Every work, and every idle word
And every man shall there give an account of his own works, yes, a full and true account of all that he ever did while in the body, whether it was good or evil. O what a scene will then be disclosed, in the sight of angels and men! Not the fabled Rhadamanthus, but the Lord God Almighty, who knows all things in heaven and earth.
An old Latin line said of that fabled judge that he punishes and hears their tricks, and forces them to confess. In plain English, the line says that he makes each one confess the sins he committed among the living, sins he was glad to hide in vain, and put off until the late hour of death. Not a fable will do that. The Lord will.
Nor will the actions alone of every child of man be brought then to open view, but all their words. For every idle word which men shall speak, they shall give account of it in the day of judgment. So by your words, as well as by your works, you shall be justified, or by your words you shall be condemned. Matthew 12:36-37.
Will not God then bring to light every circumstance also that accompanied every word or action, and if it did not alter the nature, yet lessened or increased the goodness or the badness of them? And how easy is this to him who is about our bed and about our path, and spies out all our ways? We know the darkness is no darkness to him, but the night shines as the day.
1771 text
5. And every man shall there give an account of his own works, yea, a full and true account, of all that he ever did while in the body, whether it was good or evil. O what a scene will then be disclosed, in the sight of angels and men! While, not the fabled Radamanthus, but the Lord God Almighty, who knoweth all things in heaven and earth,
Castigatque auditque dolos; subigitque fateri Quæ quis apud superos, furto lætatus inani, Distulit in seram commissa piacula mortem.
Nor will all the actions alone of every child of man, be then brought to open view, but all their words: seeing every idle word which men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. So that by thy words as well as works, thou shalt be justified; or by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Will not God then bring to light every circumstance also, that accompanied every word or action, and if not altered the nature, yet lessened or increased the goodness or badness of them? And how easy is this to him, who is about our bed and about our path, and spieth out all our ways? We know, the darkness is no darkness to him, but the night shineth as the day.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 15 in the 1771 Works. Romans 14:10. Bedford, 10 March 1758.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.