picture. After all our preachings and prayings — after all our visiting and teaching— after all our missionary- exertions abroad, and means of grace at home, many will be found at last " dead in trespasses and sins !" The wickedness and unbelief of human nature, is a subject about which we have all much to learn.
We see, for another thing, that Christ's second coming J lolienever it may he, will take men hy surprise.
This is a truth which is set before us in the parable, in a very striking manner. At midnight, when the virgins were slumbering and sleeping, there was a cry, ^' The bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet Him.'' It will be just the same, when Jesus returns to the world. He will find the vast majority of mankind utterly unbelieving and unprepared. He will find the bulk of His believing people in a sleepy and indolent state of soul. Business will be going on in town and country, just as it does now. Politics, trades, farming, buying, selling, pleasure- seeking, will be taking up men's attention, just as they do now. Kich men will still be faring sumptuously, and poor men murmuring and complaining. Churches will still be full of divisions, and wrangling about trifles, and theological controversies will be still raging. Ministers will still be calling men to repent, and congregations still putting off the day of decision. — In the midst of all this, the Lord Jesus Himself shall suddenly appear. In an hour when no man thiuketh, the startled world shall be summoned to break off all its employments, and to stand before its lawful King. There is something un- speakably awful in the idea. But thus it is written and thus it shall be. Well might a dying minister say, "we are none of us more than half-awake."