The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Collection of sermons · Sermon 9
SERMON IX. On Matthew 25. Beginning at the Firſt Verſe, but more particularly at the Tenth Verſe.
10. And while they (that is the Fooliſh Virgins) went to Buy, the Bridegroom came; And they that were Ready, went in with him to the Marriage, and the Door was ſhut.
11. Afterward came alſo the other Virgins, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12. But he anſwered and ſaid; Verily, I ſay unto you, I know you not.
I Have paſt through this Parable; And there remain only Two Points, that I propoſed further to Diſcuſs.
And that is,
First, Concerning the Peremptory and Poſitive Anſwer, that our Lord gives the Fooliſh Virgins; They cry, Lord, Lord, open to us; The Door was ſhut, while they went to Buy, of which, I have ſpoken to you before; And when they came, and knocked, to have the Door opened, the Poſitive and Peremptory Anſwer, that they received, was this; Verily, I ſay unto you, I know you not. And then,
The Last Point is the Application of all; Watch therefore, for ye know neither the Day, nor the Hour, when the Son of Man cometh.
I intend, by the Aſſiſtance of God, to ſpeak to you of the Firſt of theſe two Latter Propoſitions at this time; That is, Concerning the Poſitive Anſwer, I know you not.
Both the Shortneſs, and the Irrevocableneſs, and Irreverſableneſs of it is dreadful; It is in vain any further to make Application; For, I know you not. And then,
The Phraſe, or the Term in which it is conveyed; It is not in any thing but this; I know you not.
So then, the Propoſition, or Doctrine, that I ſhall lay down to you, is this:
That it muſt be ſadly acknowledged (and every one is to take it to himſelf,) That a Virgin, if a Fooliſh Virgin, ſhall not be admitted, nor ſuffered to enter into the Glory of that Marriage-Feaſt, that Marriage-Supper of the Lamb.
For that's the Meaning of the Door being ſhut, where a Great Feſtival-Room is, and where thoſe that are Uſhered in as Gueſts, are Received, and Entertained; The Door is ſhut; And they that have not a Right to Enter, are for ever Debarred; They cannot Enter; The Door is ſhut, and no Entreaty will prevail; Chriſt Anſwers them plainly, That he knows them not.
Now therefore, I would propoſe theſe ſeveral Things, to Diſcourſe to you at this Time.
Firſt, I would take notice of our Lord's Language, I know you not: And then,
In the Second Place, I would open to you, who theſe are (by way of Earneſt preſſing the Conſideration upon you) who theſe are, to whom Chriſt ſaith, I know you not; Which may very well Startle and Amaze.
In the Third Place, I would Diſcourſe to you, the Reaſons, Why Fooliſh Virgins (though Virgins) cannot have the Door opened to them: And then,
In the Fourth Place, I'll Anſwer the Scruples, and Objections, that may ariſe in your Thoughts, againſt the Great Doctrine of the Goſpel, upon this Account: And then,
In the Laſt Place, I would conclude with the Application of it.
Firſt, Concerning the Phraſe that is here uſed by Chriſt; And, it is very Remarkable; That whenever Perſons that ſeem to have a Claim, and a Challenge, and a Right to Chriſt, upon the Account of Profeſſion, and upon the beſt Profeſſion, as I ſhall ſhew you; Whenever they make Approach to Chriſt, as if he were miſtaken, he does not conſider who they are that knock at the Door, and deſire him to open, yet ſtill, he Repreſents himſelf, and Remonſtrates to them, in this very Phraſe, I know you not; And ſo I ſhall enter into a Brief Conſideration of the Meaning and Importance of it.
Firſt, That it is the Ordinary, or Stated Phraſe and Manner of Speaking, that Chriſt uſes: Matt. 7. in that Great Sermon of Chriſt upon the Mount, beginning at the 21ſt. Verſe; Not every one that ſaith unto me, Lord, Lord, ſhall Enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; But he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven: Many will ſay to me in that Day, Lord, Lord, have we not Propheſied in thy Name? And in thy Name have cast out Devils, And in thy Name done many Wonderful Works? And then will I profeſs unto them, I never knew you; Depart from me, ye that work Iniquity: Here's the Language Chriſt uſes.
You pretend (ſaith he) to know me, to be of my Acquaintance, to have a Familiarity with me, and to have many Pledges of my Preſence with you, and of being known to you; But, I know you not; I never knew you.
It is a very Dreadful, and Severe Expreſſion, to thoſe that would claim upon Chriſt by former Acquaintance; All of you know, it is the Manner among Men, when any one, that we would have nothing to do with; And (as we ſpeak in our Ordinary Language) that we would ſhake off, when they would deſire to lay a fair Challenge, or a Claim to our Acquaintance, or Friendſhip; We tell them, We don't know them: A Perſon comes, and would fain Intereſt himſelf in us; You know, it is an ordinary thing to ſay, I don't know you, or I have had very little knowledge of you.
