The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied

Hence we see the vileness of the great,¹ yet hidden secret sin of the whole world, which may be in part also in Gods dearest Saints, viz. in their hungry lustings and dropsy desires after the sweet of the things of this world. You shall have many a man that amends his life, reforms his course, forsakes his own righteousness, no mans tongue can tell him, his own Conscience cannot bear witness against him that he lives in any unlawful course; and I believe it is so, and may be and will be so. Shall I tell you therefore what hurts them? They are inordinate lustings after lawful things in themselves, and these they serve, Tit. 3. 3. Partly they grieve them if they do not satisfy and serve them, partly because they pay them with pleasures and delights if they do. Hence serving lusts and pleasures too, these like tops of mountains are seen, now when floods of wickedness begin to abate, these will continue while the life lasts.

HEnce we see the vilenesse of the great,¹ yet hidden secret sin of the whole world, which may be in part also in Gods dearest Saints, viz. in their hungry lustings and dropsie desires after the sweet of the things of this world. You shall have many a man that amends his life, reformes his course, forsakes his own righteousnesse, no mans tongue can tell him, his own Conscience cannot bear witnesse against him that he lives in any unlawful course; and I believe it is so, and may be and will be so. Shall I tell you therefore what hurts them? They are inordinate lustings after lawful things in themselves, and these they serve,