A59665:1663
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.
SECT. VII.
Let every man not only exhort his brother,1 but fear this himself; You have a race to run, many enemies to conquer, sleep not lest you fall short, sleep not lest you be taken captive: lest in exhorting others, your selves proves Reprobates: I will not tell you what I fear, but Luk. 21. take heed lest your hearts be overcome; be not drunk with some delight, be not filled with vain cares; Hence, prevent it, as Noah moved with fear made an Ark.
LEt every man not only exhort his brother,1 but fear this himself; You have a race to run, many enemies to conquer, sleep not lest you fall short, sleep not lest you be taken captive: lest in exhorting others, your selves proves Reptobates: I will not tell you what I fear, but Luk. 21. take heed lest your hearts be overcome; be not drunk with some delight, be not filled with vain cares; Hence, prevent it, as Noah moved with fear made an Ark.
- 1Use 5.
First, Set a high price upon those awakenings and revivings of heart that God sometimes giveth you; I am sure you find these sometimes. A man that hath nothing to lose, will sleep with his doors open in the night; when a man hath a treasure he will be watchful to keep it; all security comes from an undervaluing of the Spirit of grace, and its presence among us, Prov. 4. 13. keep her, for it is thy life; and when it is lost, what are you but dead?
First, Set a high price upon those awakenings and revivings of heart that God sometimes giveth you; I am sure you finde these sometimes. A man that hath nothing to lose, will sleep with his doors open in the night; when a man hath a treasure he will be watchful to keep it; all security comes from an undervaluing of the Spirit of grace, and its presence among us, Prov. 4. 13. keep her, for it is thy life; and when it is lost, what are you but dead?
Secondly, Consider thy continual danger; if enemies be at the gates, all the Town is watching; one would not think the depth of security that is in a careless heart, Psal. 30. 6. I said I should never be moved; he had good days and a thankful heart; then God did hide his face: A man would think Sampson should awake when the Philistines are upon him; but here Devils be upon thee, 1 Pet. 5. 10. If all be well now, yet remember evil days; would you know when? even then when men say peace.
Thirdly, Know the work you have to do, and make it your main business; when men have weighty business of the world in hand, they cannot sleep in their beds; and as the wicked, Prov. 4. 16. They sleep not without doing mischief; and so 'tis their main work.
Fourthly, Call thy self to account daily, let not thy Soul long go on without reflecting, What do I do? Harts and Hawks kept from sleep lose their wildness, but they must be constantly tended and kept watching: So consider the account you must give to God, 2 Cor. 5. 9. with 11. Hence Hag. 1. 5. Sins were upon them, and they repented not; miseries, and those were not removed; because they considered not their ways, especially before the great Tribunal of God. I am persuaded the reason why men walk in their sleep, and go dreaming up and down the world, is this, they consider not, nor reflect upon themselves to any purpose; what do I? whether go I? no Sermons awaken, you consider not of them.
Fourthly, Call thy self to account daily, let not thy Soul long go on without reflecting, What do I do? Harts and Hawks kept from sleep lose their wildeness, but they must be constantly tended and kept watching: So consider the account you must give to God, 2 Cor. 5. 9. with 11. Hence Hag. 1. 5. Sins were upon them, and they repented not; miseries, and those were not removed; because they considered not their ways, especially before the great Tribunal of God. I am perswaded the reason why men walk in their sleep, and go dreaming up and down the world, is this, they consider not, nor reflect upon themselves to any purpose; what do I? whether go I? no Sermons awaken, you consider not of them.
CHAP. II.
Carnal Security comes by Degrees.
SECT. I.
That Carnal Security falls upon the hearts of all men by degrees; 1for all the Virgins here first slumbered before they slept; they first fall a winking and nodding (as the word signifies) short sleeps, and then startle, and awake again, before they fall asleep for a longer time: a Christian is a slumbering Christian before he is a sleeping Christian.
THat Carnal Security falls upon the hearts of all men by degrees; 1for all the Virgins here first slumbered before they slept; they first fall a winking and nodding (as the word signifies) short sleeps, and then startle, and awake again, before they fall asleep for a longer time: a Christian is a slumbering Christian before he is a sleeping Christian.
- 1Observation 2.
The truth of this may be seen not only in these Virgins, but also in other Examples of security in the Scripture: As the old World, Gen. 6. 2. They saw the Daughters of men, they let their eyes wander, and their hearts lust.
2. Then they took them Wives for to solace their hearts in, to please themselves only, and not the Lord; they ate, drank, gave in marriage; they came not to that height of wickedness, to commit Adultery, or to live in Whoredom.
3. Then they became fleshly and sensual; spiritual things are out of taste and relish with them.
4. Noah Preacheth, and they slight him; he condemns them, and they regard not him.