The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Collection of sermons · Sermon 11
SERM. XI. On Matth. 25. 13. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the Day, nor the Hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.
I Shall at this Time, by the aſſiſtance of God, fully conclude the long Diſcourſe that I have had upon this Great Parable, by recollecting all that hath been ſpoken in practical Applications of it; wherein I cannot but remember what I have ſo often mentioned, of our Lord's ſaying, I will open my mouth in Parables, and utter things that have been kept ſecret from the foundation of the World. By Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, it is applied to himſelf.
And ſurely, this is an exceeding great Parable, and it is eſpecially fitted to every one that draws near to God, and to Chriſt, in the profeſſion of the Goſpel. For ſo (as I have told you) it is very evident, That this Name of Virgins, neceſſarily implies, the moſt Excellent State of Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, that is not truly and thoroughly, and univerſally ſound; for were it not, that the word Fooliſh, comes in, and like a dead Fly (as I told you) makes the whole Box of oyntment, to ſend forth a ſtinking ſavour; the very name of Virginity, every where in Scripture, is on purpoſe to ſet forth the reality of Grace, and of a State in Chriſt. It is ſaid therefore, The Virgins ſhall be brought unto thee in Rayment of Needlework, Pſal. 45. It is a Great State: So I have eſpouſed you, as a chaſte Virgin to Chriſt. It is ſaid of the 144000 on Mount Sion with the Lamb; They have not defiled themſelves with Women, for they are Virgins, Rev. 14. 4. So that, if Chriſt did not diminiſh and abate this of Virgins with Folly, it could not but import the perfect and beſt ſtate of Chriſtianity. And therefore, the more we look upon our ſelves as Chriſtians, and Chriſtians of the right ſtamp; the more we muſt look, that we be not Fooliſh Virgins; that our Virginity be not turned into folly. As it is ſaid of Achitophel, God turned the counſel of Achitophel into fooliſhneſs, the very Virginity of his Counſel and Wiſdom, that was eſteemed as an Oracle, and never diſgrac'd till that time. So when the Virginity of the Soul is turned into fooliſhneſs; It is a very great Judgment, and the very expreſſion of it, ought to awaken and rouze all our Spirits; Not to diſcourage the thoughts of the ſincere ſervants of Chriſt, and to make them ſorrowful, whom God would have to be made glad, and to rejoice; But that there may be a holy Jealouſie in every one over our ſelves, and that we may not take Counterfeit for Gold indeed, and for Pearl indeed. I have therefore cloſed with this Application our Saviour hath made of his whole Diſcourſe: Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day, nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. That is, as if Chriſt ſhould ſay, as I told you there will be nothing done at that time; you can make no advantage, you cannot command that day and that hour; there's nothing at all to be done; All ſhall be in ſo ſpeedy a Motion, that there will be nothing to be done, by way of Amendment, or Reparation of the Errors, that we have committed. Now therefore, as I propoſed to you the laſt day ſeveral great particulars; ſo I ſhall purſue them at this time in a way of fuller and more cloſe Application.
Firſt, Take notice of that which is eſpecially meant by watching: It muſt be that very thing, wherein the fooliſh Virgins fell ſhort; for though the wiſe, as well as the fooliſh (in the ſence I have given to you) ſlumbred and ſlept; yet for all that, the fooliſh Virgins only did not watch. They are they, that our Saviour grounds the Application upon, Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, wherein the Son of Man cometh. The wiſe Virgins did watch in the main Point, becauſe they looked to it, that all was done, that was neceſſary to be done, to meet Jeſus Chriſt at his coming, and to go in with him to the Wedding. And therefore, The Firſt particular, wherein we are to exerciſe this Watch, is to look, That we have the Divine and Spiritual Life in us. For no Man hath watched, that hath not looked well to this: That he is (as our Saviour expreſſes it) paſſed from death to life.
