The Sacred Diary, Section 8 – Section 9
SECT. VIII. When thou riſeſt out of thy Bed in the Morning.
THink then how Almighty God can as eaſily raiſe thee out of the Grave in the morning of the Reſurrection, from the ſleep and bed of death, as he hath awakened thee in thy Bed, and raiſed thee up in health and ſafety this Morning: When the Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from Heaven with a ſhout, with the Voice of the Arch-Angel, and the Trump of God, the ſound of this Trumpet ſhall be heard over all parts of the World, and with this Trumpet ſhall he ſummon all Nations to come to the general Judgement.
This is that fearful Voice, whereof Saint Hierom ſpeaketh, ſaying, Whether I eat or drink, or whatſoever I do, I ſeem always to hear that Voice ſounding in mine Ears, Ariſe ye Dead, and come to Judgment.
Oh! Who ſhall appeal from this Summons? Who ſhall be able to avoid this Judgment? Whoſe Heart ſhall not quake and tremble at the ſound of this terrible Voice? This Voice ſhall take from death all her Spoils, and cauſe her to reſtore again all that ſhe hath taken from the World. The Sea ſhall give up the Dead which are in it: and Death and Hell deliver up the Dead which are in them, Rev. 20.13.
Think with thy ſelf, O Chriſtian, when thou art riſing out of thy Bed, what a wonderful ſight that ſhall be, to ſee the Sea and the Earth bring forth in all parts ſuch variety of Bodies, and to behold ſo many huge Armies riſing out of their Beds of death and darkneſs, and ſo many ſorts of diverſities of Nations and People gathered and aſſembled together: To ſee the moſt mighty Princes, and moſt puiſſant Potentates of the Earth, raiſed out of their Tombs, and appearing with another manner of habit and behaviour, and with other kind of thoughts, much differing from thoſe that they had in this Life.
Think then with thy ſelf, that all the Children of Adam ſhall meet together, every one to give up an account of his own Life, and to be judged according to his Works; yet ſhall there be a great difference between the Juſt and the Unjuſt, at the day of Reſurrection: Some ſhall riſe to everlaſting Life and Glory, and ſome to Shame and everlaſting Contempt, Dan. 12.2.
Conſider what a joyful meeting there will be of the Souls and Bodies of the Juſt at the general Reſurrection. With what joy ſhall the Soul then embrace the Body? And (as it were) ſay thus unto it: O my Body, and faithful Companion, that haſt holden me in obtaining this glorious Crown, that haſt ſo often Faſted, Watched, and Prayed, that haſt ſuffered with me the neceſſities of Poverty, the croſs of Afflictions, the reproaches and contradictions of reviling Tongues? How often haſt thou ſtript thy ſelf of thine own Raiment, to cloth the Naked? How often haſt thou denied thy ſelf, renounced thine own right and title, being unwilling to break Peace, and be at Variance with thy Neighbour? Wherefore it is meet, that thou ſhouldſt now be partaker with me of this my Glory, as thou haſt been my companion in all my Labours and Sufferings.
Think alſo with thy ſelf, of the grievous and woful meeting of the Souls and Bodies of the Wicked, at the day of their Reſurrection. The Soul of ſuch an one ſhall then ſay to his vile Body: O curſed Body, the cauſe of my woe and miſery: Now I take thee no more for my Companion, but mine Enemy: Now art thou no more my Helper, but my Perſecutor. O curſed Taſte, how dearly now do I pay for thy delicates, and delights! O ſtinking Fleſh, how have I by yielding to thy Luſts and Pleaſures, plunged my ſelf into theſe endleſs Torments! Is this the Body that ſcarce muſt touch the Ground, that would not endure the Wind to blow upon it, that Body which I ſpent ſo much time in Dreſſing and Adorning it. Is this the Fleſh which I ſo often glutted and pampered? Were theſe the delights of this Body, for which I caſt away my ſelf? Was it for this ſtinking Dung-hill, that I have loſt for ever the Kingdom of Heaven? O ye infernal Furies, riſe up now againſt me, and tear me in pieces! Curſed be the day of my unfortunate Birth, ſeeing for a few ſhort Pleaſures, I muſt ſuffer everlaſting Torments.
Theſe, and other more deſperate words thou mayſt think (Chriſtian Reader) ſhall the miſerable Soul ſpeak unto that Body, which ſhe loved ſo exceedingly in this Tranſitory Life. I will ſet down the words of a Devout Man, in this kind. Tell me, O miſerable Soul, why doſt thou now ſo much abhor that thing which heretofore thou lovedſt ſo well? Is not this Fleſh thy dearly beloved? Is not this thy Belly which thou madeſt thy God? Is not this the Face which thou didſt keep ſo charily from Wind and Sun? Is not this the Viſage which thou didſt paint with ſo many Artificial Colours? Are not theſe the Arms and Fingers which gliſtered with Rings of Gold, Bracelets, and Diamonds? Is not this the Body, for whoſe ſake ſearch was made both by Sea and Land, to furniſh a Table for it, with all dilicate and dainty Diſhes? To have a ſoft and ſtately Bed, to procure curious and ſumptuous Garments? Who hath now ſo changed thine Affections? who hath now made thy Body to appear ſo horrible and deformed, which before ſeemed ſo amiable and beautiful?
Bleſſed and holy is he that hath part in the firſt Reſurrection; on ſuch the ſecond Death hath no power, Rev. 20.6.
SECT. IX. When thou art ſluggiſh, and loth to riſe out of thy Bed in the Morning.
THink then with thy ſelf, O Chriſtian, that thou heareſt the Voice of Chriſt calling to thee, as ſometimes to his Spoufe, Cant. 2.10. Riſe up my Love, my fair One, and come away. Conſider what Saint Paul ſaith to the Romans. Rom. 13.11.It is high time to awake out of ſleep. Awake unto Righteouſneſs, and ſin not, 1 Cor. 15.34. It is not enough that ye affect Righteouſneſs, and to have the Heart bent toward it in ſome ſort, but you muſt awake to it; as Mens Spirits are freſh and renewed, and made more quick and active, when they awake out of ſleep, awaken and quicken your Souls to Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, as if you were to begin the work again, that ſo your Spirits may be freſh, and your Hearts active and lively in the Service of God.
See how David ſtirreth up himſelf. Awake Pſaltery and Harp; I my ſelf will awake early. [Awake Pſaltery and Harp.] Doth David ſpeak to theſe dead Inſtruments? Doth he not rather ſpeak to his own Affections, that they might be awakned, and quickned, to make Melody to the Lord in his Heart, whilſt he played with his Hand upon the Pſaltery and Harp. He knew, the Harp though never ſo well tuned and managed, would make but dull and flat Muſick in the Ears of the Living God, if the Heart were not tuned, and the Affections ſtirred up and quickned. Raiſe up thy Heart to God, and the love of the World will little prevail with it, the more able ſhalt thou be to diſcern the excellency of Heavenly Things. This is a ſpecial Help againſt Temptation, and a means to prevent it; and hereby thou ſhalt be fitted for a more free Communion with the Lord, and the more able ſhalt thou be to feel the Power of God in his Ordinances, and ſhalt abound in every good Work, and ſhalt find great delight in the Service of God.