wards to trace its support with greater clearness and less interruption. It is not material to the practical bearing of the subject, whether we understand the virgins to represent churches, or individual professors in the Church at large; for it is the conduct of individuals collectively, which must constitute the character, either of national churches, or of separate congregations of Christians. Virgins, in Psalm xlv. 14, appear to signify nations or churches; whilst in Rev. xiv. 4, they seem to mean individual followers of the Lamb. The number ten denotes in many instances a considerable but indefinite number,* which I take to be its meaning in the present instance; and therefore that the ten virgins set forth the great body, or indeed the entire, of the visible Church.t

In regard to the lamps, the word of God is compared in Scripture to a lamp, and churches are also symbolized by lampstands or candlesticks; but neither of these interpretations appear to me consistently to apply to the parable of the ten virgins. The hope, or expectation, of individual professors is also likened to a lamp; and this seems to be its meaning in the parable before us. One instance may suffice of its being used in this sense: "The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out." The word lamp is here the same as the word light in the antithetical member of the sentence; and the whole answers exactly to what in another proverb is expressed without figure; "The hope of the righteous shall be gladness; but the expectation of the wicked shall perish." For there is an intimate connection between the divine illumination of a man's soul, and the hope begotten in him thereby which is indeed the light shining in him.

The oil I take to be the love of God in the heart; which is the Scripture test whereby we may know, that our hope shall not be put out or confounded: for it is written "hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Thus, whilst the righteous are "looking for that blessed hope, [even]

*For proof of this the Reader may consult Gen. xxxi. 41; Num. xiv. 22; Job xix. 3; Zech. viii. 23.

+ Mr. Maitland has a valuable remark in his Discourses on this Parable, showing why the Church is here represented, not by the bride, but by "the virgins her companions that follow her." It is to the purport, that a difference of character cannot be set forth by one single individual; and therefore it must be represented by the conduct of different individuals, as in the instance of the guests at the Marriage Supper. The bride however appears to be in the Old Testament Scriptures the Jewish Church, as distinguished from the Gentile Churches, who are either "the Virgins her companions that be her fellows," (Psalm xlv.) or "the ornaments with which as a bride she decorates herself," (Isa. xlix. 18,) or placed in some other subordinate relationship.

Prov. x. 28. Compare also Job viii. 13, 14; xi. 17-20; xxvii. 8; Prov. xi. with Job xviii. 5, 6; xxi. 17; Psalm xviii. 28; Prov. xx. 20. d Rom. v. 5.

a Ps. cxix. 105. b Rev. i. 20. e Prov. xiii. 9.

the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ," they are exhorted to go "rejoicing in hope," and "holding fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end." For "the light of the righteous rejoiceth," (as we have seen,) and "the hope of the righteous shall be glad ness;" just as the oil shed abroad in them is called "the oil of gladness," and "the oil of joy."

h

It requires no argument to prove, that the Bridegroom is the Lord Jesus Christ.-John iii. 29 and Rev. xxi. 9 are sufficient evidence.

Proceeding therefore now to the main subject of the parable, I observe, that it sets forth the conduct of the Church generally under a particular hope or expectation which it professes. This is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ; evidently indicated by its being likened to ten virgins "who take their lamps and go forth to meet the Bridegroom. It was and is a custom in the eastern nations for the bridegroom to be thus waited for by a group of attendants, who met him in the evening with lamps. and ornamented lanthorns, and, falling into his train, conducted or accompanied him to the marriage supper. The being furnished with these lamps did, I apprehend, more than any other circumstance, point them out as the attendant virgins, chosen for the occasion; and it thus marks the persons in the parable to be symbols, or similitudes, of professors. And this has long been the attitude (if I may so say) of all the professing followers of Jesus. In regard to the Church of England in particular, the services appointed for the season of Advent sufficiently testify, that she professes to look for the coming of her Lord: and I believe I may say, without fear of being successfully contradicted, that there are no orthodox Christians who do not avow the same expectation. It is true, some are now only looking for a spiritual coming; and some talk only of a providential coming; forgetting that in these two senses the Lord continually visits his Church. The majority however look also for a personal coming in glory: only they postpone the time of it to some remote or indefinite period. I may indeed here observe, that the majority of professors of serious religion entertain an opinion, that some great crisis is even now at hand. They have differed greatly in regard to the character of that crisis; but that we live in no ordinary times, and that a period pregnant with good or evil is rapidly hastening onward, has become a very general, I may say a universal, persuasion.

An essential distinction is described as existing among these virgins, viz. that five of them were wise and five were fool. Tit. ii. 13. fRom. xii. 12. 8 Heb. iii. 6. h Ps. xlv. 7; Isa. Ixi. 3.

ish; and the proof given of the folly of the latter is, that they omit to take oil in their vessels with their lamps. Before however I dwell on this, I must notice another circumstance in the attitude of the whole group; viz. that "while the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." How exactly this describes the state of the Church till within the last few years! The Bridegroom has tarried;-his promised coming has not appeared to be immediately at hand;-and the Church, therefore, unable to reconcile how he should "tarry," and yet "not tarry," has been universally sleeping and slumbering in regard to this expectation. It has been well nigh taken by surprise. It has been upon the watch tower with its lamps; but the lamps have in general burnt dimly, or not at all, and therefore afforded little or no light. Thus Christians have given little or no warning to the world in regard to this subject, and they have slumbered in respect to it themselves. All has been, comparatively speaking, in darkness: for if the wayfaring man, observing them, might be led to suppose from their lamps, that they were waiting the coming of a bridegroom; their sleeping posture would lead him, on the other hand, to conclude, that they said in their hearts-"My Lord delayeth his coming." And so, if a simple inquirer (a member of the Church of England for example) should judge from the light of its liturgy, that the coming of Christ was expected; let him only put the question to the generality of ministers and members of that Church, and he will find that they consider the man to be under some delusion, who does really expect that coming earlier than a thousand years hence!

