I \ I \ \ ltft2. . The Parable of the Ten Pirgins, fmile, and cmnor get ir / See rh is love, and doubt nor of it ; how could you lov~ hi'? , if he did ~or love you firil: ? efpecially if you nave been fari~red wtth It? pray for tt, 'Pfalrne ,)O.r4. I fpeak rhts rhe r.uher, becaufe of rhe fad miferies which make men ·lame in:iheir Chrillian courfe rhat they are ready to lit: down difconfolare , becauf~ rhey Rem..:rr: b~ r nor ;his; Do r-ot alwayes doubt, bt;t once at laH get through the Crowde eo this Love. · Let rhofe·who want this love, mourn for it , though the Lord oives you, and doth for you neverfo much in regard ofother things. Suppofe be doth not fmire rhy body with !icknefs, thy name with difgrace, rhy elhre with loffes; yet if he dorh not love thee, rhis is w~ enough. Ir was che mifery of ljrMI, Jer. I). I. wirb 5· M7 minde u not ~o thu people, r:aft · them out ; and as the Lord there faid, fo I fay; If the Lord deal rhus, who thal! pity thee, or bemoane thee, 'Or ask how thou dofl? 'foe! 1. ll, 9 , 10 • They lament when the Fig-tree was wafted ; much more nowrhe Lords love is not towards thee. Lam. I. 16. The Church there laments, that the Corn- .forcer which thouId refreth was farre off. ~efi. How fhalll kzi•w.that? .dnfw. If he. never did affett thy.hearc ~~irh lofs, and wane_ of his love, and abuGn g of ~t , but bath let you go on In peace all your .hfe; you were borne out of hts love , cafl our tot be loarlung of rhy perfon , and have 1i- . ved fo , though he harh been pitiful ro thee; now if you were never .troubled with tofs of this, and•wrongs done 'ag<'ihfl this, you are as yet out of -love. Look as inis ytitll ·a Father, if he-lmh a Childe froward, and cannot refiraine·him , he lets him alone, he loves :him nor, elfe be would chaftife~agd corre& him , and make him 1hake at his frownes ; fo here , as it is H1b. I::.. 8. If no corr~etion, f OU are BnflM"ds ; So here you bave eCU1e -on, and never have·been yet troubled in minde with roe f rowns <>f chri!l' .never lamented yourwrorrgs done to Chrift ; >are yoo loved ~ I know tbe Lordmay let you go Prodigals for a time , ·but he will bring you back, iflle .lovj!s you. I never .knew any whom the Lord brought h<ime, but this broke their beans. 0 that the Lord was fo parient, and I >tll my life abufed him ! nay, · he \'I'Ould oft have gathered J;ne ! he did oft fhive, and I was lik! n Bullot*._Hnaccuftomed t.(} Jhe.yok._t, Jer. 3I· I 8. and he might have cut me off, or given me up to my flubbo:n heart. Many are troubled for want of memory, ignorance, and want of power ro pray, or fome fin, and then cGod is mer>ciful to them , and this eafes chem againe; but this is nothing, rill you come to chis, vi;,;,. feares of che eternal lofsof this lm·e; and this lies heavy. Jf tl1i:; berhy condtcion, that for the pref:;nt ~bou art not loved of the Lord, r~l me bur-one thing which thou hafl ro eo mfore thee ; thou hall friends, peace, healrn, bur they are all without love; if without love, then thou haH them with a curfe, and wrath of God. Suppofe thou wert dying, and the Lord thould fay eo thee, when rbou cryeft, I know thee nor; would it not be fad ! Lie upon thy Pillow, and Oeep <;uietly if thou canft; for ought I know, there was never drop of blood l11edfor thee, never thought of peace in Chrifls Breafls ro chee ; a vile wrerc~ ,that never lamented the lofs of his love , nor contempt of it to thts day! . Obj. But I care not fo long M I ha1.•e been well without it , Jo I hope I fha/1 do jli/1, I wilt hOt btiit'llel am om of his love. I Anfw. Yea, this is tile mifery of men, as ir was of chefe Virgins; but time !hall come, IV hen you fhalt fee . him lit upon,his Throne, brighter \ than a Tbouf11nd Suns, in the g4ory of his Father, a fi re burning round a1 · __ bouEj
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=