The Bridgrome and Virgins .

Who is the Bridgrome . SAint Iohn Baptist , sheweth vs who is the Brydgrome , in these words ; He is the Brydgrome that hath the Bryde , the friend of the Bridgrome , is he , who heareth his voyce , Iohn 3.29 . and rejoyceth greatly , But who is this that hath the Bride ? St. Paul tells the Corinthians , 2 Cor. 11.2 . I have betrothed you to one man , to present you , a pure virgine unto Christ . And by the other marke , Christ is the Bridegrome , for all his servants shall rejoyce to heare his voyce , at the great day , at which , Iohn . 5.28 . Who is the Bride . the dead shall come out of their graves . The Bride must bee these Virgins that go out to meete him .

Observe ( by the way ) that ( where certaine virgins did present themselves in one company , to the Bridgrome ) that mariage is then most honorable in the fight of God and men , When is mariage truely honourable . when it is of such as have beene Virgins , that is to say , have for their actions ben honest , Heb. 13.4 . for their cariage modest and shamefast ; Paul saith , that mariage is honourable among all , and the bed undefiled , but whooremongers and adulterers God will judge ; besides the weight of this judgement of God , the mariage is greatly dishonoured , when it is of shamelesse unhonest persons . And although mariage be a preventing from sinnes of that kinde to come , & therefore in that case is honourable among all ; yet it is not a pardon for wickednes past before mariage , but as Iacob said of his sonne Reuben ( for this fault ) so doth God esteeme of others , that fall in the like , Gen. 49.4 . that their dignitie and excellencie is gone because they darken the honour of their mariage-day . The Divell ( who is a lyar from the beginning ) hath blinded the eyes of many young persons , to esteeme these trickes of their youth , which by God are condemned , and by all civill and honest men abhorred ; and it hath so prevailed , that the men cannot be securely received into mariage , who have not approved their abilitie in begetting Bastards . Whooremongers and adulterers God will judge : O when God shall either judge or punish this , no Crosse can prevent it , no Priests Commission absolve it , nor holy water is able to wash it away . Remember Christs Spouse is a Virgin .

If you demand , why these that are to meete Christ are called Virgins ? I answer , because this is a comparison of Marriage , in which onely Virgins , chosen and appointed , went out to meet the Bridegroome . But if you aske , which of all them that shall meete Christ is his Spouse ? I answer , Who is the Spouse of Christ . Every soule , that hath in this life washed himselfe from sinne by repentance , and calling on the name of the Lord , and prepared himselfe , with a confidence in the sweete love and mercy of God , shall be the spouse of Iesus Christ . But to speake ( as the Scripture doth ) all the Elect servants of God , who agree in unity of one faith and love to Iesus Christ , are his one and undivided Spouse : from which notwithstanding , we may not conceive , an equality of dignity and love to be in the Church , to be worthy the uniting unto the glorious God , who for worth , is Lord of heaven and earth , and of love beyond all comparison , Ioh 15 13. for no man can shew greater love for his friend , than to give his life for him , Christ shewed greater , Rom. 5.10 . in giving his life for his enemies . And though all the faithfull cannot bee sufficiently meet for to be his Spouse , yet are they counted worthy , Philip. 3 9. when they are considered as joyned to Christ , and one with him , and are seene of God , not with their owne righteousnesse , but cloathed and overshadowed with the worth and righteousnesse of Christ .