If any of us go out of the World (as I told you) In this very life, every thing is to be looked unto: For, though the Day of Judgment, and the Coming of Chriſt, be a different thing, in many reguards from dying; yet notwithſtanding, whatever we would do, for that Day of the Coming of Chriſt, we muſt do it now, while we are here in the World; All is ſealed for Judgment and Eternity at Death: There's no purpoſe nor counſel in the Grave (concerning this point) whither we are going. When any riſe from the dead, our Saviour makes it very apparent; John 5. They riſe, either to Life, or Condemnation; There's no ariſing ſo, as with any poſſibility of paſſing from death to life at that time, v. 28. Marvel not at this, (At what? it is plain what, viz. at the mighty quickning Voice of Chriſt now, for of that Chriſt had ſpoken juſt before:) for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the Graves ſhall hear his voice, and ſhall come forth, they that have done good, unto the reſurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the reſurrection of damnation. You ſee here, all the whole World of Mankind, at that day of the Coming of Chriſt, they either riſe to the Reſurrection of Life, or to the Reſurrection of Damnation, nothing is then to be done more. This is a moſt evident and apparent Truth: And, as I have made out to you; Spirits coming in to Bodies, come either full of the notices of Eternal life, or full of the Notices of Eternal Death; They carry all the Characters upon them: They riſe, either to Honour, or to Everlaſting ſhame and contempt. And therefore, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Ephe. 5. Awake, thou that Sleepeſt, and ſtand up from the dead, and Chriſt ſhall give thee life, ver. 14. We muſt look well to this, That we hear the Voice of the Son of God now, and live: The time is coming, and now is, the Dead ſhall hear the Voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live: Now is the quickning time, according to it Men come forth. The time is begun now, (ſaith he) and it ſhall go on to the very coming of the Bridegroom, that they that hear the Voice of the Son of God ſhall live, ver. 25. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that ſent me, hath everlaſting life, and ſhall not come into Condemnation, but is paſſed from death unto life. We muſt look whether we have ſhot that great Gulf, of paſſing from death to life; for, this is a Gulf to be paſſed now, which in that future ſtate cannot be paſſed: As you know in that 16th of Luke 24. There's a great Gulph fixed between us and you; ſo that they which would paſs from you to us cannot, neither doth any paſs from us to you, that are in thoſe Regions of darkneſs: So I ſay, the Gulf is now to be paſs'd; There is a Paſs now, but there ſhall be none in that State; they are paſt from death to life. It is as if our Saviour ſhould ſay, They have ſhot the Gulf: And therefore let us conſider, whether God hath changed us (as it were) from Weſt to Eaſt? Whether he hath turned us to the Riſing of the Sun of Righteouſneſs with Healing in his Wings? Whether he hath turned our thoughts to Eternity, and from the preſent World, and all the Impurities of it? Whether the Face of our Spirits are to the Kingdom of God, or not? Let us look ſeriouſly to all thoſe Scriptures, that teach us concerning the truth of Converſion; concerning the truth of Faith; concerning the truth of Repentance: It is our duty, undoubtedly, to trim our Lamps, in this reguard, now; and to ſearch and ranſack every thing in our own ſouls; that we may be aſſured of the truth of Converſion, and that our hearts are ſo turned to God, that they can never be turned back again: That we turn our hearts back ſo to Chriſt, That we ſay, Whither ſhould we go, thou haſt the words of eternal life. To find, that God hath ſo engag'd our hearts and thoughts to himſelf, that we can never more revolt from him: And though we fall, and there are many things that we complain of, and bewail, and have reaſon to humble our ſelves; yet notwithſtanding this, our ſouls have that Union to Chriſt, we are ſo knit to him, That the Golden Oil ſtill runs out upon us, from that great Son of Oil, that he empties out of himſelf, to us: That Holy, anointed one, that ſtands before the Lord of the whole Earth is continually ſupplying, and giving out to us, from himſelf.
2. The Second thing that I propoſed to you, by way of direction to this watching, is, That you would look to this, to be earneſt, inſtant in fervent Prayer, and to pray eſpecially, to this very Point; That you may be counted worthy to ſtand before Jeſus Chriſt at his coming. Our Prayers ought to be for the preſent ſtate of Grace, indeed, and for all the ſigns of it; but we are to have a continual ardency in Prayer, to ſtand before Chriſt: For, if you conſider, if the very Coming of Chriſt ſhould be now, if he ſhould now be coming and appearing, every one would be ready to run to their Prayers, to thoſe Prayers they have accuſtomed themſelves to; nay, thoſe that have uſed themſelves to a common and formal way of Prayer, would be ready to ſtretch out themſelves to a higher way; Wherefore, let us endeavour after this, to pray continually, (as if Chriſt were coming) That we may be delivered from the Guilt of Sin; That we may be delivered from all our corruptions; That we may be in Robes waſhed white in his bloud; That we may be in the Wedding Garment: That we may have every thing ſuited to the Glory of his Coming and Appearance: So you ſhall find our Saviour directs his Diſciples, upon this very account, Luke 21. Watch ye therefore (ſaith he) and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to eſcape all theſe things, that ſhall come to paſs, and to ſtand before the Son of Man, at his coming. Take heed that our hearts be not overcharged with ſurfeiting and drunkenneſs, and with the cares of this life: But that we are in a continual poſture of expecting the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And in the 12th Chapter of Luke 36, And ye your ſelves like unto Men that wait for their Lord, when he will come, becauſe of the Wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. We ſhould take great care of the ſtate of our hearts now, that we may at that very time, be found not ſo as Gluttons, Drunkards are, but Watching, Praying. But you know, There's no ſuch thing, as Gluttony and Drunkenneſs, in the Future State of Spirits; there's nothing of the cares of this life, in that future ſtate; but, they are the things that now oppreſs, and that now take away the hearts of Men. And this know ſaith he (ver. 39.) That if the good man of the houſe had known what hour the Thief would come; he would have watched, and not have Suffered his houſe to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready alſo; for the Son of Man cometh in an hour when ye think not. The Argument therefore Lies that we ſhould do now what we would do; For juſt ſo we ſhall Riſe and Appear: as hath been made out: There ought therefore to be a holy violence upon every ones preparation, by Earneſt Prayer and Supplication for that Day; we ought every one to pray, as if juſt, that very day was upon him; We ſhould pray with the ſame Earneſtneſs, as if that Day, were even now upon us. This therefore is that Great Rule that our Saviour gives us, in Relation to that Time, that we ſhould ſo pray now, That we ſhould not at that Day, be in the Confuſion, and in the Horrour of thoſe Things. Luke 21. 35. Watch ye and pray, that ye may be accounted worthy to eſcape thoſe things that ſhall come to paſs, and to ſtand before the Son of Man; You ſee here, that ye may ſtand before the Son of Man, there muſt be a watching to prayer; and a watching upon this very account. O! that we could be ſenſible of that Day, and ſtir up our ſupplications in that very point! So the Apoſtle Peter, For I would endeavour to argue the Scripture upon you, that the great Intention and Earneſtneſs of our Prayer, ſhould run to that very Point, of the Coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand, and therefore watch unto Prayer. Let us be continually watching unto Prayer, upon this very account, becauſe the end of all things is at hand: If we conſidered that, it would engage and ſtir up our Prayers, Be ſober and watch unto Prayer, for our Prayers will meet us then, we ſhall riſe in them at that Day.
