ten Vir-gins OpenedandApplied. · r~3 The Bridegroom is nerl" l~oked for, r_be ~refence ofChrilt Jefus is longed for, - ·----- he come; in rhe nigbr, they mutl: meet hu11 111 rhe n1ghr. .Now lr.t!ans they ufe lampsrhey rake, and fo much Oyl as kindles 'tbeir Lamps; bur Oyirhey r .1k~ nor in rheir Vellds, rheonly mea!Js ropreferve rhe1r Lamps fro:n gmng our, thar [o rhey may meer rbe Lord and not be lh ut out fro:n the Lord, as ar lait there carelelfe Virsins were. Search the Church~> for the prefem, fearch the Records of Aoes pait, many have dcyircd the Lord and looked for ihe lord, and yer have !oH rhe Lord their end: Why fo ? They never had hearts effeclually ro ufe and improve the me.1ns ro thar end, eirher ourward or inward. Look upon men our of rhe Church, rhey rerilb becaufe rhey have no rerr:edy, they have no Lamps to lighr, they bwe no Bread ro eat, n9 Mems ro help. But why do rhofe withi-n rhe Church perilb ? Is ir becaufe rhere is no remedy? No, but becaufe rhey ao not ufetherernedy. Isirbecaufe they w~m Means? · ~o, bur ~eoure they donor effeetually improve means. Here they falllbort, herem they d1fcover rhemfelves. Look bur upon this next Pmbleofrhe Talems, v.25. One ofrhe·n was caft off, and call our. Why ? Becaufe he h1d no Talents? No, But becaufe he had no ,mind nor !ill: ro ufe hisTalent, be did nQt rr:ake his gain out of ir to attain his end. All Ordinance> ofGod, and all thlt time we haveunderrhen are Talems. Now wherein do Hypocrites fail ? There is a fecn~c gain of Ordinances which HyFocrites regard nor, and hence rhe b.ell: ~ypo_crire livc-;s in debt, and die; a Begglr. For Prov.16.17. wherefore u there a pnce m the hand ofa f•ol, but no het~rt t_o ufe it? Precious Liberties, Ordillances, that many have de!Jred to fee, ?nd have nor_feen them. Why cloth the L0rd berruil: him wirb fuch rbac ufeth them nor? Ob he barb them, bur here is his wound, h~ harh no bear~ rv ufe rhe_m! Look ·throughoar all the Word, Why have many fee a great pnce on Chnlt, and yet have loll him? Becaufe like higlin~ Chapmen, rhey h.we had a deiire ro rhe Commodity, bu_t they h~ve been loarh ~o be at. rhe colt m ~re the means _for it. The Gafpel brmgs Cbnft and Immorral,cy t') hghr, and th1s Serpenr 1s hfred up, this L1mb flain before rr.ens eyes, and this Bread pur to mens lips and momhs. Why are nor all poOe!fed Of him, ble!fed in him? The Lord faith, come, and the Spir;, faith, come, and the Bride faith, ceme; Why rhe reJfon is, men will not ufe rhe means for him, I[a.5 5,'t,3,4· Men 1vill lay out their money, though it be for thatwhichunotBret~d. Jer.2.),6,7,8. !brought them thmtgh Pitsinroaplea[trnt Land, te eat thegoodnejfethemf. And doubtleffe he brought nor aherd of fwine into Ctnaan, only to eajoy rhe outiVard bleffings and fwill of Canaan, but·w e.n- . joy the good of h_is Temple, Ordinances, &c. Bur where was theinvound? Neitfm: Priefts nor People [aid, where is the Lord ? i.e. Where _is the Lord in rbe(e WaJes, rhat we may come at !all to the full enJvymem ofh1m by rheG:? This rbey neglecred. Merhinks 'ris with rhe bd1: hypocrites as 'tis with divers old Merchants, they prize and de!ire rhe gain of Merchand1fe, bur to be at rh~ trouble to prepare rhe Ship, to pur rhemfelves upon the hazards and•·dangers of che Ship, ro go andferch the Tre.1fure rb~t rhey prize, this they will never do. So many prize and de!ire earne[l:[y the Treafures of Heaven, here is their end, bur to b~ at the trouble of aHeaven-VoyJge ro fetch this Treafure, to pajfe through the Valley ofBaca, T~a_rs, Temptations, rhe Powers of Darkneffe, the Breaches, Oppofinons, and ConrradiC\ionsof afinful, unbelieving hem, good and evil report, ro palfe from o11e deprh and wave to anorher, this rhe bdt hypocrite failes in, and hence loferh all ar laH. And rhis I conceive to be one of che greac diiferences beqveen the !trong delires and ell:eems of Hypocrites and Salnr,. X SECT.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=