Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

ten Virgins Opened and Applied. foce I dye? it mull:, it (hall b~ fo. Now ~vhen he!e you feel a need , k~OI'v ~t that you are at the very door of reltef: I. conc~t~e rhts Is rhe great door ar wh1ch ~brill enters mro the foul. Tneroot ofJ!iatth (,,e. the author, obJeer; andfoundanonof Hirh) is out of a mans felf, the door ?f Faith which opens ro all rreafures is in a . mans felf: This door is not any good m us, for then we ihould have fomewhat ro boall. of,nor firi in us,for that (huts out God from us; nor kn)wledg of vvanr,for that the Devils have, but fenfe of wanr, which'" hen the Saints have, new the door is , orened for the Lord Jefus in all his fulootle to come in, Now if ;·ou k!Jo•v thefe things, blefed are you if rudo them. SECT. VIII: TOall the Church~sof thetord }efus here planted .in .th~fe Weflern parts of U{e ) I the World, to mamwn your Church-chafhty and Vugmtty j you have-a n.une of it abroad, pure chaRe Virgin"Churches, not polluted 1'Vith ~he ri1i)\tures of mens inventions, not defiled with the ompany of evil! men! pure Ordinances , pure People, pure Churches, which is rhe caufe of rhe fcotfs and enmity offome, bur of the de!lre and joy oforhers. 0 if there ; how happy I? and how ble!fed they? Take heed you do not defile yourfelves again: Open whoredoomis too gro!f,too ihameful , to yeild to mans inverttious , to open the door for all corners into the Church : but rake heed of fecret whoredoms and departings from Chrifl: , for thinkof~his fpeech when you fee me dead, that of all Cllurchesin the World, the Lord Jefus carries a mofl. jealous eye over thefe for whom he harh done fuch great things; and I know ir , he takes exceedins ill your fecrer wanronnetfe and whoredo!Ils of hem ; the Lord hath kept you h~therto 1look you maintain it , for you may be foon deH0ured again, few Churches retain their purity lcng, aged, grayhaired purity is feldom feen. I will tell you of rhe fevera! Temptations ( fome at leafl.) that may prevail to the defilement ofyou. Firil:, Spiritual defilement. is forfaking of rhe Husband, a tgtal fecret fdrfaking of Chrifl:; for here is the temptation to ir, vi:z:., Gods withdrawing himfelf in his Ordinances from his Ordinances. For three forts of Temptations make m<ln fall back. 1. By Perfecution, and there many fall (though fome hold our) as in the fl.ony land. ' z. By Peace, and here many fall like the thorny ground ; like Saylors that in a f!:orm arSea, everyman is ready, and will be pulling his rope, butwheo acalm, then go to their Cabbin~, and there fall afieep , and here many fall in this place, and others fl.and it out. 3. By the Lords withdrawing from them, as thofe , Mal. 3· 14. and here the great ones fall. Many come to enjoy Ordinances , and perfecution vext them nor, world it's bafe, ic troubles themnor,and they think ro find much, but donor, , bur rhe Lord withdraws , and rhey can get no g00d , hereupon their fa!fe hearrs difcover themfelves, they draw back from God, and lie Hill, whereas Saints cry the more afrer him, and bok the more into themfelves, and find out the caufe of ir, and then rhe Lord helps them, Jfai. 63, 17. Ob rake heed of this. 1, Shall I forfake i:_~eLord rhat hathdone there grearthingsfor my Soul'? z. Shall I no>v do ~~ afrer I am fo near Heaven ? 3· Shall I forfake himwhen hedeparrsfrom me but for atime ir maybe, when as he followed me when I departed long from·him ? 4· Is it not Hell to dye: without him, and ihall ir nor be Death to live without him? . 5. Doth he depart without a caufe, he bath no caufe to followme, I h~e all reafon to follow him, the Lord grant ):OU may do fo. F 3 Secondly,

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