The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

Just as these Foolish Virgins, they had their Lamps, a burning and shining Profession. And had they no more? Yes surely, for their Lamp how could it burn, but by means of some Oil? They had their wick touched and dipped in Oil, some lighter strokes and superficial impressions of the Spirit. They had not their Vessels filled with Oil, they had not this degree and full measure of the Spirit. This they fell short of, and herein appeared the difference. There are certain inward touches, an inward lighter Dye of Gods Spirit, which serves to beget a most eminent Profession before men, but never to make the Soul sincere indeed before the eyes of God. That look as some Naturalists make three or four kinds of life, differing only as higher or lower degrees of life, though not of the same life; as Plants have a Vegetative life only to grow, but no sensitive to see; because ⟨p. 191⟩their forms are more drowned in their matter; sensitive in beasts, yet not rational; rational in men, but not Angelical, &c. So here; a greater degree of the Spirits working, makes a difference in kind between Christian and Christian. 'Tis the Spirit that makes a man live a civil moral life, 'tis the same Spirit by a greater stroke, makes a man live the life of God, Eph. 4. 18. Yet here are two kinds of lives as far different as sensitive and vegetative; and though the rational hath both, yet 'tis neither of both. So though a Saint lives the life of reason and morality, yet there is another life he hath, which doth differ from these of a higher degree, and of another kind. I do not say therefore that a sincere soul only hath a greater degree of the same Grace, but that he is distinguished by a greater degree of Grace and working of the Spirit of Grace from an unsound heart. As a man may love another, but not with a conjugal love, here is now a degree of love, but not of the same love, for 'tis not a whit conjugal; it might then be sinful in some men, so 'tis here. A man that hath filled his stomach with meat may have some desire after it, but not an hungry de••re, not in that degree; hence not hungry at all. So the sluggard desires and hath not, a carnal heart desire▪ and another desires the Lord Jesus; a carnal sluggish heart desires and hath not, but another hungers and is filled; he hath not any degree of the same hunger.