Several Works, Work 2 · Part 11
Verſes 11, 12.
Afterwards came alſo the other Virgins, ſaying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but he anſwered and ſaid to them, verily I ſay unto you, I know you not.
I Would take up two or three brief Notes from theſe words.
That men may come very near to heaven, and yet be ſhut out, never enter into heaven.Doctr.
Which, though it be much what the ſame with a former obſervation, I will ſpeak a few words to it here, if it were nothing elſe but to refreſh your memories, and but a word or two of it. It is plainly taken up from the Parable here, the fooliſh Virgins they kept their Lamps burning long, until the very point of the Bride-grooms coming; yea not only ſo, but when the door was ſhut and others received, which whether it be at the day of judgement, or at each particular ſouls particular day, we will not now enquire; but yet they come (mind you) after all this, and they bounce againſt heaven gate, as I may …ay, they cry, Lord, Lord, open to us; they would have heaven, and come to the very gate, as I may ſay, and they ſeek it of Jeſus Chriſt too, and they are very earneſt in it, the doubling of the expreſſion imports; it is not a cold frozen prayer, ſuch as many an hypocrite, yea ſometimes many a child of God puts up, but an earneſt cry, Lord, Lord, O Lord ſave us, ſhut us not out, ſave us, we periſh, we ſink, hell opens her mouth to ſwallow us up, O quickly open to us, or we are gone. Did not Iſrael come out of Egypt, and march through the wilderneſs, and through many difficulties, and enemies, and temptations there, and come to the very borders of Canaan, and yet fell back again, were turned into the wilderneſs again? the Lord ſware they ſhould never enter into his reſt: Many run, ſaith the Apoſtle, but all obtain not; yea ſome do run to the very laſt, until 1 Cor. 9. 24.they be even within ſight of the Goal, and yet there ſink and periſh. So Joaſh did, he ran far, and yet fell ſhort when all was 2 Chro. 24. 2.done. And when many fell back from Chriſt, Judas continued with him, the Bag its likely kept him more then Chriſt; but he Joh. 6 66.continued until the very laſt, and then periſhed. There was but one ſtep, as I may ſay, between the young man in the Goſpel and heaven, he went very far, did much, he had kept all thoſe things from his youth; yet there was one thing wanting, which he could Mat. 19. 20.not reach too; our Saviour convinced him thereby how ſhort he was, and had need of a Saviour; but we find not that he came to him any more: How near was Ananias to the Kingdom of God? he profeſſed Chriſt in thoſe perſecuting times, owned him, but it ſeems his love of the world and diſtruſt was not killed; he went far as well as others, to ſell all he had, and to lay it at the Apoſtles feet, a very great piece of ſelf-denyal, only a little reſervation in hypocriſie you ſee, carried him aſide, and he periſhed. To make this a little better appear, conſider,
Firſt, That the light and principles of nature will carry a man very far; how far did many of the Heathens go? how Saintlike would they ſpeak? and how heroically and ſelf-denyingly would they act many times? Yea, and ſome of them in their whole courſe, to the ſhame of moſt Chriſtians; the ſparks of our own kindling will riſe and flie upward, but yet they fall ſhort: Iſa. 27.Becauſe alas, 1. It leads us not to Jeſus Chriſt, and by his own ſtrength no man ſhall prevail for heaven, but he muſt lay hold upon the ſtrength of God in Chriſt. The Doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt is a myſterie hid from ages, from all people, but where the Lord is pleaſed by the preaching of the Goſpel to make manifeſt the ſavour thereof. Now there is no other name, but the name o… Jeſus Chriſt whereby men can be ſaved. 2. Becauſe alas, there is not any of them but they hold the truth in unrighteouſneſs; though Acts 4. 11.they do much, yet they have a light more abundant in them then they walk up to. It is impriſoned in their underſtandings, not ſhed abroad upon their hearts, ſo that they could ſee nothing but folly and that which is worſe. And ſo every one muſt needs be condemned of his own heart.
