The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

I. Their whole hearts never do nor can depart from the Lord, all their sins and departings are against their new nature, which the Lord hath given them. Its against the grain, which as it aggravates their sin▪ so it shows the difference between their sins and the sins of other men; they may be drawn aside, but its against their wills, or if so, yet against the bent of their hearts, which is set toward the Lord, and Zion-ward▪ they may be carried captive against their wills, as Paul complained he was, and made his moan to heaven of it; or if with their wills, yet it is against the active bent of their wills, which inclines them another way, 1 John 3. 9. They cannot sin, because the seed remains in them; so that they cannot sin with their whole hearts, nor depart from Christ with their whole hearts: As it is with a Woman, though her Husband hath her whole heart, yet there is much weakness and sin mixed with this love; So that whatever unkindness she shew•, it is not with her whole heart, but against it, and hence she is no• cast off: So much more here. Or as it is with the unregenerate man possessed by Satan, though he may forsake many sinful courses, take up many duties, despise the World, yet it is not with his whole heart: And hence he is pulled back like a Bird by the leg, Satan having an end of his heart, and he that is unholy and un•le• will be so still. So • contra: As 'tis with a stone, cast it up its against the […] of it, because the nature of it is to rest in the Centre, and hence it comes down again. It is not by internal bent, but by external vis or force: So sin and Sa••n being cast out, though they work in the soul, yet they are external Agents, (it is not I, but sin) and hence it is against the bent. The whole soul therefore never departs from the Lord Jesus, but the Spirit keeps it there. As 'tis in the body of a […], he grows sick and inclines toward a dissolution or consumption, and operations are hindered, and little delight in any thing, yet the soul and body ⟨p. 212⟩