24 The Parable of the Ten Virgins, ·--~---------------~----------~-------- 2. Coniider the fweetnefs of rhis life. I. In this life, I Cor.I \'· ult. be ever abounding ; why ? oh you know Jour lalor Jbll not be m vain. And what will it be when you come to dye? Ifa.j8.r,z,j. Remember I have walk!;d with thee: And 2 . Afrer denh, 'R,_ev.I4·l3· ir may be you account them nothing, bur rbey Jh all follow thee; do you not find bitternefs in the end of another life? you vvill find Y<!ur pillow hard enough before you dye; ob therefore get fomerhmg tO make lt eafie. 3. Take heed of forgetfulnefs of the Lord, for this is the reafon why many a man is not ever up in walking with rbe Lord, becauie he forgers the Locd ; It is not becaufe he will nor, or becaufe he cannot, bur be remembers nor rhe Lords love, the glory of his ways, what an ev il thing and bmer it u to depart jrom the Lord,Pfa i.22.1I. Thg {ha/lremember and turn, Jer.z.r,6. The Lord comp l ai:~ s of Apoltacy, theJ ]aid where u the Lord? I " member thee,&c. So I fay ro you, rh ~ L-)[d of glory remembers you, thou art written on the palms of his hand, .:nd like ihew•.bread before the Ark, fo thou do{t ever fiand before the Lord ; h~nce every moment he is pardoning, purging , preferving and deviJing how to do thee good ; nay he remembers rhy love, prayers ,feek· ings after him, nay, rby houf.: and walls of it where ~hou dwellelt: Oh therefore fori'et not rhe Lord, that fo you may be ever feekmg after, and cleaving to rbe Lord. SECT. VIII. HEnce fee the reafon why men after long profdfion fall into many ilorhful opinions, becaufe their hearts are furprifed with rhis enemy of tlorh firfi ; and it is Gods jull judgement upon mep, rhat feing they love their f1eep and lazinefs, rhey !hall be lazy by rule, and fo be fbr ev~r hardned in ir. Q!!ell. What are thofe flothful opinions? Anfw. Firfi, Wh-lt is this but one, To make the Law no rule ro a Chriltians life? as though a Chriflian ihould be like a man at Sea, and carried by the wind, but he mull: have no Compafs to fail byalfo: In there la!! times Chrifl's Kingly Office is chie~y oppofed; men are gi.Jd of Chrilts righteoufnefs and death eo fave rhem, but when he c6mes to plant his Laws (as all Con- <jUerors do amongfi men) they do then !hake them otf, and under a colour of love to their Princ::, make his Laws no bonds ro bind~ them; fo thefe think this is the lib~rcy of a Chrifiian, rhe liberty of a Prince eo b:: lawlefs, 2-Trt. Z.I9• Secondly, That there is no aetiviry of Grace received, no power to fiir till j flir ;·ed; and therefore leave all upon Chrifi, they can do nothing; if he gives nothing, they cannot help it; if hedoth,thenallis well,&c. It is true, till the Lord doch help what can we do? But there is an immurabi:: affitlmce of Spirit, whereby the Lord doth enable his ro aa more or lefs like himfelf, when fiirred up : And if you finde none, becaufe you fall ih.ort of Chrill, do noc chink char the Lord will be a cover to lucb a c~p; nor a pillow for "' flothful heart; there is a licknefs in the bell: , and mufi be ~ollowed, elfe we dye. . , · Thirdly, That Minil1ers mufi not exhort: Why? what can men do? ~f fervanrs cannot abide to be fpoken unto when there is need, from what can lt come but idlenefs? What can words make better ? yes, the Lords words have a powerco help or ruine, when you !hall fay, oh the exhortations, oh rheinreracies I have had, &c. one main means of reconciliation is now aboJiihed, 2 Cor. 5· 20. fourthly.
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