Several works of Mr. Iohn Murcot, that eminent and godly preacher of the Word, lately of a Church of Christ at Dublin in Ireland. Containing, I. Circumspect walking, on Eph. 5.15,16. II. The parable of the ten virgins, on Mat. 25. from ver. 1. to ver. 14. III. The sun of righteousness hath healing in his wings for sinners, on Mal. 4.2. IV. Christs willingness to receive humble sinners, on John 6.37. Together with his life and death. Published by Mr. Winter, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Eaton, Mr. Carryl, and Mr. Manton. With alphabetical tables, and a table of the Scriptures explained throughout the whole.

Verse 9.

—〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

HEre is the third part of the answer of the wise Virgins to the foolish Virgins question: Which is not to be under∣stood as a serious advice from the wise to the foolish, directing them to the ready course to procure oyl to themselves; except we could understand by them that sell, Jesus Christ, or Father, Son and Spirit, who selleth, and would have us buy of him with∣out money and without price, Isa. 55. 1. for the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, seemeth to be distinguished here from them that sold, ac∣cording to the meaning of the wise and foolish Virgins here; but for that I shal leave it. If that may be the meaning of the wise Vir∣gins, surely the foolish Virgins understood it not; for it appears not that they went to him to buy, but used some other imperti∣nent endeavours; as they went to the wise Virgins before, and not to Christ. Here is little ground for Papists to bottom their Do∣ctrine of perseverance to be attained by their own industrie and pains; for alway his price is not comprehended from being, if it be from God, from Jesus Christ; it is alway excluded, Come buy without money, or without price, as before, except they purchase it of men. But we may understand these words, as many godly, learned do, for an upbraiding, a mocking, an Ironical consent, as there are many instances in Scripture; Rejoyce O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart chear thee; but remember, that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement. And so that of * 1.1 Elijah, he is a God, cry aloud, he is either in a journey, or talking, * 1.2 or some such thing, that he cannot hear. And so Micaiah spake to Ahab, Go, and prosper, and the Lord shall deliver it into thy hand. * 1.3 And that of Jesus to his Disciples, sleep on now, take your rest, which * 1.4 is Ironical. So as when Ahab would be humoured, the Prophet

speaks after his mind; if so, as it should seem, he might perceive he spake not as he meant, how long shall I adjure thee to speak nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord? So these foolish Virgins, they would have their grace from a creature, and the wise answered them according to their humour, and Ironical∣ly yield to them, to send them to others, though themselves had none to part with; Aug. Ep. 120. and Calv. so understood them; and so doth Beza and our Annot.

The Note I would briefly hint to you from hence is this;

That such as trifle away the day of grace, and are not serious in the work of getting grace, the time shall come when they shall have * 1.5 none to pitty their misery.

If men may expect pitty or compassion from any; it is either from the Lord, who is a God of bowels, and unspeakable, unsearch∣able compassions: Or else from the people of God, who as the * 1.6 children of God, do put on bowels of compassions, as the Apostle speaks, they are cloathod with bowels, so that their compassions are eminent, and to be seen by them that have to do with them; but * 1.7 yet the time may come brethren, if you now neglect so great salva∣tion as is offered to you, held out by Jesus Christ himself the Son of God, speaking from heaven, not frō the earth, that you shall have no pitty from the Lord; no nor from his people: from God, that is * 1.8 plain. I will but name it, because it may seem impertinent to the Text; yet if it serve to no other purpose, it may serve to shew us, that the Saints, if they do not pitty in some cases, where it is evi∣dent the day of grace is past, and men have wretchedly sinned it away, that they have the Lord for their pattern for it, therefore I mention it; Then shall they call, saith the Lord, and I will not an∣swer, they shall cry, &c. I will mock when their fear cometh, and laugh at their calamity; Prov. 1. 26. It is spoken after the man∣ner of men, and sheweth the heavy aggravation of their misery, that the Lord shall be so far from pittying them, that he shall laugh at them. So in the 2. Psal. where the Annointed of God is lifted up upon Zion, there are some that will not be bound, will not have him to reign over them, count it a bondage, and a grie∣vous one indeed, the Lord shall laugh at them, he shall have them * 1.9 in derision. But for the people of God, they expect it may be to

be pittied in such a condition by them, but they may meet with nothing but a mock, though a holy one; and indeed there is need of much holiness, and in act too, to mock and not to sin; So here you see, and so the Prophet by a spirit of Prophesie, go and buy of them that sell. But lest this may seem to be ground enough to build it upon, because it is of doubtful interpretation. therefore take another Scripture, where he speaks of the Destru∣ction of persecutors of the people of God, such as Doeg was, and there is the like reason for hypocrites, when discovered undeny∣ably, and their Lamps gone out; as here, the righteous shall see it * 1.10 and fear, and laugh at him; when God should destroy him for ever, and pluck him out of his dwelling place, and root him out of the Land of the living, then the righteous should see it, and laugh at him, have him in a holy derision; yet with an holy awe of that glorious and fearful God, who was so just in his judge∣ments upon him.

