The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 2 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Unregenerate persons may have a sence of their want of Grace.
SECT. I.
Our Lamps are out.
THat foolish Virgins, or unregenerate persons may see and so complain Observation 2.of an utter want of all saving grace.
Look but upon this pattern, they thought they were rich; and had something, but now they see they have nothing; and hence when they search their lives, our lamps are o…t; when they search their hearts, is there any Grace, or Spirit of Christ, or Christ by his Spirit there? no, our oyl is spent, and hence give us of your oyl; they saw nothing now. The same persons that are sometimes so puft up, that they think they are rich and stand in need of nothing, may be basely dejected, and so feel a want of all things.
Quest. How may this appear?
Answ. First, Because this is no more than what the Devils have; if this be Sanctification, to see, I have no Sanctification; if this be Humility, to see, I have no humility; if this be cleanness, to see, I have nothing but uncleanness; the Devils then are sanctified and cleansed; who as they are unclean spirts, and accursed of God, and set apart to all evil and sin, and bound up in the chains of darkness, so they know it; they believe the Word, and they know they have no Christ, no Grace, no love of God, never shall see mercy, comfort, &c. and tremble at this, with whom there is nothing but a fearful looking for of Iudgement.
Secondly, Because this is no more than what the Law may bring a man unto; For by the Law Rom. 3. 20. is the knowledge of sin; i. e. not only of gross sins but also of secret sins; for Conscience which is in every mans heart will discover the first, men that live under the Law see more; and hence Paul speaks of himself, so far forth as under the Law, Rom. 7. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Now that which may be wrought in a man meerly by the Law, may be wrought in a man under the Law; a man under the Law, is under the reign of the Law, which is to convince of pollution universal, and so to curse; The Law is not the ministration of life to any man, 2 Cor. 3. 7. Gal. 3. 24. and if the Law may convince of sin thus, this sight of sin and vileness is no part of eternal life; and therefore foolish Virgins may well come thus far; and this will especially be found among them where there is a searching Ministery, that there is scarce any close conveyance but the Word discovers them: Gehazi cannot carry it so closely, not Ananias so cunningly, but Elisha and Peter will find it out; Heb. 4. 12. The Word is quick and powerful, and searchetls, which is but a common work; and hence when Peter had told Simon Magus, Thou art in the gall of bitterness, he denieth it not, but saith, Oh pray for me; indeed if the Word discovers the strong-holds, and high forts, and secret lusts and imaginations, and beats them down, and so brings the Soul in subjection to Christ, and into captivity, that is it which is the power of the Gospel, and love of Christ peculiar to his peoples works; but to let a man see he hath nothing but filth, and to be a little affected with it, this is no more than what is wrought in a deceitful hearer. Iam. 1. 23, 24. The Law or Word lets a graceless heart (a forgetful hearer) see himself; and what can it truly discover to him but his vileness? this glass will discover their smallest spots; this Sun will let you see …otes; you know and see, and that's all.
Thirdly, Because this is no more than the awakening of sleepy Conscience, which the worst man, and closest hypocrite may in time have; Cain's conscience while it is secure, thinks his offering as good as his Brothers; but when awakened, now my sin is greater than I can bear; Saul goes on in persecuting David, and thinks God will help; and hence 2 Sam. 28. 5. goes to Urim, &c. but God answers him not; now he sees his condition, and makes a doleful complaint of it, That God was departed, and no answer: This is usual; Psal. 9. 20. Put them in fear, O God, that they may know themselves to be but men, weak, sinful, vile men: When the Lord sets up his Judgement Seat in a mans conscience, not only gross evils, but the secrets of all hearts, all mens hypocrisies are then opened to themselves, as at last day to all the world; and hence as hypocrites consciences shall be broken open at the last day, so now also in this life, they may see their profession to be but paint; hence Isa. 33. 14. Hypocrites are afraid when God appears in anger; Oh who shall dwell with God? they are sometimes so confounded with the holiness of God, and the terror of God from thence against sin, that who shall dwel with God? are there any in the world that can stand before him? now all is paint, and vile before him.
Fourthly, Because Hypocrites may have experience of a great change wrought in them, which decaying and corrupting, they may sensibly finde a want of what once they had; which though they thought it had been saving grace, or that which would commend them to God; now they see they have no grace at all, hence are lest as these Virgins; if a man never was rich, he cannot be sensible of being a Bankrupt, a Beggar; Look as it was with Adam, he was in a happy estate, in the image of God; now when lost, he saw himself naked, and was ashamed, and was this saving grace? no: So though Hypocrites attain not to that righteousness, yet they may attain to many spirit…al excellencles, which they may prize exceedingly, as those that commend them before God and men; but these corrupting, they may now easily see their nakedness, and vileness, and want of all: Saul had the Spirit of God we know, but 1 Sam. 16. 14. an evil spirit came, and Gods Spirit departed; did not Saul know this? the having of Gods Spirit made him more sensible of the evil spirit; so it is with many a man; the Spirit of God doth depart, and he cannot pray nor prophecy, nor speak, nor think, nor do, as he did; nay he may find an evil spirit upon him; and is this unknown? may not foolish Virgins know this? as Sampson when shaved.
