Several Works, Work 2 · Part 5
Verſe 7.
—foreign.
WE have done with the former member, that is to ſay, the fooliſh Virgins trimming their Lamps, going ſo far in a profeſſion of Chriſt, and yet fail when all is done. Now we are to conſider the ſecond member included in this general; and that is, that Believers are now to trim their Lamps; the wiſe Virgins were now to do it as well as the fooliſh; the real, as well as the formal profeſſor. I will only briefly note two things from this clauſe of the Verſe.
Firſt, That though a Believers profeſſion may decline and grow low, and that towards his latter end, or after he hath long profeſſed Jeſus Chriſt, yet it is not altogether extinct; it wants trimming indeed, but it is not out with the fooliſh Virgins.
2. When this profeſſion groweth thus low, it is the Believers duty to renew it, to trim up his Lamp.
Of the firſt in the firſt place, wherein are comprehended three notes, which for brevity ſake I wrap up into one; partly, becauſe ſome of them have near affinity with what hath been already delivered; and partly, becauſe I would not dwell too long upon the Text.
Firſt then, That a Believer his profeſſion may decline and grow low, and need a renewing. 2. That it may come to this paſs after he hath long profeſſed, or near the time of his Calling for. And 3. That yet notwithſtanding it is not extinct altogether, as the profeſſion of the fooliſh is, of which afterwards. A word or two briefly to each of theſe.
Firſt, That a Believers profeſſion may decline; which is ſomewhat of kin to what we ſpoke before, and therefore the leſs here. The Lamp may grow low.
Firſt then, The light which appears to be in the Saints may grow low. It may admit of mixtures, ſometimes of darkneſs which much dimmeth the light. I mean they may be much corrupted in their judgements, and turned aſide from the ſimplicity of the Goſpel of Chriſt; this is clear in the Galathians their …aſe, ye Gal. 5. 7.did run well, who hindred you, what was the matter? It was an errour and a groſs one crept in among them, to ſet up the Law and Moſes with Chriſt, as neceſſary to Juſtification and Salvation: What a…miſt is here about the Lamp? this made it twilight with them.
2. The lightſomneſs and joy of faith, this alſo may wear away in great meaſure, yet not altogether; the faces of the Saints do ſhine by a reflexion of the countenance of God upon them, as the face of Moſes did, when he had been with God in the Mount; but alas, though they walk long in the light of his countenance, may it not be loſt▪ as we find the Pſalmiſt complaining, Pſal. 51. 1….Reſtore unto me the joy of thy ſalvation: he had it before, but now he had loſt it, both which are implyed in that word reſtore: And do we not find it in that 50. of Iſaiah, Who is there among Verſe 10.you that walks in darkneſs and ſ…eeh no light? Where is the lightſomneſs of the Lamp then? the pleaſant paraphraſe upon the works of the grace of Chriſt in their ſouls, ſo that they can ſee nothing at all. Look what comfort it is to have a …ight or a Lamp in the darkeſt night; ſuch comfort it is to have the ſmiling preſence of the Lord. But now this is loſt, thou didſt hide thy face, Pſal. 30. 7.and I was troubled; Gods face was clouded, and his face was covered.
3. Believers, as they may loſe in a great meaſure their joy of faith, ſo may they loſe their confidence of hope, ſo that they may be ready to ſay many times, their hope is even periſhed from the Lord, and hath God forgotten to be gracious, and will he be merciful no more? this you may ſee in many caſes of the Saints. David, I ſhall one day periſh by the hands of Saul. O I ſhall never ſee 1 Sam. 27. 1.through this world of wickedneſs that is in mine heart, but ſooner or later, I ſhall be ſwallowed up by it.
4. A Believer may loſe the degrees of thoſe graces which are radical, and which indeed more principally are like the oyl in the veſſel, yet that may grow low, and then no marvel if the Lamp which is fed by them do grow low alſo. As that of their faith, how low may they grow in faith? Indeed our Saviour hath prayed Luk. 22. ….that their faith fail them not altogether; but in a great part it may, decline. We ſee it in Aſa, one while he could truſt in God when a great hoaſt of the Ethiopians and Lybians come againſt him. By & by, when he was not ſo hard put to it, he reſts upon the King of Aſſyria, for which the Lord reproveth him by the Prophet. 2. Chro. 16. 8.Where was Peters …aith when a little carnal fear turned him aſide in ſo ſad a manner? and indeed it is the want of faith in the people of God, that is the very root of all thoſe turnings aſide from the Fountain to the broken Ciſtern, from God to the creature: And ſo that of love as well as faith, faith works by love, and this alſo may de…line. You find the Church of Epheſus, She Rev. 2. 4.had left her firſt love; and that Angel of the Church alſo, he had it may be heretofore been full of love to Jeſus Chriſt, and that love very laborious in feeding the Flock of Chriſt, but now his love was remitted. May not every mans heart Seal to this, that the Love of his Eſpouſals to the Lord Jeſus, the love of our Jer. 2. 2.youth, thoſe ſpringing affections are gone?
5. Another is this, A Believer may loſe the fervor of all thoſe holy affections that he hath had, his deſires, his delight and joy, his anger and hatred againſt ſin, loathing and abomination; time hath been, we could have cryed out for the living God▪ their ſouls break for the longing they had to God; but now the Chariot wheels drive more heavily. We have felt ſometimes the babe ſpringing in the womb; but now we can hardly feel in, our affections languiſh towards Jeſus Chriſt. Solomon once had a zeal for the houſe of God, when he laid out himſelf in building a houſe for his name, … ▪ King. 11. 33.but what was become of that zeal when he could build a houſe to Chemoſh the God of the Moabites; in favour of his Moabitiſh wives where was his zeal then? So Laodicea was grown luke-warm, theywere hot at firſt.
