Ten virgins - Shepard - XIV - Chapters 10, 11, 12 & 13

Required reading
Ten virgins by Thomas Shepard (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapters 10, 11, 12 & 13.

My summary
Today Shepard draws out four observations from the fact that the virgins come to feel, and so to complain, of the want of oil:
(i) that counterfeit and common grace of foolish virgins, after some time of glorious profession, will certainly go out, and be quite spent;
(ii) that foolish virgins, or unregenerate persons, may see and so complain of an utter want of all saving grace;
(iii) that foolish virgins, may, and seriously do, desire not only salvation, but grace itself;
(iv) that foolish virgins, in their first endeavours after the Spirit of grace, usually cease from seeking farther, before they have got that measure and fullness of it which will continue to the last.

What grabbed me
I liked this application by Shepard: 'Hence see which is the surest and safest way of evidencing our good estate; for here men now are perplexed; either it is by seeing no grace, and so expecting the witness of the Spirit, or by seeing some saving work of grace, and so looking to the witness of the word, and waiting for the confirmation of the Spirit; for seals do but confirm the promise and covenant.  O that God would make you hear, that are called away from the simplicity of the gospel of Christ! These foolish virgins were wiser than many nowadays in this particular: they cried for oil in their lamps, or they knew they could not be accepted of the bridegroom.'

I think Shepard's last words there still stand today.  In our present age too many people are worse than the foolish virgins in that they don't even want the oil or the bridegroom!

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 14, 15 & 16.

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