ten Virgins Opened and .Applied. yet it Wtlilvork it ie,fclear again. And this Gods peoJ?le ~ull find, there is lomthing in the!n thdt fprings up w everlafhng life all their dates. · 3. Do nor judge on I yof the uurh and meafure of Grace by what rhou ha~ in rhy hand offeeling; bur by what rhou haft 111 rhy hand of Fauh m the pr01mfe. God lurh ever detiohred ro keep rns people 111orr of what they Wollld have, and w give rhem but lit~e, _ii,fomuch rhat the.y often queHion the t:uth ofGrace, feelinofolittleme,IfureofH. Yet they lookto rhe nches of Gods Gr2ce, t<ithe frgendle and riche; of the Lords promife, and hang there, and plead rh.tr, and itJCk rh1t breJ£l, Anfw. Oh now conlider thou art empty, bur remember rhe Lord J~Cus is fuil, and rhe promife is free and full. Oh the riches of it, w give abundanrly, and ro work Truth m thee ! Hence 'tis rbere in the pr6m1fe, and rhy Faith h.1ngson rhepromife for it: Why,. ris thine by F.1irh .then. The nature of Faith is ro carry rh<: fvul empty to a promtfe and the Lords Grace, and Chril~ there, fo rh.tr it knows not whither elfe w go but for bread here. · Now Faith doing thus, it makes the p~omife and all of it thine, zl'et.I.I ,4. , .Abraluem h.1d his child firfl in the pto:mfe, when he felt a dry body, and fa \V l barren womb. And know it, i,rs infinite mercy to be kept up in rbe pro:nife, and thou oivel~ the Lord infinite Glory by embracing of it now, and thou maill ~riumph here. Haft notfaid, Lord, that S•lam•n fha/1 reign, and lin fba!l not? Ir J1ull not. . Ob rejoyw oh Helvens and Earrb at rhis, for the Lord barb vilited me! Go.l took from Paul his revelations, and feno diflempers, that Grace mi5hr be manifefled in rhe pro~ife. · 4· Do nor think rhar the Lords heart is not towards thee, while he hides his face from thee. For rhere may be frowns in a Fathers face, and yet love in his hem: The Lord purpofely hides himfelf from his people fomtimes, efpecially when they begin ro grow weary of him, or proud, but yet his heart is towards them ffill. NO\V they think not fo, wrnen in Utter darkhdfe, then they think there is no love. The woman of Canaan befought Chrifl oft, yet he heard nor, y10:r his hem was towards her. How did that appear? Her heart and Faith '!Vas Hill t<)W.lrd him, fbe would no~ leave him though fbe fbould hlve but crumbs. I[a.45-1 5· & 8.I7. And rbe Lord cloth purpofely hide bis"face in love, tlm his peo_;;les he:ttrs m<Iybe rowards him, H'[·5·I 5· ' & 6.I, . · 5. Do not judge of the Lords lnve and he .m toward you in tbefe fad times by prefenr feelings, but by rhe ilfue ofthem. For fuch is the Lords cariage towards his people fomri :r.es, that God feems wholly ro crolfe them, and appears in all their w.1ie> with a drawn fword againlt them. He dorh nor only leave them to" their enemie;, ~ s he did Samfan . bur to their lins, and to Satan ro buffer rhem, rh.u there is norhing bun clouds of wrath and no Star appearing. No1v look to the iilue,. an~ marlz.the.~<p~ight man, h~ end u peace; an_d conli\ler this, Chrifh ~ing• do:n ts h•d, and p<! brtngs contranes out of conrranes,. he makes darknctfe hght, Hell He.wen, guilt pardon, weaknelfe ftrength, and calls things rh4r are nor , as though they were. Then think wirhin thy felf, Ile conohide nothing ao-ainfl my felf, but ihy and wait what rhe iifue will be, ~Yhicb is ever glo,rious , Jamu I .z, 3,4. I Pet.I.s,6,7. Conlider bath nonhe Lord done: thee much good already? Oh confider what is then behind I . 6. Never enter inrodifpute with Satan, or thine.own felf, about thy etlate, . but by taking and making Scripture and W6rd to berhe Judge of tbecomroverlie. fe•rs cpme i.n, yo\1lhall never !m;e.mercy, never have pow~r; Who cold y9u fo? Doth the Word fay that ? The Lord never gave hi!Ufelf ro me, Ifea~ tt! Dpththe Worpfay fo? Never was any as I; Dotb the· 'Word fay fo? ' Or dorh nor rfle Word fay, God deligbts to-pick out "tne· vi!e!t,- to fend rhe Phylitiarrto. them that be liek: l 'qnnG>t fe~ nor conceive any mercy ; Dqrh the Wort! fay fo ? Are n.ott.he Lordsr'houghrs above tbine? I have not that peace thatorhers have, therefore rhe Lord'inlends hone toward me; Doth ' rhe Wordfayfo? Ob but6V rhers
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