The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

Hence see the reason why many that have had mighty strong Affections at first conversion,¹ afterwards become dry, and wither, and consume, and pine, and die away, and now their hypocrisy is manifest, if not to all the world by open profaneness, yet to the discerning eye of living Christians, by a formal, barren, unsavoury, unfruitful heart and course, because they never had light nor conviction enough as yet. You shall have some ignorant creatures awakened by some thundering Ministry, weep and mourn for sin, and after vanish into s••cak, being never convinced of sin. Land-floods of sorrow without a Spring of light, are dried up, and make the heart more fruitful in sin afterward. Many go under fear• of wrath, and never get peace, because never convinced of wrath. Many are affected with Christ, and with joy of the Gospel, as the stony ground, but they wanting depth of earth, of conviction, die away again; and hence all the world can never stop a Christian in his shining Profession, no more than they can the Sun in his course, as Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 11. We knowing the terror of the Lord persuade men. And hence Moses, Heb. 11. 27. feared no frowns of Pharaoh, cared for no honours from Pharaoh, he saw the God that was invisible, and hence Christ prays for his Disciples, to be kept from evil. The world hath not known me, but these have known me, John 17. When men are condemned to die, they take on because now they see death; but here in time of health they see it not. If men wrong a child, their heart smites them and grieves, but the Lord is abased dishonoured, and men are not affected, because they want light, and see it not: If men be to match with a Prince, or stand before him, 'tis counted blessedness; but before Christ, 'tis a burden, because men know it not. 'Tis strange to see some people carried with mighty affection against sin and Hell, and after Christ. And what is Hell you fear? A dreadful place. What is Christ? They scarce know so much as Devils do, ⟨p. 150⟩but that is all: Oh trust them not! Many have, and these will fall away, to some Lust, or Opinion, or Pride, or World; and the reason is, they never had light enough,