Use. Is our account ready against that great day of audit ? Most neglect it, put off the thoughts of it. Take occasion hence to reckon with yourselves aforehand, and see what an account you can give to conscience. We should prepare more for this solemn day of reckoning, and therefore should take notice of what we do, and what we receive. We had need keep a register of every day's work, and every day's mercies. There are three questions in scripture ; often put them to your hearts : Deut. xxxii. 6, ' Do ye thus requite the Lord. 0 foolish people and unwise ? is not he thy Father that hath bought thee ? hath he not made thee and established thee?' Heb. ii. 3, 'How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?' Isa. v. 4, ' What could I have done more for my vineyard that I have not done in it ? Wherefore, when I looked for grapes, behold it brought forth wild grapes ? ' The profit of daily arraigning conscience is great.
1. It keepeth us sensible of our duty, maketh us often have recourse to grace, when we continually observe our sins, duties, afflictions, mer- cies, comforts, opportunities of receiving grace, and do but intermingle this thought, that one day for all these I must give an account.
2. It presseth us to be more earnest for pardoning mercy, and every day to make even. This is the great folly of men, that they put off sin when God doth not put it away. There is an expression often used in scripture, ' Their iniquities shall find them out ; ' this notion of accounts will help us to understand it. It was committed many years ago, never heard of it since, but at length they shall hear of it : God reckoneth with them. If men escape and prosper a month, or a year, or two, they think all is forgotten ; but at length it findeth them out. Sins are called debts, and all debts lie upon account against us, till they be cancelled. Augustus bought his quilt of one who slept securely, when he owed an hundred thousand sesterces. We may wonder at the security of sinners, who sleep when their damnation sleepeth not ; they run upon the score, and never think of a reckoning. Solomon adviseth a man in debt ' not to sleep till he be delivered like a roe from the hunter,' Prov. vi. 4. 5. It is good advice to us, to get
452 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. XIII.
our spiritual debts discharged : Ps. li. I, ' Blot out my transgressions.' Christ hath taught us to pray for daily pardon as well as daily bread. The thought of these records that are kept, and the account we must make, should quicken us to it. Oh ! what a clamour will our sins make when God sets them all in order before us ! Ps. 1. 21. Thousands of vain thoughts, light words, and sinful actions, much mispense of time, abuse of mercies. We know not how soon God will put the bond in suit : other debts have a day of payment fixed, but this God hath reserved in his own breast, when he will call us to an account.
3. It presseth us to live always as those that are to give an account. Paul quickened himself to diligence upon this consideration, 2 Cor. v. 9, 10. If we were never to be called to an account, we should do God all the service that possibly we can, we are so much obliged to him ; but he hath set a day wherein he will reckon with us. Oh ! what watchfulness, what diligence and faithfulness, should this produce in us ! James ii. 12, ' So speak and so do as those that shall be judged by the law of liberty.' We read in the story of the Albigenses, when the president of St Juliers coming to Angrogne would have forced a man to re-baptize his child in the popish way, he prayed the president that he would give it in writing, and sign it with his own hand, that he would discharge him before God, and take the peril upon himself ; this made him relent and profess his trouble. Conscience is startled at God's records. If a man should do nothing, and speak nothing but what is to be registered and proclaimed at the market-cross, how watchful would he be ! All is recorded, the books will be opened ; therefore, when we are about to do anything unworthy, say as he, Acts xix. 40, ' We are in danger to be called to an account for this day's uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse;' so should you. We that are to give an account, how careful should we be how we use our time, health, strength, under- standing, authority, wealth, and other blessings of God. The common- ness of these notions maketh them to lose their life and influence ; therefore we should especially act faith in believing, and urging the soul with this account.
Secondly, It is particularly described ; and there —
1. Of the servants' allegation.
2. The master's approbation.
First, The servants' allegation, ver. 20 and 22. The two first ser- vants came cheerfully to their account, as having discharged their duty faithfully, and with all diligence improved the talents received. Not that in the day of judgment good men shall make any narrations of what they have done; they need not, for Christ shall do it for them: they rather wonder that anything they have done is taken notice of, as in the 37th verse of this chapter ; but all this is spoken after the manner of men, and to keep up the decorum of the parable. If it signifieth anything, it signifieth the confidence of a good con- science, and what comfort and boldness it breedeth in the clay of our accounts.