ten Virgins Opened and Applied. Bur 2. So:r.e he lol'e' as Sons , even rbe rr:olt foo .iih-an_d_w-ea-k -in-r~he-w-or-id fome£imes : hence not for any fervice they cm do , but fvr hi s own · C1ke he wili aive them an Inheritance, and love rhe·11Js fons, becaufe he will; rhefe abide ever fn rhe Lords love: Hagar and IjkNJaelwH Ollt,Sarah and Ifaac lhy in rbe Family. 47 ' How jhalll f0pw that ? I. If the Lord loves thee for his Name-fake, it will dr.1w thee ro thJr fcHowf1,ip _o u'efl; . wirh it fe ;f, char whac-ever rhou wmreft, rhou wilt feek for it hence, by prefem- J' ina that Name ofGod, char for his own fake he would fupply: I know rhe Lord Anfw. lo~es f0r Chritls fake,bur why lhould Chriil hel p? for his Name-fake: For rhus many hypocrite>think when rhey fee Gods anger againft rhem for tbeir fin, they feek to remove that lin, and when that is done, rhink God is ar pe.Kc,, and now all is well. They fee the Lord is delighted wirh rhe obedience of his peo;ole , hence f<1ll to that work , and now thin .< the Lord is ple.1fed wi( h the'TI. But if ever the Lord loves any man, be will firft flop his mouth, whether Jew ot Gemi:e, Rom. 3· I9. and make hi•n on his Knees know there is no reafon for ir; nay all reafon again!t it. Now bath nm the Lord brougbr thee ro this? and hence having nothing to quench Gods anger, bur Chriit, haft held up him before God, and h avin~ nothing to mo,•e Chri{t, h<lfr held up his Name before him, and here h,1Hreiled. thy wearied hem looking to him , if any Grace be begun in thee, rh.H he would perfec1: it; ifnone, rhac he would begin it; if unfit and umvorrh¥ , to prepuce ' thee for ir, only for his own good pleafure: rhis is one evidence of it. As 'cis in fome Seals, you can h.udly perceive in the Se,1l what is engraven there, bur fee it on Wax, you may fee ir evidently·: [o he1:e , hardly can you fee rhe Lords love, look on rhy heart if it loves him ; hischoice, f'ee if thou chufeil him1 his love for his own fake; if thou cleavei'l wirh deareil affeCtion ro this love for irs own fake, there thou art fafe, Prov. I8. ro. Then.<meofthe Lordu aftrong Tt7Wer, &c. and rhis not only ar fir!t converfion, bur ever afrer all duties , all enlargemenrs, Euk.: 16. ult. And this cloth evidence love. 1. Becaufe if thou had'H rbe righteoufneife of Angels thou would'tl think it a good evidence, bm this of Chrilt is a rhoufand rimes deJrer. z. This isa fetring of God againfl himlelf, i.e. ro anfwer himfelf, and hence Saints in all rbeir !haigbts and forrows, hither had reccurfe; I fpe .1k nor now of Tempora l Bletftngs, but of Ever!ailing love, and ~11 rhe Fruits of it , cha1: here it hangs. Now I f.1y you are built in aRock hi~ber than all powers ofDarknefs; now a Key is fUt into rhy hand ro unlock all Gods Tre,1fure ; now thou art in tbe very lap of love wrapt up in ir, when here rhy hearr reits : and if nor Beloved , the Lord would never let rhee lean rhus in his bofom : and therefore if this be thus, fee it,~nd wonder his Name barb moved him ro love me. 2. YouJl,allfindtbis, ifrheLordforhis Name-f,ke10vestb~e, there is not any cmiage or pall'Jge of Providence of him to thee, 'but he gets himfelf aName firlt or Jah by it : for if this be Gods end, every pall'age of Providence is but a means to thisend: hence hewill attain this end by every aCt of his Providence towards thee: hence you lhall find that rhofe very !ins that di01onour his Narr:e, be will even by them (and if by them,by all things elfe) get himfelf a Name : be will be fo f~r from calling thee our cf his love, that he will do thee good by them. Thofevery fms that God damns others for, he will makero humble rhee, empty t~ee. P~ar!fees perfecured Chriil, and loft all for it, Paul was !o, and it humbled hun all hts hfe, Not w•rthy to be called an Apoftle, becaufe I perfccuted the Church of God, and ir 1mde him lay up all his wealth in mercy, I wao· received to mercy, I Tim. x. Mt~ry fins much, and God forgives much, and /he loves much; others finned much, and God hardened much ; Juda; bemies Chri!t, and repents , and h~ngs himfdf, and flies from him ; Peter denies him , and ~veeps, and hence he is rhe firfi that PreJcherh him. And this is certain, m the bcil: Hypocrite, lins left in him, either never make him berrer ,' bur blind ·
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=