measure with that pure and holy knowledge that the Lord hath of them it would make them take some more labour for his love and acquaintance which seeing they doe not they fulfill the Lords threatning to their shame seeing they are foretolde of it and care not to prevent it Christ foretolde us that hee who confessed him Matth 10 32. Marke 10.38 hee would acknowledge him before his Father and the Angels but he that would be ashamed of him hee would deny him Loe now he maketh it good for he professeth openly I know you not What meaneth to confesse or to be ashamed of Christ In this life our Saviour calleth for our friendship and acquaintance in his faire offer of salvation if we will thinke it an honour for us that Christ was once in misery and poverty for our sake and account this our greatest glory he sendeth his messengers the poore and distressed who are his brethren Fratres vocat omnes simpliciter pauperes Omnis enim pauper frater est Christi quandoquidē Christus in egestate vixit Theophylact. in Mat. 25.40 to be acquainted with us in his name to see how wee would like of their friendship or how we would entertaine Christ if he himselfe came to us in that fashion as indeede once he did If we rejoyce to be thus acquainted with Christ and confesse him in this life then shall he openly acknowledge us and to our glory pronounce before God and all that shall be gathered in the great judgement how we loved and respected him and his messengers He that is ashamed of the poverty of Christ the misery and tribulation of a Christian or the distresse of the poore or to professe love and acquaintance to them they shal be rewarded accordingly Idem in Iuc 9.26 As he that hath an evil servant is ashamed to call him his servant so Christ shall deny them and say I know you not Happy is the soule that hath a part in the commendation and prayer of Paul for Onesiphorus whose service and confession he prayeth the Lord to remember in the great day in these words The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus 1 Tim. 1.16 17 18. for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chaine but when hee was at Rome he sought me out very diligently and found me the Lord grant unto him that he may finde mercy with the Lord in that day and in how many things he hath ministred unto mee at Ephesus thou knowest very well Lastly these words I know you not shew us that not onely Christ shall take away his compassion from them but shall be their enemy to be avenged on them Theophilact in Marc. 8.34 He that denieth another if it be his familiar friend his brother or father although he see him whipt or killed he taketh no notice he laments not he hath no compassion or suffering with him being once estranged from him so when Christ hath denyed the reprobate they must looke for no compassion but which is worse they must expect punishment When some of the Levites were killing of their owne kindred for their idolatry of Levi it is said in their name Hee said unto his father and mother Deut. 33 9. I have not seene you neither knew he his brethren nor knew he his owne children So when the date of acquaintance and mercy is past with Christ then there is nothing to be expected but the execution of vengeance for hee will not know one more than another When his wrath is kindled Psal 2.12 it will be knowne how happy they are that put their trust in him Now there is a question to be answered Seeing Christ both exhorteth and promiseth Knock and it shall be open unto you how is it that hee saith he will deny them that both knocke and call upon him in the day of judgement I answer they defraud themselves of the benefite of this promise Two things to be observed by all that would knocke at heavens gate for obtaining whereof two conditions are required of us First that wee knocke and call while it is the time and day of salvation which day is the time of our life because that life and time is given unto us to this end that wee may labour for the life that never hath an end August in Ioh. 6 Ad hoc debet prodesse unicuique vivere ut detur ei semper vivere And indeede life is onely a benefit to every man that he may thereby obtaine the benefit of living eternally Secondly we must in requisite manner call and knocke some onely knocke with words and honour God with their lippes Esay 29 13◠but their hearts are farre from him yea and will aske of God with teares yet they aske not aright because it is not with heart word and deed of which they want two for their hearts call not to him for love of him or of eternall life but other by-respects are cause of their complaints neither doe their deedes concurre to knocke and move the Lord. These who would enter into life must open their hearts to let the Lord in and dwell in them Psal 24.7 according as David exhorteth Lift up your heads you gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting dores and the King of glory shall come in Psal 118.20 for this is the gate of the Lord onely the righteous shall enter into it who onely may truely say Verse 19. Open mee the gates of righteousnesse that I may goe into them and praise the Lord for ever no uncleane or wicked person dare say this their deedes can neither knocke nor enter Acts 10 4. Cornelius prayer appeared in Gods presence but his fasting and almes went up to heaven heaven cannot be purchased with bare words we must make friends of worldly riches to gaine everlasting habitations and make treasures in heaven yea and have our hearts there also or else our calling cannot be taken notice of nor be able to unlocke the inaccessible place of glory VERSE 13. Watch therefore for yee know neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come THese words are the 3. part of this Parable containing the application of it Wherin our Saviour sheweth plainly the great love and care he hath to his servants and his abundant mercy which he hath on all men that he desireh not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednesse and live giveth a generall cry forewarning their danger and preventing their destruction but in such particular manner that it is sufficient to move the most senseles heart to retreate Two times already as I said in the beginning hath Christ in this same Sermon given the same warning Now because the danger is great even the damnation of every soule that labours not to prevent it and men are carelesse and fearelesse of unseene and unfelt dangers therfore he preacheth it
common-wealth florished Iansenius in hunc locum Mat. 1. that the parties to be maried were by promise and oath bound each to the other as we reade that Ioseph and Mary were betrothed and the Mariage at more convenient time to be solemnized which was done most in the night the fittest time for mirth and banketting as St. Paule saith Rom. 13.12.13 Now while the Bridegrome was at hand the Bryde with a company of virgins met him with lamps torches who all entred into the mariage-house with the Bride Brydgrome Whē David prophesieth of the mariage betweene Christ and his Church he describeth it in the foresaid manner saying Psal 45.14.15 The Bryde shall be brought unto the King in rayment of needle worke the Virgins that follow after her and her companions shall be brought unto thee with joy gladnes shall they be brought and shall enter into the Kings Pallace Thus much for Historie In which we are to consider the Bridgrome the Virgins their lampes their oyle their going out and meeting the Bridgrome of which particulars some appertaine to the second part of the Parable But for the comparison obserue that Christ saith it shall be likened In Math 22.2 he saith it is like unto a wedding where servants were sent out to invite guests in this Parable he saith It shà ll be so likened in this there is no diversitie Gods Kingdome according to diverse states and times may have severall comparisons in this life God is preparing these things for vs This life is only for preparing our selves and by his word and servants inviting vs vnto this Mariage but in the life to come it shall be like unto another comparison to a mariage in the solemnizing that is all time and meanes of preparation shall be past that they who lose this day of Salvation shall be as foolish virgins and said unto that the Lord knowes them not The Bridgrome and Virgins Who is the Bridgrome SAint Iohn Baptist sheweth vs who is the Brydgrome in these words He is the Brydgrome that hath the Bryde the friend of the Bridgrome is he who heareth his voyce Iohn 3.29 and rejoyceth greatly But who is this that hath the Bride St. Paul tells the Corinthians 2 Cor. 11.2 I have betrothed you to one