Several Works, Work 2 · Part 1
Verſe 3, and 4.
And they that were fooliſh, took their Lamps, and took no oyl with them. But the wiſe took oyl in their veſſels with their Lamps.
WE may read a wiſe man or a fool in his actions, and ſo here, the fooliſh took no oyl with their Lamps, and what more fooliſh then that? For the opening of the words, I ſhall not need to ſay much: by the Lamps I underſtand here a profeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, a name, a ſhew, the Apoſtle Phil. 2. 15. Iohn 5. 35. Iohn 12. 6. Iſa. 50. 10.ſpeaks of the Saints as light-bearers, they ſhould be burning and ſhining lights, as John was. Light there is, and ſometimes appearing heat, even in formal profeſſors, as you ſee in the caſe of John, how zealous for God. And Judas, a man would have thought him zealous, when he ſaid, Why is this waſte, but it is like the light of the glow-worm, touch it, and it hath neither light nor heat, they are indeed ſparks of our own kindling, as it is in that place of Iſaiah, the ſparks there may be the action of Devotion, and Duty, which may be elicited, or educed by the help of nature, and of education, and cuſtom; the conſcience being enlightened by the Law of God in ſome meaſure and ſelf-love, working ſomewhat in men, will put them on to do ſomething to quiet their Conſciences; but alas theſe ſparks quickly go out, and the Lamp is put out in obſcure darkneſs; There may be alſo ſomewhat of Common-grace, ſome enlightning of the minde, and ſome kinde of affection, as the ſecond ground, received Mark 6. …. Act… 2. 41. Ez…. 33. 3… & 32.the word gladly, and Herod heard John gladly, but a great difference between theſe, and the Diſciples who receiveed the word gladly, the one rejoyced happily in that which in the word is ſuitable to a carnal appetite, as the Eloquence, as thoſe in the Prophet thou art to them as one that plays on an Inſtrument, but the other rejoyced in that of Chriſt which is therein found. So the Bee, is pleaſed with the Flower, the Sheep with the Blade, the Bird with the Seed, and the Swine with the Root.
But new for the oyl in the veſſels, what is that? The fooliſh took no oyl in their veſſels with their lamps. By this I underſtand brethren, 1. Ioh. 2. 20.the oyl of the Spirit, ye have received an anointing, the Spirit of grace, and the grace of the Spirit of Chriſt, the Spirit dwelling in us; there is a Cruſe opened, that will never be drawn dry, like the Fountain of waters, or Rivers ſpringing up with eternal Ioh. 4. 14.life, it never ſails. By this then I underſtand the true ſaving work of grace in the heart; a receiving of the Spirit of grace, the Spirit of Chriſt by faith as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, by the hearing of faith, by the Goſpel, the word of faith, which was bleſſed, Gal. 3. 12.to the working of ſaith, in your ſouls. Now this ſpirit works faith, and that works by love, and that never fails, but is perfected in heaven, ſo humility, ſelf-denyal, and all thoſe graces. And not onelyonly the graces of the ſpirit, but 1 Cor. 13. 8.this Spirit of grace dwelling in the Saints, which continually ſupplyeth their wants, ſo that the Lamp ſhall not go out forwant of oyl.
From the words thus underſtood, this note will ariſe.Doct. 4.
He that contents himſelf with a profeſſion of Chriſt, without the real ſaving work of grace upon his heart, is a fool; but he that looks to the main thing, the getting grace in his heart, as well as making a ſhew before men, is a wiſe man. Profeſſion without the enjoyment of the Spirit of grace, is but folly, I will put them both together, that contraries may the better illuſtrate one another, juxta ſe poſita, and if either of them be proved, both of them are proved; for they will infer each other, by the rule of contraries. Nothing is more ordinary in Scripture, then to call ſinners fools, ſinners of all ſorts are fools, committing wickedneſs, is committing folly in Iſrael, but no fool to the wiſe fool, wiſe in his own conceit, there is more hope of a fool then of ſuch a man, and who are uſually more wiſe in their own conceits, then formal profeſſors are? he that hideth hatred with lying lips is a fool, he that hideth hatred Prov. 26. 12.to God, a rotten heart with lying lips, whereby he profeſſeth much Prov. 10. 18.love to him, and carryeth a fair ſhew, he is a fool in grain. If we would know where wiſdom beginneth, or what the ſum of wiſdom is, the wiſeſt of men ſhall tell you, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdom, or the ſum of wiſdom, ſome read it ſo. And Prov. 9, 10. Pſal 111. 10.ſo Job who was no child in Chriſtianity, to man he ſaith; to fear the Lord that is wiſdom, and to depart from evil that is underſtanding: Mark you, Whatever men place wiſdom in, or folly in, this is the very ſum of wiſdom to fear God, fear is put for all grace, a manfearing God, and eſchewing evil, was the higheſt character, Iob 28. 28.the Lord gave of Job. It is indeed the root of all that good we do, and evil we avoid; and I will and but one Scripture, in the …hiddenarts, thou ſhalt make me to know wiſdom, it is one thing to be wiſe headed, and tongued, and another to be wiſe hearted; Pſal. 51. 6.and therefore in Scripture nothing more ordinary then to ſet forth wiſdom that is true indeed by the heart, God himſelf is ſaid to be wiſe of heart. Fooliſh creatures, Eph. a ſilly Dove, without a Hoſ. 7. 11.heart. They may have head enough, notion enough, flaſhing light, appearing to others enough, but they are without a heart, they have not the great work there, a new head, and an old heart, a full head and an empty heart, a light and burning profeſſion, and a dark dead and cold heart, he that takes up in ſuch a condition is a fool, an errant fool.
