The truth of prophecy will likewise shine with increased clearness, confirming and strengthening the expectation. Indeed this is in a measure daily fulfilling now: for as the cry is reverberated from place to place, so prophecy itself is more diligently investigated; "many run to and fro, and knowledge is increased;" according as Daniel foretels of this time. And I may add, that many are now experiencing the practical and holy influence of this expectation in their souls. They enjoy more of the power of godliness,-they love the thought of Christ's appearing,-and they look forward to it with desire and with holy awe.

1

At the same time the foolish trim their lamps; and now, alas! they discover their omission--viz. that they have brought no oil: their lamps go out! They are then described as applying to the wise-hearted in this dilemma, saying, "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." I can only explain this from that light which is thrown on the subject by the conduct of professors now, when they seem to have some conviction of the reality of the Lord's speedy approach. We have seen, that the lamp represents more especially the professed hope or expectation of any. Now, when the righteous realize this event, their hope is animated and revived, and it shines with a blessed assurance; for theirs is a hope that shall not be confounded. But when the hollow professor has this subject pressed upon him, his heart dies within him;-his expectation perishes;-his candle goes out in darkness. He discovers that his is not a hope that can delight in the Lord's coming, and love his appearing; he becomes sensible, that he is not ready to meet his Lord; and he wonders at the righteous, whose spirit can say, "Come Lord Jesus, come quickly!" He begins now to inquire more into the reason of his hope: the foolish has been with the righteous ever; he has partaken of the same means of grace, and agreed together, seemingly, in the same doctrines and expectations; but now the righteous appears to have a something, after all, which he has not, and he turns to him,-demanding his prayers perhaps, or his advice,—expecting that he shall share with him also of that inward preparation and joy of heart.

There are persons who seem to think, that the doctrine of Christ's personal coming is not a practical or profitable subject; and that some ministers in the present day give too much attention to it. Nothing however can more decidedly prove, that there is power, and great power, in this doctrine, than the

VOL. II.-44

1 Dan. xii. 4.

parable before us. That which can stir up the wise to greater watchfulness, and cause all their graces to shine forth;—that which can discover to the formal professor, that he has not the root of the matter in him, and set him on a diligent search;— can be no dead letter. It is possible, that some may over-rate it, or talk and preach of it to the exclusion of all other things; but surely the appearing-the hope of the speedy appearingof the Lord Christ, ought to be an object of intense interest! and sure I am that person cannot with the heart believe it, who thinks it a matter of but little importance.

The wise, however, tell the foolish, that there will not be enough oil for both, but to go rather to them that sell and buy for themselves.* These, I apprehend, are the ministers of religion, who set before their people that blessed hope, "the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;" and who in regard to the things of the Spirit invite them to "come and buy, without money and without price."m But, alas! "wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing that he hath no heart to it." The foolish will be foolish still, and the means of grace are now unavailing! We come now to the final circumstance. "While they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went into the marriage, and the door was shut." The Lord is now evidently come! Those believers who are alive and remain till his coming are now "changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," "and caught up to meet the Lord in the air, (just as these are called to go forth and meet him;) and so shall they ever be with the Lord." But the door is shut, at

* This teaches us, by the way, the folly and danger of the popish doctrine of works of supererogation; viz. that a man may perform more good works than are required of him. The overplus of the saints' works the Papists consider the property of the Church; and that the Pope may grant them, on payment of money or by favour, to those who have them not. Christ, however, expressly tells us, that when we have done all that is commanded us, we are only unprofitable servants; and here the wise answer, that they have no grace to spare. This doctrine is built upon the erroneous notion, that works either justify or sanctify a man. I apprehend they can do neither; we are not pardoned on account of our works, nor are works our fitness for heaven. We are accounted righteous solely on account of the righteousness of Christ; and our fitness consists of the inward state of the heart, which also is wrought in us by his Spirit, the love of God, I repeat, shed abroad in it by the Holy Ghost. But many I fear are infected with this leaven who suspect it not. For instance, to speak of repentance and our future good life as if they could in any way atone for the guilt of our past life, is equally built upon the supposition, that a man can do more than is required of him daily: else how can his future good life atone for his past, seeing it is always his duty to walk with God? And if a man can do so much more than is daily required of him, what is to hinder him when he supposes his past sins blotted out by that overplus, from still laying up a store of good works to give away? m Isa. lv. 1; Rev. xxii. 17. 17.

n

Prov. xxvii. 6. 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52; 1 Thess. iv.

the same time, on all those who are without! O, what fearful

words! The day of grace, to all who are of the visible church -to all who have the lamp of profession-will then be past! Now the Lord says, "Behold I have set before thee an open door, and none can shut it:" then "the Master of the house will have risen up and shut to the door," and none will be able to open it. A time will come (as I apprehend, just before the great tribulation falls on the nations who have professed christianity, and the kingdom and glory of Christ are openly showed in the sight of the heathen,) when those who are now the salt of the earth and the light of the world will be gathered out safely, and laid up like wheat in the barn; and then the tares will be set on fire and consumed! At this awful period professors will not only be inquiring, and for once seeking earnestly: they will likewise be praying earnestly! Terror, confusion, and dismay will seize upon them! They will knock then at the door of mercy;-they will seek then to enter in at the strait gate; they will cry Lord, Lord, open to us; have we not eaten and drank in thy presence, and thou hast preached in our streets?-But the door of mercy will not open: "He will answer from within and say, Verily, I know you not."

