The Restless Bed # 2

The Restless Bed # 2

THE REST. "My bed." "If I make my bed in hell." Rest in hell? A bed in hell? What kind of a bed could that be? 

A bed composed of the thorns of bitter reflections.

A bed made up of the terrible inflictions of incensed justice.

A bed embracing the horrors of a guilty conscience, the blackness and darkness of despair, the ceaseless outpouring of the vials of the wrath of God!!

This bed is ever heaving - like the restless ocean; ever sinking - like a millstone, in the bottomless depths; ever burning - like a lake of liquid brimstone; and ever inflicting torments - beyond description or conception.

"MY bed" - the bed I procured by a life of sin.

"MY bed" - the bed I deserve for rejecting the Saviour, and neglecting the great salvation.

"MY bed" - the bed awarded me by a just and holy God.

MY OWN bed - the only bed I can claim; the only bed I can expect; that bed for which I labored; and which is the righteous wages of my sin.

My OWN bed - the only bed I shall have forever!

My OWN bed - on which there can be no rest day nor night. Ever wakeful, every weary, ever cursing and condemning myself - here on my infernal bed - I am doomed, and justly doomed to lie forever!

THE EMPLOYMENT. "If I make my bed in hell." Every man makes his own bed, and on the bed he makes for himself - he must forever lie.

What are sinners on earth doing? Making their bed in hell! Drunkard, dishonest man, liar, profane swearer, promiscuous man, hypocrite, careless sinner, trifling professor, worldly-minded church-member. There is a hell - an eternal hell. Justice provided it originally for the devil and his demons - but there is room in it for rebellious men, and if they die impenitent - they will be forever doomed to it!

No one will have a place in hell, who does not richly merit and deserve it. Hell is just wages - for present sinful work. "The wages of sin is death" - eternal death. O terrible thought, to be working so hard on earth - only to receive the wages of eternal punishment in hell!

"If I make my bed in hell."

Young man - what if you should make your bed in hell? It will be your own act and deed.

Young woman - what if you should make your bed in hell? And you may - for pride, elegant dress, aborting your own children, and neglect of God, without any grosser vices - will be sufficient to prepare for you a bed in hell!

Aged man - what if you should make your bed in hell? What a dreadful close - to a long and trying life on earth!

Aged woman - is it possible that you should make your bed in hell? It is - and more than possible!

Religious man - what if you should make your bed in hell? What if after all your prayers, sacraments, and contributions to religious societies - your bed should be in hell! And it will - if you are not found in Christ!

It does not matter - whether young or old, whether professor or profane - unless you are washed in the blood of Jesus; unless you are sanctified by the Spirit of God; unless you are reconciled to God by the death of His Son - you will certainly make your bed in hell.

Look well to it, then, I beseech you - that you have saving faith in Christ, and that you are regenerated by the Holy Spirit - for without true holiness, no one can see the Lord. Without holiness - you will certainly make your bed in hell!

~James Smith~

(The End)