same is being performed in a Lay person and this by vertue of a Religious state That those who are truly Religious people do euer the Will of God That a Religious life as aboue is partly shewed cutteth off and preuenteth all occasion of sinne That by a Religious state we she the world and all the dangers thereof All these particular points I say I will pretermit to enlarge my selfe vpon and I will close this longe Passage touching the Fruits and benefits of a Religious life by heere shewing That one maine or chief Fruite thereof is that it promiseth a safe quiet and happy death The greatnes of which benefit what tongue can expresse or vnderstanding conceaue since Gods sacred writ assureth vs q Blessed are they that dye in our Lord Now for the better more full apprehension of this so inexplicable a benefit we are to call to mind that at the hower of our death three things are accustomed to afflict vs The 〈◊〉 Death it selfe the remembrance where of in regard that thereby we are to leaue the world and all its temporall pleasures begetteth euen a horrour in Mans Nature and therfore it is most truly said by the Wiseman that the remembrance * of Death is bitter The second reason making death so vnpleasing is that that is the tyme when the Deuill is most accustomed to tempt a Soule with his wicked suggestions The third and most dreadfull is the astonishing feare of the last Sentence oâ— doome of a Soule which instantly followeth after death Now the discontents and terrour of all these three things are much more mitigated sweetned and lessned in Religion then they are or commonly can be in the death of Lay persons To begin with the first This griefe in the Laity proceedeth that by death we are tâ— leaue all worldly Riches states honours yeâ— wife and children Finally that the soule 〈◊〉 leaue the body they two hauing liued so lonâ— as most deare friends Now most of this griefâ— is taken away in one dying in the state of Religious life And the reason hereof is tâ— cause when a Religious man or Woman by their professed state haue once forsaken the world they haue giuen then aforehand their last farewell to all Riches Honours neereneâ— of kindred and the like and then seeing theâ— haue parted with all these allurements afore aâ— their first entering into Religion it cannot 〈◊〉 any great griefe the second tyme to part with them to wit at the tyme of their death Now touching the second point which the Assaults and temptations with which 〈◊〉 Enemy of Mans Soule is accustomed to trouble ech one at his death we dare say That if there be any kind of men that are not troubled at that tyme or but very little with his wicked suggestions the Religious Man is that man And this is thus proued First in that the goodnes of God will not suffer himselfe to â—eaue and forsake that person in that last point of a most dangerous state vpon which person God hath in his lyfe tyme heaped so many spirituall graces and fauours as are necessarily concurring for ones entring into a Religious state Secondly I maintayne that it is most sorâ—ing and agreeable euen to the Iustice of God to protect and defend in that dangerous hower that person who with all sincerity and simplicity of hart hath vowed himselfe I meane both his Body Soule and all the powers thereof to a most strict seuere and Religious Course of seruing his diuine Maiesty Wherefore no good Religious person hath iust Reason to feare but that God at the hower of his death will couer him vnder the wings of his protection and will strengthen his Soule with internall comfort To the lessening or breaking of the forces of the former temptations of the Deuill at the tyme of a Religious Mans death we may add the comfort and consolation which euery Religious man at that hower receaueth of his Brethren euery Religious Woman of her Sisters This I meane by the assistance of their Brethren and Sisters which assistance consisteth in their exhortations Counsell and continuall prayers which allwayes but especially at the instant of death are very powerfull to animate vs in hope and to repell the fierce attempts of the Enemy Concerning the third last point which maketh death most terrible which is the learâ— of the dreadfull doome which immediatly followeth the separation of the body from the soule The feare of which doome is much diminished by the hope of Saluation which iâ— Religious man may more securely promise to himselfe then any Lay person for the moâ—â— part can And this Hope is grounded principally vpon two points First that it is presumed that a Religious Man is not guilty to himselfe of any mortall and grieuous sinne Secondly his Hope is confirmed with the remembrance of the aboundance of his good works during his lyfe tyme neither of which can be wanting in a Religious Course And hereupon we read S. Ierome exhorting Iuliaâ— to a Religious life thus to write to him r Happy is that man and worthy of all blessednes whom old age ouertaketh seruing Christ whom the last day shall fynd fighting vnder our Sauiour