I 164 j , The Parable of the Ten Pirgin.r) I Re,,f r. lkcaufetheir .Cryesarebuconly. fi?,Pting~ , H.ofc.'?· 14. only t'ilin~from I t the![ owt1 rormem , becaufe rhe Spmt of God ts qutce gone ; and tf che , Lord iliould heare,rhey I\ ould b~h asbad againe as ever before ; if mercy · fhoulcl fave th!ilfe Thiev;::s from t is Gallows , th~y \Vould cut rhe Throat , and5tab,tbe he'IJ,t of. me!<-y af:erward; as all fuch pe.rfonsdo, who are carried from t.ha.t pripctple m thetr prayen; and therefore let them never look to be heard now. Vfc I. Hence fee the eXfteding gretttnejfe of the l'Vrath of Chrifl , to rhem that die wi(hout hj,!,, Pfal.m 1 S. 4 r. Many timesrhe Lord hides his face fro:n his people for a time; b11t then they pray, and feek .his face aga;n, and the Lord heares them, and lhines upon them again; when his Spirit in them ,. fpeaks ro him, 'his Son in his Covenant fpeaks unro them; and the Lord hears the cry pf their weeping, as well as thei r praying, Pfalme 6. 8. But if when they pr-ay earnellly, and the Lord hears not then , but is anory with their p:ayers '·oh th~sis biuer to .them, Pfal. 8o. 4> 5· L am. ~· ,44. 'tis that whtch ChnH typically complames of, Pfal. zz. I, 2, 4> 5· There is no wrath like this; for a God fo pitiful, as many times ro help withbut cryes, more than a Motherwich tender bowels, and not to reoared cryes, as if he had caH off his IJarure ; this makes wrath and fin bitter 0to rhe peop.le Qf God; :and indeed this is the reafon why rbe Lord gives his people Illercy; but ·~is by m~;tJlS of prayer uf~ally, that they might fee in what favour they are in his light above others, that when he feems to be averfe from hearing, yet prayer will turn the wheele, and J acob prevailes over Gqd; and hence T/alme z. · c~rift fhall have. all Nations f •r hi. po(Sef!ions; bur ·yet Aikof me J ~ Eerpd fatd, when he fatd, t.As'<_ of me , ro half of the Kingdome, &c. And hence exceeding wrath ·is !hewn , in denying for acime, to hear prayer tnariy times : Now look upon the condition of poore fmners pying without Chrill; they lhall then cry, and cry earnefily, and y~t npt prevail; if the wrath of 6od did break out at this time, and lie heavy, ai:K\tbeLordfay, Now cry, andl'ledeliver; it wasnofuchforrow , though bitcer enough to lie under wrath one moment ; but to cry , ahd cry vehemently, Lord , Lord, and never to be heard , oh who can beare this ! their tormems are intolerable; hath the Lord no pity ? their cries are many, and beans are faint ; hatb Chrill: no bowels ? bath this L0111lb no more meeknefs, genrlenefs? yes, that there is; but fuch is his (<:;rrour now, they are iliut up from you; and fo !hall ever be, though you fi1all cry, and weep as many tc:;ares, and more too than the Sea hath drops ; and when you cannot come before his face, the Gate being iliut, you !hall c, ry , Thatthe Rocks and Mountaines may fall upon you to h:de you from t.bis wrath of the Lamb ; and you tl1all then qy, Behold, and fee, if ever forrow were like mine! but all iliall be in vain. 1· Oh therefore fee the grearnefs of this wrath, fo as to fee :he birrern.e~sl of any one fin , which ll:ands yet between thee and Chnll: .; whtch though it be fweet under thy tongue now , yet when the ?ay of[ rhy anguilh lhal! come, it fi1al1 lhut up Chrifls heart from heanng all I cryes. Of Exhorcation , To perjiPt~~de nil men to t"/:! their feafoa of praymg n•w; Ifa. 55· I. with 6. when the Lord cryed, Come to the >raters, 0~c. andbecaufe they mig~t plead, Herenfter; oh faith he, Call Hf111 him w/,/es he u near~ ; there vvtll be a great Gulf betw~en you and Cbn~ , when you are dead ; now therefore when the Lord c0mes tn hts Word efpeCially , cry unro him for help and pity. You
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