For the further clearing of this, I ſhall enquire a little wherein the nature of wiſdom and folly lyeth, and then ſhew you how it is Applicable in truth unto this profeſſion of Chriſt, without the poſſeſſion of him.
Wiſdom then I conceive may conſiſt of theſe three generals, 1. In the obtaining what we want, the good we want; and therfore come ſhort of happineſs, becauſe we want it. 2. In the keeping the good we have, when once we have it: And 3. In avoiding the evil we fear, which would render us miſerable, in theſe three things I take it, wiſdom conſiſts.
Now to ſpeak a little to each of theſe, and ſee how we may prove the formal profeſſor by his defect, and falling ſhort in each them, in all of them; and for the firſt, the obtaining of the good we want to make us happy, Alas you know brethren, we are all fallen ſhort of the glory of God, and by nature are without him, and without Chriſt in the world, and have not the things which Rom, 3. 23▪accompany ſalvation, neither, he then is a wiſe man in general foreign who knoweth thoſe principles, and ends which are univerſally neceſſary to a mans good, his chiefeſt, and moſt general good. So that there are, I conceive, three things in this reſpect under this head, and ſo proportionably under the other, which go to the compleating of wiſdom.
Firſt there muſt be a knowledge of the end, and a propounding of this end to a mans ſelf, an end you know is nothing, but that which is good: either really ſo, or appearingly ſo; for that is the object of the Will goodneſs, as truth is the object of the Minde, and underſtanding, a man cannot appetere malum, as it is malum, and be a man, to delight in evil as it is evil, is diab…lical, to delight in ſ…n or folly as it is pleaſant, as it is ſuitable to the corrupt nature, to the ſoul, the Will crooked and deprayed, this is humane, becauſe though a man do thus p…opoſe ſ…n as his …nd, yet not as it evil, but as it is good, to his corrupt judgement and Will, that is to ſay ſuitable, and convenient to him. An ſo ſor ſuffering, there is no man living can prevail with himſelf, to be willing to be miſerable, they would be happy. Well then it is good which is the end, either real or apparent. But now here, in this ſpiritual wiſdom, and folly, we muſt underſtand his end ſuitable, that is to ſay, underſtand it of the moſt ſupreme principle and ultimate 1 Eccleſ. ▪1. 15.good, and that is God, for what good elſe is there, that can indeed make the ſoul happy, but God in Chriſt; for that good which muſt make bleſſed, it muſt be commenſurate to the ſoul, ſo as to be able to fall, and ſatisfie it, elſe the…e will be ſomewhat wanting ſtill, and alas for all other goods below God, it may be ſaid, that which is wanting cannot be numbred. Now there are two things conſiderable in the ſoul of a man, eſpecially to which there muſt be an anſwerableneſs in the end, which is to be followed unto injoyment, elſe the ſoul cannot be happy.
The firſt is the vaſt capacity and comprehenſion of the ſoul, to which there muſt be an anſwerable fulneſs, in the object, and the end, elſe the ſoul cannot reſt upon it as its Center, and happineſs, and this we may take notice of eſpecially in thoſe two faculties of the Underſtanding and the Will, the Affections, they are but as it were the ſeveral motions of the Will, a kind of Appendix to it. Now to theſe two faculties, in the ſupreme and ultimate end there muſt be an anſwerable ratio veri & boni, great enough to fill or ſatisfie the underſtanding or mind, that hath for its object truth, and not one truth, or another, but all truth, it is not ſatisfyed with the partial diſcoveries of truth, or here and there a little, but it would have all, now the Lord is the higheſt, and the beſt in genera vari, he is truth itſelf, as well as being it ſelf, and other things are no further true, then they have ſome proportion to him, which they alſo have from him, therefore the mind having gotten ſuch an Object as this to dwell upon, wherein it may be ſwallowed up, and ſatisfied with truth, it hath its perfection.
2. The will that hath for its Object good, and it is not content with a partial good, here and there a little, but it would receive all good, now the Lord he is good, and there is none good but God, he is the ſupream good, the greateſt good, and the laſt in genere boni, all goodneſs in the Creature whether honour proportionable, or delightful, or pleaſant good, alas what is it? but a little reflection of his glory upon the Creature, a little ſpark of his kindling, a little drop to the ocean, but this is but anſwerable to the capacity, and comprehenſion of the ſoul.
Secondly, there is alſo the everlaſtingneſs of the ſoul; it liveth for ever, and therefore a ſhort good though never ſo full, is not commenſurate unto it, there muſt be certitudo aeternae fruitionis, which as well as fruitio incommutabilis boni to make up a bleſſedneſs lib. 11. cap. 13.which is the end, the ſoul propoſeth to it ſelf. So Aug. de Chro. for fuiſſe ſelioem mi…erum. It is the depth of our miſery, we are now caſt down ſo low, becauſe we were once ſeated, raiſed ſo high in honour ſo near to God, and yet if we might ſpend but a time in h…aven, and enjoy▪ God, and afterward forſake that habitation, this world would be the …ell of hels, unto ſuch a ſoul, but there is an everlaſtingneſs in the good itſelf we enjoy, and in our enjoyment of that good We… this then is the great end, …o know and to propound to a mans ſelf, to ſet as his … as his mark, is a part of wiſdom, he that doth great things, takes much pains for poor ends is a fool, the end ſpeaks a man a wiſe man or a fool; as much as any thi…g▪ But
2. Then there are the means to be uſed for the attaining of that end, that is the next thing. If a man have never ſo right an end, and yet know not what means to uſe for that end, or uſe them not aright, he is a …ool, not a wiſe man. As now, a man would have health and he knoweth not, that phyſick will avail him, it is all one to him, a cup of poyſon, or a purging potion is all one to him, or if he have the means, and uſe them not, or not aright, and ſo in any other thing whatſoever, I briefly wrapt up the other two in this place. Now to this great end the enjoyment of God, the means what are they but more immediately the cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt by faith in his blood, for he is not received but in Jeſus Chriſt, nor to be enjoyed but in him and through him, Now ſince we have loſt the image and glory of God, it would not prove good to us to enjoy him, if it were poſſible for us ſo to do, that is to ſay it would not be ſuitable to us as we are corrupted, heaven would be hell to a wicked man, if he could enter into that holy place a while. And therefore there Eph. 2▪ 12.is a neceſſity, that we cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt that in him we may be brought near, being reconciled through the blood of his croſs and the enmity ſlain that is in our hearts againſt God, and a new nature put upon us, the heart changed and made conformable to Col. 3. 10.God, that image, and likeneſs reſtored, which conſiſted in knowledge, righteouſneſs and true holineſs, that now to enjoy God in the fulneſs and holineſs and joy, it is ſuitable to this new man wrought in us by Jeſus Chriſt; ſuitable to that ſpiritual Eph. 4. 24.Chriſt which is founded in us, and ſo is good to us, therefore this is the great means, I ſay the cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt for righteouſneſs, and reconciliation and holineſs, that heaven may be ſuitable unto us, that we may alſo by him be changed, and made fit, and able to bear the weight of glory which is there to be put upon us. More mediately and remotely: now the means of grace, the Goſpel and ordinances thereof, wherein God is revealed in Chriſt, therein he is revealed for righteouſneſs for holineſs, he is preached therein in the Covenant, and that ſealed up to us in the other ordinances, And all the means of grace are helpful for this end. Well, now before I go any further, Let us ſee the wiſdom and folly of a pretender, and a real Saint, that is a virgin Rom. 1. 17.indeed.
1. Then for the end, though miſerable man would be happy, yet we miſs it in the end, and if we miſs the end, all our endeavours are nothing: Now a child of God, his end is God, as he is Pſal. 73. 25.a glorious God▪ and as he is a good God, and here is wiſdom indeed, that is to ſay, he aimeth at this, to glorine God, to exalt him, that he may be glorified in him, as well knowing, that the glory of the Lord is that wherein his own good, and ſalvation is wrapt up, for wherein are the riches of his glorious grace manifeſted, but in the pardoning and ſubduing of iniquity? O for thy names ſake pardon mine iniquity, for it is great; for his names ſake, Who is like unto thee, a God pardoning iniquity tranſgreſsion and ſin. Pſal. 25. 11. Mic. 7. 18. & 19.And then the ſalvation of his ſoul, he is wiſe, that is wiſe to ſalvation, that is wiſe for himſelf indeed in the main thing. You ſee a man wonderful induſtrious, takes great pains, runs and rides, is very earneſt, and what is his end in this, to have a flea to catch a butterfly? You would judge this man a ſool, the end will recompence the laborious uſe of the means; Now a formal profeſſer, he will keep as much a do as another happily, be at as much pains in duty, ſpend as many hours in private happily ſome may be of J…hu his ſtamp, and ſtrain as long as it will hold; but what is it for? Alas, they ſeek a poor empty ſelf, they would have a name, they would have their zeal for God ſeen, they would have their ends ſatisfied, it is the way to flouriſh. What pains did they take to follow Jeſus Chriſt up and down, and all was for the loaves? a poor end. Suppoſe the end be a little ſtopping the mouth of a clamarous conſcience for the preſent, a poor end. Is not this folly, to ſhoot ſo high and aim ſo low? But happily it will not be ſo eaſie to convince hypocrites that they miſs it in the end, though for my part I think it is that which we ordinarily miſs it in; Ezek 7. 5. Hoſ. 10. 1.did you at all feaſt to me ſaith the Lord? or faſt to me, did you not bring forth fruit to your ſelves? which are infinitely too low; to be our own end, for when we enjoy the moſt we can in our ſelves as our end, we graſp no-thing but ſin and emptineſs, wind and miſery to eternity,
2. Then for the means, which you ſee what they are, immediately Jeſus Chriſt cloſed with mediate, the ordinances wherein he is held out. Alas, herein they do fearfully miſs it, though they profeſs him, As will appear in many particulars.
