A59665:719
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.
6. This if I may have leave to speak plainly, is the great sin, one of them, of New-England. Men come over hither for Ordinances, and when they have them neglect them; or if it be too horrible to live in a gross neglect of them, yet who maintains his Fellowship with Christ? or longing after the Fellowship of Christ in them? And therefore I shall stay a while on this point. Men that are sick of consumptions have sometimes a mighty stomach after meat, and when 'tis brought them, they are weary of the very smell of it, and then say, truly I had thought I could have eaten so much; so men loath Ordinances, nay the Cooks that dress, and the Dish that brings, and the Ministry of Christ Jesus that provides the meat, because consuming and pining away in their iniquities. I know many use Ordinances, but are they not indifferent whether they find him therein or no? Now,
6. This if I may have leave to speak plainly, is the great sin, one of them, of New-England. Men come over hither for Ordinances, and when they have them neglect them; or if it be too horrible to live in a grosse neglect of them, yet who maintains his Fellowship with Christ? or longing after the Fellowship of Christ in them? And therefore I shall stay a while on this point. Men that are sick of consumptions have somtimes a mighty stomach after meat, and when 'tis brought them, they are weary of the very smell of it, and then say, truly I had thought I could have eaten so much; so men loath Ordinances, nay the Cooks that dresse, and the Dish that brings, and the Ministry of Christ Jesus that provides the meat, because consuming and pining away in their iniquities. I know many use Ordinances, but are they not indifferent whether they find him therein or no? Now,
1. When men had enough by them to live comfortably upon, then God and his Ordinances were desired by them, but here mens removing begetting want, want of the creature joined with fear and distrust of Gods Providence to provide for them and theirs, either sink their hearts, that Ordinances are not sweet, no more than Moses message to a people in anguish, or meat to a wounded man; or else makes them hungry after the creature, and hence lavishing out their desires, that they have none after the Lord himself.