man to present you a pure virgine unto Christ. And by the other marke Christ is the Bridegrome for all his servants shall rejoyce to heare his voyce at the great day at which Iohn 5.28 Who is the Bride the dead shall come out of their graves The Bride must bee these Virgins that go out to meete him Observe by the way that where certaine virgins did present themselves in one company to the Bridgrome that mariage is then most honorable in the fight of God and men When is mariage truely honourable when it is of such as have beene Virgins that is to say have for their actions ben honest Heb. 13.4 for their cariage modest and shamefast Paul saith that mariage is honourable among all and the bed undefiled but whooremongers and adulterers God will judge besides the weight of this judgement of God the mariage is greatly dishonoured when it is of shamelesse unhonest persons And although mariage be a preventing from sinnes of that kinde to come therefore in that case is honourable among all yet it is not a pardon for wickednes past before mariage but as Iacob said of his sonne Reuben for this fault so doth God esteeme of others that fall in the like Gen. 49.4 that their dignitie and excellencie is gone because they darken the honour of their mariage-day The Divell who is a lyar from the beginning hath blinded the eyes of many young persons to esteeme these trickes of their youth which by God are condemned and by all civill and honest men abhorred and it hath so prevailed that the men cannot be securely received into mariage who have not approved their abilitie in begetting Bastards Whooremongers and adulterers God will judge O when God shall either judge or punish this no Crosse can prevent it no Priests Commission absolve it nor holy water is able to wash it away Remember Christs Spouse is a Virgin If you demand why these that are to meete Christ are called Virgins I answer because this is a comparison of Marriage in which onely Virgins chosen and appointed went out to meet the Bridegroome But if you aske which of all them that shall meete Christ is his Spouse I answer Who is the Spouse of Christ Every soule that hath in this life washed himselfe from sinne by repentance and calling on the name of the Lord and prepared himselfe with a confidence in the sweete love and mercy of God shall be the spouse of Iesus Christ But to speake as the Scripture doth all the Elect servants of God who agree in unity of one faith and love to Iesus Christ are his one and undivided Spouse from which notwithstanding we may not conceive an equality of dignity and love to be in the Church to be worthy the uniting unto the glorious God who for worth is Lord of heaven and earth and of love beyond all comparison Ioh 15 13. for no man can shew greater love for his friend than to give his life for him Christ shewed greater Rom. 5.10 in giving his life for his enemies And though all the faithfull cannot bee sufficiently meet for to be his Spouse yet are they counted worthy Philip. 3 9. when they are considered as joyned to Christ and one with him and are seene of God not with their owne righteousnesse but cloathed and overshadowed with the worth and righteousnesse of Christ We are to observe two things 1 Christs servants called Virgins that the faithfull soule is called a Virgin Christ a Virgin the Sonne of a Virgin will have a Virgin to his Spouse But what kinde of Virgin Hieron in Epist Virginis definitio est sanctam esse corpore mente A Virgin is one that is holy both in minde and body in minde because the Lord doth in this Parable condemne the corrupted mindes of the foolish Virgins whose bodies were not corrupted in body 1 Cor 6.15.19 because an uncleane body cannot be the Temple of the holy Ghost nor member of Christ But if wee consider why Gods Church was called a Virgin wee shall the better understand what is here meant by a Virgin God from the beginning ever shewed himselfe unto the people that were his as if he had beene their husband or spouse unto the Iewes he shewed himselfe as a husband unto the Christian Church he shewed himselfe a spouse the Iewes he tooke to him when their fathers were Idolaters Iosh 24.2 and themselves too hee married himselfe to them who by Idolatry had lost their Virginity who notwithstanding after they came to serve God fell to Idolatry many times againe provoked him to wrath
therefore he in the Prophets complaineth that they had committed adultery against him in stead of the living and true God they bowed kissed and offered sacrifice to Idols consecrated to the honour of Divels or damned men so they who before wanted spirituall Virginity fell from matrimonial chastity Christs Spouse to be free from Idolatry The Christians hath hee betrothed unto himselfe for his Spouse as Virgins because hee tooke no notice of the olde Gentiles Idolatry as Saint Paul tolde the Athenians of their Idolatry Acts 17.30 that the time of that ignorance God regarded not Therefore are they all Virgins because they worship God in truth Another condition is required of the spirituall Virgin And free from pride Esay 66.2 that he be humble Vpon whom will I looke saith the Lord Even upon the lowly in heart This the blessed Virgin knew wel when she said that God looked upon the lowlinesse of his handmaid Luke 1. Ser. 1. super Missus est Respexit humilitatem potiùs quà m virginitatem saith Bernard He beheld her humility rather than virginity By which every soule may examine himselfe if he be a spirituall Virgin or no. Secondly we have to observe that the faithfull soule is espoused or betrothed to Christ Iesus St. Paul saith Eph. 5 23. that as the husband is to the wife so is Christ to his Church that is he is husband it is true in effect The faithfull soule is betrothed to Christ But if wee consider what is to come our great Marriage which beginneth to be solemnized at the day when our soules goe to glory and consummate when both soules and body goe thither and our dwelling for ever in his house we are but espoused or betrothed unto him Ioh. 14.2 for as yet he is gone before us to prepare a place for us This the name of Spouse doth declare Bern. in Locum for Sponsus is à spondendo from promising that either shall keepe themselves for other Finally as Christ did to the faithfull Corinthians so he doth to all other his faithfull servants whom by the ministery of St. Paul he betrothed to himselfe 2 Cor. 11.2 The use of this doctrine may be knowne That hee may love and long for Christ the more by the use of betrothing that a certaine time sometimes more sometimes lesse being set betweene it and the Marriage day the love of both might be increased by the earnest desire of their meeting Cupienti animae nihil satis festinatur Salust Nothing can hasten enough to a longing soule Institutum est ut iam pacta spousae non tradantur statim ne vilem habeat maritus datam quam non suspira verit sponsus dilatam Aug. Confess lib 8. cap. 3. sect 3. and this was that which made Iacob love Rachell the better who for seven yeares together after betrothing was sometimes faint with extreme worke now burnt with the Sunne another time frozen with colde most time pined with scarsity all times tormented betweene love to Rachell and feare of Labans subtleties So is it between Christ and us we are by faith in espousage joyned unto him to the end that our desire and love unto him may more earnestly wish for the full enjoying of him This longing in love David felt Psal 84.2 when hee said Phil. 1.23 My soule longeth and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord and Saint Paul when he wished to be dissolved and be with Christ Blessed were wee if this desire were in us Bern in Locum ex Poeta and if we sighed and groaned because we are absent from our Lord Palleat omnis amans Prov. 13.12 Every true lover hath for signes in him palenesse and leannesse for when hope is deferred it maketh the heart to faint that no pleasure can make thee body well liking Are these signes in thee of thy love to Christ Away with delicate and dainty meates the desire of wines the pleasures of worldly riches and honour the love of these better fit him that never lookes for any comfort by Christ If thou sigh and be pale and leane for desire of that blessed day he shall send to thee his comforting Spirit and afterward hasten his comming Happie is this desire for though the deferring of our meeting with Christ is a sorrow in the soule yet is the hope of enjoying it aboue al pleasure the world can yeeld both which may bee seene in this saying of David I should haue fainted Psal 27.13 except I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living