The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

1. Beloved, I hope if you think not your Blood too dear for Christ, you will not think any love too much for Christ:¹ Yet because I would not have you aim at an uncertain mark, and shoot at a venture, I shall single out that love which I hope your own Consciences cannot but say is fit. And,

1. 1Answ.

1. I had thought to have sought for this from you, viz. Give the Lord Jesus but that love, no more love than thou hast given to thy lusts, the Lord will be contented with it, Rom. 6. 19. As ye have yielded, &c. so now; but that it may be you may think this love too base for him, yet give him but this, and the Lord would be contented with it, and accept of it; and those that shall not, it shall be their Torment in Hell to think of this word: Oh that I had given the Lord Jesus that love I gave to my base lusts, I had had him, and been in Heaven with him. But I wholly press a Second.

1. I had thought to have sought for this from you, viz. Give the Lord Jesus but that love, no more love than thou hast given to thy lusts, the Lord will be contented with it, Rom. 6. 19. As ye have yeilded, &c. so now; but that it may be you may think this love too base for him, yet give him but this, and the Lord would be contented with it, and accept of it; and those that shall not, it shall be their Torment in Hell to think of this word: Oh that I had given the Lord Jesus that love I gave to my base lusts, I had had him, and been in Heaven with him. But I wholly presse a Second.

2. Do but love him as he loveth thee, i. e. you cannot answer the greatness of his love, but do it for your measure: If you cannot pay him in pounds, yet pay him in pence, and this is fit for him: For 1. He is worthy of love, there is beauty in him why thou shouldest desire him; there is none in thee. 2. Thy love shall have a recompense, 2 Tim. 4. 8. he never can have recompense from thee.

2. Do but love him as he loveth thee, i. e. you cannot answer the greatnesse of his love, but do it for your measure: If you cannot pay him in pounds, yet pay him in pence, and this is fit for him: For 1. He is worthy of love, there is beauty in him why thou shouldest desire him; there is none in thee. 2. Thy love shall have a recompence, 2 Tim. 4. 8. he never can have recompence from thee.

Wherein appears the love of the Lord to me,¹ that so I may see how to manifest the like love to him?

1. 1Quest.

He hath loved thee more than himself, more than his own honour, for he made himself of no reputation,¹ Phil. 2. 7. more than his own comforts, he left the bosom of a Father, and bore the wrath of a Father for thee; more than his own life, he saw thy neck upon the block, and Gods Axe up to give the Bloody Fatal stroke; and he came in thy room, and loved thy life more than his own, lost his own before one hair of thy head should perish, though he knew thee a Traitor to God, and an enemy to himself, Rom. 5. 10. Rev. 1. 5, 6. if this be not thus, woe to thee living, woe to thee dying. What art thou but a sad spectacle hung up in thy chains in this world for Angels in Heaven to see and tremble at, and for Devils, Sins, and eternal Sorrows, like Fouls of Heaven to Prey upon. Now is it not fit that thou shouldst love him more than thy self? his honour more than thine, his consolations more than thine own, his Person more than thine own, nay more than thy life? Rev. 12. 11. I have known them whom the Lord hath revealed this love to, that have thought it too little to do, and hence have wished they had been born in those Times that they might have laid down their lives for him: Where is now this love? Doth not self-love swallow up all? Lord, what self-seeking, self-serving, self-minding, self-honouring, self-pleasing, and the Lord himself and his love forgot, as if there were no Christ, or in him no love.

