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late, if he ask for grace and power against sin heartily: but a man may ask a temporal blessing, or the removal of a temporal evil, when it may be too late.

As for Esau's careful seeking of repentance, you must understand it not of his own repentance from his profaneness, and from other dead works, but of his father Isaac's repentance: he would have had his father to change his mind, and to have given him the birth-right, which was already bestowed upon Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 34, 38.

Whereas the foolish virgins did seek to enter into the bride chamber when the door was shut; know, that this is a parable, and must not be urged beyond its general scope, which is to show, that insincere professors of Christianity, such as have only a form of godliness, without the power of it, although they will not live the life of the righteous, yet they wish their end might be like theirs, Numb. xxiii. 10; and because of their outward profession of Christ's name in this life, they securely expect eternal life; but forasmuch before their death, they did not provide the oil of truth and holiness, therefore at the day of judgment, they shall be disappointed of entering into heaven, which in the time of their life, they did so much presume on.

The same answer may be given unto that place, Luke xiii. 24. Yet you mistake, when you say, that Christ saith, Many shall strive to enter, and shall not be able. He saith strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able; he does not say, Many shall strive to enter.

There is a great difference in the signification of the words striving and seeking; seeking imports only a bare professing of Christ, hearing the word, and receiving the sacraments. For thus did the men spoken of by our Saviour, who are said not to be able to enter. But to strive to enter, is to do all these and more; it is to strive in seeking for him, so that they take up their cross and follow him; they give their hearts to him, as well as their names; they are hearty and sincere in praying, hearing, receiving; they strive