Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

ten Virgins Op~ned dnd Applied. eHare come co fome or other and profeffe their delire; are after Chrilt and crace:&c. And rhen cJmforred (as in linking fits a rnan fna\cherh at any Flat• or Twie-) wirh rhem defires, before they have followed rhe Lord in rbe ufe''of all m~ans to gee rhe rhing they defire•. And here is rhe firH· begin- · nin<> of rhe Lords [orfaking of them, and rhe1rs of rhe Lord, and he is left alo~e only \vir b. his d~lire;,_ rh.1t !f a':y dury be 1:1egle~ted, delire> comfo;c him i if "race refiHed, delire; qmer h1m ; tf fin keepmg h1m capttve, defires fill him; Lu~ I 3· 24: And fo like a. Bird that lies in the neH~ but its win<>s 1 1ever grow, there it perifherh. I know Saint~ may comfort rhemfelves With dglires before rhe things be given, becauf~ prom1fed, but xou lh~ll fee an er.dlefs reach in them in the ufe of all means,Phd·3·13·0thers thmk rhetrnegleCl: of means to be bur an infirmity,& rhar their delires will ferve,& hence abufe rhit Scriprure,Rom.7· z. They rhar negleCl: rhe mems and yet hope_ t~ come co rhei_r end, becaufe of worldly clogs and incumbrances here; forrhts 1s rhe v~ry fpmr ?f many a man. If God keeps rhe houfe from bemg burnr, and family from oein<> flck it may be fam_ily prayer is negleCted, if nor rhar, yer fecrer i~ omirre? ;"if no~ char, yet me?trmon ; a. man can get no he.1d nor hem, no: nme for H, if any g(),)d is gor, 1rs loft agam ; Sabbarhs fpenr, and no good ga!lled; a man knows his foul lies waHe and common Wtthou~ any fence or warch, and that he wGuld nor let his. fields lie as he cloth his hem, overgrown wirh cares and lufts and vain thoughts. Now many a man though he doth diflike this , yet lives in this. Why ? Is this your home, are rhefc things your porrion ? No, bur yer chinks he may wirh a fafe Confcience comiuue thus, and God forgive him too; why rbe family isgrear,children encreafe uponme,(and cheyarefobulieand long a dreffing on the Lords day, chat Sermon is out before rhey come) and we are nor called ro book it all day as Mu~i!lers can, and_ world!y employments , are fo many,and rhe belt are enrangled_here; and ~hey rh1_nk r_hts is an excufe, Luk! 14. IS, I9. Nay manyaoneconvmced of this, yet hve; m this again!l rhe light of convi~tion, hoping rhar one day ~he ftrea!!!- of w~rldly occali0ns will be run py. I confetfe, as rhe Lord bath giVen us hts Ord111ances ro feek him in,-fo he hath,appoinredour callings to walk with him in: Aderm in Paradife mu!l nor be idle, bur look to rhe garden ; and in this hnd rhofe that will be good husbands for God ( lea£1: Ghey difcredi t their profeffion by bringing rhemfelve> ro a piece of bread) muH be good husbands for rhemfelves: But here is that which Hing1, when to worldly emploimcnrs, men are fervanrs, not ·lords of them, when men do not ma\c tl~cir occalions bow down to rhem,and ferve d:em, rhacrhey may ferve and feek aGod, but they bow d0wn their knees, nay bafely their backs, under the feet of any mem imploymenr, and rhat muH be folll)lved wirh neglect of God. Do not fay who is nor entangled here ? I re\1 y0u if Chrifh prayer can prevail foT.e are nor, John I 7· I 5. I pra7 n•t that thou would-. eft tak! them oHt: of the world, but k!ep them from tbe evil : If blood can prevail it dorh, Gal. I.'!-· Oh look eo rhis :it may be tome of you do not only ne<>le& the Lord in means, but when the.Lord co:n·es to you in mems and quickens"your he.uts a':ld. kindles many refo\utions in you; yo~ neglect the Lord, ;~11 dye> again, oh 1t 1s rhe world ! know your efures by tins. 3· Thofe that depart from .God in rhe negleCl: of means, becaufe they finde n~ ~ood, a.nd do not feel rh~mfelv~s a whit rbe berrer for them ; they neglcCl: thtscrade, becaufcrhey finde 1t a gamlefS trade: For rhus God executes his erernall rejeCtion upon many a foul: As it \vas with Sau!, it was one of rhe laH . Vials God p~wred our upon him, I Sam. 2 8. 5, 6, 1 5. faith he, I am fore diljlreffed, and the Lord an{wers me not hy Urim ~<•r by Thummin, and therefore am i I com~ to thee; let a Devil_ w :-nfort. me if God will ~or : S~ many a f0ul havino I c~mmnred [flme fin that he.s glowmg on the Confetence, !S fore troubled, ana 1 firH ir goc>ro rhe Lord,,and rhe Lord anfwcrs nor, there is lilence in f.eaven, a~d . --- m 1)9

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