Several Works, Work 2 · Part 6

Several Works · Work 2 · Part 6

p. 262Verſe 8.

And the fooliſh ſaid unto the wiſe, give us of your Oyl, for our Lamps are gone out.

IN this Verſe we have another part of the Parable, wherein we have, upon the awakening of the conſcience of theſe hypocrites and formal profeſſors, and the diſcovery of their condition, their requeſt to the godly, their Application of themſelves to them, and the reaſon of that requeſt. The requeſt, Give us of your oyl; the reaſon of it, for our Lamps are gone out. The reaſon being firſt in order of nature, as the cauſe of the other, the root from whence the requeſt doth ſpring, we will begin to ſpeak a little to that.

foreign, They are extinct, or they are going out, and yet we have not a ſupply to keep them alive, they are gone; and for their own part, they had no oyl in their veſſel to do it with; the Note from this Clauſe is,

An hypocrites profeſſion will not carry him through all Conditions.Doctrine.

Theſe fooliſh Virgins made a ſhift to ſatisfie themſelves, and p. 263blind the world with their Lamps which they carryed, and went as far with them a great while as the wiſe did, but the end is that which differenceth perſons conditions; as the Holy-Ghoſt ſpeaks by the Pſalmiſt, Mark the perfect man, behold the upright, the end of that man is peace; he doth not ſay, mark the perfect man; for in his life time he hath ſuch a diſtinguiſhing Character; his life is peace, and the other is trouble: No, but the end, whatever his life hath been before, his end is peace.

This is a clear caſe, his profeſſion will not carry him through all conditions, and that for theſe two reaſons. One of them will be ſure to meet with them all; for either, 1. Their profeſſion fails them before the day of death, and ſo carries them not through; or elſe, 2. At death.

Firſt then, ordinarily; I think it is a truth, that a formality, or profeſſion of Chriſtianity, if there be no more, doth fail a man, and is diſcovered to others and to himſelf, ſo that though he hath reſted upon it, and made it his hope heretofore, yet now it fails him: Here you ſee it is the very caſe, when the cry came to prepare them, to awake them, that they might fit themſelves for his appearing; which is infinite mercy that he did not rather ſurpriſe them while they were in this ſleep and ſecurity: Now I ſay, before the Bridegroom himſelf came actually to fetch them that were ready, it is diſcovered to themſelves, and they ſee they are hypocrites. And it is diſcovered to others that their Lamps are gone out, they are themſelves made the Publiſhers of their own ſhame therein. You know Judas was diſcovered, unmasked before his death, and laid open to be what he was indeed; a thief, a wretch, a traytor. And ſo thoſe many Diſciples that followed Jeſus Chriſt, he knowing their hearts not to be right, delivered ſuch a trying word as gave them offence, and they went backward, and Joh. 6. 66.John 6:66walked with him no more.

And the Reaſon of this is very plain, Becauſe they have not a ſpring within to feed their profeſſion. As far as the ſpring they have, or the wet, or mire, they move by little; as far as that will carry them they will go, but then not a ſtep further. A beaſt, and a ſervant, or a child follow a man; the one followeth him for a bottle of hay, ſo ſoon as he laies that down before him, he goeth no further after him; but the ſon followeth him home, and will not be ſhut out by any means. As haply now, while Religion p. 264thrives, he will be on the Sun-ſide of the hedge, where it is warmeſt, he is a Summer-bird; ſuppoſe now a time of tribulation Job 27. 10.Job 27:10come for the word ſake, will he abide? No, he withers as the ſandy ground, in the 13. Matth. Will he delight himſelf in the Almighty, and alway call upon God? No, their profeſſion are like Job 6. 15.Job 6:15Jobs friends, deceive him in the day of trouble; as a brook, and as the ſtream of a brook they paſs away, like a loud flood, make a great ſhew, run very fiercely, carry all before it for a time, but it is preſently dryed up, becauſe it hath no ſpring to feed it; as ſome note, that in Peru there is a diurnal-River, which runs in the day with a great ſtream, but in the night the channel is dry, becauſe in the day the Sun melteth down the Snow upon the Mountains, and that maketh a great ſtream, but in the night it ceaſeth. In grace now it is otherwiſe, there is a principle within, there is the Spirit of grace dwelling in the hearts of Believers, and this ſupplyeth them continually; there is a new nature, and that is a thing durable. But,

Secondly, If it fail not before death, as here it doth, yet ſome paſſions being longer then ſome, Joaſ… held out long, yet he was diſcovered before death; but ſuppoſe they continue longer, yet 2 Chron. 24.2 Chr 24uſually they will not carry them through death; men may make a ſhift to live by a form, but they cannot dye by a form: indeed affliction opens many mens eyes to ſee that they were but rotten; counterfeit gold will not endure the fire, or not the ſeventh fire at leaſt, fire is of a ſearching nature, and yet notwithſtanding ſome they paſs this tryal, and are not diſcovered until death, and then it fails them. If Balaam dye his own death, and not the death of the righteous, what a miſerable creature will he be? Numb. 23. 10.Num 23:10And death doth open many mens eyes: O what labouring is there then many times to be ſpared a little, that they may recover ſtrength before we go hence and be no more ſeen. All the life Pſal. 39. ult.Ps 39time they thought all was well, but now they find they are deceived, their Lamps are gone out. O brethren, the valley of the ſhadow of death is full of ſuch damps, as every Lamp will not endure, every profeſſion will not abide, but it overcometh them. But haply they may go down quietly, and go away with confidence in their conſcience; a ſtrange confidence have many poor blinded hypocrites, whoſe conſciences are ſeared, Yet,

p. 265Thirdly, Be ſure brethren, It will not carry them through the Judgement; after the death the Judgement; we may make a ſhift to paſs through this world, and haply delude our ſelves, and think all is well; and through death, and yet never dream of our miſery; but if we be hypocrites, be ſure that a form will not endure to appear in Judgement, before the ever laſting burnings, the conſuming fire. There the Lord will examine mens hands, what ever their profeſſions have been, and their hearts; as it is ſaid of Tiberius, when he examined a fellow that pretended to the Crown, he was ſo confident and cunning, he could not trap him in his words; at laſt he examined his hands, and finding them hard with labour, he found him to be but a ſervile mechanick fellow; he was then ſo ſtartled, ſaith Mr. Caryl, that he had no more to ſay. So the Lord will examine mens works then, and the principles of their works from which they acted, and they ſhall be forced to confeſs they are hypocrites, and their mouthes ſhall he everlaſtingly ſtopt, depart from me ye workers of iniquity; you tell me ye have preached in my name, or propheſied, &c. let me ſee your hands, you are workers of iniquity.

For the Application then, What a terrible word to all formal profeſſors, who have only a Lamp, a form of godlineſs, but deny the power of it in heart and in their converſations. Let all ſuch, if any ſuch be here preſent, know,

Firſt, Your profeſſion will fail you ſooner or later. You think when you have done ſo many duties, you have acquired ſuch gifts, and ſuch ſuppoſed graces of the ſpirit, and …w all is well, theſe are enough to lift you up to heaven, a Tower, a Ladder that will reach to heaven. But alas, it is not ſo, it is but a Caſtle builded Mat. 7. 22.Matt 7:22in the air, they are lying words you truſt in, who cry, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are theſe. You are his people, and have his Ordinances; a Job 8. 14.Job 8:14fine web a ſpider weaves, takes great pains, ſpins it out of her bowels; but alas, it never cometh to any thing, it will not make a garment to cover their nakedneſs from the Lord Jeſus. Hypocrites reſt in a formality, and ſome obſervances of the Law, as if it were their hope that ſhould ſecure them from all ſtorms and injuries whatſoever, but alas it will not, theſe things will fail.

Secondly, Is it not worthy obſervation alſo, that an hypocrite, if he go to decay in this life, his hypocriſie be diſcovered, he decaies p. 266quickly, ſuddenly, more ſuddenly then another man ordinarily; therefore he is compared to a Bull-ruſh, that withers before any other plant when they are once blaſted & curſed; as God doth curſ Job 8. 12.Job 8:12them many times, alas the next day they are gone and withered; as the tree that was dryed up by the root, which the Diſciples wondered at; a ſad thing to-have leaves without fruit, a form without Mark 11. 21.Mark 11:21power; the withering curſe doth light upon them ſooneſt, ſooner then prophane perſons, and how quickly are they withered? they are like the graſs upon the houſe top, that withereth before it groweth up.

Thirdly, It will be ſure to ſail a man when he hath moſt need of it; as in the hour of temptation, the hour of affliction, the hour of death, and the hour of judgement; in all theſe uſually it fails as a man, ſtanding him in no ſtead…; as the brooks run in the winter when there is no need of them, but in Summer when the traveller is ready to periſh for thirſt, then are they dryed up, in that place of Job: Like the Apples of Sodom; if a man come to touch them, would be refreſhed by them, they turn to duſt: Job 6. 15.Job 6:15poor creatures think they have faith until an hour of temptation or affliction; when they ſhould act it, then they have none: So they think they have love and bowels, but when an opportunity is offered, and they have moſt need of them, then they fail; like the houſe there in Matth. 7. It was builded as fair to ſee to as another, as the wiſe mans houſe, and ſerved him while it ſhone upon his Tabernacle, but when once the ſtorms aroſe, the winds came, and the waves beat againſt it, alas it fell, and great was the Mat. 7. 25.Matt 7:25fall thereof.

Fourthly, that which will ſet an edge upon all the former, is the ſad diſappointment of the hypocrite or formaliſt in all this, for his hope is cut off like a ſpiders web; there are two Pillars he leans upon, as Sampſon upon the Pillars in the houſe; the Jachin and Boaz: What are they, but the good things of this world, and life eternal; and alas, both fail him. For the good things of this life, they many times leave him; the mire and the water which made the Bull-ruſh to grow, they are dryed up, & what is become of his hope then? he leans, laies hold on his houſe, and is loath to▪ let it go; but let him hold it as faſt as he can, yet down it … 8. …5.muſt go, when the Lord cometh to manifeſt his diſpleaſure againſt him.

p. 267Secondly, For things eternal, thoſe he expecteth, and is as high, until he be diſcovered to himſelf, in his expectation of heaven Iſa. 29. 8.Isa 29:8as any other; but alas, he is but in a golden dream all this while, as an hungry man dreameth he eateth, &c. but it is nothing Job 8. 14.Job 8:14but a fancy, when he awakes he is never the fuller, but rather vexed ſo much the more, being diſappointed; for a man to have his hope cut off, is the greateſt cut in the world, nothing breaks the creatures heart more then this. O how great hope may a Miniſter be raiſed to, being an inſtrument in the hand of God to ſave others, that he alſo ſhall be ſaved; they themſelves have means to caſtout the Devil, and ſhall they go to the Devil? It is indeed the very emphaſis of damnation to be caſt down from Mat. 7. 22.Matt 7:22ſuch a height of hope, to be ſo near to heaven in their hopes, and yet miſcarry.