1. They do not chooſe the right means for the attaining the end wherein a great part of their wiſdom lies, this is life eternal to know Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent; this is the means and the way to it, and indeed a part of it, the ſuburbs of heaven. Now alas brethren, there are ſo many things, which are ſo like to Jeſus Chriſt; and ſo many acts like to the embracing of him, that they are deceived, and ſo they miſs of the main means and fall ſhort of the end, ſimile & mater erroris. A man miſſeth his way and takes another way, lay near it and was like it, and he runs and takes pains to come to the journeys end, but alas it never will bring him thither, he is out of the way, Jeſus Chriſt is the way, as wel as the life, now there are falſe Chriſts which men make to themſelves; there is much bad like to good, and much error like to truth, one man he thinketh a drunken Chriſt will ſerve his turn; a covetuous man, he thinketh Chriſt and his ſecret luſts will ſtand together, though his profeſſion and open ſinning will not ſtand together, he thinketh he may have Chriſt in his heart and ſin regarded there, though he cannot have holineſs in his profeſſion an appearance of it, an open prophaneſs there, as if ſin would better agree with Chriſt, then his profeſſion. Some think they have a Chriſt made up all of pardons, no matter for holineſs at all, let them live as they liſt, no matter for walking in him, yet he is ſo merciful, if they can but cry have mercy it will do the deed, though they wallow in their uncleanneſs all their lives, ſome they are on the other hand, that make to themſelves a holy Chriſt, not minding his pardoning mercy, O if they can but do this and that, they walk uprightly with men, they ſerve God, none more conſtant at the ordinances then they, private and publike, and therefore ſurely Chriſt is theirs; not remembring with Nehemiah, the Lord ſpare me according to thy great mercy, or multitude of mercy, even when he had done ſo eminently for God. Alas, brethren what pitiful miſtakes are theſe? Many are ready to think, if they have but now and then a little affections ſtirring at a Sermon, O ſure they have Chriſt, if they have but a little velleity ſometimes, a wiſhing and woulding, this muſt go for Chriſt, how prone are we to ſubſtitute any thing in the room of Chriſt? Now a man that would live, and ſhall eat dirt or coles inſtead of bread, you would think that man a fool; or a man N…h. 13. 22.that would be rich, profeſſeth that is his end, and he bags up indeed, but what is it? dung and droſs, ſtones and traſh, would you not count this man a fool? this is the condition of every formal profeſſor of Jeſus Chriſt: they do indeed fix upon ſomething but it is traſh; it or if any thing better, their duties, their holineſs it is traſh, it is dung inſtead of Chriſt, this is the firſt.
Now, for the ſecondary means, the means of getting Chriſt, which is the more immediate means and way to his enjoyment of God, which is the happineſs of the Creature, herein indeed moſt ordinarily the folly doth appear, and therefore I ſhall here conſider ſeveral particulars.
1. To uſe means to get any thing, and not ſeaſonably is folly, to uſe them too late, for a man that is deadly ſick he will not be perſwaded to take Phyſick untill he be paſt recovery, ſuch a man is a fool that ſo long will lean to his own underſtanding; and ſo for meat, a man that will faſt ſo long until he cannot eat at all, this is the very caſe in this place, you ſee they did not ever neglect Eccleſ. 10. 1.to get oyl in their lamps in their veſſels, they were very inquiſitive, ſought it of the wiſe virgins, and went to buy it of them that ſold, but alas it was too late. Would you not count that man a fool, that hath proviſions to make for his family the week following, Eccleſ. 3. 1, to the 6.at the Market, and he goeth, but it is when all is done, and ſhops ſhut up, and there is no more place to buy any thing. So here, and ſo the Manna, if they went to ſeek Manna upon the Seveath day there was none to be had, yea if daily they went not to ſeek it in the morning, but ſtaid until the Sun were hot, there was none to be had, it was gone. there is a ſeaſon for every thing the wiſe man ſaith: and every thing is beautiful in its ſeaſon, he that gathereth in Summer is a wiſe man, ſaith Solomon: he that maketh Pſal. 10. 5.hay while the Sun ſhineth. It is a ſad piece of folly, that a man ſhould have his grace and his Chriſt to get, when he ſhould uſe them, when we come to dye, and have five times as much need of Chriſt as in our life-time for the moſt part, that then we ſhould be to get Chriſt, and have tri…led away the day of grace in flouriſhes and ſhews, in taking of Chriſt, and had him not in our hearts.
