06Jerv. 4· The Parable of the Tenfl irgins, fers; fome of you have had fome hopes or alfurance Ch rilt is yours , y~ c he may be thine ; Suppofe he was never thine yec, now lherch ot 1c thy fnaking hand, receive him who is rhis day cruc1fiecl before rhy eyes , his bead' hanging down, his bloodgut11ing our, befeechingrhee ro accept of rhist 1\h;chis t11edfortbe~. I rememberagodJy man receivin" Aoj?les froJ1 a: poor ~oman, he took them. thankfully, bur fai? withal~ This c.une from I the Spim of God; fo dorh this offer 1n,uch more , and therefore rake it : / But I know rhis love will_ be _defpife9 by fome of you ; fome not knowing your woe, fome not fee~Ing It ·, ~mg ~vrrhout Chnn; fome under terrours, 1 but iliut up under unbehef. If I did think the Lord had no purpofi: ro do ; thee good , and I knew thee, I would read rhy doom; bur rhe Lord may p=- / ry ; and therefore I'le go and .mourn ; and pray that rhe Lord would nor l.ty I your lim to your charge; yollr bafe lufls are berr.::r rhan Chri!l: to you; 0 therefore mourne for this ; you that know In mn?t, prize hi:n not ; 1 but carry this .A as q. 41. about wirh thee, vi'<>. hear yu defjtfen, rmcl won- ! der, (re. · . . . I . That many mm may, and do apprehend Chrift by a feemmg F t~llh,wh•m · yet Chrift refm apprefoend; mt 6y hu deareH love, I For here were Virgins many of them, who crye(l, Lord, Lord, only looking f?rfalvation from h~m, hang!ng ~pon grace, clafping about his feet (as~~ we;e-) and who I':' their hfe-nme. wem our ro meet the Brid~- ~ grom , expec1xng love from him ; and yet Chnlt here p!iofelferh, I know noi you, I l'lve you not. · I fay, rhis is by a feeming faith ; for no man apprehends Chrilt by a I lively Fait~, · bu~ is appr_~hended of Chrilt~ 'f~hn I. ~ 2. Bur if it be by a I ' feemino Faub; 1. e. which feemes to be Fauh xn rhe )udge-m.enr and opini-1 on of grhers, and alfo wliic;h feemes only to be fo to rhe1r own apprehenfion , as it did unto rhefe Virgins, rhe Lord dorh not apprehend fucn by his dearei.Hove ; -and rhar i~ I fo.y, with his dearefi love; with common Joye he may, butwithdeove an4 eternal love, never. · The Faith of fome·men, is like the caltingof fome Anchor at Sea; it fometimes falls upon a Rock, or light fand, it roucheth the ground , but the Rock holds not it; arid hence rhe Ship is ever driven b~for.:: rhe wind~ , l or carried away with rbe ebbings and flowings of rhe warer; So iris here ; I and hence men are rolf~d to and fro wi£h lufls and temptations, and dr'ven b~- : fore flrono windes. Or as it was of Saul to Samuel, he apprehended Sa- i ·mud, bur"' s.. muel departed ~rom him , faw him -no more u~ r i~l rne clay of ll his deilrh ; So here, the Kingdome and Love of ChnH Is rem from you . John z. 24. ult. But he com.mitted not him[ elf to them. ~11ke _I 3. 26,27. J Eave not we eat and drtin/z.m thy prefence ? and yet Chnll: Will fay , f 1 k!owyou not; andthisisthecar:_of many. 'fob 8. q, I4· JY_hen~nH)_- 1 pocrite dyes, his hope per.(heth; If rhe.Lord had apprehenped htm wuh hrs dearefi love , it could not be fo. For Explicarwn of this Point, three things are to be opened. / 2. How Chrilt is faid not ro apprehend !itch. ~ I. How onemaybefaidtoapprehend Chrilt }efus by a feeming j Faith. 'I 3· Why hedoth not. 'I ~ft. Firlt, Hovy~ay onebefaid to apprehend ChriR by a feemi11g faith? ! .Anfw. Five wayes ufually. . i I. Whenmenare forcedtoflyto Chrifl: meerly out of extremity and , ~-- -~~=- -----------------~------------------~~~~~-
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