The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened, Title page – To the reader
THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS OPENED: OR, CHRIST'S Coming as a Bridegroom Cleared up, and Improved from Matthew XXV. Ver. 1, 2, 3, &c.
By Benjamin Stonham.
The Marriage of the Lamb is Come, and his Wife hath made her ſelf Ready, Rev. 19. 7.
LONDON, Printed in the Year M.DC.LXXVI.
ERRATA.
PAge 11. Line 8. Tinie for Tyme. p. 20. l. 18. by for be. p. 21. l. 23. Read Voles. p. 21. l. ult. r. ſuch. p. 45. l. 14. r. theſe. p. 76. l. 14. r. tarryeth. p. 69. l. 38. r. 8. p. 121. l. 22. r. Awakened. p. ibid. l. 33. r. 18. p. 122. l, 2. r. the. p. 124. l. 32. r. 28. p. 131. l. 24. r. be. p. 138. l. 37. r. might. p. 139. l. 29. r. Complainers. p. 153. l. 28. r. Delatory. p. 175. l. 36. r. every. p. 186. l. 16. r. her. p. 194. l. 33. r. 32. p. 198. l. 39. r. 11th. p. 202. l. 21. r. were. p. 204. l. 17. r. 12. p. 214. l. 3. r. were. p. 216. l. 36. r. ſhewen. p. 216. l. 40. r. 15. p. 218. l. 40. r. Mat. 9. 15. p. 221. l. 40. r. 1 Kings 1. 41. p. 227. l. 30. r. peculiar. p. 229. l. 19. r. Attlred. p. 233. l. 29. after Salvation add ſhould awaken us, Rom. 13. 11. p. 234. l. 17. r. oft. p. 241. l. 26. r. as. p. 265. l. 2. r. 29. p. 265. l. 35. r. and as if. p. 279. l. 9. r. bare. p. 283. l. 38. r. as. p. 299. l. 24. r. Type. p. 299. l. 35. r. his. p. 96. l. 18. r. Ezekiel. p. 96. l. 34. r. Ezekiel. p. 96. l. ult. r. reſented.
To the READER.
AS in all Ages it hath been Satan's Deſign to Blind the Minds of Men, even from our firſt Parents, whom he had ſoon rockt into a dead ſleep, with all their Poſterity, in which they had lyen till now, had not Chriſt awakened them: So ever ſince, and more Eminently in the laſt Times is he ſo Employed, all things concurring to the Accompliſhment of his Deſign. The World, which hath Ordinarily been a pricking Bryar, by that means preventing ſome Mens Sleeping, hath been turned into a …ed of eaſe; and the Watch-men, by whom Slumberers ſhould have been awakened, have ſupported them with Pilows; yea, Men have been ſo diſpoſed to ſleep, that they have cloſed their own Eyes, unti…l the Beſt have ſlumbred, and the moſt are faſt aſleep; which hath ever been Dangerous, but now more than ever. Therefore the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who was manifeſted to Deſtroy the works of the Devil, hath Knocked at ſuch ſleepers Doors, by his awakening Providences, and by his Servants the Proph…s, Riſing up early, and ſending them. But now the danger of ſleepi…g unto Death is ſo great, that he ſends forth a Cryer at Midnight, to prevent the Ruine that would o're-whelm thoſe Sleepers by the Morning.
This is the Critical Hour, and the laſt Application; thoſe that do not then Recover, periſh for ever. Were we ſenſible of the preſent Danger of ſuch a Nature, we ſhould not be Offended at plain dealing.
The following Diſcourſe (which the Providence of God gave me with others an Opportunity to Hear) is of ſuch a Nature: The Inſtrument by whom this Truth was ſounded forth, being firſt ſent to awaken others now ſleeps in Jeſus; who willing that all Men ſhould come to the knowledge of the Truth, hath by his Providence Ordered the ſurviving of this Teſtimony, that ſo it may come to their hands who had not an Opportunity, nor (poſſibly) an Heart to Receive it from the Speakers Lips. It was Joy to me to hear of its being Printed, though I do expect as Chriſt himſelf did, ſo his moſt Material Truths will meet with hard Ʋſage in the World. The Foundation and Corner-ſtone, which God lays in Sion, becomes a ſtone of ſtumbling to the Men of Judah (being Rejected of their Builders) yet nevertheleſs precious to them that believe. 'Tis Dangerous not to Believe the Truth, much more to be Offended at it. The Good Lord prevent Sorrow upon either Account.
Receive nothing for Truth, without a Touch-ſtone: We do not onelyonly Tell Gold after a Brother, but heretofore when Men were more Exact, did Weigh it alſo with Gold Weights, which then were wont to be in Readineſs with them, differing from thoſe by which baſer things were Weighed. So alſo is utmoſt Holy Curioſity Commendable in Weigihng Truth, onelyonly … careful to have the Sanctuary Ballance (viz.) … Scriptures, and … Traditions of the Elders, or formerly Received Principles.
And if ſomething be hard to be Ʋnderſtood, be not Haſty to Reject at, much leſs the whole for the ſake of it; the Fault may poſſibly be in thine Eye, and not in the Object; we Live under a Diſpenſation wherein the fine Gold, or Goſpel-Grace is changed, and become Dim, as well as Lamps going out. The Difference between Wiſe and Fooliſh Virgins is not ſo eaſily diſcerned, ſave by ſearching the Veſſels, which this ſerves unto, and Gold will loſe nothing by being Rubbed; nor can Fooliſh Virgins be damnified by having the Emptineſs of their Veſſels diſcovered, whilſt Oyl is to be bought: Solomon ſaith, to every Purpoſe there is Time and Judgment, therefore the Miſery of Man is great, who wanteth Judgment, to know the Time appointed to his purpoſe. Every Profeſſor will one day know this Truth, which yet will not prevent theri Miſery, ſave by the timelineſs of ſuch Knowledge. It was the great Aggravation of Jeruſalem's ſin and ſorrow, that ſhe did not know (even in that her Day) the things that did Concern her Peace, which therefore are hid from her eyes ever ſince; as we may well expect it will be with thoſe Fooliſh Virgins, againſt whom (for the ſame Reaſon) Chriſt will ſhut his Door.
I knew not what would be greater Rejoycing to me than to ſee Chriſt in his Truths and Intereſts advanced in mine own and others Hearts, to the ſilencing of that Ignorance and prejudice that hath with-ſtood the Receiving of the Truth in Love, wherein we might have been eſtabliſhed, and not ſo Subject to be blown to and fro by the Tempters Wind, as at this Day. Going out at Midnight is attended with many Difficulties, but when once entred into Chriſt's Bride-Chamber, they will be no more Remembred, nor will there be any cauſe of Repenting that Labour when they ſhall hear others Knock, and Cry in vain without, which God prevent being our Portion, by a Timely and effectual Grafting into the true Olive-tree, that ſo this Oyl of Grace and Light may never fail, ſo an Entrance ſhall be Miniſtred into the Everlaſting Kingdom of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which is the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb, to which the Called are pronounced Bleſſed; untill when, Fellowſhip with this Teſtimony is Acknowledged a good Heritage, beſtowed by the Lord on a very Ʋnworthy Creature,
VV. B.