ten Virgins Opened andAppiied., i8j hea~ it; ,nor any du:y in Family, but they will imitate ir, and hence read and ---- learo, rh.u: they may be like rr:l':;n, No Chrillians in.rhe Country hared, but rhey will love them, nor Ceremome; call: otf, but they will abhor them ; and hence · they refle6t upon their patterns; and think their eftare fafe, becaufe they are as good as a C~ri!ti~ns oudide : .And h~nce like ~om<! dead Cmel? r~er~ is ~1othing gcod bur thctr skm; fo there ts nothmg good m thefe, but thctt tmttatmo our-· l hde. ThusirwaswirhJoafhwhile [ehoiadalived, zCimn.Z'j.. Hence h~ fell like Ivy with the Oak,whc'lGodcut him down : Thus ir w,<swirh t:hefe five fool~ ifi1 Vtrgins, aman may follow good examples, bur not refl: in b.<re imi:atio'n of rhem: And hence a bleiTed man is defcribed, P[11l. 1.- Negarively, from not imitating the wicked, not from imitating the good ; becaufe good . men may be in many things ill example;, and it ever proves fo in thefe men th<t have no more then this Principle; hence if they be loole in their rongue;, or on the Sabbath, their ple1 i, , they are like unto them. And hence co:r.e .all your acquired excellencie; ; a man is an imitating creature, led by example, and a carnal m~n out cf the heart of hypocrifle in himfdf, will imitate the divine nature which is in ~norher; and hence men nor only take up fuch praetile>, but fuch opinious only,becaufe fuch and fuch are of that mind: And hence men change prac1:ifes and O!Jinions as Examples ~o ch.mge; in Jofhua'J time greJt Reformation, be no , fooner de.td, but all fell off again: rben rhey W.(jre for p11riry of Ordinance> and Gods Wor(hip, now they ferve Batfllim: Oh confider, here is an outward, bur no inward princip'e I 3. Thofe whofe principle is not~ing but exterml applaufe and praife of men, and this will carry aman beyond all die beH Examples: Nay, fometime to be flngular, and aman alone; a Pharifees Trumret ihall be heard to the Townesend, whileflmplicity walks rhorow rheTown unfeen: Hence a man will femetimesJ:overtly commend ' himfelf, and my felf ever comes in, and tells you a lonp Storie of Convmiion, and an hundred to one, i£ Come lie or oth<lr flip nor our with ir. Why, the fecret meaning is, I pray admire me, hence complain of wants andweaknelfes ; pray think wh1t a broken-hearted ChriGian I am ; and hence ifcomforred they complain, if nor, they willcomforr rhe:nfelves; hence many lift up eyes and hands, and fetch dee? ftghs in prayer, remember and note Sermon<0 look now what a gift I have: Hei1ce if you come to their companie, they wili iE•1e fo many good words as may make you think well of the"D,md theR the Market is al mofl done with them: Hence men fot-fake tmeir friends, and trample underfoot t11e fcorns of the world, they have credit elfewhere: To maintain their intereft in rhe love ofgodly men they willfuffer much: Hence men in the Minifhy pray for grace tobeJutilie and perfeCt their parrs, that fo they may pr('nch and com·ert ~nd have cr(!ldit : Hence men rr.editate new Light, and prefer~ deep · things that fc=w know, that men may wor!hio the riling Sun : Hence the Lord is negleCted lecretly, yet honoured oFenly, becaufe there is n? winde in their chambers to blow their Sails, and therefore there they ltand lttll: Hence many rr.en keep their profellion, when they lofe their affe6tion, they h.we by tile one a ni'lle to live,and th.1t _i~ enough,though their hems be de~d : And henc~ fo long as you love or comw.ena them, fo long they love you, but tf not? they IYtl~ f~rlake you; they were warm onely by anothers fire; and hence havtng no pnnctp!o:: of life l>ithil'l, foon grow dead: This is the water thau turns a Pharifees Mill, and the Lord paffetl'l a beavy doom, Yott h11ve.your reward. 1 have wondred that the ·opinion of men, nay, dream of mens thoughts fhould a6t men ; onely 'nis a curfe of God, th1t when tr.en defpife his honour the greatelt good, they ihall be fed with the bafe!t good. 4· Thofe whofe Principle is nothil'lg elfe but their own gain of outward blefflcgs. Many there be tl)ac make norrheir honour,fo much as their bellies their gods,andtby rule them, Phi/. 3· 19. hence~he Shop-kee;:er will give good words 1vhen
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