IO The 'Parable of the rime which is here directly pointed at. Then fhali rhofe Churches be VirginChurches, waiting for ChriH's coming, boch ro·rhe1r parricubr judgment, -bur efrecially ro rhe general judgrnenr1 when he ihall, appear as a glorious Brideoroom. ro the como!acion and !alvarion of rbofe who in trurb have waited for him ~he fccond rime : For rhis co:ning of Chri!t 'fpoken of in rhefe rwo ch.1prers, is tlm comin~ whieh is in power ,rnd great G/pry (nor in rhe Churches fpiriwally) bur inthecloudsofHeaven, chap.24·3o. ·wherein he fhall feparate rhe iheepfrom I the goats, the one ro lie among Devils, rhe other ro po!fe!fc ( mr an earthly Kingdom hereforarboufmdyears, a? fome from mi!taking the me.JnUJaofrhe : zotli eh. of the Revel. imagine) but to inherit the Kingdomprepared for the~ .fom · thefoundation ofth~ Jvorld, Mat. 2~. 34- which cannot be any be rer, nor any other, thm the th1rd He:wen, where the face of God~~ feen, and where he harh had an inl'lu:nerable HoG ofglorious Angels, his Su!JjeCl:s ro ferve him, nor only fincerhe firft ri:neof manscrearion,eur thefirG foundation of rhe world, Gen.r.r. Which a!fo Chrilt himfeff u g•ne tD prepare for m, John 14.2,3. And which AhrahamsFairhonlyexpeeted, ev.ena City which_was nor emhly, bur heavenly, which hath{,;undamns, whofe budder and mak!f' IS G•d, Heb.II. ro,rr. So char although this Parable look~ moG. direccly unto rhofe_ rimes which are yer ro come, yet as all ex,1mples reg1Gred 111 holy Scnprure for nme palt, are applicable and ufefulfor us , fo rhefe that are yet ro come, are alike inltrucl:ive eo us efpecially in rhlefe rimes al'ld places, wherein rhe Lord (according to his man~ ner of1vorking great things ufually) gives among usfome fmall, yet lively refemblance of rhofe daies. · SECT. III. That in thDfe daiu ofCbrift's mning, rPhett~'n the_ aurch~J u[Cfrijf, and PrDfoforsofthe Gojfrel Jhall t_row Virgm-ChurchtJ, all vijiUe Smnts, when all Members feem to be effroufed to Chnfl, yet there will be found deffrerate f•i'J in f ome, and in time gre~~t fecurity will fall upon all. . . . Some there are wno rhmk rhe dates we hve m now, are nor only rhe daies of the Son of man, bur part. of rhe daies of the eomina of ~he_ Son ofman, wherein the Churches ( efpecially m r.hefe p~ace~) ~row to geVlfgm-Profe!fours: Our Judgments hold ir,_ our pra~tfe mall1t~m.es 1t, all Church-m~mbers a:e and muG be vifible Saints, v!lible Believers, V1rgms ,efpoufed to ChnG, efcapmg the pollutions ofldolarry and rheworld: Takeh<;ed ~he Lord find nor many ofyou foo.- lifh, take heed you that are not fo, that m nme you grow not lecure; you have rhe pillow of reacero lie on, _and_rhe cares o~ rhe world to make you <;~ream away your rime, and you have no p~nchmg perfecunon~ to awaken you, and 1fno wrelt- ·lings within, look for fecunrr there. F?llY Will be_ rh~ dearh and bane of fome, hence boalt nor. Secumy, a fleepng !ickne!le IVllf be rhe difeafeoforhers, if the Lord prevent not: But I intend nor ro anchor here, only eo fer up markes ar rhefe Hats, thar you may avoid rhem and come nor near rhem. CHAP.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=