2. To have means for the getting of Chriſt, and never make uſe Prov. 17. 16.of them; there is folly indeed; wherefore is there a prize in the hand of a fool and he hath no heart to it, he is a fool that hath an opportunity to make himſelf for ever and hath no heart to it, to improve it, redeeming the time ſaith the Apoſtle; that is, to walk Eph. 5. 15, 16.circumſpectly not as fools, but as wiſe; what would many a poor Creature in hell give, for ſuch an opportunity of grace as we have? Yea if the Goſpel were preached to Tyre, and Sidon they would have repented long ago, ſaith our Saviour, but you have the opportunity in your hands, but you have no heart to it at all, this is ſad. To ſee a man feed upon husks, and dirt and ſo periſh, when he hath no bread to eat, is a pitiful ſight, but this is neceſſity not folly, but here is bread to eat, that we might live, and yet we neglect to gather it; or to eat it, content our ſelves with husks and traſh is not tl is folly, and this is the condition of every formal profeſſ…r?
3. They reſt in the means ſhort of the end, and that is grievous folly, the means of grace, whereby Chriſt is to be gotten, and Chriſt in us revealed to grow, and increaſe, if we reſt in theſe means, whether we have Chriſt yea or no, it is great folly, what man is there that would ſo do. But there is more in this, for this preferring, and prizing, and lifting them up above Chriſt will be our condemnation, ſetting up any of them inſtead of Chriſt.
But enough of this, The Second thing, or point of wiſdom is in keeping that which we have, the good we have, that is a chief point of wiſdom indeed, Nonminor eſt virtus, do you not count him a fool that takes great pains to get an eſtate, to get much, and is as laviſh of it, takes no care to keep it, when he hath done lets one run away with one p…r…, another with another part, why now here is the caſe, an hypocrite, a formal profeſſor, a fooliſh Ma…. …5. 19.virgin hath ſomething, he hath common grace, happily he hath many duties and ſervices, but all theſe will be taken away from him; he cannot keep his garments, nor doth he take the courſe to keep them, for he that would keep theſe things muſt look after ſomewl at more, the power of Chriſt within to inable to improve theſe to his glory, elſe he that hath not, from him ſhall be taken, even that which he hath, you have leaves of profeſſion, theſe ſhall be taken away. But the
Third thing is more conſiderable, and that indeed I think will prove comprehenſive of the two points, and of wiſdom; and that is to avoid carefully the evil which they fear, the greater the evil, the greater ſhould be the fear of it, if he be a wiſe man: Now the evil, which we will ſpeak of, ſhall be the Soul-Evil, which muſt needs be the worſt corruptio optimi eſt peſſima, and evil by how much the more deſtructive it is, by ſo much the more wiſdom is requiſite to avoid it, and by how much the more eminent it is hanging our head, this evil brethren is not the loſs of outward 2 Cor. 6. 1….things which are periſhable, not the ſuffering of temporal troubles, theſe may run into the ſoul of a Joſeph, and a Job, and they triumph over them, their bleſſedneſs will be above all theſe, they have oyl at top, but what is it then.
1. The Malum damni, the great evil of loſs, is the loſs of a precious ſoul, that nothing is able to purchaſe but the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, if the blood of Jeſus do not deliver thy ſoul, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for ſin, if thou fall ſhort of this, which is already offered, O what ſhall a man give in exchange for his ſoul, Mat. 16. 26.when it is once loſt, ſhal he give ten thouſand Rivers of oyl, or golden Mountains, or the fruit of his body! Alas, all this is nothing to the loſs of the ſoul, and what is the loſs of the ſoul, but the loſs of the face and favour of God in Jeſus Chriſt for ever; that is the death of the ſoul, which is the ſouls loſs; to be ſeparated from him, the loſs of the beauty of the ſoul, and the end of it, to ſerve him, and be glorifyed with him.