So, to thoſe that ſay, Lord, Wilt thou Deny us? Have we not Hear'd? Have we not Preached? Have we not Eat and Drunk in thy Preſence? Have we not Cast out Devils in thy Name? What! Wilt thou ſhake us off? Wilt thou deny that ever thou knew'st us? Here's the force of the Expreſſion: So, Luke 13. 25. When once the Maſter of the Houſe is riſen up, and hath ſhut to the Door, and ye begin to ſtand without, and to knock, at the Door, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open to us; And he ſhall anſwer and ſay unto you, I know you not, whence you are: What! Would you that are Strangers, and that I never had any particular Intimacy with, would you have the Door opened for you?
Then ſhall ye begin to ſay, (Ver. 26.) We have Eaten and Drunk in thy Preſence, and thou hast taught in our Streets; But he ſhall ſay, I tell you, I know you not, whence you are; Depart from me all ye Workers of Iniquity; There ſhall be Weeping and Gnaſhing of Teeth; when ye ſhall ſee Abraham, and Iſaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and you your Selves thrust out: So you ſee, it is the Language of Scripture, the very Language of Scripture, I know you not.
That we may therefore underſtand the Senſe and the Meaning of it; I ſhall open it in Three Particulars, very briefly:
The Firſt is this; There is a Knowledge of God from Eternity; A Knowledge of Eternal Grace, of Eternal Love; A Fore-Knowledge, as the Scripture ſpeaks, whom God hath foreknown, Rom. 8. A full, and an Excellent Place, to this very Purpoſe; Whom he did foreknow, (ver. 29.) he alſo did predeſtinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son, &c. So there is a Knowledge of God from Eternity, of every Perſon.
I know, this is a very hard thing to Fleſh and Blood to believe; That God ſhould Fore-know ſome, and not Fore-know others; And eſpecially, except they can hang it upon the Condition, That God ſhould foreſee, who ſhould Believe, and who ſhould Repent: But as I have formerly endeavoured to clear to you, That there is nothing hard, when it comes to be conſidered; And that there are more Saints, upon the Account of this Fore-knowledge of God, than if he had never Fore-known at all: For, there might not have been one Saint, according to Adam's Behaviour in Paradice, who had far greater Advantages, and yet you know, he was loſt himſelf, and all his Poſterity in him, if a Mediator had not come, and interpoſed.
Let a Man therefore be ſet in the beſt or worſt circumſtances you can ſuppoſe; And, I am ſure, there's more particular Hopes from God's Fore-knowledge and Purpoſe, than if there had been no Purpoſe, or no Fore-knowledge of God, 2 Tim. 1. 9. So, Chap. 2, 19. The Foundation of God ſtands ſure: Why does it ſtand ſure? Becauſe (ſaith he) it hath this very Seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: So ſaith Chriſt, I know my Sheep. And if we ſhould ſay, Ay, he knew them, becauſe they were already come into him: Saith he, I have other Sheep, that I have not yet brought in, and that I must bring in, and them I know too: So that there is a Knowledge before the Foundation of the World, or coming in.
And, undoubtedly, though, as you ſhall ſee, I ſhall endeavour to make the Thing as plain, and as free to your Thoughts, as I can, in the Progreſs of this Diſcourſe; Yet I deſire to give Glory to the Fore-knowledge of God, and tell you, That it is not your Diſadvantage, but its your great Advantage. I durſt boldly take any Perſon in this Aſſembly, at this Time, and ſay to him, That there's a great deal more Hopes, that God hath foreknown you, than that by your own Strength, you ſhould prevail, for your own Eternal Happineſs. There's a Notable Expreſſion in 1 Cor. 8. The Apoſtle begins thus; Saith he, We all have Knowledge; Knowledge puffeth up, but Charity edifieth: And if any Man think (ſaith he) that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know: But if any Man love God, the ſame is known of him. If any Man comes truly to underſtand God, then he is known of God firſt; and if any Man Love God, the ſame is known and Loved of him firſt.
I do not deny, but theſe Expreſſions may be taken in the Second and Practical Senſe, I ſhall next give you; But I look upon it, That the Apoſtle firſt goes up to the Fountain of Knowledge, to that Spring of All-ſaving Knowledge, God's Knowing Men, in his Eternal Love, in and through Jeſus Chriſt.
