The Parable of the Ten Virgins, Part 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of Gods compassion towards wise and foolish Virgins.
SECT. 1.
SUch is the compassion of Christ to his people, Observation 3.that deep security cannot always make the Lord to reject them; and therefore we shall find three expressions of the love and kindness of the Lord to the wise and foolish Virgins also.
First, When they not only slumber but sleep, and that long, even to the coming of the Bridegroom almost, yet Christ spares them, and doth not all this while cut them off, and bury them out of his sight, as men that do forget him.
Secondly, He prevents them with awakening grace, and the Lord is up when his servants be abed, and is awakened for their good when they are asleep and regard not him; and first by his cry he awakens them before they shake up themselves; when once the Churches fall asleep, they would sleep their long sleep, and never awaken, if the Lord should not by some cry or other prevent them.
Thirdly, He longs for their fellowship and company though secure; and therefore it is not a cry of terror and wrath, the Bridegroom hath forsaken you, for your secure careless course; but it is a cry of grace, go forth to meet him; yet he is willing to have communion with you, yet he desires that you would have communion with him; oh come out to meet him; I shall wrap up all these together, because I shall be brief. Wonderful was the grace of Christ toward the old world, when for the space of one hundred and twenty years he waited for them, who after they had been an hundred and nineteen secure, yet then the same spirit that waiteth for us in these days of the Gospel, preached the Lord unto them.
Ieremiah was very long speaking to Israel (as the other Prophers) in so much that the Lord professeth to send the King of Babylon against them, yet the Lords heart melts, cha. 26. 1, 2, 3. Speak unto them; it may be they will hearken, and turn that I may repent; So Ier. 3. they had polluted the Law, ver. 2. showres are withheld (which is no great matter) small evils are arguments of hearts revolted from God; they did the Lord as much mischief as they could, and were secure, verse 3. Yet mark, wilt thou not from this time cry My Father? meet the Lord as thy Husband? will he keep his anger for ever? Nay, the Lord cast off Adulterous Israel, and they knew the cause, yet went on securely in the same sins; yet see, verse 14. Turn oh back-sliding children, Prov. 6. 5, 6. How long, &c.
SECT. II.
IN regard of the foolish,Reason 1. there is no reason, but the Lords pitty and compassion to a sinful people; he hath compassion on them because he will; for he doth not pity people only in respect of their miseries, but in respect of their sins, 2 Chron. ult. 16. he sent his Prophets among them (and they despised them) because he had compassion on his people; the cords of grace are let down to all sinners, Blasphemers, Opposers of God, &c.
In regard of the wise Virgins, because his Mariage-covenant with them is not suspended on any thing on his peoples part;Reason 2. for though there is a condition which the Lord doth require of his people in Mariage-covenant, yet the Lord so requires it, as that he intends to work it, and undertakes to maintain it; and there is no evil in them, but he promiseth in this Covenant to remove; he will heal them of it, but he will not cast them off for it; hence Ephes. 5. 25. Christ loves his Church; what, because it had loveliness? no, but that he might wash it; and if he loves it to this end, that he might wash it, then no pollution can make the Lord utterly to cast it off; if he loves because of deformities, that he might wash them away, then none can quench his love; hence no security, no carelesness, though deep, though long, so long as the Mariage-bond between man and wife conti…s, so long as no sin is committed that can break this Mariagebond, so long infirmities or other distempers never separate. Now, no sin in them that are given to Christ can break the Mariage-bond, because it is wholly undertaken on the Lords part; women may commit Adultery, and break their Mariage-bond, because they are not kept by their Husband from that; but the Lord undertakes this for his people, to put his fear in their heart, that they shall never depart from God. Hos. 2. 19, 20. I will b…troth thee unto me for ever, and you shall know the Lord; hence the Lord may humble, but never utterly reject his, for security in a lust.
SECT. III.
