OF THK AT PRINCETON, N. J. a-> « ::!v --vTi t» o i*- SAMUEL AGNEW, or PHILADELPHIA, PA. | jjj Case^ Divismri.. . Shelf, M Book,- c^=i>G - ^.i^c c -^^^^ eti^^s 6<^^e 6<^^>o ^ 1^ BX 5207 .K56 K53 Knollys, Hanserd, 1599?- 1691. The life and death of that old disciple of Jesus LIFE AND DEATH OF THAT OLD DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, AND EMINENT MINISTER OF THE flrbsPEL, MR. HANSERD KNOLLYS, WHO DIED IN THE NINETY-THIRD YEAR OF HIS AGE, WRITTEN WITH HIS OWN HAND TO THE YEAR 1672, ANR CONTINUED IN GENERAL, IN AN EPISTLE BY MR. WILLIAM KIFFIN. TO WHICH IS ADDED EI8 * LJST LEGACY TO THE CHURCH. k ark the perfect, and behold the upright ; for the end of that aan is peace. Psal. xxxvii. 37. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY E. HUNTINGTON, HIGH STREET, BLOOMSBURYJ 1812. Print«A by W. SMITH aad Co. Klug Street, Seven Diah. I EPISTLE TO THE READER. IT was the special charge God gave to his people of old, that the many signal providences and mercies that they had received from him, should by them be recorded and left to their children's children, to the end that the memorial of his goodness might cause them to love and fear his name; and therefore they are required to bless the Lord from the fountain of Israel, from the very beginning of all his favours towards them. It is no small favour the servants of God are made partakers of, that his people of old have left so many testimonies of the gracious goodness and providences of God towards them; being a means to strengthen the faith of his people, in a de- pendency upon him, in all those variety of dispensations that do attend them in this A 2 4 world : that whatever troubles they meet withal in this life, they may know that God deals no otherwise with them than he hath done to those that formerly have feared his name ; and may be comforted with the same comforts and supports which his servants formerly have received from God. f The Author of these ensuing experiences was that ancient and faithful servant of God, Mr. Hanserd Knollys, who departed this life in the ninety-third year of his age, having been employed in the works and service of Christ, as a faithful minister, for above sixty years; in which time he laboured without fainting under all the discourage- ments that attended him, being contented in all conditions, though never so poor in this world ; under all persecutions and suffer- ings, so he might therein serve his blessed Lord and Saviour. I have myself known him for above fifty-four years, and can witness to the truth of many things left by him under his own hand. It is a great pity that the last twenty years of his life cannot be found amongst his writings, M'hich to the 5 knowledge of many were attended with the same safterings as formerly, and with the same holy behaviour under them. He was in that time a prisoner in the New Prison for the truth's sake many months, where with great cheerfulness he remained, com- forting and encouraging all that came to visit him with many blessed exhortations to cleave to the Lord; none were sent empty away, without some spiritual instructions; and many of his fellow-prisoners vrere greatly strengthened and comforted by that heavenly counsel that dropped from his lips, spending much of his time there in prayer and study of the word of God, daily preach- ing to them the things that concern the king- dom of God. He was. chosen an Elder to a congregation in London, with whom he laboured for near fifty years, under many difficulties that at- tended him ; but neither the poverty of the church, nor the persecutions that he en- dured, were any temptation to him to neg- lect his duty towards them, but was willing to be poor with them in their poverty, and 6 to suffei' with them in their sufferings. He was willing to labour for his own, and his family's bread, bv keeping a school, when the church were not able t© supply his wants, although he wanted not opportunities to have advanced liimself in the world if he would have accepted of them ; but like a faithful Pastor he chose rather to be poor and suffer affliction, than to leave the duty and work he was called unto, until he arrived to the age of above ninety years. When he found weaknesses attend him, his love and affection to that poor church was such, that he was daily exercising his thoughts to find an able minister for them in his room; de- claring to several of his friends, what great satisfaction it would be to him to see one set- stled amongst them; and that he would be willing to part with something of that little which he had, (if there was need,) for his maintenance from the church, towards his support : and it pleased God to provide one for them, to their great satisfaction and re- joicing. So great was his natural affection and tender care for his daughter and grand- 7 children, who he knew were like to come to some distress, that he did accordlDgly at that great age again undertake the teaching of a school, that he might do to the uttermost of his ability to provide for them. And having finished his work, he fell asleep in the I^ord, September 19, 1691. That these experiences may be of use to all those that read the same, is the, desire and prayer of Thine in the Lord, WILLIAM KIFFIN THE LIFE AND DEATH OF Mr. HANSERD KNOLLYS. I, Hanserb Knollys, was born at Cawkwell, near Louth, in Lincolnshire^ and was removed thence with my parents to Scarthe,near Market Grimsby, in the same County. About the sixth year of my age, I fell into a great pond, and was preserved from being drowned by the water bearing up my clothes, till my father came, leaped in, and pulled me out. About the tenth year of my age, I having construed the thirty-fifth chapter of Jeremiah in my latin bible to my father, he took occasion to dis- 9 suade me from the love and use of strong drink, and said he would give me twenty pounds if I would drink water, but withal told me he would not have me do it to the prejudice of my health; and charged me to make no vow to God so to do, for I did not understand how sacred a thing a vow is, and how it binds the soul, and that it would be sin not to perform my vow : whereupon I drank water eleven years, and never in all that time drank any wine or strong drink. About that time my father kept a tutor in his house to teach me and my brother, who was a godly and conscientious young man; he gave us good instructions for our souls, and convinced us of the sin of sabbath- breaking, and of disobedience to our parents. After my father liad preferred our tutor to a place of greater profit, we went a little while to Grimsby free school, till my father got another tutor for us into his house : and one day going to the free school, we fell out and fought; upon which I was much con- vinced that w e had sinned against God, and against our father, who had often told us A 3 10 we were brethren, and ought not to fall out by the way: and I said, * Brother, we have sinned, come let us be friends, and pray God to pardon this and other our sins;* whereupon we both kneeled down upon the ploughed land, and I prayed, wept, and made supplication to God as well as I could, and found so great assistance from God at that time, that I never used any set form of prayer afterwards ; which done we both kissed each other, and went to school. Afterwards I went to Cambridge, and there a godly minister preached on liosea iv. 17 ; his doctrine was, that the joining to sin by often committing it after conviction of conscience for it, did provoke God to give over many to the power of their cor- ruptions, and let them alone to die in their sins. I was thereby convinced that it was my case, for I had oftentimes broken the sabbath after conviction, and I had disobeyed my parents, and had often told untruths. The same Lord's day at night, another godly minister preached at five o'clock upon Ephes. ii. 3 ; and thereby I was much 11 more convinced of my sinful condition, and that I was a child of wrath, without Christ, and grace, &c. which work of eonyiction re- mained strongly upon me above one year ; under which I was filled with great horror, and fears of hell, sore buffettings and tempt- ations of the devil, and made to possess the sins of my youth : but yet I prayed daily, heard all the godly ministers I could, read and searched the holy scriptures, read good books, got acquainted with gracious chris- tians then called Puritans, kept several days of fasting and prayer alone, wherein I did humble my soul for my sins, and begged pardon and grace of God for Christ's sake; grew strict in performing holy duties and in reformation of my own life, examining my- self every night, confessing my sins and mourning for them, and had a gTeat zeal for God, and an indignation against actual sins, both committed by myself and others. Qjuue 29, 162f>, I was ordained Deacon, and the next day, I was also ordained Pres- byter by the Bishop of Peterborough, having preached above sixteen sermons before I 12 would be ordained, by way of trial of my ability for that great work of the ministry. After my ordination the Bishop of Lincoln gave me a small living at Humberstone, where I preached twice every Lord's day, and onee every holy-day^ That which made me strict and laborious in preaching was partly the work of conviction upon my con- science, but more especially a providential acquaintance that I had gotten with a very godly old widow in Gainsborough, where I taught the free school before I came to Humberstone, who told me of one called a Erownist, who used to pray and expound scriptures in his family, whom I went some- times to hear, and with whom I had con- ference and very good counsel. Whilst I was at Humberstone, there lived a very re- ligious widow, who falling sick sent for me, and charged me that I would not depart her house in the day-time until she ended or mended, least satan should tempt her above her strength. The Doctor of physic had given her over, some godly ministers, friends and relations did take leave of her as a dying 13 woman. She received nothing- for several days but a little julep, which was put in her mouth with a spoon and ran most of it out again, laying* speechless two or three days, her family mourning over her, and expect- ing her death every hour. I had brought some of my books to her house, and was studying- her funeral sermon, and when I had almost finished the same the devil set upon me with a violent suggestion. That the scriptures are not the word of God. He had suggested this temptation to me divers times before, but prevailed not; now the tempter assaulted me with this argument : whatever you ask in the name of Christ, God will do it, but that scripture was not true ; and if I would put it now upon trial I should find it not to be true, for if I would ask the woman^s life in the name of Christ, God will not grant it, and thereby I should know the scriptures were not true ; nor are they the word of God, for his word is true. To which I answered, * Satan, thou art a liar, a deceiver, and a false accuser. The holy scriptures are the word of God, and the scriptures of truth ; 14 -and seeing' thou hast often tempted me in this kind, and now dost assault me again, that I may for ever silence thee thou wicked and lying" devil, I will trust in God, and act faith in the name of Christ in that very word of his truth which thou hast now sug- gested. I will leave my study, and go and pray for her^ and believe that God will hear my prayers tlirough the intercession of Jesus Christ, and restore her life and health, that thou may est Ije found a liar:* whereupon I went into the parlour where she lay speech- less, without any visible motion, or use of any senses ; and having locked the door, (candles being in the room,) I kneeled down by her bed-side and prayed above half an hour, using my voice, and then she began to stir, toss, and struggle so much that I was constrained to stand up, and holding her in her bed still prayed over her. Satan then gave me a great interruption, and sug- gested to me she was dying, and these were the pangs of death upon her; I, notwith- standing this assault of the devil, was as- tsisted by the Holy Spirit to pray and believe 15 still, and in a short time she lay very quietly, and I kneeled down again and prayed fer- vently ; and within half an hour, whilst 1 was yet praying, she said, ' The Lord hath healed me; I am restored to health/ Then I returned praises to God, in which she joined with me, lifting up her eyes and hands, still saying, * I am healed.' 1 rose up from my knees, and asked her how she did ; * O Sir,' said she, ' God hath heard your pra} ers, and hath made me whole. Blessed be his holy name.' Then I unlocked the door, and some of her kinsfolks and servants being at the door came in and asked me if she were dead, to whom I answered. No, Then they asked me how she did, I bade them go to her and ask herself. They re- plied, she had been speechless four days, I told them she could speak now ; and as soon as thev came to her bed-side she lifted up herself and said, * I am well, the Lord hath heard prayer and healed me, I am very weak and sore in my bones, but I am in health. 1 pray you give me something to eat:' and as soon as they brought her some broth. 16 vshe sat up and eat it, and took some of her julep ; and from that time received strength, and the next day she did rise and walked with a staff: which being heard of, many godly ministers and christians came to visit her, and to know the truth of what was told them touching her recovery. I told them it was not any thing in me, but it was the Lord that had done it for his own glory, and to silence satan, who was never suffered to tempt me in that kind afterwards; God bruised satan under my feet, and my Lord Jesus Christ made a conquest of him, and gave me the victory, and helped me to give him the glory of it. The next year after this I married a wife, with whom I lived forty years, (by whom I had issue seven sons and three daughters,) who was a holy, discreet woman, and a meet help for me in the ways of her house- hold, and also in the way of holiness; who was my companion in all my sufferings, travels, and hardships, that I endured for the gospel. She departed this life April 30, 1671, in full assurance of eternal life and salvation. V 17 Presently after 1 was married I was con- vinced of some things about the worship of God, (which I had conformed unto,) to be sinful ; to wit, the surplice, the cross in bap- tism, and admitting wicked persons to the Lord's supper, whereupon I resigned my living to the Bishop, who offered me a better living: I told him I could not conform any longer, and w ould do nothing but preach, which he connived at for two or three years. Shortly after I was convinced that my ordi- nation received from the Bishop was not right ; and though I had preached for some years by virtue of that ordination, I had not received any seal from Christ of my ministry ; for though many had been reformed and moralized, yet 1 knew not that I had been instrumental to convert any souls to God : and thereupon I renounced that ordination, and silenced myself, resolving not to preach any more, until I had a clear call and com- mission from Christ to preach the gospel. To that end and purpose I gave myself to prayer, day and night, for several w eeks to- gether; and at last being at prayer in a wood 18 at Anderby in Lincolnshire, where I had preached before, and prayed with loud cries and tears that Christ would count me worthy, and put me into the ministry, and shew me how to glorify God in the ministry ; and though I was much melted and en- larged in prayer at that time, yet I had no answer from the Lord. After prayer I walked and meditated under the wood-side till sunset, and then went homeward, re- solved not to preach till the Lord made my call to that great work of preaching the gospel clear to me. As I was going home, an answer to my prayers was given me in these words, ' Go to Mr. Wheelwright, and he shall tell thee, and shew thee how to glorify God in the ministry ;' but I heard no voice, nor did I see any vision, only those words were plainly and articulately spoken into my ears and understanding : at which I was astonished and said, * Lord let me not be deluded nor deceived then was brought to my mind that passage of Cornelius send- ing to Peter, who should tell him what he ought to do ; whereupon I was fully per- 19 siiaded it was an ans^ver to my prayers from the Lord, and I was filled with such joy, that I went on my way rejoicing, leaping and praising God. The next morning going to seek out Mr. Wheelwright, who was a silenced minister, whom I had heard of by some christians, that he had been instm- mental to convert many souls, but I knew bim not, nor did 1 know where he w as, yet I was resolved to find him out, for I had heard that he was near Lincoln, about twenty -five miles from me, where he lived privately. As I was getting up on horse- back, one of my neighbours coming by asked me whither I was riding, to whom I said I did not certainly know, I was going to Mr. Wheelwright, who was as I heard about Lincoln. * No,' said he, * Mr. Wheelwright and his family came to dwell at a village which is but three miles from my house, for,' said he, ' I saw him come 1 hither but three nights since, with his family and household goods, in a coach and a waggon.' Thither I rode presently, and found it so ; and I told Mr. Wheelwright that yesternight I was 20 praying as before, and was sent unto him by the Lord, &c. After he had asked me many things aboutthe work of God upon my soul, and I had told him, he said I could not glo- rify God neither in the ministry, nor in any other way or work, for I was building my soul upon a covenant of works, and was a stranger to the covenant of grace: at which I was startled, troubled, and somewhat amazed, but I told him I was assured God had sent me to him, and by his mouth I should be instructed how to glorify God in the ministry of the gospel; and I did ear- nestly intreat and beseech him to apply him- self to give me his counsel and directions touching that matter. Then Mr. Wheelwright opened to me the nature of the covenant of free grace, which I confessed to him I was a stranger to in a great measure, having been only under legal convictions and a spirit of bondage; and though I had some discoveries of my want of Christ, yet I had sought righteousness as it were by the works of the law, and got my peace by performing duties, and rested on 21 them. Mr. Wheelwright desired me to con- sider what he had said to me, and to come to him two or three days after ; so I left him at that time, and went home exceeding sor- rowful about my soul's condition : but I g'ave myself to prayer, and begged of God to teach me the covenant of grace, and to that end I searched the scriptures ; and I heard one Mr. How preach upon Gal. ii. 20. " 1 live by the faith of the Son of God whereby I saw that I had lived a life of works, and not of faith. Then I began to see a necessity of believing in Christ for pardon and salvation; and hearinof the minister sav that Christ was the author, root, and only foundation of saving faith, and that God did give the faith of evidence, Heb. xi. 1, in some new cove- nant promise, Gal. iii. 14; and that those pro- mises were given of God, 2 Pet. i. 4; I prayed that night, and next moming, and in the night season, that God would give me such a promise. The next day I locked myself in the church, and in the chancel, or choir so called, I prayed very earnestly, mourning and bemoaning myself and my 22 sours condition, fearing, and with great brokenness of spirit and many tears expres- sed my fears, that God would leave me and forsake me, and then I should utterly perish for ever. At this time that promise, " I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," was given me, which promise stopped me a little in prayer, and I brake forth into this kind of expostulation with God, saying, ' Lord who am I ! I am a vile sinful sinner, the chief of sinners, most unworthy of pardon and salvation ! How, Lord ! never leave thee nor forsake thee? Oh, infinite mercy ! Oh free grace ! who am I ? I have been a graceless soul, a formal professor, a legal performer of holy duties, and have gone about to establish mine own righteousness, which I now see is but filthy rags,' &c. Then God gave me those two promises, Isai. xliii. 22. 25 ; and Isai. liv. 9. 10; " Bat thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt- offerings, neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee 23 to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices : but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy trans- gressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." " For this is as the waters of Noah unto me ; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth ; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall de- part, and the hills be removed, but my kind- ness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee the ap- plication of which promises filled my soul with joy and peace in believing, so that I brake forth into praises and thanksgiving. The next day I went again to Mr. Wheel- right, and told him what God had done for my soul, who said unto me, * Now you are somewhat prepared to preach Jesus Christ 24 and the gospel of free grace to others, having been taught it of God, and having heard and learned Jesus Christ yourself;* and he ad- vised me to wait still upon God in prayer, and Christ would appear again to me by his Holy Spirit in his word, and shew me and teach me how to preach. I went home again, and continued in prayer; and one day begging earnesiiy of God that if he had designed me to that great work of preaching the gospel, that then he would give me some testimony out of his holy word of his calling me thereunto, whereupon these words were spoken by his Spirit to my heart ; *^ I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of those things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;'* Acts xvi. 26. whence I believed that now I had received a call and commission from my Lord Jesus Christ to preach the gospel of his free grace ; and I blessed God, and expected a further appearance of Jesus Christ unto me. That night in my sleep Christ put into my mind,'that the next 25 Lord's day I should preach on Rom.viii. 1. ; " There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, bat after the Spirit and he dictated to me in my sleep, what doctrine I should preach from that text. The next day I went and told all this to Mr. Wheelright, who said, * Now my be- loved Brother and fellow-labourer in the gos- pel of the grace of God, Christ hath given you authority, a call and a commission to preach : I pray you be humble and holy, and delay not to do your master's work,' or words to that effect. That night in my sleep the Lord taught me more, and the third night also ; and I retained it all in my memory, and writ it down, and searched the scrip- tures which I received in my sleep for the confirmation of mv doctrine : and the next day, being the Lord*s day, I preached that which I had received from t' e Lord, and God made it useful and powerful to con- version as appeared to me afterwards. Thus I was night by night taught of God to preach the doctrine of free grace, according B 26 to the tenor of the new and everlastinar covenant, for three or four years together ; whereby very many sinners were converted, and many believers were established in the faitli. In which three or four years space I preached in three several places, at An- derby, at Fulleby on the Hill, and at Wain- fleet, where I was silenced, and from thence removed to London, and thence to New England with my wife and child. About the year 1636, I was persecuted, and prosecuted in the High Commission j Court, by virtue of a warrant wherewith I I was apprehended in Boston, and kept a pri- |soner in the man*s house who served the I warrant upon me ; but God helped me to 1 convince him, and he was so greatly terri- ^ed in his conscience that he set open his doors, and let me go away.) Before I quitted my native country, I tarried so long in London, that when I went aboard, I had but six brass farthings left, and no silver nor gold, only my wife had five pounds that I knew not of, which she gave me when we came there. By the way my little child 27 died with convulsion fits, our beer and water stank, our biscuit was green, yellow, and blue, moulded and rotten, and our cheese also; so that we suffered much hardship, being twelve weeks on our passage; but God v/as oracious to us and led us safe through those great deeps, and ere we went on shore came one and enquired for me, and told me a friend that was gone from Boston to Rhode Island had left me his house to sojourn in ; to which we went and two fa- milies more with us, who went suddenly to their friends and other relations in the coun- try; and I being poor was necessitated to work daily with my hoe, for the space of almost three weeks. Magistrates were told by the ministers that I was an Anti- \ nomian, and desired they would not suffer me to abide in their district : but within the time limited by their law in that case, two strangers coming to Boston from Piscattuah, hearing of me by a mere accident, got me to go Avith them to that plantation, and to preach there, where I remained about four years.