Think Well On't/Day 10
THE TENTH DAY.
On the great accounting day.
CONSIDER, that nothing can be conceived more terrible than the prospect which scripture gives us of the last accounting day, with all the prodigies that shall go before it. The sun shall be darkened; the moon red as blood; the stars without light, and seeming to fall from the firmament; the earth shaken with violent earthquakes; the sea swelling and roaring with unusual tempests; the elements all in confusion, and whole nature in disorder. The day of the Lord, says the prophet Joel, ii. a day of darkness and obscurity, a day of clouds and whirlwinds. Before its face devouring fire, and behind it burning flames. The earth shall tremble at the appearance of it, and the heavens be moved at its sight. The sun and moon are darkened, and the stars have withdrawn all their light. And the prophet Sophonias, i. cries out: That day, a day of wrath, a day of tribulation and anguish, a day of calamity and misery, a day of darkness and obscurity, a day of mists and whirlwinds. Can any thing be more frightful than these descriptions? Ah! what will then be the thoughts of sinful man, who sees himself threatened by all these signs? Alas! he shall perfectly wither away with fear, in expectation of that tragedy which must follow these dreadful preludes.
2. Consider, that the last day being come, a fire raging like an impetuous torrent shall, by the command of God, consume the whole surface of the earth, and all that is thereon; nothing shall escape it. Where, O worldlings, will be then all your stately palaces, your pleasant seats, your gardens, fountains and grottos? Where your gold, silver and precious stones &c.? Alas! all that you have set your hearts on in this world, shall in a moment be reduced into ashes; to shew you the vanity of the things you loved, and your own folly in placing your affection upon such glittering shadows, upon such painted bubbles. Learn then, my soul, to despise this world and all its goods, since all must end in ashes and smoke; and lay up for thyself a treasure in heaven, which alone will be out of the reach of this last fire.
3. Consider, that the final end of this world being now come, the archangel shall sound the last trumpet, and raise his voice with a Surgite mortui: Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment: a voice, that shall be heard at once all over the universe, that shall pierce the highest heavens, and penetrate down to the lowest abyss of hell: at this voice, in an instant, by God's almighty power, all the children of Adam, from the first to the last, shall arise from the dust, and every soul shall be again united to its respective body, never more to part for eternity. Oh! my soul, let this last trumpet always echo in thy ears! Oh! take care to prevent the terror of this summons, by hearkening now to another summons of the great trumpet of the Holy Ghost, who calls upon thee by the mouth of the apostle: Arise thou that sleepest, and rise from the dead, that is from the death of sin, and Christ shall enlighten thee, Eph. v. It is thus by having part in the first resurrection, thou shalt provide in time against that dreadful hour, when time shall be no more, Apoc. x. It is thus thou shalt escape the second death.
4. Consider the wonderful difference there will be at the time of this general resurrection between the bodies of the just and those of the wicked. The just shall arise in bodies most beautiful, more pure than the stars, more resplendent than the sun, immortal and impassible: but the wicked shall arise in bodies suitable to their deserts; foul, black, hideous, and every way loathsome and insupportable; immortal, it is true, but to no other end than to endure immortal torments. What an inexpressible rack will it be to these wretched souls, to be forced into such carcasses, to be condemned to an eternal confinement in so horrid, so filthy an abode! Ah! take thou care, my soul, to keep thy body now pure from the corruption of carnal sins, lest otherwise it be one day an aggravation of thy eternal misery.
5. Consider, with how much satisfaction and joy the souls of the just shall be united again to their bodies, which they have so long desired; with what affection they shall embrace those fellow-partners of all their labours, of all their sufferings and mortifications; and now designed, by sharing in the glory of the heavenly Sion, to give an addition to their eternal happiness. But, Oh! what dreadful curses shall pass at the melancholy meeting of the souls and bodies of the reprobate! Accursed carcass! will the soul say, was it to please thee, to indulge thy brutish inclinations, that I have forfeited the immortal joys of heaven? Ah! wretch, to give thee a filthy pleasure for a moment, I have damned both myself and thee to all eternity. O thrice accursed carrion! it is just, it is just, that thou who hast been the cause of my damnation, shouldst be my partner in eternal woe. But oughtest not thou rather, unhappy soul, to be a thousand times accursed by the body, since it was thy business, and was in thy power, to have subjected its passions and lusts to the rule of reason and religion; and thou didst rather choose, for the sake of a momentary satisfaction, to enslave thyself to its sensual inclinations, and so to purchase hell both for thyself and thy body? Ah! Christians, let us learn to be wise by the consideration of others' misfortunes.