The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 1 · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Shewing that the Hypocrisie of the Heart proceeds from a want of a Saving Illumination in the Understanding.
SECT. I.
THE Spring or one great cause and original of Evangelical Truth and Hypocrisie is the mind of man.
For here there was an apparent difference between the Virgins in their practise and in their wills, as hath been shewn; yet the Lord expresseth it in general thus, that some of them were wise (which is one part of the perfection of the understanding) and some of them were foolish (which is the great defect of light in the mind or understanding) because the truth of the one and the falshood of the other, manifested what their hearts were, in their heads and minds; and the Truth in the one, and Hypocrisie in the other did arise and was maintained by wisdom in some of their minds, and by folly in the mind of some others. Folly or want of Divine Light made the one unready for Christ, wisdom or having of Divine Light, made the other prepared for him: Not that it doth exclude the evil or change of the will and affections, but because they manifest themselves, and are maintained in the mind. Hence I say, one great reason or Original of both lies in the mind, Mat. 6. 22, 23. If thy eye be single, thy whole body is light, &c. The eye or mind of a man sits like the Coachman, and guides the headstrong Affections; if now this be blind, there will be falls and deviations into crooked waies, John 3. 19, 20. Light is come. Now what is the condemnation? Men love darknesse, i. e. will be blind, and having sore minds and hearts, will not look up to the Sun. They see not, nor receive not the Truth in love, and hence condemned, and è contra. Hence Deut. 29. 1, 2, 3, 4. Moses sets down the causes of all their evils: The Lord hath not given you eyes to see to this day. They did see and hear by natural and acquired knowledge, but not by a Divine, created, infused knowledge, all that God had wrought and done for them. He…ce when the Lord intends to seal down the Iews under unbelief, Isa. 6. 10. The Lord then said, shut their eyes lest they see and so be converted. The heart makes the eyes blind, and the mind makes the heart fat. A man that is at enmity with God, the Lord sets him against himself. Hence men are left of God to their own lusts, Luke 19. 42, 44. Oh that thou hadst known! and they knew not the day of visitation. Hence Deut. 32. 29. Oh that this people had been wise to consider their latter end! You know 'tis in the Proverbs of Solomon the frequent title of those that are sincere and falshearted, the one is called wise, and the other foolish: Insomuch that some Divines have made a necessity of a change and turning about of the will, when there is fulnesse and clearnesse of light in the mind. Else they say a man might be sapiens and yet impius too, which cannot be. But I dispute not a bout that; there be many bruit creatures that imitate the knowledge of man, yet there is no mind of man or reasonable soul in them; so hypocrites may have excellent abilities of reason, and yet fall short of that new mind, the eye and director of the whole man, that Saints have. Its ever dark night with them the Sun of Glory never did yet rise upon them.
SECT. II.
1. BEcause all Divine Light of Glory is ever powerful through Christ to change the heart.Reas. 1. Hence if hypocrites had it, their hearts would be sincere, which is not so, and hence they ever want it, whatever light else they have▪ and hence those that have it must be sincere, Iohn 8. 32. You shall know the truth and it shall make you free, i. e. from your bondage of fears and sins, hence David prayes for light, Psal. 119. 33, 34. And then he shall be set at liberty. As Iron is drawn to the Loadstone by a secret hidden vertue, so there is a secret vertue of Divine Light that drawes the most Iron heart, nay changeth it, John 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy Truth, &c. For this is the difference between mans and Gods teaching: And hence when the Gospel comes in power, it comes in demonstration; whereby the heart is mightily overpowred, that it cannot but fall down before God, whose voice and truth it hearts. And hence the young man saw some worth in Christ, but not enough, and hence he forsook Christ. Truth is not stones, but bread to them that see it indeed.
