The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

2. Then a man is unprepared for the Lord Jesus his coming, while he wants affections suitable to the Majesty, and according to the worth and love of the Lord Jesus: Suppose a Woman knows her Husbands love, yet if she have lost her love to him, or if she love him, 'tis only as she loves another man, not according to the wo•th of her Husbands person, or the greatness of his love: Is she fit now to appear before him, when no heart to receive him? so although you question not Christs love to you, & thank God you doubt little of it, yet where is your heart? your love to him? have you not lost your love, your first love, or second love? if you have love, is it not divided to other things, as Wife, Child, Friends, hopes of provision for them, and too much care hereupon for that? or if you do love him, 'tis with a carnal love, he hath no more than a lust hath had, and it may be not so much, 'tis with a cold love; now you are unfit for him: hence the Lord, Luke 21. 34. Take heed your hearts be not overcharged, 1 Pet. 4. 7. Now therefore then the soul is prepared to meet Christ, when if the soul hath lost its affections, it recovers them out of the hands of all creatures that stole them away from Christ; and hence David prays, Oh spare that I may recover my strength: and when it breaks out with such love unto Christ as is fitting for him, 2 Tim. 4. 8. There is the righteous Judge ready to give the Crown, when Christs appearing is loved, i. e. they are so taken with him, as that they love the looks of him, it would rejoice ⟨p. 42⟩my heart to see, which shall make others tremble to behold him; Oh it must be a dear love, a spring of running love without measure, for this is the difference between affection• of Saints and Hypocrites to Christ, the one ariseth like a morning dew which is soon licked up by the Sun, Hos. 6. 4. the heat of affection• after other things licks it up; but the love of Saints to Christ is like a spring which riseth to everlasting life: a spring is but little, but yet the frther it goes, the wider 'tis, till at last swallowed up in the Sun, and there is no measure of water: so Saints have but a little love, but the longer they live, the more enlarged for Christ, and there is no measure, but all is too little, they never can, never do love enough, so that look as 'tis said in another case,