2 SERMONS upon the r-7ERM.I. . felf in the abfence of his Lord, Matth. 24. 45. to the end :. And now the third time by this Parable of the Virgins. Still in the clofe of all he repeateth his Charge of Watchfulnefs, not fo much becaufe of the tifficulty of the matter, as becaufe ofour dulnefs. We cannot often enough be put in mind of Vigilancy and diligence in pre- paring for the coming of the Lord ; fo great is our (loath and drowfinefi, and non - attention to the great affairs of our Souls. Now theft three Parables, though they come to one effect, yet have their fpecial ufé. The firft of theee concern all ;- the fecond the Officers of the Church ; the third the Members: Firft, The good man of the Houfe watching againft the coming of the Thief, fpeaketh thus much : If men watch to avoid a temporal inconvenience, much more fhould we watch to efchew eternal Deftruftion. The diligence of the men of the world in worldly things, upbraydeth and condemneth our negligence in heavenly things The Para -r ble of the unfaithful Servant, that put of the thoughts of his Matters coming,. and therefore eateth and drinketh with the drunken, and beats his Fellow-fervants, is a notable warning,to the Officers of the Church, that they do not abufe the Pow- er of the Keyes, and inhaunt with the wicked, and difcourage the godly, and blaff them with Cenfures, and flirre up the difpleafure of the Magiftrate againft their faithfull and painfull Brethren in the Miniftry. A Drunkard ffialtfind more favour with them than one that is mindful of his Lords coming, and would keep puhf ual to the Orders and Inftitutions he hath left' before he went. Now leaft the Mem- bers of the Church fhould want their admonition, befides a warning to the Officers. in the Second Parable, here is a warning to the Members in this third Parable, to watch and be ready, that they be not furprized : In the wife Virgins is reprefented the comfortable fruit of Watchfulnefs, in the foolifh the fad effects of Security. Then (hall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened, &c. In the words we have, Firfl, The thing compared, The Kingdom of Heateh. Secondly, The Comparifon it felf, (hall be likened to ten Virgins. Who are 1. Defcribed by their Quality or State, Virgins. 2. By their Number, Ten. 3. By their Rank or diftribution, five wife, andfive foolifb. 4. By their work or Employment, they went forth to meet the Bridegroom, 5. Their Preparation for that Work, they took their Hand - Lamps. Before I explain theft Circumftances, I muff a little acquaint you with the Cuftom of the Yews, to which allufion is.here made. The Weddings of thofe times were kept by Night, in which the Bridegroom and his Company were by certain Virgins fetched in, and conduEted to the Bride, with Lamps in their hands, and Songs in their mouths. As for this Cullom, I (hall give you fome paffages in Scripture. That the Weddings were in the Night -time, we read Gen. 29. 23. It came to pair in the evening that Laban took Leah his Daughter, and brought her to yacob. That the Bridegroom had his Companions, we read fudg. 13. rr. Sampfon had thirty Com- panions brought to him. That both had their Companions ; we read of the Chit- dren of the Bride- Chamber, Meth. 9. 15. the fpecial guefts invited to the Marri- age-feaft, who were by Cuftom to fetch the Bridegroom, and wait upon him : Thefe are called Ow wµtfe, the Friends of the Bridegroom, Joh. 3.29. That the Bride had her Companions, 'tis Paid, in Pfau. 45. 14. the Spoufe (hall be brought to the King in a Rayment of Needle -work ; the Virgins her Companions that follow ber (hall be brought unto thee: And their fashion was, to take Hand-lamps then in ufe, and fit to carry abroad for Night- lights. The Scripture frequently alludes to that ; Rev. a8. 23. And the light of the Candle fhall Thine no more at all in thee ; and the voice of the Bridegroom; and of the Bride, no more at all (hill be heard in thee. And thus the Bridegroom was met by Virgins with Lamps ; as he grew near the Brides houle, he was met by Servants with Candles returning to the Marriage : 'Therefore 'tie fait!, Luke 12. 35, 36. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye your felves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the Wedding. This was the cuftom, which I the rather obferve, that you may fee how fitly our Lord layeth down things. Now thofe that accompanyed the Bridegroom and the Bride, were Children of the Bride - chamber, and admitted into the Mar- riage Room and Supper ; and thofe that came after that, when once the door was Phut,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=