of one or two future discourses particularly bringing into view the prophetic SIGNS of the everlasting kingdom now

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near, even at the doors." The next chapter, or second part of this discourse, more fully exhibiting the kingdom at hand, may be examined so far as our limits will permit.

Mat. 25: 1. "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom.

As the preceding connexion shows, this is to be fulfilled when Christ shall come, and when his evil servants denying their Lord's being at hand, shall have their portion with hypocrites and unbelievers, where "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth," (Mat. 24: 50, 51.) Then, at the last day, "the kingdom of heaven-at hand," or Christ the Bridegroom coming, will be like this earthly marriage at midnight. There is then to be a "marriage supper of the Lamb," (Rev. 19: 7-9. Mat. 22: 2—4,) when all the true church as the bride, and Christ as the bridegroom, are to be united as in a marriage, which "death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers," &c., shall ever be able to disannul. (Rom. 8:38, 39.)

Mat. 25: 2, 3. "And five of them were wise and five were foolish. They that were foolish took no oil with them; but they that were wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept."

This being also like "the kingdom of heaven" in its coming with Christ the heavenly Bridegroom, to the judgment and marriage supper of the Lamb, shows how it will then prove with the two classes of mortals then to be judged. The foolish virgins taking no oil, naturally appears to represent all that class of mankind now, and in all ages, who, with all their privileges, are so "foolish" as to

neglect the work of repentance, and all the preparation of heart which the Bible, the Holy Ghost, and their own conscience, tell them is indespensable for a readiness to meet the Bridegroom, in his coming, with the kingdom at hand; while the wise in taking oil, seem clearly to represent all the true saints from first to last, who by a timely repentance and due preparation of their hearts in obtaining the grace of God, shall be found ready for admission into the kingdom at hand, however soon it shall come with the King, who is the heavenly Bridegroom.

This sleeping of the wise and foolish, till awoke by the midnight cry of the Bridegroom at hand, appears naturally to represent the latter day state of the world, including even the church, all in a state of very great inaction as to a looking out for the kingdom, or Bridegroom at hand. This is called sleeping in various places in the Bible, as "What meanest thou, O sleeper," (Jonah 1: 6.) " It is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." (Rom. 13: 11.) “Therefore let us not sleep as do others. (1 Thess. 5: 6.) Such a state of sleep or inaction, even of the church, to precede Christ's final coming, is many times foretold, both by the former and latter Prophets, now more readily understood, perhaps, of the latter. Christ in foretelling the signs of his " ming and of the end of the world, tells of "iniquity" abounding, and "the love of many waxing cold"-" many offended" and betraying "one another"-false prophets," &c. (Mat. 24: 3, 10-12,) and of scarcely finding "faith on the earth" at his coming, (Luke 18: 8.) While Paul foretels " a great falling away first, and that man of sin -revealed, the son of perdition." (2 Thess. 2: 3.)

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Mat. 25:6-9. " And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps,

And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out, but the wise answered, saying, not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but to them that sell and buy for yourselves."

go ye rather

Without occasion now to notice the minutia, or sectarian speculations, which have been common concerning this passage, it is amply sufficient to understand it as a most interesting prophecy of Christ himself, that in the last stage of the church on earth, before his coming as the King and Bridegroom of heaven, even while it may be in a state of comparative "midnight" darkness, or when "darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people." (Isa. 60: 1, 2.) There shall be a cry made, sufficient to wake up and arouse to speedy action, the whole living multitudes of the two races on earth, represented by the wise and foolish virgins, till then comparatively asleep, as if not aware of "the kingdom of heaven-at hand;" or, of " the Judge" standing" before the door." (James 5:9)-And where are we now? Or might we not, with great propriety, I say, 'Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?" And, might not the watchman also, answer and say-" the morning cometh and also the night; if ye will inquire, inquire ye, return, come." (Isa. 21: 11, 12.) Without here dwelling on this exceedingly interesting topic, it may be said that this CRY to be made at midnight, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," &c., suddenly and rousingly, to wake up a slumbering world, the saints to holy action ; and the "despisers" to "behold and wonder and perish," (Acts 13:41.) seems like a prophecy in very striking figures, of the latter day promised "rain," (Joel 2: 23,) or pouring out of God's "Spirit upon all flesh," &c. (Joel 2: 28)—and "times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,"-just before-" he shall send Jesus Christ whom the

heaven must receive, till the times of the restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began." (Acts 3: 19-21.)

The "CRY at midnight," in representing the latter day, pouring out of the Spirit throughout the whole world, so astonishingly upon the church, must apparently be understood also, to include the latter day preaching of" the Gospel of the kingdom," which is "the everlasting Gospel,"― "in all the world—all nations"—or every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," as by "an angel flying in the midst of heaven," preaching it "with a loud voice," and saying, "Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come." (Mat. 24: 14. Rev. 14: 6, 7.) What a tremendous and universal excitement would it naturally make, to have this all literally fulfilled in regard to a visible, high flying angel, in suddenly doing this great work of the Spirit and word of the Lord, to usher in the eternal judgment! And yet though men alone are commissioned to begin and finish this work, having Jesus always with them, " even unto the end of the world," (Mat. 28: 20.) Christ uses this figure of the flying angel in doing it, apparently to show us how suddenly, how powerfully, and with what astonishing excitement it will be done; when he thus pours out his Spirit, "to finish the work and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth."

Thus it may appear that the foretold arousing CRY at midnight, in waking up both the wise and foolish every where, is the same as all this latter day excitement and preparing of the Church, the Bride, to meet, and then for ever to dwell with the glorious Bridegroom, in the kingdom of heaven then come.

Mat. 25: 10-13. "And while they went to buy, the

Bridegroom came; then they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, and said—Lord, Lord, open unto us. But he answered and said, verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

Without troubling ourselves or others with speculations on various foreign questions which have sometimes been raised on this passage, it is sufficient for us and others to learn from it, at once, the awfully solemn and interesting things which it was so specially designed to teach, concerning Christ's coming and "kingdom at hand," viz. that all the true children of the kingdom, less or more in number, will be ready, by the Gospel, grace and Spirit of God, to meet the Judge, the King, the Bridegroom, at his coming with the kingdom, to go in with him, for ever to enjoy his glorious presence at "the marriage supper of the Lamb"—while unbelievers of every age, rank and description, out of the church and in it, through their unnecessary, heedless and wicked delay of repentance, trusting in some false refuge, as a lamp without oil, profession without grace, or hope without evidence, will then be for ever shut out. Their calling upon the Lord to open unto them too late, as strangers to him and his kingdom, faintly shows the unspeakable despair and anguish which must then fill the souls of all unbelievers in that abyss of "wo, wo, wo," (Rev. 8: 13,) where hope shall never come.

Mat. 25: 14-30. "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his several ability; and straitway took his journey. After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them," &c. &c.