or to whom iâ— shall be said Thou hast receaued ill things in thy life but now shalt reioyce Hitherto worthy Cosmophila I haue laboured both for your owne and your Sister Caelia her spirituall good in discoursing of a Religious state And briefly to recall to our memory what hath passed in our former words thereof euen from the beginning of our speach First you may remember that I did discoueâ—â— the weakenes and insufficiency of all those Reasons and Obiections insisted vpon by â—ou with which your Father so much laboâ—ed to impugne at least to disesteeme and disâ—alew a Votary and Monasticall lyfe After that shewed the worth of that kind of life by seting downe the three Essentiall Vowes I meane of Chastity Pouerty and Obedience wherupon a Religious life is grounded or seated That done I did spend diuers passages of â—each in laying open the Excellency Antiquity â—onour Splendour and Dignity of the same kind â— life And now in this last place I haue ranâ—ed togeather diuers of the chiefest and most â—rincipall Fruits and benefits euer necessarily â—â—tending vpon a Religious state So as now I how not what more can needfully be said â—uching this subiect That your Sister Caelia hath by these my words strengthened and fortifyed her pious resolution for imbracing this course of lyfe I â—â—st fully assured Now what operation my â—eaches haue found in you Cosmophila will â—est appeare by your owne relation Only I â—ould be glad as through some words by â—ou aboue vttered I partly hope if so by force these my speaches your Iudgment might fully induced only to haue a true and worâ—â—y conceite of a Religious life Cosmophila Only to haue a true and worthy conceite of a Religious life O God if so I
had one Father and Mother deare Sister â—ow do you How do our parents Are they health Cosmophyla Most louing Sister how glad am I to see â—ou Our parents are in good health of body But our only good Brother Monadelphus for you know we had but one and therefore we were vsually for many yeares accustomed so to call him since your departure out of England is dead to the inconsolable griefe of my Father and Mother though I trust he liue with Christ Iesus in Heauen And his death is the only occasion why my Father hath sent me vnto you With the cause wherof seeing this Religious Lady is in the end to be acquainted I thinke it conuenient to declare it in her presence though from others I would haue the matter concealed But must in the meane tyme this vnkind or rather enuious Irongrate through which I only yet but see you must it I say barre vs from mutually imbracing one another now after my wearisome iourney of so many miles both by sea and land Abbesse Mistresse it shall not you shall haue free accesse to come in to speake conuerse with your Sister Our house is not of that seuere disposition as to forbid that familiar consolation of Sisters which euen Nature and all morall Ciuility warranteth Neuerthelesse you do prudently to acquaint me with any priuate busines which may passe betweene you and your Sister for it is the custome of our house as also of other Monasteryes that no particular discourse of moment shall passe betweene any of our Sisters and Strangers how neere soeuer they be in kindred without the priuity of the Abbesse or of some other appointed by her order Therefore come with me I wil take you into a retyred place where not any shall be present but this our Reuerend Father Confessarius to whome is ordinarily made knowne the greatest busines of our house my selfe you and your Sister Caelia Well Now heere you are You may freely impart the occasion of your comming to your Sister and so to vs both Cosmophila Well then Good Sister let me first salute imbrace you Now touching the busines this it is Take notice that as I haue abous tould you our only Brother is dead In regard hereof my Father hearing that as yet you haue not made any Vow of a Religious lyfe nor yet in conscience stand obliged to any such spirituall course you being only in your Nouiceship He is desirous therefore that you returne presently into England with me for his meaning is through want of heyres-Male to deuyde his liuing betweene vs which to speake sparingly is two thousand pounds yearely himselfe as you know well being a knight if so I may deliuer it with modesty of good place and ranke He wrote to you some moneths since about this busines but it seemes his letters did miscarry and therefore he was the more willing to send me vnto you to persuade you to satisfy herein his iust desire Therefore seeing we are Sisters in Nature I hope you will beare to my speaches a Sisterly and listing eare And since you are the elder Sister my Father commanded me to tell you that vpon your mariage he will bequeath to you at his death the better part or moity of his state and liuing This is the Tenour of my message and it is warranted with such strong Reasons and Motiues as that I cannot be persuaded but that you will conforme your selfe to our Father herein with all promptitude