The Parable of the Ten Pirgini, I. The delay of Chrifts coming. whence note Firll,What happened in the interim of his delay, and that is Carnal SecuritJ, expreifed and fer out from the lowefi and hiohe!t degree of it. r.They Slumbertd; i.e. fell a nodding or winking, as rhe"word moll properly ftgnifies.. z. They Slept; i.e. now they were bur~ed in their fieep, overcome by u. Secondly, Upon whotn thefe fleeps and numbers fell; and that is, Th~y All flumberei:l and Jlept ; i.e. though for a time they were both awake,' yet ~ood and bad, wrfe and-foolilh fell into this fencelefs and f!upid, dull and aead, fiuggilh and Reepy condition. Obferv. I. That inthelaft day Carn.11l Sect.,-itjeithtr uor willhtheuniverfal Jinof Virgin Churches. Obferv.II. That Carnal Security falls by degrees upon the hearts •f mm. Obferv.III. That the fpiritof Jloarhandfecurity isrheJaH fin thatbefa/J the people of God. Oblerv. IV. That (brifts tlirrying from the Churches, is the genmtlocc l<jion •f all fecHrity in the Churches; or thr not coming of the Bridegroom when the Saints expe8 him, 11 the general&aufo ofthat fecur.ty which doth befall them. SECT. II. Obferv.I.THat in the la[f d11ys Carn11l Secutrity either is or will be the univtrfal fin of. Virgin Churches : When the. Ch_ur_ches are purged from the grofs pollunons of the world , and Armchnihan fornications and bondage, then either there is or will b~ general Security: For thefe Virgins, whe? they firll made profeffionof their Virginity by their burnina lamps, were for a ume all awakened, but at !all they all fiumbered and f!ept : This is the remper of thebody of the Churches. Maub.z4·38. Asitwasinthedaysof Noah, f• {haltitbei;,thedap of the coming of the Son of man. Luk.r8.8. when she Son of man cometh,jhall he find faith in theearth ! i,e;an awakening faith. Hence the lord forewarns his people of this, '1Jeut.6.u. When thoHcomeft to [11ch a land, hewilrelejf thou forget the Lord thy God. Q.t~efi. But wh11t u this their general Security ? . .Anfw. Lookas iris inour ordmaryfieep, foit isinthis general Security: There ate thefe ftx things init. I. A man forgets his bulinefs, his work he was abour, or isto be exercifed about; foin a carnalfecuriry, men forger the Lord, his works, and his will; that which we moll think of while we be awake, we leafl think of indeed when we be afieep : Take aman awakened indeed, 0 then the worll remember the Lord and his Covenant, T fal. 78.47· Bur when afieep, the Lord and his errand is leafi thought of; and hence fecmiry is exprefi by forgetting God, Tfal.so.ll. And hence Jerufalems fecuriry was in this, thry remembred not their latter end. - . :l. Aman in fleepfears no evill until it be upon him, awakening of him; fo this is another ingredient into carnal fecurity, though fin lies upon them, they feat not till evil comes ; as Jofophs brethren, though warning is given them, they feal\not: Like them in the days of Noah and Lot. And hence Joh 21.9. their hoJJfes are free from fear; the mifery for rhe fame fin is lighted upon another; ,yet the fecure foul fears not, as in Belfha-.:,ar, Da,.. 5·""· . 3.· In' !kep all the fences are bound up , the outward fences efpectally, che eye
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