3. In the Third Place, Our Watchfulneſs ſhould ſtand in this, in a conſtant, living ſence of the Word of God (eſpecially in this great point) upon us: That we ſhould have a Meditation upon the Word of God. It is a very hard thing for us to entertain our thoughts in the Night, when we are awake; or when we are alone; it is a hard thing to know how to employ our Thoughts, and to engage them: And therefore, if we could take the Word of God, That would keep us in an awful ſence of God, and of eternal things. David often ſpeaks of his Meditation in the Word of God, Pſal. 119. I meditate in thy Word; I meditate in thy Statutes; it is my meditation all the day: And Pſal. 1. 1. Bleſſed is the man that walketh not in the counſel of the ungodly, &c. but his delight is in the Law of the Lord; and in that Law doth he meditate Day and Night. Saith David, I ſtir up my ſelf, I awake in the night, that I might meditate in thy ſtatutes. If we could ſeriouſly bring into our thoughts the Meditations of the end of all things; but we are ſo concern'd for this little ſpot of Time; even for that next Moment that is before us, what we ſhall eat, and what we ſhall drink, and what we ſhall put on, and how this and that ſhall be maintained: If our hearts were but ſuitably and proportionably fixt upon that, What ſhall we do for our Eternal Condition? How ſhall we bear that Day? Would not any one ſet that Day before him, if he were really poſſeſt of it? If a Man were to Plead his Cauſe, and whole condition in this World: who of us could keep his Heart and Thoughts from oft running into't? Now, if we could keep our Meditations upon thoſe Scriptures that ſpeak of this Eternal Condition; I beſeech you, endeavour to get up your ſelves, and to aſpire to it, by the Grace of God; and that you would meditate on theſe things, as the Apoſtle Paul teaches Timothy, Meditate on theſe things, that thy profiting may appear to all men; He ſpeaks indeed there, of the preparation for the work of Preaching of the Goſpel; But let us apply it, for we are every one concerned in this Great Point, to be Preachers to our ſelves: Certainly, if every one be not a Preacher to himſelf, all other Preachers can do him no good at all: And the Excellent Truths that lie in the Word of God, can do no good, till a Man comes to Preach them to himſelf: The Book of Eccleſiaſtes, is in the Engliſh of it, the Book of the Preaching ſoul: that Book of Solomon, which we call the Book of the Preacher, it was the Book of the Preacher, firſt to himſelf, Eccl. 1. 1. It is obſerved by Learned Men, the Word ſignifies, The Preaching Soul; Every one ſhould be a Preaching Soul to himſelf, and Preaching this Great Point, Of the Coming and Kingdom of Chriſt. And this would engage our Watch, this would be like the ſnuffing the Lamps of our dark Apprehenſions, and blowing up the Flame of our cold and benumm'd affections: It would make the Light more clear, and it would be like the blowing up the fire; it would enflame and warm us with the ſtrength and vigour of thoſe great apprehenſions, that pertain to the Coming of Chriſt. Indeed, it is very ſad, That the preſent ſtate of the World is ſo covered, and ſo darkned, and ſo eclipſed, and ſo chill'd, and even frozen, in theſe things; We can go into no Company, nay, we our ſelves, though we are ſenſible of theſe Truths, we ſpeak them, and hear of them; yet we don't know how to converſe like the Servants of God, That we might be all Preachers to our ſelves, and one to another in them; It is earneſtly to be hoped, and prayed for, That a betterſtate of things may come on; and that the Spirit may be poured out abundantly; And, Would (as Moſes ſaid) all the Lords People were Prophets; I cannot reaſonably think, that Moſes ſpake of a thing that was impoſſible; But ſurely, there ſhall be a time, that every one of the Servants of God ſhall have ſomething to ſay, as Prophets of the Lord, one to another. And this is the time that is earneſtly to be expected, and to be Prayed for: I make no doubt, but the World ſhall have ſuch a Time of preparation in order to the Great and Glorious Coming of Chriſt, Acts 2. 17. Pray obſerve, God will pour out his Spirit, to this very end, to this very purpoſe, ſaith the Apoſtle, I will pour out my Syirit upon all fleſh, and your Sons and you Daughters ſhall Propheſie, and your young men ſhall ſee Viſions, and your old men ſhall dream Dreams. Every one ſhall have ſomething to offer to another, concerning God. And on my ſervants, and on my hand-maidens, I will pour out in thoſe days of my Spirit, and they ſhall Propheſie, And I will ſhew Wonders in Heaven above, and Signs in the Earth beneath, &c. And the Sun ſhall be turned into Darkneſs, and the Moon into Bloud, before that Great (pray, obſerve that) before that Great and illustrious Day of the Lord come. He will come in the ſtill Voice of his Spirit poured out; and of every one being enabled, as Moſes ſaith, as a Prophet. For, would Moſes (do you think) have ſaid, Would every Atome of Duſt upon the Earth could be a Star! (he would not have wiſh'd ſuch a thing) or, That all the Drops of Water in the Sea might be turned into Gold and Pearls! Theſe things would have been ſtrange in Moſes; becauſe they are things that never ſhall be: But now, That all the Lord's People ſhall be Prophets; That's a thing God will certainly do, and awaken the World with, before that Great and Illuſtrious Day of the Lord come. In the mean time, Let us endeavour to be Preaching-Souls unto our ſelves: This is a thing, I am ſure, that no one can have reaſon to be offended at; Let Men be never ſo ſevere, that none muſt Preach, but ſuch and ſuch, ſo Educated, and Prepared; yet, to be a Preaching-Soul to our ſelves, none can be ſcandalized, or offended at that.