And is it not just with God it should be so, When such hy∣pocrites have in their hearts despised the long-suffering, and pati∣ence, * 1.11 and tenderness of the Lord waiting upon them; and made a mock and a jeast, it may be, at the intreaties of God, at the ear∣nestness of the Saints, and their pressing so hard forward, that now themselves in extremity should be mocked at by the people of God themselves?

This may be then in the first place, a warning-word to all such trifling professors, as all the while Jesus Christ stretcheth out * 1.12 his hands to them, even all the day long, they will not come to him, they will sit under the shadow of their own gourd, while it is green, and not under the shadow of Jesus Christ; they will sit by their own bottle, their own cistern, and not come to the Fountain which is opened for sins, for uncleanness. Remember Brethren, there will come a day upon you, wherein (to the * 1.13 cutting and wounding of your souls) you shall be sent to those empty things for comfort. Papists will not now be perswaded but there is enough for them in their Church-treasurie, and lay out their money upon them; but when the Lord shall shew them their treasure is empty, there is nothing in it, it will not reach to pay the uttermost farthing, no no•• one farthing will it reach to

pay, then will the Lord and his people send such poor deluded souls to their Merit-mongers, to their indulgences; Now go to your treasurie of Merit, for some sucker and r••lief; now go to your dry bottles, see if there be any drop of water there to cool your tongues, your inflamed souls with the displeasure of the Lord. As the Lord in the day of his peoples deistruction, sends them to their Idols which they doted upon; in a mocking way at their callings, I will save you no more, go to your Idols, your gods that have eaten the fat of your sacrifices, &c. You have made lies * 1.14 your refuge, now go and shelter your selves under them; now go and see whether your gourds will shade you from the scorch∣ing of the everlasting burnings? O how this will grate and gall a guilty conscience, every such word will speak confusion and hell to the very heart of a sinner, and this is that you must expect. You that now cannot down with a searching powerful Ministry, can abide the shining, but not the burning of a John Baptist, that will deal faithfully with you; but you must be daubed and bol∣stered up, you must have such as will speak peace, peace to you, right or wrong; the time will come when God shall shew you that this hath been the ruine and undoing of your souls; and then in contempt and scorn you shall be sent to them, Go now to your Parasite-Preachers; when the consoience is all on a flame, and you see your Lamps are gone out, and the Bridegroom is ready to come, and there is but a step between you and hell▪ Ah the woful condition of such a soul! then may the Lord and his people say, Now go to your daubers, now see if they can heal your breaches, see if they can bind you up, if they can cool you and quench you? you shall have it of Gods hand to lye down in sorrow: * 1.15 and then see whether your daubers with untempered morter, shall lull you asleep? O how grievous will this be from the Lord, when they shall have nothing but derision from him, and from his people! Now, the people of God will pitty you, and pray for you, but the time may come, if you know not the things which belong to your peace in this your day, that they shall laugh at you, they shall in a mock, a holy scorn, send you to your false refuges for help; Go to them that buy, go to your flatterers, see if they can com∣fort you.

2. This then is a comfort to the people of God, that are now guided by the holy Spirit to go to Jesus Christ, to the * 1.16 Fountain indeed, to hang their souls upon him, replenish themselves still from his fulness, as it is in that first of John; because Brethren there will come a day of distinguishing be∣tween such as have made the Lord their hope, their strength, * 1.17 and such as have dallyed and trifled; and as the one shall have a mock from God, and from his people; the Believer that hath been used to make the name of the Lord his refuge, he shall then find acceptance, find a free access, What time I am afraid, saith the Psalmist, I will trust in thee; dost thou not love * 1.18 to be flattered? wouldst thou have thy soul dealt faithfully with, and not gently, as is said concerning Absolom; happy art thou: when others shall be sent to their broken Cisterns, thou shalt be admitted to the Fountain, to the fulness of Jesus Christ, to which thou usually hadst recourse: as the wise Vir∣gins here, they trimmed their Lamps, they got a new supply of oyl; but the foolish are sent to them that sell, to their flatterers, their Mountebanks, their money-changers, to see what they can afford them.

In such a time as this, thou shalt come to the true Physitian, to the high-treasurer of heaven, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eccl. 11. 9.
• * 1.2

  1 King. 18. 22.
• * 1.3

  1 King. 22. 15.
• * 1.4

  Mat. 26. 45.
• * 1.5

  Doct.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 86. 15.
• * 1.7

  Col. 3. 12.
• * 1.8

  Heb. 2. 3.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 2. 4.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 52. 5.
• * 1.11

  Reason.
• * 1.12

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.13

  Ez••k. 13. 1.
• * 1.14

  Judg. 10. 14. Deut. 32. 37.
• * 1.15

  Isa 50. 11.
• * 1.16

  Ʋse 2.
• * 1.17

  Joh. 1. 16.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 56. 3.