were exact, nay, perhaps fuperftitious bigots as to the form, but all the while they were ftrangers to, and, in effect, denied the power of godlinefs in their hearts. They would go to church, but at the fame time, think it no harm to go to a ball or an affembly, notwithstanding they promifed at their baptifm, to renounce the pomps and vanities of this wicked world. They were fo exceedingly fearful of being righteous over much, that they would even perfecute thofe that were truly devout, if they attempted to go a step farther than themfelves. In one word, they never effectually felt the power of the world to come. They thought they might be Chriftians without so much inward feeling, and therefore notwithstanding their high pretenfions had only a name to live.

And now, firs, let me paufe a while, and, in the name of God, whom I endeavour to ferve in the gofpel of his dear Son, give me leave to afk one queftion. Whilft I have been drawing, though in miniature, the character of thofe foolish virgins, have not many of your confciences made the application and with a fmall, ftill, though articulate voice, faid, thou man, thou woman, art one of those foolish virgins, for thy fentiments and practice agree thereto ? Stifle not, but rather encourage thefe convictions; and, who knows but that Lord who is rich in mercy to all that call upon him faithfully, may so work on you, even now by this foolishness of preaching, as to make you wife virgins?

What they were you shall know immediately: "But "the wife took oil in their veffels with their lamps." Obferve, the wife, the true believers, had their lamps. as well as the foolish virgins; for Christianity does not require us to caft off all outward forms; we may use forms, and yet not be formal: For inftance, it is poffible to worship God in a fet form of prayer, and worfhip him in Spirit and in truth. And therefore, brethren, let us not judge one another. The wife virgins had their lamps: herein then did not lie the difference between them and the foolish, that one wor

yet

shipped God with a form, and the other did not : No : as the Pharifee and Publican went up to the temple to pray, fo thefe wife and foolish virgins might go to the fame place of worship, and fit under the fame miniftry; but then the wife took oil in their veffels with their lamps: they kept up the form, but did not rest in it: their words in prayer were the language of their hearts, and they were no ftrangers to inward feel-. ings; they had favingly tafted the good word of life, and felt or had an experimental knowledge of the power of the world to come; they were not afraid of fearching doctrines, nor affronted when minifters told them they by nature deserved to be damned: they were not felf-righteous, but were willing that Jefus Chrift fhould have all the glory of their falvation; they were convinced that the merits of Jefus Chrift were to be apprehended only by faith; but yet were they as careful to maintain good works, as though they were to be juftified by them: In short, their obedience flowed from love and gratitude, and was cheerful, conftant, uniform, univerfal, like that obedience which the holy angels pay our Father in heaven.

Here then let me exhort you to paufe again: and if any of you can faithfully apply thefe characters to your hearts, give God the glory, and take the comfort to your own fouls; you are not falfe but true believers. Jefus Chrift has been made of God to you wisdom, even that wisdom, whereby you shall be made wife unto falvation. God fees a difference between you and foolish virgins, if natural men will not You need not be uneafy, though one chance and fate in this life may happen to you both I fay, one chance and fate; for verse 5. "while the bridegroom tarried," in the face of time which paffeth between our Lord's afcenfion and his coming again to judgment," they "ail flumbered and flept." The wife as well as foolish died, for duft we are, and to duft we must return. It is no reflection at all upon the divine goodness, that believers, as well as hypocrites, must pass througà

the valley of the fhadow of death; for Chrift has taken away the fting of death, fo that we need fear no evil. It is to them a paffage to everlasting life: Death is only terrible to those who have no hope, because they live without faith, and therefore without God in the world Whofoever there are amongst you, that have received the firft fruits of the Spirit, I am perfuaded are ready to cry out, we would not live here always; we long to be diffolved, that we may be with Jefus Chrift; and though worms must destroy our bodies as well as others, yet we are content, being affured that our Redeemer liveth, that he will stand at the latter days upon the earth, and that in our flesh we fhall fee God.

