The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Concerning the Coming of Christ, and the security of Professors.
SECT. I.
THus much of the place; now let us consider of the time when, this preparation is made, set down in that word Then, which word hath reference to the 37th v. of the 24th ch. viz. to the daies of the coming of the Son of man.
Now when are these daies?Quest.
We shall read both in Prophetical and Apostolical writings,Answ. that all the time from the Ascension to the second coming of Christ, is called the last daies, Acts 2. 16, 17. Hence the Primitive Churches did (long since) and all the Churches at this day ought, to live in a daily expectation of his coming again, as these Virgins here did. And hence some think, than all this time may be the daies of the coming of Christ, wherein all the Churches either do, or should look out for the coming of Christ. Now although I dare not exclude these daies (in a large sense) from being the daies of Christ's coming, as being the last daies, and it being the duty of all to wait for this coming of Christ, as well as those who lived long before us, 1 Thes. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 7. Yet I believe here is meant more particularly the latter part of those last daies: For our Saviour having foretold of many things which shall fall out before his second coming, yet he seems to single out some particular time in these last daies; to which he doth annexe this [then ] and that is evident to all that view well the Text, that they are the daies of his coming, for though all the daies of the Gospel may be called the daies of the Son of man, and some daies especially wherein there is some kind of coming of the Son of man, as when he comes to hear prayers, Luke 18. 8. yet to speak properly, they are not the daies of the coming of the Son of man. And look as the daies of Noah were not all the daies from the Creation to the Deluge, but those particular years before the Flood, so 'tis here, some special times before his coming, are the daies of his coming.
SECT. II.
BUt what is this Coming of Christ?
There is a double coming of Christ.
1. His coming to call the Iews, and to gather in the fulnesse of the Gentiles with them,Quest. which is called the brightnesse of his coming, 2 Thes. 2. 8. When there shall be such a brightnesse of the Truth shining forth in the world,Answ. armed with such Instruments as shall utterly destroy Antichrist, long before his second coming, Rev. 19. 19, 20.
2. His coming to Judgement, Heb. 9. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 23, 24. When there shall be an universal resurrection of good and bad, 1 Thes. 4. 15, 16, 17, Now although it be true, that at the time of the coming of Christ, to call the Iews, the Churches like chast Virgins shall wait and make themselves ready for the marriage of the Lamb, Rev. 19. 7. Yet the second coming of Christ seems to be the time which is here directly pointed at. Then shall those Churches be Virgin-Churche; waiting for Christ's coming, both to their particular judgment, but especially to the general judgment, when he shall appear as a glorious Bridegroom to the consolation and salvation of those who in truth have waited for him the second …ime: For this coming of Christ spoken of in these two chapters, is that coming which is in power and great Glory (not in the Churches spiritually) but in the clouds of Heaven, chap. 24. 30. Wherein he shall separate the sheep from the goats, the one to lie among Devils, the other to possesse (not an earthly Kingdom here for a thousand years, as some from mistaking the meaning of the 20th ch. of the Revel. imagine) but to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, Mat. 25. 34. which cannot be any be ter, not any other, than the third Heaven, where the face of God is seen, and where he hath had an innumerable Host of glorious Angels, his Subjects to serve him, not only since the first time of mans creation, but the first foundation of the world, Gen. 1. 1. Which also Christ himself is gone to prepare for us, Iohn 14. 2, 3. And which Abrahams Faith only expected, even a City which was not earthly, but heavenly, which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, Heb. 11. 10, 11. So that although this Parable looks most directly unto those times which are yet to come, yet as all examples registred in holy Scripture for time past, are applicable and useful for us, so these that are yet to come, are alike instructive to us, especially in these times and places, wherein the Lord (according to his manner of working great things usually) gives among us some small, yet lively resemblance of those daies.
SECT. III.
That in those daies of Christ's coming,Doct. wherein the Churches of Christ, and Professors of the Gospel shall grow Virgin-Churches, all visible Saints, when all Members seem to be espoused Christ, yet there will be found desperate folly in some, and in time great security will fall upon all.
Some there are who think the daies we live in now, are not only the daies of the Son of man, but part of the daies of the coming of the Son of man, wherein the Churches (especially in these places) grow to be Virgin-Professours: Our judgments hold it, our practise maintaines it, all Church-members are and must be visible Saints, visible Believers, Virgins espoused to Christ, escaping the pollutions of Idolatry and the world: Take heed the Lord find not many of you foolish, take heed you that are not so, that in time you grow not secure; you have the pillow of peace to lie on, and the cares of the world to make you dream away your time, and you have no pinching persecutions to awaken you, and if no wrestlings within, look for security there. Folly will be the death and bane of some, hence boast not. Security, a sleeping sicknesse will be the disease of others, if the Lord prevent not: But I intend to anchor here, only to set up markes at these Flats, that you may avoid them and come not near them.