The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

3. You are to expect and look for power from the Lord Jesus in the use of means, all known means: For Faith fetcheth all from Christ, hence we must go thither where Christ is to be found, and he dwells in his House, in his Ordinances: Therefore there you must depend upon him. As 'tis with a Merchant, he wades not over the Sea for Pearls, but gets into his ship, and there he sits still, so here, Mat. 13. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Merchant man. Hence you that know you can do nothing, being under a spirit of conviction, and hence do nothing, under a spirit of sloth and neglect of means, by virtue of a spirit of presumption, and say Christ must do all, I say you take not the right course for the Lord to help you in. The Lord will never be a slave to thy sloth, but thou shalt be like a shrub, never to see good when it comes, and shalt die in horror with this, Oh I might have done more! Hence you are worse than the other, that think if a man fasts, prays, watches against his distempers, mourns for want of Christ and Grace, and follows God hard here, he is a Legal Christian: Why, these are but his own works, and this is not living on Christ. I confess bare using them, or trusting to them is not, but he that lives not on Christ in use of means (these and all other means) to find Christ, or enjoy more of Christ, shall never have him. Neither do I know what turning Gods Grace into wantonness is, if this be not; and under a conceit of liberty to be a servant of corruption. I know not whether it be thus with any, but if I did, I would pity them.

3. You are to expect and look for power from the Lord Jesus in the use of means, all known means: For Faith fetcheth all from Christ, hence we must go thither where Christ is to be found, and he dwells in his House, in his Ordinances: Therefore there you must depend upon him. As 'tis with a Merchant, he wades not over the Sea for Pearls, but gets into his ship, and there he sits still, so here, Mat. 13. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Merchant man. Hence you that know you can do nothing, being under a spirit of conviction, and hence do nothing, under a spirit of sloth and neglect of means, by vertue of a spirit of presumption, and say Christ must do all, I say you take not the right course for the Lord to help you in. The Lord will never be a slave to thy sloth, but thou shalt be like a shrub, never to see good when it comes, and shalt die in horrour with this, Oh I might have done more! Hence you are worse than the other, that think if a man fasts, prayes, watches against his distempers, mourns for want of Christ and Grace, and followes God hard here, he is a Legal Christian: Why, these are but his own works, and this is not living on Christ. I confesse bare using them, or trusting to them is not, but he that lives not on Christ in use of means (these and all other means) to find Christ, or enjoy more of Christ, shall never have him. Neither do I know what turning Gods Grace into wantonnesse is, if this be not; and under a conceit of liberty to be a servant of corruption. I know not whether it be thus with any, but if I did, I would pity them.