The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

1. When a mans rising is the cause of his fall (or seals a man up in his fall) or at least the cause, through his corruption, Ex. gr. Time was a man lived a loose, careless, carnal life; by the Ministry of some Word, or reading of some Book, or speaking with some Friend, he comes to be convinced of his misery and woeful condition, and sees no good, nor grace in himself, he hath been even hitherto deceived; at last he comes to get some light, some taste, some sorrows, some heart to use the means, some comfort, and mercy, and hope of life: And when 'tis thus with him now he falls, he grows full and falls, and this rising is the cause of his fall, his light is darkness, and death to him, and grows to a form of knowledge: His rising makes him fall to formality, and then to profaneness, and so his tasting satisfies him, his sorrows empty his heart of sorrow for sin, and his sorrows for his falls harden his heart in his falls, and all the means of recovering him harden him; that now if men never had had means, even Sodom, they would have relented before now. This is a sad token of falling away, and having had only lighter work, it being a plain evidence that at their best they were filled with their lusts, because a little light and affection satisfied them, which is now turned by the power of their lust to harden them, Isai. 6. 9. This is given as one sure sign of a people forsaken of God, when in seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not. Look as it is in diseases, if the Physic and me•t turns to be Poison, then there is no hope of recovery, a man is sick to death now. The Saints little measure makes them forget what is behind, Prov. 4. 18. He shines brighter and brighter till the perfect day. So that let him fall he cannot be quiet there, but when he remembers from whom he is fallen, if once he tasted the Lord, this will fetch him again, and make him restless till he return. But if it be so as now it is with these, then the case is woeful, when there is such a plague on men and they know it not.

1. When a mans rising is the cause of his fall (or seals a man up in his fall) or at least the cause, through his corruption, Ex. gr. Time was a man lived a loose, careless, carnal life; by the Minstry of some Word, or reading of some Book, or speaking with some Friend, he comes to be convinced of his misery and woful condition, and sees no good, nor grace in himself, he hath been even hitherto deceived; at last he comes to get some light, some taste, some sorrows, some heart to use the means, some comfort, and mercy, and hope of life: And when 'tis thus with him now he falls, he grows full and falls, and this rising is the cause of his fall, his light is darkness, and death to him, and grows to a form of knowledge: His rising makes him fall to formality, and then to prophaneness, and so his tasting satisfies him, his sorrows empty his heart of sorrow for sin, and his sorrows for his falls harden his heart in his falls, and all the means of recovering him harden him; that now if men never had had means, even Sodom, they would have relented before now. This is a sad token of falling away, and having had only lighter work, it being a plain evidence that at their best they were filled with their lusts, because a little light and affection satisfied them, which is now turned by the power of their lust to harden them,