The Second Knowing of Men therefore is that, which Men will more eaſily aſſent to, and take down; And that is, When we are in the Ways of Love, and Service, and Obedience to God, then he knows with Approbation, he knows with Delight; God knows every one of us now, we are all well known to him, and all our Ways, and our Thoughts and Actions are all known to him; He knows us a great deal better than we know our ſelves: As he ſpeaks, Amos 4. laſt, He declareth unto Man what is his Thought: As if he ſhould ſay, Would you have me Ignorant of your Thoughts, and that you muſt tell them me, or elſe I cannot know them? No, He declareth unto Man what is his Thought: He unriddles all our Thoughts, and Purpoſes, and Intentions in us; And ſo he knows us, every one very well: As it is ſaid, John 2. 25. He needed not that any ſhould teſtifie of Man; For he knew what was in Man; He knoweth our Thoughts afar off.
But now, this is a Knowing (as Scripture ſpeaks) afar off, in another Senſe: He knows our Thoughts, long before we conceive them; He tells to Man his Thoughts, that hereafter will ariſe up, and how they will riſe up: As it is ſaid in the Prophet Ezekiel, concerning Gog and Magog; Thoughts ſhall come up in thee. I tell thee, long before thou cameſt into Being; God knows our Thoughts, at the uttermoſt Diſtance: But he knows with Approbation, all thoſe that are his; And, therefore that may be the Senſe of the Form and Expreſſion, of being known of God: If any Man Love God, he is known of him: If any Man be in the Way of Holineſs, and Righteouſneſs, God knows him; He knows him with great Approbation; For ſo Knowledge, in Scripture does ſeveral times ſpeak, Pſal. 1. 6. For the Lord knoweth the Way of the Righteous; But the Way of the Ʋngodly ſhall Periſh.
The Lord knoweth; That is, He takes delight to Contemplate, as Men deſire to know a Thing, they like, and Love, they ſearch into it, by Study, Meditation, and Contemplation; The Lord knoweth the Way of the Righteous; He knoweth it ſo, as to delight in it: Thou most upright, doest weigh the Path of the Just; As it is ſaid, Iſa. 26.
A Third Way of Knowing is, The acknowledging of Perſons, at the Day of the Marriage-Feast; He knows them, that is, he will confeſs them: As Chriſt ſaith, Whoſoever denieth me before Men, him will I deny; I will not know him: And I will confeſs his Name: If any Man takes care to watch, and to keep his Garments, and not to defile them, ſaith Chriſt, I will know that Perſon; I will Confeſs him, I will not Diſown him; I will not ſay, I do not know him, but I will acknowledge him at that time, Rev. 3. 5. He that overcometh, the ſame ſhall be clothed in White Raiment; And, I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life, but I will confeſs his Name before my Father, and before his Angels.
And therefore here we may find, why Chriſt uſeth this Expreſſion, I know you not; Becauſe the Perſons that were loſt, they were not known to God, in his Eternal Love, and Grace, from Everlaſting; And They were never approved by Chriſt, even in their very profeſſing him.
And Laſtly, Chriſt is aſhamed to own ſuch Acquaintance, when they ſay to him, Lord, Have we not been often with Thee, in thy Houſe, in thy Ordinances, in Prayer, and Preaching, and Hearing, and in the Lord's Supper, and in all the Duties of thy Worſhip? Lord, Do'st thou not know us? Can'ſt thou not Remember we were at ſuch and ſuch a Time Hearing, and Receiving the Lord's Supper, and Praying unto Thee? Can'ſt thou not Remember this? And Chriſt is aſhamed, that ever it was ſo, That we not having departed from Iniquity, that we could ever make a Pretence to him; That we could ever ſay, That he had any thing to do with us, or we with him: And ſo I have diſpatcht the Firſt Particular, to open to you the Senſe of theſe Words, I know you not.
I come to the Second, And that is, of the Perſons, of whom it is ſaid, I never knew you, I know you not; They are Virgins, tho fooliſh, And certainly, it ſpeaks the higheſt Reach that any one can make without True Grace, that is ſpoken of here: This muſt be ſaid, and acknowledged, though I confeſs, it is one of the Dreadfulleſt Things that I know in Scripture, and the moſt Diſcouraging, as it may ſeem, in the Ways of Religion; That Chriſt ſhould ſay of Perſons that have been Virgins, That he doth not know that there hath been ſuch a particular Acquaintance, and (as it were) Endearment between Chriſt and them; They owned themſelves to him, and to be his; And yet for all that, he ſhould ſay, I know you not.
They are the higheſt Attainers in Chriſtianity, and in the Profeſſion of God, in Natural, or in Revealed Religion, and yet Chriſt ſays, I know you not: I'll give you a little clearing of this to you, a Luſtre of this Truth upon your Minds, in very great briefneſs.
