A59665:281
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. Content not thy self with feeling a want of supply,1 but labour to feel a need of supply from the Lord Jesus, for many a Christian feels a want of Grace from Christ, brokenness, &c. sees he hath nothing, and is sometime by fits troubled for the want of it: but he can be well content though he have no supply, having somewhat ⟨p. 36⟩else to ease and content him, he feels no need of supply, so as he cannot be without it, that his Spirit fails unless the Lord Jesus in mercy give it, and therefore must have it, there is a necessity of it. Hence he never finds supply, and wonders at it why 'tis so: and here 'tis, here is his wound, and so brings up an ill report of the Lord, saying he is loath to give, and of the Ordinances of the Lord, 'tis in vain to seek, and truly so it is to seek so: for let thy condition be never so miserable, if thou feelest a need of supply, the Lord will make bare his arm, and work wonders, bring Heaven out of Hell, joy out of sorrow, and light out of the thickest darkness, and floods out of dry ground, Isai. 41. 17, 18. when the ground is dry and perched away, no moisture left; now the Lord pours out water on this soul, Isai. 44. 3. Heb. 4. ult. Many come to the Lord for Grace, and find it not, methinks I hear the Lord speaking thus to his people, I love you dearly, and I am content to give you any thing you need, but you do not need my Grace, my Spirit, my presence, i. e. you feel not a need of it, for if you had it now, you would not prize it much, nor keep it long: my precious Grace must not be spilt. Many know their wants and distempers, and know there is no help in themselves, and see all fullness in Christ, and hence come to him, but find none, because they can be content though the Lord deny: no nor never shall unless you feel the woe of your wants, that your Spirit fails if the Lord send not in supply, Isai. 57. 16. I will not contend, lest the Spirit fail. Hence there God promiseth to dwell, to send and create peace and comfort: for what is the reason that Christians at first beginnings eek peace and mercy, and have abundantly then? why truly I was long time before I had any thing, but when my spirit began to fail, and I gave all for gone, and could hold out no more, now the Lord helped and pitied me; but where are those comforts, and that presence of the Lord now?