ceremonies of a marriage solemnity; and in order to be clearly understood, some knowledge of the manner in which nuptial solemnities were anciently conducted, is necessary. It was common we may then observe, for the bridegroom, on those occasions, first to repair, with some of his immediate connexions, to the house, or father's house of the bride; where the friends on that side were conven. ed, and where an entertainment was furnished, which often continued for several days, varying, however, from a longer to a shorter time, according to the quality or circumstances of the parties. About the close of the entertainment at the house of the bride, the marriage was solemn. ized in due form; and then the new.married pair were conduct ed to the bridegroom's house. This part of the solemnity, when the parties were of respectable quality, was made a very splendid ceremony, and was usually exhibited late in the evening, or in the night. From the bride's, to the bridegroom's house, they moved in regular processions, lighted with flambeaux, or lamps, and accompanied with music; and while on their way, but usu. ally near to the bridegroom's house, they were met by a company of young females, the relatives and friends of the bridegroom, who went forth with their lights to welcome the bride; and who on meeting, took their place in lead of the procession, and moved on with the rest to the house, where a supper was provided. Those only, who were present to go in with the procession, were admitted to the entertainment; and when they were

all in," the door was shut." This simple account explains at once the leading particulars of the parable.

The bridegroom, then, is the Lord Jesus Christ, who repeatedly in the Scriptures is designated as the bridegroom of the church. The ten virgins, or the company of female friends, who were to go forth to meet the bridegroom, are the professed friends of Christ; not indeed, all, it would appear, who profess to be his friends, but such as are credible professors: for the fool. ish are represented as not having been distinguished from the wise, until the trying hour came. The lamp is here intended to symbolize the profession of christiani. ty, or the external shew of religion; and by the oil in the vessels, we are doubtless to under. stand true grace in the heart, or those holy affections, which constitute the essence of the true christian character. The wise virgins are true Christians; the foolish virgins are those, who have nothing more of religion, than a credible profession, or a fair external shew. Their taking their lamps and going forth, or preparing to go forth to meet the bridegroom, denotes their com ing forward in a public profess ion, or open declaration of friendship to Christ; and the delay of the bridegroom, the intermediate time between their profession, or their real or sup posed conversion, and their death, or their summons to meet their Judge. By the slumbering and sleeping both of the wise, and the foolish virgins, we are to understand the unwatchfulness and nacuvity in religion, which is but too commonly witnessed,

not in false professors only, but even in true Christians. The cry at midnight of the bridegroom's coming, denotes the solemn call by approaching death, often indeed very unexpected, to meet the Judge; and the virgins rising and trimming their lamps, strikingly represents the solemn wakefulness, and the earnest in quiries respecting the state of their souls, to which both true and false professors are very commonly roused, by the strong apprehension of immediate death and the consequent judgment. The application of the foolish virgins to the wise for some of their oil, no less strikingly represents the case of unsound professors, when, alarmed by the approach of the trying hour, and convinced of their utter destitution of grace, they earnestly and anxiously call for help, from those, whom they suppose to be real christians. The direction, given in return by the wise virgins, to go rather to the venders of oil, and buy for themselves, denotes the direction, very prop. erly given by Christians to those, who, under alarm, call for their help, not to trust in any human aid, but to apply directly to the Fountain of all grace. The coming of the bridegroom, in the mean time, while the distressed foolish virgins were seekingfor oil, is designed solemnly to impress the consideration, that death is not to be put off by the greatest alarm, or the most distrusting anxiety; but the Judge will come at his own appointed time, whether men are prepared to meet him or not. On the coming of the bridegroom, the wise virgins, being in readiness, went in with him to the marriage. VOL. II. New Series.

Though true Christians slumber for a while with others; yet as they have grace in their hearts, when waked by the summons of their Judge, on trimming their lamps, they will be found prepared to enter with him in. to his joy. But the door was shut and afterwards, when the foolish virgins came and begged for admittance, the bridegroom answered, “I know you not." The meaning is, as obvi ous as it is terrible. When once this probationary scene is closed, the door of mercy is shut, for ever shut, against those who die without unfeigned repentance, without true grace in their hearts; and utterly unavailing afterwards will be their most earnest entreaties, their loudest cries, their bitterest lamentations.

The leading sentiments of this solemn and deeply interesting parable may now be drawn into several distinct and serious re flections.

In the first place then, how affecting is the representation here given of the state of the christian church. Of the ten virgins of this parable, intended by our blessed Savior to represent those, who make a credible profession of friendship to him, five were wise, and five were foolish. We would fain hope, indeed, that this was not meant to indicate, that even of those, who pass in his church for cred. ible professors, the one half are unsound, and no better than hyp ocrites. Can we, however, avoid the serious apprehension, that the proportion of these is not inconsiderable? But how affecting the apprehension ! When we cast our eyes round, in an extensive survey, we can2P

not but be painfully struck, by the fewness of those, who make, in form, any profession of religion, in comparison with the many, who make none. Com paratively small, however, as this number is; yet a considera. ble proportion of these can hardly be considered as entitled to the designation of credible pro. fessors: for how many, alas! 66 so walk," under the sacred profession of the gospel, as to make it unquestionably evident, that " they are enemies of the cross of Christ !" And must we then, still go farther in our deductions? Must we admit the probability, that even of those, whose profession is fair and credible, many are yet but foolish virgins--but graceless professors! Destressful thought! Most deeply it should affect the heart, and arouse the whole soul of every professor.

It is obvious, as a SECOND reflection, that we cannot always certainly distinguish among the professors of christianity, who are true, and who are false. The foolish virgins, as well as the wise, had their lamps. Unsound professors have an out. ward shew of religion, and not unfrequently indeed a very glaring profession: a profession, which strikes and dazzles the world, and puts the sincere, but modest, Christian to confusion. other hand, sincere professors, Christians who have grace in their hearts have their slumbering sea sons; seasons in which they shew but little of the spirit, the power, or the genuine fruits of godliness. Shall I ask you, christian brethren, to look round you, and turn your eyes home upon your. sølves, and say, is not this rep.

