13o l The Parable of the Ten Pirgins, 1 Ob;e8:. Oh6ut though! have loft my eHate, ;et that do:h nut fo much trouble .\ me, as to have loft ji-iends and their love! .vfn{w. And what if thou badfllo!l: rby life, and cby body were rem from cby fou\.• if that goes to the Lord!. Heb. Ir. They were fawn afitnder. It m~y_be thy bearc barb gone. from Cbnfl; Ob tberefor~ return ! for it may b~ \ tbts ts Gods end; and metbmks tbts lhould make you content with any crofs thou arc not near enough to the Lord ; Ob therefore you poor Saints be no~ in heavi11efs by m~ny temptations; the Lord dotb it to try your fai th;'can you be content 1\llb htm alone? It was Juflm011artps fpeecb, Nuthing elje to care for. · Secondly, In caf.: the Lord makes outward peace and bleffinos to abound ur on you, fet not now your hearts upon rhefe things; fomerimes 1-;hen miferies abound, and there is wracks of all, now the foul js glad to fland upon the rock to faveitslife, 7'fal.78· .55· When he [mote thrm, thq then rtmembre:i God was their rock._; but when the Lord ~gins eo fill rhe foul with outward bleffings, it is then exceeding hard not to lodge them in the Lords own room and habitation for hi!I)felf, and the L ord u forgotten and fo rf aken al[o, Jer. z. r,z,4,S· But when tbefe things ar.:: removed, or with you continued, yer let your hearts flill be kept for the Lord; for if cbefe things were necelfary, you lhould · have them in heaven ; but there is no need of them th~re, but only of the Lord. P[al,I7.ult. It was '])avids prayer rhar hemighthe delivered from the men wh'o had their portion in thu world ; but I jha/1 6eho!d thJ face, and therewith be fatisfied when I awak!; i.e. Som.e outward noubles now made him heavy, that he !lepc the !leepof death, fattb Calvin, but than he lhould be fatisfied; it was Davids argument ro prove his faith, Pfal.x6. The Lord u the portion of my lot and cup; not his crown nor kingdom ; ,<I Cor.7.30. ?aut mixes this \Vith his counfels, ufe the world as 1f JO" ufed it not, pof{ef? as if pu pof{ejfed not, for the fafhion of it paf{eth Away. The love of Chrift fwee,ens thefe things; nay, the: fwec:t of diem is Chrifls; he lets into them his love and his (wcetnefs, &'. Oh the peace that comes by this means, when as no outward evil detraCts , and no outward good thing adds ro your ble[ednefs ! It is fo in it felf ; Oh that' it were fo indeed unto you , P[a!. 23. ' . · Thirdly, In cafe the foul comforrs it felf in hopes and defires after good rhinos to come in this world; for fometimes that which fills the heart', is not rhin~s prc:fent ; a man findes a bottom here, but be looks for tbin!',S eo corn~, and fo lancbeth out his' heart in the deep, lets the rains of his heart oo flrongly afterthings eo come, and fo rbe Lord alone doth not quiet him; ~any mens blelfednefs here is imaginary, and chiefly becaufe of that which is eo come. Oh confider when it will be found to be bldfednefs eo enjoy the Lord alone, without bope or defire of any good elfe to come ; thy foul lhall fay, Lei me ever fee and loverhis God, and nonee/fe. It was the fweetaffeetion of P,;u/, I defire much to 6e with Chrift; he did notdefire rh~fe rhings, no not body nor life ; norbing elfe but to be with him; and rhat r.ot faintly but earne!l:ly, 2 Cor-5- I. becaufe he was now aMent ft'om the Lord; Oh r_he finful luHs of men ! men think chemfelves miferable if they be not fausfied; and they are not fatisfied becaufe CbriH: is not enough alone. Oh but know ~t, he will be fo lhortly, foul-fatisfying blelfednefs to his people : _And thiS I add, the way to have all defires fatisfied , is, eo jor in Chn(t alon~, · 7' fa!. 37· )· Fourrb16, In cafe of all fpiritual wants ; for this troubles the heart above any orher t ing; thou fayfl thou hail: fuch wants and fu~h iil\s ; Oh !~~b~~
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