confefs they are unprofitable Servants, for they have done but that which it was their Duty to do. Luk. 17. 10. Nay, they are always jealous of the fcantinels of their own Righteoufnefs, left they fhould not have enough for themselves. And indeed the best hath great Reafon to be fo, feeing there is no Man living that finneth not; He that fays he hath no Sin doth but deceive himself. 1 Joh. 1.8. Yea in many things we offend all, Jam. 3. 2. and therefore if God fhall enter into Judgment with us, and make us no Abatements in mercy, no Man Living fhall be Fuftified, or accepted as Righteous, Rom. 3. 20. But must be fain to flie to the Righteoufnefs and Merits of Jesus Christ, to have his Sins covered, and his Unrighteoufnefs forgiven. And then how fhould he who hath fo little Righteoufnefs, and fo many Sins, that stands in need himself of another's Righteoulnefs, and of a Pardon, Merit, or have Righteousness to fpare for another? So abfurd is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome, that fome holy Perfons do not only all that which by any Law of God they are bound to do, but a great deal more, fo that they have Righteoufnels more than they themselves ftand in need of to entitle them to Heaven. And all this which they have to fpare, is in the Difpofal of the Church, or Pope; and he can difpenfe it in Pardons, and Indulgences to them who ftand in need of it, upon fuch Terms, as he feeth good. But I would defire every one to take care to provide for himself, and not to rely on this Imaginary Treasure. For the wife Virgins take this course, and the Foolish only would be beholden to others. I have never heard of any pious and holy Person, that hath not confeffed, that he hath too little Righteousness for himself, and not enough without the Righteouf nefs of Chrift to fave him.

3. Another thing we may here obferve. That e very one's ownSalvation ought to be deareft to him. A good Man will indeed venture all that he hath but his Soul,to help forward the Salvation of others, he is ready after the Example of his Bleffed Saviour, to

lay

lay down his Life for the Brethren. Joh. 3. 16. But he is not willing to venture his Damnation for any one, how dear foever to him. He will not venture the Lofs of God and Heaven, nor the Benefits of a Saviour for his best Friend. This may be learn'd from the Anfwer of the wife Virgins, Left there be not enough for us and you. Whereby they do not acknowledege that they have not enough for both, but little enough for themfelves, but intimate withal, that if they could communicate to them of what they had, yet would they not in this cafe do it, because they should fo hazard their own, having too little, the going out of their own Lamps, and for that a fhutting out of Doors by the Bridegroom. Let every one firft fee, that he work out his own Salvation with Fear and Trembling. Phil. 2. 12. and then for the Salvation of others do all that he can, tho' he fhould lofe any temporal Advantages by it, how great foever they be, tho' it were with St. Paul to be offered up upon the Service of their Faith. Phil.2.17.

This you may think a needlefs caution, and that few are fo charitable to others, as to be damned for them. I think fo too. Yet are there fome ufeful Leffons to be learn'd by it.

1. This fhews us the Sin of fome in the Church of Rome, who make ufe of pie Fraudes, Religious Frauds, or Cheats, as they call them, for the propagating and upholding their Religion; and very ill things they will allow and commend too, fo it be for the Honour of Mother Church, as they speak, Men may be Traytors, and murther, and Lie, and fwear falfly in Judgment, fo it tend to the good of their Church. This is a fpending of Oil too fast, parting with their own Innocence, for the pretended good of others.

2. Hereby we are directed how to behave our felves in cafe of Scandal, or giving Offence to weak Brethren, and endangering their Souls thereby. For howfoever Charity may Command us to abstain from every thing that is in our Power, and is not a Duty for their lakes; yet if they will be of

fended

fended, and take occafion to Sin and Perifh by our doing our Duty, they must do fo for us, we cannot help it; we muft fee that our Lamps have Oil, how much foever they are offended at, or what ill use foever they will make of it.

3. Here they are juftly reproved, who are willing to fpend their Oil, not for the Salvation but Damnation of others. Who are willing to let their Lamps go out for Company, to please fuch as they call their Loving Neighbour and Friends. This is a Friendfhip, I confefs, beyond the highest Christian Charity. Charity will Command us to do any thing, but to Sin and be Damned for our Neighbour's Salvation. But it is too much good Neighbourhood to Sin, and go to Hell too, rather than break Friendship now.