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resentation most solemnly true! That it should be thus is melan. choly indeed. But since it is thus, that foolish virgins have sometimes glaring lamps, and wise virgins sometimes indulge in their slumbers; it should teach us certainly, an important lesson. It should teach us to use caution and diffidence in judging one of another. Let us learn, then, the meaning, and the practical use of the injunc tion, to "judge nothing before the time."

But a THIRD reflection presses upon the mind; that, though true and false professors are not always distinguishable in their lives, yet they will be awfully distinguished at death. Very often, indeed, the distinction is strikingly manifest, before the final moment. When the cry is sounded, "Behold the bridegroom cometh !" and they arise to trim their lamps, it often is made evident to all beholders, who has oil, and who has not. Often the true Christian, though before his profession may have been du bious, on the near approach of death, gives the brightest evidence of a penitent spirit, of a lively faith, and of a sure and stedfast hope; and when the summons actually comes, departs, in peace, and in the triumphant anticipa tion of the joy of his Lord. While on the other hand, under the same solemn circumstances, the lamp of the graceless professor, however glaring it may before have been, goes out; and he is either distracted with awfully significant terrors, or sunk in a still more terribly portentous stupor. But be it as it may, in these visible respects, while breath remains; yet no sooner

is "the silver cord loosed," than in the dread light of eternity, the distinction appears to the ineffa. ble joy of the sainted spirit, and to the unutterable despair of the graceless soul.

It is a solemn reflection, in the FOURTH PLACE, that for the impenitent and unbelieving, there can be no hope, either in or after death. This whole parable is predicated on the momentous principle, that death terminates the probationary scene, and seals the character of both saints and sinners for the final judgment: and on no other principle can either its pertinency be solidly shewn, or its propriety be solid. ly vindicated. How impertinent, and how improper must the par. able have been, and the warning too, which it was intended to enforce; had our Savior believed that, either at death the distinc. tion between the righteous and the wicked would cease, and all would be prepared to meet their Judge with joy, or that after death there would be another gracious season, or space for re. pentance. Unquestionably our Savior believed no such thing: but hespake, that which he knew, when he said, "the door was shat" against the foolish vir. gins, and represented, that all their cries and lamentations afterwards were utterly unavailing.

On the whole then, FINALLY, of what momentous concern is the subjoined warning of the divine and gracious Monitor: "Watch, therefore; for ye know neither the day, nor the hour wherein the son of man cometh." This is the moral of the parable; this is its application; this is the warning, which

it was intended most deeply and solemnly to impress. And is it, indeed, possible that under any just impression of the awfully monitory considerations here conveyed, professors, or others, can slumber and sleep, the wise and the foolish together? Should it not rather be expected, that all would be awake, constantly awake; and examining with unremitting care, and with the deepest scrutiny, the state of their souls, and the grounds of their supposed safety. O,awake, awake, thou that sleepest. Awake, professors, one and all; awake to righteousness and sin no more. Awake, and trim. your lamps; and prepare to meet the Bridegroom. Soon, very soon, he will come; and those who are ready will go in with him to the marriage; and the door will be shut. And alas! then for those, against whom it is shut! They will be left for ever in outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

1. Christians should examine whether their prayers have been offered in faith.

Faithless prayers are much the same, as none. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Our religion should be such as will answer the purpose of saving our souls. Why should we be content with a religion, which will leave us perishing in our sin? Is not such a religion worse than none? Be not deceived: God is not mocked. How important then is it to the Christian, faithfully to examine whether his prayers, were made in faith?

2. Christians should examine, whether they pray as penitents. It is certainly interesting to them to know whether they take their proper place before God, as offenders. If they stand up, and pray, and feel, that it would be unjust in God to deny them their request, they pray as impenitent sinners pray. It concerns them to take the place which belongs to them as suppliants unworthy of any favor from God.

3. Christians should watch unto prayer, that they may know whether they seek the glory of God. It is a divine direction, "Whether, therefore, ye eat, or drink, or whatever yedo,do all to the glory of God." It is the duty of Christians, and the duty of all men, to act for God, and to use themselves and all they have sacredly for him. God is entitled to all their service; and in with holding from God his due, they rob him of his honor.

The Christian should examine, whether he goes to God as a child, in the spirit of adoption, and asks of him blessings for the glory of his name.

If Christians overlook their views in prayer, they will not be able to come to the throne of Grace with humble boldness. How greatly will it encourage and invigorate them in this duty, to have it in their power to say, We know, that it was for the glory of God, that we begged of him the blessings of his grace. We know, that it was for the glory of his name, that we prayed for the pardon of sin. For thy name sake, O, Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for it is great."

4. It deeply concerns Christians to examine whether their practice is answerable to their prayers. Prayer to be good must have correspondent practice attached to it, and this practice is essential to the efficacy of prayer. This may be illustrated by a few plain examples. It is the duty of Christians to pray God to keep them from temptation.

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And lead us not into temptation." They must be as careful then to shun temptations, as they ought to be, to pray God to keep them from it. do they mean, when they pray God to keep them from tempta. tion, and yet daily put themselves unnecessarily in the way of temp tations? Will not God judge of their prayers by their practice?

What if it be their prayer, that justice and righteousness might prevail? This would be well. But should they not watch to see that their practice is an. swerable to the prayer they have made? If with this prayer upon our lips, we do wrong to others; which will be the most successful pleading, our prayers for the prevalence of righteousness, or their cries against our partial in justice? Behold, the hire of the