A CERTAIN rich and well-known man resolved to build himself a large and handsome house. He purchased a piece of ground in the best part of a great city, and spared himself no pains, nor cost, to ensure its being of the handsomest description. He arranged spacious dwelling rooms, and large reception rooms, taking special care that they should be comfortably warm in winter, and refreshingly cool in summer heat, In short, he sought in every way possible to make it a pattern of modern elegance and ease, hoping to enjoy his new and magnificent abode for many years.
During the erection of this palatial family residence, he had another building prepared. How great the difference between the two! Whilst the one contained a number of splendid apartments, the other was of one small chamber only, for the whole family, and that was under the earth. And although the wall was of beautiful marble, there was no other entrance than a small iron door.
Strange! Both were prepared for the same person; the one a large, roomy, beautiful building for the living; the other, a small, narrow, low vault for the dead, in case any member of the family should depart this life.
Long before the mansion was completed, the tomb was ready. And in which of these two houses, do you think, the rich builder made his first entry?
How singular! He was ready for the tomb, before the mansion was ready for him. Long before the spacious apartments of the new house in the great city were habitable, the proprietor was found in the narrow, dark, cold chamber under the earth, where his body must lie until the hour comes, in which all who are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God (John 5:2828Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, (John 5:28)).
This is a history, dear reader, that should fasten itself upon your attention. Many things in life may appear bright and attractive, and promise rich enjoyment, but how soon the same fade into the past. "The house of the living" is great and beautiful, so that it hides from men's eyes, and covers over, "the house of the dead." But forget not, that thou, like the man in our little narrative, mayest be laid in the grave before thou comest to enjoy the looked-for pleasures of this life.
And what then?
After death the judgment. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”
(Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)). But now thou livest; and now is the day of grace (2 Cor. 6;2). Now—but of tomorrow, who knows? Now canst thou flee from the judgment, if thou turnest in sincere self-judgment to Him who has said, " I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall ye live; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die " (John 11:25, 2625Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25‑26)).
The true believer, whose sins are forgiven, and who is in Christ, has the sure promise of a house, not made with hands, but eternal; not in this fleeting world, but in the heavens; and his passage out of this into that life is not death, but falling asleep here, to awake in the Lord's presence there (2 Cor. 5:88We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)). Or, if the Lord should come, which is the Christian's blessed hope, the sleeping ones shall be raised, and those who are alive and remain changed in a moment, caught up to meet Him in the air (1 Cor. 15:5252In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52); 1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18)).