The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Collection of sermons · Sermon 6
SERMON VI. On Matthew 25. v. 1.
Then ſhall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto Ten Virgins, which took their Lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom, &c.
I Have in ſeveral Diſcourſes, led you through the great Importance, and Senſe of our Lord in this Parable: Which is one of thoſe, wherein (as he ſpeaks, Matth. 13.) he opened his Mouth in Parables, and uttered Things that had been kept ſecret from the foundation of the World.
I have ſpoken of ſeveral particulars herein; and will go directly upon what is now before us, and to be ſpoken of: and that is,
That while the Bridegroom tarried; all theſe Virgins, both the wiſe, and the unwiſe, ſlumbred and ſlept.
Now, it is indeed, a great difficulty to find out the very meaning and ſenſe of our Lord in this part of the Parable: For, it ſeems ſtrange, that not only the unwiſe, but that the wiſe Virgins ſlumbred and ſlept.
And, to give a ſenſe of this, ſuitable to the meaning, and to the reſt of the Parable, I ſhall at this time, by the aſſiſtance of God, undertake; and ſo to Diſcourſe of it accordingly.
I obſerve therefore to you, That here are two Words uſed by our Lord: They ſlumbred, and they ſlept. I look upon theſe Words to have two very different ſenſes, though they may ſeem to be perfectly alike, And that ſlumbring and ſleeping, (as indeed, Scripture and common Language, generally join both together) mean one and the ſame thing.
But, I underſtand the Firſt, concerning the ſpiritual ſtate of the Churches of Chriſt, during the delay of Chriſts coming, and of the Kingdom of Chriſt. All the whole ſtate of the Chriſtian Church, hath been from the very beginning of the working of the Myſtery of Iniquity, it hath been in a ſlumbring condition.
But then, the ſleeping, I look upon that to be an expreſſion of the dying of the Servants of Chriſt, all along, from the Time of the Reſurrection of Chriſt, to this very Time; And the latter is conſequent upon the former.
For, I am fully perſwaded, That if the Power and Glory, and vigour of Chriſtianity; in a ſettled ſtate of Chriſtianity; if that had immediately followed upon the Reſurrection of Chriſt, and the giving of the Spirit, that pouring out of the Spirit that was in the Apoſtles days; I do fully believe, there had been no ſuch Thing as dying: Even as when the Kingdom of Chriſt comes, there ſhall be no more Death; So, if the Kingdom of Chriſt had immediately proceeded, upon the firſt Preaching of the Goſpel, there had been no ſleeping: If there had been no ſlumbring, there had been no ſleeping.
And, I ſhall give you two great Reaſons, why I underſtand the Word ſleeping, concerning dying: They ſlumbred; that is, the Power of Chriſtianity did not ſhew it ſelf upon them; And ſo they ſlept, that is, they died.
The firſt Reaſon I would give you of it is this, Becauſe the Intention of our Lord, in this Parable, is chiefly, That we may look to the Power of Chriſtianity in our own hearts, to ſuch a power of it, as that we ſhould be able to appear with Chriſt when he comes to the Wedding; That our Lamps ſhould not then go out. The great Meaning, the great Scope of the Parable is this, That we ſhould look to have the very Life, and Truth of Grace, ſo in our hearts, that we may have a Light of it when Chriſt comes, that will not go out in the very time, in that very inſtant Time, wherein we ſhould go with him to the Wedding.
Now, it is very plain, That the Wiſe Virgins indeed, had this Light: For, it is ſaid of them (ver. 10.) They that were ready (which is ſpoken of the wiſe Virgins) they went in with him to the Marriage, and the Door was ſhut.
So that if the wiſe Virgins had ſlept in that ſenſe, that the fooliſh Virgins did; I ſay, if they had ſlept in the ſame ſenſe, they would not have been ready to go into the Wedding with Chriſt. So that theſe wiſe Virgins, they did watch, and they did not ſleep in the main ſenſe of the Parable: For, they were ready to go in with him to the Wedding.
Altho therefore they did die, yet in the great concernment of Eternity, they did not ſleep away their time; they did not loſe their opportunity of providing a Treaſure of Oil.
A Second Reaſon that I give you, Why this ſleeping is not meant of the ſpiritual eſtate of theſe Virgins, but only of their dying, is,
Becauſe it is ſaid, At Midnight there was a Cry made; And then they aroſe and trimmed their Lamps.
Now this Midnight is that ſtate of death, in regard of the Body, in which all the ſervants of Chriſt lie, till that Reſurrection, till that Firſt Reſurrection that is ſpoken of. This is indeed, like a Midnight: For, when the Bodies of Saints lie in the Duſt, it is as if a Midnight were upon them, as to that viſible ſtate and appearance of Body; though their Spirits are indeed with Chriſt, yet their Bodies lie as in a Midnight.
