The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Containing Motives and Arguments to perswade us unto the Love of Christ, and to be Espoused to him.
IS there no communion to be had with the Lord Jesus,Use 3. unlesse Virgins? unlesse espoused to him? Oh therefore here is a match for you, chuse him, get your affections, if entangled, to come off if ensnared to any other thing, and set your hearts, bestow your love upon him. For 'tis not a dead Faith, (but such a faith as is animated by love) that doth espouse you to him, Gal. 5. 6. Faith which works by love. And therefore as the love of other things (not worth looking after) hath got the soveraignty and royalty of thy heart, so this is a conjugal love, when it bears rule in the heart; let Christ have this love. And as you have loved creatures for themselves, now love the Lord Jesus for himself. And as they have easily enticed you to set your hearts upon them, now be perswaded to set your dearest affections on him. Its said of Iohn Baptist, he was the Bride-groom's Friend, to speak for him, Iohn 3. 29. And truly 'tis the main work of the Ministry, to wooe for Christ; and so to present chast Virgins to Christ. This shall be my work now, which may be seasonable in this decaying time. Therefore I shall chiefly bend my speech to three sorts.
1. To them that never yet loved the Lord Jesus, unlesse it be from the teeth outward.
2. Those that have been striving for this, yet cannot to their own feeling come to this.
3. Those that have so, but their affections are dried up, and love is parched away, iniquity abounds, &c. And my Motives shall be these four,
1. Consider the Glory of the person, whom I shall be a spokes-man for this day.
2. Consider he makes love to thee.
3. Consider that all he seeks for is love.
4. Consider what he will do for thee, how he will love thee, if thou wilt love him.
SECT. I.
1. COnsider the Glory of the person, for whom I plead for love. What can you love besides him? Where can you find any like unto him? I know the Glory of the Lord is not revealed, because the grasse withers not, the flower fades not, the creature appears not in his withering vanity, Isa. 40. But if the Lord would but open your eyes, to see him, this would win your hearts alone to him.
Now I shall single out only these five things, to give you a glimpse of his Glory. Lift up thy heart, and say, Lord hide not now thy face from me.
1. He is the Prince of the Kings of the earth, Rev. 1. 5. The glory of the world is a Kingdom, the glorious Diamond of that Kingdom is a Prince in his Glory; now for a poor Beggar to have an offer of love from the greatest Prince in the world, would it not tempt her? Would she not forsake her lovers, and set her heart on him? Why look what a distance there is between the poorest Peasant and the highest Prince, so base, and a thousand times more are all the Princes of the world to Christ, whose Dominion is from sea to sea, from Sun to Sun, who sets up and puls down Kings like Counters, who rules their Courts, their Kingdoms, their hearts, and they do not do, they cannot do, but what he will. Other Kings are Princes, are Rulers of men, Christ Prince of Kings. Now who would not be glad of his love? who having tasted death, is set down on the right hand of God, on high, cloathed with endlesse Glory, who hath Kings in his chaines, whose breath is not in his nostrils, whose favour is not for a day, but he lives and reignes for ever. Now doth Christ reign? Is he a Lord, and in Glory upon his Throne? Methinks I see Jesus at the right hand of God, your foolish affections have undone you if you love him not.
2. He is appointed by the Father to be Judge of quick and dead, at the last day, Iohn 5. 22, 23. as well as to rule all now. So that if you do maintain enmity against him, he may let you alone, you may live in health, and die in peace, in the eye of man, and in thine own eyes too: Yet there is a day coming he will break out of Heaven with a shout, and appear in the clouds in the amazing Glory of his Father, with all his mighty Angels, and all the dead shall hear his voice, and you shall appear before him with this body, when the Heavens shall burn round about him, and the earth shall tremble under him, and all guilty eyes mourning and wayling because of him. Then you shall know what 'tis to despise him, and wish, oh that I had loved him, Rev. 1. 7. You that say you love him, yet by an im…enitent heart pierce him, you shall wayl, even so, Amen. Men do not see an end of these things, not the Glory of the Lord another day. Hence creatures are loved, and the Lord of Glory is loathed. A great Prince may not be so highly esteemed, untill he appears in his state. Prisoners would give any mony, much more love, for the Judges Favour.
