Nothing but unpardoned sin should make us fear, and nothing should make us doubt of pardon but want of repentance, of that repentance "whereby we forsake sin." For otherwise it is no repentance at all. If we say "Lord I repent" without

a firm resolution to forsake all that offends the Lord, and to amend our lives, this is only the prayer of the hypocrite, drawing near with our lips, while our heart is far from him.

Forbearance and forgiveness towards others is also necessary to prepare for this account. We must beware of using this language pay me that thou owest, if we wish our thousands of talents to be remitted unto us. If we wish to be forgiven we must forgive.

Charity to the poor is also necessary to prepare for this account. With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again, saith our Lord, and, inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Prayer to the Lord Jesus is also necessary to prepare for this account. We must make both acquaintance and friendship with Him in prayer. We must have no secrets from Him. We must so state our accounts with Him as if we were immediately about to appear in his presence.

Devotedness to the Lord Jesus is also necessary to prepare for this account. We must devote ourselves entirely to Him, making it our chief concern to please Him, living solely to Him, doing all in his name whatsoever we do in word or deed,

doing for his sake all the good we can to others in soul or body, so that when we give up our account to Him our conscience may bear witness that the business for which we lived, was, not to serve the flesh, but to serve Him.

Here then are some of the means by which we may prepare and by which we may judge of the state of our account. Our repentance is a test by which we may judge of the state of our account. Is it sincere? Have we confessed all? Have we searched and tried our ways? Have we searched and tried all of them, or have we hid some of them from ourselves? Have we looked them in the face, or have we winked and turned away our eyes from them? Have we forsaken all that is sinful, all that is odious? Do we abhor that which (in our own conduct especially) has been evil? Do we resolve with all our soul to cleave to that which is good? If so, then we have comfort, for the Lord saith Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.

Our forgiveness of others is a test by which we may judge of the state of our account. Rancour and enmity against others are heavy charges against us, but if our heart be perfectly free from these evil affections, then we have great hope of mercy and favour, seeing that if we forgive men their trespasses, our heavenly Father will also forgive ours.

Our charity to the poor is also a test by which we may judge of the state of our account, for we ought to be able to say whether we are, in this respect, merciful after our power.

Our prayers are also a test by which we may judge of the state of our account. When we have satisfaction and comfort in laying open our hearts to Him who made them, this is a sign of his grace and favour. This confidence towards God is a great assurance that our account is such as He would accept if we were called upon to render it up immediately, as we may be any day.

Our devotedness to the Lord Jesus is also a test by which we may judge of the state of our account. The Lord Jesus represents Himself as dealing with us as we do with one another. Do we not require servants and labourers to employ all their time and strength in our service? When we take account with labourers, do we pay them if their work be unperformed? Why should our Lord's work be so much easier to be accounted for than our ordinary work? The image of labourers in a vineyard implies not indeed unreasonable or unmerciful work, but daily, regular, and steady labour, such as fairly employs a man's best powers. The parable of the talents shows that He requires an account of our time, our strength, our wealth, our abilities. Do you then my brethren employ your talents which He hath given you to the very best of your power in His service? This is a trying question, because it implies devotedness of

all

the heart to the Lord Jesus, and most of us would rather give Him any thing than that. If you say

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yes; you really do employ all your talents which He hath given you to the very best of your power in His service," your conscience will speak more joyfully to you than I can. If than I can. If you say "No; you do not employ all your talents which He hath given you to the very best of your power in his service," then I advise you not to give up your case as hopeless, because you may amend; you may grow in grace; you may be a branch that will be purged to bring forth more fruit; but I remind you that until you serve your Lord with more sincerity of purpose and strenuousness of endeavour, you cannot in reason expect that conscience should give you the comfort of a full assurance of a favourable audit.

He whose conscience sums up both sides of the account will not find it difficult to strike a balance. And if he strike the balance in his favour, he will not fear the prison. For where sin hath abounded, grace much more aboundeth.

Abundance of pardon is set over against abundance of sin. But nothing is set over against unrepented sin, or insincerity of mind. If our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God. In one respect our heart does and must condemn us, for having had wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts; but if we forsake our wicked ways and our unrighteous thoughts, then our heart will not condemn us we having confidence towards God,

that is, having confidence that God will forgive us, having confidence, not of innocence, but of grace and favour.

Why then should a man be afraid to meet his God and Saviour? What remains in death to be dreaded? Do we dread to be with Christ? Are we loth to leave a clay cottage, having a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens? Shall we not be under the dominion of the same God and Saviour? Is this world the best part of his creation? Are the riches, the honours, the pleasures, the friends that we meet with here so much better than that heavenly company, those pleasures at his right hand, that fulness of joy for evermore which He will bestow? Is this corruptible body better than that state of incorruption, life, happiness, and glory which He hath prepared for us? Or do we doubt his word? Shall we believe one another's promise and not believe his? Has He not fulfilled and is He not fulfilling his word already? Does He not comfort us? Does He not reveal Himself to us in prayer and in the devout study of his word, though it be through a glass darkly? Shall not then the certain and assured hopes of departing from this body and being with Him be always with us and be always welcome? Shall we rejoice in other things and not in this? Shall not our heart be where our treasure is?

If we would have acceptance with Christ when we leave the body, and comfort from Him while yet in the body, let us strive to make Him our