He hath loved thee more than himself, more than his own honour, for he made himself of no reputation,¹ Phil. 2. 7. more than his own comforts, he left the bosom of a Father, and bore the wrath of a Father for thee; more than his own life, he saw thy neck upon the block, and Gods Axe up to give the Bloody Fatal stroke; and he came in thy room, and loved thy life more than his own, lost his own before one hair of thy head should perish, though he knew thee a Traytor to God, and an enemy to himself, Rom. 5. 10. Rev. 1. 5, 6. if this be not thus, woe to thee living, woe to thee dying. What art thou but a sad spectacle hung up in thy chains in this world for Angels in Heaven to see and tremble at, and for Devils, Sins, and eternal Sorrows, like Fouls of Heaven to Prey upon. Now is it not fit that thou shouldst love him more than thy self? his honour more than thine, his consolations more than thine own, his Person more than thine own, nay more than thy life? Rev. 12. 11. I have known them whom the Lord hath revealed this love to, that have thought it too little to do, and hence have wish'd they had been born in those Times that they might have laid down their lives for him: VVhere is now this love? Doth not self-love swallow up all? Lord, what self-seeking, self-serving, self-minding, self-honouring, self-pleasing, and the Lord himself and his love forgot, as if there were no Christ, or in him no love.

1. 1Answ.

2. He hath loved thee when he might have passed by thee, and loved others that might have won the Lord towards them (I speak after the manner of men) rather than thee; men of greater place, greater gifts and parts, greater pomp in the world, but Rom. 9. Jacob shall be loved, Esau hated: he hath passed by Kings with their Crowns, and now set his heart on thee a Babe, when wise ones know him not; foolish, when prudent ones see him not; weak, when strong and mighty receive him not. Yea, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 1. 28. Base things, and things which are not. God hath made thee nothing in thine own eyes. Behold his love, and now do the like for him. It may be sometime thy carnal eye sees more Glory in the creature, than in Christ; more in the honour of man, than in the honour of a Christ, &c. And hence mightest set thy heart on them ⟨p. 53⟩rather than on Christ, because strongly tempted so to do, and it may after some scourges be saved at last, yet pass by them, and set thy heart only on him. We judge of a Friend by the times of trial, and of a Christian, by a time of temptation. Now a Balaam, a Witch may not dare in time of temptation, to fall into it. Oh get one strain highe•, and go one step farther than a Witch, though I might let my heart loose after the world, I will not love it, the love of the Lord deserves it, the love of the Lord constrains me to give my love to him and not to the world, though I might hide it, and have pardon for it.

2. He hath loved thee when he might have passed by thee, and loved others that might have wone the Lord towards them (I speak after the manner of men) rather than thee; men of greater place, greater gifts and parts, greater pomp in the world, but Rom. 9. Iacob shall be loved, Esau hated: he hath passed by Kings with their Crowns, and now set his heart on thee a Babe, when wise ones know him not; foolish, when prudent ones see him not; weak, when strong and mighty receive him not. Yea, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 1. 28. Base things, and things which are not. God hath made thee nothing in thine own eies. Behold his love, and now do the like for him. It may be somtime thy carnal eye sees more Glory in the creature, than in Christ; more in the honour of man, than in the honour of a Christ, &c. And hence might'st set thy heart on them ⟨p. 53⟩rather than on Christ, because strongly tempted so to do, and it may after some scourges be saved at last, yet passe by them, and set thy heart only on him. We judge of a Friend by the times of triall, and of a Christian, by a time of temptation. Now a Balaam, a Witch may not dare in time of temptation, to fall into it. Oh get one strain highe•, and go one step farther than a Witch, though I might let my heart loose after the world, I will not love it, the love of the Lord deserves it, the love of the Lord constrains me to give my love to him and not to the world, though I might hide it, and have pardon for it.

3. He loves thee although thou wrongest him, Isa. 43. 22. to 26. when he is so wronged that he is ready to give thee up, yet Hos. 11. 8, 9. He is God and not man, nay, which is more wonderful, where sin there Grace abounds. Hence David makes this an Argument, Psal. 25. 11. Forgive because 'tis great. And hence Moses, Deut. 33. 9. Because 'tis a stiff-necked people. Oh therefore love him, though he smites thee, though he forsakes thee, wherein he may seem, but indeed doth no wrong to thee, but love thee; for chastisement is part of the portion of sons, not of Bastards, Heb. 12. 6, 8. But do as that woman when she came to the stake, gave away her clothes, some to one, some to another, Now farewell friends, and world, welcome Love, welcome Christ. So if the Lord comes to take away all from thee, the child of thy body, the husband of thy youth, the wife of thy bosom, the comforts of thy life, provisions from thy family, bread from thy mouth, bid farewell to them, give them into the Lords hands, and now say, welcome Christ. Its usual for Christians at first conversion and espousing, the Lord loves them dearly, and tenders them, shows nothing but love to them, and then their love is fresh; afterward come hard Frosts, and Winter-storms, and cold blasts of displeasure: Christ departs from the Soul, withdraws himself, hides his face, and sends sad afflictions; now the Soul apprehending anger, and nothing else, it grows discouraged, and so dies: when if it could stay and wait, it should see all from love, and doing it the greatest good. Oh remember this: he doth afflict me, he doth depart from me, he doth fear me with Hell, yet I'll love him never a whit the less: Though the Lord buries all the Blessings he gives me, yet my love shall live, and if it do fall it shall arise.