3. He only is the procuter and author of all the good that ever thou didst suck out here, though thou hast neither known him, not been thankful to him. For look as it was with Angels, so it should have been with man; the wrath of God should have been poured out upon him, and on all the world, and creatures should have been tormentors of him, but that the Lord Jesus begged and bought the world. And hence, 1 Tim. 4. 10. called Saviour of all, but chiefly of the Elect. Micah 4. 4. In his daies men shall sit under Vines and Fig-trees: So that if ever any creature did thee good, it was Jesus that put that sweetnesse in it, out of his fulnesse, and set it awork, sent it to thee, gave it thee to do thee good. Thou shouldst never have had win… of sleep, never restrained from one sin, but lived in blaspheming God, never hàve heard of a Gospel but for Christ: And will you not love him? Oh ungrateful world! unnatural generation of men! Why dost love any creature? 'Tis for the paint of it and good in it. If there be so much in it, what is there in Christ that gave it, that dropt it into it? Never love him if there be any thing good that is not by him, Psal. 116. 1. The Lord hath heard my prayer, I will call on him as long as I live. Much more when the Lord hath delivered, and thou didst never seek to him.
4. He is the everlasting wonderment of Saints in Heaven; the Queen of Sheba heard of Solomon, which made her come to see him, but she before imagined but that which now she saw with her own eyes, and that wrapt her out of her self. Here we hear of the Lord Jesus, of his beauty and glory, and this draws Saints to him, and when come, they see that which they never saw before, especially when in Heaven: then fall down in everlasting admiration at this mystery, for the blessedness of Saints is to see Christ in his glory, Iohn 17. 24. Now this lies in an infinite good, this cannot be seen in a finite time: hence Saints shall be piercing their eyes deeper and deeper into this mystery, and shall ever see more and more, but never see all, and this is their joy and glory in Heaven; Is it so? what think you, is Christ worthy of your love or no? look upon all the glory of the field of this world, you may see an end of all perfection, but never here.
5. He is the delights and bosome love of God himself, Prov. 8. 30. Hence Iohn when he came to set Christ out, Iohn 3. 35. The Father loveth the Son. Now is it so, surely though you see not, taste not this good, yet there 'tis; now tell me if this person do not challenge love! would you not be glad to have him? you will say, can he look upon such a VVretch, embrace such a Leper as I? no surely he will never do it.
SECT. II.
2. COnsider he makes love to thee, not one soul that hears me this day, but the Lord Jesus is a Suitor unto, that now you would be espoused to him: He came unto his own, and they received him not. Whatever the secret purpose of Christ is, I regard not: In this Evangelical dispensation of Grace, he makes love to all, Iohn 1. 12. 'Tis clear, Mat. 22. 2, 3. If there be a Gospel in the world, there is this love of Christ yearning towards all; especially all that have this Gospel of peace sent to them, Luke 2. 10. 'Tis tidings of great joy to all people, as Law is tidings of great sorrow to all people, Luke 2. 14. Angels from Heaven preacht this good will towards men. For if the challenge of love from men should be founded on his actual love to some, having died for some, then the offer would be particular. But 'tis grounded, 1. On his own worth and Glory, and hence he challengeth love. 2. On this, for ought I know he hath loved me. So that thou art not so vile, but the Lord Jesus his heart is toward thee, and his eye is upon thee for love. But 'tis not all love, but only some that overcomes.
1. Now 'tis real love. 2. Fervent love, 3. Constant. 4. Pure love he makes to thee.
1. 'Tis real love, when the Gospel and Ministers seek for love, the Lord is real in his desires, there is no collusion or dissembling, 2 Cor. 5. 20. in Christs stead, He that receiveth you, receiveth me; thou thinkest the Lord cares not for thee, not doth not desire thee though he doth others: but
1. Either the Lord would have thee loath him, or love him; what think you?
2. If the Lord did not really make love to thee, he would not be really angry for rejecting of this love, but the Lord is really angry for rejecting it, and wroth with nothing so much as that, Psal. 2. 12. here he swears in his wrath, Psal. 95. 11. when he opens his bosom for thee to rest in, and thou wilt not.