Firſt therefore, I would conſider Perſons that are Profane and Wicked, and that live looſly, under the whole Heavens, Let their Religion be what it will, They that are Cruel and Unjuſt, and Unmerciful; They that are Intemperate and Senſual, and Debauched; They that are Profane, and Contemners of God, according to the Light, that they have, let it be what it will, it is no wonder, that Chriſt ſhould ſay to them, I know you not, I never knew any of you; You by your Profeſſion of the Name, (called Mahometaniſm, or by the Name of this or that Paganiſm) What have I to do with you? As God ſaith to his People, You have I known above all the Families of the Earth, &c. As if God ſhould ſay, I do not know the Heathen, or Pagan, or obſtinate Jew; Becauſe he never came into the Profeſſion of my Name: But now, one would think the Name of Chriſtian ſhould Envelop, ſhould gather all within Salvation and Happineſs, that they that Name the Name of Jeſus Christ, as a Saviour and Redeemer, and Call upon it, ſhould be Saved.
But yet even among Chriſtians there are ſuch kind of Perſons as are Blaſphemers, Common Swearers, Common Drunkards, Common Impure Perſons, Covetous, Extortioners, Unmerciful, Unjuſt, Idolaters; And of theſe it is no wonder Chriſt ſhould ſay to ſuch, I know you not: Even Natural Conſcience will Juſtifie Chriſt in that, in ſaying, I know you not.
But it ſeems hard, when Perſons profeſſing the Name of Chriſt, Sober, that had lived better than others. when they have not an Acknowledgment and owning from Jeſus Chriſt: And therefore it is worthy our Conſideration, that we read of, Matth. 19. of the young Man that had done every thing; when the Commandments were reckoned up and repeated to him, ſaith he, All theſe have I kept from my youth. He was ſo ſober a man, ſo juſt a liver, what lack I yet? ſays he: Here was a plain, good Liver, a man of a good Life: You know it is very much ſpoken of, a Good Life, a Good Life. And, it is true, it ought to be required, and every one ought to mind this of himſelf; nothing can be ſpoken in derogation or diminution to it, in it ſelf; And yet, this young man, that had kept all this, and was ſo good, that Chriſt looked upon him, and loved him; He ſaw a great amiableneſs and lovelineſs in his Perſon and Deportment; And yet for all this, Chriſt intimates very ſeverely; he animadverts, and makes very harſh notes upon this Perſon; when Chriſt propoſes to ſell all, he went away ſorrowful. And Chriſt makes this ſharp Remark upon him; With great difficulty ſuch men ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; Verily, I ſay unto you, it is hardly poſſible, that a rich man ſhould enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; Nay, though he be ſuch a good Liver. If a man that is look'd upon as a Religious Man, and that makes a great Figure in the World, and that God hath bleſt; Now this Man living ſo ſober, in regard of all the Commandments in outward acts (all theſe commandments have I kept from my youth up.) One would think, it were not poſſible, that ſuch a Man ſhould not go to Heaven: And yet, ſaith Chriſt, Verily, I ſay unto you, with relation to this lovely young man, it is a hard thing for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Certainly he did not come up to that, was properly the Virgin-ſtate in the acknowledgment of Chriſt, however he was of unſpotted, unblameable external converſation; he had too, an acknowledgment of Chriſt as a very Excelling man and a Great Maſter of Divine Knowledg; but He had not a Senſe of his Divine Glory, nor the very power of Chriſtianity ſo as to Graſp the Inſide of it, to Lay Hold upon the very Spirit and Life of it, as in Chriſt, and ſo to deveſt Himſelf of every thing for Chrſt, if Called to it; Nay he was unwilling to Own, and Follow Chriſt, in the very Outward Profeſſion and herein he came ſhort of the Fooliſh Virgins, who yet Fall ſhort of Heaven; and therefore Chriſt preaches upon him this General Doctrine; How Hard is it for a Rich man to Enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!
In the Third place, I might Name to you the men of Tradition, the men of Superſtition; that look upon it as their Glory, and Security for Heaven, to add many things to the Commands of God, and of Chriſt, as if they either exceeded, or made more perfect, or more beautiful, decent and honourable, the Religion of Divine Inſtitution, by their own ſuper-added obſervations; but this needs not to be much inſiſted upon; becauſe Chriſt hath declared from the Word of God in the Old Teſtament by the Prophet Eſay, This People draw nigh to me with their Lips, but their hearts are far from me; But in vain do they worſhip me, teaching for Doctrines the commandmens of men, Matth. 15, &c. But now, theſe Virgins, as they hold the Truth, ſo the purity of the Worſhip of the Goſpel; and were alſo of an unblameable outward Converſation, as was before opened concerning the Virgin State: From all this, we may plainly perceive, it is a very nice Caſe, to diſtinguiſh either in Doctrine or in Practice, between Virginity enlivened, with Wiſdom; and Virginity, that hath the dead Fly of Folly in it.