6. The outward acts of grace, they may be remitted; which indeed are a great part of the profeſſion. It is not a bare confeſſing Jeſus Chriſt the Lord▪ with the mouth, that maketh a profeſſion, but a ſuitableneſs of converſation, walking in Chriſt Jeſus the Lord; now there may be remiſſion of theſe acts. The acts of a moral man; which he elicits from the power of nature by moral precepts, or the power of Education, are called ſparks, in that of Iſa. which are of a mans own kindling; & the works of holineſs & Iſa. 50. 11▪righteouſneſs in the Goſpel, is called the light of a Believer, which ſhines before others, and is indeed the main thing, let your light ſo ſhine before men; that they may ſee your good works. Now I ſay, Mat. 5. 16.a Believer, he may have interruption in this remiſſion, in this he may either neglect them, or elſe do them in a ſlight manner, and that ordinarily. So the Apoſtle ſpeaks to the Philippians, that Phil. 4. 10.their care again towards him had flouriſhed, by which is implyed it had flouriſhed before, but now it had languiſhed and faded, they had not put it forth for him as they might have done; but now it revived. As a man in a fit of paſſion hath not the uſe of his reaſon; ſo the beſt of the Saints when the wills or luſts of the fleſh prevail, (as they may in the beſt) they have not the uſe of their ſpiritual part. But ſo much for the firſt thing. I am brief, becauſe I have had occaſion to ſpeak much what to the ſame purpoſe before.
The ſecond will be this, That theſe declinings may be in the people of God, even near their end, and the coming of Jeſus Chriſt. This will be juſtified by the Parable, here the cry cometh which rouſeth the wiſe Virgins, and when they awaked and came to themſelves, their conſciences were awaked, then they ſaw that their Lamps wanted trimming, they burned low; when they ſhould burn the brighteſt, they are dim & dull; you need not much to be ſaid for the proof of this part of the Doctrine, for of Solomon after he had lived long, and followed God, and had had extraordinary 1 King. 11. 9.appearances of God to him again and again, publike and privately; yet when he was old, ſaith the text, and ſhould have grown better, he then began to love many wives, and then fell to countenance Idolatry, which is a blemiſh upon him to all poſterity. And ſo you ſee it in Aſa his caſe, a good man, and a man very forward and diligent for the reformation; and yet in his laſt daies, ſee how many failings are noted of him, his unbelief, reſting 2 Chron. 16. 10.upon an arm of fleſh, his impriſoning the Prophet that reproved him, his going to the Phyſitians and not to God, his oppreſſing of many of his people; the lower he ran, his day ran, the more dregs he ran, he ran not cleareſt at the bottom. So Sampſon, Judg. 15. 20. Ch. 20. v. 16.ſome twenty years after he had been overtaken with a Philiſtian woman, and likely repented of it; yet twenty years after, he goeth in to an harlot there. And the
Reaſon is plain for this, becauſe that grace at the beſt, when it is Pſal. 51.at its perfection, it is but a creature, and depending upon God as the beams upon the Sun, and as the ſtream upon the Fountain, and therefore no longer then he is pleaſed to feed it, will it ſubſiſt; let our veſſel be never ſo full of oyl, our hearts never ſo full of grace, yet it depends upon the Lord Jeſus and his fulneſs; and 1 Chron. 29.the Spirit, like the two Olive trees that empty the golden oyl into the veſſels, uphold me with thy free Spirit, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. And, O that the Lord would keep this upon the frame or imagination… of their hearts for ever. Thou maintaineſt my lot, Pſal. 16. Pſal. 16.Now if he withdraw and forbear to empty out of that fulneſs upon us, let our conditions be what it will, alas grace will languiſh, our Lamps will burn dim.
2. Becauſe (truly many times) this is the time the people of God grow moſt ſecure, they have long followed hard after God, and now they think they may ſlack their pace a little; we are exceeding prone to ſet up grace received in ſtead of Chriſt; when our mountain is made ſtrong we lean upon it, whereas we ſhould only lean upon our beloved; as the Church. And then no marvel if he let us ſee, to our ſorrow, that grace is but a creature, and loſeable in its own nature; the child getteth moſt falls, when it thinketh it can go it ſelf without any holding; and this much for the ſecond.
The third thing is, That though the Lamps of the wiſe Virgins come to want trimming, to burn low and dim, and at ſuch a time as this, yet they are not put out; which is the complaint of the fooliſh Virgins in the following verſe. The declenſions of a godly man, at the worſt they are recoverable. An emblem of this, was the fire upon the Altar in the Sanctuary, it never went out after once Levit▪ 6. 12. and 13.it was kindled. It is ſaid of the good womans Candle, it goeth not out by night; ſhe may ſleep it may be, but it is by Candle-light; as perſons that intend to riſe again, and haply not to ſleep long, will ſleep by a Candle. Believers may fall aſleep, and the Candle may burn dim, but yet it goeth not out.Prov. 31. 18.
Indeed it is true, a child of God his profeſſion of Chriſt may be at ſuch a low ebb ſometimes, as ſcarce to be viſible. A candle in the ſocket ſometimes will burn ſo low, that a man would think it were even out, but it riſeth again. So we would have thought Peters profeſſion had given up the ghoſt, when he denyed and forſwore his Maſter, in ſuch a ſad manner. And ſo David, his profeſſion was very low. And ſo ſome of the Martyrs that ſubſcribed a recantation, Trapp his Com. place of Apoſt.as Cranmer▪ So Tho. Whittle and Benbridge, Bilny and others, Fullers lives, pag. 122. now we could hardly ſee the light, yet it broke forth again, and ſhone gloriouſly in them all.
Again, It cannot be denyed but that a child of God may decline and loſe divers degrees of grace, which for ought we know he may never recover again, never have his Lamp trimmed up as it was before; but yet, it never goeth quite out.
And ſo for comfort, they may live and dye haply, without the light of his countenance, and yet their Lamps burning. Our Saviour himſelf dyed without the ſenſe of the Love of his Father, he had his ſupporting preſence, but not that ſweet refreſhing preſence, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? for this is Mat. 27. 46.not neceſſary to the being of a Chriſtian, as to believe with the heart, and confeſs with the mouth is, in perſons grown.
Now that it is ſo, that their Lamps do not go out, neither the light nor heat altogether, nor the acts of holineſs and righteouſneſs towards God and towards men, are not altogether loſt and laid aſide. It will appear,
Firſt by Scripture, the path of the juſt is as a ſhining light, which Prov. 4. 18.ſhineth more and more to the perfect day; Some interruptions there may be, but yet it ſhineth more and more; the Sun runneth his race, though now and then a cloud intercepts his comfortable beams from the earth. And that of the Pſalmiſt, his leaf ſhall never Pſal. 1. 3.wither, the leaf is the profeſſion, he ſhall not wither but be green. An hypocrite indeed like a Bull-ruſh will wither, as we ſhall ſee by and by, when the mire and the water fails; but a child of God withers not. There are two Conditions which uſually wither mens profeſſion, but the child of God ſtands it out in both. 1. In a proſperous ſtate, that uſeth to choak the word; they that will call upon God in the day of diſtreſs, in their afflictions wil ſeek him earneſtly, yet when his hand is taken away, they no more Hoſ. 5. 15.remember▪ the Lord their Saviour; but a child of God now in his proſperous condition, he loſeth not his profeſſion altogether, though the Lamp may be damped, yet not extinguiſht. And 2. For adverſity, that indeed is a trying time: all this is come upon us, yet have we not dealt falſly in the Covenant; will the hypocrite Pſal. 44. 17.alway call upon God? he will not call upon God alway, nor wait for him. Yea, the time of affliction uſually is an advantage to the people of God; if ever their Lamp burn brighter then another, it is in the dark and cold night of perſecution and affliction; a Torch, the more knockt againſt any thing▪ the more it burns.
