A59665:1457
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.
4. He closeth with the whole will of the Lord as his happiness and utmost end; as a man made himself his last end before, and desired God and Christ only to keep his sores from aching, for so I look upon all men made up of wants; if the body ache with cold, stomach with hunger, head for want of sleep, Conscience for sin, all happiness lies in the easing hereof, and here lies their bliss. So now the soul make; the life of the Lord its happiness to live unto him, Gal. 2. 20. He makes it his meat and drink to do the Lords will; for Jehu sought the Lord, but his last end was himself, as John 16. 2. A man may kill, and think he doth God good service, but that is not his last end; a carnal heart may cross his own wi••, but not his own utmost end, as Judas: A man may seek the Lord with delight, and follow the Ordinances, and fast, and pray, but himself is his end still, Zac. 7. 5, 6. Isai. 58. 4, 5. As a man that goes to a City, he will do your business, but he would not go unless he had his own ends to bring about there. But those that are truly sanctified, make the Lord their last end and happiness. It's not only good to do the Lords will (for thus men may seek the Lord) as thinking it good so to do, but as their blessedness, else 'tis not their last end, and so not sought as their last end; and so 'tis with the soul? As a River running to the Sea, many Springs run into it, but it carries them down all with it; so there are many occasions, hindrances, businesses, yet it carries them all down with it, even the more violently, the more 'tis hindered, Psal. 119. 126, 127. Therefore love I them above gold. And this expresseth it self in three things:
4. He closeth with the whole will of the Lord as his happiness and utmost end; as a man made himself his last end before, and desired God and Christ only to keep his sores from aking, for so I look upon all men made up of wants; if the body ake with cold, stomack with hunger, head for want of sleep, Conscience for sin, all happiness lies in the easing hereof, and here lies their bliss. So now the soul make; the life of the Lord its happiness to live unto him,