A59665:1684
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. III.
DO not think you are out of a state of carnal security, because you have many times some quickenings and revivings of heart, because they may ⟨p. 14⟩be only awakenings between thy slumbers, which like slashes suddenly come and suddenly go again, which make thee startle, and rub thy eyes, and stir up they self, but down you fall again; wherever life is in a Christian, it is ever acting for spiritual ends; a man will awaken first with God in the morning, and go first to him in prayer (extraordinary occasions not preventing) and he will go from his prayer to his work, not as doing his own work, but as doing the Lords work, hoeing, ploughing, sowing for him, &c. Now when the life of Christ doth not act in men, and act men, it is either because there is no life at all, but only the awakening of Conscience which soon dieth, or else that living Christian slumbereth at least then; slumber is upon thee though sleep is not; make it out else any other way.
DO not think you are out of a state of carnal security, because you have many times some quickenings and revivings of heart, because they may ⟨p. 14⟩be onely awakenings between thy slumbers, which like slashes suddenly come and suddenly go again, which make thee startle, and rub thy eyes, and stir up they self, but down you fall again; whereever life is in a Christian, it is ever acting for spiritual ends; a man will awaken first with God in the morning, and go first to him in prayer (extraordinary occasions not preventing) and he will go from his prayer to his work, not as doing his own work, but as doing the Lords work, howing, plowing, sowing for him, &c. Now when the life of Christ doth not act in men, and act men, it is either because there is no life at all, but onely the awakening of Conscience which soon dieth, or else that living Christian slumbereth at least then; slumber is upon thee though sleep is not; make it out else any other way.