Secondly, Becauſe they have within them a Spring of oyl that feeds the Lamp, therefore it goeth not out. It is ſet forth in another metaphor in that place of John, out of his belly ſhall flow Rivers of water, ſpringing up to eternal life. Now where there is Joh. 7. 38.this within, the flame will live while there is oyl to maintain it: It is like fire in a mans boſom, he cannot carry it ſo ſurely, but it will diſcover it ſelf as fire in the bones, as the Prophet ſpeaks of the word of God. And,
3. Becauſe that cruſe of oyl is continually ſupplyed by the Spirit, and from the fulneſs of Chriſt, therefore it never fails. If the oyl in the veſſel could fail, then the Light in the Lamp might fail, but it fa…ls not; and why? not becauſe it is not periſhable in its own nature, being but a creature, but becauſe it is kept by the power of 1 Pet. 1. 15.God; we are kept by the power of God to ſalvation; alas, if it were in our keeping, we ſhould quickly, with the Prodigal, run our ſelves out of all, as we do in a moment loſe the moſt precious frames the Lord is pleaſed to put upon us, but it is kept by that power, none is able to pluck them out of this hand of the Father & the Joh. 10. 28.Son. Sin is ſtrong indeed, ſtrong luſts; and Satan is ſtrong, a Lyon, a Dragon, a Prince of the power of darkneſs; and Armies of luſts he hath warring in our members, a great ſtrength, and all theſe pluck at us, but they cannot pull us out of this hand of Chriſt. And thence it is that their Lamps are not put out in obſcure darkneſs. O how fain would Satan blow out the Candle, that we might walk in the darkneſs, not knowing whither we go; but it is held in the hand of Chriſt, and it is above the reach of his poyſonous breath to do it. A damp of luſts from our own hearts, if any thing would do it, this would, and it maketh them burn very dimly and blew many times, but yet cannot overcome; the Lamp may want trimming, but it is not out.
For the Application then of this Doctrine. If it be ſo, that Believers are ſubject to ſuch declinings, yea when they ſhould be at Ʋſe 1.the beſt, in their latter end, when they ſhould bring forth fruit in old age, that then they may be ready to wither, or in a great part, the leaves, their profeſſion may change colour, and loſe its greenneſs: What ſhould this teach us all in the firſt place, but to take heed of placing our confidence in any thing which may fail us. If any thing on this ſide the Lord Jeſus himſelf might be truſted in, it might be grace, for there is not any other ſo near approach to God, without which Angels were but Devils, the very perfection of Saints and Angels; And yet becauſe it hath its imperfections, therefore it is not to be truſted to. Nothing indeed is more ſpiritual then grace, the choiſeſt communications of the eternal ſpirit to the Creature, but yet conſidered in compariſon with the God of grace, it is but fleſh, if it be reſted upon; the ſtrongeſt mountain, that a man would think ſhould never be ſhaken, yet ſin and Satan, if the Lord permit, can get under it, and blow it up. Yea, if our grace were perfect, yet we might not reſt in it, becauſe yet it hath its comparative imperfections, it ſelf being but a derivative, and dependent Being upon the God of grace at the beſt; it is but a ſtream, a beam, though nearer the Sun, and nearer the Fountain; and but the water of a Ciſtern, and if whole before, yet this reſting upon it, would make it a broken Ciſtern. Well then bretbren, if our profeſſion flouriſh never ſo, if it be ſpring time with you, truſt not in it; for there may come a fall after this ſpring, there may come a time of ſcorching heat may make you wither, in a great part at leaſt. Though your Lamp burn, and ſhine never ſo gloriouſly, and the light be great which ariſeth from theſe ſparks of Gods kindling, you ſee it may come to want trimming, to burn more dimly, therefore truſt not in it.
2. It ſhould teach us then to live by faith, in reſpect hereof. Alas brethren, we are withering every moment; if we have not waterings every moment, what would become of us now? whence muſt this come, but from the fountain of Iſrael, the Iſa 27. 3.eternal ſpring and fulneſs which is in Jeſus Chriſt? Of his fulneſs we receive, ſaith the Evangeliſt: What made the difference between Ioh. 1. 16.the reſt of the Diſciples, their profeſſion of him, and Peters? all their Lamps were damped in that hour and power of darkneſs, it was ſo great and groſs; but his was almoſt gone and giving up. And for thoſe acts, the flame was even out, but that the Lord blew it in again by the breathing of his ſpirit, O Labour to live by faith in Jeſus Chriſt, for preventing grace then, that we may not be removed from our ſtedfaſtneſs. The Apoſtle had a ſtrong perſwaſion, that neither life nor death, the intiſements Rom. 8.of the one, nor the terrors of the other, ſhould ſeparate him from the Love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, O it was that love he hung upon! You ſee that grace it ſelf, which is the oyl in the veſſel, which ſeeds the Lamp, is loſeable, and therefore much more the external fruits and effects of it. Now if the power of God do not keep us we are gone, therefore we muſt hence learn to live by the faith of the ſon of God, as the Apoſtle did, not by ſenſe nor what we fee…; though never ſo much, yet that muſt not be our life, or Joh. 14. 19.if never ſo little, that muſt not be our death, but ſtill live by faith in the ſon of God, who liveth for ever, and therefore his people ſhall not dye, nor their Lamps be put out in obſcure darkneſs.
