A59665:1699
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.
CHAP. III.
Security the last Sin of good and bad.
SECT. I.
That carnal security is sometimes the last sin which doth surprise1 and overcome the hearts of good and bad, wise and foolish in Virgin-Churches.
THat carnal security is sometimes the last sin which doth surprise1 and overcome the hearts of good and bad, wise and foolish in Virgin-Churches.
- 1Observation 3.
That as it is said, That the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death; so this death, like sleeping, is one of the last enemies that surpriseth the souls of the wise, but Christ doth destroy it; and of the foolish, but it destroyeth them: Thus it was here with the Virgins; what was their sin that were ready with their Lamps burning, waiting for the Bridegroom? you see the wise polluted with no sin, till they fell down by Security (the foolish were wanting to get oil in their vessels before) but this they fell last into: What into open profaneness, or oath foul corruptions? No, but they all slumbered and slept, and we read of no sin after till the Bridegroom came; many sins indeed there be, which like branches bud from the root, but this is the main: And therefore look upon the next Parable, you shall see this again confirmed, to show the certainty of this point; the servant that hid his talent, vers. 26. is called an evil servant; why, what evil did he? he did not lavish it (as the Prodigal) upon others, not lose it; but he did not use it, sluggishness was his sin; hence (saith Christ) thou evil and slothful servant. And hence the thorny ground flourished and grew, and suffered; all persecutions could not consume them; what was their sin?