117. Царь своего подданного зовет к себе указом

It happens that the Tsar, wanting to call his subject to him, sends a decree to him and thereby calls him to himself. So the Heavenly King Jesus Christ calls every Christian to Himself in the next century, but He calls through death. A person sees his approaching end or death - then a decree from the Heavenly King comes to him invisibly, by which he is called to Him. What then is in the poor man's heart? What fear, what awe and horror, what rebellion, excitement, what despair shakes him! Ah, the Heavenly King is calling me, but I’m not ready! His decree came to me so that I could appear to Him, but I am defective. I see my death approaching, but I never thought about it. My death, which I never remembered, has approached me. The gates to eternity are already opening for me, which I never thought about. I am afraid of the Judge God, Whom I have angered. My conscience convicts and torments me, presenting me with my sins. The unhappy and painful eternity into which unrepentant sinners go, confuses me with fear and horror of everything. Why have I never thought about this terrible hour? Why was my mind busy in the bustle? Why did I collect so much goodness for myself? Why did you chase after the glory and honor of this world? Why did you commit such and such sins? Why did I not heed the word of God, which warned me? What benefit do I now have from the wealth, honor and glory found? Why now the pomp and pride of life? Why is my house rich and variously decorated? Why carriages, horses, many servants, lands and villages, various names and titles? Why pleasure gardens, galleries and ponds? Why friends, whom I often entertained with banquets and various wines, and had fun with them myself? This vanity and everything else from this world darkened and blinded my mind, and so I could not recognize charm and truth, evil and good, harm and benefit, sin and virtue, damnation and true bliss; This vanity has taken away my memory - the memory of death, which I am now approaching, and which puts an end to all this imaginary consolation, and the memory of eternity, into which I am now going. Now I know what is charm and what is truth, what is my true good and what is my true evil. Now I see that the word of God is true and teaches the truth. Blessed are those who listen to this! Damned are those who do not heed! O world, a world of vanity and charm, a world filled with charm, how you seduce a poor man! I now leave all your treasure; and, instead of wealth and a beautiful house, I move into a small coffin; and, instead of silk and fine linen clothing, I will cover myself with a black robe; and, instead of many lands and estates, I will bury myself in a three-arch hole in the earth; and, instead of wealth, honor and glory, I inherit death and corruption; and, instead of the luxury with which I consoled myself, I will be food for worms. Goodbye everyone! Farewell to my wife and children, farewell to my friends and acquaintances, farewell to my servants and peasants, farewell to my estates and lands! I am leaving you now. Goodbye world! I am leaving you now, and I am leaving everything that is yours to you. Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked now I go on the journey of all the earth (Job 1:21). Now I see that everything I had was not mine; just as I will now leave everything that I had, and just as I entered the world with nothing, so I am leaving the world without everything. The Heavenly King is calling me now and I am going to Him; but I tremble at His righteous and terrible judgment. He doesn't look at faces; judges by our conscience and by our deeds, and not by persons. With Him are kings and subjects, nobles, princes, masters and their slaves, rich and poor are equal. Christian! Remember that a decree will come to you from the Heavenly King; and he will come when you do not know and call you; and what happens to others at their death, and you see for yourself, will happen to you too. Be reasonable and wise and prepare for that hour in advance with repentance and contrition of heart; prepare for the hour in which the gates to eternity will open for everyone. That hour is terrible not only for sinners, but also for saints, who, always thinking about this, lamented and cried. From that hour everyone must either be saved forever or perish forever. Remember death - and you won’t want to have fun with the world. Truly all the vanity and luxury of this world will seem vile to you. You will seek weeping and tears more than fun and joy. You might be interested in: