Ten virgins - Shepard - VIII - Chapter 17

Required reading
Ten virgins by Thomas Shepard (Available from Amazon or free here).  Read Chapter 17.

My summary
Now Shepard sets down more particularly the difference between the wise and foolish virgins: they took no oil in their vessels for their lamps.

Today Shepard gives us his first doctrine from this subject: 'That the closest hypocrites of virgin churches discover themselves (at least before the Lord) in an effectual use of those means that do conduce toward their desired and expected end.'

There are three reasons for this:
(i) In regard of God neglecting men so they fail;
(ii) They have an end other than God;
(iii) They have a spirit of sloth and slumber.

Shepard then makes six applications:
(i) there is no ground for complaints against God's ways;
(ii) effectual use of means does us good;
(iii) see your need for the Lord's power;
(iv) judge your state before the Lord today;
(v) seek the Lord and you will meet opposition but it is the Lord's power that will comfort you;
(vi) be not slothful.

What grabbed me
I found helpful Shepard's advice for when we find many hindrances in ourselves: 'Find out that which clogs thy heart from seeking effectually, and causes that neglect, and that makes the Lord neglect thee in thy ineffectual seeking ; else thou mayst seek and never find, and that is some lust, something that eases the hearts! which is not God. When the soul has not bread, it will, with the prodigal, then resolve for home. Men could not live as do, so many days without God, unless they did feed on something else beside the Lord. Hence it is usual for men in means to use means for a good, and out of means to resist that good. Is. Iviii. 1, 2 ; Zach. vii. 6. Men that would have their load drawn must first take their wild horses out of it ; so do with these lusts. If, therefore, not for your own, yet for the Lord's sake, who else will not be accounted worth the seeking, find out whatever contents you. Necessity has no holidays; O, you must have Him.'

This is not the time for a holiday, it is the time for fighting your sin!

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 18 and 19.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.