The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 2 · Chapter 19 · Section 1 – Section 5
SECT. I.
THose only who are ready and prepa…ed in this life for Christ,Observ. 2. shall enjoy eternal and immediate communion with Christ; those only who are now fitted for his fellowship, shall partake of his fellowship; for of all these Virgins (though many of them were otherwise very well qualified) only those which were ready, did enter in with the Bridegroom; which readiness in these wise Virgins, was not, nor is not any Popish preparation, either meritorious, or congruous, or wrought by the power of corrupted or adorned nature; but Divine and glorious, wrought by the power of Christ, out of his eternal love to the Vessels of glory, as an Antecedent, not moving cause of this eternal fellowship; it is the first degree of our Resurrect… on with Christ. Rom. 9. 23. Vessels of glory prepared unto glory; the same word which is used here, there are two ends God hath appointed all men to; either to be Vessels of wrath; who are those? Ve se 22. Those that are fitted for des…ruction; others of glory; who are those? prep…red unto glory. 2 Cor. 5. 5. with 8. How comes Paul, and all the Saints to know, and groan for to be out of the body, and to break the Cage, and to be with the Lord? one reason is, they are wrought, and moulded, and fashioned for that condition by the hand of a merciful God, even as one may know what Vessels are for special use, by their met…al, and curious engravings upon them.
SECT. II.
Reas. 1. BEcause all mens souls are naturally unfit, and unprepared to enjoy communion with Christ, it is said, Rev. 21. ult. Nothing enters into the new Ierusalem on earth, which is uncleane, and defileth; and Heb. 12▪ 14. Without holiness no man shall see God. Now naturally all men are de…iled, and unclean Vessels, and under the power of their sins, loathing Angels food, the grace of Christ, and weary of the fellowship of Christ; and therefore they must be prepared for the Lord first; this is one reason, why preparation to every holy duty is needful, and so needful, that let men performe any holy duty, wherein they draw near to Christ without a heart prepared, Psal. 10. 17. their performances a…e rejected, or not blessed; and hence Rehoboam, though he did maintaine the worship of God at Ierusalem, yet he prepared no… his heart, 2 Ch…on. 12. 14. … and begs par…on for this, That he is not so purified according to the purification of the Sanct…ry. Now if to a holy duty, and comm…nion with Christ here, this is needful; much more to eternal fellowship with him; sore eyes cannot behold the Sun without grief; sick bodies loath the best food; if the Lord should let a carnal heart into heaven with that heart he hath, and not change his nature, he would not stay there if he could escape; but having his swinish nature, he would be in his mire againe; and the Government of Christ being a bondage to him, he would break bonds, and break his Prison, if he knew where to fly from the presence of the Lord; And hence no work so wearysome as Christs now, no time so uncomfortable and tedious as abiding under Christs wings in his Ordinances now. 1 Cor. 15. 50. If flesh and b…ood cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven, much lesse corruption.
Reas. 2. In regard of the rich grace and wisdom of his love towards his people; for who sees not, but that it is a curse to be unready as these foolish Virgins, who were therefore shut out! Oh therefore it is grace and mercy to make ready, and indeed an answer to prayers, and a comfort against all feares of the Saints, who are then desi…o…s to be with the Lord when they are indeed ready; readiness for Christ doth not destroy grace, but being a fruit of Gods grace, advanceth it. Rom. 9. 23. the Apostle makes it the first fruit of glory, that the Saints are prepared unto glory; glory of mercy is the end, preparedness thereto is the meanes, or way leading to that end; if God appoints the end, his wisdom also leads first to the meanes which lead at last to that end; if out of his rich grace he appoints the end, out of the same grace by this other, he leads to this end; and though you think it not now grace, you shall say it is so another day, when with these foolish Virgins, you shall say, Oh that I were ready! I know not almost which is greatest love, to prepare for glory, or to bring into the possession of i… ▪ to make a Vessel of poysonous dross a Vessel of gold, or when it is so, to fill it; for the Lord to look upon a man when he is in his blood, and then to wash him; when a man is as water spilt upon the ground, and a broken Vessel of no use, now for the Lord to pity, and fit for use, it is exceeding rich grace.
Reas. 3. In regard of the honour of the Lord Iesus; it was one part of the honour of Christ, to have Iohn go before him; and Luke 1. 17. to prepare a people ready for the Lord: As it is part of a Princes honour, to have his Bride ready, and attired to welcome and entertaine him, when he shall return to her, she owes this honour to him, and he expects this honour from her; So the Lord Jesus deserves this honour from all his people to be in a readiness for him. Suppose these Virgins had turned Harlots, and gone a whoring from him till his very coming, and then had been taken in, what might the world think? doth he love the fellowship of Harlots? for a mans heart to go a whoring from the Lord, after the world, or lusts, to die so, is to disgrace the Lord Jesus; And hence, Phil. 3. 17. to the end, there are two sorts of men professing godliness; some minde earthly things, others look and minde a Saviour from heaven; the one disgrace Christ, and are enemies to him; and hence Paul weeps for them; the other are his friends; And are Princes so far respected as all things are ready for them? and is the Lord worthy of no such respect, so as that his People then should be unready? No, know it, as he said, Mal. 1. He is a great King.
