SERMONS UPON LUKE XII. 43. 381
misspense of time, abuse of mercies, will then occur to our view, when our whole lives shall be set in order before us : Ps. 1. 21, ' These things hast thou done, and I kept silence ; thou thoughtest that I was alto- gether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.' Now these are the accounts kept between God and us.
2. At the day of doom these books shall be opened : Eev. xx. 12, * I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ; and the books were opened.' God can forget nothing, and conscience shall be awakened to an exact review of all our ways. Security vanisheth, light is greater, judgment is nearer. Circumstances of conviction shall then be pro- duced ; the trial is to be open, the wicked are to be shamed, the righteous to be vindicated. God shall be justified when he judgeth : Ps. li. 4, 'That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.' Impenitent sinners are to be condemned for abusing the law of nature or despising the grace of the gospel : 2 Thes. i. 8, ' Taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
3. That all without exception shall be called to this reckoning ; none so high as to be exempted from it, none so low as to be neglected in it : 'I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God,' Eev. xx. 12. They all stand on the same level. Magistrates must give an account of their trust, and so must meaner people : 1 Peter i. 17, ' If ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work.' God is an impartial judge. Men are often biassed by the expectation of benefit, or terrified by the apprehension of danger. No person, no action can escape his judgment.
4. The judgment will pass upon all men according to the account then given. If we have been faithful and fruitful in improving God's talents, it shall go well with us in the judgment ; if negligent and careless, it shall go ill : ' Cast the unprofitable servant into outer dark- ness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth,' Mat. xxv. 30. Though not persecuting, nor riotous, yet if unprofitable. The barren tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, as well as the naughty tree that bringeth forth bad fruit. God reckoneth with us now, but often doth not execute his threatening, or in the midst of judgment remembereth mercy. Then the doom is finally and irrever- sibly past, without hope of recovery, and there is no temperament of mercy at all to those that have lost their season.
Use. To reflect the light of these things on our hearts. Is our ac- count ready ? Most neglect or put off the thoughts of it. But do you take occasion hence to reckon with yourselves aforehand ? See every day what you receive and what you return. Consider every day's mercies and every day's work. The profit of daily arraigning conscience is exceeding great.
1 . It keepeth us sensible of our duty, which otherwise would be for- gotten ; heathens saw a necessity of this reckoning with respect to growth in moral virtue. Men would not easily commit evil, nor omit good, or perform it so coldly, if they did but say, as the town-clerk of Ephesus did to still the citizens, ' We are in danger to be called in question for this day's uproar,' Acts xix. 40.
382 SERMON'S UPON LUKE XII. 48.
2. It would make us often to have recourse to grace, when we observe our sins, duties, mercies, comforts, and how the one aggravate the other. Surely we should every day make even with God, deprecate the strict judgment : Ps. cxliii. 2, ' Enter not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.' G-et the books can- celled : Ps. li. 1, ' According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.' Augustus bought his guilt, who slept securely when he owed so great a debt And this we must do daily : Mat. vi. 12, a^e? rj^lv ra oc^eLkrjfjiara rj^wv, ' Forgive us our debts.'
3. It would make us more earnest to improve opportunities of receiv- ing grace : Heb. ii. 3, ' How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' Isa. Iv. 6, ' Seek ye the Lord while he may be found ; call ye upon him while he is near.'
4. More careful to improve our talents. We must give an account : Heb. xiii. 17, ' They watch for your souls as they that must give an account.' Use time, health, wealth, wit, authority, honour for God.
5. What watchfulness, diligence, faithfulness would this breed in usl James ii. 12, ' So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty ; ' 2 Peter iii. 14, ' Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless.'