Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

ten Virgins OpenedandApplied. great defeCt of lighr in the mirld or utJderftanding ; becaufe rhe .m rh of the one ---- and tbe fallhood of the orhec, mamfefled what rhetr heart~ were, in rheir head_:; · and minds; and the Truth in rr.e one, and Hypocrifie in the other did arife and was maintained bywifdom in fomc:: of the.ir minds, and by folly in rhe mind of fomeor~ers. Folly or want of D!Vlne Ltghr made the one unready for Cbrift, wifdom or having ofDivine Light, made :be other prepared for him: Nor rh.lt ir doth exclude the evil or change ?f the Wtll an~ atfechons, bm becaufe they manifell: rhemfelves, and are mamwned 111 rbe mmd. Hence Ifay, one are.tr reafoB or Original of both lies in rhemi.nd, Mat.6.22,23: . if thy ep be ftngle, thJ whole body is light, &c. The eye or. mmdofa man firs hke the Coachman, and guides the headfltong AtfeCl:ipns; tf novv dllS be blm?, there will be falls and deviations imo crooked waies, ]ohn3.19,2 o. Light zs come• . NoiV what is th(t c-ondemnation? Men love dark!zcjfe, i.e. will be blind, and having fore minds and hearts, will not look up to the Sun. They fee' nor, nor receive not the Truth in love, and hence condemned, aacl e c~ntra. Hence Deut. 29, I' 2,3 ;4· Mofes fets down thecaufesofall their evils: The Lord hath not g•ven yon eyes to fee to this dtty. They did fee and hear by nmural a!'ld acqUired knowledge, bur nor by aDivine, created, infu!ed knowledge, all' that God had wrought and done for rhem. He ·ce when the Lord intends to feal down rhe Jews under unbeli~f, I fa. 6,1 o. The J.ord then faid , fl:ut their e;es left. they fee and fo be converted. The hem make; the eyes bhnd, and the mmd makes the heart far. A man that is at enmity with God, the Lord fees him agaial'l: himfelf. Henc<l men are left of God to their own lulls, Luke I 9·4">44· Oh th.tt thou h~dft k.Jzown '! and they !Qtew not the day of vijitation. Hence Deut. 31. '-9· Oh that thu people had been wife to confider their latter end! You know 'tis in the Proverbs of Solomon the frequent title of rhofe that are fi11cere and falfhearred, the one is called wifo, ~nd the orher foolij/9: Infomucb that fome Divines have made a neceffiry of a change and turning about of the will, when there is fulnelfe and clearne!lc of light in the mind. Elfe they fay aman might be fapiens and yet impim coo, which cannot be. Bur I difpute nor about that; there be many bruit creJrurcs ~hat imitate the knowledge of man, yet there is no mind of manor reafonable foultn rhem; fo hypocrites may h,we excellent abilities ofreafon, and yet fall fhorr of that new miJJd, rhe eye and direCtor of the whole man, tliat Saims have. Its ever dark nigh~ with them the Sun of Glory n~ver did yet rife upon the:n. SEC.T. U. 1 .BEcaufe ,,UDivinel.ight ofGiory is ever powerful rhroughCbrifl ro chJnge rhe Ji:eaf r. hearr.Hence if hypocriteshad ir,their heart!0vould be fincere, which is nor fo, a!'ld hence rhey ever want ir, whatever light elfe they h•ve ; and hence rbofe rh:tt have it mufl be fincere, Jo!.n 8.32. You frail !Qtow the truth and it fhallmJ!/q yon ftee, ;. e. from your bondageoffears and fins, hence David praye> for liglir, Pfa/.119•33,34· And then be !ball beferar liberqr. AsTron isdravvncqrhc Loadflone by a fecret bidden vercue, fo there i• a.fecrecvercue of Divin\= Li ght rb~t drawes rhe mo(t Iron hem, nay . changerh tt, John 17,17. Sanftijie them through thy TrNth, &c. For this is the ditference between mans and Gods reaching: And hence when the Gofrel comes in power,.ir comes in de:noAiharion ; whereby rhe he.m is mightily overpowred , , tqar ir cannot bur fall down before God, whofe voice and truth ir hears. And hence rh~ young man faw.fo::ce worth ip ChriA:, but not enough, and hence _he forfook ChriH. Truth is not Hones, but bread to them that fee it indeed. z. Becaufe the mind is the firfl inlet of all !in and all GrKe,and hence all hypo- R rf.z , crifiefprings from then~e. Hence when Satan laid his Train to b!ovi up all the ea • • • V z world

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