1 The Parable oftbe Ten Jlirgins:J , I • • r. h I loath th~ fmell of n, _or a lmle ·~rves t em , wherea~ another finds ic other- ! wife; nor but that Satms may thtnk thus, butthey wuh Hez..el:jah mourn un- 1 der ic, 2 Chro"·32· Hof 6.5. I h..ve hewen and jlain, what is the caufe? 6e_i ca11[e your goodnefs is fi/zt; a morning dew,which fo•n Vllnijhtth,therefore haw 1\ ' fl 11in t hem.Oh Cod loves us, and we are the bef! people in the world, becaufe we have Ordinances; no, but becaufe you be fhallow, hence yoa .fhall have I Proph~ts eo fby yo~. Secondly, If any man maintains any living lull in himfelf in th:! midfiof his profeffion, and hungers after it, and the life of ic; for when a man barb berr~r food to feed upon, he will neg!eel: his own at home, as ChriH (aid to them when they asked him, why he did nor eat; how many be rhere which have firange gifcs,and have had marvellous ebbings and flowings ofrhe Spirit of Life and Peace, and yet one fin have they lived in, and would nor, could nor live wi rhout it.. Look .as it was in the wild_ernefs, they were fc.r a rime pretty well content wtrh chetr allowance and wllderne_fs·walk5 and provifions, bur they could nor flay long, They arJ:.!d me~~~ for ~hm tufts,~~~~ he fent le11nne{? into thm {oH/s,P(al. to/S.I4, t 5.So chat there 1t ts, tf lull be fitrnng, rhe Lord eirher deJ?ies ir ~is o:vn people, becaufe ?e will fl_arve the luH, chat the-foul may grow, or if h<! gtves tr, flays rhe lull by u, glues tr, makes rhe foul growweary of ir and prize his firH Husband more; as So!omm b~ hisexp~rimental difcovery of the creature : Many men confers and pray agatnft chetr fins, but by their forrows and de fires, rbey do maintain the life of their fin, fall ro it as rhe doo ro the vomit; you will be ca(t away at laH, I Cor.9. n/t, I heat not the air, left I6e- ~ome" ca.ft-~war; whereas :t gracious heart dorh not maintain, bar waHe and confume his luH. His life is to live ro God. 'fhirdly, If a mans heart and affeCtions reach nor rhe people of God wirh rhe deare(t embracings, nor yet mourn for rhe wam of fuch a heart ; for famerimes there are fome drops of rhe Lords goodnefs falling into rhe heart, whereby the foul cleaves unto rhe Lord, and is moved and ravifhed, and bears much love, as it chinks, towards him ; but look to their love to rhe people of God, rbere they fall fhorr; becaufe the lov• of Chrift is not fheJ 116r.ad a6Hn4antl; into their helflrts, filling and [atufp"ng of them; and hence ~ave none to poure out upon the fouls of rhetr netghbors, I [ohn 4• 20, :u. In our own Country, what was rhe accufation of Saints ? vi"". They are Hypocrites before God; What did you chinkof rbofe menthat faid fo r A"fw.iSurelyrhey \Vere enemies eo rhe Lord, and chat never loved him ; for cben cbey would love his people. But what is the occafionhere l Now rhey fay' they come far for Ordinances; but rhey are unju!l: opprelfors, cruel; poor men may llarve bef0re regarded by rhem ; and fo rhey caH reproach nor only upon fome few, but all the people of God, and Church of God; Ifchar it be fo, rheir accufacionis Cods accufation; if not (as generally it is) for many, though unable to do much, yec if ca,lled ro ir, would lay down their erlares and lives fororhe~s; rhen know thon nevet hadfi ChriH's love fhed in thy h~art (which wilt continue) bur drops of it only; becaufe chy love cannot reach rb.thefe. Beloved, what is rhe end of your CO riling over hither? is it nor to enjoy firfi Chtjlt, and ne.xcly his People, fo his Ordinances? becaufe next to fellowlhip of Chrifl, the Saints company is moll precious; and do yon here bire, and cenfure, and devoure, and negleCt, and reproach one another, and upon any conceived injury llumble? are poor men negleCted ~ It is a fad fign the love of Chrillinnorin power, He6.15.9,IO. fou.tthly, If there have been abundance ofCweer affeCtions and fwe.et refrelhings,rhereby riGng up within rhe foul,wirhout rhe O(llth,and killing,and removal oft he contrary lulls and fins; i(is cerrain rhis foul was never truly oiled nor fariffiedwirh the Spirit of Gods grace; for as it is wic(lvetJ;:Js,'wbile. they be' fiJI~d ' With
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