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A58607 The parable of the ten virgins in a sermon preached before Her Royal Highness Princess Ann of Denmark at Tunbridge-Wells, September the 2d, 1688 / by John Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. Tillotson, John, 1630-1694. 1694 (1694) Wing S1205; ESTC R28124 15,203 31

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The Parable of the ten Virgins IN A SERMON Preached before Her Royal Highness the Princess ANN of Denmark AT TUNBRIDGE-WELLS September the 2d 1688. By JOHN Lord Archbishop of CANTERBURY LONDON Printed for B. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill And W. Rogers at the Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet street MDCXCIV THE Archbishop of CANTERBURY's SERMON Preached before the Princess ANN of Denmark At Tunbridge-Wells September the 2d 1688. The Parable of the ten Virgins MATTH. XXV 1 2. c. Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten Virgins which took their Lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom And five of them were wise and five were foolish c. MY design at present is to explain this Parable and to make such Observations upon it as seem most naturally and without squeezing the Parable to spring from it And then to make some Application of it to our selves Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten Virgins By the Kingdom of Heaven is meant the state and condition of things under the Gospel By the ten Virgins those who embraced the Profession of it which is here represented by their taking their Lamps and going forth to meet the Bridegroom in allusion to the ancient Custom of Marriages in which the Bridegroom was wont to lead home his Bride in the Night by the light of Lamps or Torches But this Profession was not in all equally firm and fruitful and therefore those who persever'd and continued stedfast in this Profession notwithstanding all the temptations and allurements of the World and all the fierce storms and assaults of persecution to which this Profession was exposed and being thus firmly rooted in it did bring forth the fruits of the Spirit and abound in the Graces and Virtues of a good life These are the wise Virgins But those who either deserted this Profession or did not bring forth fruits answerable to it are the foolish Virgins And that this is the true difference between them will appear if we consider how the Parable represents them vers. 3 4. They that were foolish took their Lamps and took no Oyl with them But the wise took Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps So that they both took their Lamps and both lighted them and therefore must both be suppos'd to have some oyl in their Lamps at first as appears from verse 8. where the foolish Virgins said unto the wise give us of your oyl for our Lamps are gone out They had it seems some Oyl in their Lamps at first which kept them lighted for a little while but had taken no care for a future supply And therefore the difference between the wise and foolish Virgins did not as some have imagin'd consist in this that the wise Virgins had Oyl but the foolish had none but in this that the foolish had taken no care for a further supply after the Oyl which was at first put into their Lamps was spent as the wise had done who besides the Oyl that was in their Lamps carried likewise a Reserve in some other Vessel for a continual supply of the Lamp as there should be occasion the wise took Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps Now the meaning of all this is That they who are represented by the wise Virgins had not only embraced the Profession of the Christian Religion as the foolish Virgins also had done for they both had their Lamps lighted but they likewise persever'd in that Profession and brought forth fruits answerable to it For by Oyl in their Lamps and the first lighting of them which was common to them both is meant that solemn Profession of Faith and Repentance which all Christians make in Baptism By that farther supply of Oyl which the wise Virgins only took care to provide is signified our constancy and perseverance in this Profession together with the fruits of the Spirit and the improvement of the Grace received in Baptism by the practice and exercise of all the Graces and Virtues of a good life whereby men are fitted and prepar'd for Death and Judgment which are here represented to us by the coming of the Bridegroom This being plainly the main scope and intention of the Parable I shall explain the rest of it as there shall be occasion under the several Observations which I shall raise from the several parts of it And they shall be these First I observe the charitable Decorum which our B. Saviour keeps in this as well as in the rest of his Parables as if He would fain suppose and hope that among those who enjoy the Gospel and make profession of it the number of them that are truly good is equal to those that are bad For our B. Saviour here represents the whole number of the Professors of Christianity by ten Virgins the half whereof the Parable seems to suppose to be truly and really good and to persevere in goodness to the end vers. 1 2. Then shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten Virgins which took their Lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom And five of them were wise and five were foolish Secondly I observe how very common it is for men to neglect this great concernment of their Souls viz. a due preparation for another World and how willing men are to deceive themselves herein and to depend upon any thing else how groundless and unreasonable soever rather than to take pains to be really good and fit for Heaven And this is in a very lively manner represented to us in the description of the foolish Virgins who had provided no supply of Oyl in their Vessels and when the Bridegroom was coming would have furnish'd themselves by borrowing or buying of others vers. 8 9 10. Thirdly I observe That even the better sort of Christians are not careful and watchful as they ought to prepare themselves for Death and Judgment Whilst the Bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept even the wise Virgins as well as the foolish Fourthly I observe further how little is to be done by us to any good purpose in this great work of Preparation when it is deferr'd and put off to the last Thus the foolish Virgins did and what a sad confusion and hurry they were in we may see vers. 6 7 8 9. And at midnight there was a cry made Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet Him At midnight the most dismal and unseasonable time of all other Then all those Virgins arose and trimmed their Lamps and the foolish said unto the wise give us of your Oyl for our Lamps are gone out But the wise ans●ered not so lest there be not enough for us and you but go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves And how ineffectual all that they could do at that time prov'd to be we find verse 10 11 12 And whilst they went to buy the Bridegroom came and they that were ready