Is it an unquestionable truth, that " He will judge the world in righteoufnefs?" And is the time uncertain? How proper is the inference, "Watch ye therefore-take heed to yourselves and pray always be ye ready!" Keep at a diftance from every thing, which would expofe you to his difpleafure, or be inconfiftent with an habitual expectation of his advent. Beware, left on any occafion your hearts be oppreffed by intemperance or an inordinate attention to fecular affairs; for thefe would bring a ftupor upon you, and thus prevent you from poffeffing, as you ought, a conftant readiness to meet your Lord. Ah! how many will be found in fuch a thoughtless ftate, that they will be furprised and overwhelmed with horror at his appearance! It is neceffary, therefore, that you exercife an unceafing vigilance and circumfpection, if you would escape the confufion and mifery, which they will endure.

How carefully do you guard your habitations against defigns of violence in the night feafon! If you had any reason to apprehend an affault from robbers, you would not dare to compofe yourselves to fleep. Because you know not the particular hour, when the attack may be made, you will take fuch previous measures, as to be prepared. O be wife for eternity! Should your Lod come upon you unawares, the confequence would be infinitely more terrible, than the ranfacking of your houfes by thieves. Therefore ftand upon your guard.

Your prefent fituation in the Church of Chrift is like that of fervants and ftewards, to whom their mafter, upon his departure, hath intrufted the affairs of his family, and affigned their proper employment. It should be your concern, then, to be faithful and diligent, attending to your appointed work, that, when your Lord returns, he may find you occupied in your place, and you may give up your accounts with joy. If fuch be your readiness to meet him, you will be inconceivably

conceivably bleffed. Marks of diftinguifhed honour, and the poffeffion of an everlasting kingdom, will be conferred upon you. Will not the profpect of that glory fupport and comfort you in all your difficulties, and animate you to greater exertions of self denialand: holy zeal ?

How ftrange is that indifference which men difcover about their eternal ftate! Many, evidently, refemble the treacherous and wicked fervant, who,, prefuming upon his master's longer abfence, neglects and abufes his truft by oppreffion and intempe

rance.

Being furprised in his folly, and unexpectedly called to account, he will be punished with feverest vengeance. O do not thus flatter yourfelves, that, because death and judgment may be far diftant, you may fafely indulge in fenfual exceffes! Your Lord may come, when you are leaft aware, while you are totally engroffed with pleafurable fchemes: and thenwhat terror and anguifh would overwhelm your guilty fouls! As he will be inexorable," he will cut you afunder, and appoint you your portion with the hypocrites: there fhall be weeping and gnashing of

teeth."

But were these folemn exhortations of Jefus defigned for you? Yes: he himself has made the application. univerfal; for he declared, "What I fay unto you, I fay unto all, WATCH." O live in a conftant mindfulness of that word! Fly to him for mercy, before he come to execute judgment; and feek for the renewing influence of his Spirit, that " you may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleafing." Then fhall you be able to meet him at the last with that triumphant acclamation," Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will fave us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoice in his falvation *." Amen.

JESUS CHRIST.

SECT. 35.

Jefus enforced the duty of preparing for his coming, by the parables of the ten virgins, and of the talents, and then gave a particular description of the last judgment.

THE Son of man will come again, but not as in the days of his humiliation. He will come, not as "a man of forrows," but as "the Lord of glory;" not to offer himself a facrifice, but to execute judgment; not to contend with the opposition of finners, but to manifeft the character, and determine the everlafting condition, of each individual in the whole human race. He himself has told us, that he will return for these very purposes, and we profefs to expect it. "What manner of perfons," then," ought we to be in all holy converfation and godliness, looking for and hafting unto the coming of the day of God!"

We have already contemplated the Saviour, as he fat upon the mount of Olives, foretelling his final advent, and exhorting his difciples to make a fuitable preparation. We fhall now confider the conclufion of his folemn addrefs on the fame occafion, in which he gives stronger and fublimer representations of that grand event, and enforces the duty of constant watchfulness and diligent application to our proper work. May we proceed to the interesting subject with true

2 Pet. iii. 11, 12.

seriousness

feriousness of mind, and with fervent prayer, that it may produce its due influence upon us!

By an affecting parable, Jefus exhibited the present ftate of things in his vifible Church, the different characters of its members, and the different reception they will meet with from him at the last day. Ten virgins are described as attending at the celebration of a marriage, and preparing to meet the bridegroom, that they may conduct his bride by the light of their lamps, according to the ancient cuftom of nuptials in the east. The Lord Jefus Chrift is the Bridegroom here fignified, who will fhortly come to complete the union with his illuftrious fpoufe, and receive her to his own glorious kingdom. In the mean time, all thofe, who profefs the Gofpel, are required to hold themfelves in a fate of readiness, that they may obey his fummons, and accompany him on that occafion to his heavenly mantions. Such was the office of the virgins: ah! how widely did they differ from each other! "Five of them were wife, and five were foolish." Yet this difference was not easily difcernible till the closing fcene. They all took their lamps, as if they were properly prepared to attend upon the bridegroom, and waited for his appearance. But the wife only were furnished with oil, fufficient to fupply their lamps, when their original ftock fhould be exhaufted. The foolish provided not for a future hour: they were tatisfied with just so much, as would afford them light for the present.

An apt refemblance is here exhibited of an awful diftinction, which really fubfifts among the pretended followers of Chrift, however it may now be concealed from us by fpecious difguifes. Such as are evidently careless, and have not even the fhew of piety, come not under the defcription of the parable. Their danger is too manifeft to be doubted. But of those,

* Matt. xxv. I, &C. € 4.

who

feem to be strictly religious, and warmly attached to the fervice of Chrift, all poffefs not the fame holy principle in their hearts. Some only are truly "wife unto falvation," being inwardly what their external profeffion imports. They have received forgiveness of their fins, and are renewed in righteoufnefs, fo that, whenever their Lord fhall come, they will be found an acceptable people in his fight. The vital and operative influence of divine grace dwells within them, which is their fecurity for a future day: by this they perfevere to the end, and therefore will be faved.

Others, alas with fair appearances deceive both themselves and the Church around them. They "have a form of godlinefs," which procures them efteem; and with this they are content. They may be regular in their conduct; and even blameless before men, zealous for right doctrines, and strict in all external obfervances of religion. Yet they are "foolifh," in neglecting to look forward and provide for death and judgment. They may make a glittering fhew for the prefent; but poffeffing not "the new heart and the new fpirit," nor being truly united to Chrift, they cannot endure the approaching trial, or be "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light." The Lord alone can infallibly difcern this great difference between perfons, whofe profeffions and appearances are the fame: but it becomes us to fearch ourfelves, for our character and ftate will foon be determined for ever.

Through the delay of the bridegroom, the virgins were all tempted to indulge in fleep, fo that they were off their guard, and none of them watched as they ought to have done. Ah! what remiffness and ftupor do we perceive among real as well as nominal Chriftians! While death and judgment are thought at a diftance, do we not fink down into a spiritual languor and supineness? Have not worldly cares and fenfual gratifications