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Hour he tells them neither any Man, nor Angel knows, but God only, v. 36. He warns them therefore to be always watchful and ready, both for that, and for every other coming of his. Every one's Death being the end of the VVorld to him, and Chrift's coming to call him, and tranflate him into another everlasting ftate. Therefore, faith he, be ye alfo ready, because the Son of Man's coming, either to Judge the Nation of the Jews, or to call you out of the World by Death, or to Judge the World, may be in fuch an Hour as you think not. v. 44. And then, at that Hour, whenever it is, you will find true what now I tell you in this Parable.

Now let me beg of you to take notice what our Saviour faith, Luk. 18.8. When the Son of Man cometh, fhall be find Faith on Earth? As much as to fay, there are but a few will be found fo faithful to God, and their own Souls, as to be in a fit Preparation for the Hour of Chrift's coming, and a happy deliverance out of the Miseries of this World. Too few believe God's word concerning Chrift's coming to Judge the World. Too few truft fo firmly to the Promises of God by Chrift to the Faithful, that (for the Love and Defire they have to the things promised, and in a comfortable hope and expectation of living for ever happy with God) will have the patience and courage to deny themselves, to despise the Riches, Pleafures and Vanities of the World, and the Flesh, to mortifie their Lufts, to want their carnal Wills and Defires, to refift Temptations, to reftrain corrupt Inclinations and Affections, and to live in the practice of all Chriftian Vertues, and thereby prepare themfelves for every coming of Chrift. Few believe, and therefore few

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will be ready when Chrift calls, either to Death or Judgment.

But let me befeech every one here to confider of it in time before it be too late, for you know not how foon it will be fo. Confider, I fay, what you know well enough, that Death will come very fhortly. And how little foever any of you believe the things that Chrift hath told you, concerning the neceffity that there is of watchfulnefs and care to live a Chriftian and Religious Life, and of fo fpending all your time, as to be every moment of it prepared for Death and Judg ment, then when you are departing out of this World, and muft, whether you will or no, leave all that ever you loved in it behind you, you will find this true, which our gracious Jefus commends to your thoughts in this Parable, and with no worse Intent than to prevent our eternal Mifery, by timely and fufficient warning to provide for our own fafety, by walking (as St. Paul exhorts) circumspectly, not as Fools, but as wife. Eph. 5. 15. and as St. Peter. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Giving Diligence to make our Calling and Flection fure, that fo an Entrance may be Miniftred to us abundantly into the everlafting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. v. II.

2. Then fhall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened to ten Virgins, &c. By the Kingdom of Heaven, Called fometimes the Kingdom only, without any addition, fometimes the Kingdom of God, or of Chrift, we are here (as in many other places) to understand the ftate and condition of Things under the Gofpel, and 'tis all one with the Church of Chrift, wherein he reigns as King: For God hath put all Things under his Feet, and gave him to be Head over all things to the Churh, Сс which

which is his Body or Kingdom. Eph. 1. 22. 23. And his Gospel is the Law whereby this Kingdom is to be govern'd,therefore called theWord of the Kingdom. Mat 13. 19. By the Ten Virgins, we are to understand all the Profeffors of the Chriftian Religion, fuch as having received the Gofpel, or VVord of the Kingdom fubmit themfelves to the Government of Chrift and Covenant by Baptifm, to live as his obedient Subjects, obferving all his Laws and Ordinances, and hoping for his Protection, and the Reward which he hath promised. When therefore it is faid, Then the Kingdom of Heaven fhall be likened unto ten Virgins, the meaning is this, that Jefus Chrift our King, fhall, at his coming, thus in like manner deal with all Chriftians, who profefs themselves his Subjects in his Kingdom, as the Bridegroom is in this Parable faid to deal with those ten Virgins, admitting as many as are always ready to enter with him into the Joy of him their Lord. v. 22. but for ever difowning and excluding those that are not ready for him.

And hence we are to learn in the first place, that as we are Chriftians, we are the Subjects of Chrift in his Kingdom, This is a thing that we are apt to forget too much. It is here with us in relation to Chrift, as it is with too many of us to our Earthly Kings. We are very well pleafed to have Chrift to be our Saviour and Deliverer, and enjoy the Privileges of his Kingdom, to have our Liberties preferved to us, but when this is done, we care not for his Laws, nor to be restrained in our Wills by his Government, how eafy his Yoke, or light foever his Burden be. But we must remember, that how impatient foever we are, and not without great reafon, of an

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abfolute Monarchy of one Man over others; yet we muft, if we will be Chriftians, and have Salvation by Chrift, take him for our abfolute Soveraign, and obey him without referve. Teach them (faith he) to obferve all things that I have commanded you. Mat. 28. 20. Yea, and we muft willingly part with every thing that he is pleafed to take from us; Father and Mother, and Houf and Lands, and Life it felf. Lu. 14. 26. and bear patiently whatfoever he will lay upon us, deny our felves, and take up our Crofs and follow him. Mat. 10. 38. Sell all, and give to the Poor when he commands it. Mat. 19. 21. Here must be no Dispute about our Liberties and Properties, for we have none at all, but all are in his Soveraign Prerogative which the Father hath beftow'd upon him: Who hath given him all Power both in Heaven and on Earth, Mat. 28. 18. And hath given all things into his Hand, Joh. 13. 3. We our felves are not our own, for we are bought with a Price, 1 Cor. 6. 19. 20. and therefore are we to have no Will, but what is entirely refigned unto his Will. Every high thing that exalteth it felf againft the Knowledge of God muft be caft down, and every Thought brought into Captivity to the Obedience of Chrift. 2 Cor. 10. 15. None can be faved by Chrift, but they only that are willing to be fubdued by him, and account it their glory and their happiness to be ru led by him in all Things,

And indeed it is fo,when we duly confider it; for his Government can never degenerate into Tyranny. His Wifdom and Power and Goodnefs are all alike infinite, and therefore we are very fure that all his Commands are just, and all his Impofitions reasonable, His Divine Perfecti

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ons exalt him above all Self Ends, and make it impoffible for him to feek any advantage to himself, All his Defign in the fevereft Laws and Difpenfations of Providence is our good. And this is the thing that he efteems his glory to make us happy. As an Earthly Prince can give us no better Security, that he feeks our good, and not his own advantage in his Government, than upon all occafions to hazard his Life, and expofe himfelf to all Dangers in our Defence: So Chrift hath given us an Affurance of this beyond all Temptarions to doubt of it, having voluntarily laid down his Life for our Redemption, and fhed his Blood to make Atonement for our Sins, and to merit eternal Life for us. But this that he hath done and fuffered for us will be of no advantage to us, if we fubmit not to his Government. For his Father will upon no other Terms forgive us, nor be reconciled unto us. God is willing to fave us by his only Beloved Son; and Jefus Chrift his only Son, was willing to do any thing, to futter any thing to fave us, fo as may confift with the Honour of his Father. God the Father is willing to abate of the ftrictnefs of his firft. Law, and inftead of a perfect, Will, accept, for his Son's Sake, of a fincere Obedience; and God the Son bath made Satisfaction to his Father's Juftice for all our past Sins, and for all our future Sins of meer Infirmity, or which we will yet repent of, and forfake; but he fhould be very partial to us, and very unfaithful to his Father, in the Office of a Mediator, if he should fave us without a ready and conftant fubmiffion to his Government, For fo he fhould fhew himself content, that God fhould be difhonour'd, and his Authority flighted, fo we might be faved; which he can never be. O how

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