Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc00/v00850

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 9KB | 142 lines

00855
 #42-51 To watch for Christ's coming, is to maintain that temper
 of mind which we would be willing that our Lord should find us
 in. We know we have but a little time to live, we cannot know
 that we have a long time to live; much less do we know the time
 fixed for the judgment. Our Lord's coming will be happy to those
 that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that are
 not. If a man, professing to be the servant of Christ, be an
 unbeliever, covetous, ambitious, or a lover of pleasure, he will
 be cut off. Those who choose the world for their portion in this
 life, will have hell for their portion in the other life. May
 our Lord, when he cometh, pronounce us blessed, and present us
 to the Father, washed in his blood, purified by his Spirit, and
 fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.
00865
 * The parable of the ten virgins. (1-13) The parable of the
 talents. (14-30) The judgment. (31-46)

 #1-13 The circumstances of the parable of the ten virgins were
 taken from the marriage customs among the Jews, and explain the
 great day of Christ's coming. See the nature of Christianity. As
 Christians we profess to attend upon Christ, to honour him, also
 to be waiting for his coming. Sincere Christians are the wise
 virgins, and hypocrites the foolish ones. Those are the truly
 wise or foolish that are so in the affairs of their souls. Many
 have a lamp of profession in their hands, but have not, in their
 hearts, sound knowledge and settled resolution, which are needed
 to carry them through the services and trials of the present
 state. Their hearts are not stored with holy dispositions, by
 the new-creating Spirit of God. Our light must shine before men
 in good works; but this is not likely to be long done, unless
 there is a fixed, active principle in the heart, of faith in
 Christ, and love to God and our brethren. They all slumbered and
 slept. The delay represents the space between the real or
 apparent conversion of these professors, and the coming of
 Christ, to take them away by death, or to judge the world. But
 though Christ tarry past our time, he will not tarry past the
 due time. The wise virgins kept their lamps burning, but they
 did not keep themselves awake. Too many real Christians grow
 remiss, and one degree of carelessness makes way for another.
 Those that allow themselves to slumber, will scarcely keep from
 sleeping; therefore dread the beginning of spiritual decays. A
 startling summons was given. Go ye forth to meet Him, is a call
 to those prepared. The notice of Christ's approach, and the call
 to meet him, will awaken. Even those best prepared for death
 have work to do to get actually ready, #2Pe 3:14|. It will be a
 day of search and inquiry; and it concerns us to think how we
 shall then be found. Some wanted oil to supply their lamps when
 going out. Those that take up short of true grace, will
 certainly find the want of it one time or other. An outward
 profession may light a man along this world, but the damps of
 the valley of the shadow of death will put out such a light.
 Those who care not to live the life, yet would die the death of
 the righteous. But those that would be saved, must have grace of
 their own; and those that have most grace, have none to spare.
 The best need more from Christ. And while the poor alarmed soul
 addresses itself, upon a sick-bed, to repentance and prayer, in
 awful confusion, death comes, judgment comes, the work is
 undone, and the poor sinner is undone for ever. This comes of
 having oil to buy when we should burn it, grace to get when we
 should use it. Those, and those only, shall go to heaven
 hereafter, that are made ready for heaven here. The suddenness
 of death and of Christ's coming to us then, will not hinder our
 happiness, if we have been prepared. The door was shut. Many
 will seek admission into heaven when it is too late. The vain
 confidence of hypocrites will carry them far in expectations of
 happiness. The unexpected summons of death may alarm the
 Christian; but, proceeding without delay to trim his lamp, his
 graces often shine more bright; while the mere professor's
 conduct shows that his lamp is going out. Watch therefore,
 attend to the business of your souls. Be in the fear of the Lord
 all the day long.

00878
 #14-30 Christ keeps no servants to be idle: they have received
 their all from him, and have nothing they can call their own but
 sin. Our receiving from Christ is in order to our working for
 him. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to
 profit withal. The day of account comes at last. We must all be
 reckoned with as to what good we have got to our own souls, and
 have done to others, by the advantages we have enjoyed. It is
 not meant that the improving of natural powers can entitle a man
 to Divine grace. It is the real Christian's liberty and
 privilege to be employed as his Redeemer's servant, in promoting
 his glory, and the good of his people: the love of Christ
 constrains him to live no longer to himself, but to Him that
 died for him, and rose again. Those who think it impossible to
 please God, and in vain to serve him, will do nothing to purpose
 in religion. They complain that He requires of them more than
 they are capable of, and punishes them for what they cannot
 help. Whatever they may pretend, the fact is, they dislike the
 character and work of the Lord. The slothful servant is
 sentenced to be deprived of his talent. This may be applied to
 the blessings of this life; but rather to the means of grace.
 Those who know not the day of their visitation, shall have the
 things that belong to their peace hid from their eyes. His doom
 is, to be cast into outer darkness. It is a usual way of
 expressing the miseries of the damned in hell. Here, as in what
 was said to the faithful servants, our Saviour goes out of the
 parable into the thing intended by it, and this serves as a key
 to the whole. Let us not envy sinners, or covet any of their
 perishing possessions.

00895
 #31-46 This is a description of the last judgment. It is as an
 explanation of the former parables. There is a judgment to come,
 in which every man shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting
 happiness, or misery. Christ shall come, not only in the glory
 of his Father, but in his own glory, as Mediator. The wicked and
 godly here dwell together, in the same cities, churches,
 families, and are not always to be known the one from the other;
 such are the weaknesses of saints, such the hypocrisies of
 sinners; and death takes both: but in that day they will be
 parted for ever. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd; he will
 shortly distinguish between those that are his, and those that
 are not. All other distinctions will be done away; but the great
 one between saints and sinners, holy and unholy, will remain for
 ever. The happiness the saints shall possess is very great. It
 is a kingdom; the most valuable possession on earth; yet this is
 but a faint resemblance of the blessed state of the saints in
 heaven. It is a kingdom prepared. The Father provided it for
 them in the greatness of his wisdom and power; the Son purchased
 it for them; and the blessed Spirit, in preparing them for the
 kingdom, is preparing it for them. It is prepared for them: it
 is in all points adapted to the new nature of a sanctified soul.
 It is prepared from the foundation of the world. This happiness
 was for the saints, and they for it, from all eternity. They
 shall come and inherit it. What we inherit is not got by
 ourselves. It is God that makes heirs of heaven. We are not to
 suppose that acts of bounty will entitle to eternal happiness.
 Good works done for God's sake, through Jesus Christ, are here
 noticed as marking the character of believers made holy by the
 Spirit of Christ, and as the effects of grace bestowed on those
 who do them. The wicked in this world were often called to come
 to Christ for life and rest, but they turned from his calls; and
 justly are those bid to depart from Christ, that would not come
 to him. Condemned sinners will in vain offer excuses. The
 punishment of the wicked will be an everlasting punishment;
 their state cannot be altered. Thus life and death, good and
 evil, the blessing and the curse, are set before us, that we may
 choose our way, and as our way so shall our end be.