The Works of Thomas Shepard (Volume 2); First Pastor of the First Church, Cambridge, Mass. with a Memoir of His Life and Character (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1853. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Section XX. Use 6. You that never received Christ, now do it. Object. Yes, I have. Ans. No; you have not so received him, as to let all go for him. Why so? hecause he alone will be blessedness, but he is not so to thee; O, therefore, let all go now; you must part with Christ, or all these things. Which will ye do? If with Christ, you can not find him in these things; but if you part with these things, then you shall find them all in him. Object. But he will have none of me. Ans. 1. He cries down thy laying out money for what is not bread. 2. He promises to give thee drink, now and hereafter. CHAPTER XIX. SHOWING THAT NONE SHALL EXJOY CHRIST HEREAFTER, BUT THOSE THAT ARE PREPARED HERE. Ver. 10. They that were ready. Section I. Observ. Those only who are ready and prepared in this life for Christ, shall enjoy eternal and immediate communion with Christ; those only who are fitted shall partake of his fellowship; for of all these virgins (though many of them were otherwise very well qualified) only those which were ready did enter in with the bridegroom, which readiness in these wise virgins was not, nor is not, any Popish preparation, either meritorious, or congruous, or wrought by the power of corrupted or adorned nature; but divine and glorious, wrought by the power of Christ, out of his eternal love to the vessels of glory, as an antecedent, not moving cause of this eternal fellowship; it is the first degree of our resurrection with Christ. Rom. ix. 23, "Vessels of glory prepared unto glory;" the same word which is used here, there are two ends God hath appointed all men to; either to be vessels of wrath; who are those? verse 22, "Those that are fitted for destruction;" others of glory; who are those ?" Prepared unto glory." 2 Cor. v. 5, with 8. How com...