^HBeing sent for back to England by X B 2 28 my aged father, I retarned with my wife, and one -child about three years old, and she was then great with another we came safe to London on the 24th of December, 1841 ; in which year the massacre in Ireland broke forth, and the next year wars in England between King and Parliament/^ I was still poor and sojourned in a lodging till I had but sixpence left, and kn«w not how to pro- vide for my wife and cliild ; but having prayed to God, and encouraged my wife to trust in God, and to remember former experiences, and especially that word of promise God had given us and would per- form to us, Heb. xiii. 5 ; having paid for my lodging I went out, not knowing whither God's sfood hand of nrovidence would lead c5 J- me, to receive something towards my present subsistence. About seven or eight doors from my lodging a woman met me in the street, and told me she came to seek me, and her husband sent her to tell me that there was a lodging provided and prepared in his house, by some christian friends, for me and my wife. I told her my present con- 29 flition, and went along- with her to her house, and there slie gave nie twenty shillings, which Dr. Bastwick, a late sufferer, had given her for me, and some linens for my wife, which I received, and told her and her husband I would fetch my wife and child and lodge there. So I returned with great jov, and my wife was very much affected with this mercy and divine providence, being so suitable and seasonable a supply unto us ; and she said, * Oh dear husband, how sweet it is to live by faith, and trust God upon his bare word ; let us rely upoa him whilst we live, and trust him in all straits with many such like expressions. After we had returned praises to God we went to our new lodging, where we found all things necessary provided for us, and all charges paid for fifteen weeks ; and my wdfe, being bruised much on shipboard, ♦ had sore labour, and lay under great weak- ness above ten weeks : all which time two Doctors, an Apothecary and a Surgeon, did daily attend her, and administered unto her freely without any money ; and at the 80 end of sixteen weeks we had seven pounds that was given us by some christian friends. I had spoken to some of those friends to g'et me some scholars, and I would provide me a convenient place to teach school ; for I had rather work for my bread than be maintained by the charity of good christians. One morning came a friend and told me a school-master on Great Tower Hill died last night, and if I would come presently I might probably get some of his scholars ; so I went and got three or four scholars that day. My school was very much enlarged, and I continued there till I was chosen Master of Mary-Axe free school, whither I carried sixty scholars from Great Tower Hill ; and within one year I had above one hundred and forty scholars, and sixteen boarders. This free school, and all the benefits thereof, I left to go into the Parlia- ment's army, and preached freely to the common soldiers; until I perceived the Commanders sought their own things, more than the cause of God and his people, break- ing their vows and solemn engagements; 31 whereupon I left the army, and came to London again. Shortly after, the Com* mittee foi* plundered ministers sent their warrant to the then keeper in Ely House to apprehend me, and bring" me in safe custody before them ; who took me out of my house, carried me to Ely House, and there kept me prisoner sevtiral days without any bail, and at last carried me before the Committee ; who asked me several questions, to which I gave them sober and direct answers. Among others, the Chairman, Mr, White, asked me who gave me authority to preach,! told him, the Lord Jesus Christ ; then he asked me if I were a minister, I answered, I was made a priest by the prelate of Peterborough, but I had renounced that ordination, and I did here again renounce the same. Tliey asked me by what authority I preached in Bow Church, I told them after I had refused the desire of the then church- wardens three times, one day after another, their want of supply and earnestness prevailed w^ith me, and I went thither; they opened the pulpit door and I went up and preached upon Isai. S2 Iviii ; and gave them such an account of that sermon, (thirty ministers of the Assembly of Divines, then so called, being present,) that they could not giiinsay, but bade me with- draw, and said nothing unto me : nor would my gaoler take any charge of me, for the Committee had called for him and did chide him, and threaten to turn him out of his place, for keeping me prisoner so many days ; so I went away without any blame, or paying of any fees. Not long after I was brought before the Committee of Examina- tions, being accused to them that I occa- sioned great disturbance to ministers and people in Suffolk; which I gave so good and satisfactory an account of to them, that upon their report thereof to the House of Commons, they ordered, that I might preach in any part of Suffolk, when the minister of that place did not preach. This was all the satisfaction I reaped for the charge of sixty pounds which tliat trouble cost me, to clear my innocence, and the honour of the gospel ; which expense I put upon Christ's score ; for whose gospel, and preaching Jesus 33 Christ from that text, Col. iii. 11; " But Christ is all, and in all/* I was stoned out of the pulpit; prosecuted at a privy Ses- sions ; fetched out of the country sixty miles up to London ; and was constrained to bring up four or five witnesses of good repute and credit, to prove and vindicate myself from false accusations. Some time after that I was summoned before a Committee in the chamber, (called the Queen's Court,) at Westminster, whereof Mr. Leigh was Chairman, for preaching without holy orders. (To which I answered, that I was in holy orHers : some of the Committee told the Chairman I had renounced my or- dination by the Bishop, in the Committee for plundered ministers ; I confessed that I did so, but that I was ordained since in a ^ church of God, according to the order of the gospel of Christ ; the manner whereof I then declared to the Committee before Mr. Nye, and other ministers there present.^ At last the Committee, by their Chairman,! / commanded me to preach no more; I told] them I would preach the gospel, both pub- ' B 3 34 lickly and from house to house ; for it was more equal to obey Christ who had com- manded me, than them who forbid me : and so I went away, and ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I was then pastor to a church which I had gathered two or three years before, in the year 1645, with whom I have walked ever since ; except that I was absent from them sometimes upon just occasions and with their leave, or forced from them by violent persecution. \ My chiefest means of liveli- hood hath been by teaching school, wherein God was pleased to make me serviceable in my generation; to communicate liberally to the poor of the church, and to strangers that stood in need ; and plentifully to pro- vide all things necessary and convenient for my wife and children, through God's bles- sing upon my honest labours. I received from the church always according to their ability, most of the members of the church being poor ; but I coveted no man's gold , nor silver, but chose rather to labour, know- ings, " It is more blessed to give than to re- 35 ceive:" nor did I neglect the whole of my duty as a pastor, but preached two or three times in the week, and visited the members of the church from house to house, especially when they were sick. During- twenty-five years now past, the church hath continued in the Apostles doctrine, fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayer ; without division and separation of any part thereof, or party therein : though some few particular mem- bers, being led away by some error in their judgment, have forsaken the assem- bling of themselves with the church as the manner of some is, and was in the Apostles time. In the year 1660, upon Venner's rising, and others that with him made an insurrection in the city of London, myself and many other godly and peaceable persons, were taken out of their own dwel- ling houses, and brought to Wood-street Compter; and many to Newgate and other prisons, though we were innocent, and knew not of their design : which time I suffered imprisonment eighteen weeks, till we were delivered by an act of pardon upon the 36 King*s coronation, unto all oltenders, except murderers. We were above four hundred prisoners kept all this time in Newgate, because we refused to take the oaths of al- legiance and supremacy. After I was set at liberty out of prison, I went to Holland, and thence up into Germany, with my wife and two of my children, where we sojourned about two or three yearS ; and in my absence, one Colonel Legge, a Bed-chamber man, and Lieutenant of the Ordnance, charged me in the Court of Exchequer for keeping a house and ground from the King; against whom T stood suit by my Attorney. But when Col. Legge could not get my house from me by law, he and some others brought a troop of soldiers, and took it by force ; thrust out those persons T had left in posses- sion, and kept possession by soldiers, both of my house, garden, and goods, which had cost me above 7001. purchase. This estate I bought of the Artillery Company of Lon- don, to whom I paid 3001. and laid out 4001. more in building upon the ground ; the whole of which I had paid for. I had at 37 the same time 2001. in Weaver s Hall, which was given away to the King, among many greater sums of other men's money. I spent above 1501. more in Holland and Germany ; and when I had spent all that, I was forced to sell all my goods there, to bring me to England again : in which return I met with two remarkable acts of providence towards me, my wife, and two children. I had agreed with a Skipper at Cullen in Germany to carry me and my family to Rotterdam, for a sum of money, and he was to pay all the tolls and licences ; which he did at two or three places until we came where we were stran gers, and then he made me pay licences at two places ; and at a place called Rurote, upon the river Rhine, he made me pay both toll and licence, and kept me there two or three days at great charges. My wife sit- ting down very sad in a harbour or victual- ling-house, came in a gentleman, and ob- serving of her asked me what the gentle- woman ailed, I told him she was my wife; and he understanding the latin tongue, asked me what the matter was ; I told him all my 38 case and what my troubles were. ' Well/ said he, * if you be a son of Abraham, God will deliver you/ so he went into his cham- ber, and sent for the skipper and toll-masters, and caused him to produce our agreement; and understanding how he had wronged me, (he being lord and chief over the toll-masters there,) he commanded them to take our goods from him, and to hire us another skipper to carry us and our goods to Rotter- dam; he also made the skipper that had done me wrong, to return me so much as I had paid for licences all the way thither. After we were come to Rotterdam, and my wife and son and daughter were gone to England, God made two catholics in Cullen, instrumental to prevail with the Prince Dewit, to send me, by a bill of exchange, 160 Rix Dollars for a house that I had built in his country, and could not sell ; which money I received at Rotterdam, and then came over to England myself, and came to my wife and children, whom I found at a friend's house in London. Again I set upon teaching school, and by God's blessing upon 39 my honest labours, have provided things honest, necessary, and convenient for my family. To my eldest son I had given sixty pounds per annum, during his life, v^^hich he enjoyed above twenty-one years, ere he died. To my next son, that lived to be married, I gave the full value of 2501. in money, house, school, and household goods, and left him fifty scholars in his school- house. To my only daughter then living, I gave upon her marriage, above ^OOl. in money, annuity, plate, linen, and household stuff; and left her husband fifty scholars in the said school-house, in partnership with my said son. To my youngest son, that lived to be married, I gave more than 3001. sterling; besides it cost me above sixty pounds in his apprenticeship, and forty pounds afterwards. Thus my heavenly Father made up my former losses, with his future blessings, even in outward substance; besides a good in- crease of grace and experience, in the space of forty years, that- 1 and my dear faithful wife lived together. We removed several 40 t imes with our whole family ; whereof once from Lincolnshire to London, and from Lon- don to New England. Once from England into Wal'es^ twice from London into Lin- colnshire; once from London to Holland, and from thence into Germany, and thence to Rotterdam, and thence to London again. In these removings I gained great expe- riences of God's faithfulness, goodness, and truth, in his great and precious promises; and I have gained some experience of my own heart's deceitfulness, and the power of my own corruptions; the reigning power of Christ, and his captivating and suhduing my sins ; making conquests of the devil, world, and sin, and then giving me the victory, and causing me to triumph, and to bless his most holy name. Three things made my latter sufferings very easy to be endured ; 1, The former straits and hardships which I had undergone with patience. 2, The present lively acts and exercise of grace, especially fiiith and hope, under those latter and greater trials. 3, The light of God's countenance, and the full assurance of his 41 love, and of eternal life. I would not want those experiences and teachings that my soul hath enjoyed, for all that ever I suf- fered. My wilderness-mercies, sea-mercies, city- mercies, and prison-mercies, afforded me very many and strong* consolations. The spiritual sights of the glory of God, the divine sweetness of the spiritual and provi- dential presence of my Lord Jesus Christ, and the joys and comforts of the Holy and Eternal Spirit, communicated to my soul ; together with suitable and seasonable scrip- tures of truth; have so often, and so power- fully revived, refreshed, and strengthened my heart in the days of my pilgrimage, trials, and sufferings, that the sense, yea the life and sweetness thereof abides still upon my heart, and hath engaged my soul to live by faith, to walk humbly, and to desire and en- deavour to excel in holiness, to God's glory and the example of others. Though I con- fess many of the Lord's ministers, and some of the Lord's people, have excelled and out- shined me, with whom God hath not been at 42 so much cost, nor pains, as he hath been at with me: I am a very unprofitable servant, but yet by grace I am whsit I am. In the beginning of my ministry I studied in the forenoon, visited my religious acquaintance in the afternoon, and some of mv natural re- lations. I did preach constantly twice, often three times, and some Lord's days four times; at Hoiton at seven in the morning ; at Ilumberstone at nine; at Scarthe at eleven; at Hnmberstone at three o'clock, all in the same day. I also preached every holy- day once ; at every burial, poor or rich. I have mast commonly preached three or four times every Aveek, if in any measure of health for above forty years together ; ex- cept now and then I got some godly person to preach for me, but rarely. When I was in prison, I did preach usually every day, if well ; and God was pleased to confirm my call unto that great work. 1, By the con- version of many sinners, who having de- clared the dealings of God with their souls, testified God did convince them, convert them, and establish many of them by my 43 ministry, through the powerful and efFectaal operation of his Holy Spirit, and word, preached by me unto them. 2, By some healing power of God put forth upon the sick and infirm bodies of several persons, who were suddenly restored to health imme- diately in time of prayer with them, or by and through faith in Jesus Christ, especially in this City of London; and of the sickness called the plague, both in former years and in the year l(jG5. Not to me, but to God, be given glory and praise, for in his name, through faith in his name, they were healed. 3, By enabling me, standing by me, and strengthening me, by his Holy Spirit and sanctifying grace, to preach the gospel, in season and out of season, with all boldness ; neither being ashamed, nor afraid to bear my testimony for Christ, his gospel, churches, ministry, worship, and ordinances, against the antichristian powers, ministers, worship- pers, and traditions of the beast, the great mystical whore, and the false prophet. Nor have I been terrified by the adversary, by virtue of the Acts of Parliament, touching 44 private meetings and conventicles, com* mencing" May 10, 1G70. I was taken at a meetinjif in George Yard, and the then Lord Mayor committed me to the Compter in Bishopsg-ate for preaching there ; but having • favour in the eyes of the keepers, I had li- berty to preach to the prisoners, twice every day of the week, in the Common Hall, where most of the prisoners came and heard me; and some of them blessed God that ever I came to that prison. Soon after I was set at liberty at th^ Sessions in Old Bailey, God made me his prisoner, by a sharp and painful distemper in my bowels, by which he brought me near to the grave ; but in time of my greatest extremity, God remembered mercy, forgave mine iniquity, healed my disease, and restored my life from death. No tongue can express my pains, yet God gave me much patience, wherein I possessed my souL I had, 1, A very clear discovery from the Lord of the causes why he so contended ^ith me; one was the meri- torious cause of some former visitations, and especially of this sore disease. 2, I saw the 45 gin of my sinful nature, which was not so crucified as that it was destroyed, but I found some motions of it of late stirring in my sinful heart. The sense of this was a very sore burthen and trouble to my soul in this day of my calamity, for which I mourned in secret before the Lord, and lay at the throne of grace loathing myself, and begging that God would kill that sin and destroy it^ and all the rest of my sins ; and received this answer, his grace was sufficient for me, he had pardoned, and he w ould subdue and de- stroy that and all other mine iniquities, ac- cording to^his everlasting covenant of free grace. Satan was sometimes very busy during this time of sickness, and tempted me sorelv in the niofht season, suofofestinof to me that I was but an hypocrite, that my eviden- ces for heaven were not good ; whom God helped me to resist steadfastly in the faith, and he fled away. Another cause why the Lord now contended with me, was for the trial and exercise of those graces which he had given me. It was the trial of my faith, and the exercise of my patience, and that I 46 might be to his praise, and an example unto weak believers whose eyes were upon me, and were observing and hearkening how I did behave myself under all the great re- bukes and chastisements of the Lord upon me: for they had heard that God had taken one grand-child away by death, and visited another, who was above sixteen years old, with the small-pox, and she was likely to die ; and one son died and was buried during my sickness ; and mine eldest son was dead and buried in the country, whereof I was told before I was recovered : my other son's wife had sore labour, a dead man-child, and she likely to die ; and my dear loving wife then began to be sorely afflicted with a pain and swelling in her face, of which she since died. But God did give a proportionable measure of faith and patience to me his poor unworthy servant, under all these his fatherly chastise- ments ; he strengthened me with strength in my soul , and upheld me with the right hand of his righteousness, so that I fainted not nor was I weary, his rod and his staff did comfort 47 me ; he brought out my will unto a free sub- mission, subjection, and resignation to his own most wise, and holy will. Yea, my Father s visitations so preserved my soul, that I sang and rejoiced under the sights and smiles of Christ, even whilst I was sighing and sorrowing for my transgres- sions. Two learned, well practised, and judicious Doctors of physic had daily visited me, and consulted several days together, and I was fully persuaded that they did what they possibly could to effect a cure : and knew also, that God did not succeed their honest and faithful endeavours with his blessing. Although God had given a signal and sin- gular testimony of his special blessing by each of them unto others of their patients, at least sixteen, at the same time, I resolved to take no more physick, but would apply to that holy ordinance of God appointed by Jesus Christ, the great Physician of value, in James v. 14. 15. " Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church ; and let them pray over him, anoint- 48 ing him with oil in the name of the Lord : and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him:'* and I sent for Mr. Kiffin, and Mr. Vavasor Powell, who prayed over me, and anointed me with oil in the name of the Lord. The Lord did hear prayer, and heal me; for there were many godly ministers and gracious saints that prayed day and night for me, (with submission to the will of God,) that the Lord would spare my life, and make me more serviceable to his church, and to the saints, whose prayers God heard ; and as an answer to their pray- ers I was perfectly healed, but remained weak long after. My dear wife was greatly afflicted day and night, but the Lord gave her a great measure of faith and patience even to the end. She enjoyed the light of God's countenance, had full assurance of his love, the pardon of her sins, and of eternal life ; and having patiently endured six months sore pains, upon the thirtieth of the second month, called April, 1671 (being the Lord's 40 day,) aboiitfour or five o'clock, sleptin Jesus. I was doing' my Master's work at that time in the congreg-ation, and towards the end of my sermon had a strong impulse upon my spirit that my dear wife was departing; and in. my prayer after sermon was drawn forth by faith to commend her to God that gave her to me, and blessed him for receiving her »oul into Abi'aham's bosom, and placing her among the spirits of just men made perfect in the paradise of God. Since the death of my v»^ife it hath pleased God to stretch forth his hand upon my only son then living, and to afflict him w ith a deep consumption, occasioned as I judge by grief for his dearly loving and beloved Mother, for he drooped ever since she was first taken ill of that distemper of rheum, which fell from her head into her face, of which she died ; and he hath been worse and worse ever since. Having had great expences and a great charge of dear rela- tions, and owing some considerable debts, I was necessitated to teach school again in my old age, that I might pay my debts, sue- 50 cour my dear relations, and not be too great a burthen to the church of God: and this I have willingly and cheerfully under- taken, that if persecution do come upon me again, (which I expect and prepare for,) and I shall be haled to prison or forced to fly, it may be my mercy and comfort, (as at all other times of my many removals in the days of my pilgrimage and persecutions,) that no person shall have any occasion to come to me and say, ' Pay me what you owe me before you go \ for I desire to owe no man any thing but love, and honestly to pay every man his own : and if death seize on my body, that I may leave enough of my own behind me to pay all my debts, and a little for the relief of God's poor, and some of my poorest natural relations. I had a sum- moning in June last to prepare myself for the grave, by a sudden and sore fit of the wind cholick and vomiting ; and on the 3d of October last, 167 1 , I had another sum- mons to be ready to depart this life, by ano- ther sudden, more violent tormenting fit of the wind-cholick and vomiting. I am 51 alarmed by these awakening visitations of the Lord to prepare and be ready, that when my Lord and Master comes, or calls for me to come to him, I may be fomid so doing that he may say, " Well done thou good and faithful servant ; enter thou also into the joys of thy Master." The next trial my heavenly Father saw needful for me to be exercised under, was the sickness and death of my then only living son, my Isaac, my most loving and beloved son, who was translated the loth day of November, 1671 ; which great trial and loss God made gain to him, and easy to me, by a manifest and powerful work of conversion, repentance, and faith upon his soul in the time of his sickness ; which ad- ministered much comfort to me, so that I sorrowed not for him as one without hope, who exercised great patience under his very great pain, soreness, and burning fever, whilst his flesh, marrow % and moisture con- sumed, and acted faith and hope very lively and constantly upon Christ in that word, ** And him that cometh to me, I will in no c 2 52 wise cast out, " John 6. 