We are to observe two things : 1 , Christs servants called Virgins . that the faithfull soule is called a Virgin . Christ a Virgin , the Sonne of a Virgin , will have a Virgin to his Spouse . But what kinde of Virgin ? Hieron . in Epist. Virginis definitio est , sanctam esse corpore & mente : A Virgin is one that is holy both in minde and body ; in minde , because the Lord doth ( in this Parable ) condemne the corrupted mindes of the foolish Virgins , whose bodies were not corrupted : in body , 1 Cor 6.15.19 because an uncleane body cannot be the Temple of the holy Ghost , nor member of Christ . But if wee consider why Gods Church was called a Virgin , wee shall the better understand , what is here meant by a Virgin . God from the beginning , ever shewed himselfe unto the people that were his , as if he had beene their husband or spouse : unto the Iewes , he shewed himselfe as a husband ; unto the Christian Church , he shewed himselfe a spouse : the Iewes he tooke to him , when their fathers were Idolaters , Iosh. 24.2 . and themselves too ; hee married himselfe to them , who by Idolatry had lost their Virginity ; who notwithstanding , after they came to serve God , fell to Idolatry many times againe , & provoked him to wrath : therefore he , in the Prophets , complaineth , that they had committed adultery against him ; in stead of the living and true God , they bowed , kissed , and offered sacrifice to Idols , consecrated to the honour of Divels , or damned men : so they who before wanted spirituall Virginity , fell from matrimonial chastity . Christs Spouse to be free from Idolatry . The Christians hath hee betrothed unto himselfe for his Spouse , as Virgins , because hee tooke no notice of the olde Gentiles Idolatry , as Saint Paul tolde the Athenians of their Idolatry , Acts 17.30 . that the time of that ignorance God regarded not . Therefore , are they all Virgins , because they worship God in truth . Another condition is required of the spirituall Virgin , And free from pride Esay 66.2 . that he be humble : Vpon whom will I looke saith the Lord ? Even upon the lowly in heart : This the blessed Virgin knew wel , when she said , that God looked upon the lowlinesse of his handmaid , Luke 1. Ser. 1. super Missus est . Respexit humilitatem , potiùs quàm virginitatem , ( saith Bernard ) He beheld her humility , rather than virginity . By which every soule may examine himselfe , if he be a spirituall Virgin or no.

Secondly , we have to observe , that the faithfull soule is espoused or betrothed to Christ Iesus . St. Paul saith , Eph. 5 23. that as the husband is to the wife , so is Christ to his Church ; that is , he is husband : it is true in effect . The faithfull soule is betrothed to Christ . But if wee consider what is to come , ( our great Marriage ) which beginneth to be solemnized at the day when our soules goe to glory , and consummate , when both soules and body goe thither , and our dwelling for ever in his house : we are but espoused or betrothed unto him ; Ioh. 14.2 . for as yet he is gone before us , to prepare a place for us . This , the name of Spouse doth declare , Bern. in Locum . for Sponsus , is à spondendo , from promising , that either shall keepe themselves for other . Finally , as Christ did to the faithfull Corinthians , so he doth to all other his faithfull servants , whom by the ministery of St. Paul he betrothed to himselfe : 2 Cor. 11.2 .

The use of this doctrine may be knowne , That hee may love and long for Christ the more . by the use of betrothing , that a certaine time , sometimes more , sometimes lesse , being set betweene it and the Marriage day , the love of both might be increased , by the earnest desire of their meeting . Cupienti animae nihil satis festinatur ; Salust . Nothing can hasten enough to a longing soule : Institutum est , ut iam pacta spousae non tradantur statim , ne vilem habeat maritus datam , quam non suspira verit sponsus dilatam . Aug. Confess . lib 8. cap. 3. sect. 3. and this was that which made Iacob love Rachell the better , who for seven yeares together after betrothing , was sometimes faint with extreme worke , now burnt with the Sunne , another time frozen with colde , most time pined with scarsity , all times tormented betweene love to Rachell , and feare of Labans subtleties . So is it between Christ and us , we are by faith in espousage joyned unto him , to the end , that our desire and love unto him may more earnestly wish for the full enjoying of him . This longing in love David felt , Psal 84.2 . when hee said , Phil. 1.23 . My soule longeth and fainteth for the Courts of the Lord : and Saint Paul , when he wished to be dissolved , and be with Christ Blessed were wee , if this desire were in us , Bern in Locum . ex Poeta . and if we sighed and groaned , because we are absent from our Lord : Palleat omnis amans , Prov. 13.12 . Every true lover hath for signes in him , palenesse and leannesse , for when hope is deferred it maketh the heart to faint , that no pleasure can make thee body well liking . Are these signes in thee of thy love to Christ ? Away with delicate and dainty meates , the desire of wines , the pleasures of worldly riches and honour , the love of these better fit him that never lookes for any comfort by Christ . If thou sigh and be pale and leane for desire of that blessed day , he shall send to thee his comforting Spirit , and afterward hasten his comming : Happie is this desire , for though the deferring of our meeting with Christ , is a sorrow in the soule , yet is the hope of enjoying it aboue al pleasure the world can yeeld ; both which may bee seene in this saying of David , I should haue fainted , Psal. 27.13 . except I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living .