O, how ſhould this make us afraid of hypocriſie and formality, which is ready to creep upon us? how bitter a thing is it in the end to hypocrites, yea to the people of God in their way, when God opens their eyes to behold it in its colours? therefore let us be exhorted every one of us to take heed of it, leſt it be found in ſuch prevalency among us, as to denominate us hypocrites: believe it brethren, If we be hypocrites, our duties will not commend us to God, be they never ſo many, never ſo plauſible, becauſe our hearts are not changed, which is a notable ſign of an hypocrite; he doth much duty, but never reacheth to a better heart, is not changed from glory to glory; but he prayeth and ſinneth, and weepeth and ſinneth, getteth no ſtrength againſt corruption.

Again, an hypocrite, he will reſt and lean to his duties, he leans to his houſe, which is of his own building. Now truly Brethren, true grace where it is, if we ſhould lean to it inſtead of Chriſt, it would not ſtand, much leſs a counterfeit; the believer he reſts upon God alone, his preſence in the Valley of the ſhadow Pſal. 23. ….Ps 23of death, not upon his houſe, upon the web of his own weaving, but would be found in Chriſt.

And laſtly, how much comfort is here to a poor child of God, though it may be he flouriſh not ſo, and have not ſuch a glorious ſhew and formality, ſuch a compleat form of godlineſs as another, yea his own conſcience beareth him witneſs before the Lord, that his heart is right before him, and he hath a power of grace p. 268upon his heart, to ſubdue that to the Lord. Surely brethren, it is much rather to be choſe; a little ſpring, then a great ſwelling torrent, for there is a living principle, it will continue and hold out, it will not dry up in the day of drought and diſappoint our hopes, but as great Rivers in their heads are ſmall ſtreams many times, ſo here it will increaſe and grow from one degree to another, to a place of broad Rivers, until it empty it ſelf into that fulneſs, and ſo of glory to all eternity: Look to the truth of it Brethren, if there be oyl in the veſſels; you ſee the wiſe Virgins, though they had their Lamps to trim, yet they were not gone out; but ſo much ſhall ſerve for this Doctrine.

foreign Having conſidered already, that a form of godlineſs without the power will not carry the hypocrite through all conditions, it will fail him ſooner or later; I am now to conſider of their reflection upon this failing of their Lamps, They were out, and they ſaw that they were out; and thence it is that they go a begging for oyl; the note I will raiſe from hence ſhall be as comprehenſive as may be, we will haſten; It is this,

Though an hypocrite may long be hiding himſelf, yet at laſt, when Doctrine.it is too late, he ſhall be diſcovered to himſelf; this is the very caſe of the fooliſh Virgins in this place. There will be two or three things conſiderable if we take the Obſervation aſunder. As firſt; That an hypocrite may long lie hid from himſelf. 2. That at laſt he ſhall be diſcovered to himſelf. 3. That ordinarily this is when it is too late.

For the firſt, That they may long lie hid from themſelves; this is plain from the Parable, for how long did the fooliſh Virgins walk with the wiſe, and thought their penny as good ſilver as theirs all this while? but they were aſleep; they had good thoughts of Pſal 30. 7.Ps 30:7their condition, elſe they would have had little lift to ſleep; the wiſe Virgins would hardly have ſlept if they had not had ſome aſſurance, their mountain had not been made ſtrong by the favour of God; and the fooliſh, as fooliſh as they are, would hardly have ſlept, if they had not had a good opinion of their conditions: If their conſciences had been awaked, and their worm gnawing; could they have ſlept if they had ſeen their danger, now to have their portions with hypocrites, being ſuch themſelves? In that p. 269place formerly mentioned, you have ſeen, the hypocrite hath a hope until it be cut off, and his confidence is great, he leans upon Job 8. 14, 1….Job 8:14Job 8:1his houſe; as the fooliſh builder in the Goſpel, he thought his houſe a good ſecurity againſt all ſtorms whatſoever. And ſo doth many a poor Formaliſt think his form of godlineſs, the green gourd ſhaddow enough from the everlaſting burnings. Did Judas Mat. 7. 26, 27.Matt 7:26Matt 7:27ſuſpect himſelf? he was not ſo jealous of himſelf, as it ſhould appear by the ſtory, as the reſt of the Diſciples were, but was laſt in the enquiry. And it is likely enough, Jehu when he proclaimed his zeal for God, ſpake as he thought, poor man; what was Mat. 26. 25.Matt 26:25under thoſe broad leaves of that profeſſion, yet appeared not. As Hazael, Is thy ſervant a dog? It may be if one had told Jehu how afterward he would play the wretch and the carnal Polititian, and build the things he now deſtroyed, or do Gods work to the halves, no farther then his own intereſt led him, he would have thought as ſtrange as Hazael did.

Now the grounds of this may be ſuch as theſe, in a word or two.

1. The depth of our own hearts; hypocriſie, of all other works of darkneſs, hateth the light, and therefore if there be any more deep and remote corner of the heart then another, there it lurks. Joh. 3. 19.John 3:19O ſaith the Holy-Ghoſt, the heart of man is deceitful above all Jer. 17. 9.Jer 17:9things, and deſperately wicked, who can know it? the moſt ſharp and ſtrong ſight, the moſt eagle-eyed creature in the world cannot find it out to the bottom: indeed Brethren, there is darkneſs and depth enough in every one of our hearts to deceive all the world; the moſt piercing diſcerning ſpirits are blinded and deluded▪ as Juglers, they ſay, can caſt miſts, and make a man believe ſtrange things, when it is nothing ſo; but that is not ſo much, but the depth of the cunning of the heart is ſuch, that they can deceive themſelves. It is great cunning to deceive others, but if that cunning be yet out-witted, and be deceived by it ſelf, this is more. Yea, I will ſay it Brethren; with a holy reverence, that if any thing in the world could lie hid from God himſelf, it would be the cunning heart of a ſinner: If there be more difficulty, or could be, in Gods diſcerning one thing then another, here it would be, and therefore his knowledge of the heart, is ſet forth by a ſearching of it; indeed he knoweth all things, but after the manner of men he ſpeaks; if p. 270men cannot eaſily find a thing, it lies hid in the darkneſs, in ſome corner; then they muſt ſearch, as ſearching for the loſt groat; or elſe if they would find out any thing to perfection, then they ſearch: So here it noteth the perfection of Gods knowledge of the heart, and withall the difficulty of the finding out the heart, though not to himſelf; yet after the manner of men, if any thing were difficult to God, this would be. If any man ſeem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, his Religion is in Jam 1. 26.Jas 1:26vain, he deceiveth his own heart; he is a cunning Jugler indeed, that can juggle himſelf into a belief of his own juglings, &c.

2. From the ſubtilty of Satan: All his care is to keep a poor ſoul in ignorance of its condition; and how doth he be…ir himſelf he knoweth, if once the diſeaſe be diſcovered, it is in a way to be healed, and therefore it is ſaid of ſinners altogether in darkneſs, that they are under the power of Satan; to turn them from Acts 26. 18.Acts 26:18darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan to God; while they are under darkneſs, they are under the power of Satan, he can lead them whither he pleaſeth, for they know not whether they go, as the wiſe man ſpeaks. And that is the reaſon ſurely, that Antichriſt, that firſt-born of the Devil, by might and main keepeth his Proſelytes in the dark, takes away the Key of knowledge from them; he knoweth if once the light ſhould break in upon them, it is very great hazard but they would break out from him, from that bondage and ſlaverie that they are in to him; therefore Satan will be exceeding induſtrious, and how will he fill a poor creatures heart with falſe reaſonings concerning his Condition? O if there be any ſtirring or conviction at any time, how doth he labour to lick them whole again, to make up the breach the Word hath made in their conſciences, himſelf will turn Preacher and pretend to the tongue of the Learned to ſpeak a word in due ſeaſon, and put on the garb of an Angel of light, and preach peace, peace; O he is a cunning dauber, ſpecially having our hearts on his ſide, and therefore as ready to be beguiled, as he is to deceive us.

3. From the ſimilitude of a form of godlineſs, to the godlineſs it ſelf. It is true, life cannot be pictured, but yet a man may be drawn ſo to the life, as by a dim ſight, or by the help of a miſt caſt before the eyes, and wires whereby ſuch poppets may move, p. 271we can ſcarce diſcern it from a man. Similitude is the mother of miſtakes, therefore the Romans made their Ancilia ſo like to that which they ſay fell from heaven, that if any might ſteal it he might ſeem to one to be miſtaken: how like brethren is gilded braſs to gold? how like may a Briſtoll-ſtone be to a pearl? how like to a Saint was Judas? the Devil is Gods Ap…, and he will imitate his work. And therefore for ſincerity it ſelf he hath a… counterfeit; which looks as like it as can be. As when men ſhall ſeem moſt ſelf-denying for Chriſt, or forgo all, and give away all they have to the poor, as if they would become mendicants indeed, this is very much, and yet they might do this, give all to the poor, and give their body to be 1 Cor. 13.1 Cor 13burned, and yet not have love to Jeſus Chriſt; can there poſſibly be more love ſhewn then in this? and yet you ſee there may be counterfeits in that alſo. This is the third Argument.

And they do from hence deceive themſelves. Such as will run Jam 1. 22.Jas 1:22from Sermon to Sermon, and with much ſeeming delight hear the word of God, are affected, moved; but they do it not, deceiving themſelves with a paralogiſm, a falſe reaſoning, for they are ready to conclude, O ſurel ſhould not have ſuch a deſire to be up early and ſeeking after Chriſt, as they think, though indeed they ſeek him not, nor his face, but ſomewhat elſe in the Word; they ſhould not delight in approaching to God, as you have heard, if there were not theroot of the matter in us; but they look not at the doing of the Word, the main thing, and therefore Iſa. 58.Isa 58they delude themſelves with this ſelf-reaſoning. So the fool building his houſe upon the ſand from the foundation upward, they are as like one another as can be, and as likely to ſtand out a ſtorm, and therefore they reaſon from hence, ſurely they ſhall hold out; if the wiſe mans hope will ſhelter him, theirs will ſhelter them. But alas, here is a paralogiſm, they look not at the different foundations, the one upon the rock, the other upon the ſands; the one receiving Jeſus Chriſt, but as Jeſus it may be; the other as Jeſus and Lord: the event ſheweth, that a deceived heart was their undoing.