and readines of Resolution and that you will within few dayes prepare your selfe for your returne with me into England Caelia O deare Sister you could not haue brought me a more distastfull and vnpleasing message then this I am most sorry that our Brother is dead and yet we all must once dye but that his death should be the occasion of my forsaking my intended and now entred into course of life I infinitly loath Therefore O most mercifull Redeemer Iesus Christ to whom I am allready deuoted in soule neuer to espouse any but thy selfe heere vpon my knees I most humbly beseech thee euen by the force of thy bitter passion so to strengthen fortify the weakenes of my Sex with thy alouercomming grace as that neither the ghostly Enemy of mans Soule nor any temporary or vayne Allectiues or Motiues may be of strength to worke so vpon my iudgment as euer to beare me from the station of my present Resolution to imbrace a Monasticall votary lyfe O Good God of whom it is said That thou a choosest the weake to confound the strong arme my imbecillity with thy succurrency and help to subdue all assaults which either the Enemy or the World shall be able to plant against me Abbesse Ryse vp deare Sister Caelia you haue spoken well and I assure my selfe God will not be wanting with his grace towards you For he neuer forsaketh that party who putteth his trust in him for we read b God is a tower of strength from the face of the Enemy Cosmophila What Sister Must this be the message the which I must returne from you to your Father Where then is your obedience to your parents It seemes it is wanting yet I haue heard learned Clarks say that * Obedience is better then Sacrifice Can it be an effect of a Religious lyfe to cast of that duty to our pareÌ„ts which the Religion of God commandeth vs euer to beare Is it not one of the precepts imposed vpon vs by God himselfe Honour * thy Father and Mother that thy dayes may be long vpon earth Therefore good Sister recall your selfe and cast an eye of introuersion vpon your owne actions And let both you and me euen meditate according to our Fathers desire of Husbands of Husbands I say the very sound of which word is so gratefull to our sex And let vs both remember that since we are borne to liue in this world we are for the tyme to be louers of the world and to be partakers of the Honours therof as to haue our Coaches our Attendance braue and rich Apparell to liue at London and the lyke Caelia O how do your words wound my poore hart with griefe And why do you cast an aspertion of disobedience vpon me I honour my Father and Mother yet I honour my Sweet Iesus more My Father gaue a being to my body in this world God is the supreme Agent giuing a creation both of my soule and body My Father intreats but God out of his irresistable power commands My Father promiseth temporall lands and preferments God promiseth me an eternall heauenly Kingdome Briefly my Father hath maintained me being once borne with necessaries to my lyfe God being borne hath redeemed me being borne with the effusion of his most pretious bloud and euer since hath fed and nourished my soule with the celestiall iuyce of his Grace-bringing Sacraments Why then should my Soule be so trayterous to his diuine Maiesty and
the other both in mind and outward worke We may adde hereto what S. Ierome speaketh to wit x Not only the shedding of bloud is to be accounted Martyrdome but the vnspotted behauiour of a deuout mynd is a daily Martyrdome So far S. Ierome Now to compare a Religious life with Martyrdome of the body It is then to be obserued that as in many things Martyrdome surmounteth a Religious life so also a Religious life in some some things euen excelleth Martyrdome To instance this Martyrdome of the body surpasseth a Religious life in that it vndergoeth far greater paines and torments yet the greater the torments are they must therein be the shorter and sooner bring the tormented party to Heauen But in Religion though the paines be not so violent yet they are of greater and longer endurance Againe Martyrdome is to be preferred in that by meanes thereof a man layeth downe his owne life which is the dearest pledge that one can performe for another Religion though wanting this glory yet it hath the continuance of a most holy life and store of merits this for many yeares which doth aduance a man very highly in the fauour of the diuine Maiesty and reward him with many degrees of glory and eternall happines in the Heauenly Ierusalem And according hereto we may safely affirme that many yeares spent in holy conuersation and retirednes of life wil be attended with a greater increase of Reward then the loosing of ones life by only one short Act of Martyrdome shall procure Now this Aduantage Religion hath aboue Martyrdome To wit that a Religious Course is a more safe way to gayne Heauen then the expectation thereof by Martyrdome And the reason hereof is in that many Christians at the tyme when they should suffer Martyrdome for the profession of their