And the

a certain distinguished saint in heaven. prayer he made was also the prayer of an afflicted "son" to a saintly "father." Nor was ever a prayer offered in deeper sincerity. But it was only answered with refusal. It was repeated in still deeper earnestness in behalf of "brethren," but was only the more firmly denied. (Luke xvi. 23–31.) So here the distressed and needy virgins pray to their wiser and more fortunate companions, but it brings them no relief. You may borrow another man's money, and flourish on it in the eyes of the world as if it were your own, but you cannot borrow another Christian's graces and enter in on them to the marriage of the Lamb. Religion is personal. God deals with us as individuals, and distributes his awards to each as if there were not another. Nor is it in the power of creatures to do works of supererogation. Neither may saints open exchanges with each other by which the possessions of one shall be made available for his friend.

It is a great thing to have pious friends, I will admit. The prayers and recollections of a godly mother are like silken cords around the heart of her son, which draw upon and check him in his wildest wanderings and his maddest passion. God also often uses these softening agencies to open the way for the triumphs of his wonder-working grace. But though that mother be as good as the virgin mother of our Lord, though she nightly bathe her pillow with tears of supplication for her boy,—though her daily prayers go up for him fervent and pure as those

which dropped from the lips of the lone Jesus in the mount of his devotions,—it shall avail nothing toward the salvation of her erring child or his promotion in the honors of the kingdom to come, unless he himself shall move to turn from his follies to his Maker and give himself up to a life of unreserved consecration to Christ. Readiness to meet the Bridegroom when he comes requires a personal activity, wisdom, and accretion of goodness and grace. No man, or angel, or priest on earth, or saint in heaven, can supply to us what may be thus lacking in ourselves to qualify us to be guests at the marriage of the Lamb. We ourselves must exercise the wisdom and activity to lay in the necessary stock of oil, or we shall in vain apply for it to our fellow-Christians when once the great day is upon us. The resort of these virgins was a foolish resort, however naturally prompted; and it brought them no relief.

"The wise [virgins] answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you."

There will be two kinds of entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Peter speaks of some who shall have ministered unto them "an abundant entrance," like that of a ship with spreading sails and a favorable wind coming joyously into port. The same apostle speaks of others who are "scarcely saved," whom Jude refers to as saved by being "pulled out" in the last moment of fearful extremity, like shipwrecked mariners brought with difficulty to the shore. But whichever kind of entrance it may be,-whether with

more.

the abundant and glowing fulness and ease of the first, or the difficulty and narrowness of the last,there is not one but will need all the grace and excellency of attainment in holy things which he can command. There will be nothing to spare in any case. It will be to none so easy that they could have reached it by sharing their possessions with others. The words of the Savior are, "When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do," (Luke xvii. 10,)—nothing Lay by what oil we can, we never shall have an overstock from which to spare for others, if it were even possible to transfer it to them. I believe that one of the greatest wonders in heaven, even to the greatest saints, will be that ever they got there at all. So far from feeling then that less would have sufficed, they will fall down on their faces at the feet of Jesus, and confess that not unto them, but unto his own free and amazing grace alone, is all the praise due. And the wisdom of these virgins does not more shine in the provident forecast which furnished them with supplies when needed, than in this distrust of their sufficiency if diminished a single drop. There are some things which we can give and at the same time increase our own stores. There is a sphere of sympathy and beneficence in which "he that watereth shall be watered himself," and where man may enrich himself by distributing and sharing his good things with others. There is such a thing as giving a light so as in no way to diminish ours, and yet kindle a

second which duplicates the original illumination. But when it comes to dividing the seamless coat of righteousness, the result of the attempt is that both parties have but rags and nakedness.

Observe, now, the advice which these wise virgins gave to their destitute companions :

"Go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves."

Some have taken these words as if given in the way of mockery,-as irony and derisive reproach. I cannot so receive them. Not even "Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil," was allowed to bring one railing accusation against him, (Jude 9;) and how can saints, whose own salvation is all of grace, revile, mock, and accuse their unfortunate companions who are in many things no worse than themselves? How can a Christian lie,-whether in irony or in any other way,-or upbraid and mock with such falsehood, as this advice would be if not sincerely meant? And how can we reconcile it to the Scriptures and our own sense of what appertains to Christian charity and propriety, to believe that the Church of God is to enter into glory looking with sneers and taunts upon those who are left behind? I have never yet read of sarcasm and vituperation in heaven, nor in the gateway of it. Nor can I be persuaded that it is for those who have been washed in the Savior's blood and sanctified by his Spirit, to be giving out counsels of mockery and falsehood to their friends in the very face of the judgment-seat of Christ. Such a thing cannot be.

The words, also, have the tone of kindness and deep concern; and the counsels which they convey are plainly those of wisdom, presenting the only possible alternative in the case. It was good, kind, affectionate advice, such as we might expect from loving virgins, wise and prudent. Those to whom it was given saw no signs of mockery in it. The propriety of it was as evident to them as their own deficiency. They felt it to be good, and given in love, and at once set themselves to comply with it. And the fact that "they went to buy," as their comrades directed them, is itself ample proof that there was no reproachful irony in the case.

Looking upon this advice, then, as serious and honest, we have the fact implied that there are those whose proper business it is to sell or dispense the oil that was lacking in this case. Nor can there be much room for mistaking who they are. Taking this oil to be the unction of the Holy Spirit, in its deep practical consecration of those who possess it, and remembering how the Spirit and the word are united, we are at once led to the proper official dispensers of the word and ordinances, as those with whom we are to deal in this matter. Of them we are to "buy the truth, also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding;" not in the sense in which Simon Magus wished to buy of Paul, but in the sense of conference with them, and acceptance of the terms of self-sacrifice and obedience which it is for them to explain and exact, and on which alone such blessings can be obtained. A particular class of persons is