Fourthly, Becauſe alas, the hypocrite uſually is not much in ſearching of himſelf. Surely, if Gods knowledge of the heart be ſet forth to us as a ſearching of it, it will imply ſo much; we ſhould ſearch our hearts, elſe we ſhall never know them, for he p. 272ſpeaks after the manner of men, with a ſpecial reſpect to the heart-knowledge; there they ſearch as men do for hid treaſures, for what they would find, and lyeth ſecret. A cunning cheat looks like an honeſt man, until he be ſearched into, and throughly …ed, a ſlight examination will not find him out; and ſo truly will many a rotten heart go for an honeſt and good heart, until there be a ſearch: Hypocrites are like Sepulchres, which appear not; they are fair and beautiful, being painted without, but it appears not Mat. 23. 27.Matt 23:27what they are within; if you would ſee what a Sepulchre is indeed, you muſt break it up, and down into it with a Candle, & ſearch it out; there you ſhall find loathſom rottenneſs, & dead mens bones. Now I ſay, an hypoerite oridinarily is not diligent in this work, and therefore his heart deceiveth himſelf, and this ariſeth from ſeveral grounds. Haply, 1. He is too ſloathful, he is not one of the diligent laborious Chriſtians that will take pains in this work. If an overly view of mens hearts would do, every one would ſearch, but to rifle every corner of their hearts, and when the heart turns the back tergiverſatur, is loath to anſwer to the Queries which are put to it, but flings an hundred waies up and down, and no hold of it at all; now in ſuch a caſe he is a diligent Chriſtian indeed that will not be baſtled, but will urge it home upon the heart, and will have an anſwer better or worſe; and thus from time to time an hypocrite will hardly take pains in this great work; and therefore no marvel if his heart deceive him, and he be hid form himſelf. 2. Haply, he is confident of himſelf, as in the place of Job; and who almoſt are men of more flouriſhing hopes then the hypocrites? were there any deadly doubt of their Job 8. 15.Job 8:15condition, then the Phariſees; and yet were there any more rotten then they were? they thought if there were any men ſhould go to heaven, they were the men; men of ſuch knowledge as they were, and ſuch duties and ſtrict lives as they were, was it poſſible they ſhould miſcarry; and you ſee how bold they are to plead it at the laſt day, as in that 7. of Matth. Now that which a man thinketh he hath already, or thinketh he is ſure of, he will not trouble himſelf to enquire after it, it is but needleſs labour: If a man be ſure, as he thinketh, he hath his groat, he will not light a Candle and ſeek it. 3. Becauſe haply they have ſometimes ſome of them miſgivings of heart; ſometimes hypocrites may, and therefore they may be loath to come to ſearch, they p. 273ſuſpect themſelves, ſome do, and yet not ſo ſtrongly, but that they have a falſe hope to ballance their fear, and to prevail. A Bankrupt, he that ſuſpects it, hath no mind to caſt up his accounts, he had rather do any thing; they may, I ſay, ſome of them lave ſuch miſgivings, which though they be not ſo clear as to amount to a knowledge condition, and to put them on to a recovery out of it; yet they may be enough to make them loath to ſearch. A man is loath to ſearch his coyn, he ſuſpects he ſhall find many bad pieces there, and haply thereby prove himſelf but a beggar; finding all braſs inſtead of gold. A man is loath to take up the grave-ſtone, he may ſuſpect what he ſhall find within, which he is not very willing to ſee it may be, nor to endure the ſtench of it, and therefore pleaſeth himſelf with the paint and outward beauty of it, and therefore no marvel if it be hid from his eyes.

Fifthly, It is a righteous hand of God upon hypocrites, they are even paid in their own coyn; that ſince they have deceived others with fair ſhews and pretences, and endeavoured, as I may ſay, to deceive the Lord himſelf, that they ſhould deceive their own ſouls, and ſhould be hid from themſelves; that they may go on the more ſecurely, until they ſee by woful experience, that they are tumbled into the pit. And ſurely this was one of the things which were hid from Jeruſalems eyes, the things which belonged to her peace; the firſt, i… not the chief thing, was the knowledge of her ſelf, Luke 19. 42. is a choice place; of ſaving as well as moral knowledge; now they had neglected their time, implyed; the hypocrites drew near God with their mouths, when their hearts were far from him, thinking to put off God with ſuch Idol-worſhip, as if he had not been a God which ſearched the heart, and could find it out; therefore the Lord tels them; well, ſaith he, now the things which concern your peace are hid from your eyes, and this is one of them among the reſt, the knowledge of Chriſt, the remedy is the other main thing. O it is a fearful hand of God brethren, when he giveth them up to blindneſs of mind, ſo that they ſhall diſcern nothing which concerneth them, and ſo not know their own conditions: if the Lord hide, who can find? as if he ſearch, who can be concealed? But ſo much for this firſt thing.

Secondly, At laſt he ſhall be diſcovered to himſelf: He ſhall ſee himſelf to be but an hypocrite, this is many times ſo. I mean not only in hell, mens eyes ſhall be opened, but at death, or before p. 274death many times the hypocrites eyes are opened to ſee himſelf what he is. It is true, ſometimes he may go down in peace to the grave, ſuch a peace as Satan, and an hard heart and ſeared conſcience gives; but yet you ſee here in this Parable, that before the coming of the Bridegroom, they ſaw their Lamps were gone out, and that they wanted oyl, the great work, the grace in the heart, which before they cared not for. I will not preſs it too far, and ſay, that becauſe all the fooliſh Virgins here ſee that their Lamps were gone out, therefore all hypocrites and formal profeſſors before their death, are diſcovered to themſelves as well as to others, that they are but hypocrites, but it is ſo many times, and ordinarily; ſurely elſe I know not what can be the meaning of this part of the Parable; was it not ſo with Judas? was it not diſcovered to him when he was detected, and his conſcience ſo wounded that he could not but go and proclaim himſelf a wretch, a traytor to his Maſter before all the Court? if he were ſo blinded before, by luſt, by covetouſneſs, as not to ſee what he did, yet now his eyes were opened, he ſaw what his condition was; and the terrour of it was ſuch, that he went and hanged himſelf.

But how and when doth the Lord diſcover hypocrites to themſelves? Why truly brethren, haply in the hour of affliction, then the Alchymie gold being not able to endure the ſeventh fire, diſcovers it ſelf what it is; ſo the hypocrite, will he pray alway? Or in the general, by any other means whereby the Lord blaſts their profeſſion, and maketh it wither, then they come to ſee it was but a gourd, under whoſe ſhadow they delighted themſelves; ſo you ſee God doth blaſt their profeſſion. Here it was not until their Lamps were gone out that they ſaw it, that they wanted oyl; while they could ſparkle & walk in the light of their own ſparks, & think all is well with them; while they can maintain their profeſſion, and keep up duties, &c. haply, they ſee not the hypocriſie lies hid under thoſe broad leaves, but when they wither, & they become as trees twice dead, then haply they come to ſee it. Not that alway thoſe whoſe profeſſions wither, do ſee thēſelvs to be hypocrites neither, for they may turn down right prophane, as many poor creatures have done, and returned with the ſwine waſhed, to the wallowing in …ude 20.the mir…, and grow paſt feeling, the conſcience much ſeared and 2 Pet. 2. 20.2 Pet 2:20hardened; but yet many times this is a means whereby God doth diſcover hypocrites to themſelves; ſometimes they have had p. 275ſomewhat of a preſence of God, and now they have none, now their leaf fals; now as Saul, they have no anſwer from God, Eph. 4. 19.Eph 4:19neither by Viſion nor Prophet, and now they ſee the woful caſe 1 Sam 28. 6.1 Sam 28:6they are in; now they are pluckt, as I may ſay, of their plumes, their nakedneſs appears. Not that a child of God may not want his preſence, and a great while too, but there is then a ſickneſs of love for him, a mourning after him ordinarily, or a ſad complaint that they cannot mourn after him; but an hypocrite, he findeth a want of the former preſence, and his heart is little or nothing troubled for it, he is contented to let it go.

Secondly, It may be ſometimes without any ſuch affliction; yet the Lord may diſcover to an hypocrite that he is no better, that he is rotten at the heart; though the guilt wear not away, yet he can ſhew the ſoul that it is but Alchymie; though the paint of the Sepulchre continue, and be not waſhed away, he can ſhew a man that he is an Hypocrite; not but that a Child of God may think himſelf an Hypocrite, ſometimes under temptation, but he is not ſo; but when God revealeth it to the ſoul, he ſetteth it on with an evidence indeed that it is ſo.

But why doth the Lord then diſcover Hypocrites before the day of the diſcovery of all things? why truly it is,

Firſt, That they might have a taſte of that bitter Cup which they are to drink the dregs of to all eternity; the Hypocrites Cup, if any be more deep then other, this is it; and if any more deadly dregs in it, this is it. Now God will kindle a beginning of hell in their conſciences, that as the Saints have ſome fore-taſ…s of heaven, and the joyes to be revealed, to ſweeten their Cup of affliction, ſo Hypocrites might have ſome of the gall and worm-wood, to imbitter all their delights in this world. What comfort Mat. 27.Matt 27had Judas of his thirty pieces of ſilver, when God opened his conſcience, and let him ſee his condition? what an hypocritical, diſſembling wretch he had been, to betray the Lord of life and glory with a kiſs, a ſign of love, and a bloody traiterous heart; to ſell his Saviour, whom he had followed ſo long, and acted by commiſſion from him ſo long, and his Maſter that had never done him hurt, but good, to ſell him, the Lord of life and glory, for thirty pieces of Silver? O this could not but gall, and cut him to the heart! the Devil helped him to a booty indeed, but God added this ſorrow with it. Indeed of all ſins, God hath not revealed p. 276himſelf ſo terribly againſt any in Scripture as this; and therefore when the ſoul cometh to ſee it, that hath any knowledge of the terrors of the Lord diſplayed againſt it, he muſt needs be for the preſent in a hell above ground; this ſhall they have of my hand, ſaith the Lord, they ſhall lie down in ſorrow; Yea, and ſometimes he anticipates their death, and they live in ſorrow, and wo, and miſery; God doth (as I may ſay) ſet a mark upon them, as upon Cain.

Secondly, That they might be warnings to others for ever, to take heed of Hypocriſie; for when men that regard the work of the Lord, and conſider the operation of his hand, ſhall behold a Judas hanged up in Gibbets, being made a Magor Miſſabeb to himſelf; doth it not preach aloud this Caution, to take heed, and beware of hypocriſie? theſe things, ſaith the Apoſtle, were 1 Cor. 10.1 Cor 10written for our enſamples, that we might not do as they did; ſo are theſe things acted for our enſamples, that we might take heed; or, if they have not ſuch terrors, but their profeſſions are blaſted only, and wither, and they prove fearful creatures, their latter end worſe then their beginning; is not this a warning written in Capital Letters, that he that runs may read? O take heed of rottenneſs at the root, for all our fruit will give Iſa. 5. 24.Isa 5:24up as the duſt, as the Apples of Sodom, we ſhall wither and come to nothing, and go out like a ſnuff, as well as them, if we be not ſound at the heart.

