ten Virgins Opened and Applied. be here rill my morcalicy 1s 1\vallowed up of life. Like a leaking /hip th<\t takes in water by lirde and little, till at la!t it is [wallowed up in the fel. SECT. III. 171 HEnce we may fee the reafon why the Lord doch not abundandy reve.1\ and Ufe r, . communicate himfelf w rhe fouls ofmany men. What is rhematrer? Is it becanfe they find no want of his fpiritJ and life, and t~race, and pelCc1 and glory? yes they doe , and hence _expre!fe rhetr wams to men, ~nd complam of their wants to God. Is it for thts, that Chn!t bath not wherewnhal? Yes, he hath received the Spirit without meafure, John 3. 34· and fou.nraines ahv•y run, though men feldom drink. \Vhat then ? Is tt becaufe they bnng not thetr hems, hold mt their ve!fe\s under the Lords horn of oyl? Yes that they do, but their ve!fels are n.JUght, they are not onl~for him;_ they feel their want of grace ~nd Chrift, but not only or chiefly of thts. Speetal Grace /hall never be poured tnto acommon ve!fel, a common heart, that lies in common for Goul, and lull, and world too. The honour, peace, life, gain, of aGod, are fweet and precious. Lord ever give me tl~at water to drin~But you have five husbands, and feek not this only; Hence, if rhe Lord.denies·you, you can be content, becaufe you have fomething eHe to fill your ve!fels ; if rhe Lord gives, you undervalue it and grmv worfe : and rhe very riiit~ of chat common grace.you have, is the beginning of your apollacy, and fetting ott from God. And hence, 1'10 wonder why you pray but never have, Jam. 1. 6, 7· you want, and crave, but never find; yourve!fel is naught, though the Lord is good. 'Tis ablack mark char thou art in bondage ro the creature, and didll never know what the liberty , even the glorious liberty of a fon means. And 'tis a moft grievous bondage to be half unlaoflsd and yet to be in bonds. And I a!fure you, if you knew the gift of God, if ever you tailed how fweet the Lord is ; this is the only thing your fouls will cry for: That when you come to ask, and the Lord faith , what would you have ? Oh the fpirit of life! Oh the anointing of my ble!fed head! And what elfe .? It only; this is it only my ve!fel is made eo hold·, I am not made for my lull, nor fins, nor world: I would I had a bigger ve!fel, a larger hearo te receive thy Grace only. I confefs, agracious !Jcm may for a time be carried wo violently after other things;•ud ye• fe~k rheLord too, as S•lomon, Eccl. 2. :But after it knows Chrift better, it's more referved now for him, as Gen. 39·3,4,5,6. Jofephs mafler for a time kept things in his own hand, but whec he faw the L0rd was with Jofeph , and that he was profperous , ahd bleffed, then he made him overfeer, and he knew not •cis faid, what he had, fave only the breld that he did eat: So it is in our Jofeph. As the poor woman that knew the Metftah, ihe.leaves her ve!fel, her water-pot with him, and now would h,we all the City to come and fee and believe in him, and depend on him on! y, truft to him only. & c. Doll therefore feek, and find not ? Hall bin long waiting, and fe~lett not? And thou wondreft at it! Others comforted, and I nor ! Search if this be nou the caufe; it may be thy heart i:s nor fer only for this, but an· thy back, belly, lots, eafe, what /hall I eat, drink ? &c. As fome women , becaufe God cloth not fetd fo liberally their fweer tooth, their licorifh longings; build them fe_iled houfes, me1fure their prcfenr condition according to rheir iinful humour; nothing can p\eafe them: 11eirher husband, fervants, Miniflers, nor Gods Ordinmces. 1 Is this ave!fcl for die Lord and his Grace only ? You mull , you will have a longer coat than you cm \v~ll wear ; Hold here. Never chink to have one prayer anfwered: If this night thy day of mifery fhould come, cry thou mayft, but no God ro hear thee or help thee. Oh a little oyl, now a little grace, now a little mer<;y, Lord now. Oh no, you have-nove!fel to hold it. But oh blefs the Lord you know it. Others it may ~z ~
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