This does not, as I conceive, signify absolutely, that the Lord did not know them; for he knows all things, and all men: he had even searched the thoughts and intents of the hearts of these, and knew them to be false and hollow;-they were, after all; "workers of iniquity." But he knew them not by spiritual intercourse with them. They had never sought communion with him; they had never given him their hearts and affections; their minds had not been upon him;-their confidence had not been placed in him;-the world-the world-had continued to keep possession of their souls. Note again, they are not charged with murder, fornication, drunkenness, theft, lying, and the like these things we know will shut a man out of the kingdom of heaven:-FOLLY is that which has ruined these persons; the being content with the form of godliness, whilst ignorant of the power;-the being satisfied with a profession, which appeared outwardly the same as that of others, whilst the heart was really averse to Christ, and his ways were inwardly disliked, and his cross, his reproach, self-denial, heavenly-mindedness, were all shrunk from and despised.

O, Reader! ponder our gracious Saviour's application:"WATCH therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh." Look out for him;-wait his appearing;-be ready for it. The day is at hand, and it will take the world by surprise; but if ye be walking as the

P Rev. iii. 8.

9 Luke xiii. 24-30.

r Ibid.

children of light, you have the promise nevertheless, that it shall not overtake you as a thief."

Should this meet the eye of any, who, though they be pious, have not seriously considered this expectation of the Church; or the eye of any, who, though associated with the pious, have not been seeking conformity to God;—I would give two brief words of warning in conclusion. First, be warned by the prophecies, and be taught of God in this matter. The Church, you perceive, has been slumbering on this subject;-pious men, as well as the ungodly, have been thrown off their guard: learn therefore not to ground your views and expectations on the opinions of men, howsoever religious they may seem. Look to the word of God: build upon the Scriptures: and you will not be shut out for want of light. Many, I fear, have betrayed in this matter, that their spirit is not properly in subjection to God's word. For when convicted by it, they have hardened themselves against its voice, and have set up human opinions against the testimony of the Lord.

Secondly, I repeat, be ready; and the more so, because you see the day approaching. You know not indeed the day itself; and well it is for us we do not: for many would slumber on until the very evening before it. But though we know not the day, we are persuaded that it must be at hand: the cry is already gone forth-"The bridegroom cometh; Go ye forth to meet him." Examine yourselves therefore, if you can meet him with joy and confidence. See that you have oil. O, it is a sad thing to have to seek oil when you have need to use it! Those who have to struggle with sickness and the pains of death can tell you this: but how much more will it be the case, when the master of the house rises up and shuts to the door! A lamp without oil will not avail: you may have professed evangelical doctrine, and have determined to hear no other;you may have separated yourselves from the openly profane and self-righteous;-you may have mixed with the wise, and prayed with the wise, and talked with the wise, and acted, in a certain measure, with the wise;-and yet you may be destitute of that inward spirit, which draws your heart and mind, up to Christ, and leads you above all things to delight in his commandments. O then, I say, seek oil-seek this one thing needful this "hope which maketh not ashamed." Now you have scarcely need to knock at the gate of heaven; for "behold, the Lord standeth at the door and knocketh at your heart:" OPEN the door and let him in, and he will come in and sup with you and you with him: you shall enjoy all the blessed consolations of the Spirit here-a hope full of immortality; and, presently, a "crown of glory that fadeth not away."

ESSAY III.

The Parable of the Talents.-Matt. xxv.

I have stated, in a former Essay, that there is a close connection between the parables contained in Matthew xxv. and the prophecy of our Lord delivered in the previous chapter. They are in fact a portion of that prophecy; being, as it were, the practical application of it. The scope and drift of them appears to be as follows:—

By the parable of the Ten Virgins is set forth, what would be the slumbering aspect of the Church, at the time of her Lord's Advent, in regard to her professed expectation of that glorious event; and it is shown, that the hope of all professors will be confounded, and they made ashamed, unless the love of God be shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost. In other words, all will be shut out from the Marriage Feast, unless they be truly converted in heart and sanctified by the Spirit. The parable of the Talents teaches, that if there be there be grace in the heart, it will manifest itself by zeal and diligence in the cause and service of Christ; since the object of Jesus is "to purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. "b Some, who take up this subject in the prophetical view, see in the servants, to whom the talents are intrusted, only the ministers of the Gospel. Doubtless ministers are affected in the first degree: not only as being interested personally in the great concern of salvation, together with every other christian; but because the obligation to be diligent and profitable is, on account of the charge they voluntarily undertake, peculiarly incumbent on them. Yet I can see nothing in the parable which appears to aim specially at ministers; and I therefore purpose to interpret it as it seems to affect believers in general.

The parable (if parable it be) of the Sheep and Goats, points out the kind of works, which the Lord more especially looks for from believers; and the want of which (or rather of the spirit to perform which) further evinces, that there is "no oil in the vessel with the lamp."

I. To proceed then to the second of these subjects, the parable of the Talents: as the delay of the Bridegroom, in the