A59665:1113
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.
1. For the Oil: What is that? I intend not here to show the fond and various apprehensions of Popish Writers, who understand by oil, alms, good works, a good intention, &c. But by Oil is meant the Spirit of Christ, and the graces of it, peculiar to all the Elect; and thus in Scripture phrase, 1 John 2. 27. the Spirit is called the anointing; and the graces of the Spirit, Cant. 1. 3. The smell of Christs ointments: Harlots love him for the gifts he sends, but Virgins for the grace he hath. That oil which ran first on our Aaron's head, and runs down to his skirts is here meant. Now as Christ himself had not the Spirit without graces, nor these without the Spirit, but both: So both these being in him as in the Fountain, they are in us as in the Vessel.
1. For the Oyl: What is that? I intend not here to shew the fond and various apprehensions of Popish Writers, who understand by oyle, alms, good works, a good intention, &c. But by Oyl is meant the Spirit of Christ, and the graces of it, peculiar to all the Elect; and thus in Scripture phrase, 1 Iohn 2. 27. the Spirit is called the anointing; and the graces of the Spirit, Cant. 1. 3. The smell of Christs ointments: Harlots love him for the gifts he sends, but Virgins for the grace he hath. That oyle which ran first on our Aarons head, and runs down to his skirts is here meant. Now as Christ himself had not the Spirit without graces, nor these without the Spirit, but both: So both these being in him as in the Fountain, they are in us as in the Vessel.
2. Christ being the Fountain of all grace, and having the Spirit without measure, and therefore hath enough to spare; he cannot be meant by these Vessels which had but their measure, and such a measure as that they had none to spare for the other. Therefore by Vessels are meant principally the precious souls of the faithful, into which this golden Oil was put, and therefore,