And, if you ſpeak of the Apoſtles of Chriſt, Peter, Paul, John, and the reſt of them; they are all of them (as it were) in a Midnight ſleep, as to their Bodies, And therefore, the Midnight is ſo properly to be underſtood; Whereas, in regard of the Spiritual State of the Church of Chriſt, which is before his Coming, before the Glory of his Coming, it ſhall not be a Midnight.
For, as I have often endeavoured to make plain unto you, That aſſoon as ever thoſe Time, Times and half Time of the Antichriſtian Power are at an end, immediately, a great Light, and a great Glory of the Goſpel ſhall ſhine out, that it ſhall not be a Midnight; Indeed, the Light will not be perfectly clear, or precious, till the Glory of the Kingdom of Chriſt.
But I cannot but hope and expect, That within very few years, there will be ſuch a ſtate of Chriſtianity, ſuch a ſtate of the Goſpel; the Everlaſting Goſpel preached through the World; There will be ſuch a new Miſſion and Commiſſion of the Servants of Chriſt, That it ſhall not be to be accounted a Midnight in that regard: Nor ſhall the Coming of Chriſt be ſo on the ſudden, but that there will be great Light concerning it; When that Angel that flyes through the midſt of Heaven, (Rev. 14.) ſhall have preach'd the Everlaſting Goſpel to every Nation, &c.
Theſe are the Reaſons why I cannot underſtand this Word ſleeping, to be a repreſentation of the ſpiritual ſtate of the Church, and Servants of Chriſt; But, I do underſtand by the ſlumbring, That there is ſuch a deadiſh, ſuch a drouſie, ſuch a benumm'd ſtate of Chriſtianity, as indeed we ſee in the very beſt, to this day.
Therefore the Obſervation that I ſhall lay down, and endeavour to open to you, is this:
That Chriſtianity, in regard of the preſent ſtate of Chriſtians, and as they have been ſince Epheſus (Rev. 2.) left its firſt love; ſince there was a decay of the Glory and. Purity, and preſence of the Goſpel from the Apoſtles Time; Since then, I ſay, Chriſtianity, in the Power and Spirit of it, though it hath not downright ſlept; yet it hath been, as in a ſlumber.
For indeed, I have often ſaid it, and I cannot be in a remove from it; That Chriſtianity is not as it was intended by Chriſt, it ſhould be, We have not ſeen the State and Glory of it. And therefore I ſhall make it my buſineſs to repreſent to you, by ſuch Repreſentations as the Scripture hath given us, how the Power of Chriſtianity hath faultred thus long; and that it will come to its perfectly awakened State, when the Kingdoms of this World are Proclaimed to be the Lord's and his Chriſt's.
And I ſhall date this failure, eſpecially to two Times; and one of them will fall directly upon our ſelves.
Firſt of all, the Time when the Myſtery of Iniquity was working in the Apoſtles days.
For, you may plainly behold that, by the very expreſs words of the Apoſtle; that in his own▪ Time, there was a working of the Myſtery of Iniquity; Then began the great decay and bringing down of the Glory of Chriſtianity, 2 Theſ. 2. 'Tis a Scripture that I have often turned you to, and therefore I hope you are acquainted with it. I am perſwaded, the firſt Chriſtians in the Apoſtles days, needed as much to be reſtrained, in thinking that the Day of Chriſt was at hand, as we have need to be ſpurr'd on, and to be provoked, and to be earneſtly perſwaded to think, that the Day of Chriſt is at hand.
For, ſo the Apoſtle writes, We beſeech you, ſaith he, as if he was in a buſineſs of greateſt earneſtneſs, and that he could not tell how he ſhould prevail enough upon them, to whom he wrote in it, ver. 1. We beſeech you, Brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not ſoon ſhaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by Spirit, nor by Word, nor by Letter, as from us, as that the Day of Chriſt is at hand. They were ready to think, The Day of Chriſt was to come juſt then: Therefore the Apoſtle makes this earneſt entreaty of them, that they would not expect it: You ſee what a different poſture we are in now: It is a hard matter to perſwade any one to take off their hearts from the World, and from loving it too deep, and from thinking here's a ſecurity in this World, and we may do as our Fathers have done before us, for ſo many Hundred Years in the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity: We may be buying and ſelling, and getting Eſtates, and laying a foundation in this World; Who is it, that doth not count it a ſort of Madneſs, to diſſwade them from ſuch a thing?
But the Chriſtians of that Time, they needed as earneſt a perſwaſion, That they might not think that the Day of Christ was ſo near at hand. And ſo Chriſt, in the 19th of Luke, ſpeaks that Parable that they ſhould not, becauſe they did think The Kingdom of Heaven was nigh at hand: He ſpake a Parable, on purpoſe to aſſure them, that it was not ſo nigh: But Alas! we need ſtrong perſwaſions to the contrary.