3. Look but upon the dealings of God with thee: 1. Hast not oft thought some in Hell better than thee? why the ruine of millions of men is to win love from thee, Ier. 3. 8, 9, 10. 2. Hath not the Lord sent many a mercy to thee, not one but was to win thee, Psal. 81. 10, 11, 12. 3. Hath not the Lord with-held many from thee, as here in this wildernesse, Ier. 3. 3, 4. 4. Hath not the Lord sent many sorrows, terrors, fears, cares, wearisome businesses that thou hast wished an end of life? this is love, Hos. 2. 6. 5. Hath not the Lord moved thy heart many a time-toward him by perswasions, arguments which have a power to move the heart, this is love, Hos. 11. 4. Cords of a man. 6. Hath not the Lord oft melted thy heart for mercies, as David when he might have killed Saul; truly you may feel his love which is much towards you; that which keeps off thy heart from love, is, the Lord intends it not to me, he is not plain with me. But he sends to thee his plain Gospel which thou art to attend unto; and he takes fittest seasons to speak to thee now in the time of thy heath: and doth he not oft visit thy heart when thou art alone?
2. 'Tis servent, vehement, earnest love: sometimes a Suitor is real, but he is not earnest; now thus the Lord is: 1. The Lord longs for this, Deut. 5. 29. 2. Pleads for this, Ier. 2. 5. What iniquity, &c. 3. Thinks long for this time, Ier. 13. 27. Ierusalem will not be made clean when shall it once be? 4. Mourns when he hath not this, Ezek. 6. 9. Broken with their whorish heart. 5. Content to give away any thing for it, all the love of Christ is founded on this. 6. If thou comest not presently, he is content to wait that he may be gracious.
3. 'Tis constant and continual, there is not a moment, thou dost not so oft breath, as thou maist see and taste love, Isai. 27. 3. Isai. 65. 2. 1. After all thy whorish departing from God, that if man should do so, no man would own, yet he saith, Return to me: thou seest never a creature but thou hast loved more than Christ, yet return. 2. When God threatens most terribly, and sets his fury on record, yet then there he minds nothing but love, Ier. 36. 2, 3. 3. When none else will own and pitty thee thou art so vile, yet Ezek. 16. 2, 3. the Lord saith live, then is a time of love. 4. Nay when thou hast cast away thy self as a forlorn creature, yet Hos. 14. 3. In thee the Fatherless find mercy. 5. When he hath thee in his arms, ready to give thee up, yet then, How shall I give thee up O Ephraim, Hos. 11. 8. I tell thee if one sparkle of his eternal blasting displeasure should fall upon thee, it would be so intollerable that it would sink thee; his love is as strong as death, no water can quench it; oh 'tis not so with man, or great men, once repulsed is enough: why should the Lord do so here? many think time is past, 'tis not so, 'tis the temptation of them that have time, not of them that want it; take heed this make thee not despise him.
4. 'Tis a pure love, others make love for their own ends, but the Lord hath no need of thee, or of thy love: he could raise up of stones children of praise, he could have gone to others, he could have and can fetch his glory out of thy ruine: he was blessed before all worlds; and by all thy sins thou dost but throw stones against the wind, or snow-balls against the Sun: why doth he do it? O 'tis thy good, he pitties thee as once Ierusalem, to look upon thy destruction and desolation: as 'tis with the Elect, they have wrath before their eyes, and hence perswade others, so the Lord Jesus.
SECT. III.