Ten Virgins went out to meete the Bridegroome .

As for the number of the Virgins , ( ten ) we are not to trouble our selves to enquyre . The curiositie of some have given a reason though very fruitlesse ; because there are ten Commandements to be observed by Gods servants : I thinke , hee understood according to sobriety and edification , who sayd , Non est curiosé serutandum quare decem sunt Virgines , Euthym. in locum . etc ? That we are not to search curiously why there are ten Virgins , &c. But in Parables some things are set to for framing the comparison , some for expressing the intended purpose ; whereof this number ( ten ) is to continue , an apt similitude of the Iewes Mariages , wherein eight , nyne or ten , were appoynted attendants , according as was fit for the estate and degree of the parties to be maried .

Went out &c. ] We goe out to meete Christ , when leaving Nature , Sinne , and Sathan , What it is to meet Christ . and denying and disclaiming them , wee professe our selves to attend the service of Iesus Christ . Abraham was called out to meete his Master by this charge , Get thee out of thy Countrey , Gen. 12.1 . from thy kindred , and from thy Fathers house . Likewise Lot was called out of Sodome , Gen. 19. and charged not to looke backe . The Spouse of Christ is called out , Psal. 45.10 . Esa 52 11. Forget thy owne people and fathers house : Depart ye , depart ye , touch no uncleane thing : yea Christians are called out from the love of father , mother , and friends , or else they cannot be worthy of Christ ; Mat 16.24 . yea from their owne will , that they may submit themselves unto the will of God .

If we either stay in our naturall state , Wee cannot meete Christ untill we goe out of Nature . or in our selves , we cannot meet Christ ; in our dwelling of nature remaineth the anger of God , bent against the inclinations of the soule , that even in birth Saint Paul calls us Children of wrath . Eph. 2.2 . In our common naturall state we have Satans craftinesse encompassing against us , with secret suggestions , and occasions of sinne , our friends and neighbours with their practise to teach and countenance it ; we have the deceits of the world upon our right hand , to seduce us from the love of God , the miseries and terrours of this world , to draw us from the onely fearing of God ; that so long as we professe our selves of this company and faction , wee cannot meete our Master , and therefore out we must goe .

We may see , Some goe not out , others make a shew . that most have not as yet taken journey to meete Christ , as Iewes , Turkes , and Heathen : tity , the number of the wise five Virgins , the number of the foolish five .

God only knoweth the number of the Elect and Reprobate . As for the Number of the Elect and Reprobate , it is without question , that he who numbreth the starres , and calls them all by their names , hath also counted them : and as men have for their businesse in this world bookes of notes and accounts , so doth God expresse his particular knowledge and care to us in this behalfe , that there is a booke with him , wherein he hath inrolled and counted the names and number of his servants , Philip. 4.3 . writing their names in the booke of life . It were an improfitable matter to us , And it were to no purpose to shew it unto us . that the number of Elect and Reprobate were in Gods Word expressed unto us , who are not able to understand sensibly the quantity of lesser numbers ; and if any had the knowledge of it , yet it were not a cause to make him to rejoyce , but in this we have true joy , when we know our selves to be of the elected number , and that our names are written in the booke of life . Luke 10.20 .

