state of thorough expectation. — In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the whole course of the world shall be stopped. The King of kings shall appear. The dead shall be raised. The living shall be changed. Unbelief shall wither away. Truth shall be known by myriads too late. The world with all its trifles and shadows shall be thrust aside. Eternity with all its awful realities shall begin. All this shall begin at once, without notice, with- out warning, without note of preparation. "As a snare shall it come on the face of the whole earth.''
The servant of God must surely see that there is only one state of mind which becomes the man who believes these things. That state is one of perpetual preparedness to meet Christ. The Gospel does not caU on us to retire from earthly callings, or neglect the duties of our stations. It does not bid us retire into hermitages, or live the life of a monk or a nun. But it does bid us live like men who expect their Lord to return. Repentance toward God, faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and holiness of conversation, are the only true h^.bitual preparedness required. The Christian who knows these things by ex- perience, is the man who is always ready to meet his Lord.
Let us learn, lastly, from these verses, the special duties of believers in the prospect of the second advent of Christ. Our Lord sums up these duties under two great heads. One of these two is watchfulness. The other is prayer. ** Watch ye therefore," He says, " and pray always."
We are to " watch." We are to live on our guard like men in an enemy's country. We are to remember that evil is about us, and near us, and in us, — that we
386 EXPU81T0RT THOtJOHTS.
have to contend daily with a treacherous heart, an en- snaring world, and a husy devil. Remembering this, we must put on the whole armour of God, and beware of spiritual drowsiness. " Let us not sleep as do others," says St. Paul, " but let us watch and be sober." (1 Thess. V. 6.)
We are to "pray always." We are to keep up a constant habit of real, business-like prayer. We are to speak with God daily, and hold daily communion with Him about our souls. We are to pray specially for grace to lay aside every weight, and to cast away everything which may interfere with readiness to meet our Lord. Above all we are to watch our habits of devotion with a godly jealousy, and to beware of hurrying over or short- ening our prayers.
Let us leave the whole passage with a hearty deter- mination, by God's help, to act on what we have been reading. If we believe that Christ is coming again, let us get ready to meet Him. " If we know these things, happy are we if we do them." (John xiii. 17.)
Notes. Luke XXI. 34—38.
84. — [Overcharged with surfeiting.] Let it be noticed that both the Greek words so translated, are only found here in the New Tes- tament.
The whole verse is full of singularly searching expressions. The *' heart" is the part which the Christian must guard, if he would live ready to meet Christ. — The heart is in constant danger of being "weighed down," or "pressed down.** — ^Intem- perance in eating and drinking is a fault against which even the oest of men must watch. The most eat and drink far too much. It does not follow because Boman Catholics fast superstitiously, that Protestants are never to fast at all. The " cares of this life" may inflict great injury on the soul, as well as open sins. — ^All these things require diligent attention and tmceasing watchful-