4 SE NS upon the SERM.1. (5.) They are fet forth by their preparation for this work, they took their Lamps, that is, made open profeflion of their hope, Matth. 5. 16. Let your light fo Thine among men : for external fhining profefliion !hey were both alike. All are called Chri- flians, all are Baptized, and all profefs faith in Chrifi, and an expe&ation of his fe- cond coming with eternal Life to enfue upon it ; all are Virgins, all have Lamps, all are devoted to the Bridegroom, goe forth to meet him, and yet fome were wife, and fome foolifh ; fome made preparation that whenever the Bridegroom fhould come, they might be ready to go in with him, others contented themfelves with an outward Profeffion, or lode waiting for his coming, but did not with that fe- rious diligence prepare themfelves for it, and fo came fhort of the bleffednefs ex- pe&ed by them : There wanted a deep radication, and a confiant perfeverance, without which the blaze of Profeflion which lafied for a while, will loon be extinguifht. Doctrine, flat in the vifible Church, among thofe that give up their Names to Chrift fome will be found faoliJh, when others are mife, and come fhort of the bleffednefs expected by them. Or, in the vifible Church all are not wife Chriftians, but fome are wife, and really fach as they profefs themfelves to be, others negligent, fooli(h and improvident. The State of the vifible Church is here reprefented : And Obferve, I. This Parable is not fpoken of the Corrupted Members of degenerate Church- es, but fpeaketh what (hall fall out in the Churches not defiled with the Whore - domes of the World : There are fome Churches that have turned the Government of Chrift into a temporal Domination, and their Worfhip into a mats of Paganifh or Heathenifh Rites and Supetftitions, and place all their Glory, not in excellency of Gifts and Graces, but pomp of Living and external fplendor, and make Chri- flianity look like a Temporal worldly thing, calculated only for this Life ; of thole Chrift fpeaketh not here, fomething maybe intimated of them in the former Pa- rable, but here he fpeaks of a reformed Church ; not the Church in her polluti- on and defection, but a Church in her right Confiitution. Papilla will be count- ed Chriftians, who may be rejeaed by Chrift at his coming ; they have fo cor- rupted his Worfhip, Difcipline and Doctrine. Nay, but Chrift fpeaketh here of thole that live under the difpenfations of purer Chriftianity, fome will be found true Believers, others common Profeffors : even among the Members of a reform- ed Church, that make Profeffion of the Purity of the Gofpel, all will not be found fuch as may abide the day of Chrifls appearing in Judgment : In Abrahams Fami- ly there was an IJhmael as well as an lfaac, in Chrift's a yadar, and in the Apo - Ples time fome were Enemies to the Crofs of Chrift, that yet took the Profeffi- on of Chrift upon them, Phil. 3. 18. 2. Mark again: 'Tis not meant the fcandalous and faulty Members of a pure Church, there are many Chriftians in name only, but indeed deny it, Titus a. 16. but 'Cis not meant of the fcandalous, that live as if their hopes were altogether in this World, that ingulph themfelves in all manner of fenfuality, as if there were no Heaven or Hell, nor no future account to be given of their Actions; but it is meant of fuch as profefs themfelves to be devoted unto Jefus Chrift the Bride- groom, fuch as are defirous to be admitted into the Nuptial Feafi, to have Com- munion with him in Heaven, and poffibly may attain to a blamelefs Converfati- on, and appear Virgin -like, all waiting for the coming of the Lord, in their own and others efiimation : Some that Prophefied in Chris name, and eat and drank in his pretence, are yet rejelled by Chrift as workers of Iniquity. 3. 'Tis not meant only of thole that have a fhew or a falte and counterfeit Profeflion, that are taught to all over their part in Religion as a Play, as in the belt and pureft Churches there will be Hypocrites : No, there had fome real work, though not a Paving but a common work, as a man may have a light tin&ure of religion whole heart is not yet found with God, Pfa. 1 r9. So. therefore David Prayeth, Let my heart be found in thy Statutes. There was not an univerfal renoun- cing of all corruptions, not that thorough care to pleafè God, nor a rooted affe&i- on to Chrifi, though they have fome good motions, Hopeful inclinations that way, as there Virgins feemed to be well ale &ed to Chrift ; for the prefent they had their Lamps, made fome [lender. preparation, they went forth to meet the Bride- groom
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