194 The P a~ able of the 'Ten Virgi~s, (hall b:! feet\, and tha<before~llthe vVor!d. I (or. I4. 2). 'tisfaidwhen ; rhe fecrets of mens hearts are d1fcovered, they 111all fall down and fay, Ve- J r ily God u in rou: Rev. 2. 23. <Vfll CjJUrches jhall 1(;1"":, C:rc. Why ? . are Churches'fo tgno,ant of that ? Yes, they be lteve It 111 the oeneral· ! but they Cnall ~ee it in .the example, as well as in th~ rule, more fully after~ ward. .'Ne dunk he fearcheth all hearts, but are there no hypocrites to be found m fuch and fuch Churches ? Yes, he !hews fome even in fuch ; and the more fecret •nd fubr!e ~ny tbmg .hath been , the more openly will ihs:: Lord Reveale it , becaufe this makes the more for Him. · · , z. Hereby'Chri(l: !hews his exceeding great love to his people, in parting them and others; John q. 2 <· I in. them, that the world ""'7 lznow,&c, ! 1 Gen; 6. S. Noah found favour; Whe.reu1 was that i11ewtr? Verfe 7· l'Le de- ~ f~roj man and be aft; but Noah found favour; and ver. 13. Mak.f an Ark_, &c. ' g. Hereby _he fheweth his ac~eptance of tbe uprighrnefs of the hearts and w ayes of hts (avants, wh tch tr may be are poor and mean in their own eyes, but precious in the light of the Lord, above all eh~ pomrous furniture and pithlef~ profeffion of Hypocrites'· M a{. 3· .I G, rl!. hence A1'at.25. Com: take the KmgdQme for you, &c. Whans glonous m the world~, is vile in tl)e Lords eyes. Let 110ne be then offended at rhe Apoflacy of men ( eminent in profeir.- on) from the wayes of God, in the pureH and moll reformed Churches. What are rhefe people (fay fomefcorners) beccer than others ? fome of thefe make a greater (hew than others, and yeethey fall ; What are thefe Churches beuer than others, where there is no fuch examination, nor rrial ? I and thefe be. your Church-members, and your holy people, and your Covenanters, and rhus menflumble. Oh confider, in the purell Churchesrhere be many foolilh whom Chrifi will feparate one from am>ther; and therefore if Chrilldothgive a tafle of this before hand , and chafe rhat are vile before him , he makes th.em vile before others, that all !Jrt~el may fee and feare, do not wonder at tt. !fa. 3 2. ~' 6. The Churle (kall 6e no more c~tlled liberal, fer he will fPeak.., . 'find think., and work Jo. Luke p. 2. Nothinu fccret, t it fh~tll be revealed ( n:any fecret evils are hid) b.ut ir l11all be bur in part h . Chri!Ha1v h1s Dtfctpfes apt robe offended aethe fall cf 'fudM. Did not he kno1v him? then he was not the Son of God; or if he did, why did hefuff~r him? Saithhe, Jehn, q. I8. He th11t eats tread, fhall /Jft t<p hi& heel againft me, that the Scripture may be ft~lfiHed; and 'ris the ponion of the Churches and people of God, to be troubled with fuch as thefe , chat che Scriptures may be fulfilled ; therefore be not offended ; it ever harh b~en [o in the Primitive rimes, as well as in Chrills Family; Paul foretells of Wolves devouring che Flock, ariling out of t'hemfelves; and 2 Pet, 2. 1,2, as there were, fo there lhall befalfe Prophets; and Paul (though difcerning) reckons his dar.ger in regard of falfe Brethren; and it is a heavy judgement of God, chat that which lhould make a man adore the depth of ChriHs Wifdome ; Holtnefs, Prefenee in his Church, and fear his own heart and Spirit, \ lhould offend men in ~he leall meafure; for forely thefe are warning5 eo all the C hurches, . and all men, and examples before our doors, as. chafe are, I Cor. 10. A man char is prefcribing Rules of Art , he gives one or two examples, he could give twenty, but that is enough eo make the wi~ undtrftand, Hof. 14. 9· \ , . _Vfi ~~-z_. -L_· _H_en_:t_e_r~_·e_t_he~fe-ar_ru_I-'-a-nd~[;..=c ~d----'c."":""d~ic-io-":"".o-'f~c-h-o[(_e_w_ho-111-al_t_v_ol""~""'~'-a'-.lri_~l~J.::{::.:.::.;;J
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=