And, I may ſay the contrary to the Chriſtians of this Time, I beſeech you Brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jeſus, and by our gathering together unto him, that you would not be ſhaken in mind, by the general way of Peoples Profeſſion, and Preaching and Hearing, as if the Day of Chriſt were not at hand. And as the Apoſtle ſaith, Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day ſhall not come, except there come a falling away firſt, and that Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition. So I ſay to you, That day is near approaching; For that falling away, that Apoſtacy from Chriſtianity, it hath been, and it is now very near to its expiring: And therefore the great reaſon, why it could not be then, it is now a reaſon, why it muſt ſpeedily be; becauſe the Apoſtacy hath been ſo long; becauſe the Time, and the laſt Date, by God, and by Chriſt is almoſt run out, and expired: that is, the Time, Times and half Time.
Here therefore, to ſpeak and bring home the thing to the preſent purpoſe I am upon; Since this Apoſtacy began to work, ſince that very Time, Chriſtianity hath been in a ſlumber. For, in this ſecond Chap. v. 7. ſaith the Apoſtle, the Myſtery of Iniquity doth already work. Now, as ſoon as ever the Myſtery of Iniquity began to work: immediately there began a ſlumber upon the Chriſtian Religion: And therefore one would wonder, Indeed, it is a place that one would wonder to read, and to find, in the Epiſtle to the Philippians, what the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Chap. 2. 20. For I have no man (ſaith he) likeminded (ſpeaking of Timotheus) who will naturally, genuinely, ſincerely care for your ſtate: For (ſaith he) All ſeek their own, not the things which are Jeſus Chriſt's.
I ſpeak of him, as an extraordinary Perſon, ſaith the Apoſtle. By this we may plainly ſee, it was a great variation from what you read in the ſecond and third Chapters of the Acts, where they minded nothing but only the Promotion of Chriſtianity: No one called any thing their own; they minded nothing but Chriſtianity it ſelf. But Chriſtianity hath been in a ſlumber ever ſince; or elſe we ſhould be Chriſtians of another Life, of another Spirit, of another Power; I ſay, were it not that Chriſtianity hath been in a ſlumber ſo long.
And this is with a great deal of ſpiritual Wit, (if I may ſo ſpeak) and a great deal of ſpiritual Elegancy ſet out to us in the Song of Solomon. I ſhall have occaſion to make great recourſe to the Deſcription that is there given to us. Sol. Song, c. 5. v. 2. I ſleep, but my heart waketh; it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, ſaying, open to me, my Siſter, my Love, my Dove, my undefiled: for my Head is filled with Dew, and my Locks with the Drops of the Night.
What's the meaning of this? Indeed, I know Men are ready to ſay, That theſe things are only Imaginations and Whimſies, and Apprehenſions of ones own that ſpeaks of them.
But I have found a clear Thread, and Line drawn from David's time, till the very Glorious Coming of Chriſt, in this very Song of Solomon. And I find, that the Time when the Apoſtacy came in, is juſt under the very deſcription that we here have.
As therefore, when after a clear Day, a Sun-ſhiny-day, at Night, the Drops of Dew, you know, they fall thick upon the heads of thoſe that are in the Air. So Chriſt doth declare, A night ſhould come, at that time upon his Church. My head (ſaith he) is wet with the drops of Dew of the Night: Becauſe Chriſtianity was drawing its Ceremonies long; they began then; at that very time, they begun then to draw out the ſhadows of the Evening: A great many Ceremonies came into Chriſtianity, and a Form and Way of Prayer ſuitable and agreeable to it, and ſuch ways of Preaching as prepar'd for it. And then they came to be more intent upon the Remembrance of ſuch a Saint, and ſuch a Martyr, and keeping their Days; and drawing as many outward Forms and Ceremonies of Religion as they could, and they neglected the Power of it. And this Chriſt obſerves, and calls it, the Drops of Dew, the Drops of the Night upon his Head: And then the Church of Chriſt began to ſlumber.
And this is the firſt Time that is to be taken notice of in regard of the ſlumbering, even of the wiſe Virgins; Of which I ſhall ſpeak preſently more particularly to you.
The Second is this; And I deſire that none would be offended, or think me cenſorious in ſpeaking of it: For I deſign nothing, (I can truly Appeal to God) but only to ſpeak the Truth, and the Reality of Things, in a Point, where Scripture calls for the ſpeaking of it. That is, This Slumber hath been ſince the Reformation; As ſoon as ever the firſt Power had ſhewn it ſelf; There was indeed, a mighty Spirit of Truth, and Spirit of Holineſs in the firſt Reformation; Men and Women were then Chriſtians of a high Rate, of a high Degree, of a high Excellency: How willing were they to ſuffer in the days of Queen Mary, in our own Nation? How did they love one another? How did the Power and Glory of Chriſtianity appear in them? But, I hope, it will be no ſcandal to ſay this, That it hath been in a decay for a Hundred Years: For it is the very expreſs words of one, that is, Dr. Burnet, that we know by the Name of the Biſhop of Salisbury; he ſpake it plainly and openly in this City, That the Reformation has Sermon, Of not falling out by the Way.been loſing ground for theſe Hundred Years. And whence is this? But only a great ſlumber hath fallen upon the Profeſſion of the Proteſtant Religion for a Hundred Years: And the Glory and Power and Excellency of Chriſtianity, we have not yet reſtored to its own Beauty, and to its own Glory.