Secondly, Common grace and gifts of grace, that will carry a man very far, there is a taſte of the heavenly gift, and the powers of Heb. 6. 4.the world to come; and this will ſeem to enliven and warm the affections, and carry out a man to do great things; as thoſe fooliſh Virgins had, and ſo Ananias, and others.
Thirdly, with all theſe, a mans ſecret falſe ends concurring, help to carry on a man far. Judas had the bag, which he loved more then Chriſt, and as long as he had the bag he was well enough, he could follow on; ſo long as there were loaves to be had by following Chriſt, what multitudes follow him, and throng upon him? Our Saviour knew their deepeſt ends, though haply they ſaw them not; their hearts were too deep for themſelves, but not for him. So many ends, ſo many ſprings and weights there are upon Ioh. 6. 26.a man, which will add ſomewhat of ſtrength to him in his courſe; they are indeed the marrow of the bones that moyſten them, and give life and vigor to his actions. So it may be a man cannot keep his conſcience quiet, it is rouſed a little, and is dogged, and ſnarls, and it will not be quiet, except he ſtop the mouth of it with ſome duty and ſervice, and following the waies of God as to the externals. And ſo a mans glory and honour, ſpecially when Religion is in repute, it is a diſhonour to be eſteemed otherwiſe; mens reputations will carry them further then we are aware of. Yea, if the waies of God were diſcountenanced, yet a man may go far in them upon this end, to have his name much ſet by, as a couragious heroical ſpirit, he may ſuffer much, and yet not love Jeſus Chriſt: It is then, love to himſelf, to his honour, or ſomewhat elſe that is the ground of it; but alas, Brethren, when all this is done, it may carry a man near the Kingdom of heaven, but he ſhall fall ſhort. And that upon theſe two conſiderations.
Firſt, becauſe, though they may come near Chriſt, and haply delude themſelves, and think they have him, yet they never were ingra…ted into him; and hiſtorical faith and temporarie, that will comply with the times, a man may have, and miraculous too, and yet never implanted into Chriſt; and then, though a man may come near the Kingdom of heaven, yet if be he Chriſtleſs, he is undone, he muſt needs be ſhut out. The Lord will in giving thoſe gifts, thoſe common gifts of the Spirit to men, honour himſelf by them; he will have glory, but they may never have the comfort of them, they may tend to their further ſinking and condemnation.
Secondly, becauſe that all thoſe things, though precious in themſelves, yet they never change a mans heart, it remaineth the ſame ſtill, ſo they never do him real ſpiritual good; Judas a traytor, a Devil, though it appeared not to men, becauſe cloathed over with ſo many common gifts and graces. And ſo Ananias his heart was not throughly changed. Alas Brethren, the giving of theſe gifts to men, whereby they do much, as a gift of prayer, or a gift of prophecying, or preaching, whereby they do much, and paſs for eminent perſons with men, they are but like flowers laid in a window, as Doctor Preſton compareth them, they grow not; Or elſe, as outlandiſh plants removed into another Countrey, they grow not, they proſper not, becauſe the ſoil is not changed; the grace they have doth not redundare in perſonam, make their perſons good, no more then a pearl in a ſwines ſnou…, changeth the nature of the ſwine; the pearl is a pearl and precious, but the ſwine is a ſwine, and filthy in her diſpoſition. And ſo beauty in a whoriſh woman, it is beautiful and lovely, but ſhe is nevertheleſs whoriſh and abominable; and therefore notwithſtanding all the Attainments of a man by nature, by common grace, by his own ends, which will carry him very far, put a great luſtre upon him, ſeem to bid fair for heaven, carry a man after the things of God to the very laſt, it may be, yet it will not change a man, and therefore no admittance for him, he is ſhut out when all is done.
