192 The Parable ofthe FT en Virgins, --------------------- Obferv. 5· grace mo!l , when rh ~ Lord makes it l_eaH; and when the Lord makes it nothing, ir make' Cod all1 hings to it. Secondly, ~f nei ~ her of thefe will ferve, yet you may reme:nber dayes .,f old; as D11v1d, Pf•l. 77· Io. Pfal. 71. 6, g, Jl , Some fa1d, God had forfaktn htm, bur yet nmy he remembers Ancient mercies. Third :y, Then Hay awhile longer in waiting for the lord; what the Lord doth now, you know not, but you lhallknow afrenvard; Ija.64. 4· that whicb eye ha·h not Jeen, hath God prepared. r. Youthara reyoungmen, bath the Lordpluck't youout ofyour Sodw; fin , when you Jingred in it , when you refilled rhe Lord in the heat of your youth? &c. 2. You old men; how many temptations, corruptions, back·ilidinos, pollutions 1 bear in~ out ( as ir were) the breath of rhe Spirit ? yer fr~m the belly to gray hmes the Lord harh carried thee, kept thee ; Oh rhy foot had fain, if the Lord had nor kept ! 3· You that have been once tinful , vile creJtures, yet harh the Lord loved you for all this ! what if the Lord take away comforts from you , and atlliCl: ? yet harh he not taken loving-kindnefs, nor mercy from you , but done good to you by your forrowes , when orliers go by Dro1'es before ·his Door , and rakes none, &c. Owhat caufe have you ro magnifie mercy! That th~ LDrd J-fm ath~comin.~to. deatkor)ttdgement, 'will makJ a perfeEl feparatwn bemeen the wife and foolifh Vtrgms. For rhe Virgins were all one rogether till Chrifi comes ; and now the one fort is recetved to ChriH, the orher feparated from ChriH ; nay , not fo much as known of ChriH. There are not, have not been any Churches in this life, butthere will be wife and foolilh, Tares and Wheat grow up together ; not Virgins and Harlots, not openly prophane ( it may be ) or wicked and godly ; No; but when all are Virgins in outward Profellion, and I Coriverfation , yet then fome will be wife, and fome fooli!h in the light of Chrilt , ( though not in the light of man) and between thefe the Lord }efus will make a feparation at his coming. <Matth. 25. 3 r. He {hall fet Sheep and Goats at hu right and left hand. Mat. 3• u. He jha/1.thorvw!y purgi hu jloore, and feparate ch11jfe and wheat. 2 Thef. r. 9,· pum(hed Wtth ettrnal de{lruElion from the prefence of the Lord. The Son of the bond-wornan, mull not be fHeir togerher with the Son of the free-woman, and therefore call him out; they mull part companies. Q!e!l. I. Whether fha/1 they be fepP.reted? AHfw. I. At particular judgement;what became of the foul of La1::.arus ? It was carried by rhe Angels to Almehams bofome; ,: e. t\) the Thi rd HeJvens where Abrahmn was, and w fellow!hip with ~im, de#rly loved of him; What then becomes of the fouls of others? they bemg fentenced by God, are dragg'd down to hell by evil Angels, and are referved ; Where ? they are referved in the Elements. 2. At general judgement; the Ele8: lhall be called to come and inherit' their Kingdome; and hence others lhall be call wirh the Devil and his An-\ Pels, to eternal fire, which is there where the Third Heaven is nor; and nere !hall they be parted , and never joyned together more , which is fea~;fi. l. WhJ will there l>e fuch a {eparation ? \ ' Anfw. I. Re~~fon. Becaufe at Chri!ls coming they ihall be immediately judged, and examined by Chri!l; he ihall rhen make llriCl: and immediate . trial of them ; Why do thefe foolifh Virgins creep in now? is not ChriH 1 -----•--..,---------~--------------------prefenr ·
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