AND at Midnight there was a Cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him, Mat. xxv. 6. This is a terrible Voice, which calls the Creatures to appear before their Creator, when they think leaft of it. Happy they to whom he comes as an amiable and much defired Bridegroom, not as a fevere and inexorable Judge! Let us earnestly endeavour to render him fuch to us as we defire to find him. He comes! the heavenly Bridegroom comes, Sinners and Saints, forfake your Tombs, When in the laft and dreadful Night Omay my Lamp burn clear and bright THEN all thofe Virgins arofe, and trimmed their Lamps, Mat. xxv. 7. Happy is that Man, who is ready to appear before God at all Times whatever! But more happy ftill is he, who can, with a true Confidence, defire the Coming of Chrift! There are fome certain Preparations which no Chriftian omits, that is, to have his Heart entirely given up to God: How many are there that think not of this, 'till juft at the Approach of Death. But how late is it to think of trimming their Lamps, that is their Hearts, at that Time. Grant, O Lord, that I may not be of the Number of those who cannot, without Regret, fubmit to the Neceffity of dying, and who neglect to prepare themselves for it, 'till the very last Hour. So move on the narrow Way, Doubly does the Spirit reft AND ND the Foolifh faid unto the Wife, Give us of your Oil, for our Lamps are gone out, Mat. xxv. 8. 110 My God, how difmal is it for a Man not to perceive the Emptinefs of his Heart, the Want of Faith and Love, 'till he comes to die. At that Time there is often nothing more of the Light of Faith, and of the Love of Goodness, left remaining, than only just enough to fhew a Man what he has loft, and to raise an unprofitable Regret. He then fees, that good Men, whom he ufed to count foolish and miferable Wretches, have only true Wisdom and fubftantial Wealth, and wishes to die like them; --- but every Thing fails when Time fails. WH HILE they (the foolish Virgins) went to buy, the Bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage, and the Door was fhut, Matt. xxv..10. Sinners, on a Death-Bed, too often meet with those deceitful Merchants, who promise them the Mercy of God, and eternal Salvation, for a Price which is of no Value in His Sight. How much better is it for them humbly to address themselves to CHRIST, who is the only Author of Salvation, who himself keeps the Key of his Treasury, which is Love, and diftributes it freely without Money, inftead of lofing their Time in dealing with Quacks, who promife every Thing, and can perform nothing? The Door is fout. Dreadful and fatal Words! No Hope remains. Nothing but Death fouts this Door: But Death may surprise us in our Sins; and then Despair is our Portion. How dreadful is the Sinner's Fate, Infinite Joy, or endless Woe, And yet how unconcern'd we go (k) Who knocks and calls, alas! too late, Waken, O Lord, our drowfy Senfe, WATCH therefore, for ye know neither the Day nor the Hour wherein the Son of Man cometh, Matt. xxv. 13. Can that Man pretend to have any Faith who does not watch after an Admonition fo frequently repeated? If we would not be furprised, we must look on every Hour as the laft. --- If to watch, be to employ ourselves chiefly about the Business of our Salvation, alas! how few Chriftians are there who watch? How many who flumber? How many fleep? How many seized with a Lethargy? How many even quite dead? Let all the Sons of Light Long as I watch I keep The richest Grace of GoD: |