A59665:239
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.
2. Because whatever come• from self, its ever for self. A man can do nothing from himself, but his last end is self. As 'tis with water-works, they rise no higher than the spring, Gen. 11. 4. This Babel I have built, Dan. 4. 30. And a man that hath but common Grace, look as by virtue of that Grace, or gift of God, he may act for God, because it came from God; so nature and sin being mo•e powerful than that Grace, hence he never so acts for God, but in the last place acts for it self, as in Jehu: And so a man makes himself his own Go•.
2. Because whatever come• from self, its ever for self. A man can do nothing from himself, but his last end is self. As 'tis with water-works, they rise no higher than the spring, Gen. 11. 4. This Babel I have built, Dan. 4. 30. And a man that hath but common Grace, look as by vertue of that Grace, or gift of God, he may act for God, because it came from God; so nature and sin being mo•e powerful than that Grace, hence he never so acts for God, but in the last place acts for it self, as in Iehu: And so a man makes himself his own Go•.
3. Because whatever a man doth from himself, he will grow proud of it, Rom. 4. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Hence Jab sent to David to take the City that he might have the Crown. This robs Christ of the Glory.