A59665:1086
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.
3. Consider, There is a time of neglect of Christ, which when past, you shall never find him again, John 7. 3, 4. Ye shall seek me, but never find me. You have ⟨p. 165⟩had many Diamond-days and seasons, and God gives you a space to repent, and saith, My Spirit shall not alway strive, it may be some are but within that space, that the Lord is at the last cast with you.
3. Consider, There is a time of neglect of Christ, which when past, you shall never finc'e him again, Iohn 7. 3, 4. Ye shall seek me, but never finde me. You have ⟨p. 165⟩had many Diamond-days and seasons, and God gives you a space to repent, and saith, My Spirit shall not alway strive, it may be some are but within that space, that the Lord is at the last cast with you.
4. Consider whatever your condition be, shake off your sloth, and set upon the means, the Lord will be found; do it in good earnest: This will be good news to you that think he will never, but be thy heart like steel, and hard, the Lord will break it, Hebr. 11. 6. he will be found of them that seek him diligently: And the greater things thou seekest for, the more like to get them; as one of the Fathers thinks that to pray with repetitions, is to pray for small things. Open thy mouth wide Isle fill it, and it may be presently in a moment, when thou thinkest least of it, it may be at that time when thou findest most unwillingness and difficulty to seek, seek then and the Lord will be found. Oh this damps many a man in the use of means, he thinks the Lord will never help, and hence is tormented with this thought, and sits down and rests: If you would keep a Labourer from work, or a Traveller from walking, put thorns in their feet; now the work is neglected, there is pricking suffe, he cannot follow on his business now: So 'tis here,