3. Conſider then, have we not declined? have not our Lamps Prov. 20. 20.burned much clearer then now they do, hath not our light been clearer then now it is, and our warmth been more then now it is? this is matter of humbling to us. Have we not received much mixture of error in theſe erting times? we cannot imagine how much darkneſs it brings upon our Lamps, to have one error mixed with much truth. Beſides, may not the Lord Jeſus ſay to us all, I have ſomewhat againſt you all, in that you have left your firſt love? Time was, when you were zealous for the houſe of God, and it …v. 2. ….did even eat you up; now you are grown to a Gallio's ſpirit, care not for theſe things; Now we ſeek our own things, and neſt our ſelves in ſecurity, it is well with us, and therefore we conſider not the danger poor ſouls are in, by ſuch as go up and down with the power of deluſion, few mourners in Zion for theſe things. If the Church were under perſecution, it is likely we ſhould lament; truly I look upon its preſent ſtate as more deſtructive to it; ſo many Vipers …ating at the very heart, and bowels of Religion; where is our burning of zeal for God againſt theſe things? ſure it ſhould humble us.
4. We ſee that Believers may decline, and theſe times do give an abundant proof of it; how many that have been as burning and ſhining lights, have been benighted, and inveloped in the moſt Egyptian darkneſs, entertaning the moſt deſperate opinions, walking after their own Luſts; and yet afterwards have been reſtored? O how ſhould this make us fear before him! be not high-minded, but fear; here thou ſeeſt one, and there another, Rom. 11. 20.their lamps next to a being quite extinct, yet thou haſt light and heat maintained; O boaſt not thy ſelf, lift not up thy ſelf, but fear before the Lord: humility indeed is a kind of a nurſe of the graces, conſervatrix virtutum, as Bernard ſaith. If he ſpared not the Angels in their pride, will he ſpare thee? A Noviſe is in danger of falling into the condemnation of the Devil, in danger of being puffed up; He giveth grace to the lowly, but reſiſteth the proud. Some do obſerve that word, be ye cloathed with humility, 1 Tim. 3. 6.foreign, be ye cloathed; the word cometh from a word ſignifying a knot, becauſe it ties all together (as I may ſay) and ſo 1 Pet. 5. 5.knitteth the graces together, as pearls upon a Braſlet, if the knot be broken, they are quickly loſt. It is indeed brethren, the thief in the candle, the great waſter; the Moth in the cloath conſumeth it, and ſpoyleth the beauty and ſtrength of it. It is the worm at the root of the Guord, it will ſmite it, and we ſee it by ſad experience, when men grow ſo proud, and pretend to Angelical perfection in our days, they fall as low as hell, and brutiſh beſtiality in their luſts. O therefore let us labour to walk humbly with God, be not high-minded; though at preſent we ſtand, and flouriſh, and ſhine, and burn, we are liable to declinings.
5. If we be ſo liable to declinings, then it ſhould teach us ſo much the more to be diligent in improving. I am ſure the Apoſtle giveth it as a preſervative againſt declining and apoſtatizing; But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; grow in grace, and in knowledge; knowledge is that whereby the Lord doth reveal himſelf to his people, from grace to grace, as you have it in that place of the Apoſtle, whom beholding 2 Pet. 3. 17, 18.as in a glaſs, &c. But obſerve here, keep your ſelves, that is, fall not from your own ſtedfaſtneſs; and how ſhould this be? One means is to grow in grace; If we would not have our Lamps burn dim and low, we muſt labour to ſupply them, ſo as they may increaſe; the path of the juſt is as a ſhining light, which ſhineth Prov. 4. 18.more and more to the perfect day; and the wind of that Spirit, which bloweth where it liſteth, it riſeth higher and higher, as ſome note. Joh. 3.O ſee to it then, ordinarily while the fruit is in growth, the leaves wither not, nor the fruit fals, except in ſome great ſtorm or wind. Labour to grow then, firſt in bigneſs, then in ſweetneſs; grow more mellow, ſweet, full of love, humility and ſelf-denial.
6. If we be ſo liable to decline, it ſhould teach us to avoid all thoſe things which tend to a declining, elſe we ſhall never avoid the thing it ſelf; we muſt take heed of ſleeping then; for though our Lamps be never ſo bright when we begin to ſleep, when we awake, they will burn low, if not extinct, and will have great need of trimming up. Security is the undoing evil in all things; where was the joy of Davids faith when he began to be ſecure? Pſal. 30. 7. Take heed of putting off the day of his appearing, that will gender to ſecurity, and that ſecurity will bring a neglect of our Lamps, and then they will grow low and decline.
2. Take we heed of falſe Teachers, try the Spirits, whether they be of God or no; they have a ſtrange influence upon the life and livelineſs of mens profeſſion; were they not theſe that hindered the Galathians? Ye did run well, who hath hindered you? who hath bewitched you, that you ſhould not obey the truth? Ye did run Gal. 5. 7. and 3. 1.well, in the foreign. the raſe wherein they had Lamps or Torches; but who hath hindered you? The Apoſtle Peter maketh it the immediate cauſe of the backſliding, and declining at leaſt, if not utter apoſtacy: Beware, ſaith he, leſt ye alſo being led away with the error of the wicked, and fall from your own ſtedfaſtneſs, foreign, 2 Pet. 3. 17.is to be carried out of his way, to go with another; the power of error is greater then we are aware of. The Apoſtle ſpeaks thus, This I ſay, leſt any man deceive you foreign with enticing words beguile you. They have cunning Col. 2. 4.craftineſs, foreign cogging with the die, Satan changing himſelf into an Angel of light, and his Miniſters into Miniſters of light, and Eph. 4. 14.cogging with the die, like cunning and deceitful Gamſters: how eaſie is it to deceive the hearts of the ſimple, yea the hearts of his, but that they are kept by that power? But a great way they may prevail, and ſo we may loſe our ſtedfaſtneſs; and therefore take heed what ſpirits we give ear to. Alas, do we not ſee in our days, what fearful work Satan hath made among Profeſſors? how many have their Lamps quite put out, that went for zealous Chriſtians, are become meer Atheiſts? how many have ſuffered a great abatement in their zeal, and vigour, and life, and cloſeneſs of walking with God by this means? O therefore take heed of falſhood at the beginning.
3. Take we heed of learning their ways, by converſing with dead-hearted Profeſſors, where there is not that life and power, that light and heat, but a cold, luke-warm frame; for ſuch as our Company is, ſuch ſhall we be in a great meaſure; why, muſt men make no friendſhip with an angry man, leſt he learn his ways? And truly brethren, a formal Profeſſor, a looſe Profeſſor, that hath little of the power of Godlineſs upon him, he is a quench-coal, and by degrees you ſhall find your ſelves growing to a more liſtleſs indifferency, then before; therefore though you may pity them, pray for them, ſtir them up, and provoke them as occaſion ſerveth, yet that inward familiarity, as to lie in their boſoms, which will be followed with a conformity to them, take heed of, you ſhall find it will work a declining.
