ten Virgins Opened and Applied. rime rhe. Spirit of grace may lead a m~n ro prayer and fadnefs, fomecime ro· a mans calling an:! chee;fulnefs. The. a:Ct of gracds fmall 1ir5-dominion large. 3. They think d'tey are nor C@Ham,when they are nor fo at at! r1mes, as they are at fome times: As a man chinks he is unwn(tam ar prayer, becauf.: ne is not all day upon his knees; nor hea.vetrty minded~becaufe he is nOt all day long n:.indin!! he1venly things: Whereas the Spirin lbould be ~oady fo eo do and be ar all ti~es, and in every \Vorldly occafion ro be foWing or reap~ng fame fpiritual o-ood; yer 'tis not a feafon <rlway ro be upon che Mount. Son'lrime M<[es muil: 0 co:ne down to the camp. God rciquire; ever}' fir fe1fon for, hi9fpecial Worfnip, nor every P.uticJe.ofrime. 4· Many think rhq:owerofGraceisceafed.artd· taken away, when fomefre~ cial enlargements are : As a Chri!lian lh~ll fi'nd at fame rimes, having fpecial work m do, fpecial miferie; to go through, he hauh fpecial enlargem(Wts of rho Spirit, ofjoy, courage,. bo!dnep;wirhGod, bveand :teAl. There lalfingl'lOI', he thinks all is gone110W. BU[.Joo\ asir wa~with( Jonath.:~n, 1 Sam.t4-8. The~a he~~t!•ncand his Armor~r-beam went againft a? Hlijf1 yet r S.tn:;·~7·Il· Ag.JiB{l Goliahnoca word. Paulrohrs deuh was a farr.hfu~aad: able ,Mtml+er of rhe Gofpe!, rbough fomet imehis mouth ifopped, and his- hem flraicned: The Ship rmy be going. eo rhe l::larbcmr,. thoughlomtime greater~ fomcime lelfeu winds. . Secdndty, Bwr yer I confers there is muah. ch~ngeablenefs in the Sainv:s,:md un~ eve1<1nefs in their courfe, am! their Spirits are ape to grow W~Z<'l.ry and f.1inr, otherwife eheyhadno need ro be elfhonednor. to be1vea.ry, and when they :Ire lif{~d up, :heyfoonfinkdown,.Heb._a.r. A~!d_hence.queil:ion, Was there ever grace m d1ts heart ? Bur yet there ts much dtfferente becween theunconfiaucyof the one aadoftheother; iurhreerhings~ , r. An Hypocri e; a!leCl:iatl:i when they ceafe, r.hey are ra:fed in· him again by fame external Principles and Mottves ; bur vhe Faithful when they have !olt what the.y had, they recover it again by a ne\\t nature, an inward principle; whrch is an evide11ce ~:,here wauhe !:icing o£ Grace all ~his while. Empry a Pond, it will ~ever fill ag.un til~ rhe Clouds above it poure dow_tl rain. Empry atSpring, though re fees noClouds.m the-He:tvens, yet It runs of re felf, arrdwrllfi!Lit felf again. So when an l::lypocri~eis left dry arrd empty,if fo:nedouds of difpleafure, fc:ars-of dtmh and hell come, he is filled; bur a child of God when no fear of dea<h {lr hdl, yet; many rime> fomrhlngwithin begins ro work, a:s in David PfaL 39·3· while mujing, the fire kjndled, the fence offin, ro lieout fro:nGod, r.ol lquenchhi.sSpirir, the Beauty of Grace, ·rhe Command ofGod, the honour of the Lord Jefusrecovers him, Heh:8.ro. 1Jeut.·5·•9· .They fpake as lar.ge!y as any coulddeGre, ye: their hearts we;e naught, becaufe this came from no inward I p1inciple, bur only from. exremal feJr. whm the Priefts foeHrmcb• Jordan, the wattl's fl411d on he-t~ps; lbuc when the; are p11jfed rhroHgh, they overfl~w aU the 'B-anlq again, accordin;; to their ~awn~. So whe~~ tbe Word is preachr powerfulliy, ·and the Gofpel wtt'h auchontv, am!' the Pne[ts f<!et touch mensConfcienaes-, and t~y cOTe eo mal<cl\V.J>Y for 'che Arke, fort he Lord; men in fits fall down before the Lord agJinlt their n<ltures;& for aSabbarh day men are a:s full of o-ood·purpofes ~nd he.u:tns may be, yet petilh. ar !aft, John8.3o,p. Many. beli~ved whe.it'they heard hisWord; burrhen are 7ou "'7 D,fciples, if 7ou continue. All Hypocrites pang' co;ne from extem1l principles ; and hence take them awa,y, their affeCl:ions die. SD•rrrim.: uhe novelr·y of nlning. aft"e-tts a man ; the fight of lh0re is beautiful ; ,at la A: when Mann.1 proves dayly bread, 'tis.loathed. At firlt Miniiters fee~ are beautiful, rooy wouldpull out rheirright eyes for Paul; ycc afrer.vard ca!l: him off. A Pharaoh in Thunder and fear of de>rh, cries, tal:! away the PlagJ<e• A man in affii8:icn promii'erh much ; when 'ris p1U, his care ro find out his ~n, his feeking.to be purged fro:n his finceaferh. Joafh is go:Jd'while Jeh•j~~tda live;. A H h 3 . man 237 I
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