Religion haue shamefully falne from their fayth for the auoyding of their torments And this is euident out of the writings of S. Cyprian y who relateth the miserable falles of seuerall hundreds who as he sayth were ouercome before the battaile and ouerthrowne before the encounter Now Religion lyeth not open to this danger since a Religious life more sorreth to a mans disposition then Martyrdome doth and there be many things in it which as aboue is shewed asswage the hardnes of that Course Another priuiledge which a true Religious life hath aboue Martyrdome is that where as Religion is euer at hand and ready to be imbraced at all tymes Martyrdome seldome happeneth since Martyrdome is not in our power for neither ought we to kill our selues nor to prouoke others to kill vs for either of these were an Act of great presumption and most displeasing to God Now I will conclude the resemblance betweene Martyrdome and a Religious life with this ensuing obseruation That as without death there is no Martyrdome of the body so a Religious life may be said to suffer a certaine kind of death For seeing death depriueth vs of our wealth of our friends and of all manner of things in this world we in like manner find that a Religious Cause doth depriue a man of all the same things and this so wholy that a Religious man can no more enioy these things then if he were truly really dead Yet here is a disparity which maketh in behalfe of Religion which is that when by Martyrdome we dye our bodily death it is an easy matter to want all these worldly things because we then going to a better lyfe shall haue no need of them whereas seeing in this life we haue need of them we forbeare the fruition and enioying of them with greater difficulty and resistance of Nature Therefore impasse no further in this subiect I conclude in respect of all that aboue said that by Martyrdō a man dyet to his Body by Religion he dyeth to himselfe Heere now Cosmophila you may behold the splendour and worth of a Religious life which as it is surpassed in some respects by Martyrdome so in others it exceedeth it I say it exceeds Martyrdome the suffering whereof euen our Sauiour himselfe so much celebrateth in these words Greater z love then this no man hath that a man yealdeth his life for his friends Caelia O good Father You much strengthen my resolution with the sweetnes of these your discourses But now it comes to my mind that you one day in discoursing to our Religious Sisters of the dignity of a Religious state did call it a Sacrifice to God your meaning therein I did not I confesse nor yet do perfectly vnderstand I would desire your Reuerence to expresse your selfe more plainly that so my sister Cosmophila and my selfe may be the better instructed therein Confessarius Well then to come to that point I did then say nothing but what I will proue at this present And first in warrant of that my Assertion that Religious persons are a continuall Sacrifice to God in respect of the oblation which they make of themselues to God I do produce S. Austin thus teaching a A man consecrated vowed to the Honour of God is a Sacrifice in regard that he dyeth to the world that he may liue to God When we chastice our body by temperance if we do it for God as we ought to do to the end not to yeald our members weapons of Iniquity but weapons of Iustice to God it is a sacrifice Yf therefore our body which is but as it were a seruant and instrument of our soule be a sacrifice if the good and pious vse thereof he directed to God How much more then shall a soule be a Sacrifice when it deuoteth it selfe to God to the end that being inflamed with the fyre of his loue it may destroy in it selfe the forme and impression of all worldly Concupiscence and be reformed according to his vnchangeable likenes subiect vnto him and this Sacrifice shall be so much the more gratefull by how much it partaketh of his beauty Thus far doth S. Austin discourse of this point With whom agreeth S. Gregory thus speaking b We offer our selfes in Sacrifice to God when we dedicate our lyfe to his diuine Seruice Thus these Fathers to whom I could alledge the like authorities of many other of them And now from hence I may infer That if it be a Sacrifice for vs to offer any thing vp to God then doubtlesly to offer vp our selues to God is truly a Sacrifice the true Nature and essence whereof cōsisteth in the absolute oblation of our selues I meane of our bodies and soules and of all the powers of our Soules and particularly in offering vp the power of our will especially in such an oblation as being once offered vp it is not in our power to recall Now how most acceptable the sacrifizing of our Soule body is to God is proued by this reason following Yf the Sacrifices of the Old Testament consisting in offering vp to God a Heiffer of three yeare old or a
