ing, passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night." Some of you commit those things of which it is a shame even so much as to speak. How awful will it be to you when His holy face appears!

3. Some of you stifle convictions. Like Agrippa, you are almost persuaded to be a Christian. Like Felix, you tremble, and say, "A more convenient season." Some of you put off your convictions with a little gaiety, a little worldly pleasure, saying, Plenty of time before I die. Ah! what will you do when the cry comes at midnight? No time for prayer-no time for your Bible then-no time for conversion. "At midnight there was a cry."

LECTURE III.

THE TEN VIRGINS.-PART III.

"And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him," &c.—MATT. XXV. 6–9.

THERE is something sweet in that midnight-cry, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh." It will be an awful day even to a child of God. First, All sudden changes are dreadful. Many persons have been killed by the sudden news of something joyful. How awfully joyful, then, will be that cry when we hear that all our toils and cares are past-that sin shall no longer reign in the world! Second, The fate of our ungodly friends will be dreadful. All of us have ungodly friends, for whose conversion we pray. When that cry comes, it will be the knell of their souls; and yet for all that, it will be a joyful day. In Matt. xxiv. 32, it is compared to summer. It will be the summer of the soul-the winter will be past. "Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings." Mal. iv. 2. "He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds." 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth." Ps. lxxii. 6. But most of all, the cry," The Bridegroom cometh," will revive the drooping hearts of his own chosen ones. It will remind us of the time that he chose us to be his own-the time of love, when he wooed us, and said: “ Thou shalt be for me, and not for another man." He that loved us, and died for us, and promised to return and receive us to himself" Behold, the Bridegroom cometh." Ah! consider, beloved friends, whether it will be a time of joy to you, or of wailing. Careless sinner, what shall then become of thee?

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I. The discovery--The lamps of hypocrites go out at last. A dry wick has often a great blaze for a while. So hypocrites often keep up their profession to the last; often it is very showy and evident. Many things might awaken hypocrites. 1. Their case is described in sermons. Often the minister is directed by God to speak exactly to their case. Often the word comes very close to their conscience. We say, Surely that man will take the word home. No; it slips past some way or other. 2. Seeing others converted. Often hypocrites see others beside them undergo a saving change. They see them convinced of sin-made to lie in the dust-brought to Jesus-filled with joy-living a new life-overcoming the world. This might open their eyes to see that their change is false and hollow. 3. The death of others. It must be a solemn thing to a hypocrite to see others cut down. Death tears away every mask-it calls the soul before the heartsearching One. Pretended convictions, pretended grace, words of put-on godliness will not avail now. When hypocrites see others cut down, I have often thought, surely they will turn now. Yet it is not so: they often burn on to the last. (1.) They have got a name to live, and they do not like to lose it. They have made a profession, and they do not like to draw back from it. Ministers have been pleased and satisfied, or godly persons have esteemed them, and they do not like all at once to give up this. So Judas was long esteemed a true disciple, and kept up his profession to the last. (2.) Often do they delude themselves. They have some inward light and knowledge, which they mistake for grace. They have a form of godliness-pray in secret and in the family, and so deceive themselves as well as others. But their lamp will go out at the coming of Christ. “Our lamps are gone out"-not one blaze more-not one spark more.

Reasons.

1. No indwelling grace. Their lamps went out because they had no oil. They burned for a while, as a dry wick will do, often with a great blaze; but soon the flame decays, and it goes out for want of oil. This is the case with hypocrites. They have no spring of gracious oil within their hearts. The Spirit of God often comes upon them, but he does not dwell in them. So it was with Balaam. His eyes were opened-he saw much of the Joy of God's people-he longed to die the death of the righteous, (Numb. xxiv. 22;) but he had no oil in the lamp, and his lamp went out. So with Saul. "God gave him another heart," and "the Spirit of God came upon him," (1 Sam. x. 9, 10 ;) but he had no oil in the lamp no gracious indwelling of the Spirit, enabling him to cleave to Jesus, and so his lamp went out. Often, in a rainy season, there are large pools of water gathered in the field where there is no spring or fountain. At first they appear large and deep, but when the summer comes, they dry up and disappear.

So it is with hypocrites in this congregation. Many of

you have had the Spirit poured on you as it was on Balaam and on Saul-your eyes have been opened-you have had deep convictions, wonderful discoveries, panting desires after Christ and divine things; and yet you have never been brought by the working of the Spirit of God to cleave to Christ. Ah! your lamp will go out, and leave you in the blackness of darkness.

Dear friends! make sure of a deep and real work of grace upon your hearts. Remember it is said, that the man who built his house upon the rock, digged deep, and laid his foundation on the rock. It is not every change that is saving conversion. Of many it is true, "They return, but not to the Most High."—Hos. vii. 16. Do not be contented with being civilized, if you are not converted. It will not stand you in stead in the great day.

