1. The exhortation is generally propounded, ' Be diligent.'
2. Particularly, in what this diligence is to be exercised and laid out.
[1.] With respect to the means, ' That ye may be without spot, and blameless.'
[2.] With respect to the end, ' That ye may be found of him in peace.' In the original the posture of the words is thus : ' That ye, being without spot and blameless, may be found of him in peace.' All these circumstances deserve to be considered by us.
1. The general exhortation, ' Be diligent/ Rouse up yourselves, set speedily and earnestly about it. We are apt to delay, therefore make haste : we are too slight and sluggish ; therefore be earnest, and zeal- ous, and hard at work • every slight endeavour will not serve the turn. The wife that looketh for her husband's coming home will put all things in readiness : the servant that expects his master's coming will ply his work. Therefore let us not be remiss and negligent, but make serious preparation. A loitering profession will fail us in our greatest need ; and when the bridegroom cometh, our lamps will be gone out. The devil's bondslaves spare no cost to serve their lusts ; their faulty self-denial may put Christians to shame : Isa. v. 17, ' They draw on iniquity with cart-ropes.' The men of the world use all possible dili- gence to obtain the good things of this life, Ps. cxxvii. 2, ' Rise early, and go to bed late ;' and shall we put our hand in our bosom, and think all will do well, though we mind our business only by the by ? No ; if your scope be to meet Christ with joy, religion must be your work and main employment.
2. Particularly, wherein you are to show your diligence ; for we flatter ourselves with general notions.
[1.] With respect to the means, ' That ye be without spot and blameless.' The one word relateth to the heart, ' That we may be without spot,' and the other to our conversation, ' blameless.'
Vers. 7, 8.] sermons upon matthew xxv. 375
(1.) The first thing wherein diligence is to be improved is the wash- ing away of our sinful spots, or the washing away of sin in the guilt and filth of it, or in a way of justification and sanctification, 1 Cor. vi. 11, suing out our pardon in the name of Christ, and by his Spirit using all holy means for the cleansing of our polluted natures. This is a work to be done not once, but often ; for we are all washed but in part : Prov. xx. 7, ' Who can say his heart is clean ? ' And when we have once washed, we are inclined to defile ourselves again : John xi. 13, 'He that is washed needeth not, save to wash his feet.' Every day we contract defilement by living in the world. Our final consum- mation is in Christ's day, when we shall be presented to God, ' not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing,' Eph. v. 27. For the pre- sent, still we are cleansing, and making use of the blood and Spirit of Christ for that end and purpose.
(2.) Blameless ; that relateth to our carriage and conversation, as it is said, Luke i. 6, that Zachariah and Elizabeth ' walked in all the commandments of God blameless.' So should we take care that we incur no just blame for all those things Christ hath left in trust with us, as to the improvement of our talents, keeping his laws, observing his ordinances, or carriage to his servants and all men.
[2.] As to the end, ' that we may be found of him in peace/ The word found is often used with respect to Christ's second coming : 2 Cor. v. 3, ' If so be we shall not be found naked ; ' Phil. iii. 9, ' That I may be found in him.' It is used, because the last day is a day of exact search and trial, and because that day cometh upon the greatest part of the world by way of surprisal. We do not look for it, nor prepare for it, but it cometh, unthought of, unexpected by the most. But the word found noteth either a state of reconciliation with God, Kom. v. 1, or it noteth comfort and joy, 1 John iv. 17. The wicked are then at their wits' end, Be v. xix. 18, call for the rocks and mountains to fall upon them. But when you have made diligent pre- paration, you may have boldness in that day, and ' lift up your heads, because your redemption draweth near.' A peace that will hold out when Christ cometh, is a peace indeed ; otherwise what a terror will unpardoned guilt, and an unrenewed nature, a fruitless life, and a blemished conversation breed in us ? Thus you see how the scripture presses this.
Secondly, What reasons there are in the thing itself to awaken us to this serious preparation —
1. Because of the person coming, our Kedeemer, the bridegroom, the Lord himself, who is so great and holy. If we mean to do him honour, we must prepare to meet him in the best manner we can, as the bride would provide her ornaments against the nuptial day. Oh ! what cleansing of soul, what fruitfulness and exercise of grace should there be, that we may not put our Bedeemer to shame when he cometh to be glorified in his saints, and to show forth the fruits of his death in us ! I say, this preparation should be not only for our own honour, that the bridegroom may not refuse us his company and approbation, 1 Peter i. 7 ; but for the honour of Christ, that he may be glorified in the faithfulness and obedience of his servants, when it shall be pro- duced to the view of all the world, as the fruits of his purchase and