A59665:582
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.
First, they care not for him, and the cause is, they make him no• present, only have a notion and report of him.
Secondly, They dare not close with him, because they fear he is not willing to close with them, with others, not with me; so that all the Scriptures they read, all the Promises they hear are very sweet, but they look on them as spoken to others. Hence Acts 2. 39. For the Promise is made to you, and to them afar off; be thou never so far off, if thou receivest him, he will receive thee, Luke 2. 14. Good will to men: Oh see this good-will in the Lord to have thee receive him, though thou hast no money, nay because dead and vile, nay because not sensible, Rev. 3. 17, 18. Oh wonderful because senseless of misery, therefore close with him. 1. Is it not his command it should be so? 2. Is it not a sin to reject him? will he not be angry with thee to reject him? 3. Are not his conditions easy, so as he hath undertaken to do all that which thou sayest thou canst not? Why wilt not? 1. Oh if I were a child, a son in Covenant I would, but because otherwise, hence I dare not. Ans. Joh. 1. 12. Receive him, he will make thee a Son. 2. Oh but my wants are many. Ans. Receive him he will make thee rich, Isai. 55. 1, 2. 3. Oh but I find my hearten deared to creatures. Ans. 1 John 5. 4. This is the Victory that overcometh the world, even your Faith. 4. Oh but I shall fall back. No, Jer. 3. 22. Return, and he will heal thy back-sliding. 5. Oh but I shall never be able to do any thing. Ans. Yes, close with hi• and thou shalt. 6. Oh but I am very vile before the Lord after all I do. Ans. Yet