37 ; very often expressing" his former bondage and slavery to sin and satan which he bewailed j and acknowledged often God's free and rich grace in giving him Christ, and pardon, and salvation now at last, which he had neg- lected the offers and tenders of so often. Some combats he had, but after a mani- festation of Christ to his soul, he died in faith and peace. And albeit my natural affections caused me to weep often, and the sense of God's hand and rod upon me caused me to mourn very much in secret, yet the Almighty by his rod and staff did so comfort me, that I walked through this valley also of the shadow of death, without fear of evil; and was assisted, and enabled, to perform the work of my ministry in the congregation without any omission or interruption. And that very night my onl} son died, the Lord brought to my mind that scripture ; " Feed thy people with thy rod," Micah vii. 14 : which was made a seasonable, suitable, and powerful word, by the teachings of the Holy Spirit unto my soul, in my solitary condi- tion ; who thus administered food, yea and a feast also to n)y soul. By this rod of God I had served into my soul a dish of soar or bitter herbs, I mean sorrow for my sins ; but I ied also on the Paschal Lamb, in whcse blood I saw all my sins washed away : and the Spirit of God witnessed with my spirit, that I was a child of God, and one of those children with whom God will keep covenant, and not take his love from, though he vi- sited my transgressions with the rod, and mine iniquities with stripes, Psal. Ixxxix. 28 — 34 ; which scripture was then brought again with power to my heart. The next dish of spiritual food under this rod which God brought me, or sent me by his Spirit in his word to feed upon, was full of love ; then that holy scripture came to me, not in word only, but in power, in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance : " As manv as I love, I rebuke and chasten : be zealous there- fore and repent. Behold, I stand at tha door and knock : if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him. 54 and will sup with him, and he with me," Rev. iii. 19, 20 : wherein he shewed me his face ; and I saw my Father's face in that glass of the gospel, " For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ve endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons : for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not Heb. xii. 6, 7 ; which the Holy Spirit held forth to me by this rod, and shed abroad in my heart the love of the Father in his Son Jesus Christ. After this the next day God gave me a dish of spiritual fmits by this rod to feed upon, served up in that holy scripture, " No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous : nevertheless, after- ward it yieldeththe peaceable fruit of right- eousness, unto them which are exercised thereby." After God had thus fed me, and feasted me several days and nights together with this rod, he very graciously pronounced his blessing upon me in these words ; " Bles- sed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law/' or 55 word, unto which I was helped heartily to say * Amen, It is g'ood for me that I have been afflicted,' 8cc. After God had thus conununed with me from his mercy-seat, and had instructed me, I experiencect such divine loves, shinings, and perpetual sweet- ness, as Jonathan did when he tasted a little honey-dew on the end of the rod in his hand, and was enlightened and refreshed ; so that I was enlivened or revived, fed and feasted by the rod and word, even the bond of God's everlasting covenant of free grace, and love. About four or five months after the death of my son, his wife married a gentleman of 3001. per annum, and left me engaged to receive and pay all my son's debts ; and to preserve his credit, and his wife's, I bor- rowed 2001. for that purpose, and suffered the loss thereof, which necessitated me still to keep school. And I having a grand- daughter with me three years before, she being nineteen years old, did take the charge of my household affairs, and of my boarders, who managed all things with so much dis- 56 cretion that my life was very comfortable, and I had great content. In September, 1672, my only daughter's husband went by her consent into the country, and left her. Thus far was written with his own hand, and there we must be forced to break off, though abruptly ; the remaining part of his life, written by himself as this was, being, (as Mr. Kiffin mentions in his preface,) unhap- pily lost; which, because it is impossible to be supplied by any hand so particularly as his own, must be done in general, by letting the christian reader know, that this holy man's life was all of a piece, and that he maintained his zeal, fidelity, and integrity, in the latter part of it as well as in the for- mer, even to the end of it. lie was not very long sick ; not keeping his chamber above five weeks, nor his bed above ten days. All the time of his sickness he behaved himself with extraordinary patience, and resignation to the divine will, longing to be dissolved and to be with Christ — not so much to be freed 57 from pain and trouble, as from sinning^ which he expressed to one near him, with a more than ordinary transport of joy. A little before his death he wrote the follow- ing epistle, which he left as hia last legacy to the church. 58 Mr. KNOLLYS's LAST LEGACY TO THE CHURCH, Written a little before his Death. To the Church whereof I am Pastor, Grace, Love and Peace, by Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, Amen. Holy Brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling-, I not being able to preach any more unto you, do take liberty by writing to give you this as my last counsel; and I hope the whole church will seriously con- sider what I have written, as the last words of your very aged Pastor, whose departure, as I hope, is at hand. 59 First of all, I do humbly beseech my re- verend and beloved brother Steed, for Christ's sake, that the fervent love to the church, and the watchful care over the particular members of it, expressed and published ia his little epistle touching; singing, may be revived; and also that the brotherly love of the ministering brethren, and likewise of all my beloved brethren who" are helps in go- vernment, may be stirred up to help, to as- sist, to provoke the rest unto good works, Gal. iv. 18. Now I do unfeignedly, and without vain boasting, commend many of you, my be- loved brethren and sisters, for continuing in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayer, (but as for the rest, who forsake the assembling, of themselves with the church on tlie Lord's day, I commend them not,) especially not only in this time of liberty, but when it was a time of violent persecution, when I was shut up a year and four months, (blessed be God for prison-mercies,) in New Prison, And having mentioned that time of persecu- 60 tion, can I pass it by without commending' the constant assembling of our brethren, and sisters all that time, every Lord's-day to worship God ? And may I not with great comfort, commend the labour of love of our ministering brethren, in the work and doc- trine of the gospel, without ceasing, (as you well know,) and among whom they still labour and faint not ? And now some of our younger brethren begin to improve their gifts and talents for the glory of God, and the edih cation of the church, whom I desire may be encouraged. Another thing very commendable in this church is, the charity which they have added to their brotherly kindness, 2 Pet. i. 7. It was great brotherly kindness which was manifested to ihe church, by those brethren who looked out our Meeting Hoiise, and prepare d it for us as it now is ; and unto this, many of our brethren and ^ij^ters have added their charity, in a free and very liberal col- let Uon and contributiijn, giveiimto the Trus- tees of tl»e fund : and I hope they will be ready to do the like again, when the like ne- 61 cessities call for it. Read I pray you the eighth and ninth chapters of the second Epistle unto the church of Corinth. ; all this and much more are the riches of grace, wliich God hath freely given by our Lord Jesus Christ unto this church, for his own glory. Nevertheless, I must in love and faithful- ness to your precious and gracious souls, holy and beloved, tell you of some things, not to shame you, (for I myself am found guilty as well as you, and more than some of you,) but to warn you, and to counsel you, as a father doth bis children; and they are these. First, That several of us are fallen in some degree from our first love, cooled incur spi- ritual affections to Jesus Cluist, and to the saints. Must not you and I confess, that it is not with us now as it was in tlie day of our first espousals ? God the Father, the Word, and the Hoh ^^pirit remember it, Jerem. ii. 1.2; and we sliould remember from whence we are fallen, and should say, " I will go and return to my first husband, for then w as 62 it better with me than now/' Hos. ii. 7 : Rev. ii. 4. 5. Now the first part of my counsel, which I desire to take and receive from Christ and give unto yoii, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, who are convinced and have confessed it before the Lord on several days of fasting and prayer, is tliis — First, I do counsel you to repent, Rev. ii. 5; and I must tell you, beloved, that our as- sembling once in four weeks, and spend- ing four hours, from eleven to three, in praying and preaching as we have often done, is not such a fast as will make our voice to be heard on high, Isai. Iviii. 3. 4. Several things are essentially necessary to evangelical repentance, that it may be ac- ceptable unto God by Jesus Christ. Namely, godly sorrovT, which worketh repentance never to be repented of, 2 Cor. vii. 9. 10. A broken, contrite spirit. Read these Scriptures, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit ; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise," Psal. li. 17 ; " Be afflicted, and mourn, and 68 weep : let your laughter be turned to mourn- ing, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up," James iv. 9. 10. " But to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trenibleth at my word," Isai. Ixvi. 2. For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones,'' Isai. Ivii. 15. " And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of supplications, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourn- eth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourn- ing of Iladadrimmon in the valley of Me- giddon," Zech. xii. 10. 11. Alas, where are our tears of godly sorrow, our broken hearts, aad our afflicted souls ? Reform- 64 ation after humiliation ? " Repent and do tliv first works " liev. ii. 5. O holy breth- ren, let us do so, let you and I beg grace, that we may both mourn and turn from all our sins to the Lord, with all our hearts. We have cause to repent of our formality and Laodiceai> lukewarmness, especially for wantof zeal for the house of God, Psal. Ixix. 9 ; For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.'* " As many as I love I rebuke and chasten : be zealous therefore and repent," Rev. iii. 19 ; John ii. 17. Secondly, I counsel you to be zealous ; zeal is a fervent and constant affection of a gracious soul in a good thing, managed with discretion, Gal. iv. 18. If our zeal be not fixed npon a right object, and good matter, it may be hot and great, but it cannot be good. Compare the zeal of Paul, Phill. iii 0; with the zeal of Epaphras, Col. iv. 12. 13. ^ To guide our zeal aright, two things es- pecially ought to accompany it. First, The light of knowledge^ " Breth- ren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For 65 1 bear them record, that they have a zeal of Gocl, but not according to knowledge. For they being- ignorant of God*s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righ- teousness, liave not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." Read the words again and again, and as often as you read this paper. Many professors of the law then were very zealous of establishing their own legal righteousness ; and many profes- sors of the gospel now, are as zealous to es- tablish their own legal righteousness, and not Christ's. Oh ! say some, if I could pray so, mourn so as others do ; if I were so holy and so humble, &c. then I would believe. Oh ] say others, if I could get power over my corruptions, and strength against satan's temptations, and victory over the allurements of this present evil world, then I w ould be- lieve; but I have a heart so full of vile alfec- tions, vain thoughts, and doubts, that I can- not believe. Consider, are praying, mourn- ing, humbling our souls, gospel duties? Even so is believing a gospel duty, which God commands ; " And this is his commandment. 66 that we should believe on the name of h\f* Son Jesus Christ;'* iJohn iii. 23; and he threatens to damn those that hear the gospel preached, and will not believe, Markxvi. 15. Secondly, The aim and end of our zeal must always be the glory of God, and guided as I said by discretion, wise as well as warm ; greatest zeal in greatest matters, and lesser zeal in lesser matters. Compare, Gal. v. 11. 13; with 1 Cor xi. 13—16; andProvxix. 11. My counsel also is, and I humbly beseech our honoured and beloved Elder, and en- treat our ministering brethren who are helps in government, to join together to set in order these things. T mean no other things than those holv administrations which Christ, his Apostles, and Disciples, practised in the beginning. Search these scriptures, 1 Pet. ii. 21; Phill. iii. 17; Luke xiv. 16— 22; Acta xxviii. 23. 24. 28—31: 1 Cor. xiv. 13. 23. 24.25.29; 1 Tim. iv. 13; Col. iv. 16; 1 Thess. V. 27; Rev. i. 3. Consider, holy brethren, that as reading and expounding are two different administrations, so are pro- phesying and preaching, yet both gospel or- dinances, Rom. xii. 6. 7. 61 Fourthly, and lastly, my counsel to the church is, that you will look out a Minister of Jesus Christ, whom he hath in some competent measure qualified with such mi- nisterial gifts and graces? as may make him worthy of so great honour as is due to a Pastor, and Elder of ihe church of God ; yea, of double honour, 1 Tim. v. 17 ; both of maintenance and obedience, Heb. xiii. 17. And now my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, I commit you all to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified. So I remain, while in this tabernacle, Your Brother in the Lord, HANSERD KNOLLYS. Just published, Price Threepence, A FEW WORDS TO MASTER EDWARDS, IN ANSWER TO HIS SECOND PART OF THE GANGRENA: ALSO, TO THE NAMELESS AUTHOR OF A BOOK CALLED AN AFTER.RECKONING WITH MASTER SALTMARSH. BY JOHN SALTMARSH, PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL. PUBLISHED BY E. HUNTINGTON, HIGH-STREET, BLOOMSBURY. I PriateA by W. SMITH and Co. Hing Street , Seven Diate. THE PARABLE OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN EXPOUNDED ; OR, AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST THIRTEEN VERSES OF THE TAVENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER OF ST. MATTHEW; By HANSERD KNOLLYS. All these thinors spake Jesos unto the multitude in parables, and M ithout a parable spake he not unto them. Matt. xiii. 14. Unto you it is ^iven to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to others in parables. Luke viii. 10. I will open my mouth in a parable ; I will utter dark sayings of old. Psalm Ixxviii. 2. I will incline mine ear to a parable. Psalm xlix. 4. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY E. HUNTINGTON, HIGH STREET, BLOOMSBURY. 18J3. jPr'mtcd by Smith and Co* King Street, Seven DiaU. TO THE READER. Art thou a Professor ? I intreal thee do not rest in the form of godliness without the power thereof ; that undid the foolish virgins to eternity. It is a vain thing for any person to seem to be religious, and be not so in truth. The tio- tree that had leaves was cursed by Christ, because it bare no fruit ; and it suddenly withered. Art thou a Believer ? Ponder then what is propounded in this little treatise j and search the scriptures, whether what is therein affirmed be so, or not. I know but in part, yet am I willing to impart my knowledge for thy edification. And if any truth here asserted, shall profit thy understanding, my earnest request to thee is, that thou wilt give all the glory to God. A 2 4 Art thou a profane Person, and one that dost scoff at the doctrine of the coming of Christ ? Then know, that yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry; but if, in the mean time, thou die in thy sins, thou wilt be damned to eternity. Be serious therefore in reading this little book, it may be God will make it a blessing to thy soul, and then I have my end. Thy soul's friend, HANSERD KNOLLYS. THE PARABLE OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN EXPOUNDED. Matthew xxv. 1 — 13. THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them : But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. 6 But the wise answered, sapping, not so, lest there be not enough for us and you ; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and tbey that were ready, went in with him to the mar- riage, and the door was shut. Afterv^ ard came also the other virgins, saying. Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, wherein the Son of man cometh. XhE Lord Jesus Christ being asked by his disciples, what shall be the sign of his coming, Matt. xxiv. 3; answered and said, *^ Iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold.'' ** Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the begin- ing of the world t« this time, no, nor ever- shall be." So the apostle testifieth also, 2 Tim. iii. 1 ; " This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.*' But saith our Saviour, " Immediately after the tribulation of those days, then shall appear," not the person, but, *' the sign of the son of man in heaven : and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory/' " Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins." These thirteen verses contain a parable, and the application of it, to Christ s disciples. In the parable are three general parts, viz. First, paraboloe, wf^r«, 7, 9 ; and he hath changed the ordinances of Christ, and brought in the ordinances of men ; " Why are ye subject to ordinances," or traditions; " after the commandments and doctrines of men ? which is will-wor- ship," Col. ii. 20, 22, 23; and vain worship. " But in vain do they worship me." The ordinances of God, (which have been cor- rupted by men's inventions, and supersti- tions,) shall be restored to their primitive purity and first institutions. . Read Jer. 20 xxxii. 38; xxx. 20; and compare it with Zeph. iii. 9. " Then will I tarn to the people a pure lang-nage/' or a clean lip; " that they moy all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one" shoulder or " consent.'* In that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one;'' that is, in the latter day, Christ and his saints shall be one kingdom; and his way and worship but one in all the earth. " Which took their lamps." The virgin professors of the gospel, and worshippers of God in the churches of Christ, have lamps; that is, the presence of God in his worship, and ordinances. " For where two or three are gathered together in my name," saitli Christ, " there am I in the midst of them." So God manifested his presence with Abra- ham, when he was offering a sacrifice to the Lord. " Behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp, passed between those pieces; and the Lord made a covenant with Abraham." Head Exod. xix. 18; also Isai. iv. 5; Rev. xv. 8. God appointed seven lamps to be lighted and supplied with 21 sweet oil of olives, both in his wilderness- tabernacle, Exod. XXV. 37 ; and in his Ca- naan-temple, 2 Chron. iv. 20, 21 ; that they might burn continually before the Lord, which typed forth the seven spirits of God. " And there w ere seven lamps of fire burn- ing before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God that is, the variety and abundance of the gifts, and fruits of the Holy eternal Spirit. " There are diversi- ties of gifts, but the same spirit;'' and so there are divers, and many fruits of the Spirit, Gal. v. 22, 23. These ten virgins having received their lamps, to wit, a commandment from the Lord, For the commandment is a lamp,'* Prov. vi. 23 ;) to worship him by the Spirit, in truth; and spiritual gifts and grace to perform the gospel-instituted ordinances of Christ, according to the holy will of God, revealed in his written w ord : for his word is a lamp mito the feet of his saints, and a light unto their paths, Psal. cxix. 105. 3. Meditation. The virgin professors of the gospel, and worsliippers of God in the 22 churches of saints, shall have gospel light and spiritual gifts in the latter days, to Mwship God in the order and ordinances of the gospel, according to the written word of God. First. Virgin professors shall have gospel light in the latter days to worship God aright. The written word of God, through the teachings of the Holy Spirit; to wit, the commands of Christ, and the examples of his apostles, churches, and saints ap- proved by Christ, recorded in the holy scrip- tures of truth, will be a lamp and a light unto them, I Cor. xi. 1, 2 ; Phill. iii. 16, 17 ; " Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. And the gentiles," or heathen nations, " shall come to thy light, &c." Secondly. Virgin professors in the churches of Christ, in the latter days, shall have spiritual gifts, qualifying and enabling them to worship God by the Spirit, and in the truth ; in the order and ordihances of the gospel. " And it shall come to pass," saith God, in the last days, I will pour 23 out my Spirit upon all flesh.*' " There are diversities of g'ifts, but the same Spirit.'* As in the days of the apostles, so shall it be in the last days, Joel ii. 21, 28, 29; more abundantly poured forth. " And went forth to meet the bride- groom.'* This bridegroom is the Lord Jesus Christ ; " He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom;" that is, Jesus Christ, to whom his chui'ches, and saints are espoused, 2 Cor. xi. 2; whom Christ hath betrothed to himself in loving-kindness, and faithful- ness for ever, Hosea ii. 19, 20 : They are his sister, and his spouse. Cant. iv. 10 ; the Lamb's wife. Rev. xix. 7, 8. And he is the bridegroom ; " As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." To meet the bridegroom, doth imply two things. First, that the virgins did know and believe that Christ was coming. " O worship the Lord, in the beauty of holiness. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, and rejoice before the Lord ; for he Cometh, for he cometh, &c.*' Had not the 24 foolish virgins known and believed that Christ would come, yea, and that he was coming, they would not have gone out to meet him ; but would rather have scoffed at his coming, when the wise virgins had spoken of it, as those scoffers will do. There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying. Where is the promise of his coming?'' Secondly, That all the virgins did know and believe, that the coming of the spiritual bridegroom, Christ Jesus, was near ; and that he would come quickly, or shortly. The bridegroom's coming was even at the door, therefore they went out to meet him ; " For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith." The virgins believed this, and went out to meet the bridegroom ; and they had scripture ground to believe this, becavise God had revealed it in his written word: Behold I come quickly. He which testifieth these things, saith. Surely I come quickly, Amen." Rev. xxii. 12, 20. 