r--~4j-- · --Tbe Para-ble of the Ten Virginr, denc<: towards thee ; common ?leffings fometimes de(cending , fomerimes taken our of thy hand and afcendmg, and the Angels of God wirh chee minifhing-ro thee ; but the Lord at the top of them; the Lord his ca re his iove in ·all ;: aHd ler ·nor ~his·bea dream, but a reality toyow•. It is a wond~rfulfin t~ be thus unmmdful of Chnfi. · ; . · I , . Be~aufe he~ce allwborirg from Chrifi ariferh,Hof 2.8. Judg. 2 • 12. efpe- ,cially •In umes of peace. . · · :a. !-fence the Lord.is forced to hed~e your way with th ~rns, and ro bring yoU;r<l.extremity of tr?ubles that you may fee the Lord, ![,,41: 17,18. nay fomeume eo bnng rume, Jfa.s.u,q. And ·rruly as it is a great ·fin, fo it is a very great ihame, Ifa.r. 2. Th~ ox k!Io1N ·his own.er; is the Lord the owner o~ yo11, and do you ~or know him? w~en he comes by you, and to you, provides for you? lt u a worfo thing, fatth ChJfoflom, to be compar:d to a beaJfthantobe fo. To let many days and lheams of goodnefs pafs by you, and yet nor to take any notice, and fiill eo be fo far from rhe Lord: I know i~ heaven this is perfeCled, and then comes acknowledgemen~ of the So~ of GOd ; _bur here: you may be near him; I think unlefs rhe Lord did defcend In cloudy pillars, a101d of fire, fome men would never .fee him. ' · · __, ________.!... ________ __!_:__ SE C T. XVII. Secondly ,BE near him iv hu p"romifes ; for Chrifi" is near to us here alfo,Rom. 10.8. the word •f faith is nigh thee; fo thnt you need not afcend ·to br/ng Chrift down from heaven, &c. When Parents are dead and gone, children will then fearch out their lalt Will a11d TeHamenr, andpreferve that, and keep that near them. · Chrilt draws near ro his people, 1. In his Promifes,according to his thoughts of them. · 2. In his performances, joyning the foul immediately to himfelf,and filling it with hi111fe!f; this we; cannot enjoy yer, rhe Lord laies it up in his promife, which they have in liew of the performance: Oh dra1v near not rowordsand , fyllables, but co·the Lord there, apprehend him rhere; as it is with the Attriliutes of God, .his Glory cannot be comprehended by us; hence he lnanife!ls hi~elf there according to our capacity , G_od manitefling himfel[ fever~lly; ' fo m promifes we cannot comprehend €hnll as yet ; hence Chnti manife{ls : .himfelf in his glory, in fe, era! promifes; Oh embrace himthere ; Heb.n.9, ' 'fisnot faid that ' ./ibraham 11nd 'facob were heirs of CMann, but heirs of the pr•m1[e, and Sarah firs1 received her fon in the promife ; fo do you em- ·!· race Chrift · ii1 the womb and boweh of the promifes ; we live by faith in this life ; and hence all our enjoymenr of ChriH is fir!!: iD the .promife. · Firfi, Labour to draw near unto , and enjoy the Lo,d Jefus by the PromiCe. S~condly, Labourro enjoy him in the Promife. Firlt, By the promife or by means of it ; all chat which the Lord conveys .to his,is .not by meerprovidence but by promife, 'I'fa!. 25.10. Hewasfreebefor.etheircallino, burnowhehathboundhimfelf by an erernaJ ·covenanr, to be: all, and do at'l for them,Gen.q.I. So that rhe Saints may andlhouldbring a"!l their empty pitchers to ~be wells of the promife, lfa.u. ,, and drtiw otlt of tho 'e lma.fts, , and get Chrifi Jefus Spiritin your be;; res by then:_; now fome chink the Promife is nor theirs, hence they go nor rhi rher for fpmcual refrdhments,
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