Ten Virgins went out to meete the Bridegroome As for the number of the Virgins ten we are not to trouble our selves to enquyre The curiositie of some have given a reason though very fruitlesse because there are ten Commandements to be observed by Gods servants I thinke hee understood according to sobriety and edification who sayd Non est curiosé serutandum quare decem sunt Virgines Euthym. in locum etc That we are not to search curiously why there are ten Virgins c. But in Parables some things are set to for framing the comparison some for expressing the intended purpose whereof this number ten is to continue an apt similitude of the Iewes Mariages wherein eight nyne or ten were appoynted attendants according as was fit for the estate and degree of the parties to be maried Went out c. We goe out to meete Christ when leaving Nature Sinne and Sathan What it is to meet Christ and denying and disclaiming them wee professe our selves to attend the service of Iesus Christ Abraham was called out to meete his Master by this charge Get thee out of thy Countrey Gen. 12.1 from thy kindred and from thy Fathers house Likewise Lot was called out of Sodome Gen. 19. and charged not to looke backe The Spouse of Christ is called out Psal 45.10 Esa 52 11. Forget thy owne people and fathers house Depart ye depart ye touch no uncleane thing yea Christians are called out from the love of father mother and friends or else they cannot be worthy of Christ Mat 16.24 yea from their owne will that they may submit themselves unto the will of God If we either stay in our naturall state Wee cannot meete Christ untill we goe out of Nature or in our selves we cannot meet Christ in our dwelling of nature remaineth the anger of God bent against the inclinations of the soule that even in birth Saint Paul calls us Children of wrath Eph. 2.2 In our common naturall state we have Satans craftinesse encompassing against us with secret suggestions and occasions of sinne our friends and neighbours with their practise to teach and countenance it we have the deceits of the world upon our right hand to seduce us from the love of God the miseries and terrours of this world to draw us from the onely fearing of God that
or friendship of all others are onely as salves for necessitie and to be despised in comparison of this bond betweene man and wife True it is that there is no bond of love but the Lord hath by example of it expressed his love unto us Christ called his Disciples servants Iohn 15.13 14 15. in respect that they knew not their Masters will but considering his love to them he calleth them friends and yet with such a bond of friendship on his part that was rare to be seene that he should give his life for his friends Also by the example of parents who are nearest of our kindred saying Psal 103 13. As the father loveth and hath compassion on his sonne so hath the Lord on those that feare him The Lord thinketh the love great which the mother hath to the childe asking if she can forsake it Esay 49 15. though many both fathers and mothers have fulfilled the prophecy of the last time 2 Tim 3 3. Psal 27.10 in being without naturall affection and though father and mother may forsake the childe yet the Lord will take up his owne But above all Christ compareth the bond betweene him and us to love betweene the husband and the wife for as the highest of his honour is shewed by being head of the Church Ephes 1 22. Chap 5 23 30 31. which is his body so the inexpressible love betweene him and us is set out unto us by the example of the love of husband and wife in respect of which we must forsake if need require the friendship of father mother or any friends whatsoever In this life we love the Lord but in the great meeting and marriage our love shall increase to such a height which now passeth our understanding Such as our knowledge is such is our love here we know in part and therefore our love is the lesse 1 Cor. 13 12. but when we shall know as we are knowne what mortall man is able to imagine how dearely wee shall love the Lord And then shall wee understand how dearely the Lord hath loved us and comprehend that for which wee are comprehended of Christ Philip 3 11. The manifestation hereof doth better befit the solemnity of our spirituall marriage for as the personall meeting of lovers increaseth love and the aptest time that their love should shew itselfe to the beholders so in our meeting of Christ our love shall be greatly increased and it is the fittest time in which the mutuall love of Christ and his members shall be declared which love how great it is now on Christs and shall be then on our part is not possible to be understood because love cannot bee understood but in such measure as it is felt Thirdly our remaining with Christ in glory is compared to a mariage solemnitie to teach us that the joyes of heaven are communicate and many made partakers of them In Mariages all the friends and guests are partakers of the same intertainment with the Bridegroome and commonly honoured with his service partakers of showes made to delight the eye of voyces and melodious harmonies for the eare with other delights that are knowne to give most pleasure and content for such loving societies but aboue all the particular love they have unto the Bridegroome whose voyce they rejoyce to heare and whom they both honour and delight to see advanced to that solemne honour and publick respect In like manner after the great judgement we shall goe into eternall joy and all be partakers of the same glory and to reach the similitude further Christ saith to them that he shall find ready with their Lampes Luke 12 37. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking verily I say unto you he will gird himselfe about and make them sit downe at table and will come forth and serue them And to the end that his Disciples might reiect the ambitious conceites of worldly honour Luk 22 27. he saith unto them Who is greater he that sitteth at table And I am among you as he that serveth 28. and ye are they which have continued with me in my tentations therefore I appoynt unto you a Kingdome 29.30 as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome No delight shall be wanting either to soule or body God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Psal 16.11 in whose presence is fulnes of joy for evermore But aboue all the love we shall have to our Lord and Saviour and the unspeakable glory he is in shall be as a heaven of joyes to every glorified soule which he himselfe saith shall bee our chiefe happinesse that we may be where he is and behold his glory he said not that they may enjoy my glory but see my glory Iohn 17.24 Homini enim maximâ— requies videre filium Dei Theophil and David said the same Psal 17.15 2 Cor. 3.18 and indeed as S. Paul saith by seeing the Lords glory wee are changed into the same image by the Spirit of the Lord as is evident by the shining of Moses face before he was freed from his corruptible body Fourthly by this comparison is shewed the eternitie of those joyes which we shall possesse in this spirituall Mariage The Lord hath made a hedge to inviron defend his ordinance of Mariage against all debate of policie Math 19.6 that no man put asunder those whom God hath coupled together So that whatsoever devideth man and wife must be the enemy of God or man if sinne doe it yet sin not being imputed becommeth as no sinne so though adultery is one of the enemyes of Mariage yet if be not imputed it causeth not a separation but the last enemy of man which is death is only the unremediable breaker of Wedlocke and freeth the one from the law of the other Of all our comforts and pleasures in this life the gall and bitternesse is inclosed in death the remembrance of it before it approach neare is bitter unto us Ecclesiasticus 41.1 the comming terrible no fence is able to holde it out so long as the gappes of sinne attend to receive it when it commeth it divideth us from friends goods acquaintance pleasures and so maketh a separation betweene man and wife yea betweene soule and body body and life But while they both live the law hath dominion of both saith the Apostle meaning that death onely doth make separation Rom. 7.1 2. without hope of dwelling together any more as husband and wife So in our spirituall marriage whilest it receiveth this name it sheweth our state to remaine immutable for ever because there shal neither be sin nor death to annoy us or threaten to separate us from him and seeing all the enemies of our salvation are not able to separate us from the love of God in Iesus Christ what then can hurt us Rom 8 35.