Thirdly, It may be a ſtumbling block to ſome others, who are ready to receive any prejudice againſt the ways of Chriſt, and therefore they ſhall have a block to ſtumble upon. O here you ſee what becometh of this preciſeneſs and flouriſhing profeſſion of Religion, it is all but rotteneſs at the root, it is better to take on fair and ſoftly; a ſoft pace in religion, ſaith the Moraliſt, or civil, honeſt Man; as good continue in a meer wallowing, as being waſhed, to enter into it again; yea better, ſaith the profane man, and therefore he ſatisfieth himſelf in his carnal ſtate, which is woſul; for ſuppoſe ſome profeſſors wither, yet do all? Some, they keep their leaf, it ſhall never fail; ſome loſe their verdour, but recover it again; and what if ſome wither? will you therefore offend againſt the generation of the upright? ſaying, they are all of the ſame ſtamp. God forbid. It is a ſad thing, to conſider how many poor hearts are hardened in ſin upon this p. 277very account, which addeth to the Hypocrites doom; but what if a diſcovered Hypocrite be ſo vile, the condition ſo dangerous? is not their own as dangerous? if thou be prophane, and a worker of iniquity, there is no more entrance into glory for a Dog or Swine, then for a Goat; no more for workers of iniquity, that profeſſedly commit iniquity, then for them who profeſs longer, do much in his name, and yet when all cometh to all, they are found but workers of iniquity, though ſecretly; but ſo much for the ſecond.Mat. 7. 22.Matt 7:22

The third and laſt thing conſiderable in the Obſervation, is, That many times it is too late, when Hypocrites are diſcovered to 1 Cor. 6. 9.1 Cor 6:9themſelves; this is plain in the Parable; for the fooliſh Virgins all the time of the getting oyl in their veſſels, they complain not, not ſee their want of it, nor the going out of their Lamps, but only when it was too late; for before they could get it, the gates were ſhut.

We muſt not here underſtand it generally of all Hypocrites, as if none might be diſcovered to themſelves, while there is hope, and ſo as to recover themſelves; for then it would follow, they ſhould none of them be pardoned; for the Lord Jeſus is the Prince exalted to give repentance and remiſſion of ſins; Now if Acts 5. 31.Acts 5:31they never come to know themſelves to be guilty of this great evil, even their hypocriſie, how ſhould they repent of it? and if they repent not of it, how ſhould it be pardoned? It is true indeed, there may be hypocriſie in a Child of God, which he may acknowledge only in the general among his ſecret ſins, which he knoweth not of; but I think, where hypocriſie is ſo raigning a ſin, as to denominate a man an Hypocrite, he muſt ſurely come to the knowledge of it, and acknowledge it before the Lord, or elſe how can he hope of pardon for it; now I ſay, there is pardon for all manner of ſins, only that againſt the Holy Ghoſt excepted; and therefore ſure, ſome Hypocrites God doth uncaſe▪ and unmask, and rip up, and ſhew them the abominations of their hearts, that they may mourn over them, and mourn after Jeſus Chriſt, and loath themſelves for it, and ſo be pardoned; therefore remember this, leſt if God ſhould come now, and open any painted ſepulchre, any rotten-hearted Hypocrite among us, when we ſee our wound, we ſhould faint away; for though many times it is ſo, that God diſcovers it not to Hypocrites until it be too late, yet ſometimes he doth, and the p. 278ſin in it ſelf is pardonable; therefore there is hope concerning this thing in Iſrael.

But for the making good this aſſertion, conſider, either they are diſcovered not until judgement, or elſe not until death, or elſe not until their day of grace …e expired many times, though it be before death.

1. If they be not diſcovered to themſelves until judgement, God never reproveth them of their hypocriſie, and ſets it in order with all its circumſtances, and aggravations, until the day of judgement, when the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall be diſplayed, and all the naſty corners of ſinners ſouls, all the hidden things of darkneſs, then ſurely you will all acknowledge there is no remedy; it is paſt help; there remaineth nothing then, but a fearful looking for of their doom; and ſome may go down in peace to the grave, (that is to ſay) not a peace of God, but of Satan; a ſecurity and ſtupidity of conſcience, knowing nothing of their fearful condition, which others alſo which are not ſo much as Hypocrites, may do.

2. If it be not diſcovered until the day of death, or the time of deaths approach; then, though not alway, yet ordinarily, I believe it is too late, and that is not a time that ordinarily▪ God is found, or will be found; for indeed, if it were, then there would very few periſh out of the viſible Church; every man almoſt, except a very deſperate, ignorant, prophane wretch will have God, and Chriſt, and mercy in their mouths, and many liftings up of eyes and hands, though they do but diſſemble, and flatter him with their mouths; as is proved by too ordinary experience; come to many a poor creature upon his death, and you would think him a Saint, a true penitent, and that if God would reſtore him, ſure he would never return to his folly again; but alas, alas, experience proveth how quickly ſuch men return to their vomit again, to their wallowing in the mire again, and lay out their ſtrength, and time, and meats, and marrow, and money, and all upon their luſts, with as much eagerneſs, if not more then before, and prove very Devils incarnate; or at leaſt; grow as liſtleſs and lazy in ſeeking God after their reſtoring as they were before, though in the time of viſitation, then they would ſeek him early, and nothing but ſeek him▪

3. He may diſcover Hypocrites to themſelves before death p. 279likely, and yet many times the time is paſt; for the underſtanding of which, brethren, we muſt know that every Profeſſor, and all profeſſing people, who have the means of Grace, the Sun of righteouſneſs riſing upon them in his Ordinances, whether he ariſe upon them in their hearts, or no, this maketh a day of grace; Luke 19. 42.Luke 19:42Jeruſalem had her day, as you have it in that of Luke. Now this day may be conceived to be either revealed, ſo as that we may judge of it according to Scripture, or elſe ſecret, which God hath reſerved to himſelf. The revealed is uſually bounded by the time of a mans life, or the continuance of the means of Grace to a people at leaſt: all that while according to our eſtimation, Gods patience waiteth upon men, upon formal Profeſſors, to ſee, Acts 1. 7.Acts 1:7if they will repent, and amend. Or elſe 2. There is a ſecret day which God hath kept in his own power, (that is to ſay) he reſolveth with himſelf; however, it may be the means of Grace may continue longer to a people, yet if they ſtand it out ſuch a time, ſo long, he will never make them available to their ſouls. So the Jews in that their day, O that thou hadſt known, ſaith our Saviour, in this thy day, but now they are hid; mind you, now they were hid, they ſhould never have a ſight of them; though they might have the means of Grace, the Goſpel preached to them yet longer, as they had, yet the things which belonged to their peace, were hid from their eyes. And ſo it may be with an Hypocrite, for ought I know, the Lord may open an Hypocrites eyes, convince him that he is an Hypocrite, and yet the time be paſt of his recovery. So the fooliſh Virgins, you ſee their Lamps went out in obſcure darkneſs irrecoverably, though there ſeemeth by the Parable, to have been a further time before the judgement, a time wherein they did uſe ſome impertinent and improper endeavours for their reſtoring; they went to the wiſe Virgins, and them that ſold, of which afterward; not to Jeſus Chriſt that was hid from their eyes, or elſe if they did, it was to no purpoſe; you ſee they miſſed their aim, and then brethren, one of theſe two things will be the effect of it. Either,

Firſt, The heart will ſink and die within them through ſome deſpair; either when God hath opened this wound in their Conſciences, they will die of it; their life, and ſouls will go out at the wound, as you ſee in Judas's caſe; he could not ſo much as look to Jeſus Chriſt, that he might be ſaved; but his heart was ſunk within p. 280him, when he ſaw how he had played the wretch with Jeſus Chriſt, ſelling his Saviour for ſo ſmall a price, when he had pretended ſo much love to, and to value him at a ſo low a rate. Or elſe,

Secondly, The heart will grow deſperately hard, and Conſcience ſeared afterward, that it will be paſt feeling, and ſo commit all iniquity with greedineſs; and yet with a brazen face, and with the higheſt confidence, come, and cry, Lord, Lord, open to us, as it is here in the Parable, and in the ſeventh of Matthew; after a thaw, it will freez harder again, and then Conſcience will be covered with a ſtone, as it ſaid in Job.

And ſurely brethren, the reaſon is plain, why the Lord doth not ordinarily diſcover Hypocrites in his Church until it be too late; for a juſt recompence of their hypocriſie; his ſoul abhorreth hypocriſie more then any thing; their Sacrifices, and ſolemn meetings are an abomination to him, he is even weary to bear Iſa. 1.Isa 1them; why? becauſe they drew near him with their mouths, honoured him with their lips, but the heart was wanting; that which God looks at as all in all, in our ſervices; and therefore they were like dead carkaſſes, however garniſhed with many, pretty, ſweet flowers, common gifs, and very taking manner of performances of them, yet they are but dead Carkaſſes, and therefore he abhorrs them; and therefore no marvel, if he ſeal up men under ſuch a Condition until it be too late. The Lord intendeth not mercy to ſuch a ſoul, ſuch a people, though their own hypocriſie and iniquity intervene as the immediate cauſe of the execution of this purpoſe, and therefore it is, that he letteth them walk in their own ſparks, the light of them pleaſe themſelves with their Lamps, their profeſſion, until they have trifled away the ſeaſon of grace: A ſad conſideration for Hypocrrites.

For Application of this; Then it may ſerve in the firſt place for a ſtartling word to all formal Profeſſors; the Lord make it an Ʋſe 1.awakening word. I doubt I ſpeak to many ſleepy ſouls; our voice is not loud enough to pierce the ear in the heart, and therefore, O that he would do it. Brethren, if I ſeem uncharitable to you, it is my love to your ſouls, it is for your ſakes, elſe I have no ſuch delight to ſpeak things ſo cutting and wounding as theſe are, I fear brethren, in ſuch a multitude of Profeſſors, that p. 281many of us have no more but a form of Godlineſs, and many of us not ſo much; but I ſpeak not ſo much to them. You ſee that five of them were fooliſh, and they had nothing but Lamps, a Profeſſion; I cannot conclude from the equality of number, that there are as many wiſe as fooliſh, or no more fooliſh then wiſe; but many fooliſh there are, that we may conclude, and yet we expound it according to the Analogy of faith, they are more by many then the wiſe. You may then brethren, be very confident of your eſtate, reſt as ſecurely as if you had the greateſt aſſurance of your Condition; the fooliſh Virgins ſlept as ſoundly as the other, ſuſpected their Conditions no more then the other, nor ſo much neither in all probability. You think, brethren, that becauſe you conform to Gods Ordinances, you have ſome knowledge, and there is the light of the Lamp, though it may be but little, a Glow-worm, or the Moon, no heat in it, no affections to Jeſu; Chriſt, you never felt your hearts burn within you when he converſed with you: never knew what it was to be ſ…ck of love for him, to delight in him, and yet you are ſecure, and think all is well with you becauſe you hear, and read, and keep the external part of Sabbaths, though you know not what it is to ſanctifie it in your hearts, you think all is well: Alas brethren, I pray you conſider, did not Judas follow Chriſt up and down, and did more then many of us have done, & yet at laſt appeared to others; and himſelf to be but an hypocrite? though I diſcommend not, but encourage you to do theſe things, and to abound in him, yet let me tell you, and O that God would ſpeak it to your hearts: you may do it, and much more, and yet be but Hypocrites: God looks not ſo much at the multitude of your ſacrifices, as he doth at the frame of the heart, the truth in the inward parts, at the Pſal. 5…. 17.Ps 5:17ſacrifice of a broken and contrite ſpirit, that is to ſay, a heart made truly ſenſible of its own vileneſs and emptineſs, ſo that it expecteth nothing for it ſelf, but lies at Chriſts foot for healing and mercy, and mourns after him. Now I pray you brethren, you that are ſo confident of the goodneſs of your condition, in the midſt of all your Sabbaths you keep, and duties you perform, have you ever found ſuch a heart, yea or no? O that the Lord would awaken you: yea, are there not ſome that ground their confidence upon their own ſecurity, becauſe they never doubted, never ſuſpected themſelves; they can bleſs God for it, p. 282they have alway had a good heart towards God, and they never had cauſe to ſuſpect their hearts and affections towards him, and ſhall they begin now? Brethren, let me tell you, this is a truth in Jeſus, that a notorious Hypocrite may go on long, and never queſtion his condition; yea, it is rather the ſign of an Hypocrite, that he never did queſtion his condition. Was Judas ever the better for his backwardneſs to queſtion his condition, becauſe he was the laſt that we read, put the queſtion, Lord, Is it I? Surely no, he was a Judas: the Lord pitty you, for you know not the danger you are in, poor, confident, ſecure Creatures; You may take your ſelves to be ſweet Chriſtians, and yet be in the gall of bitterneſs, and the bond of iniquity; your Lamps may burn long, and yet no oyl in the veſſel, and at laſt go out; and then you will cry out with the fooliſh Virgins, alas, our Lamps are gone out, our profeſſion is gone, it will ſtand us in no ſtead now.