2. Because the mind is the first inlet of all sin and all Grace, and hence all hypocrisie springs from thence.Reas. 2. Hence when Satan laid his Train to blow up all the world by sin, he first enters into dispute and parly with Eve, and as the Apostle speaks, deceived her, 1 Tim. 2. 14. The woman was first deceived. And hence when Satan came with his last and strongest temptation, to draw away the heart of Christ to him, he attempted it by a sudden presenting to his mind the Glory of all the world, hoping hereby to get in. Nay in the unpardonable sin there is summa caecitas, to call evil good, and good evil. And hence the Pharisees that did commit it, were called blind; and when sin is entred, it strengthens it self by the mind, Heb. 3. 13. Least … of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin. As 'tis with Cities, they might be easily taken, but for the Forts that are built about them, and the Souldiers that are in them: So men set up their hearts and minds above, and against the Lord Jesus. The power of sin lies in the power of darkness, as the power of a weak State in the wisdom of its Council. And hence when the Spirit comes, all the work of it is expressed by conviction of sin, righteousnesse and judgment, because convince one effectually, and you convert him. And hence when the Lord comes with life, he comes in by light, Eph. 5. 14. Christ shall give thee light. And hence when the Gospel comes to take away all darknesse and sin, 'tis said Satans chief policy lies in this, to blind mens eyes, 2 Cor. 4. 4. Either by obscuring the Light, or by kindling a false Light in their minds, that they shall think they see, when their darknesse remains; not but that there is filth enough in the will, but Satan knows that Christ shines into the heart by the mind; and hence he blinds men, and then he knows he shall damn men. Beloved, if men had the Spirit, it would lead them into all Truth, now this the world cannot receive, because John 14. 17. It knowes him not. This is that which opens and shuts to all life and sin; not that bare light can change the will, but the Lord doth it by the power of his Truth and Light: And as tis with water coming through some Mines, there is a healing vertue in it, so Light coming from everlasting love, it heals men of their evils.
SECT. III.
HEnce see the danger of two sorts of men especially.Use 1.
1. Of those that flie from the Light, which is done sundry waies. Ile mention onelyonly one, that is used by a false heart. A man is troubled in mind concerning his estate, fears death and Hell, and so few shall be saved, how can I be one, &c. How comes he to fear? The Lord hath by his Spirit in the Word discovered and found out his sin, the thief is taken and apprehended, and condemned, he hears still, but yet can find no peace, Why? Because he lives in those sins that he is convinced of. Hence the Word raiseth damps and heart-qualms, that he hath no peace, but is ever pulled from his own bottom and hypocrisie, and the Word discovers more sins, and hence hath no peace: The Word will not give nor offer Christ and a base lust together, nor will not suffer any to have them both in peace. Hereupon the soul finding no rest nor peace (which the false heart seeks for chiefly) flies from the Light, especially if it hath found out a shorter cut to its peace, by any device or golden delusions of men. And now they will hear there no more, and now the Publishers of Gods Truth are tyrannical tormenters of the Consciences of them that be weak, false Prophets, that lead them out of the way of peace. And because of this, they think they were led out of the way of truth, because out of the way of peace. Or if they do come, they can sit with disdain and contempt of men (alas they speak according to their light) and of all the truths of God, which shall one day be preacht over again in flames of fire to their eternal horrour, Rev. 6. 2. Its said, Christ rides on a white Horse, conquering and to conquer. Men have unruly hearts and strong hearts, and they will not die, nor yield presently. And hence when one sin is cast away, another steps into the room of it; and when that is gone, another supplies the place of it, and commonly the strongest sin and temptation is the last. Now hence Christ goes on, rides on in the Chariot of the Word, conquering and to conquer still. Those that do yeild, he saves, those that will not, he slaies. Now … poor Creatures have had Christs arrows in them, and are wounded for some sin, but the Lord discovers more still; hence at last they flie away with the arrowes in their hearts for ease. Oh poor creatures know it, the Lord Jesus will find you out! You will not be conquered by him, you shall never be saved by him. You have light, you shall have delusions, endlesse unknown hypocrisie and darknesse to be your portion. There is never a plain heart but he accounts that wound and trouble greatest mercy, and blesseth the Lord, that he will not give him his sins and peace with them too.
2. Those that f…ie not from the light of the Truth, but give it the hearing, but yet let it slip; either not minding it then, or not pondering it afterward; that before they come, thirst not for more light, look not up for it, nor are mourning when the Lord hides it from their eyes. Some there be that be such all-sufficient men, so good they need be no better, so wise that they need know no more; some insufficient indeed to know, and hence ever learning, hearing, but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth. If Light breaks not in, they can lie in darknesse still, and not mourn; and think no more of it than a tale that is told, or ne… that is brought. Oh look to your standing, for you are in the high rode to hypocrisie, and its impossible you should be kept from it that lie so, John 12. 35. … while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you. Satan knew if light came in, Christ would come in: And therefore know it, all that time thou hast heard and heard, but not with Divine Light, hast got only somwhat to prate on now, to be of another opinion now from what thou wast: Oh now Satan hath been …et loose, by the dreadful vengeance of Almighty God, to blind thee, that so thou mightst die in thy hypocrisie and sin. Oh poor Captives, mourn under this, and behold your danger for time to come.
