The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

Secondly, They dare not close with him, because they fear he is not willing to close with them, with others, not with me; so that all the Scriptures they read, all the Promises they hear are very sweet, but they look on them as spoken to others. Hence Acts 2. 39. For the Promise is made to you, and to them afar off; be thou never so far off, if thou receivest him, he will receive thee, Luke 2. 14. Good will to men: Oh see this good-will in the Lord to have thee receive him, though thou hast no money, nay because dead and vile, nay because not sensible, Rev. 3. 17, 18. Oh wonderful because senseless of misery, therefore close with him. 1. Is it not his command it should be so? 2. Is it not a sin to reject him? will he not be angry with thee to reject him? 3. Are not his conditions easy, so as he hath undertaken to do all that which thou sayest thou canst not? Why wilt not? 1. Oh if I were a child, a son in Covenant I would, but because otherwise, hence I dare not. Ans. Joh. 1. 12. Receive him, he will make thee a Son. 2. Oh but my wants are many. Ans. Receive him he will make thee rich, Isai. 55. 1, 2. 3. Oh but I find my hearten deared to creatures. Ans. 1 John 5. 4. This is the Victory that overcometh the world, even your Faith. 4. Oh but I shall fall back. No, Jer. 3. 22. Return, and he will heal thy back-sliding. 5. Oh but I shall never be able to do any thing. Ans. Yes, close with hi• and thou shalt. 6. Oh but I am very vile before the Lord after all I do. Ans. Yet Eph. 5. 25, 26, 27. He shall make thee amiable, only receive him, set thy heart on him alone. Now do you think he bears a good will toward you? can you deny it? Shall not this overcome thee, that the Lord of Glory should fall in love with thee, and bear good will to thee a Leper, and that canst do nothing for him, and yet for all this, Oh this will draw thee,