A59665:157
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.
2. Some are to give the soul ease, it sees sin, and fears it must dye and the Devil appears, and when it lies down, it fears it shall never awaken again; and when it hears, thinks no mercy, but only threats belong to it: and hence having no peace of conscience to think God will love it, it loves duties, doth duties, and now takes these for good tokens and signs of love, and if it feels a need of Christ, 'tis only to ease it. Now a man is married to the Law, when he crowds for ease into the bosom of it, Deut. 5. 27. they were in great fear, Whatever God will have us do, we will do it: is it not thus with many? How shall we know this?
2. Some are to give the soul ease, it sees sin, and fears it must dye and the Devil appears, and when it lies down, it fears it shall never awaken again; and when it hears, thinks no mercy, but only threats belong to it: and hence having no peace of conscience to think God will love it, it loves duties, doth duties, and now takes these for good tokens and signs of love, and if it feels a need of Christ, 'tis only to ease it. Now a man is married to the Law, when he crouds for ease into the bosome of it, Deut. 5. 27. they were in great fear, Whatever God will have us do, we will do it: is it not thus with many? How shall we know this?
Answ. Dost find this while fears and terrors of conscience are on thee, so long thou dost seek, and pray, and he•r, and call on God, and when they are worn away by time, or blown over with feeling some good things, and hopes from them, then thy heart is careless again; 'tis certain you are yet married to the Law: as many a man exceeding forward while pressed under sense of sin for a year or two. Lord! how many hundreds drop away by little and little afterwards? Deut. 5. 29. Oh that there were such a heart alway.