Hence see the reason why many that have had mighty strong Affections at first conversion,Use 2. afterwards become dry, and wither, and consume, and pine, and die away, and now their hypocrisie is manifest, if not to all the world by open prophanenesse, yet to the discerning eye of living Christians, by a formal, barren, unsavoury, unfruitful heart and course, because they never had light nor conviction enough as yet. You shall have some ignorant creatures awakened by some thundring Ministry, weep and mourn for sin, and after vanish into s…cak, being never convinced of sin. Land-floods of sorrow without a Spring of light, are dried up, and make the heart more fruitful in sin afterward. Many go under fear… of wrath, and never get peace, because never convinced of wrath. Many are affected with Christ, and with joy of the Gospel, as the stony ground, but they wanting depth of earth, of conviction, die away again; and hence all the world can never stop a Christian in his shining Profession, no more than they can the Sun in his course, as Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 11. We knowing the terrour of the Lord perswade men. And hence Moses, Heb. 11. 27. feared nofrowns of Pharaoh, cared for no honours from Pharaoh, he saw the God that was invisible, and hence Christ praies for his Disciples, to be kept from evil. The world hath not known me, but these have known me, Iohn 17. When men are condemned to die, they take on because now they see death; but here in time of health they see it not. If men wrong a child, their heart smites them and grieves, but the Lord is abased dishonoured, and men are not affected, because they want light, and see it not: If men be to match with a Prince, or stand before him, 'tis counted blessednesse; but before Christ, 'tis a burden, because men know it not. 'Tis strange to see some people carried with mighty affection against sin and Hell, and after Christ. And what is Hell you fear? A dreadful place. What is Christ? They searce know so much as Devils do, but that is all: Oh trust them not! Many have, and these will fall away, to some Lust, or Opinion, or Pride, or World; and the reason is, they never had light enough, John 5. 35. Iohn was a burning and shining light, and they did joy in him for a season, yet as glorious as it was, they saw not Christ by it, especially not with Divine Light. Its rare to see Christians full both of light and affection. And therefore consider of this, many a man hath been well brought up, and is of a sweet, loving Nature, mild, and gentle, and harmlesse, likes and loves the best things, and his meaning, and mind and heart is good, and hath more in heart than in shew, and so hopes all shall go well with him. I say, there may lie greatest hypocrisie under greatest affections; especially if they want light. You shall be hardned in your hypocrisie by them. I never liked violent affections and pangs, but only such as were dropt in by light; because those come from an external Principle, and last not, but these do. Men are not affrighted by the light of the Sun, though clearer than the Lightning.
Hence take heed of contenting your selves with every kind of knowledge:Use 3. Do not worship every Image in your own Heads; especially you that fall short of Truth or the knowledge of it; for when you have some, there may be yet that wanting which may make you sincere. There are many men of great knowledge, able to reach themselves and others too, and yet their hearts are unsound. How comes this to passe? Is it because they have so much light? No, but because they want much; and therefore content not your selves with every knowledge. There is some knowledge which men have by the light of nature (which leaves them without excuse) from the Book of Creation, some by power of education, some by the light of the Law, whereby men may know their sin and evils, some by the Letter of the Gospel, and so men may know much, and speak well, and so in seeing see not; some by the Spirit, and may see much, so as to prophesie in Christs Name, and yet be bid depart, Mat. 7. Now there is a Light of Glory, whereby the Elect see things in another manner; to tell you how, they cannot, its the beginning of light in Heaven, and the same Spirit that fils Christ, filling their minds, that they know by this anointing all things; which if ever you have, you must become Babes and Fools in your own eyes. God will never write his Law in your minds, till all the Scriblings of it are blotted our. Account all your knowledge losse for the gaining of this. 'Tis sad to see many a man pleasing himself in his own dreaming delusions, yet the poor creature in seeing sees not, which is Gods heavy curse upon men under greatest means, and which laies all wast and desolate, Isa. 6. How long? Until all be wast, V. II.
Hence see the right way of living a life of Truth,Use 4. of being an Israelite in whom is no guile. Keep light in your minds, and you will keep Truth alive in your hearts and lives. Many a sincere heart may have Hypocrisie and much unsoundnesse in him, though he be no Hypocrite. But how comes it so to be? and whence so little Truth? and hence so many fears and doubts about their estates continually? Oh! men lose that Glorious Light that somtime they have. For when you have it in an Ordinance, Oh how sweet is the Lord and all his waies to you! Afterward you have lost your hearts, truly 'tis because you have lost your light.
Two waies Hypocrisie vents it self, which Gods people oppose.
1. In secret withdrawing of the heart to sin. Oh now get light! for sin never draws away, but by appearance of some good at least, pro hic & nunc. Iam. 1. 14. Now put off the covering, keep the mind from being deceived, you will keep the heart from being hardned, deaded and withdrawn from God.
