A59665:449
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. If the sins of their hearts are common, and cannot be removed, and so seem little, then they pass them by, and never take notice of them, God will pardon them, and hence the Lord hath sad times of reckoning (with a rod in his hand) with his own people, Ezek. 6. 9. That those loose times are heavy times, this is for my neglect, &c. but hereby Grace loseth Glory; for how can they see how deeply they are indebted to the Lord, if they see not their Debt? on the other side, if their sins be very violent, and their distempers so strong, that they think none like me, now their hearts sink, and dye away, and grow discouraged, and all the use they make is this, I think it will never be better with me, and can there be life for me so dead, deliverance, redemption for me in such bondage, love for one that cannot but loath my self, and if others did know me, they would do so too. Can the Lord love me now? Yes Beloved, that he can and will, Isai. 63. 16. Though Abraham know us not, yet, &c. But here is your sin, when you should make this use of all, to feel the more need of Grace to pity, and say, the more precious shall Grace be to me for ever: your hearts now sink. The Lord brings his people into very low condition to humble them, and to show them more of his Grace, Psalm 78. 19. Can God prepare a Table? they spake therein against God: so 'tis here; for herein the Lords Grace is seen, to love them when Lepers.
2. If the sins of their hearts are common, and cannot be removed, and so seem little, then they passe them by, and never take notice of them, God will pardon them, and hence the Lord hath sad times of reckoning (with a rod in his hand) with his own people, Ezek. 6. 9. That those loose times are heavy times, this is for my neglect, &c. but hereby Grace loseth Glory; for how can they see how deeply they are indebted to the Lord, if they see not their Debt? on the other side, if their sins be very violent, and their distempers so strong, that they think none like me, now their hearts sink, and dye away, and grow discouraged, and all the use they make is this, I think it will never be better with me, and can there be life for me so dead, deliverance, redemption for me in such bondage, love for one that cannot but loath my self, and if others did know me, they would do so too. Can the Lord love me now? Yes Beloved, that he can and will,