The great number to be damned , and the little number to be saved . The equality of the number of wise and foolish Virgins , giveth no ground to us to conceive , that the one halfe of mankinde is to be saved , the other to be damned , because this is a Parable , which as we know of comparisons , they hold not in all points , as may appeare hereafter in the particulars of verses 8 , 9 , 10 , &c. for one cannot borrow grace of another , it being incommunicable , as the foolish would borrow oyle of the wise Virgins . But naturall reason , the sentence of Doctours , and ( above all ) the Scriptures doe plainly shew how few the number of the elect are in respect of the damned . We see all Asia , Africa , America , and the parts of Magellanica that are inhabited , are without the meanes of obtaining salvation , some of them have no understanding , others have their knowledge darkned with a Tygerlike cruelty : the visible Church is most in Europe , of whom the tenth part are more ignorant of Religion , than the former are cunning of heathenish superstition : Ier. 7.4 . among them that know Religion , many cry The Temple of the Lord , who have all their Religion in word , or on the tongues end ; many have Lord , Lord , in their mouth , in whose heart Satan dwelleth , Mat : 9.23 . they claime interest in Christ who know him not , nor are acknowledged of him : adulterers , fornicators , drunkards , oppressours , covetous , and the like , thinke themselves Christians good enough , because they be so called , and yet fight against him whose honour they professe . When Satan hath singled out his owne , wee see that fewe are left to be saved . The Doctours have said the same , In locum Math : 13.8 . Tres partes seminis pericrant , & quarta sola servata est : pauci enim sunt qui salvantur . Theophel : Num : 1 , 46 Puto quòd prudentium numerum longè superat multiplicitas fatuarum , saith Saint Bernard , I thinke rather that the multitude of the foolish did farre surpasse the number of the wise : Origenes considering the great number of the Israelites , that were come to mans estate , before they came out of Aegypt , being 603 550. ( of which all were barred from entring the holy land except two ) saith , the number of the damned doth so farre passe the elect , as the unbeleevers did surpasse the beleevers of these Israelites : before Noah and seven hundred yeares after his time , Gods Church was in some few families : when he revealed himselfe unto a whole Nation , few could be saved , because of unbeleefe . Heb. 3.19 But to passe from particular conjecture , Math. 22.14 . Christ tells us plainely , Many are called , but few are chosen .

This should make vs labor to enter in at &c. Math. 7.13.14 . The vse hereof is given by Christ himselfe , in these words , Enter in at the straite gate , for broad is the way that leadeth to destruction , and many there be that goe in thereat ; but straite is the gate , and narrow is the path that leadeth to life , and few there be who enter therein . While few are to enter , I wonder but every soule should tremble . The greatnes of the number cannot save any from destruction , Hieron Wolf in Som. Scip. for , Lupum curare numerum , proverbio negatur , quòd aeque oves numeratas ac non numeratas devoret , ( as the proverbe saith ) the Wolfe careth not for number , for he destroyeth as well the numbred , as the unnumbred sheepe ; so , Satan cares not how many he cary to hell , onely he is in feare lest he get too fewe . Neither is the great multitude of the damned any comfort to them , as in this world the sufferings of companions is an ease to the afflicted , An minus ardebis quia cum multis ardebis ? Shalt thou burne the lesse , because many are burnt with thee ? No , the more fewell , the more fire , on which God shall have the better occasion , to sharpe the infinitnesse of his power . Each of you consider of which number you are , Christ hath forwarned you , Salomon points at both the wise and foolish Virgins , Prov. 22.3 . The wise man seeth the plague , a farre off , and hideth himselfe ; the foolish runne on , and are punished : the wise men beleeve and prevent , whilst they are foretold of it , the foolish account them mockers , Gen. 19 , 14. who foretell their miserie ( as some of the Sodomites thought Lot to be , ) and are forced by experience to beleeue it , and when it is too late they intend to prevent it .