3. COnsider 'tis nothing else but love the Lord looks for, or cares for. Love looks for nothing but love, Prov. 8. 17. and this is the end of all Election, to be holy before him in love: and mark it, if it be a stayed love, that constrain… thee to him, you cannot wrong him: As if thou come and perswade one to murder his Child, he cannot; so if perswaded to despise, oh bowels of heart-breaking love, 2 Cor. 5. And surely 'tis admirable love; What if it were thy Goods; thy Isa… to be sacrificed, thy body to be burned, it was nothing, but he desires only love, only thy heart which hath forged so much villany against him: let him never be called upon, or professed, if not worthy of this. After all, is this all? yes, no Portion he cares for, and when he hath this he hath all. Wonder at this O Angels!
SECT. IV.
4. COnsider what he will do for thee, how he will love thee, if thou wilt thus love him.
1. He will set thee next himself in honour, Psalm 45. 9. that as the Lord Jesus is next to God, sits at his right hand: so here, which is an honour that the Angels have not, who are no where called Christs Spouse: hence never had such an union, hence never shall partake of that honour of Saints.
2. He will enrich thee, as 'tis with Man and Wife, all that he hath is hers: so himself, and all his glory, his God, his Father, his Kingdom is thine, Prov. 8. 21. they that love me inherit something, others nothing: no, nothing indeed, only shews of good, and they find it so when they awake, nothing their own, nothing long: that let thy outward man, yea thy inward be never so poor, thou shalt by him be heir of all.
3. He will cousel thee: hence David, Psal. 73. made choice of God, Thou wilt guìde me by thy counsel; no greater curse than to be left to the guidance of a mans own counsel: but here there shall not be any strait, but the Lord will shew thee a way out of it, either by his prudence or providence; there shall not be any secret of Christ that thou desirest to know, but as Christ told them, You are my Friends, so you are my Spouse: hence all his secrets shall be opened to thee: there shall not be one act of thy life, but ordered by infinite prudence, and wisdom, and love; sometimes we are befooled in our own counsels, and left to them to teach us to depend on the Lord the more, yet thereby shall come out such good, that it shall be among us as with Iosephs Brethren.
4. He will dwell with thee as a man must dwell with his Wife, Iohn 14. 23. that the great Mediator that passeth by Kings and Princes, and will not look on them, should come and dwell with thee: this is better than to have the presence of Kings, the guard of Angels, better than Heaven it self, that he should dwel where is nothing worthy to entertain him, only something to grieve him. Now this is,
1. A constant assistance of the Spirit, that let the Soul go where he will, be brought to never so low an ebb, yet Christ will not out, but some stirrings, sighings, lookings, pantings after Christ; when heart and strength fail, yet God, &c. when ready to give all for lost, then consider as Psal. 73. 2. If he doth depart, he will not be loug but return again: and those that know his affection, know it so to be, Isai. 54. for a little moment, &c. so the Lord may depart, and when his presence is a little more esteemed, come again with everlasting mercies: as a man may know many weaknesses by his Wife, yet she having not bestowed her heart on any other, he will return: so if thou canst say, yet I am the Lords, he will return.
5. He will rejoyce in thee and over thee, Zeph. 3. 17. as a Bridegroom doth over the Bride: Not because of any beauty in thee, for there is none, but because given in marriage of the Father, and for his own sake. This day thou shalt no sooner set thy heart on Christ, but he falls in love with thee, and will take thee with joy; thou thinkest he will be angry if thou closest with him and love him, no, it will be the joy of Heaven, of Jesus Christ himself.
6. He will exceedingly comfort thee; and look as 'tis with tender husbands, then they comfort most when most sorrowes be…ide them, for who could endure his wife should be alway drooping? So even then when nothing doth or can comfort thee, the Lord will, Isa. 54. 6. For the Lord doth not alway comfort, but when in need, as it was with the Patriarchs, Then God appeared, when they were at worst; and these are abundant comforts, 2 Cor. 1. 3, 4, 5. You shall not need to scramble for it as many do, whose hearts do not love Christ in truth as yet.
