The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

Secondly, The subject in which these desires are; a man hath a Son and a Servant; the Son hath all his desires granted him, because he hath a sonly spirit; all the Father hath is for him, that may be good for him; a Servant desires importunately, but he prays from the spirit of a Servant, and all that his Master hath is not for him; and therefore if he pray for the inheritance or a part of it, of the portion of the Son, shall he have it? no, he shall have what is fit for a Servant; so it is here, the Lord hath some Sons in his Churches; these praying and desiring from a son-like spirit, all that God hath being theirs, they ⟨p. 76⟩shall have it; and hence Psal. 145. 18, 19, 20. He will fulfil the desires of them that fear him, and love him, and delight themselves in him; for that is the son-like disposition; when he is cut short of all comfort in the world, nay, when he may have his fill of them, yet he delights in his Fathers face, love, and grace, and fellowship, and house, Psal. 27. 4. For they are heirs and coheirs with Christ, being Sons; but now there are Servants in the house of God; shall they have their wills and lusts? no; thus it was with these foolish Virgins; they were only Servants in the house, no true Spouse or Sons, and were foolish at best, and had not the spirits of Sons, but had their lusts; never were espoused savingly to the Lord Jesus himself, nor laid up all their hope in him, but were foolish and that is the ground why others desires are heard, not theirs.

Thirdly, Unsound desires make after a certain measure only, whereas the desires of Saints seek after this Grace without measure; and thus the foolish Virgins fell short of the wise; all that they could get was little enough for themselves; but the foolish look after some of their oil, as many a man looks upon the gifts and parts of another; Oh, saith he, if I was as honest, as humble a man as such a one! and many a man sets up such a measure, and if he hath that, is well, while he wants that miserably: Look wistly upon the foolish Virgins, they did content themselves with a measure, and now they are in want of it, seek for it; at first a little did content them, and now when it is spent, a little will serve them again: And what is their measure?