Now , as these Virgins are distinguished by number , so are they by quality , some are wise , some foolish . The foolish Virgins , they knew not their owne naturall misery and wants , Many perish who bragge of their Christian name . Rom. 9 , 25. and therefore were not spirituall Virgins indeed , yet as God called the Israelites beloved , who were not beloved , so here are they called virgins who are like the Christians of Laod●cea , who thought that they were spiritually rich , and increased with goods , but had not grace to see , Revel. 3.17 . that they were wretched , miserable , poore , blinde and naked . But seeing that ( nudi nom●nis nullus est reatus ) the bare name of a Christian , Tertull. Apolog. was not sufficient to prove a Roman , a traytour to the Romane Empire , neither to proue him a true servant to Christ , whom Satan carieth headlong to hell : we must give men leaue to call themselves by this honorable name , whilst they labour for their owne destruction , only making that a lesson for us , which their foolishnes maketh wofull experience unto them .

I am not in all particulars , to consider the foolishnes of the damned , and the wisedome of the elect , because Christ sets out the foolishnes of the one , to be in two particulars , ( that they did not rightly weigh , how much oyle or grace they wanted , neither did equally and proportionably provide for what they knew they did or might want ) these must be urged , that wee may know how much oyle to carry in our lampes , and how much to provide in our vessells besides .

Manifold are our miseries by nature , sinne , death and iudgement . That I speake not too mystically , lest the miseries of our soules be not beleeved , for few beleeve our report , I will set downe our miserie , as the most ignorant men either sensibly feele , or by naturall inclination doe feare .

Bern. Meditat. cap. 2. almost set down word for word . We are come of such parents , ( qui priùs fecerunt dānatos quam natos ) by whom we were sooner condemned than brought into the world ; and if wee consider the first stocks , from whence wee all sprung , we may say to them , as the same Father saith , Idem Ser. 2. super Missus est . ( ut fuistis parentes , ita omnium fuistis peremptores ) as you were the bringers out , so you were the destroyers of all , ( et quod miserius est , priùs peremptores , quàm parentes ) and which is more miserable , sooner destroyed , than brought us forth into the world ; sinners have begotten us sinners , and in sinne have nourished us , miserable creatures have led us that are miserable into this miserable light ; of whom wee have gotten nothing but sinne , misery , and this corruptible body wee beare about us , which as they have brought them into dust and corruption at last , so doe they drive us forward to follow them ; when we looke into their graves , wee see nothing but ashes , wormes , filthinesse , and feare : as they were , so are we now , as they are , so shall we shortly be : conceived we were not without them , yet without their knowledge , with weeping and sorrow are we sent out to be banished in this world ; in which we stay full of iniquities from which banishment wee are in a haste apprehended and presented to give a strict account of all wee have done ; when it shall be said , Behold the man and his workes , with what fearefull and shamefull countenance shall wee looke , or speake ? when without speaking our conscience and countenance shall utter so much as might condemne a thousand : and how long soever the Lord deferre this , that wee may amend , the more strictly and severely shall he judge if we neglect it ; notwithstanding the longer we live , our sin growes greater , this debt of judgement increaseth . Hitherto St. Bernard .