4. In the Fourth Place; Let us take heed and keep our ſelves from our Iniquity; that there may be no Sin that we ſhall be found in at the coming of Chriſt, that we give Indulgence to now, no courſe of known ſin, or of the neglect of any known Duty. Let us take care of this, that we do not allow our ſelves in any way of ſin, that we ſearch and try our ways continually, that we may turn unto God. Il'l give you two notable Scriptures to this very purpoſe; (though a great many more might be given) I was alſo upright before him, and kept my ſelf from mine iniquity, Pſal. 18. 23. That's a very great Scripture, though I have already ſpake of it; that eſpecially, that I would direct you to now, is in the 139th Pſalm 23. 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and ſee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way Everlaſting. You ſee here, It is a very Difficult, point. For, If a Virgin may be ſhut out for ever; what Reaſon have we to lay: our thoughts open before God? and to ſay unto him, Search me, O God; I know not how to Search my Self; I am ſo Dark, and Blind to my ſelf, in my own peculiar Iniquity, That I know it not. But do thou Search me, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts, And ſee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlaſting; Any wicked way in me, That is, The way of living in any Sin, or giving up my ſelf to any Luſt. Let us be mighty Cautious, very careful in This, to lay our ſelves before God; for, Indeed, If any one would ſay to me, Which way ſhall I help my ſelf? You ſay, That a Virgin may be a Fooliſh Virgin; You ſay, That Virginity is the Beſt State in the profeſſion of Chriſtianity; And yet There may be ſuch a Worm at the Root of it, as may wither it all; What then ſhall I do? Does not this Diſcourage in the way of Religion, If I may be ſo Miſtaken, and Deceived in it? Were not the Fooliſh Virgins as likely in their own Eyes, as the Wiſe? Therefore I ſay; No other way, but to lie at the Foot of Chriſt, and of the Spirit of Chriſt, and Earneſtly to pray, Search me O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts, and my Secret Retirements; and ſee if there be any any Secret wickedneſs in me, and lead me in the way Everlaſting.
If we did continually This, and if our hearts were fully Set upon it, certainly, God would bring forth our Righteouſneſs as the Light, and our Judgment as the Noon-Day; Surely, God will Diſcover This, if we are Sincere. It is the beſt counſel, that can be given, and the beſt Example, that can be laid before us. And ſo, That of our Saviour I look upon as the peculiar duty in order to our waiting for the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt; I ſay, I look upon it to be the very peculiar Duty; Our Lord ſaith, concerning this, Let your Loins be girded about, and your Lights burning, Luke 12. 35. And ſo the Apoſtle Peter expounds this Scripture more fully to us; and he directs it to this very Point, of Looking to the Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1. 13. Wherefore gird up the Loins of your Mind, be ſober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt. Beſides all the Grace of the Goſpel at the preſent; there is the Crowning-Grace, There is the Triumphing-Grace that is to be brought to us at the appearing of Chriſt. Gird up the loins of your mind; be ſober and hope to the end, for that ſalvation. You know, the loins, they are taken for thoſe parts of Human Nature, wherein is the Seat of Senſuality and Corruption moſt of all; the Bodily-Luſt that men are affected with; And as the loins are girded, a Man is the more expedite, and ready for Motion; So, when all that ſuperfluity of the Fleſh, and impure, ſenſual affection is girt up, and we hope perfectly for the Grace that is to be brought to us at the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt: Let us earneſtly therefore pray, Keep back thy Servant from preſumptuous ſins, that they may not have dominion over me. Then ſhall we lift up our face, clear as the Morning, and we ſhall lift up our head without ſpot, as Job. If Pride, if Luſt, if any inclination to the love of this World, to ſenſual Pleaſures and Delight, if any of this we find to be our ſin, any immoderate Luſt; or Sin, whatever it is, Let us gird up the loins of our minds, wherein we find any extravagant and impetuous Motion to evil prevail upon us.
