Hans must one day have a reckoning with God. The para- ble tells us that " after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them/'
There is a judgment before us all. Words have no meaning in the Bible, if there is none. It is mere trilling with Scripture to deny it. There is a judgment before us according to our works, certain, strict, and unavoida- ble. High or low, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, we shall all have to stand at the bar of God and to receive our eternal sentence. There will be no escape. Con- cealment will be impossible. We and God must at last meet face to fVice. We shall have to render an account of every privilege that was granted to us, and of every ray of light that we enjoyed. We shall find that we are dealt with as accountable and responsible creatures, and that to whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required. Let us remember this every day we live. Let us "judge ourselves that we be not condemned of the
Lord."
We learn, in the fourth place, that true Christians will receive an abundant reward in the great day of reckoning. The parable tells us that the servants who had used their Lord's money well, were commended as " good and faith- ftd," and told to " enter into the joy of their Lord."
These words are full of comfort to all believers, and may well fill us with wonder and surprise. The best of Christians is a poor frail creature, and needs the blood of atonement every day that he lives. But the least and lowest of believers will find that he is counted among Christ's servants, and that his labour has not been in vain in the Lord. He will discover to his amazement, that