2. The inflicting of the heavieſt ſuffering, is the poena ſenſus, that is to ſay, when God poureth out the burning coals of his wrath upon the naked Conſcience, whipping the naked and galled Conſcience Pſal. 90. 11.with Scorpions to eternity, O this dwelling with devouring fire, and everlaſting burning without a ſhadow, will make the ſinners Iſa. 33 14.in Sion afraid, and fearfulneſs ſurprizeth the hypocrites; O it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10. 31. According to his power, ſo is his wrath, as is the man, ſo is his might, ſaid he of Gideon, as is the ability ſo is the arm, to lay heavy Mat. 10. 8.ſtroaks, not to diſpatch us as he ſaid, but to ſink for ever, he is able to deſtroy both ſoul and body in hell.
Now the means to avoid this evil are the ſame that before, no other way in the world, but to get into the City of refuge; if they reſt and ſtay by the way, this evil will ſeize upon them, and their blood wilbe upon their own heads. But wherein doth a formal profeſſors folly, and a Saints wiſdom appear in reference to this.
1. He that foreſeeth not an evil coming upon him, is not ſo wiſe as he ſhould be, the prudent man foreſeeth the evil, and hideth himſelf, this providence is a great part of prudence, for a man to ſee Prov. 22. 3.a miſt no further then under his feet, like the beaſt, is a great folly, a wiſe man hath his eye in his head; do you think that man that Mat. 7. 24.buildeth his houſe upon the ſand, did foreſee the ſhowers, &c. a houſe they muſt have, ſomewhat to ſhade them from the weather; but here is the folly, to build upon ſuch a foundation, not foreſeeing what is like to befall it, O that my people were wiſe, that they Deut. 32. 25.would conſider their latter end: they ſit not down and conſider, &c.
2. If they have now and then a hint of it, yet they make no proviſion againſt it, as it is likely Hypocrites have ſome grudgings ſometimes, and ſome diſcoveries of their hypocriſy, rottenneſs of their houſes they have builded, and yet they heed it not, this is worſe: is not this great folly? yea, how often are you warned and awakened, and yet you will not ſtir? if a man ſhould ſee a ſtorm coming that will deſtroy his houſe, except he fortifie it, and ſhould not care, were not he a fool? they will▪ not hide themſelves from the ſtorm.
3. It is folly, rather to run a hazard of a greater evil that is future though certain, then to undergo a much leſs evil, though preſent: as for inſtance a man would rather venture his life unavoidably, then he would take ſuch a bitter potion; the young man in the Goſpel that went far, he would notwithſtanding venture his ſoul, rather then his eſtate? and is not this the Condition of many formal Profeſſors? Alas brethren! if a little reproach or perſecution for Chriſts ſake come, and the way of Chriſt be a diſgraced way, they count the riches of Egypt, greater treaſure, then their ſouls and heaven, and therefore venture all upon it: O this is folly!
4. Yea a man that would loſe a far greater good to gain a leſs, is a fool: and what ſhall a man gain, if he get the world and loſe his ſoul? and what ſhall an Hypocrite get by his cloſe ways of unrighteous gaining: if he loſe his ſoul? will it countervail it, if laid in the balance together? What will you gain, if you have never ſo much reputation for wiſe and holy men, which is the thing you ſeek likely, many of you ſeek honour one of another, and loſe the ſoul in the mean time, gape at the ſhadow, and loſe the ſubſtance? O this is a folly with a witneſs, that will part with Ioh. 5 44.Gold for Counters, with Pearls for Pebbles! and yet ſuch is the Condition of a formal Profeſſor of Chriſt. If this be ſo, then a man that contents himſelf with a profeſſion of Chriſt without the enjoyment of him is a fool, and the contrary is a wiſe man, then,
Firſt, We ſee that God and the world are of two minds: O that men would be but perſwaded that this is folly! but the world counteth this the greateſt folly that can be to make ſo much ado about the ſoul-affairs, to trouble themſelves ſo much about the intereſt in Chriſt, they are the wiſe men that have heads deep and large to compaſs their deſigns for the world, and to have a profeſſion of Chriſt, the thing may be of ſome uſe, but the thing it ſelf it is but a burthen: they will never trouble themſelves with a Lamp, and a Veſſel full of Oyl, beſides it is enough to have a Lamp; But ſurely Brethren, the Lord judgeth otherwiſe you ſee who is the fool in Chriſts ſenſe; and what will it avail if a man the world account him a wiſe man, and he himſelf deem himſelf a wiſe man, and Jeſus Chriſt accounteth him a fool? he never giveth names for nothing: they are ſure to anſwer them ſooner or later, the eaſieſt courſe Brethren, is not the wiſeſt, then the Sluggard were the wiſeſt man.
