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compliance, nor an opportunity neglected, nor a truth avoided or a good deed undone, nor a mercy unacknowledged or a duty unperformed, nor a moment wasted or a day unimproved, but shall then confront And the few prayers with which we now satisfy ourselves, and the few brief weekly services through which we pass with hardly interest enough to keep from falling asleep, and the few dollars given to God, and the few good acts for which we credit ourselves so largely, and that feeble round of experiences which makes up the record of most men's piety,how shall they then dwindle down from the significance which we now attach to them, and seem to change into miserable mockeries that call only for an everlasting detestation of ourselves that ever we could think of seriously relying upon them! The mere thought of how we shall then appear, startles us as we dwell upon it, and almost makes us afraid to entertain it for a moment. From this we may judge to some extent how it will be in reality. And as we thus but feebly anticipate the nature and results of that last self-searching for readiness to meet the Lord, who that does not see and feel that the fund of goodness, faith, charity, and consecration must needs be vastly ampler than that which most Christians possess, from which to garnish their lamps into fitness to join the glorious marriage-procession of the Lamb! Even apart from this parable, and without reference to its statements, we are prepared to behold just what it portrays to us, that the midnight cry shall find even the best of Christians

greatly deficient, and multitudes who will then for the first time discover that they are too irremediably wanting ever to enter in to the marriage-supper of the Lamb.

Rouse thee, then, O drowsy professor, and think what shall be thy condition in that solemn night of the announcement of the Bridegroom's presence. Survey thy supplies for that emergency, and thy store for the requisitions which shall then be laid upon thee. Look at thy dim lamp, with its feeble flame already flickering to extinction. How wilt thou join that glorious cavalcade of torches bright, with such a mockery? And where are thy reserved supplies to make it better? Suppose that this night some messenger from heaven were to throw open thy chamber-door and shout into thy startled ear, "The Bridegroom is come! Be ready in a moment, or thy chance is forever lost!" would the summons find you with grace enough in store to meet the trying requirements of the event? If even a doubt upon the subject exists, give to thy soul no rest, but haste thee to thy prayers, renew thy consecration, and set out afresh. For if the best-prepared will then have to bestir themselves with all possible diligence, and many even chaste, pure, waiting virgins fail, how shall it be with those whose profession is but little more than a mere name, and with those who have never yet taken the first step toward becoming ready to meet their Judge?

O thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy on us! By thy love unto

death, even the death of the cross; by the terrors that encompassed thy soul; by the sufferings which thou didst endure in thy body; by the bitter agony of thy death; have mercy on us, and keep us against the dismays of that solemn season! Amen. Amen.

Third Discourse.

CONTRAST BETWEEN THE FIRST AND LAST PARTS OF THIS PARABLE -THE DEFICIENCY OF THE FOOLISH VIRGINS-HOW IT WAS PROPOSED TO REMEDY IT-THE FOLLY OF TRUSTING TO THE GOODNESS OR INTERCESSIONS OF OTHERS IN MATTERS OF SALVATION-THE ADVICE GIVEN TO THE FOOLISH VIRGINS-THE FREE AND ABUNDANT PROVISIONS OF GRACE.

"Then those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone [marg. going] 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 buỷ for yourselves.”—MATT. xxv. 7–9.

THERE is a marked contrast between the manner in which the coming of the Bridegroom is represented in the first part of this parable, and that in which it is made to appear in the latter part. In the one case, every thing seems calm, with plenty of time on hand; in the other, all is excitement and hurry. The point at which this difference occurs, is that at which the midnight cry is made. Itself arrayed in the

attributes of an anxious and hasty alarum, it throws every thing into commotion, and introduces a period in which the whole face of things is changed. The Bridegroom, who had tarried so long, now moves with all possible expedition. The virgins that once trimmed their lamps at their leisure, and went forth with composed deliberation, now find themselves

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pressed to the last extremities of haste. And the whole scene rushes forward with such unexpected suddenness that, with all the haste possible, the Bridegroom comes, and passes before one-half of them can make ready to join him as they anticipated.

This is the uniform representation of the Scriptures concerning this matter. Even in the Old Testament we find it written, "The Lord shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in." (Mal. iii. 1.) Christ himself says that "the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not,"-in a day when many a servant "looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware," (Matt. xxiv. 50,) and that "as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." (Luke xxi. 35.) And to the Thessalonians (v. 1, 2) Paul says, "Of the times and seasons ye have no need that I write unto you; for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." Hence, also, those many exhortations to watch, to be sober, and to be continually on the look-out, that that day may not come upon us "unawares;" implying that it will be precipitated upon us with great suddenness, and that, when it once arrives, every thing will be hurry and proceed with great quickness.

It is this suddenness of the Bridegroom's coming, and the haste by which every movement will then be characterized, which constitute the background of the picture of alarming discovery and consequent

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