Be Sober-Minded Because of Future Judgment

You must shortly go to judgment. With the consideration of this, Solomon endeavors to make his young man sober who is for walking in the way of his heart and in the sight of his eyes; “Know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into judgment.” And thou that makest a jest of everything, shalt not be able to turn that off with a jest hereafter, however thou may-est think to do it now (Eccl. 11:9). This likewise he urgeth upon his pupil in the close of that book, as a reason why he should be religious: “By these, my son, be admonished … Fear God, and keep His commandments … for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing” (Eccl. 12:12–14).

Young men who have strict masters, who will call them to an account how they spend their time, and how they go on with their business, are thereby obliged to industry and care; whereas, if the master be careless, the servant is in temptation to be so too. But know that you have a Master in heaven whose eye is always upon you, and follows you closer than the eye of any master on earth can. God knows and observes all you do, all you say, all you think, and an account is kept of it in the book of His omniscience, and your own conscience. These books will shortly be opened, and not only will all be reviewed, but you will be judged accordingly. Are you then not concerned to think, and speak, and act accordingly?

When you are vain and profane, should not this be a check upon you, and make you sober to think: How will this look when it comes to be looked over again? How will it pass, when I pass my trials for eternity?

Your bodies are mortal; your souls are immortal; therefore, let not sin reign either in the one or in the other. You are dying, are dying daily; in the midst of life, nay, in the beginning of it, we are in death. You may die this day, may die in youth, and the number of your months be cut off in the midst; and you know, that after death is the judgment. As your state is fixed in the particular judgment at death, so it will be found in the general judgment at the end of time, and so it will remain to eternity. How awful, how dreadful the appearance of the Judge will be in the great day! The Word of God has again and again told us.

God knows and observes all you do, all you say, all you think, and an account is kept of it in the book of His omniscience, and your own conscience.

Knowing therefore those terrors of the Lord, the terrors of that day, we implore men—we beseech young people—to be sober-minded, and therefore to let their moderation, that is, their sober-mindedness, their good government and management of themselves, be known unto all men, because the Lord is at hand. “The Judge standeth before the door.”

Exhortation To Prayer

What various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercy seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer;
But wishes to be often there.

Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw.
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw,
Gives exercises to faith and love,
Brings every blessing from above.

Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armour bright;
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel’s side;
But when through weariness they failed,
That moment Amalek prevailed.

Have you no words? ah! think again,
Words flow apace when you complain,
And fill your fellow-creature’s ear;
With the sad tale of your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heaven in supplication sent,
Your cheerful song would oft’ner be,
“Hear what the Lord has done for me.”

Rev. Matthew Henry (1662–1714) pastored a Presbyterian congregation at Chester, England, for twenty-five years. He is best known and loved for his Bible commentary (1708–10). This series of articles is taken from his The Young Christian.

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