25 Tliey went out to meet the bridegroom ; that is, the virgin professors in the churches of saints in the latter days, knowing and believing the coming of Christ the bride- groom, will go out from their nearest and dearest relations, their great possessions. They will forsake father and mother, wife and children, that will not go out with them to meet the bridegroom; and will follow him wheresoever he goes, as his disciples did, Matt. xix. 27; so will the virgins do, Rev. xiv. 1, 4; and it is the duty of all Christ's disciples so to do, Luke xiv. 26, 27; Matt. x. 37, 39; and they that forsake all their relations, estates, lands, houses, goods, and alJ, for Christ, shall not lose by so doing, Luke xviii. 28, 30; Mark x. 28, 30. " Behold I come quickly ; :\nd my reward is with me." 4. Meditation. That such gospel light will be revealed to virgin professors in the latter days; and such anointing of the Spirit will be poured out upon them, as will cause them, and make them willing to B 26 sell all, lose all, and forsake all, and go out to meet the bridegroom. 1. Gospel light, touching- the kingdom and coming of the spiritual bridegroom^ our Lord Jesus Christ, will be revealed in the latter days. " And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, and then shall the end come." " It shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light," Zech. xiv. 6. " And the Lord shall be king over all the earth : in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one." " The Lord God giveth them light. And they shall see his face ; and his name shall be in their foreheads ; and they shall reign for ever and ever :" which must shortly be accomplished ; Behold I come quickly." 2. The anointings of the Spirit, the gifts and powerful operations of the Spirit, will be upon virgin professors in the latter days, Joel ii. 28, 29; Isai. xliii. 3, 5, 6; 32, 15, 17. The fathers, the young men, and the little children, shall have the unction of thfe holy one, 1 John ii. 13, 14, 20, 27; then it 27 will be with virgin professors as it was in the apostles* days. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit ; and there are diversities of operations, but the same God. All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit," 1 Cor.xii. 4, 11. 3. This gospel light, anointing, and opera- tion of the Holy Spirit upon virgin profes- sors in the last days, will engage them, and make them willing:, to sfo oat to meet the bridegroom. " The Lord shall send the rod of thy srength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness.** " I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.** He will pour his Spirit upon them, Ezek. xxxix. 29 ; and they shall obey his voice. " Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him ;'* and they w ent out to meet the bride-' groom. " And five of them were w ise, and five* were foolish." ; i ./.>' B 2 28 In this parable, virgin professors in the churches of saints, are variously distin- guished by Christ ; viz. five of them are wise, and five are foolish. 1. The foolish took no oil with them, but what was in their lamps. 2. The wise took oil in their vessels "v^'ith their lamps. 3. The lamps of the wise virgins, being' trimmed and supplied with oil in their vessels, continued burning ; the lamps of the foolish virgins, ])eing trimmed but not supplied with oil, went out. 4. The wise virgins, being ready, went in with the bridegroom to the marriage ; but the foolish virgins, not being prepared, were shut out. This verse contains the first distinction of virgin professors: Five were wise, and five were foolish.'* Five is a definite number put for an indefinite, and thereby a small number is here put for a greater, and a few for a very many. The five foolish virgins include all sorts of gospel professors, who having a form of godliness, are destitute of the power thereof, 2 Tim. in. 6 ; and the five 29 wise virgins comprehend all sorts of worship- pers of God, that make not only a profes- sion of Christ, but have also possession of Christ dwelhng in their hearts by faith, Ephes. iii. 17 ; both which particulai-s will plainly appear in the exposition, and hand- lins: of the third and fourth verses. Meditation. There are some wise, and many foolish virgins. The Holy Spirit hath given many dis- tinguishing characters in the scripture of truth, between these wise and foolish vir- gins; whereof some in this parable, which I have already mentioned in general, and shall afterwards shew particularly. The scripture distinctions between sanctified believers and hypocrites ; between them that only seem to be religious, and them that are sincerely so, in deed and truth; between those that are in Christ, having an ever- lasting and inseparable union with him, and those that are without Christ, who make a profession of Christ, but have not possession of Christ in their hearts : I say all these scripture distinctions are applica- bie, and may be accommodated unto wise and foolish professors. B nt more especially that distinction which the Holy Spirit makes between them that have the form, and them that have the power of godliness, 2 Tim. iii. 3, 5; which Christ in this parable doth metaphorically express by the foolish vir- gins, who took their lamps, but took no oil with them ; and the wise virgins, who took oil in their vessels with their lamps. " They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps." By lamps we are to understand temple light, viz. divine knowledge and spiritual gifts ; as hath been proved in the exposition of the first verse ; whereby our Saviour did mystically and metaphorically shew, that the foolish virgins had a form of godliness. By oil in their lamps is meant that shining, outward profession of Christ, which went out at last ; *^ Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out." The light of the knowledge of Christ and of the prophecies, and of the mysteries of his kingdom and 31 coming, which shined in the profession they made, and in the witness and testimony that they had borne for Christ against antichrist, withered away and died. All their common gifts and graces faded and failed, and they all fell away like the stony ground hearers, " Who for a while believe, but in time of temptation fall away," Luke viii. 13. By oil in the wise virgins' vessels, we are to understand Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of Christ, and the sanctifying knowledge of Christ, and the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, in their hearts and in their souls ; for their souls are vessels of mercy prepared for glory, Rom. ix. 23, 24. Their mystical and spiritual oil is the unction of the holy One, w^hich they have received, 1 John ii. 20, 27; whereby our Saviour did figuratively and mystically shew, that the wise virgins had the power of godliness. And in this part of the parable of the king- dom of heaven, Christ declares and testifies, that they are foohsh virgins who rest satis- fied, and content themselves with the form 32 of godliness without the power thereof ; who have lamps but no oil. 2. That they are wise virgins who have both lamps and oil in their vessels, to wit, Christ, his Spirit and his grace in their hearts ; having both the form and power of godliness. Meditation. It is not the lamp-light of profession, and the form of godliness; but the oil of grace, and sanctification, even the power of godliness in heart and life, that will make a satisfactory distinction between wise and foolish virgin professors in the last days. Though this be very clear and plain by what hath been already said, in this expo- sition ; yet because I do think it may be profitable, first, for the conviction of some formal professors, who are foolish virgins ; especially sinners in Sion, unconverted church members ; secondly, for the edifi- cation and establishment of sanctified be- lievers in the visible constituted churches of Christ, especially weak christians ; I am 33 therefore willing-, through divine assistance, to treat more largely of the form and power of godliness, therein to demonstrate the wis- dom and folly of virgin professors, than I shall do of some other things held forth in this parable, and which I judge less neces- sary to enlarge upon. That which I shall offer to consideration touching the form and power of godliness, doth consist in these three following propo- sitions. 1. There is the form of godliness and the power of godliness. All the virgins had burning and shining lamps, and some of them had oil in their vessels with their lamps. 2. The form of godliness may be where the power of godliness is not. The foolish virgins took their lamps, but took no oil with them, to wit, in their vessels ; that is, they had the form of godliness in their profession, but they wanted the power of godliness in their hearts and conversation. 3. That some virgin professors in the churches of saints, having the form of god- B 3 i]n^ss, will deny the power thereof m the Is'st days ; of whom the apostle spake ex- pressly and foretold, 2 Tim. iii. 5. Touching- the first proposition, fMp(pu sap and nourishment which they re- ceive from that spiritual root ; to wit, those divine influences of the spirit of grace that they are made partakers of, by being in- grafted and rooted into Christ. This growth in grace is very secret, hidden, not seen 42 nor always discerned; like the gi'owth of corn under ground, or of trees in winter, or of the child in the womb ; yet it doth after- ward appear, and is visible. 2. Grace grows in its lively acts and ex- ercise. As a child after its natural birth, grows in all parts and members of the body, so a child of God being regenerated and born again of the incorruptible seed of the word, doth grow in gi*ace and in the know- ledge of Jesus Christ, by adding one grace to another ; unto faith, virtue ; to virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, &c. 2 Pet. i. 0 — 11. This growth in grace demonstrates the power of godliness; by this spiritual growth in grace, the weak in faith, Rom. xiv. 1 ; become strong in faith, 1 John ii. 14 ; and little faith becomes great faith : like the grain of mustard seed, that becomes a great tree, and very fruitful; whereunto Christ likened the kingdom of his grace within us, Matt. xiii. 31, 32 ; Luke xvii. 21. 3. Grace grows in its fruits unto perfec- tion, and hereby is the power of godliness 43 demonstrated, to wit, in bringing forth much fruit, John xv. 5, 8 ; viz. the fruits of the Holy Spirit, Gal. v. 22, 23 : which are the fruits of holiness and righteousness unto eternal life, Rom. vi. 22. Thus fruitful were the saints in the church of the Thessa- lonians, 2 Thess. i. 3. The apostle Paul ex- horted the primitive saints to perfect holi- ness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. vii. 1 : and the apostle Peter exhorted the called ones of God to be holy in all manner of conversa- tion, 1 Pet. i. 15, 16 ; because he knew that the power of godliness consisted in the life of holiness and righteousness, and is demon- strated in a holy conversation. Thus it appears, that there is the form of godliness and the power of godliness, which is the first proposition. The second propo- sition is this, That the form of godliness may be where the power of godliness is not. Simon Magus seemed to be religious, he believed and was baptized, and took up the form of godliness ; but for all this formality he had not the power of godliness, for he 4^ was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, and his heart was not right with God, Acts viii. 12,21. Ananias and Sapphira his wife, were both professors, and church members ; they had taken upon them tlie name of Christ, and the form of godliness, seemed to be very charitable, and pretended much brotherly love to the poor saints, for they, sold a pos- session, and gave a part of the price thereof unto the poor. Acts v. 1,2: and yet they were void of the power of godliness. Professors that are proud, covetous, car- nal, covenant breakers, false accusers, in- continent, fierce, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovei^s of God, &c. ; many of them have a form of godliness, but they have not the power of godliness, 2 Tim. iii. 2 — 5. When professors and church members are generally formal in the performance of the duties of religion, very perfunctory and superficial in the worship of God ; or luke- warm, neither hot nor cold, very indifferent whether they observe the Lord\s-day or 45 another day, or no day at all to the Lord ; so whether they hear the word preached, pray in their families or in their closets, or pray not at all ; whether they come to the Lord's table or stay away, it argues they are so far from having the power of godli- ness, that they can scarcely be said to have the form of godliness. Again, when professors and members of ^ churches are very frequent and constant in assembling themselves together to worship God ; very zealous and precise in the ex- ternal part of the worship of God, and seem to be very conscientious and scrupulous in such things as appertain to the form of god- liness: asserting and contending that all things ought to be exactly done ia the church of God, according to the rule of the written word of God, and yet walk very disorderly at home ; are heady and unruly in their own houses ; set no rules nor bounds to their obstinate and ptrverse wills, to their inordinate and vile affections, to their worldly and covetous hearts; who seem to be religious, yet bridle not their tongues, 46 bat deceive their own hearts ; their relig-iou is vain, James i. 26. These professors have a form of godliness, but they want the power thereof. Thus it appears that the form of godli- ness may be where the power of godliness is not. Professors may have leaves with- out fruit, as the fig-tree had; lamps, and lighted, but no oil in their vessels, like the foolish virgins ; seem very religious in the congregation of saints, and be very irre- ligious in their conversation among sinners. The reasons why professors rest in, and hold up, a form of godliness without the power thereof, are these. 1. Because they would have a name to live, though they be dead. Rev. iii. 1. They are very desirous to have a name in the house of God, to be accounted religious, and to be numbered among the saints, therefore they take up a form of godliness, and rest therein. Those foolish professors, Matt. xxv. 1, 2, had gotten a name among the wise, and were called virgins; they seemed to be religious; they had lamps of gospel profes- 47 sion, and the form of godliness, wherewith they were satisfied, and therein they rested securely till the bridegroom came; and then it appeared they wanted oil, that is, the truth of g'race, and power of godliness; for want whereof they were excluded and rejected by Jesus Christ. 2. Because a form of godlii5ess will com- post with a spirit of worldliness, earthly- mindedness, covetousness, pride, unclean- ness, drunkenness; so that these lusts be but secretly committed. A professor and church member may be a self lover and a lover of pleasures, a covenant or promise breaker, and yet have, and hold up, a form of godliness without the power thereof. 3. Because professors and church mem- bers may avoid troubles and persecutions, whilst they enjoy sabbaths, sermons, and ordinances, in an external form of public worship; whereas the power of godliness will expose them to suffer persecution, 2 Tim. iii. 12 : so that the form of godliness may Jbe where the power is not. This is 48 the second proposition. There is a third proposition, viz. That some professors and church mem- bers, having", and holding up, the form of godliness, deny the power thereof. Professors they must be, and cliurch members they may be, that have, and hohl up, the form of godliness, and seem to be very devout and religious in the worship of God, and yet some of them deny the power of godliness. We have shewed in the hand- ling of the first proposition, wherein the form of godliness, and wherein the power of godliness doth consist, and have treated briefly both of the form and power of godli- ness. Now it remains, that in handling this third proposition, we shew, I . What it is to deny the power of godliness. 2. The reasons why they deny the power ' of godliness. To deny the power bi godliness is, 1. To have an aversation against it in their affec- tions, not to love and affect the power of godliness ; which aversation against the 49 power of godliness, doth arise, and spring from that cursed and sinful enmity in their carnal minds against God. " The carnal mind is enmity against God;** and therefore carnal professors do not love nor like godliness in the truth and power of it, though they may be found in the form and profession thereof. ^ O,* saith a formal pro- fessor in his heart, * I do not love this pre- ciseness; this is to be righteous overmuch. I like not those that are so strict, so zealous, and so scrupulously conscientious. \\'hat necessity is there to deny myself, my liberty, my lawful recreation, content and delight, in things indifferent? Must my liberty therein be judged by another brother*s or sister's conscience ?* He loves not, he likes not this; it crosseth his interest in the world; or it is contrary unto some of his beloved and indulged lusts to be so zealous, so reli- ijious, so conscientious as the power of q^od- liness requireth, and would engage him to be ; therefore he is averse from it, and so may be said to deny it. c 50 To deny the power of godliness, is, 2. To refuse all the offers of Christ and grace, which God makes them in the ministry and administration of the gospel by his Holy Spirit, Isai. liii. 1 — 3. " But ye denied the Holy One,'* Acts iii. 13, 11; that is, they refuse|l Christ, and would not have him to be their Saviour, King, Priest, and Prophet, saying, " We will not have this man to reign over us." Formal professors know not the worth of Christ, they are not sensible of their want of grace, therefor^ they slight, neglect, and refuse the offers of grace. They are willing to seem religious, but as for the truth of grace and power of godliness, they regard it not. They like Christ as a Saviour, but refuse him as a Sovereign; thoug|i they would be saved, they care not to be sanctified: they refuse to enter in at the strait gate of grace, and to walk in the narrow way of holiness; and yet they would go to heaven, and to that end cry. Lord, Lord. They pray and pro- phesy in Christ's name ; they worship God, .31 ^Lelll to be very religious, and partake of all Godls holy ordinances, haying a form of godliness ; but yet they deny the power of godliness, by refusing the offers of Christ an4 grace, in' the gospel and ordinances of God. To deny the power of godliness, is, S, To live in the practice of known sins, se- cretly indulging and allowing them; " They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him." When professors' lives are loose, carnal, worldly, and then- works are the works of darkness, and they themselves w orkers of iniquity; they deny God and the power of godliness. Some professors seem to be holy in God's house, who live very ungodly in their own houses : . they seem to be religious in the church, and in the worship of God, but they are irreligious at home, in their shops and callings, trading and living in sin and un- godliness. These having a form of godli- ness, deny the power thereof. c 2 52 Now the reasons why formal professors deny the power of godliness, are, 1. Be- cause their hearts are not right with God. Simon Magus believed and was baptized, and worshipped God, but his heart was not right with God. There is a carnal enmity in their hearts against God, and the power of godliness ; though the}'^ like the outward form, yet they love not the inward [>ower of godliness. 2. Because the inward power of godli- ness is cross to their outward and worldly interests, therefore they deny the power thereof. The formalist saith within himself, Though I be religious, a church member, &c. yet I am resolved to make my religion and church fellowship comport with my in- terest in the world; and to be subservient unto my honour, credit, profit, yea, and my pleasure, delight and contentment, &c. When formal professors discern that the power of godliness will not only check and curb their vile affections, perverse wills, and sinful desires ; but also will mortify, kill and 53 destroy their lusts and corruptions, root and branch, then they refuse and deny the power of godliness. Rather than the formalist will hazard the loss of life, liberty or estate, and expose himself to poverty, prison, banishment or death for his relig-ion, he will deny Christ, deny God, and the power of godliness. 3. Because the power of godliness en- gageth professors to follow holiness, and to deny all ungodliness, Titus ii. 11, 12. Such professors as have the form of godliness only, are very apt to rest in the external part and performance of holy duties, and sacred ordinances, without the enjoyment of God, and Jesus Christ. But the truth and life of grace, and the power of godliness, will not suffer the soul to rest in duties and ordinances, without the enjoyment of fel- lowship and communion with God ; there- fore the formalist will not close with the power of godliness, but refuseth and de- nieth it, because he is unwilling to leave his sins. I shall now make some applica- o4 tion of what I have said touching the form and power of godliness. 1 . Use of instruction to virgin professors. There are three things necessary unto the form of godliness, viz. 1. The knowledge of the revealed will of God in his written word touching Christ's institution of gospel ordinances, and his constitution of the wor- ship of God therein and thereby. How can any person worship God in spirit and truth, as true worshippers ought to do, unless they understand, and know the truth revealed in the holy scriptures? Ignorant persons are not capable of per- forming the external part of the worship of God, for they do not know it. The Athenians worshipped the unknown God, which the apostle told them was their great superstition ; and our Saviour told the woman of Samaria, " Ye worship ye know not what:" so then knowledge is necessary unto the form of godliness. Many persons think it is enough that their ministe-rs know how they ought to worship 55 God, and so are willingly ig*norant, whose fear towards God is taught by the precepts of men, and they willingly walk after the commandments, Hos. r. 1 1 ; which formaht}^ of conformity Christ reprehended. " In vain they do worship me, teaching for doc- trine the commandments of men." 2. In the form of or-odliness there must be a conformity unto the revealed will of God in his word, especially in the external part of the itistituted worship of God in the gospel. Uniformity in worship in any nation or congregation, without conformity unto the rule or canon of the holy scripture, is but superstition, and a worshipping God after the inventions and traditions of men ; which the apostle reproved in the Colossians, and calls will-worship. " The temple, the altar, and they that worship therein," (that is, the church, the worship of God, and the worshippers of God,) are to be measured by the reed or rod of the sanctuary, that is, by tile written word of God, Rev. xi. 1. Moses was com- 56 manded to do all things according to the pattern that God shewed him in the mount, Heb. viii. 5; and the prophet Ezekiel was commanded to shew the house of God's worship to the house of Israel, and admo- nished them to measure the pattern, Ezek. xliii. 10. 3. In the form of godliness there ought , to be an uniformity among all the churches of God in every nation, in every city, and in every village. All that worship God in one place are to worship him in one way, with one accord and with one shoulder. It was so in the apostles' days; Being of one accord, of one mind:'* and so it shall be in the last days. " And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me,'* that is, worship me, " for ever." This uniformity was tacitly hinted by the apostle, in reproving the confusion that was in the church of Corinth. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." Uniformity in worship, not after the in- vention of men, but according to the writ- 57 ten word of God, makes for peace, unity, and edification in the churches of saints, and is a special means to avoid confusion and disorder in the worship of God, 1 Cor. xiv. JO. 2. Use of conviction. 