A59665:138
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.
No, but art jocund in that estate, and now and then it troubles thee a little, then 'tis certain and as clear as the Sun, there is some creature or content that thy heart is in league withal, which easeth thee in the want of God, and which is instead of God to thee, and which therefore is thy God. It may be thy ⟨p. 17⟩apparel, thy wife, child, &c. and if thou die in this estate, never shalt thou have communion with Jesus Christ, The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
2. Dost find the Lord a stranger to thee in all his Ordinances, wherein it may be the Lord sweetly and wonderfully and mightily, yet not alway,1 but seasonably reveals himself to others. Oh but thy heart dries and parches away, and that without much trouble under them all. If so, suspect it, believe it that there is some league with a lust. For there is a double life of a Christian. 1. An outward life, which others see: Men see he comes to Church, prays in the Family, &c. 2. There is a secret inward life; according to that of Mat. 6. 6. Thy Father which sees in secret, which none knows but himself, and the Lord; and this is an ineffable communion with God, vision of God, delight in God, &c. Psal. 45. The Kings daughter is all glorious within. There is an open life of prayer, and hearing, and fasting, and there is an inward, secret life in all these, wherein the Lord acquaints himself with his people, Psal. 63. 1, 2, 3. To see thee as I have seen thee. Now there be divers have this open life, yet wanting the secret life. As we love not to live among Tombs, not to have communion with dead men; so the Lord is a stranger to them. He may secretly sweeten an Ordinance to them, and move them, and shake and trouble them, but himself is a stranger, spiritual miseries not removed, spiritual mercies not conveyed,