II. Our duty arising from this consideration —
Thrice in the space of a few verses does our Lord repeat the same injunction, " Watch a." To enforce this, we would say,
1. Expect the second coming of your Lord —
[Put not from you, as you are too apt to do, the thoughts of death and judgment, but cherish them in your minds, and labour to get them impressed upon your hearts. Reflect upon their uncertainty, as to the precise period of their arrival, their nearness, their aivfulness; and keep yourselves, as it were, in the daily and hourly expectation of them ]
2. Prepare to meet him —
[Two things are indispensable for all who would behold his face in peace, namely, " repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." These must be experienced by
you neither the one nor the other can be dispensed
with Get a deep repentance therefore, and a lively
faith : and rest not in any state short of that which the Scrip- tures require, and the primitive Christians actually attained.]
3. Guard against any measure of drowsiness which may interrupt or render doubtful your preparation for him —
[It will be a fearful thing if the Master of the house " should find you sleeping." Yet who amongst us is not apt at times to be " weary in well-doing ? " " The Wise Virgins, as well as the Foolish, slumbered and slept :" yea, even the Apostles slept, when our Lord had bidden them watch. We should therefore " exhort one another daily, and so much the more as we see the day approaching :" and, instead of giving way to sloth, should use all possible means, to " strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die."]
Address —
1. The careless —
[How many continue such in spite of all the warnings which they have received from sickness in themselves, or the sudden deaths of others ! But what will they think of their conduct, when once they are taken hence ? If any one of us knew that a thief would certainly come this very night to break into his house, would he lay himself down to sleep as at other times? Should we not watch, and use our utmost efforts to frustrate his designs'3? Why then do we not act thus in
a See ver. 83. b Matt. xxiv. 43.