1. Of those foolish virgin professors, who rest in the form of godliness without the power of it. They may hereby be convinced, 1. That their hearts are not right with God, though they do materiallv that w hich is riorht in the sig^ht of God ; but are like Amaziah, who did that v^hich was rio^ht in the sioht of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, 2 Chron. xxv. 2. And whosoever rests in a form of god- liness without the power thereof, deceiveth his own heart, and his religion is in vain, James i. 26. Such may be convinced, 2. That in all their solemn appearings before God, and their approachings nigh unto him, their hearts are far from him, Isai. xxix. 13; and testifies that all their worship is in vain, and they themselves hypocrites, Matt. xv. 7 — 9. • As the heart is, so is the worshipper in the c 3 58 sight of God. If the heart be proud, co- vetous, vain, foolish, hikewarm, formal and hypocritical, all that professor's duties, per- formances and worship, is abhorred of God, his soul hateth them. Bring no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination unto me, the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons, and your ' appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you : yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.'' " He that killeth an ox, is as if he slew a man : he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck : he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood: he thatburneth incense, as if he blessed an idol : yea, they have cho- sen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations," Isai. Ixvi. 3. They may be convinced, 3. That they shall never see God in heaven, for, " Without holiness," the power of godliness, " no man 59 shall see the Lord/' They are declared by God in his word to be hypocrites, Matt. xv. 7 — 9 ; and if they repent not, they shall have their portion with hypocrites, in the lowest and deepest of eternal flames, and of everlasting" darkness ; " There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth," Matt, xxiv. ol. 3. Use of consolation unto the wise \nr- gins. Art thou an Israelite indeed ? Dost thou worship God in spirit and truth ? Hast thou both the form and power of godliness ? Then be of good comfort. For, 1. Chi'ist is thine, and all is thine, 1 Cor. iii. 21 — 23. God is thy father, grace is thy portion, and heaven is thine inheritance ; holiness is thy way, and happiness will be thine end, Matt, v. 8. 2. Thou dost and shalt enjoy spiritual communion with God in holy duties, and in his sacred ordinances. The power cf godli- ness doth make the believer fruitful under that form of godliness which Christ hath in- stituted for the worship of God j and affords 60 him fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit, 1 John i. 1 — 3. 3. Know for thy comfort, that the power of sin, satan, hell, cannot, shall not prevail against the power of g-odliness in thee, so far as to provoke the Lord to forsake thee for ever, or to cause thee to forsake God for ever, " For he hath said, I will never leave thee, never, never forsake thee," Heb. xiii. 5. Read for thy comfort the following pas- sages ; And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good ; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." The power of godliness in thee, will by the power of Christ prevail against, conquer, and over- come the power of darkness, and all the wiles of the wicked one, 1 John ii. 13 ; also the power of this world, Ephes. vi. 12, 13; the threats and allurements thereof, 1 John V. 4, 5 ; and likewise the power of sin, both tlie reigning power thereof, called the do- 61 minion of sin; " For sin shall not have dominion over you : for ye are not under the law, but under grace and the tyrannizing- power thereof, called the captivity of sin, Rom. vii. 2, 3 ; " For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Rejoice therefore in the Lord and bless him,, 1 Pet. 1. 3—8. 4. Use of exhortation, 1 . To the profane. 2. To professors. And 3. To true be- lievers. First, A word to all profane persons, who have neither the power nor the form of god- liness. I exhort such to consider their woeful state and miserable condition, being all of them without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world, Ephes. ii. 12. David tells profane sinners, " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." You can live without Christ, trade without Christ, marry and give in marriage without Christ ; but tell me, ye profane sinners, what will you do if you die without Christ? Can you think seriously 62 of going to hell, and being tormented there to eternity ? Will the enjoyment of the pleasures of sin for a reason compensate the loss of your souls, and the pains of hell'fbr ever ? Secondly, A word to the foolish virgin professors^^ who having a form of godliness deny the power thereof. I exhort such to consider seriously whether seeming to be religious, and saying, Lord, Lord, will save your immortal souls ? " Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you : depart from me ye that work iniquity.'' Remember professors, that the foolish virgins had their lamps lighted, and they shined in the form of godliness, but they found the door of the kingdom of hea- ven shut against them. And when they 63 said, Lord, Lord, open to us, Christ said unto them, I know you not, because they had not the power of godliness. Strive to enter in at the strait gate : for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." " There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out," Luke xiii. 24, 28. Do not rest in a form, without the power of godliness, lest you sitting down in any church of saints, and under the sacred or- ^ dinances of God without Christ, come short of heaven, for, " Without holiness no man shall see the Lord," Heb. xii. 14, " The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." Thirdly, A word to the wise virgins that have not only the form but the power of godliness, whom I exhort, 1. To exercise the power of godliness in the performance of holy duties, and in partaking of God's holy ordinances, and not to rest in the form and external part of the worship of God. 64 2. To demonstrate unto all that you have the'power of grodliness b\ being" holy in all maimer of conversation, both in the house of God, and in your own houses, shewing" forih the Tirtae of him that hath called yea; whereby the faith, humility, self-denial, pa- tience, the love and life of Jesus Christ, may be manifested in your life. Query 1. How may professors attain unto the power of gixlliness, and so become wise virgins ? Solution 1 . Professors must come to Christ in the ordinances of God, 1 Cor. i. 18, 24. Christ complained of the Jewish professors that they would not come to him " Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. ' Mar to sermons, to duties, to ordi- nances, but few come to Christ; most rest ' ^ it the power of godliness, ^ - in coming to sermons, and _ ^ ^ ordinances, without irom^ to Christ in them, Isai. It. 3. 2^ The gospel nvist come to profe-sors ikot in word only. ' j in power, and in the Hdj Spirit, 1 Inci^. i. 6; before they 66 can come to Christ, or attain to the power of godliness. 3. The ministers of Christ must declare the testimony of God, not with excellency of speech, nor with enticing- words of man's wisdom ; but their speech and their preach- ing" must be in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 1 Cor. ii. 1—5, before the gospel can come to their hearers' hearts* in power, and in the Holy Spirit; before their hearers can come to Christ; and before they can attain to the power of godliness. The plain and powerful preaching of the gospel, is the ordinaiy means whereby God draws sinners with cords of love to Christ, and makes the ministry of the w ord power- ful and effectual to call, convert, sanctify and save sinners, Rom. i. 16, 17; Rom. x. 14, 17. Query 2. How may professors know that they have attained unto the power of god- liness, and that they are wise virgins. Solution. Professors may know that they have attained unto the power of godliness, and are wise virgins, 1. By the victory they 66 have obtained OTer the world, sataii, *and their own sins. There are none but true believers have overcome the world, 1 John V. 4, 5. None but those that are strong- in faith have overcome the devil, that wicked one, 1 John ii. 14. It is the truth of faith, and the power of g'odliness, whereby sancti- fied persons do overcome their sinful lusts and corruptions ; the grace of God teacheth uU men to deny ungodliness and worldly Uists, Titus ii. 12. 2. By the lively acts and constant exer- cise of grace. In whomsoever the power of godliness is, it will appear in the gf owth and exercise of grace, 2 Pet. iii. 18. Such christians are fruitful under^ God's holy or- dinances, John XV. 5. The gospel came to them not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, 1 Thess. \. 6: and their faith did grow exceedingly, and the love of them all exceeded, 2 Thess. i. 3. 3. By their holy conversation in the world : " For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the t>7 grace of God, we have had our conversation in the vrorld.'* The power of godliness will appear in a holy life and heavenly conversa- tion, as.it did in the primitive saints; For our conversation is in heaven:" whereunto they were exhorted to be holy in all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. i. lo. Query 3. Are they that have the power of godliness, obliged to the form of godliness ? Solution. Yea ; the apostle commended the church and saints in Corinth, for keeping the ordinances of God: " Now I praise you, brethren, that you reniemberme in ail things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you," 1 Cor. xi. 2; and the apostle Peter commanded them to be baptized with w ater, who had received the Holy Spirit, Acts x. 47, 48. All the apostles, the churches of saints, and all true believers, looked at themselves to be obliged to the external form of godli- ness and worship of God in external gospel ordinances, as it appears in the Acts of the Apostles, and in their Epistles. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." 68 The bridegroom is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is here said to tarry or delay his coming, Matt. xxiv. 48 ; which he will not do in re- spect of the time appointed of the Father; then " lie that shall come will come, and will not tarry." But Christ is said to tarry, or delay his commg', 1. Because he came not when they prayed for his coining, and earnestly desired his pre- sence and appearance. Thus Jesus tarried two days after Lazarus's sisters had sent him word that he was sick, nvd yet came in due .time, and manifested himself with power and great glory, in raising Lazarus from the dead, John xi. 43, 44, 2. Because he came not when they looked for him, and at the time when they expected his coming. The apostle tells us, " Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation.'' " But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only,'' Saith Christ. " They all slumbered andjilept." All the virgins, both the foolish and M'ise vir- G9 gins. First, they all slumbered or nodded, that is to say, they did not wake and watch as formerly they had done, while they waited for and expected the glorious appearance of their Lord, and bare their testimony of his coming; but began to be careless and se- cure, neglecting their duty. They became drowsy and indisposed to wait any longer for the coming of the bridegroom, grew weary, silent, and sleepy, as the spouse did between her inireating and inviting her be- loved to come into his garden, and his com- ing; " I sleep, but my heart waketh.*' Secondly, They all slept, or were fast asleep ; that is to say, the wise virgins, as well as the foolish, were fallen into a state of security, as persons are when they are fast asleep in the night season, fearino- neither fire, thieves, or any other danger. So all these ten virgins, (it being now near midnight,) were fast asleep, as it were in a dead sleep, through their carnal security, and careless neglect of their watch, and other holy d ities. Some of them were backslid- den into a deep apostasy, and so continued 70 till the cry at midnight awaked them out ot that deep sleep of -carnal security, backslid- ing and apostasy, into which they were fallen, as appears in the sixth and seventh verses of this chapter. Meditation. Many virgin professors be- ing mistaken about this time of Christ's coming, who tarried longer than they ex- pected, will fall into the slumber of sinful silence, and careless security : and some pro- fessors will fall into a dead apd deadly sleep of backsliding and apostasy. This medita- tation consists of four propositions. First. Many virgin professors have been and are mistaken about this time of Christ's coming; and that doth appear by what many learned and godly men have written, and witnessed touching the coming of Christ. Many have looked for the coming of Christ, as the judge of quick and dead ; "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his a[)pearing, and his king- dom:" and that at the end of the world, 2 Pet. iii. 10, 11; when he shall give up his 71 kingdom to the Father, 1 Cor. xv. 24—28, But few have expected the coming of Christ as the bridegroom, and the new Jerusalem to come down from heaven, as a bride adorned for her husband, Rev. xxi. 1, 2. Who looks for the marriage of the Lamb ? and who will grant that his bride shall make herself ready to be married to Christ, and to live and reign with Christ a thousand years here on earth, between the final destruction of the beast and the false prophet, and the eternal judgment of the last day ? Rev. xx. 4. But more will be spoken of the coming of Christ, in the exposition of the next verse. Secondly. The bridegroom tarried longer than the virgins expected, " While the bridegroom tarried," saith the text. They expected his coming while they were awake, watching and witnessing, praying and look- ing for him, but he tarried till they all slum- bered and slept, and then he came at mid- night, at an hour, (in a dispensation,) when they looked not for him ; Therefore be ye also ready ; for in such an hour as ye think 72 not, the Son of man cometli.'* " The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looked not for him, and in an hour when he is not aware of him." " Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.'* And in 1 Thess. V. 2; " For yourselves know per- fectly, that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night/* Thirdly. The generality of virgin pro- fessors will fall into the slumber of a sinful silence, neglect to watch and wait for the spiritual bridegroom, and grow careless and secure whilst he tarries. So long as virgin professors will be speaking of Christ's coming and kingdom, and talking of his power, (as was prophe- sied the latter days saints shall do, Psalm cxlv. 11 ;) whilst they are praying continu- ally for the coming and kingdom of Christ, as he taught his disciples to pray, Matt. vi. 10, " Thy kingdom come and whilst they are watching and waiting for the Lord from heaven, in his glorious appearance with kingly power and majesty, as the saints 73 were exhorted by the apostle to do, To serve the living' and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven I say, so long as virgin professors are so doing they will not, cannot, shall not slumber nor sleep. But when they begin to be silent in bearing their testimony for the kingdom of Christ against the kingdom of antichrist, and will not, dare not speak of his glorious coming and kingdom as the bridegroom, but give over praying for it, and waiting for him ; then they begin to be careless of his coming, and to grow secure, and being at ease in Zion begin to slumber, and at last some of them fall fast asleep. Fourthly. Some professors will fall into a dee^ and deadly sleep of backsliding and apostasy. As some of the latter day saints will be shining believers, Isai. Ix. 1, 2; so some of the virgin professors, in the last days, will prove backsliding formalists, and damnable apostates; and this grand and greatest apostasy, hath these four steps or gradations. 1. A liberal, inordinate rest- ing and reposing their hearts in, and upon D 74 worldly contentments. 2. A cooling in their affections, and careless neglect of holy duties, ordinances, and the pure worship of God. 3. A fearlessness of declining and backsliding. 4. A benumned deadness, hardness, insensibility, security, and con- tentedness, being at ease and rest, and so fall asleep in that condition; and this will happen a little before the coming of Christ. " Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him ; That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive vou bv any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdi- tion.'* This apostasy was foretold also by the apostle Peter, in his second Epistle, the third chapter, and the third and fourth verses. " Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last ^Inys scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is 75 the promise of bis coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the crea- tion/' The apostle Paul also forewarned Timothy, that in the last days, which will be perilous times, men eminent for profession, having the form of godliness, will deny the power tjiereof, through their own lusts. There are two expressions used by both those apostles, touching this grand and last apostasy, which doth confirm my opinion, that they both prophesied and writ of the same apostasy. Paul saith, " This know also, that in the last days," 2 Tim. iii. 1. And Peter saith, " Knowing that first, that ^ 'n the latter days," &c. The root of this grand and last apostasy is self-love, and love of pleasures, which the apostle in his Epistle to Timothy, notes to be the chief character of the formal profes- sors, and apostates in the last days, 2 Tim. iii. 2. 4 ; " The men of name shall be lovers of their own selves, and lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God/' These sinful pleasures, and worldly contents, cause pro D 2 76 fessors to slumber, and some to fall fast asleep in apostasy. Self-love is that root of bitterness, out of which those unblessed, yea those cursed branches of sinful lusts there mentioned, do sprout and grow ; especially covetousness, pride, and covenant-break- ing. And the love of pleasures is the cor- rupt fountain, from whence the bitter waters of those sinful lusts, spring and flow. Let him that hath understanding, jvid^e what I say. If men not profane only, but professors also, not only the men of the world, but also members of churches, do love themselves more than truth and rio^hte- ousness, and love the world more than faith and a good conscience, yea, love their vain, sinful delights and pleasures more than God and Jesus Christ, may not those and such as those, be ranked and numbered among the apostates and backsliders of the last days? By how much the more we see and know m.en that have been very eminent in profesrsion above m?ny others, and have been highly esteemed in the churches of samts, men of name, chief men among the 77 brethren, yea among the elders for know- ledge, gifts, zeal, &c. who have borne a glorious testimony for Christ against anti- christ; but yet have afterwards, through love of themselves, and love of pleasures, and other sinful lusts, backslided, revolted and apostalized from what they formerly practised, and professed before many wit- nesses — may we not conclude them to be among the number of the apostates of the last days? " And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him.'* 1. Night doth mystically and metapho- rically signify a time of rest, ease, and quietness; also drowsiness, sluggishness, and a lazy disposition; likewise a condition of a sinful, careless security. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep : for now is our salva- tion nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us there- fore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." " For your- 78 selves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord so Cometh as a thief in the night. Therefore let us not sleep as do others ; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night ; and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night." " But, and if that evil servant shall say in his heart. My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken: The lord of the servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of." 2. A condition and time of great dark- ness, discomfort, sore afflictions, and heavy judgments. " And it came to pass that at midniofht the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt." " Therefore night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a vision, and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine, and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. Then shall the seeYs be ashamed, and the diviners confounded; yea, they shall all cover their lips : for there 79 is no answer of God." " Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests; howl, ye ministers of the altar ; come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God." 3. A time of greatest retirement and re- pose for most serious devotion, and spiri- tual meditation, and holy contemplation ; " Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." " My reins also instruct me in the night seasons." By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth ; I sought him but I found him not." This midnight dispensation in the text, doth mystically, and metaphorically signify all these three particular conditions, at the time of the Bridegroom's coming, with respect to the several sorts of persons who ^ will be then, and in that day concerned therein : viz. The foolish virgins will then be found in a sluggish disposition, and con- dition of a sinful, careless security ; so sleepy that their lamps go out. And the wise vir- 80 gins will be too secure, and careless at that time. Secondly. Worldly professors, who are taught to worship God according to the commandments and precepts of men, and the inventions and superstitions of men, will then be found under great darkness, dis- comfort, and amazement. " And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars ; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity ; the sea, and the waves roaring ; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth : for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory," because of the sore afflictions, and righteous judgments of God. " For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor never shall be." " Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from 81 heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven : and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Thirdly. There will be some, a few, a small remnant of virgin saints who will ac- company the bridegroom when he comes, even in the midnight dispensation ; and they are those hundred, and forty, and four thousand, who have their Father's name written in their foreheads, Rev. xiv. 1 — 5 ; being in their retirement, repose, and secret devotion, formerly sealed for the servants of God, Rev. vii. 3, 4 ; and now come with the Bridegroom, and shall stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion, being without fault before the throne of God. " There was a cry made," ike. The ques- tion is, 1. What cry this was? 2. Who made this cry ? 3. Who heard this cry ? Touching the first question. What cry this was ; I answer, the Greek word doth, both here and in many other places of scrip- B3 82 ture, signify a very loud, fierce, and vehe- ment cry, as Acts 7. 57 ; " They cried out with a loud voice," Acts xix. 28 ; as an herald at arms cries out with a loud voice, when he proclaims an edict; or when the common cryer makes proclamation. " He cried with a loud voice," (Sec. Rev. vii. 2; X. 3; xix. 17. Touching the second question, Who made this cry ; I answer, either the Lord him- self, or the ministers of Christ, or the people of God. This cry is either by preaching* the coming" of Christ publicly ; " Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet;" Matt. xxiv. 14 ; and the gospel of the king- dom shall be proclaimed, or preached pub- licly, in all the inhabited world ; or else a cry raised by the voice of a great number of the saints, and servants of God, in the temple of God that was opened in heaven ; A voice of the Lord, a voice from the temple," after the resurrection of the two prophetical witnesses of Christ, which the beast had killed. Compare, Rev. xi. 7, 11, 12, 17, 19; And they heard a great voice 83 from heaven, saying unto them, Come up hither;" with Rev. xix. 1, 4—9. " And a voice came out of the throne ; and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, saying, Alleluia ; for the Lord God omnipo- tent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come. Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb. These are the true sayings of God,'' or by the Lord himself. " Jehovah also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem ; and the heavens and the earth shall shake." Read Haggai ii. 6, 7 ; and Heb. xii. 26, 27 ; " See that ye refuse not him that speaketh" from heaven. Touching the third question, Who heard the cry ? I answer, All the virgins both wise and foolish heard this cry; ** The Bride- groom Cometh, Go ye out to meet him," as appears in the next verse. For they all, being awakened by that loud cry, rose and trimmed their lamps; and probably there were many others, even great multitudes that heard this cry, or proclamation of the 84 Bridegroom's coming*, who were glad and rejoiced that the marriage of the Lamb was come ; and that doth appear by what is pro- phesied. Rev. xix. 1 — 9. The sum and substance of this cry is con- tained in these words, " Behold, the bride- groom Cometh, go ye out to meet him wherein are three things to be observed, viz. 1. The attention, Behold. 2. The asser- tion, " the bridegroom cometh." 3. The obligation, or duty enjoined and commanded, " Go ye out to meet him.'' When God would have some wonderful and glorious thing made known unto the world, and unto his people, he stirs up their attention by this word. Behold ; Isai. Ixv. 1 ; Zeph. iii. 19; 1 Cor. xv. 51 ; 1 John iii. 1 ; Rev. XV. 5 ; xxi. 5 ; especially when God speaks of his Son, Jesus Christ, Isai. xxviii. 16; John i. 29; Rev. i. 7; xvi. 15; xxii. 7; Behold he cometh," &c. " Behold I come quickly." So in the text, " Behold the bridegroom cometh." This is a matter Avhich is worthy of, and calls for the churches, ministers, and saints attention. 85 " The bridegroom cometh." It is not said he will come, though that is true ; Yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry." But he cometh ; he is upon his march. Rev. xix. 11. — lo. He hath been coming a great while ; he went forth long ago, Rev. vi. 2 ; and now he is very near, even at the door, ready to enter into the bride-chamber ; only he stands and stays at the door, till the bride hath made herself ready. Rev. xix. 7, 8, 10. " And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. Seeing that many both learned and godly men have been mistaken in their opinions about the coming of Christ, as was hinted in the exposition of the former verse, it con- cerns the churches of saints, the ministers of Christ, and all sanctified believers, to search the holy scriptures, and pray that God will, by his Holy Spirit, open his scriptures to us, and open our understanding thereby in this his cominor-. And now let not the churches, ministers, nor any of the saints, be offended with me for 86 shewing my opinion, touching* this coming of Christ, and the scripture grounds and reasbns for the same, which I humbly offer with all submission unto their judg- ment. I do believe and am persuaded, that the coming of Christ, spoken of in this parable, is not the coming of Christ in his own per- son upon the earth, though I do believe Christ will come the second time iri his own person upon the earth, Heb. ix. 28 ; Zech. xiv. 4, 5 ; but this, is his virtual, spiritual, powerful, and glorious coming in his saints and sanction, as the bridegroom of his church the new Jerusalehi, who shall also come down from Gcd out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Our David's mystical kingdom on earth among his saints, when he shall be king of all the earth, and all the kingdoms of this world shall be Christ's. And when the Lord's re- deemed ones, whom he hath made kings and priests to God, shall have the kingdom, and dominion under the whole heaven given to them, and they shall reign on earth. 87 And the reasons grounded on scripture, are as foUoweth. 1. Negatively. 2. Af- firmatively. Negatively. That the conning of Christ spoken of in this parable, is not the coming of Christ in his own person upon the earth. First, Because at the personal coming of Christ on earth, called his appearing the second time, Heb. ix. 28 ; all his saints shall come with him, 1 Thess. iii. 13. " And Jehovah my God shall come, and all the saints with thee," Zech. xiv. 5. At the coroinor of our Lord Jesus Cbrist with all his saints, the living bodies of the saints shall be changed and glorified ; and the bodies of the saints deceased shall then be raised, and also glorified. " For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ : w ho shall . change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself." " For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so them 88 also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shoitt, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.*' But there will not be such a general, and physical resurrection at the coming of Christ as the bridegroom, for then the living .saints only, shall enter into the bride-chamber; and those wise virgins who never came personally into the kingdom of the Father in heaven, shall be admitted into the kingdom of the Son on earth. " To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sit down with my Father in his throne;" which Christ himself expounds. 89 saying, ** To him will I g-ive power over the nations, even as," or the same power that, " I received of my Father." Secondly. Because at the personal coming of Christ on earth, will be the universal, physical resurrection of all that are dead, and the physical change of all their bodies that are then alive. " Behold I shew you a mystery, We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised, incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ' Which resurrection Christ in John vi. 39, 40, 44; three times together, testifies shall be at the last day ; and Mat- thew, " When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory;" compared with Rev. xx. 11 — 13. " And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; 90 and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life : And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, -according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every man according to their works together with the eternal judgment; Matt. xxv. 33, 3i, 46; 2 Thess. i. 7—10; 2 Tim. iv. 1; Jude xiv. 15; Rev. XX. 12. Thirdly, Because when Christ comes virtually and spiritually as the bridegroom, then will begin the times of the restitution of all things. Then God will restore our judges as at the first, and our counsellors as at the beginning, Isai. i. 25 — 27. Then Christ will restore Israel, and restore the kingdom to Israel; " Even the first domi- nion shall come to the daughter of Zion, the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.'' Then Chi'ist will make all things nev/. Rev. xxi. 5. But when Christ shall come personally upon earth, as the 91 judge of quick and dead, then will be the dissolution of the material heavens and earth, and the final consumption and con- flagration of all tfiiMgs, 2 Pet. iii. 7, 12 : " When the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.'* Now consider that this great desolation of all things, yea of the material heavens and earth, which the scrip- ture testifies will be at Christ's second coming, cannot be at the beginning of his kingdom here on earth for above a thousand years ; after that time Gog and IVTagog will be gathered together, and compass the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city. Rev. xx. 4 — 9. Objection. Doth not this opinion ex- empt and exclude Christ from rule and sovereignty in his monarchical kingdom on earth, contrary to Rev. xx. 4, " They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years?** Answer. No. Consider first, Christ may be said to be with a person or people, and they with him virtually by his spirit 92 and power, or his powerful spiritual pre- sence, Ibai. Ivii. 15; 2 Cor. vi. 16: Rev. ii. 1; Rom. vi. 4 ; Col. ii. 12, 13. As it is said, Is not the Lord in Zion ? is not her King in her?" though not personally but spi- ritually. Secondly. As Christ is said to be in his mystical kingdom, the church of God here on earth, where his laws, his statutes, and his ordinances are dispensed in his name, and by the power of his Holy Spirit; so will he be in his monarchical kingdom, the throne of his father David here on earth. " And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end;" not personally at the beginning of it, but virtually by his laws, &c. Did not the Csesars and Roman Senate govern the world by their laws and edicts, and by those kings and governors of pro- vinces, whom they commissioned and made rulers for them? Is not the king of Spain said to rule and reign in those parts of 93 America, and in other parts of the world, which he or his ancestors conquered by his laws, civil and ecclesiastical, although he himself was never present there in his own person? And doth not the pope reign over the kings and kingdoms of the earth, who have agreed and given their kingdom to the beast, Rev. xvii. 17, 18; though he was never personally in those kingdoms, but gives commissions to his king-s, his nuncio's, his cardinals, and his preiates, to rule in his name ; and by his laws, and edicts, canons and constitutions, to govern the people in those his kingdoms? So shall Christ reign over all the nations and kingdoms of the world whom he shall conquer, and they shall become his. Rev, xi. 5. And he shall be king of all the earth, Zech. xiv. 9. And God shall give him the throne of his father David, Luke i. 32, 33. And the judgment shall be given to tliie saints of the most High, and they shall possess the kingdom, and govern the nations by Christ's laws, Dan. vii. 14, 21, 27 ; and in his name, and by his com- 94 mission, with his Holy Spirit, and power, and in great glory. " Arise, sliine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. The sons also of them that afflicted thee, shall come bending unto thee ; and ail they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet ; and they shall call thee, the city of the Lord, the Zioa of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many genera- tions from the beg-mninor of the thousand years' reign, Rev. xx. 4 ; until the end thereof, which is Christ's Davidical and mo- narchical kingdom. And after that Christ hath put down all rule, all authority, and all pow er, that are his enemies, by the hands of his saints, who shall bind kings in chains, and nobles in fetters of iron, and execute the judgment written ; " This honour have all his saints," Psal. cxlix. Then will the Lord Jesus Christ come in his own person, and all his holy angels and saints shall at- tend him ; " When the Son of man shall 95 come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be ga- thered all nations ; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd di- videth his sheep from the goats." Then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and the saints shall sit upon thrones with Christ: " And Jesus said unto them, Verily, I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." " To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even also as I overcame, and am sit down with my Father in his throne," Rev. iii. 21. This personal coming of Christ had its typical vision, and mystical appearance, at his transfiguration. And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart. And was transfigured be- ♦ fore them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 96 And, as they came down from the moun- tain, Jesus charged them, saving, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man rise again from the dead." Those apostles, Peter, James, and John his brother, were they of whom Christ spake. Matt. xvi. 27, 28, " For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and then shall he reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.*' And Peter being one of those three, bare his testimony and record thereof : " For we have not followed cun- ningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father, honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, I his is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount." And it shall be visi- 97 ble indeed ; " For as the lightnings cometh* out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.'' He shall so come in like manner as ve have seen him sfo into heaven,'* Acts i. 11. And very glonous; for Christ shall come in the glory of his Father, Mark viii. 38; " In his own gloiy, and his Father's, and of the holy angels," Luke ix. 26; and like- wise in the glory of all his saints, 2 Thess. i. 7—10. Then shall Christ the king of saints, the king of Sion, and the king of natioas, be admired of all them that believe, and praised, saying, " Who would not fear thee, 0 king of nations," Jer. x. 7. " The blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords." Then also shall the saints be glorified; " For our conversa- tion is in heaven, from whence also we logk for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." " Behold now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; m but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is," and be rewarded. Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me." " Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Then ^v^cked men and wicked angels, shall by Christ and his saints, be judged according to their deeds; ** Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" " 1 charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his kingdom." And then shall Christ de- liver up the kingdom to God the Father ; that as Christ is now all in all, Col. iii. 11, so God the Father then shall be all in all, 1 Cor. XV. 24, 28. Thus much negatively. Affirmatively. That the coming of Christ, in the sixth and tenth verses of this chapter, is his virtual, spiritual, powerful, and glorious appearance in his saints and sanction, (as the bridegroom of his church, 99 the new Jerusalem, the holy city, the gene- ral assembly and church of the first-born, written in heaven, who also shall come down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.) and in his Davidical kingdom on earth. For proof of this my opinion, sea^rch those places of holy scripture. " Arise, shine, for thy lig'ht is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold, dark- ness shall cover the earth, and gross dark- ness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee; they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the lir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet glorious." " The Lord said unto E 2 100 my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Thy people shall be v^illing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning : thou hast the dew of thy youth." *^ When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testi- mony among you was believed) in that day.'' " And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hun- dred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And J heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a ofreat thunder : and I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins: these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he 101 goeth: these were redeemed from among men, bein^ the first fruits unto God, and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile : for they are without fault before the throne of God." To the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect." " And I saw a new heaven and a new earth ! for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away ; and there was no more sea. And I, John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God, out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things are passed away. And he that sat apon the throne, said, Behold I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write : for these words are tme and faithful." Christ, not in his own person, but by his sub- stitutes, doth maiTy his church, " So shall thy sons marry thee,'' Isai. Ixii. 2. Go ye out to meet him.'' The virgins went out before, and that of their own accord, and very early too ; but now they are called out, and that by a loud voice, and are commanded, " Go ye out to meet him." They who at first were so forward, are now at last so backward, that they must be pro- voked, stirred up, yea roused out of their slumbering, sleeping, careless security; and commanded if not compelled to go out again to meet the bridegroom. The spouse of Christ said within herself, " I will rise now, I will seek him whom my soul loveth." And she said to her beloved, " Come my beloved, let us get up early to the vineyards, there will I give thee my loves." But for all this her fervency, she cooled in her spiritual affections towards Christ, was sleepy and indisposed for 103 spiritual communion with her beloved : she framed excuses, being* lazy, and loth to open the door, though she heard him call her, and knew his voice. " I sleep but my heart waketh : it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled : for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? Cant. V. 2, 3. It hath been hinted in the exposition of the first verse, in what respects the virgins went out to meet the bridegroom. Let us consider what is further intended, and here commanded them in these words. Go ye out to meet him." By going out again to meet the bride- groom, we may here understand three things. 1, A rising and shaking oflf all security, carelessness, and indisposition, to watch and wait for the appearance of Christ. " And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of 104 sleep : for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand ; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." 2. A recovering themselves out of their backsliding, and apostatizing condition, by prayer, repentance, and reformation. " Go, and proclaim these words towards the north, and say, Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I w ill not cause mine anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you : and I 105 will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion." " Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal yonr backslidings. Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God." Read the fourteenth chapter of Ilosea. 3. A preparing- to meet the Lord. *' Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." " That pre- pareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed ac- cording to the purification of the sanctuary," 2 Chron. xxx. 19. To make ready a people prepared for the Lord so did those virgins — the foolish seemingly, the wise sincerely. *^ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps." 1. Meditation. There will be a midnight dispensation of mystical and spiritual dark- ness upon professors; " Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people." Distress, and perplexity, and great tribulation upon the inhabitants of the earth ; There shall be upon earth dis- tress of nations, with perplexity, men's 106 hearts failing them for fear." And too great security, formality, and drowsiness, upon some of the wise virgins, sanctiffied believers, before the coming of the Lord Jesus in his kingdom here on earth ; " What, could you not watch with me one hour?" " Watch and pray," &c. " If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." As it was in the days of Noah and Lot, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man. "So shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Even thus diall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." 2. Meditation. That there will be such a voice of the Lord, such a voice from the city and from the temple, such a loud cry in the time of the midnight dispensation, that will awake and rouze up all the slumbering and sleeping virgins; " A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to his enemies." " And they," the slain or dispirited witnesses, " heard a great voice 107 from heaven, saying' unto them, Come up hither/* " Jehovah also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem." 3. Meditation. That the next glorious appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ, will be his virtual and spiritual coming in his saints and sanction, as the bridegroom of his church, to marry her by her sons, Isai. Ixii. 1, 5 ; and by them to reign over the nations with power and great glory a thousand years here on earth. There are but three special kinds and times of Christ's coming. 1. His coming in the form of a servant in the days of his flesh, Phill. ii. 7. 2. His coming as a judge at the last day, when he shall judge the quick and the dead, 2 Tim. iv. 1; called his appearing the second time, Heb. ix. 28 : both these are his personal appearances or his coming in his own person. But between these two appearances or comings of Christ in his own person, there is witnessed by the holy prophets and apostles, and recorded in the holy scripture of truth, another kind of Christ's coming at another time. And that 108 is, his coming as the bridegroom, and as the only potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords, 1 Tim. vi. 14, 15; Rev. xix. 16; which is his virtual, spiritual, powerful, and glorious coming in his saints and sanction, and by them to marry his Jerusalem, " So shall thy sons marry thee and with them to reign over the nations and kingdoms of the world, a thousand years on earth. " And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying. The king- doms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and Worshipped God, saying. We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come I because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.'' " And I heard as it were the voice of a great mul- titude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Allelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and 109 give honour to him : for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made her- self ready." " And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them : and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and ^ for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands : and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. And when the thousand years are expired, satan shall be loosed out of his prison. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the be- loved city : and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them." 4. Meditation. It is the duty of all virgin professors, especially sanctified believers,who are w ise virgins, to go out and meet the bride- groom, when he comes by his spiritual power 110 and glory in his saints and sanction, to set up his kingdom and to reign on earth. First, The Lord Jesus Christ who is King of saints, Rev. xv. 3 ; King of Zion, Psal. cxlix. 2 ; and King of nations, Jer. x. 7 ; shall be the only potentate, 1 Tim. vi. 15 ; and King of all the earth, Zech. xiv. 9. And all the kino doms of the world shall be his, Rev. xi. 15, and his saints, Dan. vii. 11, 22, 27. And they shall reign with Christ on earth a thousand years. Rev. v. 10. Secondly, The God of heaven will set up this kingdom of Christ and his saints, in the days of those kings of the fourth monarchy that oppose him and his saints, and give it unto Christ as he is the son of David, Luke i. 32, 33 ; and unto the saints of the most High, Dan. vii. 27 ; who shall take it and possess it a thousand years. Thirdly, When Christ comes to set up his kingdom and to reign on earth virtually and spiritually in his saints and sanction, with power and great glory, it is the duty of all virgin professors, especially sanctified Ill believers, who are wise virgins, to go out to meet the bridegroom. To meet the bridegroom implies, 1. To be walking in the same way of truth, wherein Christ comes, viz. To own that truth, and to witness unto that truth of the kingdom, and power, and glory, of our Lord J esus Christ, against the kingdom, power, and glory of antichrist, which is the finishing testimony of all the faithful witnesses of Christ. " And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them which testimony is that gospel of the kingdom of Christ that must be preached in all the world for a witness unto all na- tions. Matt. xxiv. 14. 2. To meet the bridegroom implies a progress and going on in that way of truth, without weariness, fainting, sitting down, and slumbering" : " Hast thou not known ? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary? 112 There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint ; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength : and they shall walk and not faint." 