And this, I have endeavoured ſeveral times, (both in Diſcourſe and in Writing) to make plain, That the Church of Sardis is the Repreſentation of the Generality of the Chriſtian Churches, under the Reformation. And, I deſire, that you would but read, and weigh the Deſcription that is given of that Church, Rev. 3. 1, 2. And to 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. Be watchful (ſaith he) and ſtrengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. Be watchful: What's the meaning of that? But only to ſhew, that the State of the Proteſtant Churches had fallen into a great ſlumber, a great drowſineſs: And therefore it is, that we know ſo little of the Power of Chriſtianity at this day. And ſaith he, I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou haſt received, and heard, and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou ſhalt not watch (obſerve that) I will come on thee as a Thief, and thou ſhalt not know what hour I will come upon thee; if thou doſt not watch.
Here we plainly ſee what is oppoſed to ſlumbering, it is watching. And when Chriſt ſaith, Watch, ſo often, and ſo much; it ſignifies, that his Church would fall into a ſlumbering condition; it had a Name to live, it was not perfectly dead: But it was not vigorous, and powerful in the ways of Chriſtianity, And therefore watch, and ſtrengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die.
I'll give you only two Arguments, why I am of this Judgment, That this very Parable I am upon, does look directly upon the ſtate of the Proteſtant Churches; and ſo upon our ſelves, as in the Profeſſion of the Proteſtant Religion, at this very Time; I'll give you the two Arguments, and then I'll go on in a more practical way of diſcourſing the particulars, of this ſlumbring of Chriſtians in the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity.
The Firſt Argument I give you is,
Becauſe it is now the Time, It is now the Time eſpecially, when our Lord delays his coming. For there ſhall not be Time, Times, nor ſo much, as half Time any more whole and entire; For at the Reformation Chriſt began to make an appearance of his Kingdom, and of his Coming; And it is certain, the bringing in of the Reformation, as all true Proteſtants own, it was one of the greateſt Works of Providence that ever hath been known in the World, and eſpecially ſince the days of Chriſt. It was ſtrange and wonderful, in the Times when God did it▪ that he ſhould bring in a Reformation againſt ſuch high Pretences, as that of The Catholick Church, as Rome was called; and againſt the Papacy and Hierarchy, that took upon themſelves to be the great Patrons of, and Pretenders to Chriſtian Religion, and the▪ true Votaries and Servants of it, to have all things good within themſelves. Now, That ſuch a poor inconſiderable Perſon as Luther was, ſhould make oppoſition to ſuch a Body; when as the Kings and Princes of Europe were utter Enemies to the Reformation: It was a Mighty Power of God. And, as I have often ſhew'd; Rev. 10. is the very Repreſentation of the Reformation; Chriſt came down from Heaven, clothed with a Cloud, and with a Rainbow upon his head. And he ſet his right Foot upon the Sea, and his left Foot upon the Earth, and cryed with a loud Voice, as when a Lyon roareth, and ſware by him that liveth for ever and ever, That Time, and Times; and even of half Time, that it ſhould be no longer. Who would not (I ſay) but have expected, that Chriſt ſhould immediately have come, and changed the World, and brought in his Kingdom?
But our Lord delays his Coming only, till the Hundred and Eighty Years are made up; of which, there wants only now but Five Years. And, at the preſent, there is a great delay; though I make no doubt, It will not be long. But yet Men think, Chriſt hath delayed his Coming; and where is the Promiſe of it? and that he hath quite forgot it. In this Time therefore, of the Lord's delaying his Coming, there is ſuch a great ſlumber upon the Chriſtian Church.
In the ſecond Place, I have this great Reaſon, that moves me much to think, that the preſent delay, that the Parable ſpeaks of, under that ſpiritual ſlumber of the Churches of Chriſt, hath run along with the Time ſince the Reformation; Becauſe Chriſt ſaith, in the firſt Words, Then ſhall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto Ten Virgins: When? Why it ſhall be at that Time, as in the 24th of Matthew; though we divide Chapters, yet the ſenſe is not divided, nor our Saviour's Sermon divided; but our Lord is ſtill going on in his Diſcourſe, Mat. 24. 48, 49, &c. But and if that evil Servant ſhall ſay in his heart, my Lord delayeth his coming, and ſhall begin to ſmite his fellow-ſervants, and to eat and drink with the drunken: The Lord of that ſervant ſhall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of; and ſhall cut him in ſunder, and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites: There ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth.