2. It may ſerve to reprove and convince us of much folly then that is among us: Stultorum plena ſunt omnia, all Proreſſions are ful of fools, and none more, then the Profeſsion of Jeſus Chriſt: for the higher the end, the greater the folly in pretending to it, and miſsing of it. I doubt brethren, all the Congregation are full of ſuch fools as theſe are, it appears to be ſo in the Prophets time; Who is wiſe, ſaith he, and he will conſider theſe Hoſ. 14. 10. Iſa. 50. 10.things, &c. and Prudent, and he ſhall know them? Who is wiſe? by this interrogation there is implied a paucity of them as in that, Who is there among you that walks in darkneſs, and ſeeth no light? they are not very ordinary; ſo again, Who hath believed our report, Iſa. 53. 1.and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? May I not take up the Prophets complaint now, and ſay, who in this Congregation is wiſe! who ſo wiſe as to conſider their latter end to provide for it? not to reſt in a name, in a profeſsion; Some I doubt not but there are, who are able to produce their Evidences, Chriſt in them the hope of Glory; but are they ſo many as were to be wiſhed Col. 1. 27.brethren; do you not take up ſhort of Jeſus Chriſt? reſt in the means as you have heard before.
3. Then it ſhall ſerve to ſtir us up, to awaken us to look about us: for that is one thing alſo which that interrogation imports, to ſtir us up to Conſider our wayes, and our Condition and State; Whether we have this oyl in our veſſel as well as in the Lamp, ſurely Brethren; For Motives,
4. This is a very preſsing one which our Saviour covertly giveth in the Text, they were fooliſh virgins which took no oyl, and the Prophet Who is wiſe, and he will conſider theſe things? for men would not be counted fools of all things, men had rather be wicked and counted ſo, then be counted fools; and will rather ſhew their wit in froth, and jeſts, and over-reaching, then be counted fools, you know the affectation of wiſdom was the firſt temptation, and ever ſince, vain man would be wiſe, though he be Ibb. 11. 20.born like a wild Aſſes Colt: we are moſt ſtupid Creatures, and yet would have a name to be wiſe, and are indeed contented to be fools in Gods account, rather then we would not be wiſe men in our own account, and the account of the world, deſperate fools! this is cum ratione inſanire, if any thing be. O brethren, if we would be wiſe indeed, take the advice of wiſdom it ſelf, or the wonderful Councellor, take heed of reſting in this Condition, without oyl in your veſſels: he is wiſe indeed that is wiſe in the latter end, that thou mayſt be wiſe in the latter end: he that liveth in reputation of a wiſe man, he thinketh himſelf ſo, and dyeth a fool in the account Prov. 19. 20.of God himſelf, and all others, this is the fool in grain; the more care to get and keep our veſſels full of oyl, the more wiſer we ſhall approve our ſelves.
2. Dear friends, Conſider ſeriouſly now, You think you follow Jeſus Chriſt, and your Lamps are burning? but what a ſad diſappointment will it be and confuſion? For hope diſappointed confounds a man, as it is in Job: they are confounded becauſe Iob 6. 20.they hoped: you hope for heaven now, if you be diſappointed, and your Lamps go out in obſcure darkneſs juſt when you have the moſt need of them: O how will you be able to bear it!
O therefore whatever you do, labour to get this oyl, make ſure of this brethren: never give the Lord over, follow him up and down in all the wayes of grace, until thou have gotten thy veſſel full, thy heart filled with grace, with his fear, his love, with humility, ſelf-denial. O look to it, that thou cloſe with Chriſt, that you do not miſtake ſomewhat elſe inſtead of him, beg the Spirit Brethren, to be ſtrengthened with might by his Spirit in the …. 3. 16. … Cor. 9. 8.inner man, that Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith, and you may have all grace to abound towards you, and in you, that having an al-ſufficiency alway in all things, you may abound in every good work, your hearts being ful, there being a Spring to eternal life: that your Lamps may never be put out, but you may appear wiſe in your latter end, which trieth indeed which are the wiſe, and which the fooliſh Virgins. O be diligent in improving all the Ordinances for that end, received ye the Spirit by the works of the Gal. 2. 3. Exod. 16. 13. Num. 11.the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? You have heard it is the dew wherein the Manna deſcends, it is the vehiculum, we come to hear all of us, O take heed how you hear, with what hearts you come before him, and how you attend to this word, do you know in what part of it the Spirit will deſcend, will come upon the heart, at which Sermon, in which part of the Sermon? O brethren if we come with veſſels full, conceited with Pride, full of Earth ſtopped up with the world, how can we expect this oyl ſhould be poured into us? therefore Come, labour to bring your empty veſſels to the Lord in his Ordinances: for it 2 Kings 4. 3, … ul…is obſervable as long as there was an empty veſſel, the oyl run, in the widows caſe, and ſo it would be here, he never ſent a poor empty broken Spirit, a poor Creature, poor in ſpirit to come humbled and trembling in ſenſe of its wants, and worthleſneſs he never ſent them away empty, when the veſſel is full, he will not pour out the oyl, it would be loſt, there is no room to receive it.