5. In the Fifth Place, Let this be our great care, to meditate much upon Death, Judgment and Eternity: Let thoſe common and general Notions prevail upon us: For my part, I have always, and deſire always to Declare, That I do not bind up any one to any particular apprehenſions of my own, in theſe things, although I do fully believe ſuch an appearance of the Glory and Kingdom of Chriſt: Yet I ſay to every one, Let thoſe general and agreed Notions and Principles, be ſtrong upon your hearts: And the leſs you can intend, and encline to believe ſuch an Appearance and Kingdom of Chriſt, be the more Intent upon thoſe Four Laſt Things, as they are generally called: that is, Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. Let thoſe General and acknowledged, and impreſſed Points, be always upon your Minds. O! What kind of perſons ſhould we be, if we did but grow up to the acknowledged Points of Chriſtianity, Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. Let us always take theſe into conſideration, and there is no Chriſtian but owns them: even Papiſts themſelves, thoſe of them that have been more Devout than others, have written very excellently and very notably upon theſe things; theſe Principles that run ſo mightily into all the ſence of Chriſtianity: God forbid, that any thing ſhould be ſaid to take off the plain Conſideration, and the ſtrong Apprehenſion, and the cloſe Meditation, and the mighty influence of thoſe Four Things from us. For who can enough ſpeak of them, or conſider them? Take them in the plaineſt ſence that you can; And Oh that God would give you to feel, even every one of us, to feel the full work of them upon our hearts; that they may have, every one their perfect work upon our hearts: That (as I may allude) the Chariots of our Souls may be always moving upon theſe Four Wheels, and that our Chariots may never ſtand ſtill, but lift us up continually above the Earth. It is my earneſt Prayer for every one of us (ſpeaking and hearing) That our Souls may be as the Chariots of Aminadab; carried upon theſe Four Wheels of Death and Judgment, Heaven and Hell. And indeed, though I look upon it as a great Scripture-Truth, and which hath ſo great Evidence, as cannot be contradicted; yet I am far from preſſing any one to take into Conſideration; I mean, thoſe Apprehenſions concerning ſuch a Kingdom of Chriſt; So that they ſhould take off any thing from the ſerious Meditation of Death and Judgment, Heaven and Hell. And I would deſire only thoſe perſons to take them into Conſideration, that find they are more enlivened, and more enlarged, and more enflamed by the ſtrong Conſideration of the Great Things, Scripture hath ſpoken, and that are in a viſible and apparent way, to bring forth the Glory of the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt. And therefore, I hope, there is nothing that can be juſtly Taxed, in endeavouring to ſeek further into the Doctrines of Chriſtianity, beyond thoſe that are but the Beginning Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt: I would exhort every ſerious Chriſtian, to make theſe it his continual Meditation, and that nothing may take off the edge of his Spirit in theſe things. Say now, Am I not to die? And muſt I not come to Judgment? Is it not ſaid, It is appointed to all men once to die, and after this the Judgment? Am I not immediately to come into a Judgment, and determination of my Eternal Condition? And am I not to ſtand before Chriſt in Judgment? Don't we all own that? And is there not a Heaven, and an Eternity of Happineſs? And is there not on the other hand, a black and dark Eternity, even utter darkneſs, and for ever? O that God would enable us to carry this all in our Minds! the Eternity of Happineſs, and the Eternity of Miſery. You know, great Princes are Pictured with great Globes in their hands, but Jeſus Chriſt hath thoſe Two great Globes, the Keys of Death, and Hell; and Eternal Life to give. Let theſe things be our plain and conſtant Meditation; Let us cut off every thing that we think is ſingularity; I am ſtill of the ſame Apprehenſion, that the Scripture hath declared, a viſible Kingdom and Glory that is near; Yet I beſeech you, that you would get theſe into your conſtant Apprehenſion. And, O that they might fall upon every one; Let nothing of Notion or Opinion take off from theſe Great Things; Let us continually take our Walk and Meditation into thoſe Regions beyond this World: Let us ſay, I am to go out of this World, and this State; and O, how Great muſt the Change be! That I muſt immediately enter into an Eternity of Happineſs, or an Eternity of Miſery. Nothing will make the Doctrine of Chriſt ſo powerful, as to have a ſtrong Meditation of theſe Things: And then
