A59665:1998
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.
First, These things make a man not the more to be accepted of God; the Lord respects not, values not the worth of any man by these things; and to make all the world know this, he staineth the pride of all glory, and chooseth the poor and foolish things of the world to confound the wise; a wise man will never respect the horse the more because it carries store of rich treasures, he will not fall down and reverence it for this; hang Swine about with pearls, who honours them the more? and will a wise God respect a man the more for these things? 1 Pet. 3. 5. What is that that is of great price with God? Holiness is of great price with God: And what though all the world honour a man, and a man honoureth himself, while this is wanting?
First, These things make a man not the more to be accepted of God; the Lord respects not, values not the worth of any man by these things; and to make all the world know this, he staineth the pride of all glory, and chuseth the poor and foolish things of the world to confound the wise; a wise man will never respect the horse the more because it carries store of rich treasures, he will not fall down and reverence it for this; hang Swine about with pearls, who honors them the more? and will a wise God respect a man the more for these things? 1 Pet. 3. 5. What is that that is of great price with God? Holiness is of great price with God: And what though all the world honor a man, and a man honoreth himself, while this is wanting?
Secondly, All these things leave a man dead under the reign of Satan, power of his sin and dominion of death; and hence Jer. 9. 24. Let no man glory in his wisdom, &c. Death is entered into your windows; take any bondman bound with fetters (though golden) doth any man account him the more glorious? a Prince that is made a vassal and slave to every base fellow, is he the more glorious? no: So whiles men lye under the reign of death; stick a man that is dead with flowers, what is he the more glorious? alas no! his life is gone; now the Spirit of holiness is called the Spirit of life, even of the