Again, Labour to number your days brethren, that you may apply your hearts unto wiſdom, to this wiſdom, to ſalvation: this Pſal. 90. 20.is a rich piece of skill, that is not to be learned but in the ſchool of Chriſt, to number our days. Conſider the ſhortneſs of our time, how ſhort, we cannot tell, for ought we know this night, he was a fool in grain in the Goſpel, who put off the day of death ſo long, thou haſt goods laid up for many years, Eat, drink and be merry. I, but what was there laid up for eternity? was there any Grace laid up to carry him through death? no, not a jot: thou fool this night ſhall thy ſoul be taken from thee, and then whoſe ſhall theſe things be? theſe are things which in Luke 22. 19.themſelves are not, either they take wings and are gone, as a flock of Birds▪ in a mans ground, or elſe they are taken from them, and leave them to they know not whom: for naked muſt they return thither, to the grave which Job had in his mind, and happily pointed at it in that ſpeech, he was a fool that put off the thoughts of death for many days upon the greatneſs of his riches, which could not profit him in the day of wrath, nor day of death neither; but now this wiſdom if the heart be applyed to it, will provide ſomewhat that will carry them through: they will provide ſome oyl in the veſſel that ſhall not fail, ſomewhat to follow them when they are dead, to enter with them into the Marriage of the Lamb, A man may number his days, and think of his death, and wiſh it much, & yet if God teach him not to make this uſe of it, it will not be: O therefore beg of him ſuch a heart, ſo to number them, as that you may apply your hearts to this wiſdom, if death be ſo near, eternity at hand, there is entering with him into the Marriage, or being ſhut out for ever O what need had we then to beſtir our ſelves, get this oyl, this grace in the heart; for indeed we ſhall find brethren, though we may live by a form, we cannot dye by a form of Godlineſs, but it muſt be the Power of it, that muſt carry us through death.
It may be a further Inſtruction to us, then ſurely there muſt be a great change in us to this true wiſdom: for alas, we are born like wild Aſſes Colts, none more ſtupid; An Aſs, a wild Aſs, a wilde Iob 11. 12.Aſſes Colt, what more brutiſh? now this muſt be a wonderful change, to make ſuch a man wiſe to ſalvation: but what is too hard for the grace of the Almighty, we are fools by nature, and yet we have a conceit we are wiſe, affect wiſdom, and becauſe we would be wiſe, we eaſily believe we are ſo, ſelf-love bribing our judgements alſo: but now when God cometh to work in us, he emptieth us of our own wiſdom firſt, and our conceit of wiſdom rather, for indeed the wiſdom of the fleſh and the world is fooliſhneſs with God; but the conceit of wiſdom is much, this 1 Cor. 3. 19.muſt be captivated, thoſe high thoughts, and we muſt become fools that we may be wiſe: there muſt he a great change indeed, which alas many a Profeſſor never had experience of.
Be not ſatisfied, nor contented then to uſe the Ordinances of God which are the means more remote from the end, until you find and feel that the Lord Jeſus doth in them embrace your ſouls, and your ſouls embrace him: until you feel this oyl poured into your hearts, until you find your ſelves changed into his image, your hearts coming in to a better frame thereby, and kept in a holy frame thereby in ſome meaſure: is it not better to try now, then he tried by his hand at death, when there is no place to get it, &c?
Alas you will ſay, how ſhall we know we have this oyl of grace in our hearts? It is a notable way Brethren, to know it by the overflowing of it, when it abounds you ſhall ſee it, as it is ſet forth; the preſſes burſt out with new wine, then it diſcovers it ſelf: the reaſon why we ſee it not, nor cannot ſee it, is becauſe we have yet ſo little of it, thought it be a Well ſpringing up Prov. 3. 10. See Iob. 1. 10. His ſubſtance is increaſed, the Original is, it breaks out.to eternal life: yet while it is low and much mud it is hard to diſcern it: but doth it ſpring up when the veſſel is filled with oyl? you ſhall ſee it is there, and have the comfort of it. O but this is little comfort to them that are weak you will ſay. Why preſs forward, forget the things which are behind, Slothfulneſs and Eaſe are not the way of comfort and peace, but the diligent hand which maketh rich.
Again, ye know grace is ſet forth by oyl, as it ſoftens and ſweetens, ſo we ſhall find that operation of it in the ſoul; doth it change thy nature from harſh, and crooked and perverſe, to ſweet and gentle, this is a fruit of this ſpirit a conſequent of this annointing. And ſo it will be uppermoſt, what it is that lies higheſt in thy ſoul, which thou lifteſt up, Is it this?
Haſt thou ever been upon ſerious examination, and doſt thou make God thine end, thy happineſs? Canſt thou ſay, Whom have I in heaven but thee, &c? the world is not thy end.
And then for Jeſus Chriſt doſt thou cloſe with him? haſt thou ever believed? rouled thy ſelf upon him, by faith receiving him, and the ſpirit by faith, this is the oyl, here is a fountain, a cruſe that will never fail, a ſpring ſpringing up to eternal life.