ten Virgins Openedand Applied. , 17 apparel, thy wife, thild, (7c. _and if thou die in rhisefbre, never. ihalr.rhou ' have communion wichJefus Chnft, The mouth of the Lord hathJPo~n 1t. · ·. 2 • DoiHind rae Lvrd a Hranger to thee in all his Ordinances, wherein ir may Sign z . be the brd fweerly and wondeff-i.llJy and mi&hrily, yer no~ alway, bu~{eafon~bly reveals himfelftoothers. Oh bur thy heart dnes and par 1 ches away, and that \Yithout much trouble under the~ all. If fo, fufpecc it, be eeve it char there is fome leJoue wirb alult. For there is a double life of a Chriilian;· I. An outward life, which others fee: Men fee he co:nes to Church, prayes in tpe Family, &c. z. There is a fecret inward life; ;ICcording to that of Mat.6.6. Thy Father which fees in fecret, which none kn?wes but himfelf, _and t~e Lord; and this is an ineffable communio111V1th God, v1fion of God, delight m G9d , &c. Pfal.f 5. The Kings daughter u all gloriou: withfn. There is a~ o~n ljfe ofprayer, a1:d hearino- and fat!ino-, and there 1s an mward, fecrer hfe 111 all rhefe, wherem theL~d acquJinrs bimfclfwith his people, Pjal.63.r,z,3. To fee thee tU I bave feen thee. Now there be divers have rhis open _life, yet wanting the fecwt life. As we love nor to live among Tombes,mr to have communion with dead men; fo rheLord is a firanger to them. He may fecrerly fweeren an Ordinance ro·them, and move them, and fhake and trouble rhem, bur himfelf is a llranger, fpirirual miferie; notre:noved, fpirirualmerciesnor co~eyed, Ifa·58•I,f-.3>4· whJ .have· wefafted, and thou regardeft 110t? Y_ote took._ pltafure faith .:heLord, _a;,d greak._the bonds of,vic~dnejfe, &c. I know Samrs may. be thu~ den_.te9;_and . tr may be for Come fpace of rime, yer they quarrel not With God for denymg them, but are 1;11ore raken off from pleafures thereby. Th•u hidft thyfaoe, and I wtU tr111bled, though rhe Mount flood llill. Bur fome there be whom neirher good day mends them, nm bad·day pairs rhem: Surely there is fome !=Ontent thy hean is b.ewi~ched with .1 l. That look as 'ri; wirh a !ititor to anorber, lee him while he come> roher, pr_ofeffeneverron:uchlove, anddefire · ~ove, yet_ifwhenheg~s from her, commtts lewdne!fe With every one, fhe w1!1 lock htm our. So 'us here ; never did I know any lockt our from rhe power and fweemeffe o~ 0rdinances, but becaufe they wenr a whoring from G<Xl our ofrheJJ. The Lord knowes ( though orhers do not ) whether 'tis fo with you. Look therefore ·upon ' thy felf, you en;oy great means every where in this place. Is it enough to have Ordinances ? the Ark? No, Do you find the Lord in them? Ble!fed be 1 God. Buttellmerruly, Do you find no want of God? Yes. Do yqufind him? lfindmoreknowledge, llrengrh,&c. Butdo you findno Godufl!ally? No. Then either fo(Tie creature conrenrs rhee, or ifrhe Lord fhould refre{h chee, thou would'lt be content without him. Man and wif<: will (if they love ) meet at Meals, John If. Butwhen no meerin~, dead prayers, dry Sermons, fapk;ff~ Sacraments, worfe _then before.. If thou beefl: the Lord's, he will by affhccwns purge, &c. Bur tf thou conunuelt fo, look for no communion in.Heaven. 3. Dolt rhou find no reft in any thing tbat rhou halt ?-... For this is clear n~ sign 3; thing can give reil to amans foul but God: He isbig enough only to fill it,ana'then a man hath ir, Ifa.z6.j. Now if no relt, 'tis a lign thy heart flicks to the creature, yer thou faill I would fain have the Lord: It may be fo ; but thou wouldll have cre.mtres roo. And hence God will nor, and creatures caru1or aive the fulneffeofrelt. Thus it was with Solomon, Ecclef.z.-,. So 'cis with ~hee, thou findelt rhy foul del ighting ir felf in all things ; yet vanity a~d vexation, and 1Vi~ha1 gi~ing ~hy felf to wifdo~n too•. 'Tis rr~e, a Saim feels an e•nptineffe in there rhmgs , yet he feels a fulnelfe mfomthmg elfe. ( He hath bettel meat which you knownot of) which Solomon did not for a rime, yet afterward he did. But thou findell avanity and trouble, and art never ~t peac~ 1vhen a~l is done ; IV.eJry ofworld, Bur harh rhe Lord fwallowed rheeup Into htmfelf ,· 111 the cloud of his Glory, fo that in his favour and prefencethoufinde!t life? ]'fo, Then there is D · fome
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