3. To meet the bridegroom implies a dili- gent and continual watching and waiting for the virtual, spiritual, powerful, and glorious appearance of Christ the bridegroom. " Yea, in the way of thy judgments, 0 Lord, have we waited for thee ; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. In the night, yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early ; for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabit- ants of the world will learn riofhteousness." For the vision is for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie : though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul w hich is lifted up, is not upright in him : but the jiLst shall live by his faith." " Watch 113 therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the iSon of man coineth." " Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps/' or cleansed their lamps. The virgins being awakened by the cry at midnight, did all arise, that is to say, all those virgin professors began to shake off their carnal security, and rise from their beds of sloth, and laziness, and lukewarm- ness ; " Rise up ye women that are at ease," Isai. xxxii. 9^ Cant. iii. 2. And went out again to meet the bridegroom, as they were commanded, being glad to hear that Christ was now coming, in that midnight dispensa- tion. They do as David did, " At midnight will I arise and give thanks unto thee." As Jonathan arose and went to meet David, so those virgin professors arose and went out again to meet the bridegroom, Christ Jesus, the Son of David. Now the virgins are awakened, and they call upon one another like the watchmen of Mount Ephraim, say- ing, " Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion, unto Jehovah our God." The coming of Christ the bridegroom, will be a morning of 114 such glorious light, that shineth from one end of the heavens unto the other, that will shine upon all the virgin professors, and cause the wise virgins to arise and shine as was prophesied ; Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people : but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." And in order to their shining profession the vir- gins being risen are said to trim their lamps. " And trimmed their lamps." It seem* whilst the virgins slumbered and slept, their lamps decayed, that is to say, The oil in their lamps wasted, and was spent, and the wick and smoking flax was burnt, and the light that had shined for some time, began to grow dim, and was going out, and some of their lamps were gone out, being foul and unsavory. . By trimming their lamps is meant all the means and endeavours those virgin profes- sors used to cleanse and purge their lamps, to supply them with oil, and wick or flax, and 115 so to repair their light, and prepare themsel ves^ to meet the bridegroom, that is to say, Now that the virgins are awakened and risen up, they, especially the wise virgins, begin again to speak of the glory of Christ's kingdom, and to talk of his power ; and prepare themselves for the coming and kingdom of Christ. The wise virgins having oil in their vessels, get their lamps supplied : and like the bride, the Lamb's wife, they make themselves ready. " And they that were ready w^ent in with him," with Christ the bridegroom, " to the marriage." But the foolish virgins having no oil in their vessels, that is, they being without Christ, and not having the spiritual unction of the grace of God in their hearts, their lamps went out, and they were shut out of the marriage chamber, whilst they went to buy oil, even whilst they were seeking after Christ; " How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge ? Turn you at my reproof^ behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. HQ Then shall they call upon me but 1 will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me/' Strive to enter m at the strait gate, for many I say unto you shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able, when once the master of the house is risen Uj3, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without and to knock at tVie door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are ; then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drank in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity.'' 1. Meditation. The public testimony of the nearness of Christ's coming as the bride- groom, with spiritual power and great glory in his saints and sanction, will awaken and raise some virgin prolessors out of their se- curity, backsliding, and apostasy. That there will be a cry at midnight, viz. a loud voice from the Lord, a voice from the city, a voice from the temple, to wit, a public 117 ininisterial testimony, even in the midst of the midnight dispensation; and saying, Behold the bridegroom cometh, hath been shewed in the exposition of the sixth verse, and the words of this seventh verse testify that loud voice or cry did awake and cause the virgins to rise. Then all those virgins arose,'* to wit, out of the slumber and sleep of their sinful silence, worldly ease, carnal security, careless formality, backsliding and apostasy ; and some of them with their loins girt, and their lamps burning, did arise and shine, and went out again to meet the bride- groom. 2. Meditation. That some of the virgin professors shall be recovered out of their se- curity, backsliding, and apostasy, and shall arise and shine at the coming of Jesus Christ as the bridegroom of his church. God hath promised to heal the back- slidings of his people upon their repentance and returning to the Lord. " Return ye backsliding children, and t will heal your backslidings : Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God." Hosea 118 xir. 1, 4. And he will cause the lig-ht of the knowledge of the glory of God to shine in their hearts, 2 Cor. iv. 6; and make theni shine in a holy, gospel conversation,'* Isai. Ix. 1 — 3 ; to the praise and glory of God. 3. Meditation. It is the duty of virgin professors and church members, to prepare themselves for the coming of Christ as the bridegroom. Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of man cometh,'* Matt. xxiv. 44. " Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning. And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he Cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not,*' Luke xii. 35, 36, 40. To be so prepared and ready, the wise virgins must put on their beautifid gar- ments, Isai. lii. 1 ; and rejoice as Zion did : I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of sal- 119 vation, he hath covered me with the robe of rig'hteousness, as a bridegi-oom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels/* Isai. Ixi. 10. And those that have spotted their gar- ments of profession by any sinful conversa- tion or compliance, oug*ht to wash their robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, Rev. vii. 14 : that so they all being" clothed with fine linen white and clean, which is the righteousness of the saints, Rev. xix. 8, as a bride adorned for her husband, Rev. xxi. 2, may walk with Christ in white. And being thus adorned and made ready to meet the bridegroom, may be counted worthy to enter with him into the marriage chamber. " And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out." In these words consider, 1 . The request that the foolish virgins made imto the wise, " Give us of your oil." 2. The reason of their request, " For our lamps are gone out." 120 The foolish virgin professors were now at last made sensible that they wanted oil, and that it was their great folly that they did take no oil with them, as the wise virgins did in their vessels, when they took their lamps, and went out to meet the bride- groom. 1. Meditation. It argues and demon- strates very great folly in those virgin pro- fessors and church members, who seem to be religious, having a form of godliness, and are looking for and bearing testimony unto, the spiritual kingdom and glorious appearance and coming of Christ, the churches bridegroom, to be without Christ, and to want the Spirit of Christ, and the saving and sanctifying grace of Jesus Christ in their hearts. Doubtless, now at last the foolish virgins were very sensible of their folly, in resting satisfied and contented with a profession of Christ without a possession of Christ ; with having their lamps, and the form of godli- ness, without the oil of grace, and the 121 power of godliness; and with being in a gospel church state, and therein partaking of the holy ordinances of God, and enjoy- ing fellowship with the wise virgin saints, and yet not being partakers of tlie divine nature, nor having communion and fellow- ship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the ways and ordinances of God. Now those foolish virgin professors wish they had some of the wise vh'gins' oil; O, say they, that w e had Christ, the Spirit of Christ, and the grace of Christ in our hearts. Now they ask and beg, they seek unto and intreat the wise virgin saints, saying, " Give us of your oil;" communicate of your saving and sanctifying graces to oar souls. 2. Meditation. The time will come when foolish professors, and formal church mem- bei^s, will see and sadly experience their being without Christ, and their want of the Spirit and grace of God. Many professors now can live without Christ, and without God, and without grace in the world, yea, in the churches of saints, and iu the ordinances of the gospel, some- F 122 times making a shining profession of Christ, and witnessing of, and bearing their testi- mony to, the kingdom and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ: and at other times slumbering and sleeping in a carnal secunty, lukewarmness, formality, and backsliding apostasy ; who when they are awakened by some midnight dispensation of God, will see, and be convinced and made sensible of, their want and need of Christ, and the Spirit of Christ, and the grace of Christ. The time will come wiien they sliall see and know by a thorough conviction and woeful experience, that none but ChrLst, nothing *ljut grace will supply their wants nor satisfy their souls. " Give us of your oil:'* Oh! that we had possession of Christ as you have ; Oh ! that the saving, sancti- fying grace of God, and Spirit of God, were in our hearts as they are in yours. We now see our want of the power of godlmcss, truth of grace, and union and communion with Christ which you have and enjoy. And though men and women, yea, some professors and church members caa live 123' without Christ, buy and sell without Christ, build and plant w ithout Christ, for they will be very busy about such thing-s when the Son of man conieth, Luke xvii. 26 - 30; and some professors can have and hold com- munion with the saints in the churches, and holy ordinances of God, without Christ and grace : yet when Christ comes, yea when death comes, they are awakened by that midnij>:ht dispensation, then they see them- selves lost and undone to eternity ; then tliey know not what to do, nor how to die without Christ and without grace. Then they call and cry, send for and seek unto, the minis- ters and saints of God, and say. Pray for us, speak to us, pity us, tell us'what we shall do; 0 Men and Brethren what shall we do?*' Acts ii. 37 ; and as the jailer did, Acts xvi. 30; " Sirs what shall I do to be saved and as the foolish virg-ins here did to the wise, " Give us of your oil.*' For our lamps are gone out," or are going out, as in the margin. This is the reason of their request, as if they had said, O ye wise virgin saints, sanctified belie^vers. F 2 124 who have union with Chiist, who have ob- tained the precious faith of God's elect, and have received the grace of God in truth, and all the fruits of the Spirit ; " Give us of your oil,*' communicate some of your saving, sanctifying grace unto us, for our lamps of professed gospel light, our shining temple light, all our spiritual gifts and com- mon grace, all our former gospel enjoy- ments, even all our hopes and comforts are now decayed, withered, perished, and are ready to die, and be utterly extinguished ; and we ourselves are in the dark, and must sit down and perish in eternal darkness, uijless you can and will supply us w^ith some of your spiritual oil; " For our lamps are ofone out." 3. Meditation. That all the gospel-light that shines in the spiritual gifts, and religious actions of foolish and formal professors, will at last be extinguished, and go out, and they will fall away. 1. There are some formal professors that have received spiritual gifts from God; ** Now there are diversities of gifts, but the / 125 sxxme Spirit; and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God that worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is g-iven tb every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom ; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit ; to another faith by the same Spirit ; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit ; to another the working of miracles ; to another prophesy ; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues ; to another the interpretation of tongues," 1 Cor. 12. One member of the church may have a word of knowledge, another a word of wisdom, another a gift of pro- phesy, another faith, not sanctifying faith, and all these and several other gifts may have been given them by the Holy Spirit of God, and yet not have Christ, ^or the graces of faith and love in Christ Jesus. " Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cym- 126 bal. And though I have the gift of pro- phesy, and understand all mysteries, and have all knowledge ; and though 1 have all faith, so that 1 could remove mountains, and have not charity, 1 am nothing. And though I bestow ail my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not chaiity, it profiteth me nothing." For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor un circumcision, but faith which worketh by love;'' Gal. v. 6. The apostle in these words, Neither circumcision availeth any thing," sheweth and testifieth, that no pri- vileges, ordinances, gifts, or administra- tions, that the Jews had under the law; " nor uncircmncision," that is to say, no pri- vileges, ordinances, gifts, or administra- tions, which the Gentiles have under the gpspel, will profit or avail them any thing in order unto the obtaining of eternal life, and everlasting salvation, without faith in Christ Jesus, that works by love, or as Paul saitb, Gal. vi. 15, " For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing. 127 nor uncircumsion, but a new creature that is, unless the professing Jew or Gen- tile be a new creature, 2 Cor. v. 17; that is, God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, Ephes. ii. 10, that we should walk in them. 2. And some foolish and formal virgin professors may shine for a season in the acts and exercise of those spiritual gifts that they have received from God for the churches* edification. " Follow after cha- rity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. But he that pro- phesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation and comfort." And they may also shine in some kind and degree of gospel-like conversation, and saint-like life, in respect of some external actions and out- ward performance of holy duties. And they may likewise shine like lamps and temple-lights in bearing their witness and testimony for Christ, his head-ship, minis- try, churches, worship, kingdom, and go- vernment. And lastly, they may shine like lamps and burning lights in enduring 128 the afflictions of the gospel, in suffering the spoiling of their goods, imprisonment, ba- nishment, yea, and death itself, 1 Cor. xiii. 1—3. 3. And yet after all this their lamps will go out and thv se foolish and formal profes- sors will fall away; " They on the rock are they, which when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for awhile believe, and in time of temptation fall away." Those hard-hearted hearers believed for a time. They made a profession of the faith of the gospel, and they made a confession too, and that before many witnesses; But in time of tempta- tion fell away.'* When that hour of temp- tation comes upon them which Christ hath foretold shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth, Rev. iii. 10, then they will fall away ; and the reason is, because they have no root, that is, they have not Christ, they are rooted in him^ As ye therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him ; rooted and built up in hmi, and established in the faith, 129 US ye have been taught; abounding therein in thankso-ivinof." Faith in Christ never falls away : Blessed be the God and Fa- ther of our Lord Jesus Christy which ac- cording to his abundant mercy hath begot- ten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, and unde- filed, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the mighty power of God, through faith unto sal- vation, ready to be revealed in the last time." It is a faith without Christ that foolish professors depart from; " Now tlie Spirit speak eth expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doc- trines of devils." But the wise answered, saying. Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.'* This verse contains the answer that the wise virgins gave to the request of the foolish virgins. Wherein, F 3 130 1. They g'ive them a denial, and the reason thereof : But the wise answered, saying, Not so We may not, we cannot grant what yon desire of us, " Lest there be not enough for us and you.*' As if the wise va gins had said. It is true indeed, we have oil in our vessels, and supply for our lamps; but we can spare none: our vessels have no more oil in them than we do and shall need for ourselves ; " Not so." The Lord Jesus Christ hath given us his saving and sanctifying grace, but we may not, we can- not give it to you, no not the least measure of it ; not a dram nor a drop can we give, nor can we spare any of it. We stand in need to get more grace for ourselves, lest we should not have enough in those hours and times of trials that we may meet with yet, ere we meet with the bridegroom; and lest we have not enough for those ser- vices of Christ, and sufferings for Christ, that our Lord may call us too, either before his coming, or when he comes, or after he is come as the bridegroom. 131 2. They gave the foolish virgins direc- tions what to do in their condition; But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.'* Wherein we are to consider, 1, Who they are that sell this spiritual oil. 2, What it is to buy it. The spiritual oil is the unction of the Holy One, 1 John, ii. 20, 27 ; that wherewith Christ was anointed above his fellows, Psal. xlv. 7 ; viz. the saving, sanc- tifying grace of God, the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. They that sell this mystical and spiritual oil, are Christ, and his ministers, and ser- vants. The Lord Jesus Christ is the owner of this oil, and he himself doth sometimes sell it, or offer it to sale, as he did to the church of Laodicea. " I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. But ordi- narily and commonly Christ authoriseth and commandeth his faithful servants, the minis- 132 . ' ters of tlie gospel, whom he appointeth, com- missioneth, and sends to offer this spiritual oil to sale, and to sell it unto whomsoever will buy it. " Hearken to me ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord ; Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.'' In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, say- ing. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink," John v ii. 37. " And the Spirit and the bride say. Come. And let him that heareth say. Come. And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely," Rev. xxii. 17. For as it was a great sin in Simon Magus to offer money, and to think that the gifts of the Holy Ghost might be bought with ma- terial money, so it is a very great sin in any minister to sell this tnystical oil for material silver or gold, or any price, or earthly com- modity. And it is a very great mistake in foolish professors, to think they may buy, that is, bargain with God for Christ and grace upon the terms of the old covenant of 13^ works, and their own rig'hteousness, wliicli is as filthy rags, Isai. Ixiv. 6. To buy this spiritual oil, implies three things, 1. A sense of want and need of it, which the foolish virgins now had. 2. At- tending upon the ministry of the word and administrations of the gospel to obtain it, or to get some of this oil, having their heart and hand open and willing to receive it; " And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us : whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul," Acts xvi. 14. 3. A willingness to have it upon Christ's own terms of free grace, with- out money and without price : " Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money ^ com.e ye, buy and eat \ yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Where- , fore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for that which satisfietli not ? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your 134 soul delig-ht itself id fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." " And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end : I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely," Rev. xxi. 6. And the Spirit and the bride say. Come; and let him that heareth say, Come ; and let him that is athirst come ; and whosoever will let him take of the w ater of life freely." 1. Meditation. That virgin saints who have the greatest and fullest measure of grace and holiness, cannot give or impart any of it unto others. " And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil ;" that is, impart some of your grace unto us : but the wise answered and said, Not so," we cannot give you grace, nor can we impart any of our grace to you. Oh ! saith a dying father, mother, or some other relation, I am without Christ, I have no grace, I am ready to die and be damned. 135 and I shall perish to all eternity. O, dear wife, child, husband, or other godly relation, that my soul were in your soul's condition. Oh ! speak comfort and peace to me ; Oh ! that I had Christ, grace, pardon, or any hopes of eternal life. But then those godly relations must say, It is not in me, I cannot impart any grace to you : Christ must give you of his Spirit, and God must give you of his grace, I cannot. Godly parents and relations may and ought to pray, that God will give pardoning grace, sanctifying grace, saving grace, to their children, or to any other relations, but they cannot give any, nor can they impart any grace to them. Abraham could not give grace to Ishmael, nor could Isaac impart grace to Esau, nor Jacob to Reuben ; no, nor David to Absa- lom, nor Job to his wife. Neither could Paul impart grace to his country-men, for whom his heart's desire and prayer was, that they might be saved ; and although he was willing to be accursed for them, as the holv scriptures of truth testify. 2. Meditation. Every saint and sanc- tified believer will, ere he get to heaven, stand in need of all the jrrace he hath. Sanctified believers, called saints, may meet with such fiery trials, such hellish temptations, such powerful stirrings of cor- ruptions, and so great variety of afflictions, tribulations, persecutions and sufferings; yea. such hours and powers of darkness, and so d^ep desertions, that will call for and re- quire the virgins' lively acts and exercise of all the grace of God they have ; yea, and they may be necessitated to go to Christ for more grace as the apostles did. