1.  The  very  day  appointed  inferreth  a  necessity  of  change  both  of
heart  and  life  ;  for  how  else  shall  we  stand  in  the  judgment  who  have
broken  God's  laws,  and  are  obnoxious  to  his  wrath  and  displeasure  ?
If  we  should  never  be  called  to  an  account  for  what  we  have  been  and
done  here  in  the  world,  we  might  then  freely  indulge  ourselves  in  all
fleshly  delights,  and  do  what  we  please.     But  this  is  a  principle  of  fear
and  restraint,  that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into  the
judgment :  Eccles.  xi.  9,  '  Rejoice,  0  young  man  in  thy  youth  and  let
the  heart  cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth  ;  and  walk  in  the  ways  of
thine  heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes  :  but  know  thou,  that  for  all
these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment.'     None  of  us  can  hide
or  withdraw  ourselves  from  that  great  tribunal,  before  which  we  are  to
give  an  account  of  what  we  have  done  and  received  in  the  body.     And
therefore  it  is  best,  while  we  are  in  the  way,  to  make  our  peace  with
God  and  break  off  our  sins  by  repentance ;  otherwise  what  quiet  can  we
have  in  ourselves  ?  or  how  can  we  keep  ourselves  when  we  are  serious
from  trembling  at  wrath  to  come  ?    We  may  smother  conscience,  and
baffle  all  convictions  for  the  present ;  but,  Christians,  you  and  I  must
be  judged.     Now  when  God  riseth  up  to  the  judgment,  what  shall  we
answer  him  ?     Job  xxxi.  14,  '  What  then  shall  I  do  when  God  riseth
up  ?  and  when  he  visiteth,  what  shall  I  answer  him  ?  '     That  must  be
thought  on  beforehand.     If  we  have  no  answer  which  will  satisfy  now,
much  less  then.
