A59665:1315
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.
Quest. How may a Christian know when the Lord hath changed his nature, and taken do•• •he power of his Sin?
Answ. It might suffice to evidence this against all gain-sayers, that thus 'tis, and so to know it by the Spirits witness, which shows us the things freely given of God, who to save the Lord a trying another day, tries us now, and makes known these hidden works. Especially seeing some Divines think, that as the first Adam conveyed this sin of Nature, I not knowing; so the second Adam doth also remove this by an immediate stro•k, I conceive 'tis so also, but not only by it. And therefore take two Evidences now.
Answ. It might suffice to evidence this against all gain-sayers, that thus 'tis, and so to know it by the Spirits witness, which shews us the things freely given of God, who to save the Lord a trying another day, tries us now, and makes known these hidden works. Especially seeing some Divines think, that as the first Adam conveyed this sin of Nature, I not knowing; so the second Adam doth also remove this by an immediate stro•k, I conceive 'tis so also, but not only by it. And therefore take two Evidences now.
1. Where-ever this is done, that soul doth not only see this sin, for so an unregenerate Paul did, Rom. 7. 9. Where sin revived, &c. And the Word is a divider of joints and Marrow. Nor do they only feel this as an evil, and so be much troubled with it, but when the Lord makes the dejected soul feel it as its greatest evil, so long as it remains in its being; (as it will) worse than death, than hell, than all afflictions, and miseries. 'Tis not a particular sin, but this that he feels thus. You will say, this is a high pitch. I say, consider if any man was ever humbled under sin, but he that felt sin as it is. For if I feel it not as 'tis, I am deceived. Now 'tis the greatest evil; To depart from a living God is worse than for soul and body and all creatures to depart from me. To make God miserable is worse than for all creatures ever to be made so, and sin in its tendency doth so, being a cross to his Will,