In the Seventh Place, Let us take heed of the ſins of the Time wherein we live (though, by all means, we are to take heed of the open Prophaneneſſes that are in the Wortd) but, I beſeech you, That we may all look to this, There are the peculiar Sins of thoſe that are called Virgins; There's ſomething peculiar to every Time; And therefore, as I have intimated to you, in that Rev. 3. 1. That Church of Sardis, I have for ſome time, look'd upon it to be the Pourtraiture of theſe very Times, and this very State we are upon: It is a Picture of the Church of Chriſt in that State we call Proteſtant, and in that State we call, The Reformation: And therefore, obſerve how that is deſcribed, and let us look very diligently, that we don't fall into thoſe very ſins: And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, Write, Theſe things, ſaith he, that hath the Seven Spirits of God, and the Seven Stars: I know thy works, That thou haſt a Name that thou liveſt and art dead. O, Let us take heed of having a Name. To be a Proteſtant is a Name to live: To be of the Reformed Churches, is a Name to live: Take heed, Is it not the General State of this very Age, of this very Time? We have a Name to live, and yet are dead: Among all the ſeveral Profeſſions and Churches of Chriſtianity, in the Reformed way, at this Day, ſurely it is a Sin that lies upon every one, They have a Name to live, and yet are dead: We find it one in another, but every one may find too much, that he hath a Name to live, but is dead. We may ſay to our ſelves, Is this like one that is come out of Popery, upon the account of Conſcience, and upon the account of Truth and the Word of God? This is a Name to live; becauſe, ſay we, the things that Papiſts profeſs, and that they do, are not according to the Word of God: Why now, if it be a Name to live, to come out from among them, Take heed that we are not dead; If we have not the Power of Godlineſs, in the Profeſſion of the Reformed and Proteſtant Religion, It is but a Name to live; be watchful, and ſtrengthen the things that remain, and are ready to die. O! how truly may we ſay, That the Things in order to the Kingdom of Chriſt, they are ready to die; every where, among all ſorts of Profeſſors! How ready is the Publick Way of Worſhip to die, for want of the Power of what they Profeſs? And, if you look upon the Congregated Profeſſors, with what reaſon do they complain, They are grown very Proud, very Worldly, very Vain, notwithſtanding all their Profeſſion. So here's a Name to live, in order to the Kingdom of Chriſt, but they are ready to die. Be watchful, and ſtrengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; Here's that Watch that Chriſt ſpeaks of: We ſhould take heed, and watch, that the things which remain, and are ready to die, might be quickned and have a new life: For (ſaith he) I have not found thy Works perfect before God: I have not found them filled out, and filled up: They are juſt like a Stalk of Wheat, that looks as if it were ſomething, and yet, like one of Pharaoh's lean Ears, if we come to ſearch, and enquire into it, and to Rub it (as we ſpeak) in our hands, we find it to be nothing; ſo indeed, we may ſadly complain, when we come to Rub Profeſſion, either in others, or in our ſelves; it is very thin, and lean, and lank: And therefore our works are not filled up before God. Now, what ſaith Chriſt? I will come upon thee as a Thief, and thou ſhalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Let us therefore be very diligent in this thing, to look to have the Power of our Profeſſion, to have the Power of the Proteſtant Religion, to have the Power of the Reformation. For indeed, It is a very ſad thing, that ſo many of us, as have a Zeal againſt Popery; a Zeal againſt the Corruption of that State; That yet we ſhould ſink ſo much below ſome of the Devotioniſts among them: For undoubtedly, There are ſome among them, that ſeem to be under a greater Profeſſion than many Proteſtants are. To hear a Man ſwear againſt their Religion profanely, and to ſee a Man Drinking, and Carouſing, and ſaying, according to the very uſual ways of Mens Diſcourſe: To drink (as it were) Healths to Proteſtants: Is not this an abominable Shame, and that ſpeaks our great diſhonour? And that may make even Papiſts ſcandalized at the looſe, and licentious way of thoſe that call themſelves Proteſtants; To hear Men Swear and Damn, and blaſpheme, and yet at the very ſame time, to profeſs a Zeal againſt Popery. Certainly, this we ought to take care of, That we are not carried away by the Name of a Wicked, Licentious, Blaſphemous and Prophane Proteſtantiſm. And beyond this, we ſhould look; That that Pride, Vanity, Cruelty, Earthlineſs and Oppreſſion, and whatever the Sins are, that are among us, that we do not cover them, and diſguiſe them, under the Name of this; Why yet, for all this, I am not a Papiſt, I am a Proteſtant; ſurely, God will Tear that Name out of the Mouths of ſuch Proteſtants: As he ſaith in Ezekiel, You ſow Pillows and Kerchiefs; that is, ſome Diſguiſing things upon their heads: And (ſaith he) I'll tear theſe Kierchiefs, Ezek. 13. So God will tear off from thoſe that have the Profeſſion of Proteſtantiſm, but have nothing of the Power, Life and Zeal of the Reformation, and their Open Teſtimony for the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt, that very Profeſſion from them.
