A59665:936
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.
Obj. But if you look to your selves, you will have peace to day and sorrow to morrow.
Nay, we are always confident, and yet Paul did not now go on in a Covenant of works. Now whether a man first comes to know his estate by a work, word, and spirit, so that there are three things to evidence our happy estate, or whether by two things only, viz. a general word and spirit, I intend not to dispute, because it makes nothing against the truth in hand: Only this I say, its very dangerous to limit the Holy One of Israel, especially in his freedom of working, to breath light, and life, and divine consolation, when and by what means and promise, and in what measure he will. Christ when he was here on earth, would say sometimes, thy sins are forgiven, Mat. 9. 2. Sometimes be it unto as thou believest, ⟨p. 138⟩Mat. 9. 28, 29. Nay, be it unto thee as thou wilt, Mat. 15. 28. If in these inferior things, much more in greater. Christ is now gone, and we have no immediate speech with him, but in his Word, and he is free to speak to his people according as he pleaseth, and when they need. And therefore let me entreat Brethren to be wary in their speeches in dashing all promises in pieces. What Christian heart can see Gods Truth mangled, without being angry and mourning for the hardness of mens hearts? The Lord hath spoken peace to some mens hearts thus, he that is lost shall be found, He that believes in me shall never hunger, and he that comes to me shall never thirst; and seeing this, they conclude, the Lords Spirit helping them (for sometime they cannot do it) peace. For the Major is the Word, the Minor Experience, and the Conclusion the Lords Spirits work quickening your spirits to it. Now say some, how do you know this? Thus you may be mistaken, for many have been deceived thus. Grant that, And shall a child not take bread when 'tis given him though dogs snatch at it? What should one do then? Bring their work to the light, to the trial of the Word, which you know doth but two things.