A59665:144
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. When I speak of not being married to the Law in stead of Christ, I do not hereby exempt your selves from obedience to the Law, after you are in Christ.
2. Do not think I speak against all evidencing your estates from conformity to the Law; though I do from some subjection and obedience performed to the Law.
1. If the Law was never dead in thee, thou art married to the Law, Rom. 7. 2. Now look as tis with a husband, if the wife be sick, and he be at home, whoever forsakes her, he will comfort her, and support and cheer her; so that if he cheer her not, its a sign he is dead; if he doth, its a sign he is alive; for the life of the Law, is the comfort and support that the Law doth give for a time. So that if thou wert never brought to that sore straight, that thou hast not felt any one duty to cheer or revive thee, and comfort thee, but hast found some little thing or other to do it, its certain you are yet married to the Law. Ex. gr. It may be thou hast been troubled in mind for thy sins, What hath cheered thee? I have forsaken them, and cast out Jonah, and there hath been a calm: Why this forsaking thy sins (which hath not been all but some) is not Christ, but an act of the Law. Oh but I have fallen again into sins, this hath troubled thee: What hath cheered thee? I have repented and been sorry for them, and purposed to do so no more. This is the life of the Law still. Oh but you find sins prevailing against you, and you cannot part with them; and hence dare not resolve against them. Oh but my desire is good though, my will hath ever been against them. Oh ignorance! This desire is but a work of the Law, 'tis not Christ. Oh but I have found no desire sometime: What hath quieted you now? I have trusted to Christ: You have done it. The Lord never made you feel a need of the Lord, to draw you to trust; though to be assured of Christ's love. Is this a legal Act? Ans. As obedience to the Law done by the power of Christ, is an Evangelical work, so to perform any Evangelical work from a mans self, is a Legal work; and you are under the life of the Law. So that thou hast not been so oft troubled, but the Law hath supported thee; thou hast not been brought to that pass as the Church, the Spouse was,