2. Another word ſhall be an Exhortation to us all then, If it be thus, that an Hypocrite may thus long lie hid from himſelf, and Ʋſe 2.yet at laſt be diſcovered, and that when it is too late. O how ſhould this quicken us Brethren, to work out our ſalvation with fear and trembling! O be not high-minded, but-fear. You ſee theſe fooliſh Virgins they had a glorious profeſsion, and we may in Phil. 2. 12. Rom. 1…. 20.Phil 2:12Rom 1:20our dayes come to the like paſs, and when diſcovered, be made a Magor Miſſabeb. O fear, and tremble before the Lord, leſt this prove our own condition; how ſhould we be much in the great duty of ſelf-exanimation and ſearching, whether we have miſgiving hearts, or no? yet let us ſearch, if we have miſgiving of heart, that it is not right with us; O how inexcuſable ſhall we be, that we were ſo lazy, we would rather venture our immortal, precious ſouls, then take a little pains to ſearch, and ſecure their condition? Is there any man that ſuſpects his eſtate, that will think much of his pains, to ſpend day after day, and time after time, to ſearch into it, and if it be poſsible, to ſecure it? Why what account do we make of our ſouls, brethren, that we can be ſo wretchedly careleſs of them? do you believe you have ſouls? do you believe they are immortal? do you believe it brethren, that they ſhall live for ever in the enjoyment of God, or elſe in unexpreſsible miſery? do you believe, brethren, p. 283that hypocrites ſhall have the deepeſt damnation? And do you ſuſpect your ſelves to be hypocrites? and yet will not be perſwaded to be at a little pains with your deceitful hearts? yea, much pains and often, to ſecure the eternal welfare of your poor, and yet precious ſouls?

2. Suppoſe you do ſupect your ſelves to be hypocrites, how do you make a ſhift to quiet your conſciences? do they not trouble you? are your hearts ſo deſperately heardned that you have no diſquietneſs ſeizing upon you? can you enjoy your ſelves? I believe you muſt needs then ſometimes have a terrible apprehenſion of wrath approaching, why will you not ſearch? It may be you may find your condition better then you expected, and ſo may live more comfortably and ſweetly then now you can; while you have ſuch a ſuſpition of your ſelves, your condition may be ſafe, but cannot be comfortable, and you cannot be ſatisfied without this comfort in reſpect of your outward condition: Is that ſo great in your eyes and this ſo little? O for ſin and ſhame let us ſet a higher value upon theſe things, be more afraid of loſing our ſouls, then of loſing the world.

But then ſee if thou be confident of thy condition; either this confidence is well grounded or groundleſs, and whether ſoever it be, there is great need of ſearching ſtill. If well grounded, Brethren, yet we muſt know that the renewed ſearching and diſcovery of the ſoundneſs of our confidence, and the truth of our condition, is that which will renew our joy in the Lord; our thankfulneſs to him, for the impreſſions of theſe things upon our hearts, they are apt to wear away with time, and therefore if we would keep them freſh upon our hearts, the ſweetneſs and ſafety of our condition, that our hearts may be more enlarged toward the Lord; then we muſt be often peruſing our evidences, and the grounds of our confidence.

Beſides, alas Brethren, how much doth daily intervene, which is enough to darken and cloud all; if we do neglect this great work of ſearching, it may be within a while our hearts will be ſo over-grown with weeds, that we ſhall not diſcern the root of the matter within us; ſo much aſhes, that we ſhall ſcarce find the fire; O therefore keep up this inward difficult differencing duty of a diligent impartial ſearch and trial of our ſelves.

And then if we be confident upon no good ground, we had p. 284moſt need of all to ſearch; yea, and how ſhall we come to know the grounds whereupon we are confident to diſcern them clearly, except we ſearch? it may be thou maiſt upon the ſearch find, that thy condition is dangerous, thou art but a Formaliſt; is it not better then that thou ſhouldſt know it, then be ignorant of it? is not the knowledge of the diſeaſe half the cure, if it be curable? is it not better to diſeaſe thy ſelf a little now, then to go to hell in a golden dream?

Again, the time muſt come that thou muſt know it, when it is remedileſs, if thou know it not; there is nothing hid that ſhall not be revealed; do not think your Figleaves will always hold before the everlaſting burnings they will quickly ſcorch and burn, and then your nakedneſs and ſhame and confuſion ſhall ſwallow you up. s…it not better for a man to know his wound before it prove incurable? ſurely it is.

Again conſider yet further the higher your confidence is now, the lower will your hearts ſink when you come to ſee your diſappointment; a fools Paradiſe, the Proverb hath it, is the wiſe mans hell: you are fooliſh Virgins, and pleaſe your ſelves with a light of your Lamp, and can take as much delight as any other upon the beſt grounds: remember Brethren, it will be the cutting of your ſouls aſunder, when you ſhall find too late, that you were ſo befooled out of your immortal ſouls. You have had heretofore many of you the ſigns and marks whereby you may judge in ſome meaſure of your condition, make uſe of them, and the Lord give you to underſtand wiſdom in the hidden part. But when you have done all, this is the reſult, that you cannot find but your hearts are right with him. B…g of God to ſearch you, for indeed he only can ſearch the deep things of a Pſal. 139.Ps 139mans heart, as it is in that 17. of Ier. and ſo the Pſalmiſt tells him, Lord, for ought I can diſcern thou haſt made me willing to part with all iniquity for Chriſt, to receive him as my Lord, but my heart is too deep for me, O do thou ſearch me and try me, that if I be not willing, thou wouldeſt diſcover it to me: If I be, that thou wouldſt ſeal it up to my ſoul; that which I know not ſhew thou me, &c.

Leſt any poor ſoul ſhould gather diſcouragement from hence, whoſe portion diſcouragement is not, I wil ſpeak a word to p. 285Ʋſe 3.ſuch to ſtay their hearts. Some will be ready to ſay, alas, If this be ſo, then ſad may be my condion, for ought I know; I may long be hid from mine own iniquities, and yet at laſt come to ſee I am an hypocrite and rotten.

1. Conſider it may be ſo indeed oftentimes, and it may not be ſo; look not only upon the black and terrible part of the cloud, but upon that which may prove a door of hope to thy poor ſoul, therefore be up and doing, ſearching, that thou maiſt find out the uprightneſs of thy heart; and then be ſure, though thou maiſt ſee afterward much hypocriſie in thy heart, thou ſhalt never ſee thy ſelf to be an hypocrite truly. I deny not but a child of God may come in an hour of temptation to misjudge his condition, and miſtake himſelf for an hypocrite, when his heart may be ſound towards God; but if once ſound, for ever ſound; thou never wilt loſe it again, only be ſure thou run not away with miſtakes concerning thy ſelf.

2. If thou do now or hereafter ſee thy ſelf an hypocrite, yet there is hope concerning this thing to recover and reſtore thee out of this condition; though hypocriſie be a dangerous ſin, yet it is not deſperate.

3. For the diſcovery of it when it is too late, which ſome may catch at, and ſay, I, here is a word indeed, a killing word to my ſoul: for I cannot but ſuſpect or judge my ſelf an hypocrite, now I ſee my condition, though I have been led by a deceived heart all this while, therefore ſure now it is paſt time, for God ordinarily diſcovers hypocrites to themſelves when it is too late.

Firſt, be ſure thou make not a falſe judgement of thy ſelf, that thou be not now under an hour and power of darkneſs, when thou canſt not judge aright of thy condition, thou maiſt upon the ſearch be able to approve thy heart upright to the Lord, though now thou take thy ſelf for an hypocrite, be not raſh in ſo ſerious and everlaſting a concernment as this is.

2. Thou bewaileſt it, mourneſt under it, and this is no ſign of the time being paſt; uſually then God ſeals up men under hardneſs, if they ſink not into diſpair. Why, but did not Eſau that ſold his Birthright, when the Bleſſing was gone, ſeek it with Heb. 12. 17.Heb 12:17many tears? yea, he ſought the Bleſſing, but he ſought not Repentance; p. 286they were not tears of repentance for his wickedneſs and prophanneſs in ſelling his Birthright, if they had, likely he had not miſcarried; thou mourneſt, and what is the matter? It is for thy hypocriſie: O thou wouldſt fain have a chan…ged heart, a right ſpirit renewed in thee, this thou breatheſt after, this thy ſoul breaks for longing for: be not diſcouraged brethren, this is no ſign the time is paſt. But bleſſed be the Lord, and magnifie his grace towards thee, that he hath not let thee go on any further untill the time might have been exp…red, and the door of hope ſhut againſt thy ſoul; thus of this Doctrine.

The next thing is the Queſtion or Requeſt that the fooliſh made to the wiſe, Give us of your oyl, for our Lamps are gone out, &c. Give us of your oyl. This ſhort Queſtion is a double demonſtration of their folly. Firſt, that they had their oyl, their grace to get at ſuch a time as this, when they ſhould have been ready to have entred in with the Bridegroom. Secondly, that they ſought to the creature, and not to Chriſt for it. Give us of your oyl. From the firſt we may note thus much.

It is very great folly to put off the getting of grace untill the laſt: Doct. Math. 6. 33.Matt 6:33Seek ye firſt the Kingdom of God and the righteouſneſs thereof, and theſe things ſhall be added, ſaith Chriſt, the Wiſdom of the Father. Say our own hearts, ſeek firſt the world and the pleaſures of ſin, and afterwards the Kingdom of God when there is no more content to be taken in theſe things; thus we walk contrary to God, to Chriſt, and therefore ſurely that is folly. They are fooliſh Virgins indeed that had their oyl to get, when if ever, they ſhould uſe it. I will not ſtay upon it to give you more Scripture; But a few Conſiderations by way of Arguments, which if not ſingly, yet put together, I doubt not will amount to a demonſtration of this folly.

