A59665:1176
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. It settles and fastens a man under the power of all his sin, and yet with a quiet Conscience, and yet to keep his Christ too. It transcends my capacity from whatever I have read, or have heard, or have felt, or can imagine how the power of sin can be taken away, but where the Spirit infuseth the contrary grace; an empty house swept and garnished with common gifts, is but a fitting house for Satan to return into: Say therefore a man may have no such graces, and yet have Christ, and them in Christ, you stake this man down under his sin, and make this member of Satan, a member of Christ Jesus. And upon this ground all Churches in the Land may be forced in Conscience to take in all profane members, if they plead Christ, and their allness in him.
1. It settles and fastens a man under the power of all his sin, and yet with a quiet Conscience, and yet to keep his Christ too. It transcends my capacity from whatever I have read, or have heard, or have felt, or can imagine how the power of sin can be taken away, but where the Spirit infuseth the contrary grace; an empty house swept and garnished with common gifts, is but a fitting house for Satan to return into: Say therefore a man may have no such graces, and yet have Christ, and them in Christ, you stake this man down under his sin, and make this member of Satan, a member of Christ Jesus. And upon this ground all Churches in the Land may be forced in Conscience to take in all prophane members, if they plead Christ, and their allness in him.
2. This blurs all the glory of a Christian, or at least the greatest part of it: For what is the glory of a Saint? 'Tis to be like Jesus Christ the Lord of glory, to bear his Image before God and men: As to see a man with a Swines face would be the shame of a man; to see a Christian with Satan's Image, is the shame of a Christian; but to be like our Head, this is our glory, though it be in sufferings, 2 Cor. 3. 18. heavenly, humble, compassionate, holy, as he was; and hence when God hath a mind to make Churches or Christians base in the eyes of the