1. I shall inquire what it is to be ready.
2. Show you why they only shall have eternal and immediate com- munion with Christ.
First, What it is to be ready ? There is a twofold readiness —
1. A habitual and constant readiness.
2. An actual readiness, when you specially compose yourselves to meet with Christ.
1. Of the habitual and constant readiness, that concerneth the
400 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. VIII.
state of the person, the frame of the heart, and the course of our con- versations, as represented by oil in the vessel, and the lamps kept burning.
[1.] The state of the person. He must be one reconciled, and one at peace with God. There are two expressions in scripture that speak of the state that we must be found in when Christ Cometh ; 2 Peter iii. 14, ' That we may be found of him in peace.' The other is, 2 Cor. v. 3, ' That we may not be found naked.' And both do principally relate to justification. Our peace depends upon our reconciliation with God, Rom. v. 1 ; and till your pardon be sued out in a humble and broken-hearted manner, how will you be able to stand before the Lord ? till you be rectus in curia, and have a discharge of sin and the curse, and be not found in a natural and unconverted estate? The other expression is, ' That we may not be found naked.' It is sad to appear before God with no other covering but our own skins. No; there is no getting the blessing but in the garment of our elder brother. Therefore we are so often bidden to ' put on the Lord Jesus,' Rom. xiii. 14, and Gal. iii. 27, and that you buy of Him ' white raiment to cover your nakedness,' Rev. iii. 17, 18. These places are principally to be interpreted of justification, though it will not exclude sanctification ; for that is a garment of salvation to cover our loathsome nakedness from the sight of the Lord.
[2.] As to the frame of the heart, that it may be renewed and sanc- tified. Habitual grace is oil in the vessel, that there may be a spring or fountain of grace in the heart, John vii. 38 ; but that I spake of before. The graces of the Spirit are the bride's jewels, and ornaments are the things which the bridegroom delights in : Isa. lxi. 10, ' I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God ; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robes of his righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels,' &c. The more these things are in us, and abound in us, the more lovely in Christ's eyes.
[3.] Something as to the course of our conversation. It is not enough to have oil in the vessel, but the lamp must be kept burning, our graces in actual and continual exercise ; and we must always make it our study to please the Lord. This is part of our preparation ; for men are judged according to their works : ' Therefore what manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness?' 2 Peter iii. 10. The life of grace is seen in the fruits of it ; for that end was it given us; not to lie idle in the heart, but to discover its influence and efficacy in every part of our conversation : 2 Peter i. 8, ' If these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.' That will make a Christian busy and active in God's ser- vice. Well, then, by this you know who are prepared and who unprepared.
2. There is an actual preparation, which is like the trimming the lamps when they heard the cry, and that noteth our actual fitting our- selves for death and judgment. Besides our general habitual prepara- tion, there needeth actual preparation. When Pharaoh sent for Joseph.
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he washed himself. It is no slight thing to appear before Christ. Our general work should often be reviewed, that we may get promises ready, evidences ready, experiences ready ; that we may have nothing to do but to wait the good hour, and give welcome to the Lord Jesus Christ, as old Simeon, Luke ii. 29, ' Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace ; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' You should be so settled in conscience, weaned in heart, purified in spirit, that you do with comfort Avait for the salvation of God ; and not only wait for it, but long for it, love his appearing ; especially after a long profession of the name of Christ, so it should be.
Now this actual preparation should be made, either —
[1.] Daily, and when you are in the greatest health and strength : we should think of our great change, Job xiv. 14, for death doth not always give warning ; and to be provided doth no hurt. It enliveneth our general preparation, and maketh us the more serious : it is like poising our confidence, and weighing the strength and temper of it, to see if it can encounter the thoughts of death and judgment to come. A runaway cowardly faith, that cannot endure the serious thoughts and supposition of these things, will do us no good : presumption is a coward. Besides, it riddeth off the present work with more success when we live every day as if it were our last, and do all things as if presently to give an account to Christ of the doing of them. Once more, to familiarise the thoughts of Christ's coming to us, it allayeth so much of the dread and terror of it as belongeth to bondage, and keepeth up so much as belongs to reverence, and serious and aweful walking with God.