I come therefore to the Third Head of Diſcourſe, to give you the Reaſons of this, even Tremendous Diſpenſation of God; That there ſhould be Virgins, and yet Fooliſh Virgins: For to ſpeak the very bottom and foundation of the matter: This Reſemblance of our Lords, of the Caſe of Souls or Spirits not accepted by Chriſt, compared with the Apoſtles Expreſſion, of preſenting them as chaſt Virgins to Chriſt; and yet that ſome Virgins preſented to him, he charges, according to thoſe expreſſions in Job, with folly; It ſeems to carry an Alluſion in a ſpiritual ſence, to that Caſe, Deut. 24. 1, &c. Thoſe that are eſpouſed as Virgins to Chriſt, and yet they are not clean in his ſight, they are for ever, eternally ſeparated from him, even divorced from him; He ſends them a Renunciation, a Bill of Divorcement from himſelf; This is dreadfully ſtupendious.
Theſe Two Accounts I would give hereof according to Scripture, why there is ſuch a ſeverity of the Goſpel towards thoſe, who are Virgins, and are found fooliſh Virgins.
1. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt would hereby Remonſtrate to us the great Corruption and Depravation of Human Nature; we do not enough apprehend, what a Nature, and what Hearts thereupon we carry about us; Hearts deceitful above all things; and deſperately wicked, who can know them! It is ſtrange, ſo excellent, ſo pure a thing as a Virgin State ſhould be defiled, and made wholly unacceptable to Chriſt by Folly; our Lord therefore, hereby calls upon us, to be aware what Natures and Hearts we bear about with us; ſince that very time, that God made Man Ʋpright in Knowledge, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs, and he defiled his Nature with the folly of many inventions; The Nature of Man Taints, and defiles every thing, even Virginity it ſelf; though not by a falſe Religion; a falſe Worſhip, or groſly polluted Converſation, yet by the folly of inſincerity, and want of the Treaſure of Grace ſtanding in Union to Chriſt: This ſhould carry us to fear our own Hearts, Bleſſed is the Man that feareth always, but he that truſteth in his own heart is a Fool; he deceiveth himſelf, as the Apoſtle James ſaith; Many ways ſeem right enough in our own Eyes, but the iſſue and end thereof is death. Let us therefore, as the Apoſtle Peter warns, Paſs the time of our ſojourning here in fear; and as the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, be jealous over our ſelves, leaſt while we think, we preſent our ſelves as chaſt Virgins to Chriſt, that we are Eſpouſed to him, there ſhould be any corruption from the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt Jeſus. Chriſt is one moſt ſingle, ſimple Jeſus, without Multiplicity; as in Doctrine and Worſhip, ſo in our Union to him, whoever miſſes him in that uncompounded Faith, and undivided Affection, defiles the Virgin-State, and looſes the Glory and Purity of it: You may be Virgins as to the Chaſtity of Profeſſion, and outward Converſation; and yet you may looſe the Wiſdom of Virginity; if there be not a ſingleneſs of Eye and Heart to Chriſt, which cannot be but in Union to himſelf; from thence ariſes the ſimplicity that is in Chriſt, and our conformity to it.
A Second Reaſon, why ſo ſevere and dreadful a Diſpenſation is offered to you in this Parable, that I ſhall now give you is, That we might learn Three great Leſſons from it; it is not to diſcourage, or beat you off from your Profeſſion, but that you may bow down your Ears and Hearts to theſe three things.
1. That you may depend upon the Free Grace of Electing Love; every one ought to humble himſelf, ond to lie in the Duſt before God in the ſence of this, It is not of him that willeth, or of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth Mercy: And who art thou, Oh Man! that replieſt againſt God: All this ſpeaks the neceſſity of lying low before God, in the ſence of this ſupream Grace. And what can tend more thus to humble us, that to conſider, Virgins may be Virgins, and yet Fooliſh Virgins! This ſhould make us look to a Love and Grace above and beyond any thing in our ſelves, or that is wrought in our ſelves; we ſhould keep our Eye on this: The Apoſtle after the Deſcription of the Antichriſtian Apoſtacy, retires to Election; God hath choſen us to Salvation: This is not to draw off our minds from any of thoſe Graces, that are the fruits of Election, but to carry up our Minds above them, to the Fountain of them: And there is no greater aſſurance of the Truth of Grace, than to look up to Electing Grace; Knowing Brethren, your Election of God, and giving diligence in every Grace, to make our Calling and Election ſure: The Apoſtle hath given us a great Admonition for Adoring Supream Grace, Rom. 11. 32, &c. God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all: (That is, upon all that he will have mercy upon: He hath ſhut them up in ſuch a way, that they could not ſtir, if his Grace did not open the way.) O the depth of the Riches, both of the Wiſdom and Knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgments, and his ways paſt finding out! For who hath known the Mind of the Lord, or who hath been his Counſeller? Who could direct God what he ſhould do in the eternal concernments of Souls? Or, Who hath firſt given to him, and it ſhall be recompenced unto him again? Can any ſay to God, Thou haſt done unjuſtly or unrighteouſly, that thou haſt not choſen me? Why, what haſt thou done, or any Creature done to oblige him? If he hath, I dare aſſure him, it ſhall be recompenced to him to the uttermoſt. But I aſſure him, he that replies thus, he is a Bold Man: and Proud and Haughty, is his Name. And, as Chriſt ſaith, Thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them to Babes. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things; to whom be Glory for ever. And therefore I deſire to be among the number of thoſe, that do not quarrel with God; That dare not enter a conteſt, and a contention with him, concerning his Eternal Choice; Let us humble our ſelves, every one at his foot, and ſay, Of thee, and through thee, and to thee are all things, and I deſire to be to thy Glory. Thus let us make our ſelves nothing before God, nothing at all, but make him all. We never did any thing for him, we could never lay an Obligation, and therefore, we have nothing to ſay, but Free Grace, Free Grace; Free Love, and Free foreknowledge of God.