3. He loves thee although thou wrongest him, Isa. 43. 22. to 26. when he is so wronged that he is ready to give thee up, yet Hos. 11. 8, 9. He is God and not man, nay, which is more wonderful, where sin there Grace abounds. Hence David makes this an Argument, Psal. 25. 11. Forgive because 'tis great. And hence Moses, Deut. 33. 9. Because 'tis astiffnecked people. Oh therefore love him, though he smites thee, though he forsakes thee, wherein he may seem, but indeed doth no wrong to thee, but love thee; for chastisement is part of the portion of sons, not of Bastards, Heb. 12. 6, 8. But do as that woman when she came to the stake, gave away her cloaths, some to one, some to another, Now farewell friends, and world, welcome Love, welcome Christ. So if the Lord comes to take away all from thee, the child of thy body, the husband of thy youth, the wife of thy bosom, the comforts of thy life, provisions from thy family, bread from thy mouth, bid farewel to them, give them into the Lords hands, and now say, welcome Christ. Its usual for Christians at first conversion and espousing, the Lord loves them dearly, and tenders them, shews nothing but love to them, and then their love is fresh; afterward come hard Frosts, and Winter-storms, and cold blasts of displeasure: Christ departs from the Soul, withdraws himself, hides his face, and sends sad afflictions; now the Soul apprehending anger, and nothing else, it grows discouraged, and so dies: when if it could stay and wait, it should see all from love, and doing it the greatest good. Oh remember this: he doth afflict me, he doth depart from me, he doth fear me with Hell, yet I'le love him never a whit the lesse: Though the Lord buries all the Blessings he gives me, yet my love shall live, and if it do fall it shall arise.

4. He loved thee when in thy low estate, Psal. 136. 23. even when as no eye pitied thee, Ezek. 16. nay when thou wert vilest, at the height of thy sin, under deepest depths of misery, and straightest captivity, after Friends had almost ceased to counsel, Word and Spirit could do no good, after Conscience had warned thee. Oh love him when he is in his lowest estate, when his enemies persecute him, and his seeming Friends forsake him. Before you came to this Land, you thought Christ and persecution, Christ and the meanest condition, nay Christ and death would be sweet: the Lord it may be doth or will try your love; and here you find Christ and losses in Estate, Christ and crosses in your Family, Christ and many fears, and toils, and cares. Do you love him now as well as ever you did for all this? Oh never was my heart worse! I doubt not but a discerning Christian may see how all the world is against Christ, nay many Traitors in his own Family, who love the bag more than Christ. Many foolish Virgins who love their sleep and sloth more than Christ; nay the hearts and Spirits of his own Friends declining, that there is not that life of Christ, that presence, and savour, and power of Christ in Hearts, in Prayers, in Lives, and no complaints of this: Now is the fittest time of love, when no eye sees, when no heart loves him, or cares for him, Psalm 119. 126, 127. Therefore I love thy commands, when he is shut out of every heart, when none to receive him, if any love it will appear now.