howsoever they are the necessary parts of a good creature and therefore by nature good yet the immoderate desire of them is to be abridged 1 Cor. 9. St. Paul claimed all liberties of a Christian 2 Cor. 11.27 due to himselfe as well as to others yet he chastised his body and kept it under In labour travell in watching often in hunger thirst in fasting often and if our desires had scope they would carie us quickely to destruction and therefore they must bee holden in with bitt and bridle By considering Gods wrath his mercy and our mortalitie Now the meanes which are to be used or instruments for doing of these are in the word of God plentifully to be found The meanes to cut off all that is contrary to God is to consider Gods command Rom. 7. and his unspeakeable wrath against offenders Paul thought it nothing to covet his neighbours goods untill the commandement thou shalt not lust checked him Rom. 7. 2 Sam. 25. this hindred David from killing Naball and Theodosius the Emperour from destroying the Antiochians Secondly the infusers are the word of God by which the knowledge of the misery that we are in the love of God towards vs his unspeakeable mercy and such like are powred into the soule Thirdly the best correctors of our naturall desires is to consider that wee are dust pampered for destruction Non poterit melius caro luxuriosa domari Quam bene qualis eris post mortem remeditari There is no better meanes to daunt our wanton flesh then to consider what wee shall bee after death In the last verse of this Parable cited out of Augustine which hereafter in another place is described at large So much concerning the lampes of the wise Virgins Of the Vessels Seeing the Lord hath made Angels and Men rationis participes Bernard Serm 1. Adu beatitudinis capaces only partakers of reason capable of blessednes it followeth that whatsoever receiveth oyle or grace unto salvation must be called the soule and body of man and therefore as I called our lampes so must these Vessels be likewise observing onely this difference that whilst we are in this life Vessels are now vsed but Lampes shall be used at our Lords comming we are in respect of Gods grace as vessels are to oyle for we have this treasure in earthen vessels 2. Cor. 4.7 But when wee meet our Lord our Lampes shall onely be in request no neede of our vessels Luke 12.35 This is expressed in the words of this Parable the Oyle was in their vessels as yet the light of their Lamps was not seene Gods giftes in us are as the pitchers and lampes were in the hands of Gideon and the Israelites Iudg. 7.16 when they were to fight against the Midianites their lampes were burning and yet not seene because they were in the pitchers untill their pitchers were broken and the light on a sodaine terrified their enemies For Gods gifts are now hidden in us Matth. 5.16 So are the gifts of Gods servants in this world they are in a manner shut up and not seene or if any mans good workes so shine that the spectatours are moved to glorifie our heavenly Father yet their gifts are not fully seene but appeare as glances of the hidden power of Gods Spirit Rom. 7.19 The power of regeneration is much hindred by the appetite of nature that they cannot doe the good that they would loe here the Spirit of holinesse is constrained to hide it selfe in the Vessells of our body O who shall deliver us from this body of death when our pitchers shall be broken our lampes shall shine as starres in the firmament Beloved observe here that by the appointment and working of God his servants in this life are more in substance than in show When they fast Christ saith Matth. 6. that they are to anoint their faces when they give almes Wherefore we ought to doe all good as in secret Let not thy left hand saith hee know what thy right hand doth be even as if thou would take no notice what good thou doest Good actions are not rewarded here and therefore in vaine doe men muster and set them out upon beadroles in this life but labour to get the approbation of God and so doe good that thy conscience may be well stored in Gods sight who seeing thee in secret may reward thee openly and make thy light shine cleare as the perfect day Thus doe the wise Virgins they have store of Oyle but they shut it up in their Vessels Bern. in locum Perire existimant omne illud quod cernitur Whatsoever is seene they account it lost The practise of vaineglorious men is contrary to Gods dealing his Angel would bury Moses that no man might know it the Divell strove with him Compare Deu. 34 6. with Iude 9. that he might be openly buried that Israel who was bent to Idolatry might have occasion to adore his dead body To avoid hypocrisie and vaineglory So doe hypocrites that the world may adore them that all men may admire and looke at them And this greedy desire of the praise of men hath led away many noble Spirits so they call themselves from the onely love of goodnes that they leave many good things undone because they feare it will not be enough taken notice of and they had rather doe no good at all before they would lose the fame and honour of it Thus men labour more for a good thought of their equalls and inferiours than they doe for the approbation of God And that we be not hindred with by respects from doing good and therefore the reason why they want these blessings which they most desire is for that either they doe not that good which they may doe or what they doe they are hindred furthered with by-respects Gods honour never respected in it Beloved as these Virgins prepare to meet their Lord so doe wee see every day the Lord call some olde some young some kindred some acquaintance some noble some poore and whilest we stand as dead images beholding these presidents we are on a sodaine caught and presented before God to give account especially of what we left undone Did you see the hungry and gave him no meate Si quem pascendo salvare potuisti Gregorâ— si non paveris occidisti If thou couldest save any man by feeding if thou feede him not thou hast killed him Doe you see the naked and cloathe him not Hadst thou them at thy command who with blasphemy and contempt of Sabbath have offended God and corrected them not Didst thou heare the afflicted soule crying day and night unto thee and with thy silence made his affliction more What shall we answere the Lord in these or any the like demaunds no place for our by respects when the Lord sheweth no respect of persons Even of these whom we daily exhort some
quà m desidem non potuisse tentari seeing it is more praise-worthy and happy that the fighter could not be overcome than that being idle he could not be tried let every man put himselfe to use and not be as an empty or unused Vessell in the sight of God It is for them that have no use at all that Christ hath an iron rod Psal 2. to breake them as the potter doth his vessell Of the Oyle Gifts of Gods Spirit compared to Oyle Now we are come to speake of the Oyle and what is meant by it All our treasures of riches which are in Christ are comprehended in the name of Oyle 1 Iohn 2.27 all the graces of Gods Spirit in us are meant by annoynting and when Moses would set downe the outward and inward blessings to be bestowed upon the Tribe of Asher he saith He shall dip his foote in Oyle Deut. 33.24 But as there are many sorts of Oyle as of Roses Spikenard Myrrhe c. whereof each hath his proper vertue and operation So saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.4 There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit so al receive the name of Oyle As the vertues of Oyle are peculiar either in health or sicknesse some cooling others heating some binding others loosing some cause ripening others cause rotting In like manner the graces of Gods Spirit one vertue heates and warmeth us as charity another is cooling as chastity one ripeneth as Christian discretion another bindeth as temperance and abstinence one looseth the palsie of sluggishnesse as labour another driveth away the fever and heat of avarice as devotion and compassion one breaketh the impostume of pride