Firſt then, this ſhall be firſt, It may be had; though it be difficult, yet it is not impoſſible, you ſee many daily (ſome at leaſt) do obtain it: Labour in vain, we count him a fool that will take it upon him to waſh an Ethiopian, to waſh a Boyl, it will never be white or clean; ſo if this were in vain it would ſpeak men to be wiſe that do neglect it, delay it, put it off; however it is true, God knoweth who is his according to his p. 287purpoſe of grace, that we are not to eye, but look at what is before Matth. 11. 28. Zech. 1 3. 1. Revel. 22. 18.Matt 11:28Zech 1:3Zech 1:1Rev 22:18us, in Scripture Rule, we are called upon to come to Jeſus Chriſt, to look to him, He is lifted up upon the Pole of the Goſpel, he is held out Crucified before our eys, there is a Fountain, and not ſealed but opened Fountain for every one that will; there is enough in the Fountain, and it is freely ſet open to every one that will, to come and take of it freely; indeed if this were not ſo, there might be ſome ſhew or colour for mens putting off, or neglecting the getting their grace; but it is to be had brethren, and is expoſed to every one; Proclamation is made to every creature without any exception.

2. That which is only worth the having in compariſon, to neglect this; the getting of this is folly: you would count him a fool in grain that ſhould have an Inheritance offered, or a rich Cabinet of Jewels, but he ſhould pleaſe himſelf with picking Straws, hunting Butterflies, or ſome ſuch toys, this is childiſh folly, theſe are not worth the labour (the pains) truly brethren, all things you purſue while you neglect this, put off this, they are no better; what is the Chaff to the Wheat? what is the Shadow to the Subſtance? what is the Fancy to the Reality? and all the world is no more; with much fancy it is ſaid Agrippa appeared, this meat that periſheth, the fat and ſweet of all the creature delights, they are but ſhadows to ſet forth the ſubſtance, Acts 25. 23. 1 Cor. 7. 31. Pſal. 63. 5. Prov. 11. 13.Acts 25:231 Cor 7:31Ps 63:5Prov 11:13My ſoul is filled as with m…rrow and fatneſs, this is really ſo: Yea truly brethren, a form of godlineſs, though it be light of carriage, …n empty thing, and ſo may be had with more eaſe and leſs interruption to the ſtream of mens hearts, which run naturally another way, yet it is empty and not worth the having, and that poor hypocrites will know in the day of wrath▪ when they ſhall find that this will profit them no more then riches, and therfore as the Wiſe man ſpeaks Wilt thou ſet thine eys upon that which is not? ſo much more here a form of godlineſs, it is not, it hath no being: you would count him a fool that ſhould chuſe the Shell before the Kernel, a Core before an Apple. Well brethren, theſe are the things that are worth the having. O it is precious; You have heard how precious a Chriſt we may have, and from him ariſeth the preciouſneſs of Faith, the preciouſneſs of Love, and the preciouſneſs of the Promiſes; a dramm of Gold, a ſpark of a Diamond, is worth an houſeful of dung and droſs; and p. 288ſuch is all the world, yea, and a form of godlineſs, and all things elſe, to a ſpiritual diſcerning eye; therefore ſure he is a fool that ſhall be ever laborious, & ſo expenſive …aying out his mony his time and ſubſtance upon that which is not bread, will not profit; upon dung and droſs, and let his gold and pearls paſs.Phil. 3 8.Phil 3:8

3. It is that which muſt be had of neceſſity, It is that one thing neceſſary, without which there is no ſeeing of God, without grace no glory, no heaven in heaven; if it be not begun upon earth no Luke 10. 42.Luke 10:42holineſs, no happineſs: There lies upon you all brethren, an undiſpenſable neceſſity to get grace, to have it, if ever you be ſaved; ſure we do not believe this, elſe we could hardly ſo put it off; you muſt have Chriſt, you muſt have Faith, you muſt have Love and obedience brethren, or elſe you are condemned; you So Lazarus.may go to heaven though you be not rich, though you be not great, though you be not of a name among men, which are things men do ſo greedily gape after; but you can never go to heaven without grace, without Chriſt enjoyed; yea, you may go to heaven without ſo much guilt as ſome have, ſuch gifts in Prayer, in ſpeaking, ſuch great endowments of a lower nature, but you cannot be ſaved without you have this true gold; you muſt have bread or elſe you periſh, you may live without ſawce, but you muſt have bread; what ſhut the Iſraelites out of Canaan Heb. 3. 18.Heb 3:18but their unbelief? and what will ſhut us out of heaven but our unbelief? and ſo conſequently the want of all other grace.

4. Another Conſideration will be this; it is ſo neceſſary a thing, as that all things elſe will but help to ſink us, all is vain without it, our Priviledges will ſink us, our outward mercies, or Church mercies, and Goſpel mercies will but ſink us ſo much the lower, as you heard well lately. It were better you had never taken up Lamps, then to have no oyl in your Veſſels; better you had never had the form, if you have not the power as well as the form; was not Judas a more miſerable wretch then ſuch Iames 1. 26.Jas 1:26as never owned Chriſt? he is the ſon of perdition with a witneſs, an heir of hell: that which now ſinners moſt glory in, will prove intolerable to them another day: Ah, wo to Church-Members, wo to formal Profeſſors above all others, wo to ſuch as Matth. 10. 15.Matt 10:15hear, and read, and pray, and receive, and have not Chriſt; above all men in the world, theſe are the fools, becauſe they p. 289lean upon that which will not only fail them, but wound them, ſink them ſo much the deeper; and neglect in the mean time that which ſhould make thoſe things uſeful to them, and for the glory of God and their own eternal peace.

5. It is that which will not alway be to be had, and therefore to delay is very great folly; indeed if it were a thing of no value, a thing that men might not miſcarry in, though they go without it, it were not ſo much matter: or yet, though it were a thing ſo abſolute neceſſary, if they might have it when they would, or had their wills at their command, that it were alway to be had, a man were not to be ſo deeply condemned for his neglect, but ſo it is brethren the Market is not alway; He that in one place ſaith, Ho every one that thirſteth come, ſaith in another Iſa. 55. 1. Ioh 12. 35.Isa 55place, O Ieruſalem Ieruſalem, that thou hadſt-known in this thy day; It is but a day brethren, and will not laſt alway, the night will come wherein no man can work: why, is not this a great piece of folly then when men know the Treaſury wi…l not alway ſtand open, though now it do▪ nor the Fountain alway be open though Rev. 3. 18. Heb. 12. 17.Rev 3:18Heb 12:17now it is; and yet will content themſelves with their dry bottles and empty purſes in a poor condition as the Church of Laodicea: ſurely brethren, God will not alway be mens ſinningſtock, nor always waite upon them to be gracious, though now he do, and then conſider, is it not fo ly to put it off?

6. Yea, I will tell you brethren, It is that which will not long be to be had by us if we lay not hold upon it; It was not long after the Iſraelites came in out of Egypt before the Lord denounced Num. 4. 30. and 34.Num 4:30Num 4:34againſt them, Said in his wrath they ſhould not enter into his rest; though he bore their manners indeed afterward, yet they had quickly loſt their hope of Canaan. Believe it brethren, God is now more ſwift and more peremptory in his determination againſt ſouls in theſe days of Goſpel-light then heretofore; O how ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great ſalvation! ſaith the Heb. 2. Rev. 3. 20.Heb 2Rev 3:20Apoſtle; your judgement is nearer then when you had no profeſſion, no name; If a man continue a wild Olive, or prove an empty branch, he will not be long endured: now if men did believe this, ſure they would count it groſs folly to trifle away the ſeaſon, ſpecially being ſo ſhort a ſeaſon, and ſo uncertain a ſeaſon; who can tell if he putoff Chriſt, how ſoon his heart ſhall be ſealed up, and the everlaſting doors of his ſoul have locks and p. 290bolts to clap upon them, that they ſhall never lift them up to receive the King of glory, and then they are undone for ever.

Firſt Uſe then will be to reprove us all of this folly as many as are guilty; how many poor graceleſs ſouls hear this Word this Ʋſe. 1. Luke 12. 19.Luke 12:19day? you think you are the wiſe men who by your wits can live, and by your induſtry increaſe your ſelves for the world; but if you will believe God rather than your own deceitful hearts, or Satan, you are fools; was he not a fool that provided ſo induſtriouſly for many years, when he had not a day to live? This night ſhall thy ſoul be taken away from thee, and not one thought nor act of care for eternity, nor for his precious ſoul, though he might be ſure he muſt live to eternity, Pſal. 49 1…. and 13. you hope that your ſelves or elſe your houſes ſhall continue for ever, which maketh you ſo induſtrious to build, & inlarge, and beautifie them, and fill them with treaſures; Ah poor creatures, that ſpin their bowels out to make a Cobweb, & one ſtroke with a Wing ſweeps it quite away, Pſal. 39 6. In vain do men trouble themſelves, geting goods and know not who ſhall enjoy them, whether themſelves ſhall enjoy them one day, or whether any of theirs ſhall enjoy them a day; but you are ſure that you muſt indure an eternity, your ſouls muſt laſt whether your houſes do or not, either with God, or ſeparated from him, and yet you generally neglect them; are we not fools? are not the moſt part of us ſuch fools? many deal with God thu: ſo youth, they muſt take their pleaſure; in old age they will not take ſo much pains, as Diong. when he took the golden cloak from Apollo, ſaid, This garment neither agreeth with Summer nor Winter, in Summer it is heavy, in Winter it hath no warmth, &c: but becauſe men have ſome ſecret reſerves of others, that they think will bear them out, they can ward off many ſuch blows as theſe, they never reach their hearts, becauſe they have a privy coat of Male, ſome carnal reaſonings or other wherewith they oyl their ſpirits, that this Ink will not ſtick, will not take impreſſion: therefore I will inforce this Uſe with ſome Conſiderations, which I intend as to cut off the very ſinews and ſtrength of a Formaliſts ſecurity.

Firſt, We have not one day at command, this is that which men do not believe, they think they have much time before them, p. 291ſpecially thoſe that are young; and indeed old ſinners dote in this point as well as others, they always think they may live a year longer ſtill, if they were never ſo old, yea, they promiſe themſelves long life, and then they cannot but believe themſelves, they have ſo good an opinion of the faithfulneſs and wiſdom of their hearts; but alas, do you not know the number of your moneths is determined, and have you one day at Iob 14.Job 14command? Guido Bituricenſ. reports that one inviting Menodamus to a Banquet to morrow, he asked him why he did invite him to morrow, he durſt never promiſe himſelf to morrow, expecting death every hour; we are but a breaths diſtance from eternity; who can ſay he hath ſuch an intereſt in the diſpenſation of God, as to ſay he ſhall live unt ll to morrow? who can ſay, that is in unbelief, but he ſhall be in hell before the morning light, before another Sabbath, do you not believe this? wherefore was that written, Thou fool this night, &c. but for our learning, that ſinners might hear and fear. Men have not leiſure to provide for their ſouls untill they have filled ſuch a bagg, compaſſed ſuch an eſtate, then they ſhall be at leiſure, They muſt go to ſuch a City, and buy and ſell, & get gain; but what James 4. 13.Jas 4:13if in the midſt of all that thou be cut off and have not grace, what will become of thee then? you cannot command a day; Can you ſay with Ioſhua, Sun ſtand ſtill and haſten not; or Sun go backward; will the Lord hearken to your voyce as he did to theirs, that ſo you may have a little time when your glaſs is run, to work out your ſalvation with; O that ever we ſhould be ſo vain to believe our own hearts without the leaſt ground in the world, and not to believe God▪ where there is all the reaſon and arguments, and all the experience in the world to confirm it.