Fifthly, Because that which is sometimes a just judgement of God upon a carnal heart, that they may see and feel; but many times (I say not always, because the Lord doth use this to prepare for mercy) it is so that men that have despised grace, and Christ, men that have coloured it over with God, and thought highly of themselves for what they had; they shall see all their profession is but paint, and all their Gold, Tin and Copper: Io…. 8. 21. You shall seek me, and shall not finde me, but shall dye in your sins; seeking ever presupposeth a want; so that you shall finde a want of me; and if of me, of all life, of all grace, of all comfort and good; and this loss the Lord makes a punishment which they shall bring upon themselves by contempt of him.
SECT. II.
HEnce we may see the woful condition of those. viz. First, Consider how far from eternal life those are that never knew their fall;Use 1. the foolish Virgins knew their want of oyl and shining, and yet were foolish, and yet were shut out; how great is their fall then, and how great their misery, that have had burning lamps, but now know it not? this is the state of many a professor, many a man who is fallen from the Lord, and the affections once he had, but he knows it not; God did enlighten him, but now he is blinding of him; he did affect him, but he is now benumming of him; he did make him tender, but not he is making his heart fat; he did make him low in his own eyes (as Saul, but when a King then pu…t up) so God is swelling of him; but this is most grievous, he knows it not, Isa. 6. If a man did know his lamp were going out, he might seek, as these, for it, and possibly find it; but now no hope unless the Lord help; as we see men wounded and falling, they are astonished at the blow, that they know it not, and may die, unless those about them dress them, and send to and fro for help for them; so it is with many; men are so stupifled with some blows of their lusts, that unless Christian friends exhort, admonish and send their prayers and tears to heaven to the Lord, no hope of recovery again; and whether the Lord will be entreated is hard to say; surely it is rare, and yet thus it is 1 Ioh. 5. sometimes, if it be not a sin unto death; but in a Brother, grace will fetch help; but if the man never had grace, and now fell without feeling, there's little hope; if a man can feel no sun rising upon him, nor yet how the day goes away, whether the Sun be setting or no, it argues miserable carelesness, or miserable blindness, and that the man is in darkness; so here.
Secondly, What will become of them that were never cast down so low as these, that never came to be so good as Hypocrites,
For 1. You were born and have lived not only in a sinful estate, but in a Christless estate; dead without all life, every part of thee polluted.
2. If the Lord doth draw any out of this estate, he will make you know what poor creatures you be, that you shall say, I thought I had been thus and thus, but I see I am wretched; I thought I should be saved, but now I am condemned, so that your mouth shall be stopped, Rom. 3. 21. else you would never come to the Lord, to your Fathers house, and prize the grace of God, if any husks to live upon now.
3. You never knew this; never came to complain to any Christian, Oh my oyl is spent, my lamp is out; Christ and Spirit, and all good is gone; no, you think your selves rich and want nothing; you have some knowledge, restraint of good affections, and full of these, The Lord will spue you out his mouth, if it is thus with you: Nay, although you have means and hear of it, yet all the world cannot make you know your nakedness, misery, sin and emptiness; Well, if the Lord doth not set up a Judgement-Seat now, you shall be called before it one day, and then your secrets shall be made manifest before all the world; and because you say you see, therefore your sin remains; Jer. 9. 41.so say I to you: You never did contemn God, nor hate God, &c. therefore your contempt remains; if it be, there Christ will discover it, and so remove it; but is it not so … therefore you sin remains.
SECT. III.
HEnce see the deceit of that sinful opinion,Vse 2. That true Sanctification is to see I have no Sanctification; and cleaness of heart to see nothing but uncleanness; and that this is poverty of Spirit, to see no grace in a mans self, nor no Christ there; and this not only hath…been, but it seems is scattered still; which as it is pleasing to many a graceless heart, and suitable to his lust, so it carries a fair cloak of Humility and Self-denial in it, and makes way for such an Evidence which the Scripture did never yet declare.
Poverty of Spirit is a Grace peculiar to them that shall have the Kingdom of Heaven; But to see no Grace is common to those that shall be shut out of the Kingdom of heaven; none but those that are justified can be savingly sanctified; many that shall be condemned, may see, do see that they have no Sanctification: And therefore this is no Sanctification.
1. If this be Poverty of Spirit to see no Grace, then Common-grace is Special-grace, peculiar to the Elect, as true Poverty is.
2. Then it is a grace of the Spirit of God to maintain an untruth, and to give the holy Ghost the lye; for where there is Poverty, there is Grace and Christ.
3. Then the Grace of Poverty of Spirit, should be quite contrary to the Spirit of Grace, which makes us know the things given us of God; but this poverty of Spirit makes us not to know them at all.
Yet many will profess this true Poverty of spirit, and this is true Sanctification indeed.