There was never a greater Hypocriſie in the World than the Papacy: To which they ſay (you know, in Reverence) Your Holineſs; as we ſay to Princes, Your Majeſty, or Your Highneſs. And they ſay, Your Holineſs, a Blaſphemous Aſſumption; and therefore he ſhall appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites; Becauſe he hath been the Evil Servant, that hath ſaid, My Lord delayeth his coming. And ſo he begins to Eat and Drink with the Drunken, and to Smite the Men-ſervants, and Maid-ſervants: That is, to Perſecute the true Servants of Jeſus Chriſt, and of the Goſpel.
Then ſhall the Kingdom of Heaven be likned unto Ten Virgins, which took their Lamps, &c. when that Judgment is.
So that the Time before the puniſhing of this Bad Servant, and the cutting him off, and Devoting him to the Wrath and Indignation of God; Before this, there falls ſuch a Slumber as this.
Now therefore, Having made the way, I ſhall Endeavour to go on, and to ſpeak to theſe two things.
Firſt, To ſhew wherein (as to our particular) we are to obſerve a Spirit of Slumber; and that the power of Chriſtianity does take ſmall hold of us. And then,
In the Second place; I ſhall Endeavour to ſhew you, wherein the Wiſe and Fooliſh Virgins Differ; though they are both in a Slumber; and they Die alike, they Sleep alike, yet there is a very vaſt and great difference betwixt them.
In the Firſt place, This is a very great Argument that we are under the Slumber of Chriſtianity; That we are not really in a Holy Tranſport, in all the Services, and Enjoyments, and Ordinances of Chriſtianity. Indeed, we make a ſhift to paſs through the Form, to hold up the Form of Prayer, and of Preaching, and of the Lord's Supper, and of good Diſcourſe ſometimes one with another: But we have not that mighty Affection, we are juſt like Perſons in a Slumber: You know, they underſtand ſomething of what you ſay to them; and they make ſome kind of Anſwer: But they are ſo low and ſo imperfect herein; that we may be ſure, they are not in the Vigour of their Senſes, and of their Underſtanding, and of their Reaſoning, and of their Diſcourſe.
Surely, If we were raiſed to the Power of Chriſtianity, we ſhould have more of thoſe High Elevations of mind, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of; and that the Holy Men of Old, in former times, ſpeak of. We ſhould have ſuch flaming Deſires after God, and after Chriſt, that our hearts would be Raviſhed, and we ſhould be drawn (as it were) out of our ſelves, in theſe things; Whereas we do but Nod (as I may ſo expreſs it) in our way of Chriſtianity; Or, when we ſeem to do ſomething, we are preſently in a kind of Slumber, ſo that there wants the Power and Life of it. When David ſaith, How ſweet is thy Word to my taſte? Sweeter than the Hony, or the Hony Comb; It was another State than we are in; All the 119 Pſalm is a perpetual Rapture and Extaſie of Heart; All that time he was awake: So, Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? And there is none upon Earth that I deſire beſide Thee?
And, My Heart and my Fleſh Faileth; but thou art the ſtrength of my Heart and my Portion for ever. My Soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy Judgments at all times.
All our Converſe with Chriſt, and with the Holy Ordinances of Chriſt, and all our Drawings nigh to God, They would be with a Holy Tranſport. So in the 42. Pſalm, ſaith David; As the Hart panteth after the water-Brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee O God.
You cannot really ſuppoſe, but that if we were fully poſſeſt with Religion, indeed, we ſhould be carried out of our ſelves, in Love, and Service, and Thankfulneſs, and Obedience, and all the Powers of Holineſs and Religion; Whereas now, If a Perſon be but Civil to Religion, If he will but ſit patiently, and hear a Diſcourſe of it; Or if he can but endure to be called off from the World, to God; we look upon it as a great Attainment. But I ſay, If Chriſtianity were not under Slumber, in the Spirits of Men, we ſhould be in a high Tranſport; That, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in the 2 Cor, 5. The love of Chriſt Conſtrains us, becauſe we thus judge. The Word (as the Learned Obſerve) ſignifies ſuch a kind of Tranſports, as when Elijah was taken up by the Spirit, and carried hither and thither; So the love of Chriſt conſtrains us, that is, Tranſports us every way, Ver. 14. Wherefore (ſaith he) henceforth know we no man after the Fleſh (Ver. 16.) Yea, though we have known Chriſt after the Fleſh, yet now henceforth know we him ſo no more.
Surely, This is the Slumber of Chriſtianity, that we are taken ſo much with outward appearances, with out-ſides of men. The Apoſtle obſerved the Slumber of Chriſtianity, upon this account in his Day; James 2. 2. If there come into your Aſſembly a man with a Gold Ring, in goodly Apparel, &c. Here Chriſtianity began to be in a Slumber; not but that due regard ought to be to the ſeveral Ranks of Men: But in this regard, we know Men too much after the fleſh, ſo that it argues Chriſtianity much in a Slumber. Do but read, I beſeech you; (don't think I ſpeak, either vainly, or without due conſideration of what I ſay) Do but read thoſe places of Scripture, that are ſo Eminent in ſetting out the Glory of Chriſtianity: While we look not (ſaith the Apoſtle in 2 Cor. 4. 18) at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen, are eternal.
