A59665:1306
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.
III. That when the Spirit of God humbles the soul indeed, he strikes the head, and wounds the heart of this sin; he doth not only cut off some limbs of it, not only bind it, but slay it of its life and power. That as 'tis with some men, they may have many pains, gripes, diseases, yet live and recover again, but the pangs are not so strong as to separate soul and body, for then the man is gone: So a carnal heart he may be troubled, and have many gripes of Conscience, and apply the promise, Come to me you that be weary, and so he may find rest, and as he recovers his peace, his sin recovers its strength; but when the pangs are so strong as to separate body and soul, sin of nature which hath lived there; now the man dies, now the soul falls down indeed. Now this effectual humiliation carries the soul unto Christ, and hence Acts 26. 18. turned from the power of Satan to God, Col. 1. 13. He hath delivered us from the power of darkness. And hence Gal. 5. 24. They that be in Christ have cr•eified the flesh, as well as the affections and l•sts: For if the Lord should only humble a man for the sins of a wicked life, and some wants in the heart, the Lord should only bruise Satan's heel, but never strike his head; the Lord should slay the Amalekites, but spare the Agag; 'tis true, the Lord usually at first conversion sets one sin upon the soul that brings to mind many other, and the Lord humbles for them, and here the soul is apt to rest as many do, but when the Lord comes indeed to work, he cuts thus deep as now I speak. 1 Cor. •5. 'Tis said, The Lord must reign till all his enemies are put under his […]. Look therefore as this sin is the greatest enemy Christ hath, so if he reigns in heaven, he will be sure above all other sins, to strike the head of this, and dethrone this; and w• shall find that there may be deep terrors upon the false hearted Virgins, but they only assault the soul; So on Saints, but Christ then strikes at the sin and saves the soul, Isai. 57. 16, 17. And this I add, there may be a great power of Christ put forth to humble the soul, but mens hearts resist this; and even Pharaoh was humbled, but its never saving, unless it strike the very power and throne of sin, and so this sin; and now the soul is humbled indeed.