul never broken, my spirit never humbled, nor comforted, &c. and therefore what care I for Ministers or Gospel? it is true, it is hid, 2