Firſt then Brethren, If a man may go ſo far and yet fall ſhort, Ʋſe 1.What will become of them that never ſet foot forward toward heaven to this day? It is true, many come to hear the word now and then, or conſtantly; I make account this is but little, when it cometh to the doing, the practiſing: What have you done to this day many of you? the young man in the Goſpel did all Mat. 19. 20.thoſe things, he thought, and that from his youth, and yet you ſee he fell ſhort: Thou never didſt any of thoſe things, thou never didſt love the Lord thy God, worſhip him as thou oughteſt, makeſt nothing of renting his name in pieces, of prophaning his day: what elſe meaneth ſo many idling, ſo many ſporting themſelves, ſo many walking up and down, ſo many drinking upon the Sabbath-day? thy parents, thou never didſt honour them; thou haſt been an unclean wretch, injurious, thy tongue taught to tell lyes and ſpeak folly, a covetous wretch. Brethren, what do you mean? ſure you will never come ſo much as near the Kingdom of heaven: If any periſh, you are the ſinners are ſure to periſh. They fell ſhort that came to Canaan, what will become of you that never came out of Egypt? if you are yet by your fleſh-pots, your Garlick and Onions of Egypt, and will not be beaten off your loathſom delights of the fleſh, your mirth, and company, and gaming, and dicing, and drabbing, and drinking: Muſt a mans righteouſneſs exceed the righteouſneſs of the Phariſees, or he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; Do you believe Mat. 5. 20.this Brethren? What will become of thee then, that art ſo far from what they did? they prayed often, much, and long; they faſted often, they gave much alms, paid tythe of all; they were no extortioners, nor unjuſt, but thou art ſuch a one; they were no drunkards, but thou art a drunkard; they were no unclean adulterers, but thou art one; and yet they fell ſhort, and where wilt thou appear? the Lord ſhew you how unlikely you are for heaven.
Secondly, this ſheweth alſo the woful condition of hypocrites, Ʋſe 2.they carry a ſair ſail, and ſeem it may be to be driven with as fair a gale as any; only there is a Leak ſpr…ng in the bottom, and they ſink, or rock themſelves juſt in the very harbour; this is the ſaddeſt of all the reſt, many a ſtorm they have ridden out, they have indured many a wave, and to ſplit themſelves in the very harbour, within ſight of the land; as a man miſcarrying juſt at the gate of the City of Refuge: O how high muſt ſuch mens hopes have been! and how low will their hearts ſink now when ſo …adly diſappointed? hope ſo diſappointed maketh aſhamed, confoundeth the ſoul: as Eſau his hopes were at the higheſt, when he came with his Veniſon to his …ather; this will kill the heart. O Brethren, above all others, hypocrites will be cloathed with the deepeſt confuſion, becauſe they have been men of the faireſt hopes for heaven. Therefore it is ſaid, he went away ſorrowful; for it muſt needs be ſo, for he was a man of more light then Mat. 19. 22.others, and ſurely had a conviction that Jeſus was the Meſſiah, & that it would be advantagious to have him, and therefore coming Job. 27. 9.ſo near to him, and yet put back, he went away ſorrowful: another man would have made nothing of ſuch a repulſe: hypocrites have great enlightnings, and they have had a taſte of the heavenly gift, as I may ſay, as Iſrael had a bunch of grapes to taſte the ſweetneſs of Canaan, and encourage them to go in to poſſeſs it. Numb. 13. 23.O this, when God turned them back into the wilderneſs for their rebellion, that they ſhould periſh there, was a great aggravation of their miſery; if they had never come ſo near it, and never taſted of it, they had not known what they had loſt, what they had deprived themſelves of. So here ſurely Brethren, hypocrites have many a taſte, they have ſome glimmerings of heavens light and glory, ſomewhat they have to draw them on to the very borders, therefore for them to be turned off here and ſhut out, O ſure it will much aggravate their miſery: Ah wretch that I was, to come ſo near, take ſo much pains for heaven, and yet that I ſhould miſs it, will be the doleful ditty of hypocrites to eternity.