Secondly, Remember this brethren, We have not God at command, the Spirit bloweth not where we, but were it ſelf liſteth; Ioh. 3. 8.John 3:8therefore Millers and Mar…iners will not loſe the wind, they have it not in their fiſt. This is a deep deceit in the opinion, that lays men to ſleep, they are ſo ſecure, putting off the main Work, they dream they have God and grace at command, as if he were bound to give them grace and heaven when ever they ſhall think they have enough of ſin; O no brethren, he will not be commanded by us; no ſure: will he be alway intreated by us? there is a time when he will not be found. It is not p. 292your Lord, Lord, open to us, that will move him, if once the door be ſhut againſt you; Then ſhall they call, but I will not anſwer▪ they ſhall ſeek me early, but ſhall not find me; and what reaſon is Prov. 1 28.Prov 1:28there you ſhould expect God ſhould be at your beck when you have ſo long reſiſted his Spirit in his Word and his Spirit ſtirring and moving upon your hearts, whereby he hath ſtriven and taken pains with you, when the Lord had his boſome ope…, his wing ſpread, his hands ſtretched out, his voyce lifted up, his Embaſſadors ſent to woo you you would not know when the grave and hell ſhall ſwallow you up, or open for you, and you think you can have God at your call; believe it, believe it, He will not be found, He is not at your command.

Thirdly, Remember this, That you have not your hearts at command neither, you cannot alway move towards God; this is uſually a reſerve to ſinners againſt the fear of the other; though God be not at our beck, yet he hath promiſed if we return and repent, he will accept, be it when it will; I, but what comfort is this, except men believe thatthey can return when they pleaſe they can receive Chriſt and cloſe with him at any time; Can you ſo? Surely brethren, if this were ſo▪ no man would hardly go to hell that is convinced there is a Chriſt to be had, and ſalvation through him, and him alone: O be not miſtaken, you know not your ſelves; how many reſolutions of reformation have many of you broken? you ſee you cannot command your hearts, Ep…r im was ſenſible of it, O turn thou me, and I ſhal be turned▪ can you think a good thought of your ſelves? what Ier. 31. 18.Jer 31:18ſolly is it then for men preſuming upon their own ſtrength, which is none, to neglect the ſeaſon when the Lord offers his Spirit and grace, yea, and ſtriveth with us by his Spirit many times, and yet we will not, but put it off.

Then it may ſerve to ſtir us up every one to cut off all delaies Ʋſe. 2.whatſoever; and now brethren, while it is called to day, to get this oyl in your Veſſels, that you may not have it to do when you ſhould in the greateſt extremity uſe it: Alas brethren, I am a child and cannot ſpeak, and O that the Lord would perſwade by his Spirit this day: now ſince he hath given you another Sabbath, and another opportunity to be called upon; what doth the Lord yet ſay unto thee? Seek his face, will you not be clean, will you not cloſe with Ieſus Christ, O when ſhall it once be? O p. 293anſwer the Lord, and ſay, to day Lord Jeſus, to day will we cloſe with thee, we will put it off no longer; bleſſed be the Lord that hath not taken the advantage againſt us, and put an end to our day of grace long ſince: O admire that mercy, and now improve it, lay hold upon the opportunity.

Shall I a little ſtir you up to this?

1. Conſider I pray you, and believe that it is the greateſt deſign of Satan to fool us out of our ſalvation, to draw away from us day after day, untill we have not one day more to live; when God cries to day, to day, to day, If you will hear his voyce, harden Heb. 3. 7.Heb 3:7not your hearts: who is it think you that crieth to morrow, to morrow, that Corvina vox, as Auguſtine calls it, Cras, cras? Surely it is Satan that Lier, that will not ſtick to contradict the Lord: and what is the devills intent in this think you? doth he mean you ſhall repent to morrow, as he ſaith? no I warrant you but when to morrow is come, it will be to morrow ſtill, and the next day, it will be to morrow ſtill; and O how this pleaſeth him to ſteal away our precious time, and rob us of our lives, our day of grace, and our ſouls at once. If you be ignorant of this device of Satan know it this day for a truth; The devil careth not if all the world were ſuch Chriſtians in the future tenſe, Semper vic…, as Seneca ſaith, but never live indeed; they will, and they will, but never do it; the Lord make you wiſe to diſcern this cunning craftineſs of the wicked one.

2. Do but conſider, How long a day of grace you have had many of you already, you have even grown old under the means of grace, and yet are to begin to get grace; me thinketh this ſhould ſhame us, and warn young, ones, for it is likely many that are older thought they would repent and believe and cloſe with Chriſt long enough before this, but that to Morrow never came; if we had any ſhame in us, it might wound us and ſhame us that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould waite ſo long upon us, and we never had a heart to give him any entertainment yet to this day; If many a poor ſoul had had but half the patient waiting upon them, what would they have been long before this?

3. Though you delay the getting your grace, remember that your Judgement lingers not, nor Condemnation ſlumbreth not, it 2 Pet. 2. 3.2 Pet 2:3cometh on apace, whether you go towards heaven or no; there is a ſet time to every poor ſoul wherein he ſhall get grace, or elſe p. 294not for ever; and how doth this haſten upon you, do you know how near it is? and there is a ſet time for …udgement to ſeize upon you, if you be found without grace: O therefore be exhorted, now while it is called to day; there will be no Manna found upon the ſeventh day; if you get it not before, you are undone, they found it ſo by experience.

4. Do not expect brethren to have a ſecond day of grace if you trifle away one; if once the Apoſtles ſhaked the duſt off their feet againſt a people, ſad was their condition; when the Apoſtles turned away to the Gentiles, and the Sun ſet among the Jews, did it ever riſe again? ſurely no. Though we have a day, yet remember it is but a day, and one day, and no more: if we let it ſlip we are und one, becauſe we ſhall never have a ſecond day: Foelix put off Paul▪ when he was ſo far wrought upon, as to Acts. 24. 25.Acts 24:25tremble, he put him off untill a fitter opportunity, but it never came for ought we read; well, if the Spirit do move, and ſtir, and ſtrive with thee, take the opportunity, ſtrike while the Iron is hot, thou doſt not know but this may be the laſt hour of the day with thee, and that thou ſhalt never feel any ſuch breathings more, but thy heart ſhall ever be like a dead Sea, and ſeared, and paſt feeling any more.

5. Untill then all our ſervices are abomination to God; let our profeſſions be what they will, and let us think as well of our conditions as we can, believe it breth en our Prayers, our. Hearings, our Receivings are abomination: what do we do here to receive the Supper, if we have no grace, no faith, no love, no repentance, can we be prepared? do we not imbrew our hands in the blood of Jeſus Chriſt? and is not this an abomination? were not the Sacrifices of the Jews abomination, as if they ſlew a man, as if they cut off a dogs neck? was, or could this be acceptable? …. 66. 3.did not his ſoul hate theſe things? and what are our ſacrifices but the ſlaying and crucifying Jeſus Chriſt Ah, while we come with ungratious hearts to thoſe Ordinances, O how often hath many an hypocrite had his hand in the blood of Jeſus Chriſt? every ſuch ſervice and duty he performeth to God; and is not this ſad? is it not high time to look about us?

6. Laſtly, If at laſt you do come to get Chriſt, and God will waite upon you ſo to the laſt as to overcome you at the laſt, and you ſhall not mifcarry: Suppoſe it be ſo, though this is not p. 295ordinary that men ſhould ſo deſperately preſume upon it, yet it cannot but be a grief and wound to you then to remember how you have ſpent your ſtrength in ſin and upon your luſts, & now have little or no time remaining, little ſtrength to lay out upon his ſervice; to teſtifie your love to the Lord Jeſus; ſurely this will be a burthen: And therefore brethren, as you tender your ſouls welfare, as you would not be cheated out of your ſouls, and held in a ſools Paradiſe until it be too late, or at leaſt untill you loſe your comfort much of it, which otherwiſe you might have. O now while it is called to day will you hearken to the voyce of him Pſal. 119. 60.Ps 119:60that ſpeaks from heaven, even Jeſus Chriſt, haſt thou not as much need to make haſte as David had? I made h…ſte and delayed not to keep thy righteous iudgements; haſte not thou as much need as Paul, he went preſently, conſulted not with fleſh and blood, but …orthwith went to preach the Goſpel; the Diſciples forthwith, Gal 1. 16. Mat. 4▪ 0. Iſa. 21. 12. Pſal. 118. 2. and 3.Gal 1:16Matt 4Isa 21:12Ps 118:2Ps 118:3ſaith the Text, Left their Nets and followed Jeſus Chriſt; if they had lingered, who can tell whether &c. O therefore let me beſpeak to you in thoſe words of the Prophet, If you will inquire, inquire, return come; thoſe that either mockingly, or elſe fearfully asked, Watchman what of the night what of the night, &c. when will this burthen come upon us? we ſee it not, yet your morning cometh, and alſo the night; though you have a morning of flouriſhing and light, yet the night as ſurely followeth it, as the night doth the day; therefore if you will inquire, inquire, return, come: how many expreſſions here are to ſhew the vehemecy of the call? O come now, now, now away, come away, come away; the dulneſs of them to whom it was made, if you will inquire, inquire; every man will pretend a willingneſs to have Chriſt and grace, and they will inquire after heaven if you will inquire, inquire; then ſaith he, now or never, if you mean to eſcape, lay hold upon ſalvation before it be paſt, and no recalling of it; the word Inquiring: ſignifieth an earneſtneſs; this inquiring, like the bubling up of a Pot through heat; ſo then, it may be that God puts fire under thy conſcience, and it beginneth to bubble, & thou art reſtleſs; now if thou wilt ever inquire, inquire after Chriſt, and grace, 2 Cor 6. 2.2 Cor 6:2for this is the expected time, this is the day of ſalvation: while he thus moveth by his Spirit, there is hope he will be found; therefore as you love your ſouls, trifle not away ſuch a precious ſeaſon.