Now I ſay, who is it, that loves thus to look upon the things that are ſeen as nothing, and the things that are not ſeen as all? So (ſaith he) We know that if our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved. (chap. 5. 1.) we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. ver. 2. For in this we groan earneſtly, ſaith the Apoſtle.
Who groans earneſtly? I do not ſpeak at all to be cenſorious, or to tax Men beyond Reaſon, or any way to juſtifie my ſelf; but only this I am clearly ſenſible of, That the General Character of the Church of Sardis is fallen upon all the Proteſtant Churches, and upon all Proteſtant Perſons: As David ſaith in another caſe, There is no one that doth not Slumber, (I may ſay) no not one. Though there are ſome Chriſtians more lively, and more wakeful, and more apprehenſive than others; yet there are none but Slumber; for the General Character of any Church, it falls upon particular perſons, in a very great meaſure.
Now I ſay, thoſe high Ecſtaſies of ſpirituality, of Heavenlineſs, of Holineſs, of Purity, that are to be found in Scripture, make it plain, that the excellent and glorious, and powerful Spirit of Chriſtianity is in a Slumber, as in us.
And hereby, I would deſire you to take notice, That the Diſcourſe of the Kingdom of Chriſt is not, as if ſome ſenſual or Worldly Glory were to be brought in; or that men were to be pleaſed with that: For the thing that I expect, when the Kingdoms of this World ſhall be proclaimed to be the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Chriſt, are quite of another nature: That whoever of us are alive at that day, whether I or you, or any of us that truly love and fear him, and love the Glory of his Kingdom; I make no doubt, but the Glory and Power of Chriſtianity ſhall ſprout out afreſh upon them, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Then the Lord awaked, as one out of ſleep, and like a mighty Man that ſhouteth by reaſon of Wine (Pſal. 78. 65, 66.) And he ſmote his enemies in the hinder parts; he put them to a perpetual reproach: So we ſhall be able to ſmite the Luſts and Corruptions, and the power of Temptations that now ſo prevail upon us; we ſhall be able to chaſe them, and to put them to flight, and to drive them before us. We ſhall be able to love God and Chriſt, and to be mortified to this World; we ſhall be able to expreſs our ſelves abundantly in the ways of holineſs, and to rejoice in God accordingly; and it is no other Kingdom that I expect, But all ſhall bring in this, with its happy conſequences; I ſay, we ſhall be able to lay off, and aſide from our ſelves, all the Vanity, Pride and Love of this World, and all, not only the Groſs Sins that are in the World, in regard of which, men are ſcandalous, and Chriſtians evil ſpoken of every where, But thoſe Sins that the World doth colour and varniſh over, and ſpeak very kindly and fairly of; all the deadneſs in Hearing, in Praying and Diſcourſing. Alas! our Diſcourſe of Religion, it is but a kind of Formality; we don't retain any thing of it: But when this Slumber is taken off of Chriſtianity, it ſhall be much otherwiſe.
In the ſecond Place, When the Slumber of Chriſtianity is taken off, we ſhall ſee much clearer Scripture-Truths, and in the Salvation and Redemption of Chriſt: All the Diſpute and Anger about theſe things will go off, for the clearneſs of things will be ſeen. And then, that Diſpute that is upon us now, concerning the Kingdom of Chriſt; Some are utter Enemies to ſuch Diſcourſes of it, even good perſons; and ſome are ready to ſcorn, and laugh it out of Countenance; and few there are that believe it, and are in the Truth of it; What is the Reaſon of this? but becauſe theſe Scriptures are not ſo cleared. And ſo, very many excellent and Eminent Servants of God, they are afriad to Diſcourſe of the Free Grace of God, and the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt without Works, leſt it ſhould make men looſe, and make men licentious; and therefore they are ſtreightning and curbing, and glancing all they can againſt ſuch Diſcourſes as theſe are. The reaſon is, becauſe the Spirit of Slumber is ſo much upon Chriſtians, Iſaiah 29. The Lord hath poured upon you the ſpirit of deep ſleep, and hath cloſed your eyes; the Prophets, and your Rulers, the Seers hath he covered. And the Viſion of all is become unto you as the words of a Book that is ſealed, which Men deliver to one that is learned, ſaying; read this, I pray thee, and he ſaith, I cannot, for it is ſealed. And the Book is delivered to one that is not learned, ſaying, read this, I pray thee; and he ſaith, I am not learned. Now, this Spirit of deep ſleep, I hope, is taken off from us by the Reformation, and by the clearneſs of the Goſpel, in that manner that we enjoy it, in the main, now in the Proteſtant Profeſſion; but there is a Slumber ſtill remaining: Or elſe Men would hear and learn with far greater eaſe, and in another manner Diſcourſe with one another: It will be wonderful when the Tongue of the dumb ſhall ſing, as it is ſaid in the Prophet. I am verily perſwaded, That thoſe that ſay leaſt in Religion now, there will be ſuch a change in them, by taking off the Spirit of Slumber, That the Tongue of the dumb ſhall ſing: He that knows not how to ſpeak, and is afraid to ſpeak of Religion, becauſe he thinks he has not knowledge enough, his Tongue ſhall ſing in Diſcourſes of the ways of God; That is, he ſhall ſpeak with great clearneſs, and great acceptableneſs.
