Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

ten Virgins Opened ~nd Applied. iH comes by Chri!ts_'Biood, and fo all commonGifts and Graces ; but; ye~ Beloved there is a vatl: difterence , chetr wtlls were never changed though rhetr mmds we:e rr.uch enliohtened; hence they!inn'd wilfully. TheLordneverwas dear to them, ~cnce fec?ec defpighc grew up, rhac at !all rhey commirred rhe impardonabl~: fin, Ho[. 10, z6; 29. 3 .Becaufe rhofe Gr~ccs or ~alifications, togerher wirh t~e <?perarions of rhem Rtaf. 3 ~ wmich arc in rhe f,uthful,arc rhe fame Wtth ChnHs,the fame m kmd and nature,Joh. x.x6.From hu fulnej{e we have received t;Jr;~cefor Grace; hence we are faid eo hear hi< Jmaffe,and becaufeir's bur licclear firfr,hencefrom Glory to Glory, zCor.3.18. Now the Lord]efus had not only rhe Spirit which he had withoutmeafure, butalfohe had mlny Divine qualities, habits, or Graces, w.hich it is ?lafphe;ny.ro chink that they were hypocritical or common, wh1ch che fmhful recetve from hts fulneiTe,and wherein they are made in,rheir ~eafure li~e umo ?im : fo t~e Saincs have n~r.o?- ly rhe Spirit,bur alfo t·hofe pecuhar operanons of tt w;oughc th them by the Spmt, whereby they come to be made like umo the Lord Jefus: Hen~e as there.was ~n i11finire difl:ance betiveen rhe Lord Jefus , and rhe bet!: Hypotme, fo the hkene(fe th.1t they have of the Lord)efus, makes a difference now. And look as cme:e is a difference between a Plane and a Beall, a Be~ll: and a Man , fo there is a gtoriC>'IS life which Sainrs have begun here in rhis life, which none have bur themfelws, l Pet. 5· ro. They have the Fiifl Fruits,&c. the ·which is meat and drinkwhich no man knows of that lies in his hypocrifie and fins. 4· If chere Jhould be no difference,rhen chefe evils would fellow: I .This laies a Reaf.4· foandatioh ofcontempt of Grace, and of rhe Beauty of Holinetre in cbe hearts -and lives ofGods people: for look as 'cis in che work of che Son irl Redemption , if ChriH Jhould have dyed as much for Juda~ 3S for Peter, and fllfpel\ded the a& of Faith to apply this on the Free will ofeither , then ]ud.u had as much caufe to , thank Chrifl: for his kindnelfe as Peter: an~ Peter had no more cau!e of bleffing CnriH.for his love in redeeming him, than Jud.u., and what cold praifes will he then give him: So ifcheSpificbfChri!t Jhould fanctifie or call a Saim no more than an Hypocrite, chen the one harh r.o more c~ufe eo be thnnkful fof rl-e work of rhe Spirit than rhe other : and when a man corr.es to look upon rhe wor, of rhe · Spirit, artd rhe Graces otic, there is cold wuer oH upon thofe ; this is no more thart what a Hypocrite harh. Chrilt harh not only rec. een:.e:i by price, bur alfo by power,from the~cwer ofSmn, Sin, Darlr. ~ e!re, Delufion, and noc to be thankful for rhis,is nor to be thankful for the Redemption of <::brill:: Thou Jhalr never have ir then that doft defpife che Spirit ofGrace, whereby thou art bur commonly fan&ified. - · z. Becaufe this abolillleth the ufe of all conditionG! 'Promifes made in the word: for you know cbey are made to fomequalificarion or work of the Spirit in a man , fome to Mourning, Poverty, Faith, Hunger, Lo!tnelfe, &c. now if ehere lnould be no difference between feemlng works in Hypocrite~ and thefe,then t. rhe truth otthe Promife~ is de!troyed, for the Lor~ faich, They thAt httnger {h11ll he fatuficd. l'le anfwer, Hypocrites may hunger, and yer noc be farisfied. z; The ufe of thefe Promifes lnould be loll:, for why lbould a man then cait his Soul upon Gods faithfulne!fe in rhe Promife, when 'ris hue common love·w him and Hypocrites: lfit be replyed the one h?th Chrifl:, tile other nor. I anfwer, 'cis very crue, but t~en I ask, Wh0 is he aChtiH to ? it mull: nGeds be eo ,a particular People de- ~c~ibed in the Word by their ~cu1iar qualide!l1 flowing fr6m .their forms and fubJCcts by which rhey arekno1vn; and now confider Rev.1z.t?. ls G~d fl (jM ~f thr Jrad? 11mlnot ~J rhe living otJ!y { - . . · 3. Becaufe this makes. the moll holy men. that ever ilved d~ceivel:'s hf themfelves and others; bnly look upon John Chrifts beloved Difciple, :uid bofometo~panion, he ha~ received the anointing to know him that is .ctue, 11nd he kz.ew he k_>TtW him , 1. John z. J. But ho\v did lie know i:hat? he ·might be deceived .( as ~ 3 'cis ·

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