A59665:333
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. VIII.
A Four-fold Exhortation to Believers.
SECT. I.
TO quicken up all those doubting,1 drooping, yet sincere hearts, that much question the love of Christ to them, Now to use all diligence to make their Calling, and Election, and the love of Christ sure to them, not but that it's sure on Christs part, but make it sure on your part too; else how can you be in a readiness to meet the Lord Jesus; while the strong man keeps the Palace, the Goods be in peace; but when Christ hath once driven Satan out of his Throne, ••en nothing sometimes but war, but doubts and fears; Satan told God to his face, Job served him for nought, much more will he accuse the Soul it se•f: and some Divines think the very first ingredient of Satan's poison, and the first assault on Christ himself, Mat. 4. was by seeking to make him doubt of his Sonship, If thou be the Son of God, &c. And his wiles are here very great, that hence very few living christians have any settled comfortable evidence of Gods eternal love to them in his Son: and hence many sad events follow. How can any bless the Lord for that love which he knows not of? many times 'tis with a mans doubts drooping from his mind, as 'tis with his continual dropping on his Lungs, there is a daily consuming of what once was; that many a christian doubts away his life, his heart, his strength, and when all is wasted, glad now to return to that where