ten Virg)ns Opened and Applied. manmay pray out, hear out alltl:e Gr.rce ofhis heart : Meming r~i > ,_ when God begins wwork upon~ ma~1s h~ar:c adirlt, rhenpraye: and Word ts lweer, fl?Y a while they he1r our thetr hemng, and pray out thetr praymg, fG .1s 111 prJ)'ll1g, rhey pray noc ; and in hearing, they heJr nor ! . Would to (Jod there were no• a oenerarion oi t hole men among us, rim havmg been fo oft Sermon-nod and P~ayer-bem:n, due now rhcir he1rrs are.hardned, and being ufed ro Ordinances, and 6eino fo !ono ridden under them, I Wtl11 rheywere not ttred, and ;aded under them before they co:r.~ h1lf way home,rhar :hey h_ad mher l.ie & die in rhe high way, rh.tn gee up and wtrh mtghry gro.ms and uwrnctbJewrattltngs ofhe.ur feek atrer, and fo find the Lord in them. 4· There is no place in all the world, where there is fuch expecbrion to find the Lord, as here , and hence men ble!fe the Lord for our rifing s.un, \V hen 'ris ferring eve:y where elfe : Here therefore they come and find It nor, hen~e n~t con!ldenn" the ore.1r and laH rempranon of thts place, whereby God rnes hts friends before he~vill trull them wirh more of himfclf, vi"'. deep and freqt:em deferrions , they give in , and therefore c.1re not for, nor defire after thofe plaiHers which theyfeel he.1l them nor, nor that food which they find nourifneth them nor. 'Tis Change to fee what a Faith fon:e men ·have rhat can clofe wirh Chrilt as their end, and comfort themfelves there ; 'ris not means ( f.1y they ) but Chrill, not duties but Chrilt, and by rhis Fairh can co~forr and quiet themfel\'es in the negleCl: and contempt of Cbrill in n:eans, as inE1llible a brand ofGods eternal reprobation offuch a foul ~s any I know. So that t)lis is JY"tw-Englandtfin. Is not Prayer neglected, wanung place and heart? If not 111 family, is it not in fecret? fo that you have none, nor poor fervams have none. Ifany Prayer in fecret, yet doti't not die? DidH ever find thy Spirit fo firaitned ? Where are rbe mighty groa ? What is become of meditation ? Doll not let Sabbaths, Sermons paffe o ,er, which !hall be preacht over again at the lalt Jay and find no Chrilt, no Spirit in them .; and thus lie familhing, a td · et not cry for bread? If it be not fo, I am glad, God, Angels, Saints, and .11 rhe world !hall call you ble!fed: If it be fo, I dare be bold to prophefie ruinc ro this place and people, and that you or your pofl eriry !hall either in woods, or in the Land, or hmds of your enemies in this place lamem wirh rears the contempt ofmeans ; and you even Difciple; ofChriA:fha/l dejirtto [;e oxe ofthe dtrits ofthe S<n ofman, and jhallnot fenhem. Jer.8.q,x4. Let m go intoftrong holdt, &c. I know there: are t~any that dv meet rhe Lord , but are you not ap~ to fall al1eep again ? Oh therefore let me en~reat you, if the Lord bath efrouf~d you to himfelf, if you have any longings after hi'Il in He.w~:1, feeing rhofe ddires cannot be fulfilled prefently, Oh long to r:r.eet him here, and fo long eo meet him, as that you may indeed meet wirh him and with more and more of him. SECT. VI. VVH•t it .'t to meet Chrift, 1111d to hav~ Fdlowfhi, withhim iwanOrdi" f2!!tjl; ' nanet? I have been oft asked this, and for rhe fake of them that be weak, I !ball give A"fw; you a tall of ir. 1. Therefore. look as 'ds with a 1\tan rhu receives ahy common mercy from God, fro'Il C?n~, ~f he fee; not the Lord Jefus really giviug it, he enjoyes ir; hut not ChnH 1n It, though he get fome good out of the thing : So let a man receive more knowledge of Truths, and more Truth be difcovered, more Promife; revealed, more affections and life dropt into rhe hem, which may do a man fo:negood, yet if he fees them as feparated from Chrifl, ifhe fees not rhe Truth as it is i11 Jefus, if he fees not Promifes fpoken from Heaven by Jefus, if ~- 1. ' he
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