OF Direction and thankfulness to the people of God;Use 1. Oh! do not always fall to fits of doubts after security, though deep and long (as many Christians do) and so are ever laying and pulling up foundations; after most peace of conscience, most security, and then the Sea rageth again, and it is hard for any man to keep his peace; have you had such mercy, and love, and will you thus be careless and loose again? believe it, the Lord will break your bones if you love your beds, and not give you rest till you finde it on another pillow; but yet do not deny his love, though you have forgot it; do not say you are not Virgins, because fallen asleep; and that the Bridegroom will never come to meet you, because you have lingred in meeting him; for behold he cometh: I know there is a difference between the security of the wise and foolish; of which hereafter: The Disciples fall asleep in the garden after a trebble warning, yet it was against much relucta…cy; hence Christ pitied them; the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak; and when they were awakened, their vessels were not found empty; Peters vessel was full of love to Christ before, and when the Lord awakens him, he tells the Lord he loved him; and his fall and security in it for a time made him more humble, and love the Lord with less self-confidence, and more purity: But oh, wonder at it, rejoyce in it, and be thankful for it! especially you that have fallen into any secure frame since ye came into these Virgin-Churches; which you cannot but do, if you consider the greatness of this sin; to sin and be long secure, and fast asleep, is strange.
1. This is the great provoking sin; look throughout all the Book of God, let the sin be grear, and immediately after conscience smitten, bones broken, and heart awakened, we shall never see the Lord but he is pacified, the Lord hears their groanings, and remembers his Covenant; but little sins fallen into, and by security continued in, the Lord visits for this, Psal. 50. When a man shall not only sin, but take delight in it, as a man doth in his sleep.
2. This is a sin in places of liberty and Ordinances, whereas the Lord was never so good to thee, and thy heart never worse to him, never so secure, you thought and purposed never to be so watchful and tender as now; to be secure here, greatly aggravates such security.
3. This sin is a common sin; now this adds to a sin, when a man has a hand in a national sin, that runs in the blood of all the Churches; for so you see it is, all the Virgins secure: when all forget the Lord, as though there were not enough to lay more loab upon the Lord; what doth this but harden others in security; thy wives heart, thy brethrens heart, such a one is secure; as though it were not enough to fight against the Lord, but Ciant-like to fall among the troops of them that securely dishonor the Lord: When the old world was secure we heard nothing of that; but when the Sons of God came to be secure, and all flesh corrupted their ways, the Lord falls a mourning, and repents that he had made man: When any sin groweth general in Churches, that sin is most grievous to God; Princes children when they sin alone it is grievous, but when they take part with all the mutinous crue against their Father, this strikes deep; Oh that ever mine eyes should see this evil.
4. It is a sin which is the last, and is the ruine of all the foolish Virgins, and perfects their perdition, as here it did; they slept till it was too late; oh that the Lord should not cast you off for this! admire at this; and let thy heart, and house, and work be filled with praise for this: You have complained long of a secure heart; see it humble thee that it continueth, but make thee wonder that the Lord will not cast thee off.
SECT. IV.
TO all those that have been long secure;Vse 2. let this compassion of the Lord awaken you, and draw you to him, and make you come out and meet him; and give entertainment to the Lord, who hath not yet cast you off from him, but yet crys, oh come and meet me: Methinks this should awaken you; what, hath not the Lord cast me off yet? no! but his cry this day is, Oh come out and meet me! The Lord might have cut thee off in thy security; this is his season to others, when men cry peace, peace; and he might have let thee slept and never awake more till past hope; yet here is his grace, oh come and meet him! and will you despise it and refuse the Lord?
Object. 1. I have no oyl in my vessel, no grace in my heart; what should I meet him for, or look for him! I am s… vile and so secure, he cannot look upon me.
Answ. 1. You have the more need of receiving him as your Bridegroom, that so you may receive the eternal anointing of his Spirit of Grace and Life in your hearts.
2. Now you have time to get both.
Object. 2. But it is long before the Bridegroom comes; there's time enough for this hereafter.
Answ. 1. Would you never look after the Lord, and being betrothed to him till the very time of his coming? will you despise Grace to the utmost, and weary out Grace to the last gaspe? behold the Lord shall come, and thy eye shall see him, and waile because of him; and the Lord will make thee cry out on thy death-bed, and warn others to take heed of trifling with the Lord long, who didst never take warning thy self.
2. You see when the Cry is made, the Bridegroom is not far behinde; now is his cry, and you see some that did awaken, and after the cry, had time too little to trim their lamps. It may be many cryes have been sounding in thy secure ears; and yet there's time, he is not come; grant it, and will you therefore despise this rich grace the more because of his goodness.
Obj. 3. But I am well as I am without the Bridegroom.
