The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

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,