3. It is the great question interrogated by him at the great day of accounts. It is not. Have you heard? have you prophesied? have you ate and drank in my presence? but, Have you fed? have you clothed ? have you visited ? We are one day to come to this account, and what sorry accounts shall we make ! So much for pleasure, for riot, for luxury, for bravery in apparel, and pomp in living, and little or nothing for God and his people ; as if a steward should bring in his bill, so much spent in feasts, in rioting, in merry company, when his master's house lieth to ruin, the children starved, and the servants neglected. We are very liberal to our lusts, but sparing to God. A man that expecteth to be posed, is preparing himself, and would fain know the questions aforehand. Christ hath told us our question.
SERMON XXIII.
Tlien shall the rigliteous ansiver and say, Lord, luhen saio loe tliee an hungered, and fed thee ? and thirsty, and gave thee drink ? when saw ive thee a stranger, and took thee in i? and naked, and clothed thee? or ivhen saw lue thee sick and in 2:>rison, and came unto thee? And the King shall ansvjer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Insomuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. — Mat. XXV. 37-40.
We have handled the sentence and the reason. The reason is ampli- fied in some parabolical passages, which contain a dialogue or inter- changeable discourse between Christ the King and his elect servants. In which you may observe — (1.) Their question, ver. 37-39 ; (2.) Christ's reply and answer, ver. 40. Not that such formal words shall pass to and fro at the day of judgment, between the judge and the judged ; but only to represent the matter more sensibly, and in a more lively and impressive way to our minds.
rirst, For their question ; certainly it is not moved — (1.) By way of doubt or exception to the reason alleged by the judge in his sentence, there being a perfect agreement and harmony of mind and will between
Vers. 37-40.] seemons upon matthew xxv. 1S7
tliem. Neither (2.) Out of ignorance, as if they knew not that Christ was so much concerned in their works of love done to his chiklren for his sake ; for this they knew aforehand, that what was done to chris- tians is done to Christ, and upon that account they do it as to Christ ; and such ignorance cannot be supposed to be found in the glorified saints. (3.) Some say the question is put to express a holy wonder at what they hear and see ; and no question Christ will then be admired in his saints, 2 Thes. i. 10. And three causes there may be of this wonder: —
1. Their humble sense of their own nothingness, that their services should be taken notice of and rewarded ; that he should have such a respect for their mean offices of love, which they little esteemed of, and had no confidence in them.
2. The greatness of Christ's condescension, that he should have such a care of his mean servants, who were so despicable in the world.
3. The greatness of the reward. Christ shall so incomparably, above all that they could ask or think, reward his people, that they shall wonder at it. This sense is pious, taken up by most interpreters. I should acquiesce in it, but that I find the same question put by the reprobates afterwards, ver. 42-44 ; they use the same words ; there- fore I think the words are barely parabolical, brought in by Christ that he might have occasion further to declare himself how they fed him and clothed him, and what esteem he will put upon works of charity ; and to impress this truth the more upon our minds, that what is done to his people is accepted by him as if it were done to his person. However, because the former sense is useful, I shall a little insist upon it in this note.
Doct. That when Christ shall come to reward his people, they shall have great cause to wonder at all that they see, hear, and enjoy.
1. They shall wonder at the reason alleged. They that are holy ever think humbly of their own works, and therefore, considering their no-deservings, their ill-deservings, they cannot satisfy themselves in admiring and extolling the rich grace of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that he should take notice of anything of theirs, and produce it into judgment. See how they express themselves now : Ps. cxliii. 2, ' Enter not into judgment with thy servant ;' Non elicit, Cum liostihus tuts. So Ps. cxxx. 3, ' If thou shouldest mark iniquity, 0 Lord, who shall stand?' So 1 Cor. iv. 4, 'For I know nothing by myself, yet am not I thereby justified;' Isa. Ixiv. 6, 'But we are as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.' This thought they have of all they do, and their minds are not altered then, for this is the judgment of truth as well as of humility : Luke xvii. 10, ' When we have done all, we are unprofitable servants.' Their Lord hath taught them to say so and think so ; they did not this out of compli- ment. And for their works of mercy, they were not to let their left hand know what their right hand did. Mat. vi. 3. It is a proverb that teaches us that we should not suffer ourselves to take notice of what we give in alms, nor esteem much of it, as if there were any worth therein ;. and therefore, when Christ maketh such reckoning of these things, their wonder will be raised ; they will say, ' Lord, when