4. Take heed of deceiving our ſelves with falſe meaſures and weights. The Apoſtle tell us of ſome that compared themſelves 2 Cor. 10. 11.with themſelves, and were not wiſe; or comparing themſelves with ſome others, which are haply behind them, this maketh them ſlack So the Church of Laodicea, what was the reaſon Rev. 3. 17.of their lukewarmneſs? they loſt their love, the heat and burning of their Lamps were gone, whatever light they had, why they thought they were rich, and had need of nothing, they needed not that eye-ſalve to buy of Chriſt, nor gold, nor raiment. O this is the deſperate undoing ſin indeed, when men think now, O they bleſs God they are rich, it is for others to preſs forward, they need not walk ſo painfully as others, their corruptions are more ſubdued then others, Si dixiſti ſufſiciat, periiſti. See Phil. 3. I forget what is behind, &c.
5. Arm your ſelves againſt the ſmiles, and diſcouragements of the world, for though like Sampſons foxes, they look with their faces contrary waies, yet the effect is one and the ſame; not to fire, but to quench that light and heat that is in a believer, for the ſmiles of the world are her embraces, ſhe doth uſe to ſmother with them, and as I may ſay, overlay a ſoul; when Davids mountain was made ſtrong, and by Gods favour too, then he began to Pſal. 30. 7.be ſecure, to fal aſleep, and his Lamp was almoſt gone, when God hid his face from him, his comfort was loſt in a great meaſure. How many Demas's are there, which forſake the work of Chriſt for this preſent world▪ yea, indeed many that can endure the frowns of 2 Tim. 4. 1….the world, yet are overcome by her ſmiles; Jeſurun kicked not, Deut. 32. 15.nor forgot the God of her ſalvation, ſo much as when ſhe waxed fat. So in that of Nehemiah; they took ſtrong Cities, and a fat land, N…. 9. 15, 16.and poſſeſſed houſes full of all, wels digged, vineyards, and olive-yards, and fruit-trees in abunndance; ſo they did eat, and were filled, and became fat; and delighted themſelves in the great goodneſs; notwithſtanding they were diſobedient, and rebelled againſt thee, and caſt thy Law behind their backs, &c. and ſlew the Prophets which teſtified againſt them. O wat…h againſt this, take heed we do not abate our earneſtneſs after more and more of Chriſt, leſt while we are panting like the Hart after the water brooks, we take up with a drop, for all the Creature-comforts in the world are no more, and our thirſt after ſpirituals be more cooled, and we ſolace our ſelves under our Guord, inſtead of the Aple-tree, the ſweet ſhadow of Chriſt. And to this end, alway keep freſh upon your hearts the love of Jeſus his ſmiles; when the Diamond is preſent, the Load-ſtone cannot draw.
Again, Arm we our ſelves againſt the frowns of the world; diſcouragements we muſt expect to meet with ſooner or latter, ſpecially if we do not like a hollow-hearted bulruſh bow and bend, and comply with every thing, a notable embleme of an Hypocrite; If we ſtand firm like an Oke or Cedar, we ſhall feel ſtrong guſts; It may be ſome of us have known what they meant▪ and ſome have had experience of their weakneſs to bear up againſt them. O how ſhould this humble us, and make …s double our watch! Satan will raiſe a ſtorm, if the Lord permit him; thinking on a ſudden to blow out our Lamps, but we muſt arm againſt it, and be ſure to go on, though it be weeping; As the Milch-kine that carried the Ark up from the Philiſtins 1 Sam. 6. 12.to Bethlehem, they had their Calves left at home, which were a ſtrong avocation, and yet ſaith the Text, they went ſtrait forward, lowing and lamenting after their Calves, but yet they went forward. It may be we may be put to it; as that Marqueſs of Vioum in Italy, even Galeacius, that forſook houſe, and lands, and wife, and children▪ and all for Chriſt. It may be we cannot do it without ſome reluctancy, yet it muſt be done; it may be we ſhall have many diſcouragements from our own hearts, ſtrong temptations, violent temptations; haply more then ever yet we have had, ſo that we cannot go on but weeping and wailing▪ yet reſolve upon it, by his grace, however we will go on; ſuch a well-grounded reſolution, often renewed with a waiting upon the Spirit for his ſtrength to perform it, will carry a man on far.
6. Be ſure not to neglect the Ordinances of Chriſt, nor be ſlight in the uſing of them. And one of the two I doubt we are often guilty of, and therefore we may thank our ſelves for much of the deadneſs that groweth upon us daily: theſe are the golden Pipes, whereby this Oyl is conveyed continually from the Lord Jeſus, for the keeping our Lamps alive and lively. Would you not wither, but continue your verdour and greenneſs? you muſt keep cloſe to the waters of the Sanctuary; they ſhall be like Trees Pſal. …. 3.planted by the rivers of water, his leaf ſhall never fail; he that delights in the Law of God, meditates in it day and night, there is private converſation with God. And they that are planted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall flouriſh in the Courts of our God, yea in old Pſal. 92. 13.age they ſhall flouriſh, and b…ing forth more abundantly, when many times it is the declining time. A diligent, careful, ſerious uſe of all the Ordinances, with an eye to faith, ſeeing through them all, but as empty pipes without his preſence to fill them, this exceedingly conduceth.
7. Be ſure your aim be as high as heaven, and the perfection Gal 6.which ſhall be at the reſurrection of the dead. So the Apoſtle, N…t that I count that I have attained, but I preſs hard forward, I hil. ….and all his diligence was, that he might attain the reſurrection of the dead; by a Metonymie of the Adjunct, it is put for the perfection of that …a…e at the reſurrection; ſee how high he aimed at, and therefore he did not languiſh, nor loi…r, nor ſtay in what he had received, but preſſed hard forward toward the mark of the pri…e of the high calling; he that aimeth ſhort, even at ſo much as will ſerve his turn, and compaſs his deſign, when he hath done that, there is an end. But I a…m at perfection, ſaith the Apoſtle, and ſo ſhould we if we would keep our Lamps alive, never reſt.