4. He loved thee when in thy low estate, Psal. 136. 23. even when as no eye pittied thee, Ezek. 16. nay when thou wert vilest, at the height of thy sin, under deepest depths of misery, and straightest captivity, after Friends had almost ceased to counsel, Word and Spirit could do no good, after Conscience had warned thee. Oh love him when he is in his lowest estate, when his enemies persecute him, and his seeming Friends forsake him. Before you came to this Land, you thought Christ and persecution, Christ and the meanest condition, nay Christ and death would be sweet: the Lord it may be doth or will try your love; and here you find Christ and losses in Estate, Christ and crosses in your Family, Christ and many fears, and toils, and cares. Do you love him now as well as ever you did for all this? Oh never was my heart worse! I doubt not but a discerning Christian may see how all the world is against Christ, nay many Traytors in his own Family, who love the bagg more than Christ. Many foolish Virgins who love their sleep and sloth more than Christ; nay the hearts and Spirits of his own Friends declining, that there is not that life of Christ, that presence, and savour, and power of Christ in Hearts, in Prayers, in Lives, and no complaints of this: Now is the fittest time of love, when no eye sees, when no heart loves him, or cares for him, Psalm 119. 126, 127. Therefore I love thy commands, when he is shut out of every heart, when none to receive him, if any love it will appear now.

5. He doth love thee constantly every moment, John 13. 1. 2. He hath thee every moment in his own bosom, every moment thou art sinning, and he is pardoning. Sin, and Satan, and Hell, and wrath are every moment waiting to hurt ⟨p. 54⟩thee, and he is every moment watching over thee, redeeming of thee. Every moment sin and justice cry against thee, and yet he is continually making intercession for thee, Isai. 27. 2, 3. Every moment he is blessing when thou art sinning. Oh the unknown love of the Lord Jesus! Oh these fits of love are not fit for him. Love him every moment, delight in him every moment. When a man hath a fire every moment warming him, but still is cold, it's a sad sign that Death is near: You can love him sometimes in a Sermon, but soon after cold again, or in a Sacrament, and presently heart-dead again: or after answer to Prayers, and some special deliverances, and then the heart is un-affected again, and so a little pang of love must content Christ: if he ceaseth one moment to love thee, and to manifest it to thee, then cease to love him; if he ceaseth not to love thee dearly, never to leave thee, Oh then ever love him.

5. He doth love thee constantly every moment, Iohn 13. 1. 2. He hath thee every moment in his own bosom, every moment thou art sinning, and he is pardoning. Sin, and Satan, and Hell, and wrath are every moment waiting to hurt ⟨p. 54⟩thee, and he is every moment watching over thee, redeeming of thee. Every moment sin and justice cry against thee, and yet he is continually making intercession for thee, Isai. 27. 2, 3. Every moment he is blessing when thou art sinning. Oh the unknown love of the Lord Jesus! Oh these fits of love are not fit for him. Love him every moment, delight in him every moment. When a man hath a fire every moment warming him, but still is cold, it's a sad sign that Death is near: You can love him sometimes in a Sermon, but soon after cold again, or in a Sacrament, and presently heart-dead again: or after answer to Prayers, and some special deliverances, and then the heart is un-affected again, and so a little pang of love must content Christ: if he ceaseth one moment to love thee, and to manifest it to thee, then cease to love him; if he ceaseth not to love thee dearly, never to leave thee, Oh then ever love him.

But we have such distractions and cares?

Men in love will follow their work,¹ and Women will do the Housewifery of the house,² and yet love is at no time to seek to their Husbands, and shall the Lord have less?

Men in love will follow their work,¹ and Women will do the Huswifry of the house,² and yet love is at notime to seek to their Husbands, and shall the Lord have lesse?

1. 1Object.
2. 2Answ.

6. He loves thee with an unmeasurable love, Rom. 5. 20. Where sin, there Grace hath abounded: hence Eph. 2. 3, 4. Love, and great love, vers. 7. Exceeding riches of his Grace: For there is in Christ.

1. A created love. One man loves another exceedingly, as Jonathan did David. Now he hath the perfection of all humane or Angelical love towards his people put in him.

1. A created love. One man loves another exceedingly, as Ionathan did David. Now he hath the perfection of all humane or Angelical love towards his people put in him.