2. They have to appear before Christ. It is an easy thing to appear a Christian before men: "Man looks only on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart." As long as hypocrites have to appear only before men, they can keep up appearances. They can talk, and read, and pray, as if they were God's children; but when the cry comes, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh," then they know that they must appear before Christ, the searcher of hearts. When Jesse brought in his seven sons before Samuel, he looked on Eliab, and said: "Surely the Lord's anointed is before me." But God said: "I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.". 1 Sam. xvi. 7.

Ah, brethren! there are many of you that can now come in boldly before men, though you know yourselves to be gracelessnever born again-living in sin; you can sit down at a sacrament, without fear or shame; but when Christ comes, your lamp will go out-you will not be able to bear the glance of his holy eye. pray for such an interest in Christ now, that you may stand before the Son of Man at his coming!

II. The anxious application-Hypocrites will apply to the godly for their grace in that day: "Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out."

1. Hypocrites will then see the difference between them and the godly. Their lamps will be out, but the lamps of the truly godly will be burning bright and clear. At present hypocrites think they are as good as any one. They think there is no real difference between them and God's people. In that day they will be convinced that there is a great gulf fixed between.

2. They will see what a happy thing it is to have oil in their lamp. At present many among you do not see your need of grace. You do not see that you would be any happier with grace in your heart. You are willing rather to remain as you are. in that day you will cry: "Give us of your oil." You will see

But

the peace of the godly in that day. They will be unmoved amid a falling universe. The blood of Christ on their conscience will give them abiding peace. You will see their joyful faces, as they hear the cry, as they hear the footsteps, of the coming Bridegroom-you will hear their song of praise as they welcome their Lord and Redeemer. At present the godly are poor and despised, often in trouble, and chastened every morning, and you would not join them; but in that day they will be like the stones of a crown-like the children of a king.

3. They will apply to the godly. At present hypocrites despise the godly, and would not apply to them for anything. When a truly godly person warns you or advises you, you are offended. But in that day you will be in despair-glad to apply to any one. You will be glad to apply to godly friends and godly ministers in that day. You that wonder what makes people go to speak to ministers, you that mock and deride the truly godly, you will say: "Give us of your oil." At this day ministers and godly friends knock at your door, beseeching you to get the oil of grace into your hearts; but at that day you will knock at their door, crying, "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out."

O what folly to rest in desires after grace, when even hypocrites have this in that awful day!

III. The disappointment-The godly cannot give: "Not so, lest there be not enough."

1. It is not in their power to give grace. It pleases God to use the godly as instruments, but he has not given them to be fountains of grace; "I have planted, Apollos watered: but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."1 Cor. iii. 6, 7. Rachel said to Jacob; "Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead ?"-Gen xxx. 2, 3. So grace is not in the hand of man. Those who receive Christ "are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."-John i. 13. It is in vain then that you look to the means to give saving grace to your soul. The axe cannot hew without the hand of the forester. The pitcher that carries water is not the well. It will be in vain that you apply to God's children in that awful day. Go to Jesus now.

2. They have none to spare. The righteous scarcely are saved. Every child of God gets just so much grace as will carry him to heaven, and no more. Even now every child of God feels that he has nothing to spare. He has not too much of the Holy Spirit, helping him to pray-to mourn over sin-to love Christ. In time of temptation a believer feels as if he had nothing of the Holy Spirit. He has more need to receive, than any to give away.

When Christ shall come in that solemn hour, he will feel that he has none to spare.

Oh, dear brethren! go and buy for yourselves. You that know yourselves graceless, go, before the cry is made, to Jesus, and get grace for yourself. The saints cannot give it you-ministers cannot give it you. All our springs are in Jesus. In him the Spirit dwells without measure. Lord, incline their hearts to run to thyself!

LECTURE IV.

THE TEN VIRGINS.-PART IV.

"And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut," &c.-MATT. XXV. 10–13.

I. Who are ready? All are not ready. This parable shows that all who make a profession of being Christ's are not ready. The foolish virgins appeared to be ready. They had their robe, their lamp, their wick, and flame: yet they were not ready. It is not all of you that seem to be Christians that are ready. Many of you come to the house of God, and sit down at sacraments, and make a profession of care for your soul, and yet you are not ready. Not all who are anxious are ready. The foolish were anxious now. They had a throbbing heart-they went to buytheir cry was loud and bitter-perhaps they shed bitter tears; and yet they were not ready. Many of you are anxious going to buy. You have wet cheeks when you go to seek the Lord; and yet you are not ready. If you were to die to-night, or if Christ were to come to-night, you would not be found ready.

1. Those who have the wedding garment. This you see, Rev. xix. 7, 8: "His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." And so Ps. xlv. 9, 13: "Upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. The king's daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of wrought gold." And in Matt. xxii. 11, we find this was the first thing that struck the eye of the king, that the man had not on a wedding garment. This wedding garment is the righteousness of God-the skirt of Jesus cast over the soul-the imputed righteousness. This is the first part of readiness to meet the heavenly Bridegroom. Have you been shown your own utter loathsomeness? that you are all as an unclean thing, all vile and filthy? Have you got a glorious discovery of the way of righteousness, by what Christ has done being reckoned to us? Have you lain