1ten Virgins Opened and Ajip~ied. Ir7. 1. A man may know his blelfedellarein refpect of rime pall, by a ivork, i.e. ---- 4virh a word or p~omife n:ade ro ir: and rhe Spi:ic revealing of ir, viz:.. rhe ever~ Jal1in" chouahcs and elechon of God roward h1m, Rom.8. 28, Them that love G;d, ::.who ar~ ca//ed acwding to hupurfo[e, n~nvithllanding all clJeiJ," miferies and tins; yec love him, and fo called accordmg_ to hu putpofo, for fo trye _Aro!~le raiferh · up his thoughts. I know the world~~ tull of wanr of love, and ~~mk It e~Ge f<l 1 ro do, and like rhe Devtl, are very kmd eo the Lord,. as ~hey. th~k, whtle die Lord ple~ferh rhem·; who yet when rhe nme of panence 1s our, all be eternal blafphemers of him. .Bur rhere is fuch love whereby Sai us may raife up their hearrs rhus eo fee Gods love,· I_ ~hef.I."f•5· Kn6wing J.•ur EleCtion ofGod. How fo? Immediarly ? Some D1~mes rhwk Angels lee 1t nor fo, ~nd rh•r irs peculiar to God fo to do: Bur.medutly, for our word came in power and iti much alfurance ro make you enlarged for God, to turn you from Idols unroGod and ro wait ~OF Chril1: in. He.wen, feeing hi_mhere, _b~tt as in ~ . Glalfe. !'nd by rhe fame Spmr Paul faw 1t, by rhe farne,Spmtthey m1gnt much more fee lt, and fo rhe EleCt may fee ir. And 1f expenence may be added ro rhe Truth; Ho1v many ofGods people dayly, knowing their work of vocati?n and glory , afcend from rhefe lower !lairs of the Lords Laddar, to the h1ghea of Election, and rhere are fwallowed up with eternal wonderment, fillin~ their hems with that joy ~nd reace, that rhe weak Tabernacle of fleih and. blood cannot bear rhe weight ofchat Glory long; That by worksfeerhe prom1fe, and by rhepromife . oflove behold eternal thoughts oflove: And het?ce promifl!s are fai~ to b~given ro Saints, before the world began : Becaufe prom!fes to them that thull, ·mourn believe, &c. are nor bare words, bur eternal counfels, in which you fee God~ purpofe. · -· · 2. In refpeet of timeprefenr, byir we know. ourprefentunion to the Lord Jefus, I John 2.4. He that faith I ~ow him, andkfeps not hu Commandments, is a Liar. Ye;;, char is crue negatively, bur may~ man, ought aman ro iee or know his union poiirively by this? ~Anf.v.). Many faid, they did know and love the Lord, bur he that k!eps his words, Ob they are fweet ! Its Heaven to cleave to him in every command , its death ro depart from any command. Hereby k_i;ow we that we are in him. If it were poffible to ask of Angels bow they know they are nor devils? they would anfwer, the Lordswill is ours : So here. How do you know you have not the nature of Devils, and fo in flare of Devils bound there till the judgmem of the great day r Becaufe God harh changed our vile natures, and made our wills lib_: unto hisgloriomwill, &,·, So for forgivenefs, Luke 7·47· Much is forgiven her, &c. 3' Irt relpeCl: of the !lare ofGlory for time to come. We ma'y know our blelfed . efbte by aWork, I Cor.z:ji. Eye hath not foenwhat the Lord hath prepare4forthem that love him, Pfal. 3 I. I 9· Oh how great is thy goodnef{e laid up for them that foar thee! . 2 Cor.)·3· Ifc!?athedwithChrift, wlioleChri!l, v.5,6. He bath ficred Ul forthis, and givim the earneft •fthe Spirit, which , Rom.8.2 3. are firft-fruits ofGl•ry, therefore we are confident. obj. But if you look to your felves, you wiU have peace to dAy and forrow to morrow. . . Nay, we are ttlwaies cinfident, and yer PaHl did not now goon in a Covenant of works. Nowwhether a man firll comes to know his ellace by a wotk, word ; and fpirir, fo rharrhere arerhree things eo evidence our happy ellare,or wherhe• by two things only, viz:.. a general word and fpitic, I intend nor to difpute, becaufe it makes nothing againfl rhe truth in hand : Only this I fly, ir.s very danpe'rous to limit the H•ly One of Ifrael, efpecially in his freedom of working, to brearh light, and life, and divine confolation, when and by wh,1r means and promife, and in wh1tmeafure he will. Cbrillwhen he was hereon earth, would fay fomtimes , th7 fins are forgiven, Mat·9· 2. Somtimes be it unto thee M th~u believeft, ' T Mat.9•
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