"Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

"But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."-Matt. xxv. 11. 12.

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persons under your directions, that you may be able to give every one of them a portion of meat in due season; and if I find you thus employed at my coming, I will reward you with the joys of my kingdom, even as an earthly master bestows particular marks of respect on such servants as have been remarkably faithful in any important trust.

But on the other hand, if you are not true to the trust reposed in you; if you pervert your office and watch not over the souls committed to your care, I will come unto you unexpectedly, and make you dreadful examples of mine anger, by the severe punishments which I will inflict upon you. "But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of; and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. xxiv. 48, &c.

Having thus generally prescribed the future state of retribution, our Lord passed to the consideration of the general judgment, when those rewards and punishments should be distributed in their utmost extent. This could not fail of animating his disciples to a rigorous discharge of their duty; and the striking representation of the last judgment he has here given, must greatly tend to rouse the consciences of men from their lethargy, and lead them to consider before it be too late, "the things which belong to their peace."

Then shall the kingdom of heaven, the gospel-kingdom, in the last dispensation of it, when the kingdom of grace is going to be swallowed up in the kingdom of glory, "be likened unto ten virgins which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom, and five of them were wise, and five of them were foolish." They that were foolish took their lamps, but put no oil in their vessels; while the wise, as an instance of their prudence and foresight, took both their lamps, and oil in their vessels, knowing that it was uncertain when the bridegroom would arrive, and that they might in all probability, wait long for his coming. Nor were they mistaken: for the bridgroom did not come so soon as they expected. And while he tarried, they all slumbered and slept; and at midnight there was a great cry made, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps; and the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, not so, lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in

with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, I know you not. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day, nor the hour, wherein the Son of man cometh." Matt. xxv. 6, 7, &c.

In order to understand this parable, we must remember, that it alludes to eastern people. It was usual with them for the bridegroom to bring his bride home in the evening, sooner or later, as circumstances might happen; and that they might be received properly at his house, his female acquaintance, especially those of the younger sort, were invited to come and wait with lamps, till some of his retinue, despatched before the rest, informed them that he was near at hand; upon which they trimmed their lamps; went forth to welcome him, and conduct him with his bride into the house; for which they were honored as guests, at the marriage feasts, and shared in the usual festivities.

To ten such virgins our blessed Saviour compares all those to whom the Gospel is preached, because this was the general number appointed to wait on the bridegroom; and to these all Christian professors may be likened, who, taking their lamp of Christian profession, go forth to meet the bridegroom; that is, prepare themselves as candidates for the kingdom of heaven, and desire to be admitted with Christ, the celestial bridegroom, into the happy mansions of immortality.

We must remember, that there always was, and always will be, a mixture of good and bad in the church, till the great day of separation arrives. The weakness of the foolish is represented by their taking no oil in their vessels, with their lamps; that is, the foolish Christians content themselves with the bare lamp of a profession, and never think of furnishing it with the oil of divine grace, the fruit of which is a life of holiness. Whereas the wise, well knowing that a lamp, without the supply of oil, would be speedily extinguished; that faith, without love and holiness, will be of no consequence, take care to supply themselves with a sufficient quantity of the divine grace, and to display in their lives the works of love and charity. While all those virgins, though differently supplied, waited the coming of the bridegroom, all slumbered and slept; that is, all Christians, both good and bad, the sincere and the hypocrite, all lie down together in the sleep of death; and while the bridegroom delays his coming, slumber in the chambers of the dust.

The Jews have a tradition, that Christ's coming to judgment will be at midnight, which agrees with that particular in the parable," at midnight there was a cry made, Go ye out to meet him." But however this be, whether he will come at midnight, or in the morning, it will be awfully sudden and alarming.

The great cry will be heard to the end of the earth! the trumpet shall sound, and the mighty archangel's voice pierce even the bowels of the earth, and the depths of the ocean: "Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him."

The graves, both earthly, and waterly, must surrender their clayey tenants, and all will then begin to think how they may prepare themselves to find admittance to the marrige supper of the lamb. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps." But the foolish soon perceived their folly their lamps were gone out, totally extinguished, and they had no oil to support the flame; in like manner the hypocrite's hope shall perish. But the wise were in a much happier condition; they had oil in their vessels sufficient for themselves, but none to spare; for when the foolish virgins would have procured some from them, they denied their request, fearing there would not be enough for both.

There are here beatifully represented nominal and sincere Christians. The former having only the bare lamp of a profession, and who have not been solicitous to gain the oil of divine grace, by a constant use of the means assigned, will fare like the foolish virgins. While the latter whose hearts are stocked with divine oil, will, like the wise virgins, enter into the joy of their Lord.

But the foolish, going to purchase oil, missed the bridegroom, and behold "the door was shut." They at last, however, reached the gate, and with great importunity cried, "Lord, Lord, open unto us.' But he auswered and said, "Verily, I say unto you, I know you not." As you denied me on earth, I deny you now; depart from me, I know you not! How justly, therefore, did our blessed Saviour bid us all "watch," that we may be found ready whenever he cometh; or commands, by the king of terrors, our attendance before his judgment seat. Let us not refuse this kind invitation, of being constantly prepared to meet the heavenly bridegroom: let us fill our lamps with oil, that we may be ready to follow our great master into the happy mansions of the heavenly Canaan.

But, as this duty was of the utmost importance, our blessed Saviour, to shew us more clearly the nature and use of Christian watchfulness, to which he exhorts us at the conclusion of the parable of the ten virgins, added another, wherein he represented the different characters of a faithful and slothful servant, and the difference of their future acceptation.

This parable, like the former, is intended to stir us up to a zealous preparation, for the coming of our Lord, by diligence in the discharge of our duty, and by a careful improvement of our souls in holiness; and at the same time to expose the vain pretences of hypocrites, and to demonstrate, that fair speeches and

outward form, without the power of godliness, will be of no service in the last day of account.

The Son of Man, said he, may, with respect to his final coming to judge the world, be likened unto "a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability and straightway took his journey." Matt. xxv.

14, 15.

Immediately on his master's departure, he that had received the five talents lost no time, but went and traded with the same, and his increase was equal to his industry and application; he made them other five talents. He that had received two talents did the same, and had equal success. But he that received one, very unlike the conduct of his fellow-servants, went his way, digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money, idle, useless, unemployed, and unimproved.

After a long time, and at an hour when they did not expect it, the lord of those servants returned, called them before him, and ordered them to give an account of their several trusts. Upon which he that had received five talents, as a proof of his fidelity produced other five talents, saying, "Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents, behold I have gained besides them five talents more." Matt. xxv. 20. His lord, highly applauding his industry and fidelity, said to him, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee a ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. xxv. 21.

In like manner also, he that had received two talents declared he had gained two others; upon which he was honored with the same applause, and admitted into the same joy with his fellow-servant; their master having regard to the industry and fidelity of his servants, not to the number of the talents only, but the greatness of their increase.

After this, he that had received the one talent came, and, with a shameful falsehood, to excuse his vile indolence, said, "Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast that is thine." Matt. xxv. 24, 25.

This perversion of even the smallest portion of grace greatly excited the resentment of his lord, who answered, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strewed: thou oughtest, therefore, to have put my money to the exchangers, and then, at my coming, I should have received mine own with usury. Take, therefore, the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath