III. 2. It now remains, that being _no longer stewards_, we _give an account_ of our _stewardship_. Some have imagined, this is to be done immediately after death, as soon as we enter into the world of spirits. Nay, the church of _Rome_ does absolutely assert this; yea, makes it an article of faith. And thus much we may allow, the moment a soul drops the body, and stands naked before God, it cannot but know what its portion will be to all eternity. It will have full in its view, either everlasting joy, or everlasting torment: as it is no longer possible for us to be deceived, in the judgment which we pass upon ourselves. But the scripture gives us no reason to believe, that God will then sit in judgment upon us. There is no passage in all the oracles of God, which affirms any such thing. That which has been frequently alledged for this purpose, seems rather to prove the contrary: namely, (_Heb._ ix. 27.) _It is appointed for men once to die, and after this, the judgment._ For in all reason, the word _once_ is here to be applied, to judgment as well as death. So that the fair inference to be drawn from this very text, is, not that there are two judgments, a particular and a general: but that we are to be judged as well as to die, once only: not once immediately after death, and again after the general resurrection; but then only _when the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him_. The imagination therefore of one judgment at death, and another at the end of the world, can have no place with those who make the written word of God, the whole and sole standard of their faith.
2. The time then when we are to give this account, is when the _great white throne comes down from heaven, and he that sitteth thereon, from whose face the heavens and the earth flee away, and there is found no place for them_. It is then the _dead, small and great_, will _stand before God: and the books_ will be _opened_; the book of scripture, to them who were entrusted therewith, the book of conscience to all mankind. The _book of remembrance_ likewise, (to use another scriptural expression) which had been written from the foundation of the world, will then be laid open to the view of all the children of men. Before all these, even the whole human race, before the devil and his angels, before an innumerable company of holy angels, and before God, the Judge of all: thou wilt appear, without any shelter or covering, without any possibility of disguise, to give a particular account of the manner wherein thou hast employed all thy Lord’s goods.
3. The judge of all will then enquire, “How didst thou employ thy _soul_? I intrusted thee with an immortal spirit, endowed with various powers and faculties, with _understanding, imagination, memory, will, affections_. I gave thee withal full and express directions, how all these were to be employed. Didst thou employ thy _understanding_, as far as it was capable, according to those directions, namely, in the knowledge of thyself and me? My nature, my attributes? My works, whether of creation, of providence, or of grace? In acquainting thyself with my word? In using every means to increase thy knowledge thereof? In meditating thereon day and night? Didst thou employ thy _memory_ according to my will? In treasuring up whatever knowledge thou hadst acquired, which might conduce to my glory, to thy own salvation, or the advantage of others? Didst thou store up therein, not things of no value, but whatever instruction thou hadst learned from my word: and whatever experience thou hadst gained, of my wisdom, truth, power, and mercy? Was thy _imagination_ employed, not in painting vain images, much less such as nourished _foolish and hurtful desires_, but in representing to thee whatever would profit thy soul, and awaken thy pursuit of wisdom and holiness? Didst thou follow my directions with regard to thy _will_? Was it wholly given up to me? Was it swallowed up in mine, so as never to oppose, but always run parallel with it? Were thy _affections_ placed and regulated in such a manner, as I appointed in my word? Didst thou give me thy heart? Didst thou not love the world, neither the things of the world? Was I the object of thy love? Was all thy desire unto me, and unto the remembrance of my name? Was I the joy of thy heart, the delight of thy soul, the chief among ten thousand? Didst thou sorrow for nothing but what grieved my Spirit? Didst thou fear and hate nothing but sin? Did the whole stream of thy affections flow back to the ocean from whence they came? Were thy _thoughts_ employed according to my will? Not in ranging to the ends of the earth, not on folly, or sin: but on _whatsoever things were pure, whatsoever things were holy_, on whatsoever was conducive to my _glory_, and to _peace and good-will among men_?”