But ask for it earnestly and importunately, as one who is pleading for his life: seek for it deeply and diligently, as one who is searching for hid treasures; knock humbly but perseveringly, as one who is privileged, with humble boldness, to say to God-" I will not go away, until thou bless me." And believe me, no one was ever yet known, (and why then fear that you shall be the first,) thus to plead, and yet to plead, in vain; for the lips of eternal Truth have declared, that of such petitioners, "Every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

The mouth of the Lord has spoken this gracious promise; the word of God has recorded it for your comfort; the faithfulness of Jehovah is pledged for its fulfilment, to every humble and sincere suppli

cant.

Go, then, plead it in prayer; and God Almighty give thee this day an answer of peace.

CHAPTER VII.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

THE third practical reflection I would make connected with our subject is, that it supplies a most valuable directory for the regulation of a believer's conduct, in all the various relationships and duties of social or domestic life.

Indeed, I do not know how a simpler or shorter, yet more sufficient rule, on this point, could be laid down, than one which our subject suggests, and which if honestly and prayerfully applied, could never lead a child of God astray, or even leave him doubtful as to what path to pursue. The rule is this-while trusting simply for the acceptance of our souls, and our services, in the Redeemer's righteousness, and for spiritual strength in the power of the Holy Ghost, to be always in such a frame of mind, and such an employment of time, as we would wish to be found in, if suddenly surprised by the personal appearing of the great God, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

To keep His faithful servants continually in this state, seems to have been the great practical end, at which our blessed Lord aimed, in His reiterated announcements, with such impressive solemnity, of the uncertainty of the time when He would come, in power and great glory.

This, too, appears to be the import of all those striking images, which are derived from the peculiarities of Oriental costume or customs, and which, when fully understood, by an acquaintance with those peculiarities, are seen to possess remarkable force and beauty, in illustrating this state of unceasing watchfulness, and readiness for the coming of the Lord.

Such are the injunctions-" To have their loins always girded, their lights always burning, and themselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when He shall return from the wedding."

Such the manifest design of that singularly beautiful and impressive parable of the ten virgins; which, to mark more emphatically His especial purpose in that parable, (so far as His faithful followers-the wise virgins are concerned,) He closes with that most solemn exhortation, which, I would to God, were for ever sounding, not merely in the ears, but on the heart of every professing Christian in our day "Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour, wherein the Son of Man cometh."

And when we view this parable in connection with the one immediately following-that of the talentswe shall find, as it appears to me, that they contain the two component parts of the rule, to which I have referred-namely, that the frame of mind, and employment of time, should be always such, as we would wish to be found in by the Lord, at His coming.

The parable of the virgins seems to apply to the frame of mind, both by the expression in the 10th verse "they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage"-and also by the significant intimation, that it was the distinguishing characteristic of the wise virgins, that they had oil in their lamps. Such a supply of divine grace in their hearts, poured into them by the Holy Spirit, as kept the lamp of faith and hope continually burning, and all the graces of the

Christian character shining with a steady and serene lustre; and this most beautifully illustrates the frame of mind, in which a believer should watch and pray to be continually kept, in the expectation of the ardently-desired arrival of the Lord he loves.

The parable of the talents seems to apply, with equal force, to the latter part of the rule-the employment of our time-and intimates that every moment of it should be honestly and zealously devoted to the service of our divine Master-trading with the talents He has entrusted to us, for the advancement of His own glory; primarily, from a grateful desire to glorify Him, who has purchased for us, with His own blood, the inheritance which, on the day of His appearing, shall be given to all His faithful servants; but subordinately, in the hope of hearing from His lips, in that day, those words of most astonishing condescension and grace, considering by whom they are uttered, and to whom they are addressed-" Well done, good and faithful servant! thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

The combination of these two parables supplies the most perfect exhibition of the state, in which the habitual expectation of the coming of the Lord should make a believer desirous, above all things, to be abidingly preserved.

That our blessed Lord manifested a peculiar solicitude, that this should be the state, in which His people should be unceasingly found, and will therefore regard, with peculiar complacency and delight, all whom He sees cordially desirous, and faithfully diligent, in the use of every appointed means, to maintain this state, is undeniable from the especial blessing He has pronounced on those, who treasure up in their hearts His words of warning and exhortation on this subject, and exhibit their blessed fruits in the attitude

of their spirits, the frame of their temper, and the occupations of their life.

"Blessed," (says He, whose promise is the pledge of all blessedness,) "are those servants, whom the Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching!" And then He uses words, through whose veil of mystic meaning we can only catch glimpses of some inconceivable glory, prepared for them, in the amazing riches of divine grace-" Verily, I say unto you, that He shall gird Himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth, and serve them!"

Again, after having asked "who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?" He immediately adds"Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing!" And then follows another wonderful promise" Of a truth I say unto you (as if He felt, that what He was going to say would almost exceed the power even of the strongest faith to believe, and therefore prefaces it with peculiar solemnity of announcement,)—of a truth I-who am Truth itself I say unto you, that He will make him ruler over all that He hath!" I presume not to fathom the depth of these mysterious promises; but I see enough, even on their surface, to show me, that there is a blessedness, beyond all that human tongue can tell, or human heart conceive, reserved for those servants of the Lord, whom, when He cometh, He shall find watching; and doing, in a faithful and grateful spirit, the work He has appointed for them! Reader, may you and I know, by our own experience, what this blessedness, in its full extent, and everlasting duration, will be!

But He, who perfectly understands the hidden workings of the human heart, has seen it fit, in His infinite wisdom, to subjoin to these splendid promises