Meditation Forty-second.
On our journey to eternity.
I. MAN shall go into the home of his eternity. Eccles. xii. 5. This earth is not our true country; we are only passing through it on our way to eternity. The land in which I dwell, the house which I inhabit are not mine: in a short time, and when I least expect it, I must leave them. The house which will contain my body, until the day of general judgment, will be the grave, and the house of my soul will be eternity, in heaven if I be saved, in hell if I be lost. Foolish indeed then should I be were I to place my affections on things which I must soon leave. I will endeavour to procure for myself a happy mansion in which I may dwell for ever.
II. Man shall go into the home of his eternity. It is said he shall go, to give us to understand that each one shall go, in another life,, into that house which he himself has chosen: he shall go, he shall not be conducted, but shall go thither of his own free will. Faith teaches us that in the next life, there are two habitations: one is a palace of delights, where all are happy for ever, and this is paradise: the other is a prison of excruciating torments, where all are for ever miserable, and this is hell. Choose, my soul, to which of the two thou wilt go. If thou desire heaven, thou must walk in the way which leads to heaven; if thou shouldst walk in the way which leads to hell, thou wilt one day unhappily find thyself there. Jesus, enlighten me, Jesus strengthen me. Suffer me not to be separated from thee.
III. Man shall go into the house of his eternity. If then I be saved and enter into the house of bliss.
