A59665:490
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.
SECT. III.
'Tis chiefly and firstly the Person of Christ that the Father gives unto the Soul, Isai. 9. 6. hence Faith lays hold on him:1 'Tis not seemly to keep• Portion from any, much less Orphans Portion. Faith empties a man so as it makes him the poorest Orphan in the world; now the Father cannot, will not keep back his Portion, but gives it him: Wicked men have their Portion in this world, Psalm 17. 14. and they think the Lord loves them because he blesseth them: they have many moral excellencies given them, which makes them honoured and lovely in the eyes of men, and they have honour, and that is their reward; they have bread, but not the staff of bread, they have Ordinances, but not the Lord in them: the Lord gives them answer to many Prayers, but never gives them himself, nor his Son; this is highest love. But 'tis his Son himself he gives to Orphan, fatherless, helpless creatures, for the Lord is their Portion, Lam. 3. 24. The portion of Jacob, Jer. 10. 16. hence 'tis him that Faith receives, and pitcheth upon; so that the Lord may deny them many outward, many inward Blessings, yet they have himself that's better than all, better as he said than Ten Sons. Children may be Prodigals for a time, but when in want, they will then sue for their Portion. Saints for a time may misspend all Times, Talents, Ordinances the Lord gives, but the Lord will bring them to want, and then they will sue for their Portion, and the Lord will give, and they will receive that.