2. In performing duties, but not for Christ as their utmost end; now the heart is bent this way, yet it failes, because light is gone, to see and behold the Glory and blessednesse of this. Men that have honour or gain in their eye, are carried violently after it. Men that are bound for a voyage will go through, their eye leads them. Stephen speaks till the stones were about his ears, I see Iesus saith he, at the right hand of God. 2 Cor. 15. 58. Be abundant in the Lords work, knowing that your labour is not in vain. Hence David Psal. 119. begs for knowledge of this and that, and then he will do it. Oh therefore keep it in your minds as precious, Prov. 2. 10. If knowledge be pleasant, &c. And pray to God to keep it for you. Light is in the Sun, and not ceased to this day: so if the Lord would put in this Light, and be the perpetual Fountain thereof to you, it would abide, &c. Thy Word I have hid in my heart, &c. Psal. 119.
SECT. IV.
HEnce learn the cure of hypocrisie, viz. Remove the cause,Use 5. which is folly; and if you would be sincere, Oh prize, and beg for more light, and love it, and you shall then after you have digged for it, find it. Would it not be sad to be led blindfold like them till they were in the midst of Samaria, so till in the midst of Hell? Would it not be sad to be like Sodomites, groping for the door? Especially you that are come over to this Countrey for more of the Knowledge o… Christ. Oh then Beloved, take heed you bury not your minds in the earth, lose… not your thoughts in the dung. And you must stand one day before God, when the Book of the secrets of your hearts shall be opened, when if found too light, then would it not be a doleful parting to lose the Lord Jesus after such light and affections, for want of a little more Light? Oh look to your selves now!
1. Stick close to the guidance of the Scriptures, and love them. Moses saith,Means 1. Then other Nations shall say, what people so wise? Deut. 4. 6. And these make the men of God (2 Tim. 3. 15.) full of Gods Spirit, wise unto salvation, and for neglect of this, the Lord gave, and doth give men up to strong delusions, that they believe lies, viz. because they loved not the Truth. Never a Truth but is unsealed by Blood, and revealed to be the infinite wisdom of the Father, and love to poor lost men, where God opens all his heart; if men will despise these, 'tis pity but they should be blinded. Do not scoffe at those that know the Lord here, they are Scripture-learned men, if not, never Spirit-learned. Take this for your Counseller, in all your doubts and fears it will teach you. A man gets an opinion, or falls in love with a sinful corruption, both deceive him. Why so? Is there no word against it? Oh yes, but they will not hear it, but make God and Scripture bow down to them, they will not be led by it. Oh intreat the Lord to keep thee from that.
2. Be abundant in meditation dayly, Psal. 119. 99.Means 2. 'Tis an hundred to one else if not miserably deluded. And as the Spirit convinceth first of sin, righteousnesse and judgment, so let your thoughts be. This makes a man see far, and see much.
3. Practise what you know, and tast the sweetnesse of it there,Means 3. Psal. 119. 100. And then the heart will grow savingly full of Divine Light. Nothing makes men foolish but this. Oh tast and see! Oh if men knew the sweet of this way of Truth, they would ever walk in it, and bring others to submit to it! Shall I hide from Abram, that will teach his Family? Gen. 18. 17, 19.
4. Cast up your eyes to Christ glorified, being full of the Spirit for thee,Means 4. and beg of him, as if he were with thee to send it down. As Solomon asked this. See, Iohn 7. 39.
Oh learn to be exceeding thankful for any saving light the Lord hath kindled in you,Use 6. if ever it hath been powerful to discover and remove the hidden hypocrisie of thy heart, that now the Lord hath made thee plain and serious for him, that its death not to live, Heaven for to live unto him. Oh then blesse the Lord for that means that did it for thee, that mightst have perished in thy own delusions and dreams. Time was when thou wast deceived, now the Lord hath made thy eyes brighter than the Sun, to see such things as are hid from great ones in the world. Oh though it be but a little, yet if real and saving light, blesse him. A man that hath been in midst of Sands, and without a Pilot, afterwards looks back, and saith, there I might have split. Oh this is wonderful to him! Oh Christ did thus! 1I thank thee thou hast hid, &c. Mat. 11. 25. The Lord hath hid them from heads and hearts of many wise and prudent, and ever they shall be hid, and è contra, revealed them to thee, a babe, a weak one, a poor ignorant one, Mat. 16. 17. Flesh and blood hath not revealed it, so as to build here on this righteousnesse, to fetch all light and life from Christ, and cleave alone to him. Oh remember you are called out of darknesse into marvellous light to shew forth his vertues? What canst desire more than eternal life? And this is it, 1 Iohn 5. 20. Iohn 17. 30.