A59665:1001
The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened and Applied
The parable of the ten virgins opened & applied being the substance of divers sermons on Matth. 25, I-13 wherein the difference between the sincere Christian and the ... hypocrite ... are clearly discovered ... / by Thomas Shepherd ; now published from the authors own notes ... by Jonathan Mitchell ... Tho. Shepherd, son to the reverend author ...The parable of the ten virgins opened & applied being the substance of divers sermons on Matth. 25, I-13 wherein the difference between the sincere Christian and the ... hypocrite ... are clearly discovered ... / by Thomas Shephard ; now published from the authours own notes ... by Jonathan Mitchell ... Tho. Shephard, son to the reverend author ...
London: printed by J. Hayes for John Rothwell, 1660
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
SECT. III.
1. Of those that fly from the Light, which is done sundry ways. Isle mention only one, that is used by a false heart. A man is troubled in mind concerning his estate, fears death and Hell, and so few shall be saved, how can I be one, &c. How comes he to fear? The Lord hath by his Spirit in the Word discovered and found out his sin, the thief is taken and apprehended, and condemned, he hears still, but yet can find no peace, Why? Because he lives in those sins that he is convinced of. Hence the Word raiseth damps and heart-qualms, that he hath no peace, but is ever pulled from his own bottom and hypocrisy, and the Word discovers more sins, and hence hath no peace: The Word will not give nor offer Christ and a base lust together, nor will not suffer any to have them both in peace. Hereupon the soul finding no rest nor peace (which the false heart seeks for chiefly) flies from the Light, especially if it hath found out a shorter cut to its peace, by any device or golden delusions of men. And now they will hear there no more, and now the Publishers of Gods Truth are tyrannical tormenters of the Consciences of them that be weak, false Prophets, that lead them out of the way of peace. And because of this, they think they were led out of the way of truth, because out of the way of peace. Or if they do come, they can sit with disdain and contempt of men (alas they speak according to their light) and of all the truths of God, which shall one day be preached over again in flames of fire to their eternal horror,