Thirdly, It may teach all young beginners, that are now, as I may ſay, ſtarting in the race that is ſet before us, that you look to it, Brethren, you be ſo furniſhed as to be able to run ſo as to obtain; 1. Cor. 9. 14.you are now launching into the deep, O look to it there be not a privy leak ſomewhere, though it be but ſmall, yet it may make a ſhift to ſink you even at the very haven of heaven. Ah dear friends, it will be worth your pains to look into the truth of your condition, though it coſt you many an hour, many a hot and cold fit, yet give it not over, be ſure of this one thing, that you be bottomed on Jeſus Chriſt, and have his Spirit to dwell in you, his fear put in you according to the Covenant of grace, and then you ſhall never depart from him, you ſhall never fall ſhort. If once you be but in him, you ſhall enter in with him; the reaſon why theſe fooliſh Virgins entred not, they were not in Chriſt, they had nothing but their own account, their own profeſſion, and what they could rap and rend, and get from the creature: alas, this was nothing, though it might carry them thus far, it would not make way for their entrance into glory; therefore let me beg of you to make this one thing neceſſary ſure, neglect this, and all is nothing.
Fourthly, It may teach all of us, even ſuch as have not only begun, but gone far, taken much pains for heaven, to tremble and fear, leſt for want of a little more, we fall ſhort. Ah dear friends, Heb. 3.if we would offer violence to heaven, it muſt be while we are here, when the door is ſhut it is too late; therefore now let us preſs, and ſpare no pains, and look to theſe two things.
1. That what we do, we do it in Chriſt, and for Chriſt; elſe what do we differ in our work from the gliſtering Sinners among the heathens? And,
2. That our hearts be changed, and made better, and growing liker heaven every day then other, elſe they will nothing avail us at all; we ſhall be ſhut out notwithſtanding all our prayers, preaching, gifts, performances, priviledges; nothing but an intereſt in Chriſt, and an heart ſanctified by him, will give entrance into heaven; but ſo much for this Doctrine.
Another Note I will take up from the Virgins crying to God, now when they ſaw the Gate of heaven ſhut againſt them.
That the hearts of ſinners are full of ſelf-confidence and preſumption; That they could have an heart to cry to Jeſus Chriſt to open Doctr. 2.the door to them when it was ſhut, it is ſtrange preſumption and boldneſs indeed, for they had not one word to ſay for themſelves, why they ſhould have entrance, but only, Lord, Lord, open, &c. in reſpect of any pleadings of Faith, or the Covenant of Grace they were dumb, not a word of this, but if they had any thing to ſay, it was ſuch as thoſe in Mat. 7. had to ſay for themſelves; he had preached in their ſtreets, and they had eat and drunk in his preſence; ſo here, Lord, Lord, open to us; why, we had Lamps burning until a little before thy appearing; we walked in fellowſhip with them that are truly admitted now into thy preſence; we have endeavoured to get ſome oyl to renew our Lamps, though alas, they found none; but however they would have heaven: this is very ſtrong impudence, and confident preſumption that is in the hearts of Sinners; the Lord Jeſus turns them off, and they will not be turned o…f, now they will offer violence to the kingdom of heaven, when it is too late.
Whence ariſeth this? Haply out of the ignorance whereupon heaven is to be had, upon what conditions; or elſe out of the preſence of their eternal miſery; now they ſee they are ſinking to hell, they begin to cry out for opening of heaven Gate to them, now the Gate is ſhut upon them, they never cried before: but I will not inſiſt upon this.
