A day of accounts will come, when the lease of life
expires, and the great Proprietor of heaven and earth will reckon with all
people.
Some saints are so clear respecting their interest in
Christ, so rich in his imputed righteousness, so full of heavenly
assurance—that they rather rejoice than tremble at the day of judgment.
Others, though in a gracious state, are so encumbered with worldly cares,
are so beclouded with desponding thoughts, that they cannot collect their
evidences for the better country, and are afraid that, when they stand in
the judgment, they shall be condemned. But the unrepentant sinner, who is
poor towards God, and has nothing provided for eternity, not the least
evidence for heaven, well may tremble and be horribly afraid for the coming
judgment
O that we were thus wise in spiritual things! Our
priority should be to have matters between God and our souls on a
comfortable footing, and then all other things shall run in a pleasant
channel.
In the day of judgment, not only the sins committed
directly against God—but injuries against one another, whereby he also is
offended, shall be condemned in his presence. The foolish virgins, in that
solemn day, will find no oil to buy—but must be shut out from the heavenly
marriage, forever to dwell in darkness and despair.
Alas! many presumptuous hypocrites will find all their
feigned righteousness rejected! Proud legalists will find their good works,
when weighed, miserably lacking! And all who depend on anything but the
perfect righteousness of Jesus, will find themselves eternally lost!
We must all soon, how soon we cannot tell—remove from
this world, to the invisible world. Woe to the people, whether he dwells in
a palace or in a cottage, who must leave his clay tabernacle, without any
hopes of being admitted into the mansions of glory! Woe to the man who has
all his life-time been the servant of sin, and shall find, at the awful hour
of death, that eternal death shall be all the wages of his service! The man
of gray hairs, who is half-dead to this world, and the infant of a span
long, who knows nothing of a world to come, must go together to the silent
grave.
Multitudes, who know that they must very soon drop this
mortal frame, and leave with all below—give themselves no concern, and take
no thought how or where they shall dwell through an endless eternity. Though
we expect death ourselves, or on some of our family, yet we may expect to be
surprised at last, and taken unawares. It will be our wisdom not to delay
the great work of making our calling and election sure, until sickness
enfeebles every nerve, and death sits down on our eye-lids.
What blessings, then, should the elect ascribe to Jesus,
that best friend, who for them answers all the demands of law and justice,
and has obtained their full, their final discharge at the court of heaven,
from his Almighty Father's hand—so that they have no claims to answer, no
condemnation to fear—either in this world, or in that to come!
When the saints arrive at the mansions of glory, are
acquitted by the judge of all the earth, and finally discharged from sin and
death—then shall they forget their light and momentary afflictions—as the
waters that flow away. Then joy shall crown their heads, and songs shall
fill their mouth, and they shall be satisfied with their felicity, exult in
his salvation, and be ravished with his goodness forever!