ten Virgins Opened and Appiied. fetch him in. And no furer fign of an ungracious hearr, than ro have this bLlll: him ~l'ld drive him from the lord, Mal.3 .14. A man bath Gods Ordinances, he finds Ho prolir, w God, no Cbri!t, his :lffeC\ion is loll:, and now he forf.1kes rhe Lord. Oh when ChriH is a rock of offence, wo, wo, wo w rh.lt foul! No1v rhmt hail neith<!r Summer nor Winter-fruit. Oh look w thy f.1ll here! 4 • When men fo f.11l from the Lord, as rhat rh~ir whole he,arrs make choice of, and are efpoufcd to fome luH, wedded to fome dtftemper. Fo;· though rhe Samts mJy fall, yer never ro atJo[het Lov.:r ; for they cannot fall inro any fin rhar bre1ks Covenant bemeen them and tht: Lord, HoJ.z. I 9· When men maim choice of any thing in rhe world ro rake comem in more than in rhe Lord, or rogerher wirh the Lord, and hence defend it as lawful, and are fully free in ir. There was never Gr<ee rhere. For if ahy rhing cloth give rhe S•ims conrem, 'ris nor rheir choice, bur refufing: ·Bur you are wedded ro your lult. D11vid could fay, 1 havuhofen thy T ejfimonies, oh forfnk! me not Ntttr'J! Others cllufe fomwbar elfe, nocrhcc, Pfnl.IZ5·5· Thofe th«t walk_. in &rook!d w11ies, the Lord jh.. /1/er;d them forth. This is given as a black mark of men rhat ~re broken off from rbe L?rd, R.Pm.I)·9· Let tl eir Tabl.becomeafnare. When tr may be noullbwful r_hmg, butbwfLil is rhar which banes them, z Per.2.zz. Sheep may fall imo rhe mire, bur if rhey lie and walbw in ir; ic's aSwine; and all their excellencies are bur Pc:arls in a Swines fnour. • Bllt when doth aman ma/z.e choice of it ? ~ f! 1. When a mans heart is fer upon a lu£1:, and God blc!ferh and profpers A~~ : him in ir. When God fills thebac/ejlider in heart full•f his own "ll'aies. His heart "JW• is worldly, and he thrives in ir; his hem is ambitious, and he harh his Houour. This .che Lord gives not ro his people, but feme rod Cl!' orher upon their 61cks, Ho[.4.17. Lit him 11lone. 2. 'V hen aman lies long in his Fall. Saints lie notlong : I limit no rime, butwhenday afrerday, anunliv«sinir, .Rom.II.ro. Let their Bacfe!. be bowed d~wn "'"'"!• Oh when amans heart and bJ.ck is bowed down ahvay! S:Unrs are undcr Ctiri!ts care. 5. When rhe Cmfe of a mans wirhering is a withering r03t. Trees in winter ca£1: cheir leaves, as withered rrees, bur others r00t: is hurr. If rhe braR£hes do wirhs-:r, yet if the root remain, ir will recover again. So the Saintsca£1: rheir leaf; and rheir branches wirher' in deferrions and cemptari:ons, bur rhey preferve rhe:nfelves acrhe roor. ' But why do orhers wirher t 'Tis bc:caufe their Faith wirhers, Heb.ro.39· & :;.r 2,14. Many a man withers becaufa of his Faith: He feels many wants. Why lives he fo? Why dies he in begg~ry? Why fee, Micah 3. I 1. When a man is twice dead and pulled 11p by the roots, fo rhar rhe root periiherh; for him is rererved the btack_nejfe if dArkz;ejfe f•r ever. That rhe means and way of enriching Siints is a way of beggery, to rhefe 'ris Yery faral. There is fome falfe Faith in Saints, bur it is not wholly fuch. Oh confiderrhefe things! No Grace, What no Guce? I fay rhen no life, no God, no Spirit , no Chri£1:, no Glory. Oh mourn here I See ir now, that yow maybehnmbled, andfofaved. Elfe youwillfallworfe andworfeflill, Jer.J. s,6. Hh: SECT.
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