course and consequently to ease and pacify their minds And indeed as concerning my selfe in particular it seemes to me that you Reuerend Syr do in some sort stand obliged to performe what I here desire For since it is the force of your pious and vertuous discourse which hath first wrought so much vpon my Soule as to induce it I hope irreuocably to the vndergoing of a Religious life that therefore you are euen in your owne reputation bouÌ„d to giue my Father by your letters full satisfaction for the warranting of this my chosen State Confessarius Good Cosmophila I will not be wanting in any thing to satisfy your desire or to aduance your spirituall good Therefore I will not only write to your parents in both your behalfs howsoeuer I know not how they will respect the letters of a meere stranger but I will withall send to them in writing the whole Discourse which hath passed betweene you Cosmophila and my selfe to trye thereby if it may in any sort sway with them All which shal be sent together with your owne letters to them But now you must giue me leaue to acquaint you before you and I do write to your parents with a custome which we generally hould with euery one who desireth â—o enter as Religious into this our Monastety It is this We do giue to euery such one certaine Points of deuotion to meditate vpon in which they vsually spend some few dayes By this when this short Spirituall Exercise for so it is commonly called is ended both themselues and the Gouernours of their â—oules may be better assured of the certainty and firmenesse of their vocation and whether their vocation proceed from God or from the â—nemy the Prince of darkenes who sometimes transformes himselfe in shew into an Angell of light That labour then being once happily finished with a Generall Confession of your whole life to this very tyme we will â—resâ—ntly send our letters with the former Disâ—â—unse to your Parents Cosmophila O deare Father this is more then euer I heard of but I like it wonderfully well This course â—ierceth euen to the hart of the Soule and no â—oubt so good a ground worke cannot be atâ—â—nded on with any euill Euent Therefore Good Father command me herein what you will I am most ready to obey Confessarius Well then seeing Cosmophila you are yong and not experienced in this kind of Exercise Therefore that this worke shall not become ouer fastidious and wearisome vnto you will content my selfe with appointing you to meditate on these foure points following which are commonly called the Quatuor Nâ—nissima Of which the holy Scripture thâ—â— sayth z In all thy works remember Nouissima thy later End and thou shalt not sinne for euer 1. Death 2. Iudgment 3. Hell 4. Heauen The manner and forme of meditating these points which I would wish you to follow and which is particularly obserued bâ— the Religious of this our Monastery is sâ— downe by the late Holy Bishop of Geneua iâ— his booke entituled An introduction to a deuouâ— lyfe These former points are so fully and mâ—â—ingly disposed in that booke and for the better begetting in the Readers Soule a Contrâ—tion and loathing of sinne as that I will taâ— the paines to write the said Meditations dowâ— for you omitting diuers others for your greater ease euen in the same words without any alteration as they are deliuered by the for â—â—id Booke For to alter them in any sort an that perhaps to the worse were by deprauing is booke euen mightely to wrong the worthy and pious Author Therefore you may â—editate on them as they shal be in Order set â—owne and you may bestow a whole day at seuerall chosen houers to meditate only â—n one of them so as within the compasse of â—esse then one Weeke you may performe the Meditations of them all The Lady Abbesse will â—llot to you a retired roome as more fitting â—or meditation where you are to stay from the â—ompany of all others during the tyme of these your Meditations And she will assigne one to â—ttend vpon you for all necessaries belonging â—o your body and herselfe at least once a day will visit you and further you with her directions in this your spirituall labour to see and you proceed therein Cosmophila I am most ready to follow your prescribed â—â—me and indeede I am most willing that â—our Reuerence and my good Lady Abbesse hould euen mould me a new as both of you â—hall thinke best presuming it will turne to â—e honour of God and benefit of my owne Soule Therefore I will now leaue you for the â—yme Good Father and attend you Madame or your shewing me the place of my retirement Abbesse Follow me then hopefull Cosmophila and will bring you to it Come in Doe this is you Chamber where for some few dayes you aâ— to stay alone during the performance of you Meditations You shall haue a sister to attenâ— you with all necessaries my selfe will moreouer visit you euery day at diuers tymes to your greater encouragement in so pious and profitable spending of your howers And with this for the present I will leaue you and send you instantly the forsaid transcribed Meditations which 〈◊〉 Confessarius hath wished you to peâ—use and seriously to ponder Cosmophila Well Deare Lady I commend my selfe first to Almighty God and to all