A59665:418
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.
4. Consider, let the duty be to Nature impossible, yet the Lord is at hand to help, even when no strength, Isai. 40. 29. Nay Heb. 11. 34. Out of weakness were made strong. If you had no Christ, no Spirit, no Promises to assure you of help, you might then cease acting, and say 'tis impossible I should ever overcome such evils, attain to that measure: but when Promises to assure, and Christ and ⟨p. 59⟩Spirit at hand, now to plead impossibility, is to reproach the Lord; to think he will set his people to make Brick, and give them no straw: nay to war against God and to make the Lord war against you, Numb. 14. You know how they cried out of impossibilities, and now the Lords anger rose when they were ready to enter Canaan: So when men are ready to enter upon possession of Christ, and Promises, then impossibilities appear. Consider therefore what the Lord hath done for David, Gideon, Samson, who went out in the name and Spirit of the Lord, and were helped: If you were under the Law, you might plead this, but under Grace 'tis horrible to make this excuse.
4. Consider, let the duty be to Nature impossible, yet the Lord is at hand to help, even when no strength, Isai. 40. 29. Nay Heb. 11. 34. Out of weaknesse were made strong. If you had no Christ, no Spirit, no Promises to assure you of help, you might then cease acting, and say 'tis impossible I should ever overcome such evils, attain to that measure: but when Promises to assure, and Christ and ⟨p. 59⟩Spirit at hand, now to plead impossibility, is to reproach the Lord; to think he will set his people to make Brick, and give them no straw: nay to war against God and to make the Lord war against you, Numb. 14. You know how they cried out of impossibilities, and now the Lords anger rose when they were ready to enter Canaan: So when men are ready to enter upon possession of Christ, and Promises, then impossibilities appear. Consider therefore what the Lord hath done for David, Gideon, Samson, who went out in the name and Spirit of the Lord, and were helped: If you were under the Law, you might plead this, but under Grace 'tis horrible to make this excuse.