But it is not fo with hypocrites and unbelievers beyond the grave; for what fays our Lord?" And at "midnight:" Observe, at midnight, when all was hufhed and quiet, and no one dreaming of any fuch thing, a cry was made:" the voice of the archangel and the trump of God was heard founding this general alarm; to things in heaven, to things in earth, and to things in the waters under the earth, Behold! mark how this awful fummons is ushered in with the word, Behold, to engage our attention?" Behold the bridegroom cometh?" even Jefus Chrift, the 'defire of nations, the bridegroom of his spouse, the church: Because he tarried for a while to exercise the faith of faints, and give finners space to repent, fcoffers were apt to cry out, "Where is the promife of his com"ing? But the Lord is not flack concerning his pro* mife, as these men account flackness." For behold, he that was to come, now cometh, and will not tarry any longer: He cometh to be glorified in his faints, and to take vengeance on them that know not God, and have not obeyed his gofpel: He cometh not as a poor defpifed Galilean; not to be laid in a ftinking manger; not to be despised and rejected of men; not. to be blind-folded, fpit upon, and buffetted; not to be nailed to an accurfed tree; he cometh not as the

Son of man, but as he really was, the eternal Son of the eternal God: He cometh riding on the wings of the wind, in the glory of the Father and his holy angels, and to be had in everlasting reverence of all that hall be round about him. Go ye forth to meet him; arife ye dead, ye foolish, as well as wife virgins, arife, and come to judgment. Multitudes, no doubt, that hear this awakening cry, would rejoice, if the rocks might fall on, and the hills cover them from the prefence of the Lamb: What would they give, if, as they lived as beafts, they might now die like the beafts that perifh? How would they rejcice, if those fame excufes, which they made on this fide eternity, for not attending on holy ordinances, would ferve to keep them from appearing before the heavenly bridegroom! But as Adam, notwithstanding his fig-leaves, and the trees of the garden, could not hide himself from God, when arrested with an, Adam, where art thou? So now the decree is gone forth, and the trump of God has given its last found; all tongues, people, nations, and languages, both wife and foolish virgins, must come into his prefence, and bow beneath his footftool; even Pontius Pilate, Annas and Caiaphas; even the proud perfecuting high-priefts and Pharifees of this generation, muft appear before him: For fays our Lord, Then (when the crv was made, behold the bridegroom cometh! in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the graves were opened, the fea gave up its dead, and all thofe virgins, both wife and foolish," arofe and trimmed their lamps," or endea voured to put themselves in a proper pofture to meet the bridegroom.

But how may we imagine the foolish virgins were furprised, when, notwithstanding their high thoughts and proud imaginations of their fecurity, they now find themfelves wholly naked, and void of that in ward holinefs and purity of heart, without which no nian living at that day fhall comfortably meet the Lord! doubt not but many of thefe foolish virgins, whilft

in this world, were clothed in purple and fine linen, fared fumptuously every day, and difdained to fet the wife virgins, fome of whom might be as poor as Lazarus, even with the dogs of their flock. Thefe were looked upon by them as enthufiafts and madmen, as perfons that were righteous overmuch, and who intended to turn the world upside down ; but now death hath opened their eyes, and convinced them to their eternal forrow, that he is not a true Chriftian, who is only one outwardly. Now they find (tho' alas! too late) they, and not the wife virgins had been befide themselves. Now their proud hearts are made to ftoop, their lofty looks are brought low; and as Dives intreated that Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger in water, and be fent to cool his tongue, so these foolish virgins, these formal hypocrites, are obliged to turn beggars to thefe whom they once defpifed: "Give us " of your oil;" O! impart to us a little of that grace and holy fpirit, for the insisting of which we fools accounted your lives madnefs; for, alas! our lamps are gone out; we had only the form of godlinefs; we were whited fepulchres; we were heart hypocrites: we contented ourselves with defiring to be good; and tho' confident of falvation while we lived, yet our hope is entirely gone, now God has entirely taken away our foule; give us therefore, O! give us, tho' we once defpifed you, give us of your oil, for our lamps of an outward profeffion, and tranfient convictions, are quite gone out. "Comfort ye, comfort ye, "my people, faith the Lord." My brethren in Christ, hear what the foolish fay to the wife virgins, and learn in patience to poffefs your fouls. If you are true followers of a lovely Jefus, I am perfuaded you have your names caft out, and all manner of evil spoken falfely against you for his name's fake. For no one ever did, or will live godly in Chrift Jefus, without fuffering perfecution; nay, I doubt not but your chief. foes are thofe of your own household: Tell me, do not your carnal relations and friends vex your tender