8. Be much in prayer; pray hard for the ſupplies of his Spirit, he hath promiſed them if we ask; importunity will prevail if we be Strangers, much more, if Children; it is the ſpirit, that keepeth all alive, and therefore pray for more and more of this Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt. See how Moſes followeth the Lord with requeſt upon requeſt, when he had been in the Mount, and ſeen Exod. 33.him face to face; one would think this was enough to have ſtopped his mouth for a great while; no ſooner was he come down, but he is praying for the guidance of that good Spirit, O Lord, ſhew me the way where in thou wouldſt have us to go; well, God grants him this, this ſatisfieth him not, but he muſt have Gods preſence with him, an Angel would not ſerve his turn, but his preſence he muſt have, and when this was granted, this would not ſerve his turn neither, but then, O Lord ſhew me thy glory: Prayer is the richeſt trading for heaven: Build up your ſelves, praying in the holy Ghoſt. Ah it is the prayer of faith that fetche…h in rich ſupplies from the Lord continually.Iude 20.
9. Take heed of grieving this good Spirit then, when we have his preſence, by any willing tranſgreſsion: this grieveth him, our Epheſ. 4. 30.unthankfulneſs, and ſlighting of him, minding the world; grieve him not, for if he depart, be ſure our Lamps will be but in a ſad taking.
10. Then every day we muſt be trimming; the Lamps of the Exod. 30. 7.Sanctuary were dreſt or trimmed every day, he made them well, as the Original word ſignifieth, they were diſordered; burning every night, there was ſomewhat wanting oyl, and raiſing the week likely, and removal of droſs from them, which they might contract; he dreſt them, and made them ready every morning; the morality implied in this Type, ſurely is this; that we ſhould daily dreſs up our Lamps, they will need it every day; renew our repentance, renew our reſolutions, our walking cloſ…r with God, to love him, &c. daily endeavour to draw nearer to him; neglect your Lamps but a week or ſo, and ſee what fearful work there will be.
Again, ſuch then as can ſay with Moſes, they have lived thus long, and their ſight fails not, nor their ſtrength, &c. They have great cauſe to bleſs the Lord.
But though a Child of God is thus apt to decline his profeſſion, thus apt to grow dim, his Lamp to want trimming, yet it never goeth altogether out: And what uſe ſhould we make of this.
1. It reproveth that opinion of falling away utterly from juſtifying and renewing grace; the condition of all believers is here ſet Ʋſe.down by the ſtate of the wiſe virgins, their Lamps indeed did decay, and ſuffer an impairing, but not altogether dye; No, this ſpring of grace, once ſprung in the heart, ſprings up to eternal life, though ſome interruptions there may be; did he pray that Ioh. 7. 38. Luke 32. 32.Peters faith ſhould not fail him, and did he not pray for all believers? indeed his faith did as near fail him, as ever mans did, but yet it revived again, and ſo David, and others.
2. Yet do not abuſe this Doctrine of grace, as our hearts are exceeding apt to do: If we cannot fall away utterly, then if once, Be ſure, we have the root of the matter in us; if once we have Oyl in our veſſels, it will never be altogether ſpent, our Lamps will never be blown out. This is dangerous and next to deſperate; and therefore the Apoſtle in a like caſe, with a kind of abhorrency at the thought of ſuch a thing, ſpeaks thus; ſhall we continue in ſin, that grace may abound? God forbid; becauſe he hath made Rom. 6. 1.us partakers of the ſure mercies of David, that will never fail, ſhall we therefore neglect our worthy walking of them? it argues a very ungodly frame of heart where this is to be found. We ſhould the rather be encouraged, our hands ſtrengthened, to Phil. … 12.work out our ſalvation with ſo much the more earneſtneſs; were it not a very unchild-like and wretched frame of heart for a child to ſay: Well, I know my fathers heart towards me, let me do what I will, he will not caſt me out of doors, his inheritance is ſure; he may haply be miſtaken, and prove himſelf a Baſtard and not a Son: And ſo it is here, Gods Children have all of them ſuch child-like diſpoſitions in them, as they will hardly dare to make ſuch an uſe of ſuch a rich treaſury of grace. Or if they do, they are like to ſmart for it.
3. A word of ſtrong Conſolation to many a poor drooping ſoul; If once thou have but grace in thy heart, the oyl in thy Veſſel, it is never loſt again, though in its own nature it be loſeable. Thou art afraid ſome temptation or another from Satan, the world, or thy own heart will blow it out; ſome blaſt or other will wither thee; O thou ſhalt never be able to keep thy Lamp burning in the midſt of ſo many contrary winds of luſt and corruption; but though thou canſt not keep it alive, the Lord can do it, and he will do it. Indeed while the Virgins ſlept, for any care they took of their Lamp, it might have gone out; but the Lord kept it burning though it were but low, and needed dreſſing. Be of good courage then, poor drooping foul, and he ſhall ſtrengthen thy heart; didſt thou ever know of any that had this oyl in their veſſels, that had the real work of grace upon them, that did quite extinguiſh and dye? ſurely thou didſt not. If the Lord do but ſeal it up to thee, that thou art one of the wiſe Virgins; believe it for thy everlaſting comfort, thy Lamp ſhall never be put out in obſcure darkneſs.
4. What ſhall we render to the Lord for this unſpeakable grace towards us? how hath he lifted up our condition above innocency it ſelf in Adam? he was made liable to fall away, and the Lord did not engage himſelf to keep him; we are made now in the ſecond Adam in a ſurer Condition, we have a better tenure in Jeſus Chriſt, which is the root of our ſtedfaſtneſs and ſtanding; becauſe he liveth, we ſhall live. If Jeſus Chriſt could die any more, then might the Saints that are in him, dye again altogether, Ioh. 14. 19.when once they are implanted into him. O he liveth for ever, and that Spirit of Chriſt which liveth and dwelleth in Heb 7. 25.his people, it never dyeth and faileth, and he hath made it the very tenure of his Covenant, he will put his fear into their hearts, Ier. 32. 40.that they ſhall never depart from him. We it may be that know not what it is to be almoſt gone and blown out, at the brink of obſcure darkneſs, know not what that mercy is; but ſuch as have been made to believe that God would caſt them into the bottomleſs pit, that he would utterly deſtroy them, and forſake them, O how ſweet a truth muſt this needs be! that though their fleſh and heart fail them, yet God will never fail them, whatever he Pſal. 73. 26.may ſeem to do for a ſeaſon; but ſo much for this Doctrine.