Only a word or two of Application: Firſt then, it is no marvel Ʋſe. 1.brethren, if ſinners are ſo full of boldneſs and preſumption; now let us tell them, that we will ſet life and death before them, as you have had it ſet before you many a time, every Sabbath, every opportunity almoſt, alas, they care not for it, they hang out a flag of defiance againſt God, they have made a covenant with death, and an agreement with hell, and this they make account ſhall ſtand, let the Lord ſay what he will; though he tell them, he will break that Covenant, he diſanulleth it in the day he heareth it; for both they and death are under his command, and therefore he may diſanull their Covenant, he is Soveraign over them all; yet they believe it not, they rage, and are confident, for when the very overflowing ſcourge cometh upon them, they are ſo confident to go, and cry to God, when they ſee the very gate of mercy ſhut againſt them: O ſay ſinners, here we ſhall have peace, though we walk after the imaginations of our own hearts, to add drunkenneſs to thirſt; tho…gh God have told ſuch men, His anger ſhall ſmoke againſt that man, yet they are confident Deut. 29. 19.nothing will drive them to ſeek a Chriſt, to make their peace with him, to accept of deliverance; and no marvel, for when they ſee the mouth of hell opened for them, and the belly of hell moved for them, and the gates of heaven ſhut againſt them, and they have no Chriſt to appear in, yet they have the face and boldneſs, as to cry, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Secondly, It may teach us to have an holy jealouſie, and an holy pitty over poor creatures that can be, and are upon their death-beds, ſo confident, ſo preſumptuous, they can come to God without a Chriſt, having all their life long trampled his precious blood under their feet, reſted in their formalities, and yet can cry out then to God to open to them, as if thy were the only Saints upon earth, and were the only men of faith. Ah brethren, ſo they may do, and yet be but fooliſh Virgins; how have they carried it in their lives: they would never be perſwaded to call upon God morning and evening, to pray in cloſet, in family, to make ſure of Chriſt, and yet now they will not ſtick to appear and cry for heaven without him. O this preſumption will not proſper, though believing alway proſper; you may have the Gate of heaven ſhut upon you, your ſouls ſhut out for ever, and yet in your extremity have a Lord, Lord, in your mouths, therefore look to it betimes, before hand; but enough of this.
The third Note of Doctrine is this; Though men will not come Doctr. 3.to Chriſt for Grace, yet they will come to him for Glory. While Jeſus Chriſt is diſpenſing the Grace of the Kingdom, they neglect him and his Grace, they are buſied about ſomewhat elſe; but when he is to diſpenſe the Glory of his Kingdom, then every one will come to him; Luke 14. 18. They cannot come, but now they will come. This is clear in the preſent caſe: Theſe fooliſh Virgins, they would not come to Chriſt for Grace; for you ſee how many times they were beaten off from the Creature, and yet they faſtned again, when their Lamps failed, which were ſparks of their own kindling, or elſe ſome common work at moſt; then they went to the wiſe Virgins, not to Chriſt; when they repulſed them, ſent them away empty, they went to them that ſold, they would by no means come to Jeſus Chriſt, not a word of that; and yet now the Glory of the Kingdom is to be diſpenſed, you ſee n ow they cry Lord, Lord, open to us: if they had taken this courſe before, and cryed, Lord, Lord, when their Lamps were gone out, O Lord, now we ſee our own ſparks dye before they reach heaven. O pardon this our Hypocriſie, and O give us of thine oyl, thou art the Olive-tree, pour out of thy oyl into our veſſels, as they went to the wiſe Virgins, and this in truth of heart, they had had oyl, they had been ready, and entred with Chriſt; no, but they would not; and ſee now, when the Gate was ſhut upon them, now they cry, Lord, Lord, open to us; they would not come to him for the wedding Garment, but they would be beholding to him to let them in to the Feaſt without one; though heaven would have held them but a little while, if they had entred in that condition. So the Jews, They would not come to Chriſt, that they might have life; that they Iohn 5. 40. 7. 34.might have the life of Grace, and then the life of Glory; but they would come to him to have the life of Glory. Ye ſhall ſeek Heb. 12. 17.me, and ye ſhall not find me, but ſhall die in your ſins. This is Eſau's caſe: prophane Eſau, he would not keep his birth-right when he had it, nor ſeek it again when he had loſt it, but the bleſſing he would have without the birth-right; he could part with the birth-right for a meſs of pottage, for his luſt rather then extreme hunger, (as ſome think) but the bleſſing, he could ſeek it with tears.
