330 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. I.
Lord, is it I ? In the purest churches many may lie hid and not dis- cerned. Oh ! therefore take not up with weak and groundless hopes.
1. Do not please yourselves by being of such a sect or such a pro- fession. Men think the safest place to lie asleep in is Christ's own lap. If they are of such a party, they think they are safe ; but con- sider, lead may be cast into all forms, an angel or devil, but it is lead still. Consider God is an exact and impartial judge : 1 Peter iii. 17, ' If you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth all men ;' his people as well as others, if they build upon their profession. Do not content yourselves with a form of godliness, though never so strict ; nor a name of godliness, though never so renowned. These were virgins, not defiled with error or idolatry, or the scandalous cus- toms or fashions of the world ; yet some of them were foolish virgins.
2. Do not content yourselves that you do not take up a profession and an intention of religion merely to serve the times and yourselves of it, not knowing yourselves intentionally and industriously to coun- terfeit ; as Judas, that followed Christ for the bag, being in his heart a traitor and a thief from the beginning, John xiii. 6 ; or as Simon Magus at first hoped to make as good market of his new faith as his old sorcery, professed to believe in Christ out of design. Nay, a man that, for anything he knoweth or perceiveth, may think that he is in good earnest, yet he may be a temporary, though he is no temporiser. Christ knew them that knew not themselves, John ii. 24. To speak in a word, though you may know nothing of guile, yet do not content yourselves with that merely.
3. Do not rest in this, that you find some real work, and go no further. A man's heart may be softened, but not opened to the pur- pose : he may have a love and liking of religion, and yet not come under the power of it ; some flashes of comfort, yet seek his happiness in worldly things; some desires and good inclinations, and yet be slothful and negligent in the main, in mortifying lusts, or not perfect- ing holiness, and fain would have some part in Christ, but yet make but slender preparation, get oil in his lamp, but not in his vessel ; fain he would have the blessings of grace and glory, if bare wishes and desires would do it; fain would go to heaven, but would do nothing for it, unless it be in a lazy, cold, and dull preparation ; doth not make it the chief business of his life to know the will of God and do it.
Use 3. Is to exhort us to be very serious in our preparation for the coming of the Lord ; or, as the apostle cautions the Ephesians, Eph. v. 15, 16, ' See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.' To this end consider —
1. That our whole life is nothing else but a preparation for Christ's coming. The common duty of all Christians is to go forth and meet the bridegroom ; or, to make sure of life eternal is the necessary busi- ness we have to do in the world. Our whole life was appointed for this end, and all the time we spend here is worse than lost, if it be not employed and used for this end. It is now preparation time ; these are the months of our purification for our immortal souls ; therefore our continual care should be to make ready.
2. We may defer this work too long, we cannot begin it too soon. The foolish virgins would get oil in their vessels, but it was too late.
Vers. 3, 4.] sermons upon matthew xxv. 331
Never any complained of beginning with God too soon : many could have wished they had known the ways of righteousness sooner, Rom. xiii. 11 ; many have judged ' the time past more than enough/ 1 Peter iv. 3.
3. It is not so slight and easy a thing to get to heaven as the world imagineth : Mat. vii. 14, ' Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many shall seek to enter and shall not be able.' Many deceive them- selves ; it is not so broad as the opinions of some, as the practices of more would make it, and the carnal hearts of all would have it. Broader or narrower it cannot be than Christ hath left it. In the general, a man may come much too short, none go over. Oh ! when you do but consider that many are afar off, Eph. ii. 13, and some are near, as Christ told the young man, ' Thou art not far from the kingdom of heaven ;' and others are scarcely saved, and some enter abundantly, it concerns us therefore to take heed to ourselves.
4. This is your wisdom. There is a great deal of do in the world about wisdom : Job xi. 12, ' Vain man would be accounted wise.' A man cannot endure to be counted a fool, will sooner own a vice in morals than a weakness in intellectuals. Now wisdom lieth in provi- dence, and folly in negligence, especially in weighty matters. These wise virgins provided oil in their vessels, and the wise builder built upon a rock. They are wise in God's account, whatever the world thinketh of them, that are wise for heavenly things, and govern their hearts and ways exactly, Eph. v. 14, 15 ; and they are fools that never mind the good of their souls.