as humility c. But in generall Oyle is noted in the Scriptures to have 3 properties First to cherish make a man joyfull and this is supposed Psal 104.15 And Oyle to make him of a cheerefull countenance and therefore it was a signe of gladnesse as Christ appointed his Disciples to anoynt their faces with Oyle Mat 6 17. So hath God appointed gifts of his Spirit to make his servants joyfull Gods gifts make his servants not to feele worldly sorrowes Acts 5 41. although all the world would heape sorrowes upon them when the Iewes laboured to breake the Apostles hearts they went rejoycing to and from the Councell And this is done either by taking somewhat away or by giving By taking away when we are made not to feele the evills that are on us as the Oyle of Poppie causeth sleepe and the Oyle of Mandrakes makes us insensible though a legge or arme were cut off us so hath the Lord made his servants who by contemplation had onely their mindes in heaven that they felt not what was doing to them on earth as is principally to be seene in our Arch-type Iesus Christ who of all men was the man of sorrowes Esay 53 3. yet hee in a manner felt not nor cared what the world did to him Psal 45. for hee was anoynted with the Oyle of gladnesse and many Martyrs burning in fire in stead of crying rejoyced and sung Psalmes because they truly had received what Christ had promised to his Disciples Iohn 16.22 Your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you Partly the Lord doth it by making them feele causes of joy and gladnesse when our conscience doth testifie our love to God and hatred to sin 2 Cor 1.12 our joy is herein more than our sorrow can be for any thing in the world when we are assured that our sinnes are forgiven us then the Lord maketh us heare the voice of joy and gladnesse Psal 51.8 63.4 and his loving kindnesse is sweeter than life it selfe We learne then that it is one effect of Gods Spirit to deliver us that worldly sorrowes break not our hearts Rom. 5.3 Psal 23. We rejoyce in tribulation said Paul and David thy rodde and thy staffe comforteth mee Whereby it appeareth that they whose hearts are cast downe for the world the envious rageing and desperate have not this spirituall annoynting this comfort the Lord hath holden from them and left them to be tormented by their owne thoughts as an evill Spirit to vexe them an example of all which I meane envie anger melancholly and finally despaire wee finde in King Saul which made David sing his funerall Elegie according to this doctrine The shield of the mighty is cast downe 2 Sam. 1.21 even the shield of Saul as though he had not beene annoynted with Oyle To comfort others The second property of Oyle and effect of Gods Spirit is that as Oyle is a nourisher of the poore and asswager of hurts So Gods Spirit worketh the same effects in us The widow of Sarepta was long sustained by the little Oyle she had 1 Kings 17.16 Luke â—0 34 and the Samaritan powred Oyle into the hurt mans wounds where the Lord giveth a compassionate spirit it both maintaineth others in necessitie and comforteth them in their sorrowes It appeareth hereby that covetous cruell and hard-hearted men have never beene mollified by grace nor have interest in Gods Spirit The third property of Oyle is to give light And to shew us our way to heaven Papiaâ— citatur a Pet. Beveborio in Indice voce Oleum especially if it touch fire and of this I have read a wonder I know not how true that if a man fill his mouth with Oyle and were let downe into the bottome of the sea if hee put it out of his mouth it will make light and give him roome to breathe about him howsoever the Spirit of God giveth light in the darknesse of nature and of this world by which wee are directed to heaven Psal 143.10 Let thy good Spirit leade mee into the land of righteousnesse said Davih which he doth by his word and given us understanding to conceive it This is the third effect of Gods Spirit who as Christ tolde his Disciples Iohn 16.13 should leade them into all truth and therefore all ignorant soules have not the Spirit nor are come within the way of salvation As the effects of Oyle are proportionably seene in Gods servants Wicked men have some properties of Oyle so are wicked men possessed with the vices of our time in some things like Oyle The lightnesse of Oyle is fully represented by the proud inconstant malicious and wicked hearts who are full of malice Psal 109.18 and drinke it up as Oyle powred into their bones and for the smoothnesse and softnesse of Oyle flatterers and dissemblers have appropriated it to themselves Davids enemie had words softer than oyle Psal 55 21. and the conversation of the effeminate is accordingly Prov. 5.3 when the Israelites flattered the Aegyptians they presented them with smooth words Hos 12.1 abundance of oyle Conditions of good Oyle Finally because wee are not to beleeve every Spirit but try them if you
their greater griefe and shame August de Verb. Dom. Ser. 23. Non est consulentium sed irridentium est ista responsio This answer is not to give counsell but to mocke them and this is all they get for helpe or pitty To us therefore doth our Saviour speak these words to forewarne us that wee never cast our count so as to thinke that which wee have to be too little for our selves nor thus to answer the distressed lest the shame be shamefully cast in our teeth when wee hope for a more mercifull answere in judgement This reason of the covetous sheweth us what is the cause which maketh men so unwilling to helpe others who are in necessity because they cannot beleeve that ever they can have enough for themselves This is one of the greatest plagues that can fall upon a man to be insatiable in affecting a thing that is farre inferiour to the worth of himselfe The causes of covetousnesse uncharity This Covetice proceedeth from a great blindnesse of the minde which as it seemeth doth build it selfe upon these or the like divelish and darkened conceits First that it cannot possibly stand with his owne felicity that he should love any other or care to helpe him Secondly that there is no meanes to give his minde contentment or to make him happy except it be with worldly pelfe Thirdly that he must needs live many yeares as the rich man in the Gospell concluded and that therefore all he can get cannot be too much Luke 12 19 Fourthly he doth doubt that God will not be carefull to provide for him because he conceiveth that God is disposed as he himselfe is and not much carefull for others or if God were in disposing of goods that he would not be so just as to give him so much as were enough for him It is no wonder where ignorance and unbeliefe prevaileth so farre to bring a man to these conceites that hee presently bends all his wits to scrape together all he can possibly snatch to suffice for use and to satisfie his desire which indeede can never be satisfied No wonder therefore it is that the Lord abhorreth the covetous and cruell man Psal 10 3. and him that speaketh good of him Therefore if we would be mercifull to others and save our selves from the wrath to come man Ephes 4.7 even as he pleaseth and according to what measure hee will So that wee are hereby taught to whom we shall have recourse in all our spirituall necessities even to our blessed Saviour In whom dwelleth all the treasures of grace bodily Col. 2.9 who is able to bestowe this Oyle of his Spirit to enlighten our sinfull soules and bodies and to prepare us for his comming Now if Gods word in the aboue named places be true the works of supererogation cannot be found in any or though it were so Colos 1 19. none is communicable unto another except from Christ in whom onely it hath pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell 1 Cor. 1.30 Act. 4.12 and who only is made our Righteousnes and in whom only we have hope of salvation Goe ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selues In appliyng of these words we finde them to be a bitter mocke of the reprobate to bidde them in the day of account to goe and buy Some take the Kingdome of heaven by