First, It is true, where there was never any of the Grace of Christ, but men have run upon Reformation without Christ, and affection, &c. there men are bound to see their black feet, and happy is the heart that can pull off every feather from such crests; but where it is, and the Lord hath given evidence thereby according to his Word; now to deny it is devilish, for it was he that said Iob did not serve God for nought, and is a lye, of which he was the Father; and is great unthankfulness to the Spirit for what he hath done.
Secondly, If there be no Grace in a Christian nor Spirit, but all in Christ, then say it upon the house tops, and be not ashamed of it; men must see nothing, because they have nothing; otherwise let this delusion rot, and never find acceptance in holy hearts; and yet how many still describe an Hypocrite by all the Graces of the Spirit, Faith, receiving Christ as King, Priest, and Prophet, &c. and so are clean creatures and upright men, by seeing nothing in themselves, contrary to Christ, Io…. 13. You are clean, but not all.
Thirdly, It is true, a gracious heart is apt to deny all the Lord hath done for him; yet the Lord likes not this; as Calvin thinks Peter did, Lord, hands, and feet, and all; no, saith the Lord, thou art clean in head, and all but thy feet; and hence needs no washing but in that: And what more frequent than this sin? but to make what is sinful a duty, this is to turn day into night, and night into day, to call evil good, and bitter sweet.
SECT. IV.
Quest. 1. BV… doth not the Lord bring every man to see nothing in himself?
Answ. Yes, that the Lord doth in preparing him for Christ, or in drawing him toward Christ, but it is where there is nothing, neither poverty or any other grace.
Quest. 2. But is not this poverty of spirit, or do not those that are poor in spirit see nothing?
Answ. 1. In regard of their unregenerate part, which the longer they live, the more they feel of the evil of it, and so the more poor they grow; they see no good there, and so account themselves the most miserable men, mourning more under it than ever; yet to see no good at all in themselves, this, if their eyes be open, they are not to say, I delight in the Law in the inner man; and hence a regenerate Christian is vile in his own eyes after all duties and enlargements, he sees how all is defiled with a filthy heart, and hence Prov. 30. 4. I am brutish; and he speaks of his natural estate, and in that part, for else it is cross to 1 Cor. 2. 10.
2. They see nothing in themselves to commend them to God in point of Justification; here all Paul's past and present righteousness is accounted dung.
Quest. 3. If an Hypocrite sees and feels nothing, and those that are poor in spirit do so? what is the difference?
Ans. The differences are many. 1. He that is truly poor, sees so much vileness, as that he loaths himself, Ezek. 6. But the Hypocrite if he hath any excellency, remains full of it, proud with it; if it be gone, he seeks himself again, and loaths not himself.
2. True poverty of spirit drives a man out of himself, and all carnal contents, tents, as well as graces, to mercy, to live there, and cleave there, as in the Prodigal, he did not only see a want, but feel a need of bread; I die without it, Psa. 40. 9, 10. But another that sees no good, either is not driven out of his contents, but when he sees nothing, as C…in, builds Cities, or if he see's some good in himself, then he is not driven out of himself.
SECT. V.
HEnce see which is the surest and safest way of evidencing our good estate, Vse 3.for here men now are perplexed, either 'tis by seeing no grace, and so expecting the witness of the Spirit, or by seeing some saving work of grace, and so looking to the witness of the Word, and waiting for the confirmation of the Spirit; for seals do but confirm the Promise and Covenant; if it be by seeing no grace, then either by seeing no grace, without having the being of it, and now wait for a revelation, and then 'tis a delusion, for he is under the condemnation of the Word, and therefore far from consolation of the Spirit; or by seeing no grace without seeing the being of it: If so, then a man must seek for a witness of the Spirit, without understanding the meaning of the Spirit, or of the witness of it; and so a man must shut his eyes against part of the truth, that he may see another part; a man must see that he is beloved, but not thou believer, or thou called, art loved or justified. Oh then take heed of this way of evidence; or else by now seeing grace, and waiting for a witness; now this is safest; for when ever the witness comes it is certainly right now, not a delusion: Hereby we shall see the full meaning of the witness and compass of the Lords love. And therefore take heed of denying all grace, and seeing nothing, and then wait for a Revelation, and if it comes now 'tis right; no such matter; you may see nothing, and to hell, and no consolation to them that see nothing; think not that this is poverty; it may be a seal to a blank, to such a one as the Lord never intended mercy unto; that which God promiseth pray for, Zach. 13. ult. first, to say It is my people, and then the Lord is my God; find that the Lord makes you his people, and then say so. Let all know this is never questioned, whether the Spirit be the cause of witness, and clearing our estate; but whether by seeing nothing, or shewing something; here's the mystery of it: Oh that God would make you hear, that are called away from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ: These foolish Virgins were wiser than many now a days in this particular, they cried for oyl in their lamps, or they knew they could not be accepted of the Bridegroom.
Oh search and try your selves throughly,Use 4. for you may come in time to see all your paint fall off, all your guilt discovered, &c.