I need not urge this any more , he that least beleeveth it , shall feele it most , Mat 24.51 . his portion ( saith Christ ) shall be with the unbeleevers and hypocrites . But as Augustine saith , Epist. ad Hieron . if one see his brother in a ditch , and aske how he came thither , his best answer is , For curing of which all the faithfull finde Christ a sufficient salve . that he thinke not so much how he came thither , but how he may be relieved : so my best describing of our miserie is , ( not to discourse that man is so , or how he became so , but ) how I may cure or comfort him , or get oyle to powre in his wounds , or to suffice his Lampe . Whilest by Oyle we understand all grace needfull to salvation , we know where to finde it , Coloss: 2.9 . even in Christ Iesus , for in him dwelleth al the fulnes of the Godhead bodily , and we are compleate in him , he hath the Oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes , Psal. 45.7 . His head is anoynted meeting vers. 6. etc. The preparation is set down of all the Virgins , first in similitude , then in dissimilitude . In similitude , all prepared their lampes , but in this they were unlike , for the foolish prepared no oyle for the darkenesse of the night : the wise filled their lampes , & because they feared the length of the night , and long tarying of the Bridegroome , they filled their vessells also .

First then , that I may speake of their lampes , we must remember somewhat spoken of before , that this life is the time and place , in which some professe that they are meeting Christ , and others are truely upon their journey , looking and longing for his comming , either by their departure to him , or his comming to them by iudgement . It is therefore agreed vpon by the consent and practise of all , both the servants of God and the servants of sinne , that lampes are needfull to be prepared for their journey , to inlighten them in this world , untill Christ who is the true light appeare , when wee shall not need Sunne , Moone , lampes , nor candles to direct vs . As the maides of the holy Land , even the unwisest of them had this wit , that for celebrating a wedding , they had need of a lampe , & that the Bridegroomes should ( according to custome ) come in the night-time ( the naturall darkenes of the Creatures : ) So all the Virgins , The practise almost of all men sheweth that our way to heaven is dark . I meane all that are called by the name of Christians , doe shew by their actions , that our journey and way to meet Christ is naturally darke , and that we have neede of some light to shew vs the way . But that I appropriate not this truth only to true Christians , who best know how darke this way is , I finde all ( except them that are truely Atheists ) to pronounce the same , and by their deedes shew that nature doth darken vs , in some errand which the soule of man of it selfe naturally intendeth . Our profanest sort of professed Christians prove it who have taken and professed Baptisme and all the conditions of it , they avouch that Christ appertaineth to them so much as to any , they say that Gods word is true , and that of their owne knowledge , they knowe well enough both what it and the Minister can say ; these therefore doe confesse the darknes and imperfection of Nature in this businesse , and to have taken Lampes . Pagans also have espyed this ; for to what purpose should Turke , or any Savage , cary the love of any Religion with him , if hee thought not , that common naturall knowledge were imperfite herein , and that it were not able to direct and conduct the soule so farre as it is to goe ? for he that would onely live , and dye with this life , needes not any sort of Religion at all . But none of all this kinde are so blinded , but that they scorne to remaine content with the light of nature , and therefore will take one sort of Religion or other by the end ( as a lampe ) to direct him , some way he should go , but he knowes not whither . Onely the Atheist that is sure ( as he conceives ) that there is no God , neither seeketh or professeth any Lampe , because he hath none that made him to whom he should goe , except Nature , with whom he already remaineth : of all men his case is the strangest , for hell which is utter darknesse to all that are damned , is the brightest Lampe that ever hee saw ; for nothing could ever shew him that there was or where there was a God , untill hell made him sensible of it .

But all others professe that either they would have Lampes , as Turkes , and others the like ; or that they have them , as the foolish Virgins or Christians ; or that they have them , and Oyle in them , as Gods true servants , declaring the want of light they conceive in the way betweene Christ and us .

The use hereof is , that wee consider how our soules bend further then this world , and further they will goe either right or wrong ; and that we are not able by our owne judgements to enlighten or direct our selves in the way : and therefore wofull and miserable is their case , that see or know no more concerning their estate , than their bodily eyes doe shew them ; for know no more of the way to heaven , or of meeting Christ , than they did when they were children . The Heathen would gladly have Lampes , but God hath denied them ; the foolish Virgins have Lampes , but have no Oyle : Take therefore this holy intent , and let it never goe out of your minde , that you are desirous to meete Christ , and call to God to inlighten and direct you ; untill you come and appeare in the presence of God .