When the saints are raised, they must give an account of all things
that they have done while they were in the world, of all things
"whether they be good or bad."
1. Of all their bad. But mark, not under the consideration of
vagabond slaves and sinners, but as sons, stewards, and servants of
the Lord Jesus. "We must all stand before the judgment-seat of
Christ;" we saints; "for it is written, As I live, saith the Lord,
every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."
It is true, God loveth his people; but yet he loveth not their sins,
nor any thing they do, though with the greatest zeal for him, if it
be contrary to his word. Wherefore, as truly as God will give a
reward to his saints and children, for all that they have indeed
well done, so truly will he at this day distinguish their good and
bad; and when both are manifest by the righteous judgment of God, he
will burn up their bad, with all their labor and travail in it, for
ever. He can tell how to save his people, and yet take vengeance on
their inventions.
That is an observable place, 1 Cor. 3:12-15: "If any man build upon
this foundation, (Christ,) gold, silver, precious-stones, wood, hay,
stubble, every man's work shall be manifest; for the day shall
declare it; because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall
try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work shall
abide that he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If
any man's work shall be burned, that man shall suffer loss, but he
himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire."
I am persuaded that there are many things done by the best of
saints, which then they will gladly disown and be ashamed of; yea,
they have and do still do this with great devotion. In many things
now, we offend all; and then we shall see the many offences we have
committed, and shall ourselves judge them as they are.
But yet take notice, that in this day when the saints are thus
accounting for their evil before their Saviour and Judge, they shall
not then, as now at the remembrance and confession of sin, be filled
with that guilt, confusion, and shame, that now, through the
weakness of faith, attend their souls: neither shall they in the
least be grieved or offended that God has, before the angels and the
rest of their holy brethren, laid open to a tittle their infirmities
from the least and first to the biggest and last.
For the God to whom they confess all, they will now more perfectly
than ever see he doth love them and free them from all, even when
and before they confess and acknowledge them to him; and they shall
have their soul so full of the ravishing raptures of the life and
glory that now they are in, that they shall be of it swallowed up in
that measure and manner that neither fear, nor guilt, nor confusion
can come near them or touch them. Their Judge is their Saviour,
their husband, and head; who, though he will bring every one of them
for all things to judgment, yet will keep them for ever out of
condemnation. Perfect love casteth out fear, even while we are here;
much more then when we are with the Saviour, our Jesus, being passed
from death to life.