A59665:1753
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.
1. It is difficult to be holy always, but there will be many weaknesses and sins, &c.
2. When we do so, it will be hard to discern what holiness it is, whether counterfeit or not.
3. When we do so, 'tis hard to keep it, but you will lose it again, and be put to farther search, and so off and on: I believe Christians make them more difficult than indeed they are; but yet it is the Lords way; Scripture is plain for it; and if avoided because difficult (which to many is sweet) what is this but an invention of sloth?
Fifthly, That what a man cannot do, is always a weakness which the Lord will pardon: Sometimes it is; but not here : for a mans chief sin may be kept unsubdued from this ground, which sloth makes warrantable.