Ans. It may be sleep is sweet for the present; but if thou wert awakened, thou wouldst be of another minde; there are many here present that can say, they thought themselves well, &c. but now I see my error, &c. Oh Lord, what if I had been left to these thoughts; yet this is ever the frame of a secure heart (like swine) well when it is in the mire, basking in the Sun.
1. It is pleasure; but consider, it is but short; long security will end in hideous affrights, and doleful awakenings, for one days short sleep: I remember Nineveh's are set out by this, Zeph. 2. 15. This is the rejoycing City, that dwelt carelesly; painting out their misery for this sin above all the rest; so when plagues be upon you, God and Angels shall point at you, This is the secure sinner that lived loosly.
2. It deprives you of more rest and ease; carnal security keeps a man from knowing spiritual security; while your sin and sleep is sweet, the grace of Christ and the sense of his love shall be strangers to you, and to your hearts; Christ is anointed to preach to a weary, not to a sleepy sinner: Isa. 50. 4. There are seasons of refreshings and coolings, which such shall never know.
3. This which is thy pleasure, is the Lords sorrow and grief; look as when the sinner mourneth under his sin, the Lords heart is quieted, Zeph. 3. 17, 18. I said I would confess, and thou forgavest: So when a man delights in his sin, the Lords soul is then grieved; and the more delight, the more grief; Christ mourned for the … of their hearts, Mark 5. 3. Now grant that you … what joy is it to think, that while I have my ease and peace, … Lord hath his burden; my rest and peace is the Lords sorrow in Heaven; when the sons of God grow fleshly, the Lord repented that he had made man; Oh let the groanings of a compassionate God awaken you out of this security!
SECT. V.
Object. BUt there's none s…cur here.
Answ. It's hard for wise not to fall here; but for foolish not to fall to this sin, at least to be long preserved from it, will be miraculous; but for the most part of men not to be drowned in it.
1. Have not divers lived and never been awakened at all, not so much as to cry out, I am a damned man, what shall I do? thou never hadst a spark of eternal flames of wrath to kindle thy conscience, and that after an ignorant and prophane life.
2. If you have been troubled, have you not fallen asleep before ever you have gotten any settled peace and comfort in the blood of Christ, only hast got so much oyl as makes thy lamp burn, and gives thee a name to live, when thy vessel is empty, and heart is dead.
3. Have not many, nay most of thy days been spent without any sorrow for, or reckoning concerning thy sin? it may be you have a Lent and a cleansing week sometimes; but most commonly it is otherwise, that you never see sin, but sleep in it, and set your selves to go on, having found no hurt in such a course as yet.
4. How many use the Ordinances of God, come to them, but never gain good by them? What is there no gold in these mines? Yes, but a slothful, secure heart will not dig for them.
5. Nay do not Gods crys make the sleep thee faster? he taketh away a great part of thy estate from thee; and thou lookest upon the misery and shame of rags and poverty; and thy heart dyeth away with discontent, and grows more worldly. If light be darkness, if means of wakening be a means of sleeping, how great is that security? Oh therefore go out and meet the Bridegroom!
SECT. VI.
Quest. BUt how shall I receive the Lord as my Bridgroom and Husband?
Answ. 1. See what thy widowhood is, and forsaken condition, Isa. 54. 5, 6. When thou wast refused, the Lord loved thee; what creature can help thee, when the Lord forsakes thee? what a misery is it to live out of a fathers house!
2. See his love that he makes to you, otherwise you will never conclude it, but sink, saying, The Lord forgets me: Oh see his love he makes to thee to receive him; and that thou wouldest give thy consent to have him, that thou mayst love him, Isa. 56. 6. A carnal heart, a whorish lover desires to close with Christ, that Christ may give gifts to it and love it; but a Virgin that she may love the Lord, and be wholly his; and this will answer all doubts; what have you to do with Christ, and all that mercy, grace and glory? Oh 'tis that I may love the Lord more.
Object. 'Tis presumption.
Answ. No, it is that I may love the Lord indeed; and now when the heart is drawn here, Psal. 45. 10. Then shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty; pleasure in thee, and all that thou dost: What, in me, that am weary of my self? Yes in thee. 1. When he forsakes others, he will meet thee. 2. Though he departs, and sorrows attend thee, yet thy sorrows shall be turned into joy, and he will see thee again, and never cease delighting in thee, but wrap thee up in everlasting embracings.