A59665:1151
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.
5. Then the Lord should be false in his Covenant, and break Oath, and be forsworn: for, Jer. 31. 32. I'll write my Law in their hearts. Luke 1. 73, 74. So that if you will not believe man, yet believe God: and if you will not believe his Word, yet his Oath. Oh, but many good Christians find no such thing. But is it so, as they find it indeed? Either then they are no Christians, or else the Lord is forsworn.
5. Then the Lord should be false in his Covenant, and break Oath, and be forsworn: for, Ier. 31. 32. I'le write my Law in their hearts. Luke 1. 73, 74. So that if you will not believe man, yet believe God: and if you will not believe his Word, yet his Oath. Oh, but many good Christians find no such thing. But is it so, as they find it indeed? Either then they are no Christians, or else the Lord is forsworn.
Thirdly, That by the inward principle of Spirit, and Graces, our lamp burns, and shines, our actions issue. The Spirit enables a man to know, & hence the act flows, he doth know the Lord. The Spirit enables inwardly for to love the Lord, and hence it doth love him. That as Christ saith, a good tree brings forth good fruit, from an inward sap received from the root, and by abiding on the root; So here.
1. Those that are renewed to Adams image in their measure, have according to that measure, power to act; or in those Graces there is power to act, for he had power so to do. Every creature in the world had a Law of Nature to carry them to their end; and so were carried to it. But Adam had a Law of Divinity, whereby he being a cause by Counsel, was enabled by God to carry himself toward his end. Now we are renewed to that image in part,