The particulars wherein this readiness consists, I have spoken of in the first Part of the Parable, and shall now only speak of them in the subsequent Uses.
SECT. III.
Use 1. OF terror and astonishment of heart, to all those that are wholly unready, that have no readinesse at all to meet, or to have fellowship w…th the Lord Iesus; if those that are ready be received… in, then those that be unready, shall be sh…t out.
There is a number among us, young and old, of all sorts almost among us, that swarme up and down Townes, and Woods, and Fields, whose care and work hitherto hath been like bees, only to get honey to their own Hive, only to live here comfortably with their houses, and lots, and Victuals, and fine cloaths, &c. but not to live hereafter eternally. Suppose the Lord should stop thy breath, and cut thee off, what would become of thee? I trust to Gods mercy, I hope I should go to Christ, though I am not assured; but are you ready for Christ? yes, I hope I am; Oh poor wretch, why dost hope so, if thou never hadst one houres serious thoughts, What will become of me? or how shall I be ready? feeling thy unreadiness and unfitness thereunto. Or if thou hast had any thoughts, never wast possessed with any strong feares of eternity, and separation from the Lord Jesus, which hath dampt thy mirth, and sunk thy heart, and perplexed thy thoughts, and made thee think with terror upon thy conscience, What will become of me? nor made thee desirous to ask others that question, as it is commonly one of the first, though but a common work, to think of dying presently, I have lived long without God a…d Christ in the world, and dye I must shortly, and what will become of me then?
But you have …ept … enough in the night, and sung care away, and … feare away in the day, and thy heart never had one houres fit of shaking and trembling at eternity to come, when it is the nature of true fea…, ever to have the eye upon what it feares, till it is taken away; and if difficulty attend the same, to remove it; it cannot be quiet, but will cry for help, if possibly help may be had; this you never did: No, thou never hadst so much as these foolish Virgins, viz. to be awakened at all, but a spirit of slumber hath been upon thee; God …ath given thee eyes, but thou canst not see; eares, and thou canst not here; Thou sayst (it may be) that thou dost hope thou art prepared; alas, thou hast not a Virgins name, much less nature, nor dost not deserve it neither; thou hast not forsaken thy loose company, nor yet come to the company of the wise, neither dost thou desire it, or think … self unworthy of it; thy Lamp is out; nay, thou never hadst any light at all, never mad'st profession at all, as of one ready for Christ; but O poore wretch, all is yet to do with thee! if so, then remember that if thou diest now, thou shalt never have communion with Jesus Christ in glory.
SECT. IV.
Object. WHat if I have not?
Answ. I know it is the misery of men, they can make nothing of this till they feele it: But two things I will say.
1. Do but consider what if thou shouldst be deprived of the light of the Sun; nay, only of bread, only that one creature, and have cloaths, Sun, Friends, all other blessings but that; would it not be a wo with a witness, would it not cut a mans heart to heare him cry, Bread, bread, a little bread for the Lords sake, to save my life! there is but a drop of the sweetness of Christ in that. Oh what a misery will it be to pine away, and famish under wrath in chaines of darkness, and to cry, Oh a little refreshing from the p…esence of Christ, and canst not get it, but to live ever tormented without that, when thy soul shall cry, Lord, thus long have I been tormented without thee, till my spirits are weary, and my heart faint; Now, O now a little mercy,—Oh no.
2. That though thou seest it no great matter to be separated from Christ now, yet when the heavens shall be in a flaming fire, and the earth shall g…ve up the dead that be in it, and Christ shall appeare in infinite glory, admired of Angels, blessed of Saints, Crowned of God, comforting his Elect, Come, oh come ye blessed; then you shall think this separation something. Oh that you would now go home and mourn, and look up to the Lord, that he would make thee ready a Vessel of honour, and acknowledge it's righteous with him, if he should never do it.
SECT. V.
Vse 2. IT is of examination to all the Virgins; Would you know whether the Lord will bring you to e…ernal fellowship with him? are you ready for him, made sit to live with him or no? for …e…e only those which are ready, are received in; the foolish Virgins did … so long asleep, that little did they think they were unready, untill the Bridegroom… came, and it was too late. It is the condition of many at this day, that little dream of their separation from Christ, and yet shall be when he comes; but they have some hopes and assurance; they look to meet the Bridegroome when he shall come, and so fall into a sweet sleep; a comfortable condition, untill the Lords coming, puts them upon more narrow searching than ever before; that which many think gold now, shall be found hay, and stubble, and consumed to nothing at the coming of Christ; therefore search now.
I know there is many a gracious soul that is ready, feares to slip in at the passage over that narrow bridge, between life and death, this end of time, and beginning of eternity, and loth I am to sad any; but, heare what I shall now say in feare; when there are these three things in the soul, then it is ready; whiles any are wanting, it is unready; And by these try your selves.