44 Vft z. The P~rable of the Ten Pirgins, fince ye came into rhefe ':irgin-Chl'rches; which you cannot but do, if you confider the greamefs of this fin ; to fin and be long fecure, and fall ;tfleep, is flrange. . r. This is the great provoking fin; look throughout all rheBookof God, let the !in be grear, and immediately after confcience fmirren, bones broken, and hear~ awake1_1ed, we lhall neve~ fee _rhe Lord but he is ~acified, rhe Lord hears their groamngs, and remembers hts Covenant ; but lmle fins fallen into, and by fecuriry continued in, rhe Lord vifirs for rhis, Pft~~l.so. When a man lhall nor only fin, but rake delight in ir, as aman dorh in his fleep. z. This is a fin in places of lib;:rry and Ordinances, whereas the Lord was never fo good ro-thee, and rhy heart never worfe eo him, never fo [(:cure, you thought and purpofed never to b;: fo watchful and render as now; to be fec~re here, greatly aggravates !itch fecuriry. , ~· This fin ts a common fin; now this adds ro a fin, ?<hen aman has ahand in a national fin, chat runs in the blood of all theChurches ; for fo you fee it is all che Virgins fecure; when all forger the Lord, as though there were not e~ nough to lay more loab upon the Lord ; what dorh rhis but harden others in fecurity ; thy wives heart, thy brerhrens heart, fuch a one is fecure ; as thotlgh it were not enough t0 fight againfl:the Lord, but Giant-liketo fall among che troops of them that fecurely dilhonor the Lord : When che old world was fecure we heard nothing of that ; but when the Sons of God came eo be fecure , and all flelh corrupted their ways, the Lord falls a mourning, and repents that he had made man: When any fin groweth general in Churches, that fin is moll grievous to God; Princes children when they fin alone it is grievous, but when they take part with all the mucinous crue againfl: their Father, this lhikes deep; oh that ever mine eyes lheuld fee this evil. 4· It is afin which is the lafl, and is the ruine:of all the foolilh Virgins, and perfeCts their perdition, as here it did ; they fiept till it was too late; oh thaaheLord lhould not cafl:you offfor this! admire at this; and let thy heart, and houfe, and work be filled with praifefor this : You have complained long ofa fecure heart ; fee it humble rhee rhat ir CQnrinueth, but make thee wonder that theLord will not call thee off. SECT. IV. TO all rhofe that have been long fecure; let this compaffion of the lord awaken you, and drawyou to him, and make you <:ome our and meet him; and give entertainment to the Lord, who bath nor yet call you off from him, bur yet crys, ob come and meet me: Methinks this lhould awaken YOll ; what, hath not the Lord call me off yet? no ! but his cry this day is, Oh come out and meet me ! The Lord might have cur thee off in thy fecuriry; this is his feafon to others, when men cry peace, peace ; and he might have let thee flept and never awake more rill pall: hope ; yet here is his grace, oh come and meet him ! and will you defpife it and refufe the Lord ? ObjeCt. I./ havenooyl in ;nfvej{el,no ornce in mvheart; what jho11ld I mm him for, or [o9k._fw him! I Am f• vt!e and fo fecrtre, he cAN11Dt look. upon 111e. . Anfw .J.You have the more need of receiving him as your Bridegroom, tha.t fo you may receive the eternal anointing of his Spirit of Grace and Life in your hearts. 2. Now you have time ro get both. ObjeCI:.z. BNt it is long before the Bridtgroom comes; there's time enough for this hereafter, .Anfw.I
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=