The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

Because here a man sees an end of his sinful way,¹ and of all his delights which have bound him up in the bonds of security; a soft bed, and an easy pillow, and much feeding in a place of rest, will procure much sleeping; the heart of a man would never be secure, if it had not some delight or other to quiet it self withal; now at Christs coming there is an end of it, then a man is stripped naked of all his greatness and honour, friends, blessings; and when a man sees an end, and is come to an end of a sinful way, now all a mans delights and hopes perish; the beginning of a sinful course is sweet and beautiful (like pictures seen afar off beautiful) but the end is gal and wormwood; for every sinful secure course is sweet in appearance, or indeed; if only in hope, and conception (as in a dream) when the end comes, all a mans hopes perish. If indeed it hath been sweet, now there's the more grief; now my heart, my life, my blood must be taken from me, and what profit is there now in this my stubborn way! when a man is sinking, and the boat is breaking, what a miserable wretch now, Lord help! hence Ezek. 7. 3, 6. when an end is come, now they fling their silver in the streets; Oh the stumbling-block of mine iniquity, verse 18, 19. now they shall seek peace and shall not find it, verse 25. now they shall seek a vision of the Prophet, verse 26. Like a man that is drawn into a fair way, and is out of that his way, when he comes to an end, and is forsaken of all and left in a wood, now what's the profit?

BEcause here a man sees an end of his sinful way,¹ and of all his delights which have bound him up in the bonds of security; a soft bed, and an easie pillow, and much feeding in a place of rest, will procure much sleeping; the heart of a man would never be secure, if it had not some delight or other to quiet it self withal; now at Christs coming there is an end of it, then a man is stript naked of all his greatness and honor, friends, blessings; and when a man sees an end, and is come to an end of a sinful way, now all a mans delights and hopes perish; the beginning of a sinful course is sweet and beautiful (like pictures seen afar off beautiful) but the end is gal and woormwood; for every sinful secure course is sweet in appearance, or indeed; if only in hope, and conception (as in a dream) when the end comes, all a mans hopes perish. If indeed it hath been sweet, now there's the more grief; now my heart, my life, my blood must be taken from me, and what profit is there now in this my stubborn way! when a man is sinking, and the boat is breaking, what a miserable wretch now, Lord help! hence