7. He will put up all Wrongs, and bear exceedingly with thee Many think even when God hath sealed love to them, if any little sin be committed, then they are cast off; no, if under the Law so indeed, but when espoused to him, 'tis not weaknesses, nor wilfulnesse can make the Lord cast thee away, but he will heal the one, and afflict thee for (yet not cast thee off) for the other, Psal. 89. 33. My loving kindnesse will I never take away. Yea, he will forgive both, Luke 7. 47. Much forgiven because she loved much. Nay, thy wrongs shall be an occasion to make him love thee more, Rom. 5. Where sin abounds, Grace abounds.
8. He will never part with thee, Hos. 2. 19. Once love him, and he will never lose thee.
1. No sin shall part thee and him; for Christ when he enters into marriage covenant, doth not suspend his love on our Grace or Holinesse, then he might leave quickly, but on his own Grace to wash away out filthinesse, Eph. 5. 25, 26. If a husband marries a woman only for so long as she is in health, then when sicknesse comes he may depart. But è contra, if to take away her sicknesses, then they cannot hinder: Nothing but Adultery can part; Now that they cannot do, for nothing breaks, till covenant is broken: And the covenant here is everlasting, and so undertaken for by the Lord that it can never be broken.
2. No miseries can, Rom. 8. 35, 36, 37. Can tribulation? It makes man leave us, but this is peculiar to Christ, he will not leave.
3. Death cannot, it must part man and wife, though loved never so dearly before; but here not; but then he will come himself and fetch thee, Iohn 14. 1, 2, 3. Take thy soul to the Bride-chamber, there to be with him for ever and ever, and he will keep the dust of thy blessed body, and not lose one dust of it, and at the last day raise it; and then when others shall cry out Yonder is him whom I have grieved, then shalt thou lift up thy head, Yonder comes my husband to comfort me, to crown me, that I may dwell with him. It shall be the blessed day to thee. And when judgement is done, thou shalt go with thy beloved from the air up to Hewen with a shout, and live in his love and dearest embracings of thee, and this he will do for thee so poor and vile in thine own eyes? Now will you have him? and that now, or no?
SECT. V.
1. IF the Lord be so desirous of me,Object. 1. why doth he not overcome me?
If the Lord doth it,Answ. 'tis by these cords of love, and if not, the brand of a reprobate is upon thee.
2. But I do love him already.Object. 2.
Is it with such a love as makes you unable to resist him?Answ. to wrong him? as the Apostle said, We cannot speak against the Truth, but for it; for if not 'tis naught. There is a natural love to Christ, as to one that doth thee good, and for thine own ends; and spirituall for himself, whereby the Lord only is exalted: H…st thou this?
3. But I do not have Christ.Object. 3.
If any man do not love him with a positive love,Answ. let him be Anathema.
4. I cannot love him.Object. 4.
1. What canst thou love else?Answ. 2. Thou canst not love him so well as thou shouldst, therefore close with him, and love will follow. 3. Get the Lord to overcome thy heart, Ier. 3. 19.
How shall I do it?Quest.
1. Set him before thee? Who will commit lewdnesse while her husband look… on?Answ. Psal. 16. 8.
2. See what content thou givest Christ by love: Smallest duties coming from love are accepted. What makes thee wrong him to please thy self? Let a thing crosse thee, yet it con…ents Christ Jesus.
3. Get him, and wait by Faith on him to overcome thy heart, and the work is done then. Now will you do this or no? If not say then you have had a fair offer, and tell the Devils so, when thou goest down to Hell, as it may be thou maiest ere long. Men talk of terrible Sermons, but these sink deepest. Tell me, dost thou love the lord only? Wil't keep lusts or Christ alone? If so, then look to it. In this Countrey a woman killed her child, and she said, when she did it, her child smiled upon her. Wilt thou kick Christs love now when he smiles upon thee. Afterward shee repented, but it was too late. Women when they have a mind to some other, murder their husbands, but if known; burnt they must be. But wilt have him and love him alone? Oh if perswaded to this, then happy for ever. Let this day be the beginning of eternal Glory to thy soul, and the God of peace be with thee.