and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, £3c. 213 truths, and to underftand how they may be applied to the belt advantage : you $could alfo be careful to know the charac- ters of the different perfons under 'your direaion, that you may be able to give every one of them his portion of meat in due feafon : and if I find you thus em- ployed at my coming, I will reward you with the joys of my kingdom, even as an earthly mailer bellows particular marks of refpef on filch fervants as have been re- markably faithful in any important unit. But, on the other hand, ifyou behave like unjult ftewards, who, becaufe their Lord delayeth his coming, abufe their fellow fervants, and riot in excefs ; if you tyran- nize over the confciences of your brethren, neglehi the duties of your funftion, and give yourfelves up to fenfual pleafures, I will come upon you unexpeaedly, and make you dreadful examples ofmine anger, by the fevere punishments which I will in- flirt upon you : But and if that evilfervant (hallfay inhis heart, My Lord delayeth his coming ; and(hall begin to (mite hisfellow- fervants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of thatferrant(ball come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and flail cut him afunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites : there(hall be weeping and gnafhing of teeth. Haying thus mentioned the rewards and punishments of a future state, it was eafy and elegant for our Lord to pafs from that fubjea to the confideration of the general judgment, when thofe rewards and punifh- ments should be diftributed in their utmoft extent. This could not fail of animating his difciples to a vigorous difcharge of their duty; 'and, by the ftriking reprefentation of the loft judgment here given, muff greatly tend to roufe the confciences of men from their lethargy, and confider, before it be too late, the things which belong to theirpeace. Then flail the kingdom of heaven, the gofpel-kingdom, in the tall difpenfation of it, when the kingdom of grace is going to No. 3.8. be fwallpwed up in the kingdom of glory, be likened unto ten vigins which took their, lamps, and went forth to meet the bride- groom. And five of them were wile, and five werefool ; they that were fool, as a proof oftheir ftupidity, took indeed their lamps, but put no oil in their veffels, while the wife, as an inflance of their prudence and forefight, took both their lamps and oil in their veffels, knowing that it was uncertain when the bridegroom would ar- rive, and that they might, in all'probability, wait long for his coming. Nor were they miflaken, for the bridegroom did not corne fo foon as they expefred : And while he tarried they all(lumbered andfleet, and at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all thole virgins arofe, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolifh laid unto the wife, Give us ofyour oilfor our lamps are gone out. But the wife anfwered, raying, Not fo, left there be not enoughfor us and you : but goye rather to them that fill, and buyfor yosefelves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom 'came ; and they that were ready went in with him to the mar- riage: and the door wasfút. Afterward came alfo the other virgins, faying, Lord, Lord, open unto us. But he anfwered, and laid, Verily Ifay unto you, I knowyou not. Watch therefore ; forye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son ofmancometh. To underftand this parable aright, we muff remember that it alludes to the cuftoms of marriages among the eáftern people. It was ufual with them for the bridegroom to bring his bride home in the evening, fooner or later, as circumftances might happen; and, that fhe might be received properly at his horde, his female acquaintance, efpecially thofe ofthe young- er fort, were invited to corne and wait with lamps, till fome of his retinue, difpatched before the rest, informed them that he was near at hand ; upon which they trimmed their lamps, went forth to welcome him, and condua him with his bride into the houfe; for which they were honoured as 3 F guess
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