The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

I make this question,¹ partly because this is the first chief Evangelical work, as it appears to us, nay indeed 'tis in a manner all; hence Mat. 11. 27. I thank thee ⟨p. 74⟩thou hast hid these things, &c. If this be right, Faith is right, &c. And if this be not, a mans Faith is but a Fancy; and a mans Sanctification and Reformation, hopes, desires, are but the works of death and darkness, if this Sun be not risen. And partly also because all the policy and power of Satan is to blind the eye here, for then he knows men will stumble at every step, 2 Cor. 4. 4. He will help to believe, and joy in believing, and reformation after tha• joy, that a man might content himself with this joy and Faith, and look not after the sight of Christ. And if I was to leave the world, I should leave this to be thought of, as Christ told the woman of Samaria, Ye worship whom ye know not, so men believe in whom they know not, and pray to one whom they know not, and depend on whom they see not, and hence do not wonder at an adulterous generation rising up that deny all evidencing of a mans justification from his sanctification, and that 'tis but a f•ding thing, because they never felt what it meant, because they never knew what the Lord Jesus meant, and therefore listen to it. I say therefore first what this knowledge is not, for every man hath some knowledge.

I make this question,¹ partly because this is the first chief Evangelical work, as it appears to us, nay indeed 'tis in a manner all; hence Mat. 11. 27. I thank thee ⟨p. 74⟩thou hast hid these things, &c. If this be right, Faith is right, &c. And if this be not, a mans Faith is but a Fancy; and a mans Sanctification and Reformation, hopes, desires, are but the works of death and darknesse, if this Sun be not risen. And partly also because all the policy and power of Satan is to blind the eye here, for then he knowes men will stumble at every step,