A59665:682
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. In case they desire death, and not life, before they be ripe for death. Husbandmen desire their Corn in, but 'tis folly to desire it before it be ripe, and then they may. I confess 'tis the commendation of some trees, if not only good, but if ripe betimes, and 'tis the honour of a Christian, to be ripe for death betimes; yet still before he is ripe he is not to desire it.
2. In case they desire death, and not life, before they be ripe for death. Husbandmen desire their Corn in, but 'tis folly to desire it before it be ripe, and then they may. I confesse 'tis the commendation of some trees, if not only good, but if ripe betimes, and 'tis the honour of a Christian, to be ripe for death betimes; yet still before he is ripe he is not to desire it.
Now when is this?1
- 1Quest.
1. While the Lord hides his face and denies full assurance of his love,1 in this case as a Christian cannot, so he ought not (if it were the Lords will) desire to be gone as yet, and this is one reason why David and Hezekiah desired life, not death as yet, God had broken their bones, and his arrows were yet in their hearts; now a man is to desire he may stay a little while longer, that he may sing the Song of the Lamb, and tell the world what the Lord hath done for him, and that he may not set in a cloud and die in horror. Mariners long to be on shore, but before they come there, they would not venture in a mist, but see Land first, so should we desire to see the Lord in the Land of the living. Nay though the Lord gives his people a promise, which stays their hearts and is a twig to keep them from sinking, nay when he gives them some joy, yet still God hath promised to reveal more of himself and his Christ in the promise, seeing him but darkly now: Now they ought not to desire but wait, as in Simeons case, now let thy Servant depart in peace, having long waited for the consolation of Israel. Children that will be up before 'tis day must be whipped, a rod is most fit for them, stay till 'tis day.