Ten virgins - Shepard - XV - Chapters 14, 15 & 16

Required reading
Ten virgins by Thomas Shepard (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapters 14, 15 & 16.

My summary
Today we begin to look at the answer of the wise virgins to the foolish virgins when they request oil: 'No, for fear that there would not enough for us and for you.  But go rather to those who sell and buy oil for yourselves'.  We are given three observations:
(i) that the grace of God's Spirit in other wise-hearted Christians will do no good to foolish virgins, and slothful Christians, in the days of their extremity;
(ii) that it is not in the hand of the most eminent Christians to dispense the grace of Christ to whom, and when, and where they will;
(iii) that the Spirit of grace is principally and most abundantly dispensed in the ministry of the gospel by the ministers.

Next we learn about the significance of the bridegroom coming while the foolish went to buy oil.  Shepard answers four questions concerning Christ's coming:
(i) when;
(ii) where;
(iii) how;
(iv) why.

What grabbed me
Good reminder about the effectiveness of ministers: 'Know it that they were but powerless instruments in the hands of a merciful, yet powerful Christ, otherwise thou hadst never received good from any Christian, minister, or sermon; the Lord Jesus could as well have have used them as means to have condemned thee, as he did Noah's ministry, and Noah's example, by which he condemned the world, as well as to have called thee, or done the least good to thee ; therefore this still puts a beauty upon Christ above all others in the world'; all the saints and ministers in the world could not have changed one hair from being black to white, nor by all their cares for thee added one cubit to thy stature. O, it was the Lord Jesus : if they have any pity, the Lord put it in them ; if ever they spake one word, or made one prayer, the Lord put it in them ; if blessed, it is by him. '

We are only as effective as God would have us be.

Next week's reading
Read Chapters 17 & 18.

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