[3.] It must be a constant and daily preparation. You must not only get ready, but keep ready. Besides habitual preparation, there must be actual preparation. We must every day be more in a readi- ness. The sentinel is to watch all hours; it is death to be taken sleeping, though he hath watched all the night before : ' We know neither the day nor the hour/ it is in the text, implying there must be no intermission of our care. What if my master should come and find me idle ? said Calvin to his friends, that demanded of him why he wasted his body in such constant labours. Few are like-minded that put this question to their souls, Am I as I would meet with Christ ? We should always stand with our lamps burning and our loins girt, Luke xii. 35. A Christian should be always as a ship that hath taken in its lading, and is prepared and furnished with all manner of tackling, ready to set sail, only expecting the good wind to carry him out of the haven. So should we be ready to set sail for eternity, stand at heaven's gates, be in a perpetual exercise of faith and love, and be fittingly prepared to meet our Saviour. Oh ! what a happiness is it to live so that we care not when death cometh upon us ; and so live every- day, as if we were presently to be summoned before the tribunal of Christ ! The world thinketh this a foolish strictness, because many days go over our heads, and it proveth not so. But let them mock on; when they come to hell they will find this to be the greatest wisdom. A Christian will count every day his last. Not only his own necessity, but his love and earnest desire of Christ's coming maketh him look out.
3. The last thing in this watching is earnest expectation of Christ's last appearance, and the grace he will bring along with him : 1 Peter i. 15, ' Gird up the loins of your minds, and be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.' Our hearts and minds should be more taken up with the thoughts of his coming, and the privileges we shall have by him. It is expressed by looking, longing, waiting ; and Christians are often described by these acts : Titus iii. 13, ' Looking for the blessed hope ;' Phil. iii. 20, 21, ' From whence we look for a Saviour,' Heb. x. 27. We should stir up our minds to look for his coming ; and not only stir up our hopes, but our desires : 2 Tim. iv. 8, ' To them that love his appearing;' it is a sign and token that he cometh with a blessing to us: to them he cometh with a crown of righteousness. So for waiting: 1 Cor. i. 7, ' Ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' We were converted for this end, to wait for his coming from heaven, 1 Thes. i. 10.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. 421
Now I come to show you the reasons why this watching is required of us, or to move us to it.
1. Consider who it is that biddeth you watch. Christ himself, whom you call Lord and Master, who knows the worth and danger of souls, and hath a tender esteem and value for them. If we did impose so strict a duty upon you, you might take or leave it as it shall be for your convenieucy. In the 1st of Proverbs, Solomon bringeth in Wis- dom lifting up her voice, and crying, Prov. i. 20. What to do ? To accept of the grace offered. The most then will miss the season ; they shall never receive advantage by the cry if they neglect it, ver. 26 ; ver. 28, ' They shall call upon me, but I will not answer.' Many clauses in these verses do fitly agree with the passages of the parable. It agreeth with the foolish virgins, who lost their opportunity of getting oil ; and with the wise, who in a time of plenty provided against a famine, as Joseph advised the Egyptians : a greater than Joseph is here. Now in the times of grace watch.
2. Consider whom it is he inviteth. Do not put it off to others : Mark xiii. 37, ' What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch.' Some persons are especially deputed to watch over others, as magistrates, Bom. xiii. 6; ministers, Heb. xiii. 12; but every man is made a guardian over his own soul ; rich and poor, they are both to watch. The meanest people are then taken notice of, and that exactly : Mat. xxiv. 40, 41, 4 Two women grinding at the mill ; one shall be taken, and the other left : two in the field, one taken, and the other left.' Those of the meanest degree. All that live in all ages, in all times, to them he said, Watch. Do not put it off to them that live in the age on which the ends of the world are come. You will be found at that day as death leaveth you. None of all degrees of grace are past this care. If there be any difference between Christian and Christian, one is more watchful than another ; if of never so long standing and experience, yet if not watchful, soon surprised. God's best servants have been surprised for want of watching. Noah was overtaken in drunkenness ; Lot, that was chaste in Sodom, committed incest in the mountains, where were none but his own family. And do but compare David and Joseph ; you find David tempting, Joseph tempted. David was a king, Joseph a slave ; David an old man of much experience, Joseph a young man ; David a married man, and Joseph a single man. David was fain to plot and contrive to make way for his sin, but Joseph had the advantage of secrecy ; but the one stood, and the other fell ; David left his senses at random, but Joseph kept himself in an aweful watch- ful posture : Gen. xxxix. 9, ' How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God ? '