The Parable oJ_the Ten Pirginr> q.od hat1}if•rg'ol; , h:uh fb xt 14? hu mercies , rvi /I rcm:tnbn· m mDre (o b;:;r , 1 _ ; emu;· · ab~Wougb he hatb been. fo, yttr becaufe he bath been fo abufed hy them , rhiNherefore IWIV be will not b~ meroful aga1n ; anJ thus rh~ir heart$ : fink. · · i Oh Remember, the Gate of Gods Grace is not lhtt up before death ' then is the time for it ro be lhur. I confefs indeed there is a time in rhi; _ life, the Lord doth ~eafe co !hive, and doth forfake the [qui; and ·we m;~y , fay of {!~em, as Chn11,: Oh that tl:ou hadft k,zlown.! /;,y,t " ""' de! are hid ! fi'orh · ~h(ne_ <JW; --But yet th1s1s a fecret, whtch as a fecme clefpifer of' j grace lbould uemble ar; fo thofe chat are a\'vakened , and fet in their way ro 1 Chrilt, lhEJUid not trouble themfelves about it. ObjeSt. But ohlharl.did l:!zow -rnhether ~~ bepaft crno! · .Anfw. I lhall rather g:ve to thefe people fome goo~ counfel, for 'ti • not ~or you co know thefe umes and feafons; though rhts· 'r wou ~ d fay, if the 1mpardonable fin be not commttted. I. Thistimeof rhedooresbeingl11ut, isnotin timeof healthand peace but in time o£ excream trouble, wherein t-rouble doth affeCl: them mor~ than the fin ; as Tr.ov . ~- and as many when a fick b~d is come, and in.Noab... Flood, 1 q>tt1y:2.o. _ _ 2. Or if it 0\:ind:m~?f haalth, this is e~erche c9mpanion of it, (viz,.)_ , hatred, ' and oppc;>fing Samts fecretly or opet;mg, h«caufe ChriH ha"ingJquire forf~kenhirn, hisheart<fwellsagam~ltheSamts; hen.c<t Sat</ envied Davit(, Efa_u hated ' f}dcob MilFmurers agamfl: God; were llii rh~ Wild<J>oofs, anp agamll: t.)l1oJes; But I come to counfel ; for God lets loofe Satan full ot malice, upon a poor creature, fometimes to vex and trouble. FirH, 9onfrdtr de ,roor of ~hu dtft~per-, (vi... ) c:ither great · prid~, or defpifin& of th~ riche~ of CQ<!s grace, · ' . . , · ~ 1. Ptide., for ( this we iliall tinde) fuch fpwts, becauf!l rhey heve.noE peacze {ealed, t:frength aga'~nfi tin gra!'lted ·ulilto' th~m, and that whidnh~l' "!PuH h;ave, ( if, dif-cottragec!l1 and not . ~uicken~d by 1his) they regard not: life , meanes, offers of gr~e· ; V;1 hat Is all dfis, ·1f God bath foifakell' me·? Whatisin Yes, rhat 'tis i s might at large be lhowed. i llr 1 2. Defpi!ing of grace ; if had not commirced fuch fins , I could then. think for mercy; but fuchevils, fuch miferies, cannot be remedied. Truly, as,.it is a defpi(ing of a-i>hyfician , to think, If I was not fo lick, hewou!d be tender; and helpful; but riot now,being fo exceedingly difeafed ; So it is here &c. - · · · · ' I Seco~dly, Conjid6r, Suppofe the time b~ pafl:, yet remember rhou art wo,rthyt'()beforfakenof Godevenfromthybirth, not worthy of thy daify bread, mudi lefs to tafl:e of Gods Supper ; the Lord was loth to fi1Ut the J door ; F:!e11ce he we;t bn 'Jerufa!em; and Pfaltne SI. I 2. cryecl out , ~ 1thllt m.J·Pt!Op!e had .wa!k.,ed in mJ wayes ! thy finnes provoked the Lord ~11·- 1 t() it, if he hath in ju!1ice caH thee off; therefore· though it be pall , be i10t I difcouraged, butlie downhumbled, as J~tdges 10. 14,1). and as David,, Tfal. 4a. 3· My teares are my meat, wl:sles they fay fo, Whero u pur qod? So tell the Lord, Satan faith, and feeling faith, and feares fay,vVhere is my God? Lord pity! i\nd ifrhy heart be !ick, tell the Lord of it, T~erfe. 6. ~ am perfwaded many lhould quickly fee le an Anfwer to eh's Q!'d1ton1~ by taking tlais courfe ; but they mifs at kafl: af the comfort of Gr.tce and ~~? , betaufe they will be Difpofers of the Lords Grace anq I Thirdly, C•nfider, it may be that time is not pall:, it is a fecrer only known to God ; the door of grace may only feem to be. lbut; why doth Chri!l bid knock elfe ? When tfie Ninwite s h~iud that they lbould dye wirhin fl:'.urry · . d,tyes,
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