There are three or four Conſiderations that I would propound to you, at tending to the furtherance of this work.

p. 296Firſt, That you labour with God and your hearts, to ſhake off your …loathfulneſs; men would have grace and heaven, but they would have it drop into their mouths; they would have Chriſt, but they will not follow him, nor follow hard after him; you ſee many of the Iſraelites, when they were on the other ſide Jordan, could have been contented for their eaſe ſake, to have continued where they were, if God would have let them alone; they had ſo many enemies to encounter, and ſuch a Jordan ſwelling to paſs through, they had little mind to it; and when they were on the other ſide, gotten over Jordan, what did they do? Up ſaith Joſhuah. Many years after they came over Jordan (ſome ſay Joſh. 18. 3.Josh 18:3ſeven years after Judah had their lot, as long as the whole Land was in conquering) and had conquered a great part of the Land; why are ye ſlack to go up and poſſeſs the Land? they were contented now to have ſitten ſtill, and taken their eaſe; and truly, I doubt it is ſo with many, they are afraid if once they begin to ſtir and to cloſe with Chriſt, O they ſhall have their luſts, their ſins about their ears, temptations thick and threefold; it may be ſome have found ſome ſuch thing when they have begun to ſtir, and therefore they are willing to take their eaſe.

Secondly, Be ſure you miſs not an opportunity you might enjoy; do you know where or when the Spirit of Chriſt will breath? Lie at the houſe of mercy, thou knoweſt not when it may come to thy turn to be put into the water; O hear, and hear as for your lives, and think with thy ſelf when thou heareſt, that this voice of God ſounds in thy ears, O to day, to day, if you will hear his voice.

Thirdly, Take heed of hardening your hearts, as the Pſalmiſt Pſal. 95. 7. Heb. 3. 7.Ps 95:7Heb 3:7ſpeaks, harden not your hearts. It is ſaid of the people to whom that Evangelical Prophet was ſent, that they made their ears heavy: God ſaid, make their ears heavy, becauſe they themſelves had Iſa. 6. 10.Isa 6:10…hut their own eyes, clapt to the windows, and would not admit the light; like the deaf Adder, which they ſay, ſtoppeth one ear with her tayl, and cloſeth the other to the ground, leſt they ſhould hear the Charmer, and ſo be taken. Ah Brethren, are we not guilty in this kind? we ſtop our ears, if we come to hear, we fill them full of prejudice, or elſe we reſolve what we will do before we come; we reſolve not to be taught by any Miniſter of them all, we are at a period concerning our ſouls; and ſome are p. 297ſo deſperate as to ſpeak ſuch words as theſe are haply, or think ſo; if they ſpeak them not, all the arguments in the world ſhall not perſwade them to leave their profitable ſins, or their pleaſant luſt, they will put it to the venture. O Brethren, how juſt is it with God, when men harden thir own hearts, eſpecially if they have any ſtirrings and convictions within, how juſt is it with God to ſay Amen to ſuch reſolutions; you will not hearken to my voice, well, you ſhall never hearken to my voice: you will have your luſts, well, you ſhall have them, and judgement and damnation to boot, Acts 7. 51. they alway reſiſted the Holy-Ghoſt, and Ezek. 7. and 9. and 12. they hardened their hearts like an Adamant.Acts 7. 51.Acts 7:51

4. Caſt away from you, Brethren, thoſe nets and ſnares which intangle you, and hinder you in this great work; as the Diſciples did their nets when Chriſt called them, they left all and followed him; Joh. 4. 28.John 4:28I mean not that every Chriſtian is called to leave his imployment, but ſuch as are called to be Miniſters of the Goſpel, I think are called to caſt away worldly incumbrances altogether: but thou muſt take heed they hang not ſo faſt upon thee as to hinder thee, be ſure thou ſit looſe to the world, it will elſe ſooner or later be a pull-back to thee. O for ſuch a reſolution as Jerom had, If his Father were weeping upon his knees, his mother hanging about his neck his Brethren, ſiſters and kindred all with lamentation intreating Mark. 10. 50.Mark 10:50him to forbear, he would caſt down his Mother, and trample upon his Father, run over them all to go to Chriſt. Do as Bartim. then, Doth he call thee? off with the Cloak, away with that which hinders thy running to Jeſus Chriſt; every weight, and the ſin which ſo eaſily Heb. 10. 1.Heb 10:1be ſetteth us, as the Apoſtle ſaith. If we come with the world rooted in our hearts, it is five to one but we ſhall be tryed as the young man in the Goſpel was; and as that other was, the Foxes have holes, &c. you hear no more of that forward man afterward.

O but we are young, and therefore we may have time enough before us, it is time enough for us to look after grace many years Mat. 19. 27. Mat. 18. 20.Matt 19:27Matt 18:20hence. No my brethren, it is your duty to remember your Creator in the daies of your youth, while the milk is in your breaſts, Ec…l. 12. 1.and you have ſome ſtrength to lay out upon Chriſt: The firſt-fruits were not to be delayed to be paid, Exod. 22. 29. A young Samuel ſeaſoned ſo young, a young Timothy, they may be eminent p. 298ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt, when others at the ſame years are but beginning to enter upon the work. Beſides, is not thy life as uncertain as anothers? do you not ſee that young men dye even as the old? and young men are like to periſh as well as old, if they be not found with oyl in their Lamps? and young men may enter with the Bridegroom as well as old, if they be found ready. And therefore I pray you, for Chriſts ſake, do not ſo deceive your ſelves, but while it is called to day, young and old, hearken to this voice of God, and put no… off this main work any longer.

Alas, but you will ſay, my caſe is the caſe of theſe fooliſh Virgins, I have long made a profeſſion, and I have my grace to ſeek, and therefore there is no hope for me, a gray-headed ſinner, who have trifled away my time.

You know ſome were called at the 11. hour, Brethren, and indured not the heat of the day with others, and yet miſcarried not; while the day of grace laſts there is hope, and while the Lord knocks by his Spirit and Word there is hope, that to us appears to be a day of grace; and that thy ſpirit is moved, is yet a further Argument. And therefore be of good courage, if he have given thee a heart now at laſt to look after him; and though thou lingeredſt with Lot, until God was even fain to pull thee out of the burning, the everlaſting burnings; thou haſte ſo much the more cauſe to magnifie the grace of Chriſt toward thee, that he would after ſo much abuſe of the day of grace, look upon thee at all, and when thou wert as a dry ſtick, no ſtrength nor vigour to ſerve him at all; therefore God could have no eye at thy ſervice, nor any thing thou wert like to do, but meerly to exalt his grace, and therefore for ever thou maiſt more eaſily Conquer over-that temptation of reſting in any thing in thy ſelf, priding thy ſelf in any thing of thine own, and give him the glory of all, in an humble walking before him.

The ſecond demonſtration of their folly is, that they went to the creature for grace; They ſaid to the wiſe, give, &c.Doctr.

It is a note or point of great folly to ſeek unto the creature: when men have neglected to ſeek to Chriſt, then to go to the creature for grace; you ſee this is the practiſe of fooliſh Virgins; p. 299how far we may urge this, I cannot tell, but me thinks we do not put it too far, if we may ſtand upon it at all; Whether they would now at laſt, being ſenſible of their want of the oyl in the veſſel, the grace in the heart, they would have ſome of that oyl which they had in their veſſels; or whether only ſomewhat to make their Lamps burn as they did before, it appears not, nor yet what their higheſt …nd was in it, appears not; if they aimed not at the higheſt end, Gods glory, and their own ſalvation, as the ultimate end, then they were groſly fooliſh in that reſpect; for to miſs the end is the moſt fundamental point of errour and folly; but if they be ſuppoſed to aim right, yet there is this Argument of their folly in the very Text, which ſhall be all I will ſay for the confirmation of it.

They take not the right means for the accompliſhing that end, and therefore they are fooliſh; for wherein doth folly conſiſt elſe but chiefly in this; they find not out or uſe not the right means, for the attaining of a right end. Now was this a right means, to go to the creature, to the wiſe Virgins for oyl? Give us of your oyl; this argues either deſperate ignorance, that they knew Joh. 1. 16.John 1:16not whither to go to get oyl, that they were ignorant of the Fountain of Iſrael, the fulneſs that is in Jeſus Chriſt, from which fulneſs his people receive grace for grace; and ſuch blindneſs as this to be in men that profeſs Chriſtianity, it is very ſtrange, and argues great ſtupidity and folly; or elſe if they did know it, they had no heart to go to him, they would not; if they could get it otherwiſe well and good, and bring oyl to him, they had hope of acceptance, but they would have none from him, and this would argue a worſe kind of blindneſs: But of theſe things we will not ſpend our conjectures, nor in ſuch uncertainties. Whatever the caſe is, ſure it is, that they went not to him, but to the creature for their oyl; from the Sun to the beam, from the fountain … 2. 17▪to the ſtream, and ſo to the broken Ciſtern: and is not this folly?

This then will teach us thus much, That the Papiſts are as like theſe fooliſh Virgins as they can look; poor creatures, thoſe merit-mongers and money-changers that fill the Temple of God; do not ſome of them ſell, and others buy their pardons and indulgences? do they not go to the Church-treaſure of merit, to make up what is wanting of their own, and not to Jeſus Chriſt p. 300in the hour of their neceſſity? I know not what ſome of them may do, and ſome others I believe may be wiſer in this thing, but ſurely many poor creatures are led away with this wicked error; I cannot call it better. Surely Brethren, If any be the fooliſh Virgins to the life, the Papiſts are, ſome of them, if they be true to their Principles.

2. It may ſerve to reprove many among our ſelves, that put off all the work which concerneth their ſouls; live as if they cared not for God, nor regarded him at all; the people of God, and Miniſters of Chriſt are the object of their ſcorn or diſregard, they ſleight them above others; but when an hour of deſtruction cometh, O then, when they are ready to dye, the Miniſter muſt be ſent for, and he muſt ſpeak a word of comfort, right or wrong; they are ready to think, I doubt, that as much is in it, as in a Popiſh Abſolution, according to their conceit then, as if it were in their power, or they were in Chriſt's ſtead to give them grace; they hang much of their confidence upon them: This is juſt like the fooliſh Virgins. Brethren, the Lord deliver poor ſouls from ſuch an end as God made with them, as you have it in the Parable here. It is the way indeed to ſtop our mouths, to hang too much upon any creature.

3. It may be we are a little better inſtructed many of us, then to think that men can give grace; But it may be we expect it from Ordinances, which alas are but empty pipes, though they be golden and precious pipes; this opus operatum ſticks cloſer to us, then we are aware, many of us, I doubt. If men did not look for it from Ordinances, would they not labour to bring better frames of heart with them, and bring the Lord along with them to the Ordinances, that his preſence might fill them? Well, let us take heed of this Brethren, ſit not down by broken Ciſterns, for they all ſay it is not in us, the Word ſaith, and Prayer ſaith, and Receiving ſaith, it is not in us, we can give no more then we have, we are but the means. And therefore let us all learn to be wiſe in this point to ſalvation, go where it is to be had, to the Fountain, his fulneſs, Jeſus Chriſt is the Olive Tree, he that emptieth himſelf into the golden pipes: O therefore in all our wants of grace make out to him, eye him in every Ordinance; the fatneſs and ſweetneſs muſt come from the root and not the branches, therefore look to it, Brethren, that we be in him, abide in him, live by faith p. 301in him, in Ordinances above them. Yea, when we have moſt refreſhings in them, remember who it is that hath filled them, leſt when all is done, we prove our ſelves but fooliſh Virgins.

But ſo much for this Doctrine.