2. In the Second Place, This Parable in this dreadful part teaches, That we ſhould all be beholding to Chriſt, and to the Free Grace that is in him, the Pardon of Sin, the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, his Bloud, and his Redemption: Here's our all, I ſay, here is our all. For, as I opened to you, the Great Point is, Whether in Chriſt or not? Whether Chriſt be in us, and whether we are in him? Whether we are found in him, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Phil. 3. 7, &c. Here's the Point, That every one may depend upon the Righteouſneſs of God in Chriſt. It is not the works that we have done; but according to his own mercy he ſaved us, by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit. And here the wiſe Virgins reached out themſelves to be found in Chriſt, and only in him; but the Fooliſh Virgins fell ſhort here.
3. Thirdly, We can do nothing but by the Spirit of Chriſt. Our only hope is in the Spirit of the Lord our God; And therefore the fooliſh Virgins were miſtaken, That they did all in their own ſtrength and power: They truſted in their own Beauty; they truſted in their own Virginity, and did not mind the Righteouſneſs of Christ, the Free Grace of God, and the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt.
I come to the Fourth thing I propoſed, and that is, To anſwer the Objections that may be made againſt this ſtate of this Caſe I have given you; And, I deſire to ſpeak plainly, yet in very ſhort to you, in this matter: You may ſay then, What can any one do? What hope can there be? Though I am in the True Religion, and in the True Worſhip of God; and though I am in an unblameable Converſation, and yet I may be lost and undone, becauſe I have not Wiſdom, becauſe I have not ſomething that I am not able to apprehend, or to be ſenſible of.
Now therfore, I'll ſatisfie you in this; becauſe you may think, In all Religion, there lies a diſcouragement upon us, If things be thus; Therefore I'll Anſwer you in Two things, very briefly.
Firſt, Let no man miſtake, for I am ſure, Let any thing be preached that can be preached, yet there ſhall not ſo much as be one Moral Perſon fewer in the World: I am ſure, that the meaſure of Reſtraining Grace, of Preventing Grace, of Morallizing Grace, that God will give to the World, nothing of Diſcourſe, or Opinion ſhall be able to ſtraiten it, or to leſſen it. I ſay, I am ſure of this; There ſhall not be one Honeſt Man in the World leſs, becauſe Chriſt preached to that young Man that had kept all the Commandments from his youth; Thou art yet under a great difficulty, as to the Kingdom of Heaven. A man might have taken the Advantage of that diſcourſe of Chriſt with this young man, and have made a Clamour, and noiſe of it, and ſaid, here's one that deſpiſes, and diſcourages a good young man: for he ſaith, How hardly ſhall ſuch a young man, that hath kept all the Commands from his youth, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven? but Chriſt knew very well, that he ſhould not hinder, or leſſen, or ſtraiten Moral Honeſty, or Goodneſs in the World by what he ſaid; for he knew all theſe things are in God, and from God; and there ſhall not one hair from the head of Morality (as I may ſo ſpeak) Fall to the Ground, becauſe of any thing that can be ſaid; for, There is a Common Grace of Morality and Honeſty given out from God, and Chriſt, and whomſoever he thinks fit to Receive it, They ſhall receive it, and muſt receive it, and they ſhall be under the power of it, and live ſuitably to it: And ſo for the Grace of God, There ſhall no one be hindred of his Graee; Let men have as many Conceptions, as they can have of things, and however Diſcouraging; if his Truth be duely ſpoken and in the ſeaſon; Therefore dont think, that the preaching of the Truth of Scripture can do any hurt: for, God is allwayes preſent, breathing in the Word, both with a Spirit of Morality, and common Gifts of Righteouſneſs, and alſo with a Spirit of Grace; and none ſhall be ever able to ſtraighten his Spirit, in any of the Effects of it: And the Truths of God ſpoken according to his Word ſhall be ſubordinated to it.
