The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

That it's most pleasing to man, and agreeable to his nature to act only from himself: ¹As it was with the Prodigal, he desired his Stock in his own hands, and while any thing lasted, he would never come home; and hence those, John 6. 28. What shall we do to work the works of God: and when Christ spake of Faith, they were stumbled there, insomuch that divers did forsake him.

THat it's most pleasing to man, and agreeable to his nature to act only from himself: ¹As it was with the Prodigal, he desired his Stock in his own hands, and while any thing lasted, he would never come home; and hence those, Iohn 6. 28. What shall we do to work the works of God: and when Christ spake of Faith, they were stumbled there, insomuch that divers did forsake him.

1. 1Concl. 3.

1. Because mans acting from himself is best able to attain his own ends, to which you know a man is gently and necessarily carried: for no man out of Christ, but his own ends draw him; now Christ crosseth a mans own ends, and to live on him is to live on him that will confound them of their own ends, or else no life there: Hence they live from themselves. As 'tis with a Crafts-man, or Artificer, propounding the gain or credit they may get by being excellent in their Trade, may by their own study and frequency of acts, grow dexterous, and very skilful at last, and hence delight in it, so here, profession and practise of Religion may be a mans trade which he may drive for his own ends and gain, and hence may desire to be excellent, and by endeavour be excellent, and profit exceedingly in many excellent endowments: hence he acts and works for himself,