SERMON XIV.

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So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Rom. xiv. 12.

IT seems very likely from this and the following

chapter, that there were very considerable misunderstandings between the Jewish and Gentile converts at Rome, relative to certain customs which were sacredly observed by the one, and disregarded by the other. The principal subject of dispute was concerning meats and days. It appears, further, that' mutual censures and uncharitable judgments circulated among them, and that brotherly love and charity did not prevail.

The apostle endeavours to evince the impropriety of this conduct: First, by showing that Christ, by virtue of his meritorious passion and glorious resurrection, was constituted Lord of all things, and has power to judge all persons, verse 9. Secondly, That to this supreme and absolute Lord, every one of us must give an account of our actions, and from him receive our final doom, verses 10, 11.

From a consideration of this great and final judgment, to which we are all hastening apace, the apostle draws this argument to dissuade from censuring

and judging one another: Remember the judge standeth at the door, and you must shortly stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, where every one of us must give an account of himself to God. We shall not, at the bar of God, be obliged to account for the conduct of others, but each shall give account of himself to God; and let him see that he be prepared to give up his account with joy. The rules and exhortations of the apostle are of great use: happy would it be for the Christian world, if they were still more generally practised.

Not regarding, however, the primary design of these words, we shall bend them to the practical purpose of promoting that constant circumspection best becoming those, who, filling up a state of probation, are hastening to the judgment-seat of Christ, to give an account of the deeds done in the body.

The doctrine of a final judgment is one of the most instructive truths in the whole compass of revelation. What consideration can have greater influence on the general morals of men, and their particular actions, than this, "Thou, God, seest me," and before thy awful bar shall I give an account for every action of life, while a sunbeam shall point out each secret fault. Remark the certainty of this solemn judgment: every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.

To say nothing of the express declarations of holy writ, we might venture to say, that a future judgment must take place, in order that God may vindicate his justice, and remove the cloud which hangs over the dispensation of his providence in this state of proba

tion. Though God is the moral, as well as the physical Governor of the universe, we look in vain in this world for that complete discrimination of character, and that strict apportionment of rewards, which reason and the sentiments of nature force us to ascribe to God. Although we see enough to convince us that there is an overruling Providence, yet we are sometimes ready to think, surely all things happen alike to all. And when the apostle asks, “is there unrighteousness with God? we should be ready to answer in the affirmative, if we did not look forward to the time of general retribution, "when ye shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked; between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not." The Lord, however, hath spoken: let this suffice. "He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness." "For we must all stand before the judgmentseat of Christ." And, every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Remark, also, the universality of this judgment, Every one of us. Is there any thing too hard for God to do? No matter if the slumber of ages shall have intervened between our death and judgment; no matter how great, or how small we may be; none are too great to illude his power, or too small to escape his notice.

Observe, next, the subject matter of which the account must be rendered; and that is, of ourselves. It is easy to perceive, unless our eyes have been blinded by the dust of prejudice, that the proceedings of that great day shall be grounded on the agency of man, and approved by the justice of God.

What is it, then, which denominates man an accountable being?

1. In the first place, time is necessary to the formation of a character of agency. For the use, then, of time, we must give an account to God. Time is short, but precious: it is given to us for the most noble purpose. Though by nature we are sinners, by timely application to the Lord we may obtain pardon and renewal in the spirit of our minds; and however various and important the duties required of us may be, by diligence and perseverance we may perform them. This, however, requires great diligence and carefulness, and every moment of life being full before God, we are therefore exhorted by the apostle to "redeem the time." What account, then, shall we render to God of the time we have idled away, or spent in frivolous employ? Or (which is still more serious) what shall we say of those pursuits, whose leading object has been entirely apart from the glory of God, as seeking to deck and ornament the body, while the soul has been left to starve and perish? What shall we say of the time we have spent in reading novels, and other pernicious books, which, so far from benefiting the mind, rob it of correct principle; while at the same time, we have lived in the total neglect of reading the Scriptures? What of the time spent in idle visiting and vain conversation, in which, if religion has been introduced at all, it has been rather in the way of burlesque; and if the name of our neighbour has been mentioned, it has been only to slander him? All whom these interrogatories concern, may expect, when weighed in the

balances of eternal justice and truth, to be found wanting, and treated as those, who have murdered time and ruined their own souls. But it will be well for those who improve time.

2. In addition to time, it requires intellectual faculties to constitute a fit subject for judgment. "This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world." "For it were better for them not to have known the ways of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."

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The faculties of our minds were given us to be employed in seeking to find out God, not indeed to perfection, but in understanding the communicable perfections of Deity, and striving to imitate them. Into the infinite source of goodness, all the powers an enlightened mind will seek to bend themselves. What, then, shall the man have to say for himself, who suffers his mind to be uncultivated; or who employs it, when cultivated, to entangle truth, to cavil at religion, or make a mock of it, and scoff at those who profess it? What shall the man say for himself, who employs his superior talents, only to impose on the credulity of the weak and unsuspecting? Such talents are capable of being applied to the best, or the worst purposes in life, and the guilt of their mis- · application is to be measured, both by the good they have not done, and the evil of which they have been the active cause. What persuasive energy might they not add to the cause of religion? But, alas! what unhappy extent do they frequently give to the cause of vice? Ah! how many sins, not your own,