ten Virgins Opened and Applied~ 75 z. ·Buc you will fay, all the wor ld want ic, and yec few in the world . (hall ever have any ~are chere, therefore all c_hem in che world_ that hunger after all chat aood char rs.in him , they may now 111 the abfence of re contenc chemfelves vvirh"it,thac chere 'cis in him fort hem, for the Lord fills rhe hungry, and fo hungry as 'cis nor fomething or orher rhac chey vick our, hue all Chrirt, and all of ~hac chac is in Chrift : now is the !eafon to ear, If bread and hunger meer, now fansfie yourfelf. 2 Cor. I2. 9· Paulprayed,andtbe Lord denyed, yet now ~he Lord bid him feed on his Grace: fo thar when thy hem a5k> what haft, thou to do with him when fovile? anfwe:r,Yec the Lord lmhall,~nd I wanr him,and hunger after him. Take heed of defpiftng his Grace; if thou haH no hunger, rhe Lord be merciful to thee! . 3. If you have fo contented your felves wirh him, as now you place all .your felicity in him , to rhi~ end, ro receive life from him , as a man fatisfies h.imfelf wirh bread chat hemayhavelife: for as I would nor datnp rhe Fa; rh 0f' theE!et1:, no more would I pmonize the !loch of rhe wicked. Many a man it may be may fay, I have nothing in myfelf, and all is in Chrilt, and comfort himfelfrhere, and fo fall afieep ; hands off and couch not this Ark, !eH the Ldrd Oay thee : achrill of clouts would ferve your turn as well. Run not to this Temple ro make it a Denn of your thievilh heart; no, do you foconcenr, or will you fo conrent:your [elves wirh him, as td account your felves happy here , that all the world is Dun~ in refpec1: of this; and this you do ro fuck and receive more from Chrift; and foro be like him: now hold here, and live here, and rejoyce here for ever, Phi!. 3· 9, Io, I I. Jfai. I2. 2,3. Firfl: ~ The Lord u mJ Song and Salvation; therefore we, will draw hence: if the Lord gives nothing, yet I have it in him; if he gives any thing, the honour !hall be given eo' him. o1i take this courfe : I. Le{l: you lore Chrifi and all coo. 2. Left rhe Lord ever keep you lhort in a complaining condition. 3· That you may be every day ~nd moment in Heaven, arid win the Crown from every Hypocrite who knows not what this life in ChriH means. · 4· That the Lord may be your glory, for he is noc only the glory of God, bur of his people lfrael too. 5. That you may love your felves rhe le!fe, and the Lord the mo:e. SECT. V. H~nce fee a necetlit~ of feeing.& k~owing Chril~, befor@a man can believe,or Ufe 2. tf ever rhe foul believe; fonf Fmh dofeth wnh rhe perfon of the Lord Jefus, the fame Faith mull: firll fee that per[on: If it rakes rhe Bride-groom himfelf; it mult fee and know him fir!t. Did you ever fee any efpoufed togecher that did · not firll: fee and know elchorher? the eye mufl: firll fee, 'my meaning Is,. there mufi precede this at1: of the undcrHandino to fee·Chrift, before a man can clofe wirh Chrilt by his will: for I aim not at this, whether it aoes before in time , but inorder of narure·it does precede, and abfolurely nece!faryit is : kence John 6.40. He thatfeeth aRd believeth in the Son bath eternal life : this is fo nece!fary to Faith., rhatFairhitfelfputsonrhisname, Ifai. 53· I!. BJ his ~owledf., Lu~ 19.4I. Obth':.t t~ou ha~ft b_z;o~n. Ifai. 46. 22. Look.Jtnto me and be fa.ved. And hence unbe!tefm Scnprure IS expreft by bemg bhnded, Rom. I I. 7, 8. for though Chrifi be abient from us on earth, yet rhat,s rhe excellency of faith, it makes things abfenr prefem, and fee; unfeen things, Heb. 1 I. I. John 8. 56. Abraham faw my day ; and chat's rhe wonderment of Sainrs; there is light in G•foen when all Eg}pt is dark,when others are blind they fee, lfai. 6o. I, 2. · n . .. What is this ~'wledg or feeing ofthe Lord ? · ~eft • . I make this queHion, panly becaufe this is the firfl: chief Evangelical work, as Aofri. Itappem to us, nay indeed 'cis in a manner all; hence Mar•. I I. 27. 1 tbank;.thd L thOII\ . r
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