The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 2 · Chapter 19 · Section 8 – Section 10
SECT. VIII.
1. THis Spirit and fulnesse of it, the Saints not only pray for, but they follow their …ray…rs to Christ, untill th…ir sou…s are sweetly satisfied with it, and so it abides daily satisfying their hearts. John 4. 14. The water I shall give, shall be a spring, so as the soul shall not thirst after more gra…e; i. e. with a tormenting thirst; nor after the world; the grace of God, and the Spirit of God in the heart is so sweet, that the soule saith, Oh it is enough, oh if my soul might ever be thus near the Lord, indeared to him, walking thus humbly, thankfully, cheerfully with him, this should be all my desire; and hence, Iohn 14. 16. it is called the Com orter, which dwells in them, and is known by them, the world knows it not. Now here is the wound of others, they have the Spirit convincing them of emptiness, misery, nakedness, and they lie so, and they desire; but as Solomon saith, Prov. 13. 4. They are forsaken of the Spirit, before they finde him to be a Comforter quenching their thirsty desires, making them to feele the sweetness of his Presence, of his Grace. Isa. 58. 11. There were divers that did pray, fast, draw near to God, and did delight in it, but they felt not what they desired at all; there were some lusts, their souls were leane, and like parched desarts; but when the heart is indeed humbled, the spirit comes in, and makes the bones fat, and like a watered garden; Oh therefore take heed you give not over, till the Lord pour out in thy empty heart, of the fulness of his grace.
2. This Spirit ever keeps a man poor and vile in his own eyes, and empty. Take a man that hath no knowledge, nor taste of Gods grace, whiles he findes ignorance, he may pray, and be diligent in use of means, and full of life; but when he hath got some knowledge, and can discourse pretty well, and hath some tastes of the Heavenly Gift, some sweet elaps…es of grace, and so his conscience is pretty well quieted, and if he hath got some answer to his prayers, and hath sweet affections, he grows full, and having ease to his conscience, casts off sence, and daily groaning under sin; And hence the Spirit of Prayer dies, he loses his esteeme of Gods Ordinances, feeles not such need of them, or gets no good, feeles no life and power by them; and whereas before he could catch at every word, and mourn when he found the Lord passed by him, and speak never a good word to him: now no such trouble, because he is full. This is the woful condition of some, but yet they know it not; but now he that is filled with the Spirit, the Lord empties him, and the longer he lives, so that others think he needs not much grace, yet he accounts himself the poorest, and feels a need of every truth of God, and Ordinance of God; his sin ('tis true) continues, 'tis not quite abolished, and his sighing within himself continues also to his grave. Isa. 57. 15. poore, and yet the Lord dwells there; how can these sta…d together? very well in those who are the Lords.
3. This Spirit comes in that fusness, as that it so purifies the heart of sin and self, as that it makes the soul set it seef for God, as his last end and happinesse, and so as that the work of Christ is his blessednesse. 2. Tim. 2. 20, 21. He that purgeth himself from these things, is a Vessel of honour, and fit for his Masters use. It is with some souls, as it is with some drosly Vessels, they are put out of the fire, and they are taken out before their dross is removed, or they melted, or if melted, yet not fashioned for use, even to every good work; so some have great troubles without and within; now the fire goes out, or they get out of the fire; viz. the trouble, before their dross is removed, or their sinful natures be changed; or if they be melted, yet they are not fashioned, and framed for their Masters use only; they are for their own use, and their lusts use, and seek themselves in all they do, but not for the Lords use; it is not their life to live to God. Promises are sweet, and Christ is sweet, and Heaven is sweet; but the work of Christ to be of use for Christ, this is not their bliss: I know Saints fall short here much, and seek themselves; but yet their hearts are prepared, fashioned, set for this end, and they through the help of the Spirit, refine themselves for the Lord; that when sin desires them to serve it, No (their answer is) I am no debtor, nor servant to you; I have lived too long to you already, I am now the Lords, and for the Lord; Oh that I might have that honour as to be employed for him; I say unto you, the Lord hath here filled you, and fitted you for his use, and you may be comforted.
SECT. IX.
3. WHen the soul is recovered out of that security, which usually befalls men after some time of first affection and profession, in that measure, as that now it lives unto the Lord in a daily waiting for him, and longing for him, when the Lord sees it meet to come and take him to himself. For all these Virgins fell asleep, after they came out to meet the Bridegroom with their burning Lamps; and not only the foolish, but the wife also slept. Now I ask you, Do you think they were ready then for the Lord? No, not untill they were awakened againe, and the wise had got their Lamps burning againe, and waiting for him; but yet the foolish had got not only no light to their lamps, but Oyle was wanting also to their Vessels; So it is here.
Time h…th been, that the Lord hath awakened you with feares and terrors about your estate, and you have got into the assemblings of the Saints together, and kept company with them, and you have escaped the outward pollutions of the world, and defilements of Gods worship and services, and you have seen the insufficiency of all duties and it is Christ you have look't after, and prayed for, and got some peace and comfort that he is yours, and have look't to meet him, hoped if you die, that you should be saved; but have you not faln into a secure frame againe, both wise and foolish? have you not turned Prodigals, and scent, and lost all, after you have had your portions? if not, thank God, be not high-minded, but feare; for very few, but after fulness fall asleep; and after they have had some peace of conscience, but they fall to enter into some peace, if not with some foul open sins, yet some truce with some lesser secret sins; and if their oyle be not spent, their sorrows spent in sorrowing, their trouble spent in trouble, their desires spent in desiring (as water spends away it self in running out of a Cisterne, not out of a Spring) yet their light hath gone out; the beauty of thy profession is (it may be) lost, that heat and life is gone which others saw, and you saw much more: are you ready now? and though you may have some awakenings, yet are they so far as to cause you to get up, and kindle your Lamps, and waite for the Bridegroome? If it be so that still you keep sleeping, and have not your Lamps ready trimm'd, then you are just as all the foolish Virgins were, before the cry came.
SECT. X.
Quest. BUT may not a godly man die in a declining, decaying, secure frame?
Answ. 1. He may die in an uncomfortable frame, without great peace of conscience; for sometimes a mans Lamp may shine brightest, when his peace is least; but the more prayer, the more searchings and washing of heart is then to be attended; a godly man may die mourning for ought I know, and the Lord give him his garment of gladness in Heaven, for the spirit of heaviness here on earth; because though he loseth the comfort of his estate, yet not the safety of it, because he dyes under the wings of a Promise; So that though he dyes uncomfortably, yet not securely.
2. He may die to his feeling in such a frame, poor, and contrite; for growing in the sence of emptiness, is not decaying in the being or power of holiness; the Lord is now preparing of him to honour his grace, when he doth not help him to honour his Will in that inlargedness of heart to it as he would, so that this soul is not decaying.
3. But yet I do not know that the Lord lets his people die ordinarily in a withering condition; especially if it appear so to others of his discerning servants; the Lord will send some cry to awaken his servants before he comes to them, or they enter into the Marriage with him: I will allow some unusual exceptions against general rules, and put in Asa for one, and leave secrets with God; but ordinarily the Lord doth not let his deare Servants dye in a sottish secure estate: When Sampsons locks are cut, and his strength lost, he shall lie in the Mill untill they be grown againe before he dies; and Solomon may run ryot, but he shall proclaim his folly to all ages in the world for it, in Eccles. before he dies. Ep…es. 5. 26, 27. Christ presents his Church without wrinckle; you are to be presented by Christ to the Father, and to be set before Christ without wrinckle, without witherings, and decayes, if he loves you, he will wash you, that it may be so.