In the Second Place; I do always acknowledge and Declare, with Greateſt Freedom, and Sincerity, That this is the onelyonly way of Preaching the Goſpel; To preach it ſo, that Every one ſhould be Senſible of True Holineſs and True Grace; And yet withal, They muſt be Senſible of Free Grace, the free Grace of God, the free Choice of God: Free Grace in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, of the Spirit Blowing where it liſteth, and where it pleaſeth, as our Lord tells us. Theſe things are not to be Divided nor Juſtled out one by another; for they both ſtand fair in the Wiſdom of God; and they are both to be offered to the Minds and Conſciences of men; and they ſhall both work Effectually for the great ends and purpoſes, that God hath appointed: And, as (as Chriſt ſaith) If any one be offended, let them be offended; Why? Becauſe, every Plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, ſhall be rooted up. That is, there ſhall be no Plant loſt, but what God leaves to it ſelf, in his juſt and righteous Judgment; That is, A Moral Man, and an Honeſt Man, and a Sober Man, ſo by the Grace of God, he ſhall be ſo ſtill; God hath choſen and mark'd him out, to be ſuch a one. And he that is truly good, he ſhall be ſo. And yet, all this ſhall be conveyed in the power of Preaching, and in ſuch kind of Threatnings and Promiſes, ſuch kind of Expoſtulations, as Scriptures ſpeak; and therefore, I would not have you think, that theſe things ſhould be put to a Jarre by any Mens Preaching; for every one is under the righteous Government of God: Now therefore, let Truths run ever, according to the Word of God, let them run freely, as a ſtream from Free Grace; Let them then, be with all the Freeneſs and Publickneſs ſpoken of, that can be.
And, as it is ſaid in Exodus 14. There was a Pillar of Cloud, and a Pillar of Fire, in one; And the Pillar of Cloud was turned, that is, the dark ſide was turned upon the Egyptians, and the light ſide upon the Iſraelites; So I ſay, when the Word of God is preached, the Light ſide ſhall be upon the perſon that God will have a ſober, honeſt, righteous, good man; and the dark ſide ſhall be upon the diſſolute, and upon the prophane, and upon the intemperate; And ſo the dark ſide ſhall be upon them, that God leaves to themſelves, and the Light ſide ſhall be upon thoſe, that God will bring under his Grace, and under his Spirit, and under the Power of Holineſs.
And ſo I have Diſcourſed the Doctrinal part of this great Point to you; and I hope, ſo, That none of you ſhould have any juſt cauſe of being offended, at what I have ſpoken; but that it ſhould engage every one of us to run up to Grace, and to Chriſt; for the hopes are greater that I have laid down to you out of the Scriptures, wherein our Springs lie then when they call upon us for our own Action and Duty; And when they do ſo, they ſhew us the great neceſſity of Chriſt, of the Spirit of Chriſt, of Free Grace. For, don't we ſee, Men are Preaching up Free-Will and Works as much as they can? And yet for all that, was there ever ſo much prophaneneſs and wickedneſs, was there ever any leſs Power and Life of the Goſpel, ſince the Reformation than now there is? And therefore, though the Pulpits be full of this, yet we don't ſee the powerful Grace of God go along ſo, that we have reaſon to rejoice at ſuch Preaching; but thoſe that Preach the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt without Works, and ſet forth the fulneſs of Free Grace, and of the Supream Dominion of God, and yet in a way of Holineſs, I can remember and trace back, That there were great effects of this; Mens Lives were mightily Changed and Reformed; They were mightily changed, notwithſtanding that this Preaching was endeavoured to be ſtifled and ſtopt; There were many effects, both in City and Country, in bringing Men to God and to Chriſt, by that Preaching, and ſo there are ſtill; and therefore to cloſe all in the Application.
1. In the Firſt Place; I would earneſtly beſeech you, That you would prize this Grace: And Oh! that God would be pleaſed to turn the Bright-ſide of what I have now ſpoken on, and that you would go into your ſecret Cloſets and Meditations, and lay your ſelves low before God, and acknowledge the freeneſs of God's Grace; One have I choſen, and another have I left: Be not afraid of this, I ſay, it ſhall do you no hurt at all; God may make it a time of Love; And the more you depend upon Grace, upon the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, the more holineſs; and the more you ſhall find the Power and Breathing of the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt upon you. And therefore, Remember the Three things whereupon we ſtand, viz.
The Free Grace of God, before the Foundation of the World.
The Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, our whole Truſt, as to our acceptance wit… God.