The ſecond Doctrine is this: When a Believers profeſſion groweth Doctr. 2.ſo low, and he is declined, ſpecially at ſuch a time, it is his duty to trim his Lamp, to renew his profeſſion, to look after a reſtoring. So here, they aroſe, and trimmed their Lamps, when the Cry came; and this did the wiſe Virgins as well as the fooliſh. Concerning the fooliſh Virgins I have nothing here to ſay, nor ſhall I trouble my ſelf, or you with what haply might be ſpoken of the Hypocrites trimming his Lamp, wherein it differs from the Believers. The wiſe Virgins trimming, I have ſpoke the laſt-day to that purpoſe, ſhewing how far they might go. But I will ſpeak here to the wiſe Virgins, becauſe I would not dwell too long upon theſe things.
So you find Solomon: his declinings were great, and that at his latter end; but he aroſe again, and repented, as appears by his Book of Eccleſiaſtes, and Proverbs, &c. written after this his backſliding, as is generally conceived. And ſo the Church of the Philippians, their love and care of the Apoſtle ſuffered a nipping, Phil. 4. 10.a winter, and had ceaſed to flouriſh as formerly, but they renewed it again; It hath flouriſhed it again, ſaith the Apoſtle: Eurychus may fall down, and almoſt beat his life out of him, but it is ſtill in him, and there muſt be means uſed to draw it forth, as there is pains taken with Trees that have a fit of barreneſs come upon them; Spiritual life runs to the heart, and there appears little or nothing without, ſometimes; as conquered men do from their outworks to the Tower; but it muſt be brought forth again, we have a command for it, to thoſe two Churches in the Revelations, Sardis had a name to live and was dead; likely the moſt of them were dead, and yet there were ſome things remaining, Rev. 3. 2.which were ready to die, and theſe muſt be ſtrengthened, the things which remain, which were ready to die; for their works were not perfect before God. O it was hypocriſie that did eat them out of their life of Godlineſs, its a conſuming thing indeed. And ſo the Church of the Laodiceans, their love was waxed Luke-warm, neither hot, nor cold, neither dead altogether, nor lively; now ſaith the Lord, be zealous therefore, and repent. But you will ask me here,
What it is to trim theſe Lamps that is here required? I will ſpeak but to two or three particulars.
Firſt then, In the trimming of the Lamp, there is uſually a ſupply of the Oyl, if it wanted; as when it hath burned long, if it be not ſupplyed, the oyl being ſpent, it will not live, except it be ſupplied. And it was high time for theſe Virgins now to be awaked hereunto, they might elſe have ſlept until all had been ſpent, and the Lamp had gone out, as well as the fooliſh; grace being but a Creature, it liveth by a continual ſupply of the Spirit of grace, the firſt cauſe of it. So then in the trimming of the Lamp, there muſt be a fetching in of more grace, a recourſe to the fulneſs that is in Jeſus Chriſt; for the Lamp is ready to languiſh or dye elſe for want of oyl.
2. There is a ſtirring up alſo of the grace which doth remain, ſome oyl remaineth, that muſt be made ready, the ready paſſage between the Veſſel and the Lamp, the heart and the converſation; it muſt indeed be cheriſhed; for being little, haply it is ready to dye, like a ſpark among much aſhes, ſtir up the gift that is in thee, there is none that ſtirreth up himſelf to lay hold upon 2 Tim. 1. 6. Iſa. 64. 7.God. The wick in the Lamp muſt be raiſed, it being burned low, ſo it is in this caſe. It may be, in ſuch a declining condition of a poor ſoul, there is more grace lying deep, and low, lying aſleep in the habit, more then the ſoul is aware of; this muſt be ſtirred up, faith ſtirred up, and love to Jeſus Chriſt, and his people ſtirred up.
3. In the trimming of the Lamp, there is a taking away the filth, and the droſs that it gathers, and ſnuffing the wick which would hinder the light and burning of it, that it would be very dull and dim. Now what is this brethren, but the putting away thoſe iniquities, repenting of thoſe evils; whatever they have been that have thus far prevailed againſt their profeſſion, that ſecurity, that carnality, that ſelf-confidence, thoſe things which laid them aſleep, which choaked the Lamp, that it could not burn. Whenever we are under any declining, do but ſearch and ſee, commune with your own hearts, and you will find there is ſome evil which lies cloſe, ſome ſoil we have gathered, and hereby the ſpirit of grace hath been grieved, and he is departed from us. Now this ſnuff muſt be taken off, deal not gently with it, this filth and droſs muſt be removed, if we would trim up our Lamps.
For the Application then of this briefly in a word.
It may ſerve to ſtir us up every one to this duty; If our Lamps Ʋſe 1.be at preſent, or ſhall hereafter come under any declining. Alas brethren, do we not ſlumber and ſleep often, and neglect all this while the trimming of our Lamps, and will they not quickly burn low and dim, and need a ſerious trimming of them? I doubt this duty will be incumbert upon us, and required of us oftner then we are aware of. Do we know how ſoon the Bridegroom will come? his voice goeth before him, we have often heard, but have we trimmed our Lamps to this day, are our profeſſions more glorious then formerly? And for Motives hereunto, conſider,
Firſt, Such a reſtoring is a thing feizable, hough the duty be Note.thine, yet the work is Gods: he engageth to help, yea to do it indeed, he reſtoreth my ſoul, ſaith David, and it is for his own name Pſal. 23. 3.ſake; for the glory of his Grace. David had many decays and backſlidings, witherings, and faintings, but God reſtored his ſoul ſtill; and he is as ready to do it for his people now, as ever he was; therefore do not ſay, alas this is a work too difficult, or hard, or there is no recovery; my Lamp is ſo near extinct, as there is no hope for me; he that kindled it at firſt is able to reſtore it. It is indeed a work of ſome difficulty, and will coſt you ſomething, but yet it is feizable. Peter was at as low an ebb as ever poor Believer was; Ma…k. 16. 11.what was become of his profeſſion? and yet Peter is recovered, and after the recovery owned as eminently as any of the reſt, and more for his Comfort. The loſt groat was found again, and the Luke 15. 6, 9, 24.loſt ſheep was found again. And ſo the Prodigal Son, he ran far, and laviſht away his Patrimony, and yet he is reſtored again; the winter may deform the face of the earth, but the Spirit of God can renew it again in the Spring; now he hath promiſed to give this Spirit, and he ſendeth forth his Spirit to find out the loſt Child, the loſt ſheep, and therefore there is encouragement.