The grounds of this are ſuch as theſe; Firſt, Becauſe it is a principle indelebly written in nature, to will happineſs the end in general; (that is to ſay) happineſs is not that which cometh under deliberation and matter of choice at all, but only the means that tend to that end: no man living can poſſibly prevail with himſelf to be willing to be miſerable: it is as natural as for the fire to fly upward, or the ſtone to decline downward. A Balaam would die the death of the rigteous, he would go to heaven when all is done, notwithſtanding his Sorceries and Enchantments againſt Jacob, and Divinations againſt Iſrael. A man would think ſuch a wretch as he, that would have curſed Iſrael fain, if God would have hearkened to him, a deadly enemy he was to them, that he ſhould ſcarce have deſired to come where they ſhould be; As I have heard of ſome whoſe ſpleen hath been ſo great againſt the people of God, that if they came to heaven, they would never come thither; ſuch are worſe then Balaam, yet he would die the death of the righteous.
Secondly, Becauſe of the woful ataxie and diſorder that is in all our ſouls, whereby we are in all things prepoſterous, in all things that are ſupernatural; in things purely natural and civil we do not expect the end without the means, none but fools and mad men do it. A man would live and have his health, this he deſireth, therefore he will eat, you cannot perſwade him to ſtarve himſelf with hunger; he will take phyſick, though never ſo loathſom, never ſo bitter to him, & what ever it coſt him, skin for skin, and all he hath, he will give for his life; this is the higheſt end he hath in theſe things; but now in ſpirituals there is nothing but confuſion, the end we do confuſedly aim at, we would have it; doubtleſs there is not the verieſt unbeliever that heareth this, this day, but would have heaven, and you cannot with all the arguments you can bring, make him willing to periſh in an everlaſting ſeparation from God, if he underſtand any thing what he ſaith; yet he would have this without the means, without this union and fellowſhip with the Lord Jeſus, whereby he may be made meet for it.
3. Becauſe of mens unbelief and unacquaintance with the myſterie of ſalvation, the myſterie of free Grace in Jeſus Chriſt: they do not believe that a man muſt come to Chriſt for Grace, or elſe they can have no Glory from him; That he is the way, the truth, Ioh. 14. 6.and the life; they think he will ſave them upon any terms; he came to be a Saviour of ſinners, and ſinners they are, and a Saviour he is, and therefore let Miniſters ſay what they will, they think if they have but time to cry Lord, Lord, though it be when the Gate is ſhut, as theſe fooliſh Virgins, it will do. Ah brethren, if the fooliſh Virgins had been acquainted with this, that they muſt have their oyl from Chriſt, or elſe they ſhould never hold out, nor enter with him; would they not inſtead of thoſe trifling, impertinent endeavours, made ſome application to him all that while? but they ſaw it not, it was hid from their eyes; The Lord will give Grace and Glory, and never will he Pſal. 84. 11.give Glory ſure, if he give not Grace. O for hearts to believe this, it would be a cure of this diſorder.
Fourthly, Becauſe of the enmity that is in our hearts againſt Grace, nothing is more contrary: wherevever Grace cometh, there is a continuall quarrel between it and ſin: the holy Ghoſt when he cometh to dwell in a heart, he knoweth he muſt have no peace there, but continually luſt againſt the fleſh, and endure Gal. 5. 17.the luſtings of the fleſh againſt it ſelf. O brethren then, where a heart is altogether in ſin, what an enemy is it to Grace, and to Chriſt, as the Author of Grace? (ſo ſaith the Apoſtle) you, while you were enemies in your minds through Col. 1. 21.wicked works, hath he reconciled: now a man will hardly come to an enemy to help him, except he be in very great ſtraits indeed: as when men are ſinking into hell, then they will come to Chriſt for entrance into heaven: for then their miſery is preſent and imminent, they ſee there is no avoiding of it: hell is at their backs, the avengers of blood are now upon them, ready to hurry them away to deſtruction: therefore now it is high time for them to cry, Lord, Lord, open to us: but while they can but keep theſe things at a diſtance, put off the thoughts of heaven and hell, they care not for coming to Chriſt at all: yet as great as their enmity is, it may be overlaid by the preſent apprehenſions of their neceſſity and danger they are in if they come not to him; and this is that brings in any ſoul to Chriſt for Grace here, while he is diſpenſing Grace, until the Lord let the Sinner ſee his ſins in order before him, ſee the hand-writing upon the wall againſt him, Mene, Mene, until God write his condemnation upon his Conſcience in bloody Characters, and viſible, that he that runs may read it; he careth not for coming to Chriſt for Grace, and ſo for heaven; if a man neglect all this, yet when God ſheweth him the rivers of burning brimſtone, ſheweth the teeth of the worm which is ready to faſten upon him, opens a mans ears to hear Satan come jingling with his chain to fetch his ſoul, to tear it away whether he will or no: O then, though he hath no mind to go to Chriſt, now he will go and cry, Lord, Lord open to me.
