ten Virg·ins Opened and Applied. h.1d many Di.1mond-clays a11d fca[ons, andGod give; ]OU a fpace r_o repent, and f.1irh, .MJ Spirit [ha!~ not alaMJ ftrjve, it may be fome are but wuhin char fpace, that the Lo;<lts at rne !all c~H wLth you. 4· Conlider whatever your condition be, l11~ke off yo~r flo:h, ~nd fet UFOn the means, the Lord will be fot!nd ; do ir in good e~rneft : This will be good news ro ·you that think be will never, but be thy heart like fieel, and hard, rhe b rd will break ir; Hebr. r r. 6. he will/" found of them that feelz. him diligently: And the greater things rhou feekelt for, the more like to get them;_ as one of rhe F.1rhers thinks thn to pr.1y wirh repetitions , is to pr.1y for fmall things. Open thy mouth .vide lie fill it, and it m~ y be pre[emly in ~ moment; when tliou thinke{t le•H of ir, ir may be ar that tirr:e when rhou linde!l: moH unwillingnefs and difficulty to fee~, fee:<then and the I:.o:d will be found. Oh this , damps many anun in rhe ufe of means, he thinks the Lord will never help, and \ hence is wrrnenred with tht·; t·houghr, and lies down ~nd re!ts: If you_woul_d keep a Labourer from work, or a Traveller from walkmg , . put thorns ui rhetr I feet ; now the work is neglecred, there is prihing fiuffe, he cannot follow on I lhls bulinefs now: So ' ris here, Prov. r 5· 19. Take heed therefore of lirring down wirh fuchthoughts as thefe; irs !trang~ thou lhouldH be kille~ for every cut,and becaufe wounded for lin, to fall oft from the Lord byunbelief too. li. Motives to you that have followed the Lord, but now have begun w neglecr him: For what caufe Iknow nor, but I am fure the tord bath given you none : Yet a fpirit of !lumber and iloarh is upon you, that you are not the men you were. It may be fome for want of place, want of time, many occa6ons, many forrowcs and temptations in rhis wilderne!fe; and hence no mems fweer, ho bed eaiie, your bonesare broken. It may be a little.time of neglecr bath emboldned you roa cufl:o'Ile: It may be loofe examples, the fpirits of others flat, and thine is fo roo, whom GodfentintoChurch-Fel\owl11ip ro quicken them: It maybe an ill Husband i5an hindrance, a bad wife, as 'fobs wife, or whatever •tis, Oh that God would fpeak this day to you ! I. Conlider thou art nearer ro thy falvarion than when thou did!t firfl: believe; and then you thought no rime,no pains roo much, bnt all too little, Rom. r 3 ~11 ,r ~. Mariners near the Shore, look out for Rocks, lord that I may mtfplit now; Tru1yas it was with Chrifi, the longer he did live,rhe moreforrows, fo wirh you. God harh carried you aear falvarion, Oh no1V being neerer, there!Ire worfe rocks, look abom you now• Satans lafl: temptations are Hrongell:. oh o-ive no~ in now ! It may be not manydaies nor weeks hence thou lhaltcome to thy journeys end: Awaken then out of fieep. z. Confider how ghd the Lord is ,ofrhy co:npany, he hath been fo, tnd will befoagain; thoucal'l!tnot come in toolate, rSam.u.zr. as poorandvileas thou art, Prov.8. Hu delight is with the S9ns of mm. Wirne!fe mercies, witneffe ~ffiiCUons. Oh then feek him I Wirnefle defections, then feek him ; witnefs hts f1vect entertainment of thee, many a time when he bath given thee meAt . that the world knows not of; wirne!fe fo many hindrances which Satan laies in, ' who knowes how cro!Te 'tis to Chrifi, Jer.2.1,2,3. 1 remember th, love of thine e[pouf,r!s, when. thou didft follow me ; efpecially when with mo!l: ditfliculty, when hwle !l:rength 1vichin, whenlircle hi!>pe without, yet Ile not give over. He never forgers this. The tore! harh never fuch fad daie$ as when thou turnefl: thy back on him, and thou never fo good, as when thou feekefl: him. 3. Confider thy gaiiles, there lhall not be the lea!t endeaYour, delire, purfuit after the Lord, not tbe ltuH Word, Prayer, Thought, time fpent, but an abundant .recomFenfe_ is it~ Cbrifts hands, 1 Cor. 1$ .58. Ever abPtJndfng, k?;O'I!Iini, that zt (j?all not he m vam. A man that rowes againG the !l:ream, a I m le l'leglec1 qf rowtn!! carries him down again. But oh be ever 11bounding in the Lqr-Js work._ or ;our labour is not in vain in the Lord. ' Y 3 4. Confider i6f
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