the Blessed Saints in Heauen and then to Your and Father Confessarius good prayers that I may reape such spirituall benefit by the said ensuing Meditations as may most comfort my Soule and strengthen it in prosecuring with all â—eruour and true fortitude my intended Course of life The first Meditation of Death The Preparation 1. Place your selfe reuereutly in the presence of God 2. Pray him to inspire you with his grace 3. Imagine your selfe to be extreamely sicke lying vpon your death-bed without any hope of recouery Considerations 1. Consider the vncertainty of the day of your Death O my poore soule thou must out of this body one day but when shall that day be Will it be in Winter or in Summer In Citty or Countrey By day or by night Shall it be vnawares or with aduertisement By sicknesse or by casuality Shalt thou haue leasure to confesse thee or not Shalt thou haue the assistance of thy Ghostly Father or not Alas O my Soule of all these things we know not one only certaine it is that dye we must and alwayes sooner then we imagine 2. Consider that at that tyme the whole world shall haue an end so far forth as concerneth thy selfe that is there shall be no more worlds for thee yea it will turne vpside downe before thine Eyes for then the pleasures the vanities the worldly ioyes the fond affections of thy life will seeme vnto thee like flying shadowes and fading cloudes Ah! wreethed Captiue that I am for what trifles and bables haue I offended almighty God Thou shalt then euidently see
that thou hast offended him for iust nothing Contrary-wise at that houre all deuotion piety and other good-workes will seeme vnto thee the greatest and sweetest Treasures in the world O wherfore did I not follow this faire and pleasant path wilt thou then say At that sorrowfull tyme thy sinnes which before seemed vnto thee but little Molehills will appeare bigger then huge Mountaines and thy deuotion so little that thou wilt be scarce able to perceaue it 3. Consider the long and languishing Fare-wells and Adieu's that thy distressed soule will then giue to this world how sorrowfully she will bid adieu to Riches to Honours to Vanities to vaine Company to Pleasures to Pastimes to Friends to Neighbours to Parents to Kinsfolks to Husband to Wyfe to Children and in a word to all creatures And finally to her owne body which she must likewise leaue all pale wrinckled hideous loathsome and most detestably smelling 4. Consider the impressions that one shalâ— haue to lift vp or lay hand on this thy body The great hast that euen thy best friends will make to carry thy carcasse out of doores and to hide the same full deepe vnder the ground farre inough from their sight and this done how seldome afterwards the world will thinke vpon thee Surely no more then thou thy selfe hast thought vpon other men who haue deceased before thee God haue mercy on his Soule will they say and there is all O death how art thou to be pondered How art thou terrible pittiles and without compassion 5. That at this departure from the body the Soule taketh his way on the righthand oâ— the left Alas alas whither then shal thine goe what way shall it take Surely no other theâ— that which it hath heretofore begun in this world Affections and Resolutions 1. Pray earnestly to God and cast thy selfe with trembling loue betwixt his armes and say Alas O my Lord receaue me into thy protection at that dreadfull day Make that last houre happy and fauourable vnto me and let rather all the rest of my life be nothing else but dayes of sorrow affliction and calamity 2. Despise the world thus saying Seeing know not the houre wherein I must leaue thee O wretched world I will no more set my loue vpon thee O my deare Friends Kinsfolkes and Allies suffer me â— beare you only that affection which is compatible â—ith an holy amity and may therefore last eternally For why should I vnite my selfe to you in such sort as that afterwards we should be forced to break the knot â—f amity betwixt vs 3. I will therefore from this very instant prepare my selfe for that perilous houre and take that care which is requisite to end this iourney happily I will seâ—ure the state of my conscience to the vttermost of my ability and take present order for the reformation and amendment of such and such my defaults c. Conclusion Giue thankes vnto God for these Resolutions which he hath infused and giuen vnto â—hee and offer them againe thankefully loâ—ingly and lowly vnto his Maiesty Intreat him a new to giue thee a Happy death for the death of his dearely beloued Sonnes sake our Lord and Sauiour Implore the assistance oâ— the Blessed Virgin Mary thy Angell Gardian and all the holy Saints in Heauen The second Meditation of Iudgment The Preparation 1. Place thy selfe in the presence of God 2. Pray him to assist thee with his grace Considerations 1. After the time that God hath ordained for the continuance of the world and after a number of dreadfull signes and boâ—r blâ—presages the terrour thereof shall make a man