violence others steale it some begge it others buy it or provide grace for themselves for then there are no sellers nor meanes to be found We have in these words two things to be considered buying and selling how either of them can be applyed to our labour for salvation For buying It is to us that have meanes and time to provide for that fearefull account that our Saviour speaketh these wordes of seasonable counsell as he did to the Laodiceans to buy and store themselves with the treasures of spirituall life Revel 3.18 The summ of the counsell is that we vse traffique for salvation As there are diverse meanes used some lawfull some unlawfull to mainteyne this mortall life so doth the word of God use the comparison of them to exhort us unto all labour and diligence 2. Peter 1 10. Quis expedivit Psittacosuum Chaiâ—e Magister artis ingeniique largitor venter Persent Ecclesiast 6 7. Bernard in libro sententiarum to make our calling and election sure and to purchase an immortall life The belly saith a Poet makes Master of Art both gives cunning industry for satisfiyng wherof some robbe others steale some begg others buy all as Salomon saith is to content backe belly In like manner Gods servants if we looke unto their life and workes some robbe and take the kingdome of heaven by violence others steale it some begge it others goe to those that sell and buy it for themselves Christ told the Iewes Math. 11 12. that from that time Iohn Baptist began to teach the Kingdome of heaven suffered violence and the violent tooke it by force these are they whose breasts are inflamed with zeale and who either for feare of Gods anger or for love of his mercyes turne suddenly to the Lord The Publicans and sinners by this meanes wonne heaven who flocked about Iohn Baptist Luk. 3 10 12. Act. 2 37. Luk 19 6. and cryed Master what shall we doe and the hearers of Peters Sermon upon Whitsontide and Zaccheus who came downe from the tree quickly and received Christ joyfully and St. Augustine who in his conversion Lib. 8 Conf. cap. 3. sect 1. cryed unto God why shall I be converted to morrow why not to day unlearned men get up and take heaven by violence and we with our diversity of learning doe wallow in flesh and bloud And all whosoever turne with hast and fervency unto the Lord may be sayd to take heaven violently Grandis c. It is a great violence 〈…〉 11. to be borne on earth and to enter into heaven and to obtaine that by strength which wee cannot have by nature Theophylact. in Mat 11. or what greater violence can be than on a sodaine to forsake father and mother to quite all pleasure the world can give yea and contemne life it selfe rather than to want Gods favour or be disappointed of eternall life Horum figuraÌ„ tenuit mulier patiens fluxum sanguinis quae cogitavit intra se dicens si c Mar 5 28. Bernard ibid. 1 Kings 19 18. Others in a manner take heaven by stealth these are they that labour for heaven and yet so secretly that they are not espied by the common multitude they are farre from hypocrisie they have their oyle in their vessells as were the seven thousand in Eliah's time who worshipped the Lord so secretly that the Prophet could not espie them and I doubt not but every age hath of this kinde Iohn 3 2. that with Nicodemus come to the Lord in the night Some
the offenders remembring that it is the part of a Iudge qui ponit personam amici cum induit judicis that he then layeth downe the person of a friend when he taketh on him the person of a judge If we forsake our selves or our frindship with sinne when we confesse our sinnes to God we shall finde it to encrease the sorrow of our repentance and help us to be readier for a discharge when God seeth how we condemne and hate our selves for the wrong we have done unto him Secondly there is another thing without the which Christs satisfaction makes vs ready our repentance cannot make us ready Though we repent yet God lookes for satisfaction or one to suffer the punishment due unto us which being performed by our Saviour and the Covenant of Gods mercy confirmed unto us by the sheding of his blood we may justly disclaime the guilt of our sinnes which he was charged withall and for full satisfaction unto God and discharge of our selves cry unto God in these words of David Psal 84.9 Iustus advocatus noster iustos nos defendet in Iudicio quia nosmet ipfos cognoscimus accusamus iniustos Non ergo c. Greg. in Ezech. lib. 1. Hom 7. Regard o Lord and looke upon the face of thine Annoyneed And therefore as Gregory saith Our just Advocate shall defend us as iust in judgement because we know accuse our selves as unjust Non ergo in fletibus non in actibus nostris sed in Advocati nostri allegatione confidamus and therefore let us not trust in our weeping or in our deedes but in the defending which our Advocate maketh and by consequence qui se caelesti precio vident redemptos ad caelestia non dubitent praeparatos They who see themselves redeemed by an heavenly price Euseb Emiss de Pasch Hom. 1 3. neede not doubt but that they are prepared for heavenly things Thus are we at all times to doe and at all times the Lord shall finde us ready to be called to judgement When the account is past Gods servants find it easie to reckon with the world and consider what interest they have in it or it in them That which maketh us cleave so much to the world is the separation that our sinnes make betweene vs and God when this partition wall is taken away the world can give no relish unto us who seeke our comfort from above Philip. 3.8 St. Paul counted the best of it doung and losse Eliah who tasted but litle comfort of it 1 King 19 4. said long before he did leaue it Lord it is enough Thus Gods servants loath the world because so long as they are in it they are kept recourse unto the Lord that is they shall well understand how good it had beene for them if in their life time they had sought unto the Lord and amended their life which they shall then desire to doe when they can neither doe other wise nor gaine any profit by it Christ hereby would teach us that after death and in the generall judgement wicked men begin to repent heartily and when all teares are wiped from the eyes of others Repentance of Reprobates in this and the life to come they begin their eternall lamentations In this life Reprobates may repent but in sorrowing they are either too severe that when they feele it they shun comfort and aggravate it untill it overcome them and proves to be despaire which is that eternall worme that possesseth the soule after unseasonable repentance but most commonly their repentance is too slacke Ahab repented but sorrow pearced not his heart otherwise he would have amended his idolatry And so many bowe the bodie who have bowed little at the heart and therfore though they seeme to repent yet they shall in the day of judgement repent because they repented no better before Labour therefore to end your repentance with your life and let death which cureth all sores bring also an end to your sorrowes and labour to repent to salvation which never needeth to be repented of 2 Cor 7 11. This saith Paul causeth us to have great care to cleare our selves and to be more zealous of our life in time to come They that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the gate was shut Now followeth the effect of their readinesse some were admitted and went in some were excluded As a Bridegroome in solemnizing his marriage hath just reason to take notice of them that tooke notice and prepared for his comming and without regard of others stoppe all wayes for their admittance So shall our Lord in his comming take into his owne company and fellowship them that loved and longed for his comming 2 Tim 4 8. where wicked men shall not come in the assembly of the righteous Psal 1 5. 