Why, But you will ſay, If he be ſuch an enemy to Grace, and to Chriſt, as diſpenſing Grace, is he not much more an enemy to Chriſt, as glorious, and receiving ſinners to Glory? Yea brethren, I believe for my part, that they are ſuch enemies to an heavenly work, a glorious ſtate, that if they were admitted with ſuch hearts as they have, it would be a weary place to them, they cannot endure the reflection of the ſun upon a burniſh'd ſoul▪ how will they endure the face of the Son of righteouſneſs himſelf? but the ſence of their danger, and looking upon heaven as a place of freedom from the torments of the condemned, not as upon an holy place, wherein Grace is made glorious, therefore they deſire to enter; alas, what would theſe fooliſh Virgins have done there, if they had entred in this unready condition? heaven would have been too hot to hold them; but freed they would be from miſery, happy they would be, poor creatures, though they mind not that the happineſs of heaven is ſuch, as if they had not had Grace firſt to make them meet for it, it would have been no happineſs to them. What is more tedious to them then the Glory of Holineſs upon the Saints, then ſpiritual communion with God? they cannot bear this. All delight ariſeth from ſuittableneſs between the object and faculty, and all grief and trouble from the unſuitableneſs of the object and faculty, and truly Grace glorified is ſo much the more unſuitable; but yet I ſay, they apprehending that miſery is approaching, would go any wihther for ſhelter.
Fifthly and laſtly, Becauſe now they can keep their luſts no longer, therefore now they would have heaven; as long as the ſinner can keep his luſt, he will be for no other Maſter nor Lord, he cares for no other pleaſure; the pleaſures of ſin are the fools paradiſe to the wanton, and ſo is ſport and paſtime to the young gallant, they care not for any thing ſerious. If men could keep the world for ever, they would never deſire to come to heaven; they could be contented to have their heaven upon earth; their inward thought is, they ſhall continue for ever, they call their houſes after their own names, and they think as they would have it; now Pſal. 49. 11.when they ſee they can hold the world no longer, now they would have heaven; therefore they care not for Grace, ſo long as they can have their fill of theſe delights; if men be Hypocrites, cloſe Hypocrites, have no open prophaneſs or luſt, yet ſome ſecret Dalilah they have that they delight themſelves with; but when the pangs of hell begin to catch hold upon men, when their conſciences do catch of the fire of hell, and this to flame, they ſee they are going, and there is no other way with them but one, and being at the brink (as I may ſay) the flame catcheth upon them, as it did thoſe Executioners in Daniel, then, O for heaven; Lord, Lord, deliver us, ſave us.
For the Application, This may ſerve then in the firſt place to Ʋſe. 1.juſtifie the Lord Jeſus: let him be for ever clear when he judgeth, and juſtified when he ſpeaks, though he ſpeaks condemnation and everlaſting ſeparation from himſelf, to many men at the laſt day, or at his coming to Summon; if you call then, and he anſwer you not, if you cry, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he give you this anſwer, I know you not, blame your ſelves, you cannot but juſtifie him; why, becauſe you might have had heaven and ſalvation in his ways; If you had ſought early, you ſhould have found, but you never ſeek him, until the Gate be ſhut againſt you; as long as you can keep the world, and your luſts, you will not come unto him, that you might have Pardon, might have grace, that you might live for ever; now your ſins leave you, the world leaves you, or you muſt leave the world, they are ready to take away your ſouls from you, now you will come and cry, Lord, Lord open to us, is it not juſt and righteous if he caſt you out?