2. Conſider, until this be done, you are not fit for Heaven, nor to enter with him, you are not ready: the wiſe Virgins trimmed their Lamps, and then they were ready, ſaith the Text, and they that were ready went in with him; happy creatures that are found ready with their Lamps burning at that day of his appearing, which we know not whether it may be at hand. A wicked man is not fit for heaven upon any terms, it would be a place of no reſt unto him, no more then the Air is to the fiſh, or the water to a man, they are not con-natural; and truly no more is a gracious man fit for heaven while his Lamp wants trimming. Heaven is the inheritance of the Saints in light, and is he fit for it that is even going out in darkneſs? O no, the Lamp muſt Col. 1. 12.be ſhining and burning bright, or elſe there is no ſuitableneſs to heaven.
3. Hereby God will have much more glory by you then otherwiſe he is like to have; for minde you, it is the ſhining of our Lamps, the glory of our converſations, ſuitable to our profeſſion, that giveth occaſion to the men of the world to glorifie him; ſo ſaith our Saviour, Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your Mat. 5. 16.good works, and glorifie your father which is in heaven: This is all the Lord expecteth, that he may be acknowledged, and have the glory of all his grace of us; we have the ſweet and comfort, and everlaſting advantage of it; and it cannot but be upon every believers heart to glorifie God, it is indeed the end of our coming into the world; now we cannot glorifie him ſo, while our Lamps burn ſo low, we are under declinings, but when we are fruitful and abound in it, as our Saviour ſaith, herein is my father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit; this is that which God is glorified Joh. 15. 8.by. It may be, we have ſome few good works; but they are but a few, and ſo few, that ſcarce any can take notice to glorifie God for them; methinks this ſhould ſtick much with us. Specially the nearer we come to glory our ſelves, the more ſhould we mind the glory of God, the more zealous ſhould we be for it. O begin to lay about us to glorifie him here, learn the work of heaven for ever, if not before, yet at leaſt now we are ready to reap the wages of heaven, the glory and joy unſpeakable, and Rivers of pleaſures for evermore.
4. Conſider, Is it not a ſhame for us brethren, whoſe ſalvation is much nearer now then when we believed, began to believe that our light ſhould not be more dim, our heat more abated, our zeal for God, the fervor of our affections; ſurely it is a very great ſhame: as if the nearer we come to the enjoyment of God, the leſs deſirable he were; time hath been when we have ſome of us followed hard after God, it is well if we have mended, or held on our pace; the time hath been haply when our Converſations have been bright, and a beauty of holineſs appeared in them, and others have taken notice of it, and glorified God; it is well if we be not grown Luke-warm. O what a ſhame is this, the nearer we come to the Sun to be the colder: hath not the Cry paſſed and awaked us, and do we not finde that our Lamps are dim, and we are in our profeſſion very low? O look to it, that our laſt days be our beſt days, and we go not out like a ſnuff.
But you will ask me, what ſhould we do to trim up theſe Lamps of ours?
Firſt, You muſt remember from whence you are fallen, look up to the top of the hill where once you were, and now you are undiſcernably Rev. 2. 5.tumbled to the bottom, you know not how: O how much ground have you loſt, ſearch and try brethren: Commune with your hearts: Conſider your ways, as David did, and turn to the Lord. It will exceedingly ſhame us, and that ſhame be a ſpur to us to conſider how far ſhort we are of that love, that zeal, that diligence and cloſeneſs of walking.
Secondly, We muſt repent of it, we muſt be humbled for our former miſcarriages, our declining to loſe our firſt love; the more love we have received, the leſs we return to him again: Is not this unworthy? Beſides, how much might we have honoured the Lord, if our light had ſhone before men, if there had been a Majeſty of holineſs alway upon our converſation, ſuch as ſometime haply there hath been, and is not this matter of humbling?
Thirdly, Then we muſt do our firſt works, It is not a ſorrow only for our miſcarriage that is enough, but we muſt do our firſt works; If we have been zealous before, and now are become Luke-warm, be zealous and amend, do our firſt works; we have Rev. 3. 19.been more diligent and cloſe in our walking with God, now we are more remiſs, we muſt remember whence we are fallen, and do our firſt works. O why ſhould we not labour to exceed the love of our eſpouſals, when we followed ſo hard after him? our ſouls panted as the chaſed Hart after the water-brooks; and this it may be before we had many hints of his love, ſome ſight of him likely, elſe we ſhould not follow him, ſome touch upon our hearts, as in Eliſha his caſe, and Sauls; the people whoſe hearts God touched, 1 Sam. 10. 26.they followed, but did one taſte of his love? then draw thee out ſo earneſtly; and now thou haſt had many a ſmile, many a ſweet refreſhing from his preſence, many a Ring broken between Jeſus Chriſt and thy ſoul, and wilt thou not now be as diligent and as earneſt in following after him? it is the nature of true Grace, that as it cometh from heaven, it will never ceaſe until it reach to heaven again.
Fourthly, We muſt beg earneſtly of the Lord to work this and all our works in us and for us; It is he that reſtored David his ſoul when it was even loſt; and ſo he doth ours: he maketh them to return when they are even giving up; O give him no reſt, until he ſend forth his ſpirit, and give thee to be filled with that ſpirit, Pſal. 23. 3.with might in the inner man, that thou maiſt burn and ſhine, and the fulneſs and fruitfulneſs, the burning and brightneſs of thy converſation may be a witneſs to all that behold it, that of a truth the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt is in thee. He is wonderful ready to help in ſuch a caſe above what we can conceive; for it is he indeed, in caſe of ſuch backſlidings, that puts words into his peoples Hoſ. 14. 1.mouths, when they have nothing to ſay, and cannot look up, nor hold up the head for ſhame, nor look their God and Father in the ſace, they have ſo grieved him, and ſhamed their profeſſion; yet then the Lord puts words into their mouths, in that fourteenth of Hoſea; It is the very caſe of the Prodigal, for he was a Son, and therefore calls God Father in his return, denyeth not the relation, nor calls it in queſtion, notwithſtanding his unworthy, carriage towards him, but he had miſpent all, as ſadly as thou haſt done likely; and yet when he came and returned, his Eather giveth him the meeting, and runs and falls upon his neck and kiſeth him, and was ready to make up all again; therefore go to him, be earneſt with him, and ſee if he make not your Lamps to ſhine again gloriouſly; and ſwallow up that glory in his greater glory, his preſence for ever.