To return however to the essential distinction existing among these virgins; it is important to observe, that throughout the whole parable the foolish virgins are not charged with any gross immorality. It is not therefore the openly wicked and profane who are here intended: they are persons who are apparently interested in religion, who are companions of the wise in heart, and who professedly expect the coming of their Lord; but they have no oil in their vessels with their lamps;-that is, as we have seen, the Holy Ghost has not really been shed abroad in their hearts;-they have no inward principle of love and joy and holy obedience.

The wise virgins therefore, though slumbering in regard to the great object of expectation, were nevertheless ready to trim the lamp and join their Lord, as soon as they should recognise the shout of his approach: whereas the foolish virgins, having neglected this readiness, their lamps were really of no Thus it is with believers in the Church. Though they i Compare Hab. ii. 3, and Heb. x. 37.

use.

j Matt. xxiv. 48.

have lost sight of this blessed event, and have been dreaming about the conversion of the world first, and a previous millennium of glory, and rambling in their sleep about other matters, have nevertheless a readiness of heart,-a sanctified spirit. They have secured the one thing needful, and whether the Bridegroom delay his coming till they die first, or whether he come suddenly, they have a hope, grounded upon faith in Jesus, and witnessed by their inward delight in his commandments.k

This is just what the foolish are destitute of. They are in company with the wise, they equally have lamps, and they perceive that the wise can slumber as well as themselves. This draws them into a fatal security. They point perhaps to this or that pious person who does not believe that the Lord is at hand, and they are satisfied with their own resemblance to them in this and certain outward circumstances, without considering the great difference as to inward and spiritual grace. They never seriously examine into the state of their own hearts;their faith has no purifying influence on the soul;-they are not aiming to be conformed to God's holy nature;-they have not a readiness to do his will: yea, I will say, that though they profess to be waiting his coming, they do not really desire it! I am disposed to believe that one reason why the Lord suffers some pious christians in the present day to remain for a time prejudiced against this hope, is, that their conduct may prove a snare and trap to those who have the form of godliness, but whose hearts the god of this world hath blinded.

I pass on to the next point.-"And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." The Lord is considerate towards his people! In the first instance he warns them to be watchful, lest, coming suddenly, he find them sleeping; and now that the time is arrived, he sends forth messengers to announce himself near at hand, lest, after all, he take them by surprise. He does not come actually upon them; but, when at a little distance, desires them to go forth and meet him. From this we may gather, that just before the Lord's actual coming there is to be some note of preparation to the Church-some cry raised-some stirring up by his ministers, to warn and rouse men from the slumber they are in with regard to this very event.

I feel fully persuaded, that the Church is, at this moment, in the precise condition here represented! The servants of God are now sounding an alarm in all His holy mountain. A cry has been raised, within these few years only, exactly answering to this, "Behold he cometh:"-it is now echoed through Compare Rom. vii. 22-25; viii. 1, with 1 John v. 1—3.

the land, and penetrating among all classes of religious professors. And many who, only a short time since, did not suspect such an event to be coming upon them, are now persuaded, that the Lord is at hand.

Mark the time also of this cry-midnight! Just when the world is all stillness and darkness;-just when men, who know not God, imagine themselves most secure;-when multitudes are dreaming that the march of knowledge, perhaps, and the spread of liberal principles, and the new philosophy, is all at once to effect what christianity cannot;-when they are saying "peace, peace:"—then, suddenly, the cry is heard, and the Church is roused!

I do not mean to assert, that all professors have at once believed this cry to proceed from God, and that they have immediately risen to prepare. I do not expect it; for some people, aye, and pious people too, are exceedingly dull and heavy when they once get fast asleep. They require to be shouted to again and again, and perhaps to be well shaken, before they are properly aroused. But it is nevertheless wonderful, how rapidly this cry is making its way!-what general attention it begins to excite; what numbers are daily added to those who are convinced, and who re-echo the warning; and how greatly opposition and doubt are diminished! I have not a question in my own mind, that as the indications of the Lord's advent increase in intensity, the whole of those who are really wise in heart will arise, and shake themselves from the dust, and trim their lamps. Yea-all professors, (even those who are like the foolish virgins,) will presently be convinced, so far as conviction. goes: for the parable states, "that all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps;" which indeed is the next point for consideration.

What I have expounded thus far I consider either fulfilled, or fulfilling: that which remains to be expounded is unfulfilled; and therefore I can only give what appears to me, assisted as we are by that which is accomplishing, to be the most probable interpretation.

It is easy to imagine, that an increased light is given by this trimming of the lamps; and that the wise begin to look out with eager expectation for the Bridegroom. The Church therefore-the believing part of it-instead of appearing like slumbering virgins in this respect, will presently resemble those who "stand with their loins girt and their lights burning, even as those who wait for their Lord." There will be a universal testimony presently from the pious, whether men will hear it, or whether they will forbear. Faith and hope-and I pray God charity also-will be called into more lively exercise.