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance cf the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the mes- senger of satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might de- part from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee : for my strength i» made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infir- mities, that the power of Christ may rest 137 upon me." Believers will have need of all the grace they have, when they come to die, and be dissolved- 3. Meditation. It is the duty of every person, that sees their need and want of Christ, his Holy Spirit, and sanctifying grace, to attend upon the ministry of the 4'ospel and administrations of the holy or- dinances of God, and to accept and receive Christ and grace, offered freely without mo- ney or price. Many sinners are so blinded, 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, that they see no form nor comeliness in Christ ; and when they do see some beauty and excellency in him, yet they are apt to refuse and reject him, until they be tho- roughly convinced of their want and need of him, his Spirit and grace, and that there is not salvation in any other, Acts iv. 12. And then they begin to desire and say, Oh! that I had Christ ; Oh ! that I had grace ; Oh ! that I could believe. Now it is their duty to attend diligently, and conscionably upon the ministry of the gospel and means of grace ; for faith comes by hearing the word 138 preached, Rom. x. 17. ** Incline your ear, come unto me, hear and your souls shall live, And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,'' (kc. And as it is their duty to hear, so it is their duty to believe, 1 John iii. 23 ; and by faith to accept and receive Jesus Christ offered to them upon gospel terms of free grace, without money and w ithout price. He came unto Lis own, and his own re- ceived him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name," John i. 11,12. Rev. xxii. 17; Isai. Iv. 1—3. " And w hile they went to buy, the bride- groom came, and they that were ready, w ent in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut." The foolish virgins followed the counsel of the wise, and w ent to buy oil for them- selves ; and so do many formal and foolish professors, when they are convinced of their sins, and of their necessity of a Saviour, then they seek after Christ, and cry for grace, 139 and call upon God for pardoning mercy and salvation, but it is too late. " Because I have called and ye refused, 1 have stretched out my h ind and no man regarded ; Then shall they call upon me, but I will not an- swer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not tind me. ' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came." " And th^y that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut." They that were duly prepared for the bride- groom's coming, had an entrance admitted to them into his kingdom, and all others were excluded. " They that were ready," had put off the filthy rags of their own righteousness, and had put on the robes of Christ's righteous- ness, Rom. xiii. 14. God had taken aw ay their filthy garments, and had clothed them with change of raiment, Zech. iii. 3, 4. Thus Zion the holy city^the new Jerusalem, is called upon and commanded by the Lord her Maker, her Husband, and her Redeemer, to loose herself from tiie hands of her neck, her captivity, to arise and put on her beau- 140 tifui garments, Isai. lii. 1 — 3. And so she shall do with great joy and rejoicing; and therefore she is prophetically said to do so : I will greatlyrejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hatli clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of right- eousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels," Isai. Ixi. 10. And to be prepared for the bridegroom's coming is to be arrayed in fine linen, white and clean, which is the righteousness of the saints. Rev. xix. 7, 8. And so the holy city, the new Jerusalem, was prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, in John's vision. Rev. xxi. 2. Of this glorious marriage and mystery of Christ and his church, David prophesied, Psal. xlv; wherein we have this great and glorious solemnity of the bridegroom's coming, and of the marriage of the Lamb, mystically and me- taphorically sung and penned down by that sweet singer of Israel in that epithala- mium, love-song, or marriage-song. " My 141 heart is inditin§^ a ^ood matter; I speak of the thinofs which I have made touchino- the king: my tongae is the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips ; there- fore God hath blessed thee for ever. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever : the sceptre of thy kingdom is^a right sceptre. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. King's daughters were auiong thy honourable women : upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold of Ophir. The King's daughter is all glorious within ; her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle work; the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing they shall enter into the King's palace." And so the prophet Ezekiel, describing the church's condition from her cradle to her drown, speaks of her mward and spiritual beauty and glory under tiivers metapiiors, and figurative expressions. ♦* Now when I 142 passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behokl, thy time was a time of love, and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy naked- ness: yea, I sware tmto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest' mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I thoroug-hly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badger's skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and 1 put bracelets upon thine hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy fore- head, and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus w^ast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil : and thou wast exceed- ing beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the lieathen for thy beauty ; for it was perfect through my comeliness which 14:3 I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God." This prophesy in the mystery of it will be fulfilled when the bridegToom cometh, for then Christ will put on a beautiful crown upon her head, and she will be exceeding beautiful, and she shall then prosper into a kingdom. " In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people.'* " Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God," Isai. Ixii. 3. When will this day of Zion's glory be ? then will it be, when the bridegroom cometh and marrieth his bride; ** For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee : and as the bridegroom rejoicetli over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.'* And thus the wise virgin saints were prepared and ready, and went in with him to the man-iage. " And the door was shut.*' There is the door of grace, and that is all opportunities and seasons that the ministers of Christ have and improve to preach, and the people have 144 and improve to hear the gospel of the grace of God; also to administer and partake of the holy ordinances of God in any place, and at any time, called an open door, Rev. iii. 8. " A great door and effectual is opened unto me,'* *^ And a door was opened unto me of the Lord," 2 Cor. ii. 12; that was, a door of «:race. And when God removes the can- dlestick, takes away the gospel, suffering the adversaries to silence and persecute his faithful ministers, and churches of saints, when their ministers by imprisonment or banishment are removed into corners, and their eyes cannot see their teachers ; when the people run to and fro, to seek the word of the Lord, and cannot find it, then the door of grace is shut. There is also the door of the kingdom of Christ : " When once the master of the house is risen up, and shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us ; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence yon are : then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk 145 in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But ye shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are ; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God," liuke xiii. This is the door that was shut here in my text, to wit, the door of Christ's marriage chamber, that is to say, an entrance and admittance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence, to make your calling and election sure : for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall : for so an entrance shall be ministered mito you abun- dantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 1. Meditation. That all persons, especially virgin professors, ought to prepare, aini to be ready, when Christ the churches bridegroom Cometh* G 146 To this end, 1. Sinners you must get Jesus Christ; if you will not receive and entertain Christ into your hearts by faith, a true penitent and lively faith, he will not receive and admit you into the marriage chamber of his kingdom, when he comes as the bridegroom. If sinners will not let Christ live in them, and reign in them, in the kingdom of his grace now, they shall not live and reign with him in his kingdom. Christ will shut the door of his kingdom affainst them that shut the door of their hearts against him. Therefore sinners, whilst Jesus Christ stands at the door, open the door of your hearts to Christ, and let him come and set up the kingdom of his grace in your hearts, according to his gracious promise: " Be- hold, I stand at the door and knock ; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will c6me into him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I ^Iso overcame, and am sit down with my Father in bis throne. He that hath 147 an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.'* 2. Saints, you ought to prepare, and be ready to meet Christ the churches bride- groom, when he cometh, and therefore con- sider what you have to do, ere you and J esus Christ meet in his marriage kingdom. 0 gracious and precious saints, have you not something to do ere you die? Can you heartily desire and earnestly pray to be dis- solved and be with Christ before you have overcome the world, 1 John v. 4, 5 ; got the victory over sin, 1 Cor. xv. 56, 57 ; and re- sisted, vanquished, and made a conquest over the devil, 1 John ii. 13, 14 ; and in all these to be more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord ? Rom. viii. 37, Can you expect to inherit all things. Rev. xxi. 7, until you have overcome all things? om* Lord Jesus Christ overcame before he sate down with his Father in his throne. And will Jesus Christ grant you to sit down with him in his throne, until you have also over- come ? g2 Again, consider saints, are you prepared as a bride adorned for her husband P Are you clothed in fine linen, white and clean, and so made ready for the marriage of the Lamb ? Or do not some of you stand in need to wash your robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb, before you can put on your beautiful garments, and adorn yourselves with ornaments as a bride, or as the bride-maidens, the virgins hei^ com- panions? The Lord first washed his people with water, yea, he thoroughly washed away their blood from them, and anointed them with oil, and then he clothed them with broidered work, girded them with linen, and covered them with silk. He decked them also with ornaments, bracelets, jewels, chains of gold and pearl about their neck, and at last he put a beautiful crown upon the churches head, and they prospered into a kingdom. So the apostle testifieth, that Jesus Christ gave himself for his church; " That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the wash- 149 ing' of water, by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be holy, and M^thout ble- mish.'' O beloved and blessed virgin saints, how much cleansing, purging, sanctifying work is there yet to be done in your souls by the Spirit, and word of God in the lively and powerful applications of the precious blood of Jesus Christ, Heb. ix, 14 ; xiii. 12. Once more consider saints, O ye wise virgins, are your vessels full of oil ? Are your hearts full of grace? Have you perfected holiness in the fear of God? 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; And are you " come in the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man," Ephes. iv. 13. If not, you are not yet so prepared, nor are you yet so ready as you should desire and endeavour to be, and may be through the communica-- tion of the exceeding riches of the grace of God, and the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ, you may attain to be ere the bride- groom come. 150 2. Meditation. Whilst some foolish and negligent virgin professors are seeking too late to get, and endeavouring too late to buy the spiritual oil of grace to supply their lamps^ Christ will come, and shut the door of his grace and kingdom against them ; " And the door was shut.'* Some professors being careless and neg- ligent when they enjoy powerful means of grace, as the foolish virgins were when they first went out to meet the bridegroom, con- tent themselves and are satisfied with some spiritual gifts without grace, and the form of godliness without the power of it, as the foolish virgins did that took their lamps, but took no oil with them : and so go on in the broad way of an outward, customary, and formal performance of holy duties, and par- taking of gospel ordinances all the day of grace, until the night of security, ease, and darkness overtake them, and they begin to slumber and fall fast asleep in their for- mality, or in their apostasy, until in some midnight dispensation, a cry with a loud 151 voice from the Lord, from the city, or from the temple, awaken them and affright them. And then they perceive that their lamps are gone out, and that they themselves are in a state of darkness, wanting Christ and grace in their souls, as the foolish virgins did, who wanted oil in their vessels, and went to buy it. So some formal professors, when it is too late, seek for grace and enquire after Christ; saying as Balaam did, " Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." But their day of grace being past, Christ shuts the door of grace, saying, " He that is unjust let him be unjust still, and he that is filthy let him be filthy still." And Christ will, when he comes as the bridegroom, shut the door of his king- dom against those foolish virgin professors, who refused the offers, calls and invitations of the gospel in the day of grace; read Proverbs i. from verse 20 to the end of the chapter. And as doth plainly appear in the eleventh and twelfth verses of this chapter. " Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he 16^ answered and said, Verily I say unto you, 1 know you not." Afterwards, or last of all, that is, after the wise virgin saints were entered into the marriage chamber with Christ the bride- groom of his church, and after the door of the kingdom of Christ was shut, then came the foolish virgin professors, a multitude or very many formalists and hypocrites, saying Lord, Lord, open to us/' They called and cried earnestly, prayed and beseeched the Lord Jesus Christ again and again to open the dcor of his kingdom unto them, and let them have an entrance admitted into his everlasting kingdom. " But he answering, said. Verily I say unto you, I know you not." As they were earnest in their request, so was Christ very positive in his answer, " Verily,'* assuredly, indeed and in truth, I know you not," I love you not, I do not approve of you, I own you not to be of the number of those that my Father gave me, and whom I redeemed with my blood, and whom I called and sanc- tified by my spirit and grace, and who 153 sought to worship God by the Spirit and in truth. I know you not to be the adopted children of my Father, justified and sanc- tified by faith that is in me. You are forma- hsts and hypocrites, impenitent backsliders and apostates, who have denied my head- ship, my kingly office, and would not that I should reign over you. In a word, you are workers of iniquity, " Depart from me," I profess I do not know^ you, so as to approve of you, to own you, to open the door of my kingfdom tovou, Luke xiii. 24 — 27. Meditation. It will be a sad astonishing and miserably w oeful condition, that all foolish virgin professors will be in, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall exclude them, and shut them out of his kingdom, and disown them for ever. Virgin professors having a strong confi- dence, and great hope and expectation of the pardon of all their sins, and of eternal life and salvation, and then at last find by woeful experience that theLord hath rejected their confidence, Jer. ii. 37; and their ex- pectations be in vain and perish, Prov. x. 28 ; G 3 164 and their hope like the spider's web, Job viii. 13, 14. " For what is the hope of the hypocrite, when God taketh away his soul ?" Job xxvii. 8. And that God will not forgive their iniquities, Jer. xiv. 10; xvi. 1 8 ; but will give them the wages of their sins, and reward them according to their evil deeds, Rom. ii. 6, 9, 11. Yea, and they having had a strong persuasion or presump- tion, rather that when Christ comes they shall have an entrance admitted to them into his everlasting kingdom, and at last Christ comes, alid shuts the door of the king- dom, and then they come and knock, and say. Lord, Lord, open to us, and be denied and repulsed, and Christ tell them he knows them not, and say, Depart from me ye hypocrites, ye formal professors, ye foolish virgins, and all ye workers of iniquity, what an amaze- ment and astonishment will it be to them ? And then they will begin to say, " Lord, we have eaten and drank in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets that is, we have been under the ministry of thy gospel, and all the administrations thereof. We have 155 been often at the Lord's table, and have been partakers of all the holy ordinances of God : " Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kinp^dom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils ? and in thy name have done many wonderful works? And then will I profess them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work ini- quity/' " Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, wherein the Son of man cometh." This verse contains the use that Christ would have his disciples make of this para- ble, and of his doctrine therein contained, and that is, to watch, " Watch ye there- fore;!' which exhortation he urgeth from their ignorance of the time when Christ, the churches bridegroom, will come : " For ye know neither the day, nor the hour, wherein the Son of man cometh." 156 From whence two propositions do arise, 1. That the time of Christ' s coming", as the bridegroom is not known, to any saint or angel, but to the Father only. 2. That it is the duty of all Christ's dis- ciples to be watching, and waiting daily for the glorious appearance of Christ, who will come as the brideo^room of his church. Touching the first proposition " But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Fa- ther only,'' Matt. xxiv. 36. And Mark says, " But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father," Mark xiii. 32. Though God the Father hath reserved the knowledge of the day and hour of Christ, the bridegroom's coming, in his own secret decree, yet hath he given forth and revealed some signs of his coming, which are recorded in the holy scriptures of truth, which his disciples being desirous to know, asked him, saying, " And what shall be the sign of thy coming?" Unto which question Christ answered many 157 tilings, but more particularly he told them, 1 . That his saints and servants should suffer great persecutions, Matt. xxiv. 9; Luke xxi. 12, 16, 17. 2. That iniquity shall abound, and the love of many wax cold. 3. That the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations. 4. That then shall be great tribulation, such as never was, no, nor ever shall be. And immediately after the tribu- lation of those days, the powers of heaven shall be shaken, and then shall appear the sign, of the Son of man in heaven, Matt, xxiv. Touching the second proposition, read Matt. xxiv. 42; Luke xxi. 36, " Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." They that would be ac- counted worthy to stand before Christ the bridegroom when he comes, must watch and pray continually. Watching implies, 1. That professors, Christ's disciples ought to be awake ; " And 158 that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep ; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." " For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." " Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober." 2. That professors are to be in a continual expectation of Christ's glorious appearance, as they that watch for the morning : " I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the ijord, more than they that watch for the morning ; I say, more than they that watch for the morning." And Luke xii.; *' Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning ; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him imme- diately. Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watch- ing : Verily, I «ay unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 159 And if he shall come in the second watch ^ or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants." 8. That professors be looking out, de- sirous of, and longing for, the coming and kingdom of Christ; Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God/* Watching is a necessary duty incumbent upon christians at all times, in all things. It is our duty in every duty : We ought to watch and pray, Matt. xxvi. 41 ; to watch, unto prayer, 1 Pet. iv. 7 ; and to watch after prayer, and wait for the return and answer of our prayers. Christians ought to watch their hearts, thoughts, and affections; they ought to set a watch before the door of their lips, that their tongues do not offend ; and they ought to watch their lives and conver- sations in their callings and employments in the world. But especially christians ought to watch for the glorious appearance of the bridegroom, our Lord Jesus Christ, Matt, xxiv. 42 ; and they ought to be in a watch- ing posture, and upon watching work or duty, especially when they hear of his near 160 approach. Yea, and it is the duty of believers to be upon their watch all the mystical night, until the bridegroom come. The word. Watch, is borrowed from shepherds, or soldiers, or seamen, or por- ters, or citizens, who use to watch in the night season. The Jews divided the night into three watches, whereof the first began at twilight, and continued till midnii^ht, called the beginning of watches. Lam. ii. 19. The second watch began at midnight, and continued until the cock-crowing, called the middle watch. Judges vii. 19. And the third watch was from the cock-crowing till sun-rising, called the morning- watch, Exod. xiv. 24. And according to this Hebrew dialect and division of the mystical night in this parable, the time of this duty to be at- tended, was the morning watch, for mid- night was past, and the day of Christ was dawning, or near approaching, Behold the biudegroom comes ; watch ye therefore, &c. as they, Psal. cxxx. 5, 6. Query. " Watchmen, what of the night?" 161 Answer. The morning cometh, and also the night : if ye will enquire, enquire ye," &c. Isai xxi. H, 12; viz. That morn- ing when the righteous shall have the dominion, Psal. xlix. 14 ; and also the night, even that night of mystical Baby- lon's destruction, foretold in Rev. xviii. But more particularly. That we may the better understand what time of the mystical night it is with us in our land-horizon, it may be considered, that after that fair sun- shine day of the gospel, (in the days of Christ and his apostles,) had continued for some years, a night of great darkness and bloody persecution began, which continued to the reio'n of Constantine the o^reat : and that was the first watch of our mystical nio^ht. And after the moonshine reform a- tion during Constantine s time, the Arian clouds of mystical darkness overspread the face of the ecclesiastical heavens; and at last the beast opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened, by reason of the 162 smoke of the pit, Rev. ix. 1 — 3 ; and this dark midnitrht dispensation will continue till within three or four hours of the sun rising. And this is the second watch of the mystical night of popery, and persecution. So that the morning watch is the third and next, which will continue till the sun of righteousness arise ; which watch will begin at, or about the time of the beast's killing Christ's witnesses, and will continue aboul three and a half prophetical days of years, Rev. xi. 7, 1 1, 15. During that time of the witnesses lying dead, Rev. xi. 8, 9, the wise virgins are commanded to watcb. Matt. XXV. 13. And they ought to be in a watching pos- ture, that is to say, waking, waiting, look- ing, longing for, and believing the near approach and sudden coming of the bride- groom, namely, our Lord Je^us Christ. And also about watching work ; to wit, doing the work of their generation, in bearing their witness for Christ, against antichrist, his ministry, magistracy, churches, worship, ordinances, and discipline ; and in finishing 163 their testimony of the kingdom, and do- minion of Christ, against the kingdom and dominion of antichrist. That when Christ comes and finds them so doing, he may say, Well done good and faithful servants, enter ye into the joys of your master. So the wise virgins being thus prepared and ready, they may enter into the marriage chamber with the bridegroom when he comes. THE END. if Lately Published^ price Eiyhteen-pence, THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THAT OLD DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, AND EMINENT MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL, Mr. HANSERD KNOLLYS, WHO DIED IN THE NINETY-THIRD YEAR OF HIS AGE, LONDON ; PUBLISHED BY E. HUNTINGTON, HIGH STREET, BLOOMSBURY. 1813. Prated by W. SMITH and Co. King-street, Seven Dfals. Date Due Mending lilipirii 111 ^miiiMiifii PRINTED IN U. S. A. p