The Parable of the Kingdom of Heaven, Treatise · Verse 9
Vers. 9: But the Wise answered, saying, Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for your selves.
This Verse contains the Answer that the Wise Virgins gave to the request of the Foolish Virgins. Wherein,
1. They gave them a denyal, and the reason thereof; But the Wise answered, saying, Not so; We may not, we cannot grant what you desire of us, lest there be not enough for us and you. As if the Wise Virgins had said, It's true indeed, we have Oyle in our Vessels, and supply for our Lamps; But we can spare none, our Vessels have no more Oyle in them than we do and shall need for our selves, Not so. The Lord Jesus Christ hath given us his saving and sanctifying Grace, but we may not, we cannot give it to you, no not the least measure of it; not a dram nor a drop can we give, nor can we spare any of it, we stand in need to get more grace for our selves, lest we should not have enough in those hours and times of Tryals, that we may meet with yet, ere we meet with the Bridegroom; and lest we have not enough for those services of Christ, and sufferings for Christ that our Lord may call us to either before his coming, or when he comes, or after he is come as the Bridegroom.
2. They gave the foolish Virgins Directions what to do in their condition, But go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves, Wherein we are to consider, 1. Who they are that sell this spiritual Oyle? 2. What it is to buy it?
The spiritual Oyle is the Unction of the holy one, 1 Joh. 2.20, 27. That wherewith Christ was anointed above his fellows, Psal. 45.7. viz. the saving, sanctifying Grace of God, the gifts and fruits of the holy Spirit, of which read the Exposition of vers. 4.
They that sell this Mystical and Spiritual Oyle, are Christ, and his Ministers, and Servants. The Lord Jesus Christ is the owner of this Oyle, and he himself doth sometimes sell it, or offer it to sale, as he did to the Church of Laodicea, Rev. 3.18. I counsel thee to buy of me Gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be …ch, and white Rayment, that thou mayest be cloathed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. But ordinarily and commonly Christ authorizeth and commandeth his faithful Servants (the Ministers of the Gospel) whom he appointeth, commissioneth and sends to offer this spiritual Oyle to sale, and to sell it unto whomsoever will buy it, Isa. 51.1. Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewen, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Joh. 7.37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood, and cryed, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Rev. 22.17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come. And let him that heareth, say Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whomsoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For as it was a great sin in Simon Magus to offer money, and to think that the gifts of the Holy Ghost might be bought for material money, so it is a very great sin in any Minister to sell this Mystical Oyle for material Silver or Gold, or any price or earthly commodity. And it is a very great mistake in foolish Professors, to think they may buy, that is, bargain with God for Christ and Grace upon the terms of the old Covenant of works, and their own Righteousness, which is as menstruous raggs, Isa. 64.6.
To buy this spiritual Oyle, Implyes three things, 1. A sense of want and need of it, which the foolish Virgins now had. 2. Attending upon the Ministry of the Word and Administrations of the Gospel to obtain it, or to get some of this Oyle, having their heart and hand open and willing to receive it, Acts 16.14. And a certain Woman named Lydia a seller of Purple of the City of Thyatira, which worshipped God heard us, whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. 3. A willingness to have it upon Christs own terms of free Grace, without money and without price, Isa. 55.1, 2, 3. & Rev. 21.6.22.7. Ho… every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. And he that hath no money, come ye buy and eat, yea come, buy wine and milk without money, and with…ut price. Wherefore do ye spend money f…r that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken dilig…ntly unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight it self in fatness. — Encline your Eare and hear, and come unto me, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David. — And he said unto me, it is done, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end: I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely — And the Spirit and the Bride say come, and let him that heareth say come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
1. Meditation. That Virgin-Saints who have the greatest and fullest measure of Grace and Holiness, cannot give or impart any of it unto others.
And the Foolish said unto the Wise, give us of your Oyle; that is, Impart some of your Grace unto us: but the Wise answered and said, Not so, we cannot give you Grace, nor can we impart any of our Grace to you. Oh! saith a dying Father, Mother, or some other Relation, I am without Christ, I have no Grace, I am ready to dye and be damned, and I shall perish to all Eternity. O Dear Wife, Child, Husband, or other Godly Relation, that my soul were in your souls condition. Oh! speak comfort and peace to me: Oh! that I had Christ, Grace, Pardon or any hopes of Eternal Life. But then those Godly Relations must say, It is not in me, I cannot impart any Grace to you; Christ must give you of his Spirit, and God must give you of his Grace, I cannot.
Godly Parents and Relations may and ought to pray that God will give pardoning Grace, sanctifying Grace, saving Grace to their Children, or to any other Relations but they cannot give any, nor can they impart any Grace to them.
Abraham could not give Grace to Ishmael, nor could Isaac impart Grace to Esau, nor Jacob to Reuben; no, nor David to Absolom, nor Job to his Wife: Neither could Paul impart Grace to his Countrey-men, for whom his hearts desire and Prayer was, that they might be saved; and although he was willing to be accursed for them, as the holy Scriptures of Truth testifie.
2. Meditation. Every Saint and sanctified Believer will (ere he get to Heaven) stand in need of all the Grace he hath.
Sanctified Believers, called Saints, may meet with such fiery tryals, such hellish Temptations, such powerful stirrings of corruptions, and so great variety of Afflictions, Tribulations, Persecutions and Sufferings; yea such hours and powers of darkness, and so deep Desertions that vvill call for and require the Virgins lively Acts and Exercise of all the Grace of God they have; yea, and they may be necessitated to go to Christ for more Grace as the Apostle did, 2 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the Messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me: And he said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my Infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Believers will have need of all the Grace they have, when they come to dye, and be dissolved.
3. Meditation. It's the duty of every person, that sees their need and want of Christ, his holy Spirit, and sanctifying Grace to attend upon the Ministry of the Gospel and Administrations of the holy Ordinances of God, and to accept and receive Christ and Grace offered freely without money or price.
Many sinners are so blinded 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. that they see no form nor comeliness in Christ; and when they do see some beauty and excellency in him, yet they are apt to refuse and reject him, until they be throughly convinced of their want and need of him, his Spirit and Grace, and that there is not salvation in any other, Acts 4.12. And then they begin to desire and say, Oh! that I had Christ, Oh! that I had Grace, Oh! that I could believe. Now it is their Duty to attend diligently and conscionably upon the Ministry of the Gospel and means of Grace; for faith comes by Hearing the Word Preached, Rom. 10.17. Acts 14.1. Isa. 55.3. Incline your Eare, come unto me, hear and your souls shall live. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with you, &c.
And as it is their Duty to hear, so it is their Duty to believe, 1 Joh. 3.23. and by faith to accept and receive Jesus Christ offered to them upon Gospel terms of free Grace, without money and without price, Joh. 1.11, 12. He came unto his own, and his own received him not, but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name Rev. 22.17. And the Spirit and the Bride say come, and let him that heareth say come, and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely: and Isa. 55.1, 2, 3.