The Spirit of Grace in building up in the ways of Holineſs: And
2. In the Second Place, Let not (from all that I have ſpoken) any think That any thing will be accepted, without ſincerity of Grace. For, where-ever there hath been the Love of God, or the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, that hath taken hold of any ones State and Condition; and where the Spirit of God hath taken hold upon any ones heart, there ſhall be ſure to be the mighty Effect of Grace, and Holineſs and Spirituality; and, that in a Man's own action, he ſhan't lie ſtill, and ſay, I'll ſee what God will work upon me, but he ſhall be up and be up and be doing, becauſe the Lord is with him: He ſhall be active and full of motion, ſtriving, and full of induſtry; becauſe the Light-Side of the Scripture is upon him, and he is kept from every thing that offends; His foot ſhall not be taken (as Scripture ſaith) while he holds himſelf cloſe, in dependance upon Free Grace, upon the free Choice and Election of Grace: I am ſure, you ſhall not be aſhamed, if God move your hearts, and if the Light-Side of Scripture be upon you in theſe things; you ſhall find God will be your Confidence, and your ſure and ſtrong hold; his Name in theſe things ſhall be your strong Tower, to which ye ſhall run and be ſafe.
In the Third Place, I deſire you would give me but one Moments time, to move you to beg for the Coming of the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt; and for the Time, it ſhall firſt be preparing for its Glory; and which I have declared to be ſo near, upon ſo great Ground of Scripture.
Now, I would give you Ground of earneſtly begging for this Kingdom of Chriſt, and the ſucceſſion of it; And why? Becauſe there ſhall be great Converting Grace, bringing in Strangers to God and to Chriſt; There ſhall be a greater Power in bringing men to the Purity and Simplicity that is in Chriſt: Then many fooliſh Virgins yet, ſhall be made wiſe; many not Virgins yet, ſhall be Eſpouſed to Chriſt: And, if you ſay, Why was not this always? The Anſwer that I ſhall give you is this:
It is in the power of God to diſpence Grace as he pleaſes: You may as well ſay, Why had not our fore-Fathers the Goſpel, as pure as we have? Why had they not the Scripture ſo clear? And why had they it not in their own Language, Two or Three, or Four or Five Hundred Years ago? It was a dangerous thing within theſe Two Hundred Years, to have the Bible in Engliſh, or the New Teſtament in their Houſes: Then it was a certain ſign, That that Man was in danger of his Life, to have it ſo. Why did not God give it with that freedom, as we have it? And then, if you look back to Sixteen Hundred Years ago, there was nothing in the World at large, but Idols, and ſerving of Devils: And the Goſpel was not Preached: Till after the Apoſtles Times, it did not come into theſe Iſlands of Britain. It is not for us to know how to Rule and to Govern Times and Seaſons; But God hath diſpoſed of every thing; Bleſſed are your Eyes, for you ſee, and your Ears, for they hear. But I would but only give you one or two Scriptures, of the great advantage, if we ſhould but live to ſee the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt: And therefore, I beſeech you all, That you would earneſtly pray, That that Kingdom may be coming forth. In the 29th of Iſaiah, if you obſerve the reading at the 15th Verſe, you ſhall find, that there was a Book offered, and the Learned ſaid, it was ſealed; and therefore, ſay they, How can we read it? And the unlearned ſaid, we cannot read it, for we are not learned: If learned Men cannot read it, how ſhould we read it? But ſaith God, in the following part of the Chapter, This very Book ſhall be opened, it ſhall come to paſs in that day (that is, when the Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall come) The deaf ſhall hear the words of the Book, and the eyes of the blind ſhall ſee out of obſcurity, and out of darkneſs; that is, There ſhall be ſo mighty a change of things, that that Book that the learned, and the unlearned could not meddle with, the very deaf ſhall hear the Words of this Book: It is a very wonderful Scripture to this purpoſe, it ſhews us plainly the great things, that ſhall be done by God at that Day: And I make no doubt, but that theſe Scriptures, that Men are afraid that any ſhould meddle with, and they think it Preſumption; And how ſhould we meddle with ſuch hard Scriptures? I make no doubt, but the Eyes of the blind ſhall ſee out of obſcurity, and out of darkneſs. And ſo Iſa. 35. 8. And an high way ſhall be there, and a way, and it ſhall be called the way of holineſs; the unclean ſhall not paſs over it, but it ſhall be for thoſe. The way-faring men, though fools, ſhall not err in that way; So great a Light of the Goſpel ſhall ſhine out. Pray, therefore, don't be ſo againſt the Preaching of the Kingdom of Chriſt, in your Judgments, or in your Diſcourſes; but rather bow your Knees, and buckle your hearts, and your thoughts down to the very loweſt at the Throne of Grace, to deſire, that this Kingdom may come. Why do you envy one another the great Happineſs that ſhall be in the Kingdom of Chriſt? For, a great Offspring, like the Drops of Dew from the Womb of the Morning, muſt at that time be brought home to Chriſt: And many of thoſe that are Virgins but in Form muſt come to have it in the Truth and Reality, and Sincerity of it. And therefore, let us earneſtly pray, according to that Prayer, ſtiled the Lords Prayer; Let us with earneſtneſs and underſtanding, pray, Thy Kingdom, O Lord, let it come, &c.