“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”
How few seem to think of this, and act as if death and judgment were realities! Many seem surprised at death, though in a world where sin reigns unto death. Yet some so acknowledge the fact of their being mortal, that they consider a family vault a necessary appendage to a wealthy estate; but, alas! those who build the vault are sometimes the first to inhabit it. We lately read the following narrative: “I once knew a rich man who determined to have a very large and beautiful house built for himself. He bought a lot of ground in a beautiful part of the city, and took great pains to have the house built in the best manner. There were many spacious rooms and wide halls. It was planned so as to be warm in winter, and cool in summer. No expense was spared to have it as comfortable and complete a dwelling as could be found. No doubt, he looked forward to many years of enjoyment in this new and elegant house.
“At the same time that this large house was preparing for himself and his family, he had another built for them. And there was a great difference between the two; for the second house had but one small room for the whole family, and that room was mostly underground. It had, indeed, strong walls, and was built of marble, but it had no windows, and but one small door; and that, was made of iron. Yes: these two houses were built for the same people. The one was for the living family, the other for the dead. For the small low house is the vault into which their bodies are to be placed, as one after another shall be called away from life.
“The vault was soon finished, and it was ready long before the large house. And into which of them do you think the rich owner himself went first to take up his abode? Strange as it may seem, he was ready for the vault before the fine dwelling was ready for him; and many months before the spacious rooms of the new house were fit to be inhabited, its builder was laid in the narrow, dark, and cold apartment.”
How solemn this is! yet not surprising, because death is God’s just appointment, for man is a sinner, and after death judgment. And who can tell the next of whom it will be said, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee?”
Are you then, dear reader, prepared for this change? Are you at peace with God? Do you know what it is to be reconciled to God by the precious blood of Christ? We read in Scripture that Christ died for the ungodly, and that those who believe in Him shall not come into judgment, but have passed from death unto life. Depend upon it, dear reader, that death and judgment will be eternally terrible to you, unless you have taken refuge in the peace-speaking blood of Jesus. On that ground only can God accept you. By the blood of Jesus only can you escape the coming wrath, or find present peace. Well may we sing―
“Happy they who trust in Jesus,
Sweet their portion is and sure;
When the foe on others seizes,
He will keep His own secure.
Happy people!
Happy, though despised and poor!”
Dear reader, remember it is God’s word that declares, that, “The just shall live by faith,” and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;” and you will find, if you are called to leave this world, and you are looking only to Jesus, and relying only on what God says, you will be able to triumph in Christ, and say, Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
When Polycarp was exhorted to swear and blaspheme Christ, in order to save his life, he replied, “Fourscore years have I served Christ, and have ever found him a good Master; how then can I blaspheme my Lord and Saviour?”
An old African Negro, who had long served the Lord, when on his death bed was visited by his friends, who lamented that he was going to die, saving, “Poor Pompey is dying.” The old saint, animated with the prospect before him, said to them with much earnestness, “Don’t call me poor Pompey; I king Pompey.”
When another was asked on his death bed, how he found himself, he answered, “I have taken my good deeds and bad deeds and thrown them together in a heap, and fled from both to Christ, and in Him I have peace.”
A servant of Christ attended the dying bed of a young female, who thus addressed him “I have little,” said she, “to relate, as to my experience, I have been much tried and tempted, but this is my sheet-anchor―He has said, ‘Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.’ I know I have come to Him, and I expect that He will be as good as His word. Poor and unworthy as I am, He will not trifle with me: it would be beneath His greatness, as well as His goodness; I am at His feet, and
“‘’Tis joy enough, my all in all,
At thy dear feet to lie;
Thou wilt not let me lower fall,
And none can higher fly.’”