A59665:1036
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.
For 1. The Lord hath chosen some to life, the end.
2. He chooseth certain means to lead to this end.
2. He chuseth certain means to lead to this end.
3. He purposeth to carry all his Elect by these means to that end; themselves cannot, hence the Lord doth. And hence ariseth the great peace and support of the Saints, when they look upon the everlasting mountains of hindrances and impossibilities in their way, the Lord hath undertaken to carry them through them, John 17. 15. That when heart and strength fails, he will be heart and strength, and guide by his counsel, and bring to his Glory. And hence as all the Elect are to be certainly carried through all means to their end, and this is proper to them, so hence the best Hypocrite being never appointed certainly to come to this end, ever fails in the use of means; there he is and shall be forsaken of God, and forsake God. Hence John 6. When many used the means, and followed Christ for a time, that they might have life, at last they forsook Christ and means to have him. Why? v. 65. Because none can come to me, except it were given him of the Father. Hence, look as certainly as the Decree of Reprobation shall stand, he having not appointed them to the end; so he never carries them through all means to that end, and therefore here they do ever fail. As 'tis in a Family, those that the Lord of the Family intends to give his estate unto, he keeps a strict eye upon them, keeps them under the Government of the Family; as for others, let them go where they will, and do what they will; so here, all that shall enjoy God, are put under the Kingdom of the Son. Hence he is said to give it up: To others he will say, you love Liberty, take it then.