A59665:1696
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.
3. When men have lost their foresight, and hence provide not against an evil day; when Christians keep their profession, and go on sweetly in their course, but to lay up for after-claps, that they do not, when Christians like Grasshoppers sing all the summer, but what have they to live upon in the winter time? the Ant can learn them that, Prov. 6. 6. Go to the Ant thou sluggard, that provideth her meat in the summer; the Ant by a secret instinct (though simple and little) considereth there will be a winter, and that summer is her gathering time; so a Christian, if awakened (though simple) will be taught to do something which may serve him, not only now, but hereafter also; when men in times of peace and enjoyment of Ordinances never fear, muchless provide for that time, that all these treasures shall be taken away and carried to the King of Babel, Isa. 39. when men in their life time think not of ⟨p. 16⟩setting the house and heart in order before the evil day, when men are not that now which they would wish themselves to be another day, when men lay not up treasures of tears and prayers in heaven, nor are provident for eternity, no• think this will be my peace, nay my glory another day, though I lose now; men will lay up treasures on earth, and provide for themselves and theirs; hence their hearts are lost here, and lay in nothing spiritual for the future, Prov. 10. 5. he that gathereth in harvest doth right (but a sluggard will not) his heart and mind is taken up to provide this and that for future; and hence 'tis that the Christian is full of sorrow and tears in times of peace; but when the day of trouble comes, he can lift up his head (now redemption draws nigh) when another in times of trouble hath most terrors, because the one was not laying up against another day, as the other did.
3. When men have lost their foresight, and hence provide not against an evil day; when Christians keep their profession, and go on sweetly in their course, but to lay up for after-claps, that they do not, when Christians like Grashoppers sing all the summer, but what have they to live upon in the winter time? the Ant can learn them that,