The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

that if the Lord should have let out the vineyard of Ordinances to any Husbandmen in the world, who could or would have taken more pains to dig it, to dress it, then we do. Beloved, those enlargements that are in any after the Lord, the Lord cherish and increase them, but I fear we may go five times about the tree before we see such loaden boughs. I am much mistaken if the best may not be discovered here, the fairest flowers in the field must wither, they cannot last, and the best affections that are but temporary, that have acted men mightily for a time in the use of means, must perish in the neglect of means at last. I shall not therefore meddle with profane or carnal Gospellers, so much as with close deceivers of their own souls; and look as 'tis in all sores, you may know where the sore is by the lappings, so you may know a sluggard that neglects means by his shifts: For if you observe, no sin hath so many shifts and colours for it as this; Saul when he had not gone through stitch with the Lords work in slaying the Amalekites, what ado had Samuel to convince him? He tells a lye, lays the blame on the people, propounds the good end and affection he had; So here: Thus it is with many, as Viz.

that if the Lord should have let out the vineyard of Ordinances to any Husbandmen in the world, who could or would have taken more pains to dig it, to dress it, then we doe. Beloved, those enlargements that are in any after the Lord, the Lord cherish and increase them, but I fear we may go five times about the tree before we see such loaden boughs. I am much mistaken if the best may not be discovered here, the fairest flowers in the field must wither, they cannot last, and the best affections that are but temporary, that have acted men mightily for a time in the use of means, must perish in the neglect of means at last. I shall not therefore meddle with profane or carnal Gospellers, so much as with close deceivers of their own souls; and look as 'tis in all sores, you may know where the sore is by the lappings, so you may know a sluggard that neglects means by his shifts: For if you observe, no sin hath so many shifts and colours for it as this; Saul when he had not gone through stich with the Lords work in slaying the Amalekites, what adoe had Samuel to convince him? He tells a lye, lays the blame on the people, propounds the good end and affection he had; So here: Thus it is with many, as Viz.