Secondly, It may ſerve then to humble us brethren, all of us, before the Lord; for this is the frame of all our hearts by nature, though the Lord Jeſus ſo loved ſinners, that nothing was too dear for them, even to his very life and blood, and yet we are all of us ſo unkind to him again, that we would never come to him, we would not be beholding to him, through the pride of our hearts, until we cannot ſubſiſt without him, and then we will come, though it be too late; ſo that upon the matter Brethren, we do but make Jeſus Chriſt our ſinning ſtock all the dayes of our lives, and yet when we can ſin no more, we would ſerve our own turns upon him meerly, we would have entrance into heaven by him, we deſire him not for any lovelineſs that is in him, or in the Grace which is revealed by him: Is not this great cauſe of humbling? As ſuppoſe a Prince that deperit virginem, a poor, ragged, filthy creature, and he even dies for love of her: ſo be that ſhe will but come and take him, ſhe ſhall have all the priviledges of a wife; his honour ſhall be hers, his crown hers, his beauty hers: ſhe ſhall be like him alſo, be ſhe as uncomely as ſhe may, he will put off his comlineſs upon her: no, ſhe will not hear of coming to him at all, until at laſt, ſhe is even periſhing, and then cometh, and would have his Glory, but not himſelf, meerly to ſerve her ſelf upon him. O this is great unkindneſs! do you thus requite the Lord, ye fooliſh people and unwiſe? And thus it is with all us, until the Lord mightily change us.
Thirdly, It may ſerve to convince us of our folly herein: folly is a thing we cannot endure the imputation of: But what greater folly is it, then brethren, to diſ-joyn the end from the means, ſpecially where the end is ſo neceſſary to be had to happineſs, and the means ſo abſolutely neceſſary to that end? ſurely then this is groſs folly: he is a fool that would have health and ſtrength, and yet will not eat, nor drink, nor ſleep, nor recreate, will not uſe the means: well brethren, you would have heaven every one of you, you would have this bleſſed ſlate after death, we are carried to it with a natural impetus, the end is neceſſary, we muſt enter or periſh for ever. 2. This means is as abſolutely neceſſary to come to Jeſus Chriſt, when the door ſtands open, while his bowels and boſom are open and ready to receive us, for when the door is ſhut, there is no remedy; we may enter, if we come while the door is open, afterward we cannot. Now is not he a fool in grain, that will trifle when the door ſtands open, and even goeth a begging to poor ſinners, and yet think to enter when the door is ſhut? Ah Brethren, this folly fils every ſinners heart: What is the reaſon elſe ſo few are perſwaded, while it is called to day, to come, to ſeek him early, that they may find him? You are wiſe for the world, and men will ſpeak well of you, if you do well to your ſelves; but you are fools in Gods account, in the account of Saints and Angels, they ſpeak not well of you; witneſs the Fool in the Goſpel, that ſpent himſelf for vanity, and neglected his ſoul, which that night was to be taken from him. O that the Lord would ſo convince us, that we might not dare to linger and trifle away our day of Grace, leſt when we come to cry, the door be ſhut againſt us.
4. Hath the Lord ſo far ſhewed us this our folly, as now while the Gate ſtands open, to make ready, to get our oyl, not to put it off until it be too late? O bleſs his name, magnifie that Grace of Jeſus Chriſt towards us: when others are mourning, ye may rejoyce; when others howl for ſorrow of heart, you may ſing for joy of heart; when others are crying, Lord, Lord, you ſhall be ſinging everlaſting Halelu…ahs. Thou wouldſt have Grace as well as Glory, thou wouldſt have Chriſt, and none but Chriſt, with him all things elſe ſhall be given in; and thou wouldſt have him poor ſoul, thou thinkeſt it long before thou have him; why, whence isit that thou art not trifling away thy time, going to them that ſell? whence is this, but from the free mercy of the Lord towards thee? magnifie him, give him the glory of it for ever and ever.