In the Third Place; We ſhall have a greater value for the ſtate of Glory that is to be revealed, and a greater undervaluing of the preſent ſtate of this World: We ſhall not think we are undone, if we have not of this World, and of the things of it, in ſuch an abundance, as we would have.
Or, if we cannot lay ſuch foundations of Eſtates for the time to come; Men will begin to ſay, That this preſent World is like a Cottage that is ſuddenly to be removed. And if Men had foreknown, in Jamaica, ſome Days or Weeks before, that their Houſes ſhould go down (as one may ſay) ſo quick into the Earth, and be ſwallowed up, and even the Earth it ſelf ſo changed, what value do you think they would have had for thoſe Houſes, or Grounds? and how many Years Purchace would they have valu'd all at as we ordinarily ſpeak? So I ſay, when our preſent ſtate is like a Cottage that is to be removed; that great value and eſteem we have of the World ſhall go off.
If you will ſay, This is only a ſort of Levelling Doctrine or Diſcourſe; I do not intend it ſhould move any one as for the preſent, but only to an expectation, and to take off our hearts from the preſent evil World: And I only deſire to tell you, what ſhall be when you ſhall ſee ſuch a Glory and Light of this World to come, appearing and ſhining out: I do but deſire that you would remember what hath been ſpoken to you out of the Word, and in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, what hath been ſpoken of theſe things that are to come to paſs.
I'll give you but a brief Account of the Difference between the one and the other, (the Wiſe, and Fooliſh Virgins) and ſo conclude in the Application of it. And I take it out of that 5th. Chapter of Solomons-Song. Here's the great Difference that is between the one ſort, and the other ſort. Ver. 2. I Sleep (ſaith ſhe) but my heart waketh. That is, there is a Principle within me; there is a Spirit within me: A Spirit within every Wiſe Virgin, that keeps a watch even while it is in a Slumber. As you know, many Perſons, they have a warineſs of things, though they are in a ſort of Slumber; yet they are preſently ſenſible if any thing comes, either as to advantage, or diſadvantage.
So there is a Spirit in every true Chriſtian, that is aware of the Great Concernments of Eternity, that knows the Excellency of Chriſt, and that loves Jeſus Chriſt; and that knows the Vanity of this World, and the things of it: Even while they are in a Slumber, their heart wakes concerning theſe things. And then, again, you read, They cannot be quiet, they have ſuch kind of Items and Intimations from Chriſt, that they are preſently aware: That when Chriſt ſpeaks, preſently the Beloved, the Church of Chriſt, the true Church anſwers him: (ver. 4.) Saith ſhe, My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the Door, and my bowels were moved for him: Indeed, ſhe could not get quickly up, Indeed, ſaith ſhe, I have put off my Coat, how ſhall I put it on? That is, I have ſet my ſelf in a way of Religion, that I hope, will do, and will be enough, and it is as much as others do; and as much as generally is to be found among Chriſtians, and as much as can ſuit with the preſent ſtate of this World; but Chriſt gave her an Intimation and Item from himſelf; And preſently, ſaith ſhe, My Bowels were moved for him; And I aroſe to open to my Beloved; and then ſhe went ſeeking up and down the City: And the Watchmen ſaid, it is too much for you to take upon you; they take away her Vail from her; they impeach her Modeſty as it were: But ſhe goes on, I Charge you, O Daughters of Jeruſalem, if ye find my Beloved, that ye tell him I am ſick of love: There is an earneſt, and vehement, and inward affection in the heart, that is in every true, ſincere Chriſtian, in every wiſe Virgin; Though they ſleep, yet their heart waketh: There is a Principle and a Power, that ſhall never be deſerted and forſaken of God, even in the midſt of this inclination to Slumber: God will bring it forth in Power, and to Perfection; and ſo you may Trace the thing along in your own ſouls: Do you find that a little Intimation makes you very earneſt and vehement after Chriſt? Do you find that there is ſuch a ſtable deſire of Chriſt, and his Grace and Spirit, That you deſire he ſhould know, that you are ſick of love? And that you declare to the World, that you love him above all things elſe.
And ſo, I ſhall proceed no further in this Diſcourſe, but only cloſe with Application.
1. In the firſt place, It teaches us, That we ſhould not magnifie the preſent ſtate of any Church, or Churches whatſoever, or their way; for all of them come far ſhort, though one much ſhorter than another, yet all come ſhort.