In the laſt Place (that I may draw to a Concluſion.) Notwithſtanding all that I have ſaid to you, concerning the Thoughts of Death and of Judgment, and of Heaven and Hell; yet I would deſire, that we may have a ſence of the Glory, and of the Kingdom of Chriſt, that is to appear; and that you would look to have it in your hearts, to have the Kingdom of God in your hearts.
Let me propoſe a great Scripture to you upon this account: And after a ſhort Explanation of it, I'll conclude in a few Words, Luke 17. 20. There was a great Queſtion put to Chriſt in this caſe; He was demanded of the Phariſees, when the Kingdom of God ſhould come, he anſwered them and ſaid, The Kingdom of God cometh not with Obſervation: Neither ſhall they ſay, lo here, or lo there: for behold the Kingdom of God is within you. That's the Kingdom of God; For in ſome way, certainly, there's none of us but Profeſs it, elſe, why do we pray it ſhould come; When that, which is the Great Petition, the very Central-Petition of the Lord's Prayer, ſurely that's the very Key that turns all about? Now I ſay, if you would believe a Kingdom of God in any ſence: And that you will be ready to ſay, When ſhall that Kingdom come? Remember what Chriſt ſaith, it does not come by Obſervation; for Men ſhall not ſay, Lo, here, or lo, there; Though indeed, it ſhall be a Glorious Sight, a Glorious Shew, as the Apoſtle ſaith, which in his Time he will ſhew. Yet for all that, you ſhan't ſay, Lo, here comes Chriſt, and here come ſuch and ſuch Saints: And here comes ſuch a Glory, and Heaven and Earth glowing in a flame. You ſhan't ſay, here or there, thus and thus it is, though you ſhall have reaſon to ſay ſo: yet (ſaith Chriſt) the main thing is, The Kingdom of God is within you. What will you be the better for that Kingdom of God, if it be not within you? You muſt bring it to that Day, The Kingdom of God comes not with Obſervation; it does not come with a ſhew without us, but our God will come, and all his Saints ſhall come with him. They ſhall come with Bodies of Glory, and Bodies of Light, Bodies full of Glory: it does not come with an outward ſhew, but within us: Every one that hath not the Kingdom of God within him, at that Day, they will appear by that very thing, to be fooliſh Virgins; for, they muſt bring that Kingdom in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, with peace of Conſcience, through his Bloud, by Grace, and by Vertue of his Holy Spirit.
And now, I beſeech you, That you would ballance theſe two things continually one with another. You pray that the Kingdom of Chriſt may come: The Kingdom of Chriſt comes, when his Day comes; when the Day and Appearance of Chriſt comes, 2 Tim. 4. 1. Now, Amos. 5. 18. Saith God, Wo unto you that deſire the Day of the Lord, to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkneſs, and not light; As if a man did flee from a Lion, and a Bear met him; or went into the houſe, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a Serpent bit him. It is juſt ſuch a thing (ſaith the Prophet) as if a man in a ſtorm, ſhould go into a houſe, and take ſhelter there; and when he found the ſtorm ready to carry him away, he goes, and leans upon a Wall, and there a Serpent comes out of a Hole, and bites him to Death; Even ſo ſhall the Kingdom and Day of Chriſt be, It is in vain to ſay, Thy Kingdom come, If that Kingdom be not within us: for, It comes not with Obſervation, but it is within us.
O Therefore! That we could be perſwaded to get out of the formality of that Petition, and to look for that Kingdom within; Thy Kingdom come by my Enjoyment of ſuch a preſence of thy Kingdom within my own heart; That when it comes, I may come with it, and it may come along with me: for elſe, I ſay, it will be darkneſs, and not light. I make no doubt, there was a great many, that the Prophet ſpake uſually to them, of the Day of the Lord. You know, it is an uſual expreſſion in Scripture, The Day of the Lord: And, upon the often hearing of it, Men come to ſay, We would fain ſee it: And ſo, many are ready to ſay concerning that Kingdom; if it be ſuch a Glorious State and Thing, we would fain ſee it. Now remember, it comes not with obſervation, but you muſt have it within you; for, if you have it not within you, it is in vain for you; for, for what end do you deſire the day of the Lord?