2 Thess 1 9. but shall bee banished away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power After judgement is the Marriage betweene Christ and his servants who in this life stand espoused unto him by faith and truth and waite for the joyfull meeting after which they shall not be longing in love nor separate for a time but shall enjoy his blessed presence and company and as husband and spouse love and live together for ever Gods Saints acknowledge this for they finde the experience of sorrowes that they have in their spirituall love for they sigh and are burdened with sorrow 2 Cor 5.4 6. because they are absent from the Lord But at Christs comming they shall rejoyce and be glad crying with glory unto God The marriage of the Lambe is come Revel 19 7. his Spouse hath made her selfe ready Our union with Christ compared to a marriage Our everlasting remaining with Christ is compared to a marriage solemnizing First to teach us that then onely beginneth our perfect union with Christ when we are fully delivered from sinne and corruption and restored to righteousnesse and immortality In this life we are one with Christ and Christ with us but the tye of this union is faith and love whereby we desire none but him and hereafter are certaine to be joyned to none other but himselfe It is true that he who joyneth himselfe by love unto the Lord is one spirit with him 1 Cor 6 17. but at the marriage our union shall be such that we shall be declared to be members of his glorious body Ephes 5 30. flesh of his flesh bone of his bone Secondly to teach us if it were possible how great the bond of this union is neere is the conjunction of friendly love yet naturall love is a stricter bond which maketh us to account the flesh and blood of our kindred as if it were our owne But above all the love betweene man and wife must cause to relinquish and quite the society and company of all others that they may shew that all pleasure the world can give
the Lords deniall of all favour unto the damned after death and judgement And to make us assured of it he hath not spoken it onely without further confirmation but added an oath Verily I say unto you The word verily is often used by Christ in the Greeke it is Amen which Christ taketh to bee his owne name These things saith Amen Revel 3.14 the true and faithfull witnes for he is the way the truth and the life As if he had said as the truth is truth I say unto you and so having no greater to protest witnes and seale this doctrine with then himselfe Verbum confirmationis praemittitu magnum noveris esse quod sequitur Bern Declamat confirmeth it with his trueth Wheresoever this word is used in Scripture it sheweth a vehemency and earnestnes of the affection of him that speaketh and doth import some great consequence So that wheresoever it is pronounced by Christ it should be unto us as a marke vpon that Scripture to move us to consider the weight of it because hee would not have us negligent to heare that which he is so carefull to teach Now he saith verily to shew that as he is true this is the answer they may looke for I know you not If words were taken hold of and beleeved the Lord needeth not thus to add an oath for confirmation We will hardly beleeve any thing to hurt us and because we will never beleeve any thing that will hurt vs the Lord ingageth his truth that so it shal be if we labour not to make our acquaintaince with him in time and all this is to drawe us out of the snare of presumption that we passe not our life so idly Examples or according to our owne phantasie that we looke for favour after death when none is to be had How apt we are to conceive so appeareth by divers experiences the coÌ„mon voyce of the ignorant is This is the hope of Papists to be released out of Purgatorie by the prayers of the living that sure God will be mercifull unto all men and it were a sinfull conceite to thinke otherwise Others more grossely have laid it as a ground to all their hopes that when the paines of hell have taken hold on their soule that then others may knocke at the gates of blisse for them Theophilact in Math. 25.46 Setteth downe this errour of the Originians contrarie to Christs owne words and like to this is the Papists deliverance from Purgatorie both smelling of the Stoicks conceits of which Cicero Neither the soules in â—unc lo um nisi multis exagitati seculiâ— reveruntur in Som. Scip. and that after they regarded not to heare the Lord all their life time yet he will heare others for them and recall them for their torments they suffer And because errour hath no bridle to it nor end at which it doth determine even mercy hath been preached by some to be granted to the Divells and other damned Spirits after that the world doth end and they have suffered the torments of hell a little after So that all these onely give leave that men may leade what life they will or never expect to have or see heaven open whilst they are in this life and have occasion to have it open wherefore all these give no credit to this protestation that Christ maketh Verily I say unto you I know you not I knowe you not As Christ hath forewarned us in this Parable what part Reprobates shall haue in his favor The meaning and truth of the words so in other places he tells us that wheÌ„ the matter shall come to open triall in judgement when they shall claime familiaritie and acquaintance with Christ saying Lord Lord open to us Luk 13.25.26 and he shall answere and say I know you not then shall they say we haue eaten drunken in thy presence Math 7.22.23 and thou hast taught in our streetes By thy name we haue prophecyed and cast out Devils and done many workes Notwithstanding all this Theophilact in Math. 7.23 Christ will professe say unto them I never knewe you Neque tunc quando miracula faciebatis diligebam vos even then when you preached and did miracles in my name I loved you not by which appeareth the same is the truth of God for ever This concernes all that are in Gods imployments to consider for all that they doe if the Lord hate them or if he be preparing eternall wrath for them He makes wicked men to doe him good service Ioh. 6.70 Iudas preached saluation to others and ouercame the power of Sathan in them who was no better than a Diuell himselfe He calleth Nebuchadnezer his servant Ezech. 29.18 Esay 44.28 and Cyrus his Sheepheard and many other to doe him service whom he will protest in the great day that he never loved The words have a reason in themselves The foolish Virgins desire him to open heaven unto them his answere is I know you not according to the rest of this Parable for at solemne feasts they that desire entrance but ought not to be admitted the common answere is I know you not and therefore there is no reason I should open unto you Especially this is the reason of the uncharitable who being by the command of God to open their dores to strangers they doe no good except they know well to whom and to the poore and distressed they answer I know you not Even so shall their answer be from the Lord as they answered others and as they did good to none but whom they loved so the Lord will not heare them because he never loved them The meaning of the words I know you not is I will take no notice of you for as these that are promoted to honour when their olde acquaintance would claime interest in them The elect reprobate known to God but diverse wayes use to say I doe not know you So Iesus Christ in the great judgement when Reprobates would claime some interest in him shall say the like I know you not that is I will have no commerce nor fellowship with you August de verb. Dom Ser. 22. Quid est Nescio vos Est improbo vos reprobo vos What is I know you not It is I refuse you I cast you off The Lord knowes both the godly and reprobate but after diverse manners love is joyned with the knowledge of the one and hatred with the knowledge of the other Of the elect it is said The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Rom. 8.29 and Those that he had knowne before he elected to salvation And of the Iewes Rom. 10.2 that hee knew them before that is he loved them before and in this respect it is true that the Lord knoweth not wicked men for he loves them not But otherwise he knoweth all their thoughts and deedes happy were they if they knew themselves in some