2. The next thing to be confider'd, is, the advice here given, Go ye rather to them that fell, and buy for your felves. This feems to be Ironical, and fpoken in a kind of Mockery; for it was now too late to go to buy Oil, when the Bridegroom was at the Door: and fo it feems to have this Sence. See now your Folly, fee what you have got by your neglect, and taking no care to buy whilft you had time and opportunity, now go and buy where you can. But we'll fuppofe the wife Virgins to be better Natur'd and Manner'd, than to infult over their Companions in this ftrait, or to jeer them in their mifery.

However, good Chriftians fignified by the wife Virgins are fo, and Pity and Commiferate, rather than Triumph over the Folly of the Wicked. The Anfwer therefore implies thus much.

1. What courfe ought to have been taken by 'em. 2. An Admonition, fuch as can then be given, to ufe the best means they can think of in that fhort time they had.

1. What should have been done. This, tho' it had. been omitted, yet they are to be put in mind of it.

1. The thing neglected, was getting Oil whilft it was to be had. God had not made it neceffary

for

for us to have Oil in our Lamps, to have a fincere Heart, and a holy Life, mortified Affections, holy Defires, governed Paffions, and a Converfation Heavenly, fuitable to our Profeffion; if he had not provided fufficient helps and means, for the obtaining and upholding of all thefe. The Ministry of his Word and Sacraments, ferious Meditation, and deliberate confideration of our own Original and Na-. ture; of God's Attributes and Dominion over us; of our latter end, and of both the rewards of Righ teoufnefs, and the punishment of Difobedience and Wickedness, and devout Prayer for God's Holy Spirit; thefe, and the like, are means that we need not want; and thefe duly ufed, would furnish us with Oil, and keep our Lamps burning to the laft. The neglecting of thefe helps, is the reason that we want Oil, when we become moft fenfible of the need of it. But, alas, we mind other things, and let flip the opportunity. We fhould buy it, purchafe it at the expence of things we are not willing to part with for it. Our Eafe and Sloth, our vain Pleafures and Vanities, our inordinate Defires of Wealth, and our proud Ambitious Designs; thefe, and fuch like, are to be freely given up and paid a way for this Oil, and therefore we are not willing to make the purchase, till the Market is over.

2. Where there has been fuch a neglect, tho' it may be too late, yet is it fit we fhould, even late as it is, be reminded of it. 'Tis fit we be brought to as humbling a Senfe of our Folly, as 'tis poflible. Where a Duty has been omitted, Self-Condemnation, and an humble acknowledgment of it becomes our Duty; and where we gave not God the honour of a timely and conftant Obedience, it is a Duty to give him the Glory of an humble Confeffion. And if this come too late to be accepted, fo as to ac quit and pardon us for all, yet may it be taken in part, and fomething of the punishment may be abated. However, whether it profit the Sinner or no, 'tis fit we should endeavour, by reminding him of it, that God may have the Glory of his Confef

fion. As Joshua admonished Achan to confels, and thereby give Glory to God, Joh. 7. 19.

2. An Admonition, fuch as in that ftrait could be, must be given. That feeing there had been fo foolish a neglect, and it was come to this, that it was a great question, whether any time was now remaining or no, between that and the Bridegroom's entrance, they fhould do however all that could be done for the time. Try what was poffible for them to do.

The wife Virgins could not affure them, that there was any Oil to be bought at that time of the Night, nor whether they could meet with those that fold it,nor whether the Bridegroom would be fo long in coming, that they might get what they wanted before he was come; but yet becaufe they could not help them as they had defired, they counfel them as well as they can in fo difficult a cafe.

Here we fee all the comfort that can be adminiftred to a late Penitent, or one that has lived Wickly or Carelefly, till he is now near the time of his Death. Such an one is in a very doubtful condition, and no one can affure him what will become of him. His cafe is exceeding dangerous, and no Man is able to adminifter any folid ground of comfort to him. And yet in Charity it becomes us to labour all we can to keep him from defpair. All that can be faid info fad a cafe, comes but to this.

1. That fuch an one be admonished not to prefume that he can be faved upon any other account, but the having a real Righteoufnefs of his own, which way foever he can now come by it. Chrift himself will not fave by his Righteoufnefs, any one that has not a real Righteoufnefs of his own; that is, who is not fincerely Penitent. All the Saints in Heaven can do him no good, nor if he hath had Righteous and Faithful Abraham to his Father, will it fignifie any thing to him, unless he have a renew'd Heart, and chang'd Affections, and be a new Man before he dies.

2. That