And ſo we ſhould ſee in our own ſtate: Alas! it is but ſuitable to the Day, or rather (as I may ſay) to the Night that is yet continuing, and is not yet paſt off from us. Though indeed, God is exceedingly to be magnified and adored, in all the good of the Goſpel and Chriſtianity that we ſee in the World. I am far from putting a Blemiſh or Diminution upon what God hath done; ſeeing there are ſo many Excellent Preachers of Chriſtianity, and ſo many Excellent Chriſtians; and ſuch a great Light of the Goſpel, as we have: That ſuch as were heretofore, would have wondred at the Goodneſs and Grace of God, if there ſhould have been ſuch a freedom of Preaching his Word every where, and gathering Souls to himſelf: And that there are ſo many of his Servants have a deſire towards his Name, and towards the Remembrance of him: And therefore, I ſay, I deſire to fore-caution as to that part; That I am not at all cenſorious, but acknowledging of the Infinite Grace of God. But yet I ſay ſtill, That I would not have you think, we are at the Excellency of Chriſtianity, as it is in Publick, or as it is in Particulars: I make no doubt, but he that fears God now, ſhall fear him much more; and he that loves Chriſt now, ſhall love him much more; and they that ſpeak and think of his Name, ſhall do it much more, when this Slumber is taken off: I tell you, you cannot do now what you would do; you cannot love God and Chriſt; you cannot be ſo free, and undiſtracted, and retired in to the way of Chriſtianity, as you would be. And therefore look upon it, That the preſent Day is the Day of the Slumber of the Glory of Chriſtianity; and therefore, let us bewail our ſelves, that we can get up no higher awakened: much more, that we cannot ſhake off that Slumber that is ſo much upon us.
But ſtill I ſay, we muſt expect a clearer, and lightſomer, and a brighter Air of the Goſpel, and Sun-ſhine of it: We muſt expect the Sun of Righteouſneſs with healing in his Wings.
Do but conſider how you come on upon a Duty, and how you come off; and how you loſe what you would retain; and how hard it is to gain, and how quickly it is gone off.
Our ſouls ſhould be in a conſtant poſture in this World; our Veſſels for ordinary uſes, ſhould be Holineſs to Jehovah; but if one Treats of this way, or that way, one finds, that the Glory of it does not ſparkle and gliſter as it ſhould, I ſpeak not what I ſpeak from my own ſpirit, but what God will ſpeedily make good to all thoſe that ſhall live in that Time, Then they ſhall ſay, How hath the Glory of Chriſtianity changed me! We ſhall find the Vacancies and the Emptineſſes and Blemiſhes that are upon us, ſhall be fill'd up, and taken off; and we ſhall walk in a higher Power and Spirit of Chriſtianity: And therefore let no one boaſt, in regard of this or that Church-State, whatſoever it be; For certainly, All is under a Spirit of Slumber now; and there ſhall come a far more excellent State upon the Churches of Chriſt; and ſo it ſhall deſcend upon every particular Perſon. And then,
2. In the Second Place, Let us earneſtly aſpire to this ſtate in our ſelves; as David ſays, I will not give Sleep to my eyes, nor Slumber to my Eye-lids, till I make an Habitation for the God of Jacob, So let us aſpire now, as high as we can; and let us earneſtly deſire this Glory of the Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that ſhall awaken us as a Man is awakened out of ſleep, as the expreſſion is in the Prophet.
For, I am perſwaded, God will awaken all his Servants, as one is awakened out of Sleep; And therefore, let us earneſtly long for that Time. And whatever God is doing, or ſeems to do in the World, let us obſerve what Tendencies it has to this Excellent State of the Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and then this. Slumber ſhall be perfectly taken off. And then,
3, In the Third and laſt place; Let it comfort us exceedingly in God, and in Chriſt: And let us ſay, The Things that God hath prepared and deſigned, they are Things That Eye hath not ſeen, nor Ear heard, nor have entred into the heart of man to conceive. For that in the 64th of Iſaiah, is to be applied to the Coming of Chriſt. O that thou wouldeſt Rent the Heavens, and that thou wouldeſt come down; and that the Mountains might flow down at thy Preſence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire cauſeth the Waters to boil, &c. And then (ſaith he) Things that Eye hath not ſeen, nor Ear heard, yet he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Since the beginning of the World, Men have not heard, nor perceived by the Ear, neither hath the Eye ſeen, O God, beſides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
Conſider it at your own Freedom; This State is near coming forth; ſuch an one, as hath not been ſeen, or heard of ſince the Foundation of the World: In which, we ſhall no longer complain, at the rate we do now; That all our Righteouſneſſes are as filthy Rags, and That our Iniquities like the Wind, take us away: And That we do not ſtir up our ſelves to take hold of God: But then there ſhall be a General Stirring up of one another, to take hold of the Lord our God.