2. Increated love, infinite love of a God, and hence 'tis immeasurable. He thinks nothing he doth too much, nothing he gives too dear: hence when world is slain, Satan cast out, when he is out sin must out; when some sins removed, the rest must; when they are out, then death must; when Death, then Hell. And when there is no life, no Grace, he works it; it decays, he restores it; it cannot act, he quickens it; it cannot, doth not grow, he waters it. He hath given thee the earth, and the days of peace and patience; those are too little: he calls thee, and when thou canst not come, draws thee, and gives thee pardon: that is too little: he gives earth to thee, that is too little: (world is theirs) he gives Heaven to thee, that's too little (for they are made Co-heirs:) he gives promise to thee, that is too little: he gives himself, and Spirit, and can he do more? Yes, we cannot drink in all that goodness and love; hence he gives eternity to thee, and he shall more and more enlighten thee: not only let thy Soul live to bless him, but thy poor body, and every dust of it to be raised up to Glory with him. What the Lord promised to Abraham, In blessing I will bless, that portion is thine. Oh now love him without measure. Oh how I love thy law! how did David love it? I cannot tell; but if he loved the word of Christ, then much more the person of Christ, the presence of Christ, everlasting fellowship with Christ. Oh take heed of giving Christ, and measuring out unto Christ his portion, his allowance, that when the Lord comes to you for more love (as he doth daily) you give him that answer which many do in their practice, you have let him have as much as you can: so that you cannot spare any more from your selves, from a base world, from Wife, and Child, and Creature, from a slothful course: you hope the Lord will accept of that little he hath. I confess a little water in a Spring is better than much that comes by Land-floods, but be sure it be a Spring, else not accepted. Beloved, time was you lived without Christ, did nothing for him: now you do; and what thou dost this year, didst last year, and no more: what love Christ had yesterday, the same he hath to day and no more: Will you thus stint the Lord? Either do more, give more, or mourn you cannot: Oh one life, one heart is too little for him.

2. Increated love, infinite love of a God, and hence 'tis immeasurable. He thinks nothing he doth too much, nothing he gives too dear: hence when world is slain, Satan cast out, when he is out sin must out; when some sins removed, the rest must; when they are out, then death must; when Death, then Hell. And when there is no life, no Grace, he works it; it decaies, he restores it; it cannot act, he quickens it; it cannot, doth not grow, he waters it. He hath given thee the earth, and the dayes of peace and patience; those are too little: he calls thee, and when thou canst not come, draws thee, and gives thee pardon: that is too little: he gives earth to thee, that is too little: (world is theirs) he gives Heaven to thee, that's too little (for they are made Co-heirs:) he gives promise to thee, that is too little: he gives himself, and Spirit, and can he do more? Yes, we cannot drink in all that goodnesse and love; hence he gives eternity to thee, and he shall more and more enlighten thee: not only let thy Soul live to blesse him, but thy poor body, and every dust of it to be raised up to Glory with him. What the Lord promised to Abraham, In blessing I will blesse, that portion is thine. Oh now love him without measure. Oh how I love thy law! how did David love it? I cannot tell; but if he loved the word of Christ, then much more the person of Christ, the presence of Christ, everlasting fellowship with Christ. Oh take heed of giving Christ, and measuring out unto Christ his portion, his allowance, that when the Lord comes to you for more love (as he doth daily) you give him that answer which many do in their practice, you have let him have as much as you can: so that you cannot spare any more from your selves, from a base world, from Wife, and Child, and Creature, from a slothful course: you hope the Lord will accept of that little he hath. I confesse a little water in a Spring is better than much that comes by Land-floods, but be sure it be a Spring, else not accepted. Beloved, time was you lived without Christ, did nothing for him: now you do; and what thou dost this year, did'st last year, and no more: what love Christ had yesterday, the same he hath to day and no more: Will you thus stint the Lord? Either do more, give more, or mourn you cannot: Oh one life, one heart is too little for him.

It hath put me to sad fears of many mens estates to see this frame, a world of sin without measure every day: where is the Christian that loves the Lord the more every day? how can any then say much is forgiven, when they do not love much.