To ſhut up this in a brief Recollection of all, In the Firſt Place, I deſire you ſeriouſly often to meditate upon this Parable, as I have in ſome weak manner, endeavoured to open it to you. And to remember alſo, That even my Chriſtianity (ſay to your ſelves) will not do me any ſervice; I had as good have been a Heathen, as to the main purpoſe of my Eternal Condition, if I have not Oil in my Veſſel; if I have not truly a great repleniſhing of my Soul from the Great Son of Oil: And ſo, if you ſpeak of Proteſtantiſm; If you have not Oil in your Veſſel, it will be but a very empty thing, and do you no good, except you have Oil in your Veſſels; except you are united to Jeſus Chriſt; except you have the Kingdom of God within you: And then
In the Second Place: Another great Uſe (for I only draw out the main ſcope of the Parable, by way of Recollection, unto you, and ſo conclude) I ſay, ſeriouſly conſider, What ever you think to do for your ſouls, do it now, becauſe there is no Time after, Work while it is day, the night cometh when none can work. All the time that perſons have lain in the Grave (as we ſpeak) or that their Spirits have been in Happineſs, or in Miſery, they have not done the leaſt thing for their ſouls; they have not added one Cubit, nay, not one Hairs breadth to their Stature, they have not made one Hair (as our Lord ſpeaks Proverbially) either white or black, as to the State of their Spirits; And when Spirits come to meet their Bodies, in the Day of the Reſurrection, every thing will be in ſuch a ſpeed, ſuch a World in higheſt motion, That you cannot ſtay to change one ill Poſture, or Appearance, ot Repreſentation of your ſouls. You muſt not ſtay, I would ſpeak according to the Language of the Parable, Can the Bride forget her Attire? If any of us have forgot our Attire, we cannot mind any thing that is amiſs; We cannot faſten one Pin in that diſtreſs of our ſouls: We muſt be in the Wedding Garment perfectly attired, and arrayed: For what is done then (as I have often ſaid) is done in an Atome of Time, The dead ſhall be raiſed incorruptible, Wicked Men, and Fooliſh Virgins, ſhall be raiſed juſt as they die. And therefore, mind ſeriouſly to do for your ſouls, what you'd do, in this preſent ſtate. And then,
Laſtly, As I have ſaid, I ſay again, That you would earneſtly pray for the Preparation of that Time, Pray earneſtly for the pouring out of the Spirit; Do you think it will not be better for you, when God ſhall pour out his Spirit upon all fleſh, when your Sons and your Daughters ſhall Propheſie; when your old men ſhall dream Dreams, and your young men ſhall ſee Viſions? When there ſhall be an univerſal Propheſie upon the People of God; as I have greateſt reaſon to hope, that the time is very near: Why ſhould we not earneſtly pray for it, and deſire it?
You think, there will be too much Clutter, and ado about Religion then; don't miſtake, Whatſoever is done, ſhall run ſo eaſie, and quiet then, with ſuch advantage, and the Great Cares and Diſadvantages of the World ſhall be taken off, and every thing ſhall be in a merciful order, that we may be prepared for that Great and Notable Day of the Lord.
And therefore, Let us earneſtly pray and wait, That a better ſtate, both of Chriſtianity in General, and the Reformation in particular, may come forth, That thoſe Thunders that have been Sealed ſince the Reformation, for almoſt an Hundred and Eighty Years, That their Mouths may be open, and their Voices may utter themſelves. That every thing may be that tends to increaſe and promote Holineſs, Purity and Spirituality, and Heavenlineſs; for I am not ſpeaking, nor never did ſpeak to you of a Kingdom of Eating and Drinking, and putting on Glorious Apparel; but that there ſhall be an univerſal knowledge of God and Jeſus Chriſt. And that none but thoſe that are reſolved to be filthy ſhould remain filthy; and thoſe who give up themſelves in Holy ways, ſhould be Encouraged, and ſhould mount up with Eagles Wings, and Grow ſtronger and ſtronger. And therefore, that there is but the Hopes of theſe things, Let us Bleſs God Exceedingly. For many Prophets and Wiſemen, and Kings, and Righteous Men have deſired to ſee thoſe things, which you ſee and have not ſeen them, and to hear thoſe things, which you hear, and have not heard them.
And yet for all that; If any of us are called to Die, who are Sincere, and faithfull; God will give us ſo much certainly of that Spirit of Propheſie, of Illumination; of Revelation, That ſhall carry us ſafe to Heaven; and ſhall Search and Try us ſo, That we ſhall be led out of any wicked way into the way that is Everlaſting.
And therefore, Let not theſe things Diſcourage you, But let them Enflame our Care, Zeal, Endeavours and Deſires; That we may Watch, Becauſe Nothing con be done, when our Lord comes, but only, They that are Ready, Go in with Him to the Wedding.
FINIS.
AN APOLOGY For the Hope of the Kingdom of Chriſt, Appearing Within This Approaching Year, 1697.
Wherein ſome of the Principal Arguments for ſuch an Expectation are briefly Couch'd, and the Greater Objections Anſwered.
Preſented to the Notice and Examination of the Arch-Biſhops and Biſhops Now in PARLIAMENT Aſſembled.
By T. BEVERLEY.
Ezek. 10. 13. As concerning the Wheels, It was cryed to them, in my Hearing, Oh! Revolution!
LONDON: Printed for, and Sold by Will. Marſhal at the Bible in Newgate-Street, and John Marſhal at the Bible in Grace-Church-Street, 1697.