and as we feare not him when we are to commit sinne so he will not favour us when we are to be punished at a day houre when we looked least for his comming 4. The Christian watchman must have good hands he must be couragious valiant 4 Good hands to fight as well as to watch without this valour he cannot be a watchman who must needs be a souldier Quid praescire juvat Sir Th Moore Epigram quae patiere tamen what boots to know the evills we needs must suffer All the servants of Christ must be valorous to resist sin Satan fight against thē so long as they live Gaine and glory are most powerfull to increase valour against sin Cic. Tusc quest lib. 1. Omnes incenduntur ad studia gloriâ Let us therefore set before us the high price of our calling and the voice of Christ saying To him that overcommeth will I give to sit upon a throne 2 Tim 2 5. and seeing no man is crowned except he fight as he ought let us search out sin in all the corners of soule and body and prosecute it with the terrour of the Almighty and fight against it with the word and command of God 5. Not troubled with worldly cares 2 Tim 2 4. The second part of our ability to watch consists in preparation which must 1. be of the soule that the mind be not troubled with the love care of this world No man saith St. Paul that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier much lesse he who is continually imployed both to watch and fight So Christ exhorts us in our watching and preparing for his coming Take heed to your selves Luke 21 34. lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with the cares of this life and lest that day come upon you at unawares He that hath his heart fixed on the cares of this life can have no heart to watch for another life neglecting this life which he loveth so well For though the world obtained cannot fil the heart nor content the desire of man yet the love desire care of it being not obtained doth so take up and fill the heart that he is in continuall heavines cannot think upon any thing but how to satisfie his desire Yea the love of the world is contrary to Christian watchfulnesse for it inlargeth our heart unto all lust and hath the object only fit to make us increase more and more in sinne St. Iohn by the same reason exhorts us to sequester our mindes from it 1 Iohn 2 15 Love not the world neither the things in the world for all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and pride of life Therefore wee must conclude a separation betweene our mindes and the transitory things of this world and make them a ladder upon which we may mount up to heaven Euseb Emiss de Ascen Dom. Ser. 1. sublimabunt nos si fuerint infra nos if they be under us not cared for they will mount us up to heaven and not burden us or make us heavie in mind or carelesse of the danger of sin sodainnes of death of which we are incontinual danger 2. Our bodies must be prepared for watching 6. No glutton nor drunkard with needful nourishment Old men because their strength failes them must as Iacob did get a staffe to rest on but in our nature there is such a weaknes that the youngest grow faint weak wither away as if they were blasted with old age if they be not supported with the staffe of bread An army of Sauls 1 Sam 14 31. that in pursuit of the enemy fasted one day was exceeding faint Ionathan though young and strong yet his eyes waxed dimme as if he had beene old Therefore they must be continually enabled by the use of the creatures by which the senses may be kept sound the spirits in continuall vigour But in this necessity there is an ensuing danger for nothing is more dangerous to a watchman than too much of meat drink because it makes him heavie sleepy that he can not watch Luke 21. So Christ exhorts us Take heed lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes because they are the causers of sleepinesse send up such abundance of fumes vapours to the brain which cooling doe so possesse the place and first instrument of feeling that the senses for the time are without any sense or feeling And they that use either gluttony or drunkennes become dull heavie senseles careles of their estate or honesty Of al men this becomes not him who would watch war against sin A man that cannot rule his appetite is as a Citty that hath no wall Prov. 25 28. because even the actions of them are the wrath of God punishment of former sinne abominable sins in themselves and a way made for the Divell to enter possesse the soule make them ready for any wickednesse that can be devised This is the way to betray Christianity and to fight against all grace and good motions and finally to laugh at the terrors of it make men go dancing through the causes of their mourning and with laughter to act the tragedy of their owne destruction 7 Furnished with armour 3. A watchman must have outward preparation We are safest when wee are fully appointed and armed it is dangerous to be a naked sentinell whose life is most aimed at St. Paul nameth the furniture to be a good and sincere conscience Eph. 6 14. a love to the Gospell assured faith in the mercifull promises of God knowledge understanding of Gods word perseverance in prayers supplications without this preparation it is in vaine to thinke that we can be able to resist in the evil day or to prevent any never so well known danger Being thus prepared and furnished to stand against sin Satan 8 Faithfull and diligent to watch for our Lords cōming there only remaines that the watchman be faithfull and diligent to foresee all dangers to give a true speedy notice of them In all the former conditions hypocrisie hath place in most men but in this hypocrisie is the direct enemie of our salvation the meanes by which multitudes are conveyed to hell who make shew to be in continual guard against all manner of wickednes to be as ever standing and knocking at the gate of heaven only to be so accounted of men but in their secret actions they labour to goe to hell without any knowledge or noyse of the world And seeing the heart of man is deceitfull above all things it stands every man upon it to search and examine his heart whether in his intents hee labour either to please the world or to puffe up himselfe with a conceit of sincere life or whether his eye be truly set upon the Lord the prise of glory This is onely the meanes to draw us from deceiving our selves and to prevent us that wee labour not in vaine To conclude all let us remember that death is certaine we must pleade no immunity the time of it is uncertaine we must not pleade security it comes hastily we must therefore be hasty in preparation this life is for preparation we must not plead inconveniency and warning is given us of all these things therefore no place remaines for ignorance Beloved you hear your charge you know your perill now choose if you will heare the counsell of Christ and his Apostles all giving the same voice of prevention the labour is theirs the profit is yours the glory whatsoever you doe appertaineth to God whose mercie is magnified in your salvation and whose justice is exalted by your destruction Draw neere therfore unto the Lord proclaime enmity to sinne if you cannot avoid all sin yet stand to the hatred of all frame your life as you desire eternally to be and your workes according as you would have them appeare and be rewarded in judgement expect that death shal ever knock at your dores remember that though we be unreadie yet death is ever ready the grave never out of season nor hell destruction ever satisfied It is long since eternall glorie was prepared for you hasten thither let your hearts be there remember the glorie of Christ and what it were to be made like unto him Call unto God to end your miseries to remove you to glorie and to be partakers with his Saints of the blessed presence of God and of our Redeemer and of the God of peace and love Now to him that is able to keepe you that you fall not Iude verse 24 25. and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with joy Even to God only wise our Saviour be glory and majesty and dominion power both now and ever Amen FINIS