The Parable of the Ten P irgins, been rears, and,prayers, and thoughts, and prellings hard after the Lord, bur now no words, nor groans ; you women have children to fuck, and fami1 lies ro rend; you.fervants love your fleep rather than the bofom of Chrilt; and ctwu->h Confctence cry out again(! you for ir, yet you hope to be better one day, "'and fo you grow !hangers to Chrifl, and no publick Ordinances profit, becaufe private duties are negleCl:ed, and thy heart like the fluggards garden is undrefled ; is this robe as near the Lord as you can ?. no, if the Lord' oves you, look for the death of thy Husband, Wife or Childe lhorrly; look for \ t.errors, and th~n you Alall account it an honor, if you may but once more fpeak ro the Lord. , Secondly, Be with him, and as near ~im as you can in all publick Ordinances, and not only ro have rhem ( whtch fome care nor oreatly for, becaufe they fee no glory in them , unlefs glorified fouls lhould come our of heaven to be members, and Mofes and Eli.u to build tabernacles here, and robe Elders ) bur come through them, look beyond rhem to the Lord; look at them as empty and weak, unlefs the Lord fill, and be powerful in them; David d1d enjoy God fecrerly, yet there was more in publick; hence Pfa1,6j,2· The Saints area generation of Seekers, Pfal. ~3· <.My foul followeth h:'rd af- , teh thee; mercy and trnth follows ]OH many ttmes when you forfake It, Pfal. 23. ult. much more when you cleave ro it: Hez:,ekjah's frame of heart, !fa. 3'6.ult. is imitable; ~il,I. Chrift promifed to fend the Comforter; wait at Jerufa!em, as rhere they did in prayer, and ar laH the Lord came. You have forf.1ken all for Ordinances; and now you have them, you defpife them; I confefs rhey are meer outfides,yet the Lord is there;rhere is aglory which wife men can fee in ChriH in the manger. SECT. XIX. Founh!y,L.Ahor hy thy defim to he nenr him, '1.\iv. :1.2.10. So defire as to wnit for thy chnngeaH thJ life, lookforit,I Thef[. z.ult. r. Chrifl'sdefire is that thouwert with him, whenrhouartready, and when rhy work is done ; Oh let this make rhee to defire it, alfo. 2. If you cannot keep your hearts from vain hopes, and foolilh and noyfom• luf!s, without defiring him,do not then defire to be with him; for you may defire communion with luHs and Chrifl. ObjeCl:. BHt death is terrihle, and feparation from him /,itter? e4njw. Long for him therefore to come and then ra'ke thee, and fee thou d~fire nothing.but; him~ rebuke thy unwilli':lgnefs of not bein~ wirh him. If Chrifl was on earth, you would hazard your lives to get unro htm ; much more herein. Obj. But what will hecome ·of Gods name? .Anfw. Letthe Lord alone for that; whiles thou livefl endeavour eo the ~tmofl ; but its appointed for thee a little feafon only ro b,e here, and bewilltng the Lord lhould honor himfelf alfo by others as well as by thee. Object. What wi/[/,ecome ofmJ wifo and children? Anfw. Who regarded thee in thy blood? when thou livefl, they are thine; but then the Lords. I?efire to be with him, this will fupport your hearts in all your changes of this bf>!. SECT.
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