To all in this church
Suffer me to add a few words to all of you who are present this day before the Lord, the people in this church. Should you not bear it in your minds all the day long, that a more awful day is coming? A large assembly this. But what is it to that which every eye will then behold, the general assembly of all the children of men that ever lived on the face of the whole earth?
A few will stand at the judgment seat this day, to be judged touching what shall be laid to their charge. And they are now reserved in prison, perhaps in chains, until they are brought out to be tried and sentenced. But we shall all, I who speak and you who hear, stand at the judgment seat of Christ. And we are now reserved on this earth, which is not our home, in this prison of flesh and blood, perhaps many of us in chains of darkness too, until we are ordered to be brought forth.
Here a man is questioned about one or two facts which he is supposed to have committed. There we are to give an account of all our works, from the cradle to the grave. Of all our words. Of all our desires and tempers. Of all the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Of all the use we have made of our various talents, whether of mind, body, or fortune, until God said, Give an account of your stewardship, for you may be steward no longer.
In this court it is possible that some who are guilty may escape for want of evidence. But there is no want of evidence in that court. All men with whom you had the most secret intercourse, who were privy to all your designs and actions, are ready before your face. So are all the spirits of darkness, who inspired evil designs and assisted in the execution of them. So are all the angels of God, those eyes of the Lord that run to and fro over all the earth, who watched over your soul and labored for your good, so far as you would permit. So is your own conscience, 1,000 witnesses in one, now no more capable of being either blinded or silenced, but constrained to know and to speak the naked truth, touching all your thoughts, and words, and actions. And is conscience as 1,000 witnesses? Yes, but God is as 1,000 consciences. O who can stand before the face of the great God, even our Savior, Jesus Christ?
1771 text
4. Suffer me to add a few words to all of you who are at this day present before the Lord. Should not you bear it in your minds all the day long, that a more awful day is coming? A large assembly this! But what is it to that which every eye will then behold, the general assembly of all the children of men that ever lived on the face of the whole earth! A few will stand at the judgment seat this day, to be judged touching what shall be laid to their charge. And they are now reserved in prison, perhaps in chains, till they are brought forth to be tried and sentenced. But we shall all, I that speak and you that hear, stand at the judgment seat of Christ. And we are now reserved on this earth, which is not our home, in this prison of flesh and blood, perhaps many of us in chains of darkness too, till we are ordered to be brought forth. Here a man is questioned concerning one or two facts, which he is supposed to have committed. There we are to give an account of all our works, from the cradle to the grave; of all our words, of all our desires and tempers, all the thoughts and intents of our hearts: of all the use we have made of our various talents, whether of mind, body or fortune, till God said, Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayst be no longer steward. In this court, it is possible some who are guilty, may escape for want of evidence. But there is no want of evidence in that court. All men with whom you had the most secret intercourse, who were privy to all your designs and actions are ready before your face. So are all the spirits of darkness, who inspired evil designs, and assisted in the execution of them. So are all the angels of God, those eyes of the Lord, that run to and fro over all the earth, who watched over your soul, and laboured for your good, so far as you would permit. So is your own conscience, a thousand witnesses in one, now no more capable of being either blinded or silenced, but constrained to know and to speak the naked truth, touching all your thoughts and words and actions. And is conscience as a thousand witnesses? Yea, but God is as a thousand consciences! O who can stand before the face of the great God, even our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
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.