A59665:65
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. IV.
1. SEE therefore hence their happiness and honour,1 whom God hath called out of the world, and planted in his Church: What hath the Lord done, but opened the way to the Tree of life, and let you into Paradise again? Nay (which is more) What hath he done but taken you up into the very Kingdom of Heaven it self? where you have the Lord of glory to be your King, the Laws of Heaven made known, his heart opened, where you have the heirs of Heaven your companions, and the Angels of Heaven your guard, desiring to look into those things which your eyes see, and your hearts feel, 1 Pet. 1. 12. Where you have the love of a Father appearing, the Son of God inhabiting, and the Spirit of Heaven comforting. Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him ! That when the Lord seeth it unmeet to take you out of this world up unto Heaven, that ⟨p. 6⟩Heaven should come down into this world unto you, who were once enemies to this Kingdom, shut up under the Kingdom of death and darkness, strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel, without God and Christ in the world, without promise, without hope. I do not cry the Temple of the Lord, nor Idolize Order and Churches, but I tell you what your privilege is, and thereby what Gods goodness is: I know the world neither seeth not feeleth any such Heaven on earth, but soon grow despisers secretly of all Ordinances, who if they were in Heaven it self with their carnal hearts, they would not abide there with much contentment, yet verily Heaven hath been, and is found here by Gods hidden one; even such things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and if it be not thus with thee, blame thy self, and mourn the more, who in the midst of light art in utter darkness, and in the place where Heaven is begun to some, it should be made a little Hell to thee.
1. SEE therefore hence their happiness and honour,