A59665:656
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.
7. If not, he may come in an hour thou lookest not for him. Christ may say to thee, from henceforth sleep on.
What Means are there to make me look for him?1
- 1Quest.
1. Get some promise that thou mayest believe the Lord is thine,1 else thou wilt never look for him; or if you do, you will be deceived, for hope is of things not seen. Nay, commonly when the Lord brings any man to his hopes, having given him a promise, and Faith to believe it, the Lord in the mid-way seems to cross his promise. When the Lord promiseth life, glory, peace, honour, joy, fullness, Heaven, they shall then and never so much before feel darkness, death, shame, trouble, sorrow, Hell. For the Lord tries them by this, and tribulation breeds experience, and experience hope. Hence you must first get a promise of Christ and Glory, before you can hope for it, or expect Glory, and then you may, Heb. 6. 18. For the promise will support hope, when heart, and strength and all shall fail: Nay it will expect contraries out of contraries, Gen. 22. 5. I'll come again to you. Compared with Heb. 11. 18, 19. So that soul that hath a promise, may say when he considers Gods power, and what Glory he gives to God by believing it, God hath said he will comfort me, he will cleanse me, he will give me Glory, I will have all these out of my sorrow, my sin, my Hell.