2. It is a personal account : Rom. xiv. 12, ' So then every one of us vol. ix. 2f
450 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XIII.
shall give an account of himself to God.' We should not look to others what they be and do. As to ourselves, we must give an account of ourselves, our life, our heart, our own thoughts, words, and actions. It is personal, partly because every one must give his account apart ; not every one shuffled together and in gross ; but every servant apart and severally ; first he that had five talents, then two, then one. And partly because every one unavoidably must answer for himself. Here we may have our attorney or advocate to appear for us in court ; but there every one for himself, every man must in person, give an account of his own fidelity.
3. It is an impartial account, every one without exception : Kev. xx. 12, ' I saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God.' Small and great, king and peasant, they shall all one day be called to an account, whether faithful or no. None so high as to be exempted from this account ; none so mean as to be neglected in it : he that received five talents and he that received one both gave an account. The poor beggar is not left out, nor the king excused.
4. It is a particular account. God will not take our accounts by the heap and lump, but there is a narrow search into all our hearts and ways. The great thing is, What we have done in that place and relation where God hath set us our stewardship ? Luke xvi. 2, but that is not all ; we are to give an account of every action : Eccles. xii. 14, ' For God shall bring every work into judgment.' Every idle word must be accounted for, Mat. xii. 36. All the time we have spent, degrees of grace we received, what we have done, proportion- able to our trust, five for five, two for two.
5. It is an exact account, that nothing is lost : Eev. xx. 12, ' The books were produced ; ' the book of conscience, and the book of God's remembrance : one of these is in the sinner's keeping, and yet it cannot be blotted out nor defaced : but at the day of judgment, conscience shall be extended to the recognition of all our ways. Now these books of account that are kept between God and the creature are somewhat like the books of merchants, of debtor and creditor, what returned and what received. God's mercies to us are booked, so are our returns. That God's mercies are put upon the book and register appeareth by the expostulations used in scripture when God proceedeth to any par- ticular judgment ; as for instance, opportunities of grace, and instruc- tions of the word ; the word preached, et? fiaprvpiav : Mat. xxiv. 14, 1 And the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.' God keepeth exact account : ' Behold, these three years came I seeking fruit,' Luke xiii. 7 ; ' This second epistle write I unto you,' 2 Peter iii. 1. He taketh notice of a former. God remembereth the prophets' words when the prophets are dead and gone. Every pressing sermon, every notable help : ' This second miracle did Jesus in Cana of Galilee,' John iv. 54. Christ's special works and manifestations of himself ought to be marked and kept in memory. God doth so for deliver- ances from danger : Isa. xi. 11, ' The Lord shall arise the second time for the deliverance of his people.' He taketh notice that he has been once at it, and would be again. So what talents and gifts we have had, whether five, two, or one. Secondly, on the other side, all the good
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that we do ; therefore the apostle speaketh of ( fruit abounding to his account,' Phil. iv. 17. The Lord taketh notice of our faithfulness in evil times : Mai. iii. 15, 16, ' And now we call the proud happy ; yea, they that work wickedness are set up ; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another ; and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name ;' 1 Kings xix. 18 ; Acts xvii. 34. Kindness to his servants : Mat. x. 42, ( And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, he shall not lose his reward ;' Eccles. xi. 1, ' Cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shalt find it after many days;' it is not lost. On the other side, injuries done to his people ; he hath a bottle for their tears, and a book for their sorrows, Ps. lvi. 8. All the snares contrived : Deut. xxxii. 34, ' Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures ? ' Job xiii. 27, ' Thou lookest narrowly to all my paths, thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.' Every action leaveth a track, every word, Mat. xii. 36, every thought, 1 Cor. iv. 5.