The Parable of the Ten Virgins, cat is afflictions (h~t, wh_en .he faw the ett rnal g.lory which fl:eH/d herevealed : Oh rhat you e<JUid thmk this mne rolx: as the delivery of achtlde by many pangs into the world, fo you by many forrows are palling a lhorc pallage to eternity. . . . . 3· By maku1g earthly thmgs norhmg, ornot as gr<!.lt rh1ngs : Amans £fiend is nigh to him , but there be trees and hills between rhe:n, and if rbefe were down, or he could get above them, hewouldea!ily feeandfay, Oh Hee him coming, he is evenatthedoor,James 5.8. SoChrifi isnighuntows, and we to him ; but rhe things of the world, mounrains, and hills, and carrel, and ground, this and that Hands between us and our light, that we cannot fee the Lord; rhefe rhinos are fo great, that the Lord is little, that though near we cannot f.:e him ;"now when God curs down rhefe things at licknefs, or \~hen we can gee above the world, now we c~n fee them whiles we look ar rhemas they are, z Cor.4. Trov .t8.II. The r1ch mans 11Ptalth iut tower in his conceit (all things are rwayed by c_onceit) pull down that, nowyou makeall naked before you to fee the Lord mgh. Thirdly, Do rhus daily ; elfe you will grow fecure by little and little: Oh chat I could prevail wirh you eo fer before you once aday this time ! howwould it keep your hearts from dreaming and doating upon rhefe things : When any forrow, that day will refrelh; z. When any duty done, char day will recompence; 3· When in wane, yet full ar that day; 4· When in mW:rynow, blelfed then. When a man is ready with light and lamp at all watchesof rhe niohr , oh blef\'ed rhen ! you can hardly keep from fecuriry and carelefnefs by rhis, bow will yo~ rhen do without ir? you will die in fecuriry. SECT. V. LEt this be a warning to all thofe who h&ve palfed the fir!l a&e of their Chrifiian life, after you h&ve waited long and tarried for the Bndegroom, take heed offecuriry, and chink this may o~ca!ionit, viz:.. The Bridegrooms delay: In the firft heat of your youthful aifecbons, there's not char danger then as now, left r.ou grow decrepit,p~ve a~ dull ; and ther~fore think, Whatever elfe I do,I will be fure to keep thts.door,tt lhall not come 10 here; and yer,do we not fee men fall here !. one would think it lhould not be fo in rhefe times, when God calls fo many of his fervanrs to Heaven to him~ and is hackingat fo many pofis and pillars of this Tabernacle; efpecially conlidering withal that it is no time to feek ~reat things to your felves : Thou fhalt hAve thy life for a prer (as he faid to BarHCb) Who is it that thinks it Io•g to death, rhat is within a days walk of his grave ! Oh if you have your life, you are well ; you may be glad of a pla'e te die in. . VERSE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=