wither for feare and anguish A consuming floud of fire shall burne and reduce to ashes euery thing that is vpon the face of the earth â— nothing we see excepted to be priuiledged from this fyery deluge 2. After this fearfull floud of flames and lightnings all men shall rise from their graues excepting such as already be risen and at the summoning of the Archangels voyce they shall appeare before the iudgment Throne in the valley of Iosaphat But alas with what difference For the one sort shall arise with glorified bodies casting forth rayes of exceeding light and the other in bodies or rather in Carkasses most hideous and Ioathsome to behold 3. Consider the Maiesty wherewith the Soueraigne iudge will appeare enuironed with all the armies of his Angells and Saints Before him shall be borne triumphantly his â—acred Crosse shining much brighter then the â—unne A standart of Grace to the Good and of â—igour and terrour to the Wicked 4. This Soueraigne Iudge by his redoubâ—ed commandement which shall suddainâ—y and in a moment be put in execution shall separate the good from the bad placing the one at his right hand and the other at his left O euerlasting separation after which these two bands shall neuer more meete againe together 5. This separation being made and the bookes of Consciences being layed open all men shall see clearely the malice of the wicked the contempt which they haue borne to the Maiesty of God And on the other side the â—ennance of the good and the effects of the grace of God which they haue receaued and nothing at all shall be hidden or kept secret â—n that great Consistorie O good God! What a shamefull confusion will this be for the one and what a glorious consolation for the other 6. Consider the last sentence pronounced against the wicked Goe you * cursed into euerlasting fyre prepared for the Diuel and his Angels Waigh well these words which are so waighty Goe sayth he a word of eternall reiection and abandoning of those vnfortunate wretches banishing them eternally from his glorious face Next he termeth them accursed O my Soule how dreadfull a Curse a Curse comprising in iâ— all manner of mischiefe and misery An irreuocablâ— curse comprehending all tymes and eternity He addeth into euerlasting fire Behold O my hart the grieuous horrour of this eternity O eternall eternity and boundlesse infinity of paines how dreadfull art thou 7. Consider the contrary Sentence giuen and pronounced in fauour of the good Come sayth * the Iudge O sweet word beginning of saluation by which God draweth vs vp vnto himselfe and receaueth vs into the bosome of the rest and glory the Blessed of my Father O deare blessing treasure of blisse Possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world O good God what excesse of fauour for this kingdome hath no end Affections and Resolutions 1. Tremble O my soule at the remembrance heerof O my God who can secure me at that dismall day in which the pillars of heauen shall tremble for feare 2. Detest and abhorre thy sinnes for only they can cast thee away at that dreadfull houre 3. Ah wretched hart of mine resolue to amende all O Lord I will iudge my selfe now with all care stricktnes least I be then iudged far more rigorously
her Meditations haue wrought very forcibly vpon her Iudgment I my selfe will goe and bring her forth Loe Good Father I haue freed Cosmophila of her voluntary imprisonment and haue brought her forth againe to your Reuerence Now Cosmophila you may freely heere vnfould to Father Confessarius whether you haue reaped any spirituall profit by this your willing restraint and by meditating of the points which were appointed you Cosmophila O Good Madame and you Reuerend Father I should be most vngratefull not only to your selues but chiefly to his diuine Goodnes if I should conceale the benefit which I trust I haue gotten in this Spirituall Exercise such internall consolation in hath pleased his diuine Maiesty to power 〈◊〉 Soule And indeed I here confesse with an inexplicable comforts that whereas before my retyrement I was most willing to imbrace a Religious life my desire thereof is now so infinitly increased as that my words are scarce able to expresse my thirsty greedines thereof And to lay my selfe openly to you both besides the prefixed order of meditating the foresaid points set downe in writing I after laboured to apply according to my weaknes of iudgment the vse of euery particular Meditation to the seconding and furtherance of my intended course of a Religious life I will exemplify this point in all the Meditations 1. In my meditation of Death I thus discoursed with my owne Soule Yf the ryme of our â—eath be most vncertaine vnto vs Yf at that tyme there must be an end of all the world so far forth as concerneth vâ— Yf at that hower all our tyme fruitlesly afore spent in the pleasures of the world will seeme most â—sple using to our Memory in regard what is to follow death haue not I then iust reason to spend my tyme â—reasâ—er is that most strict course of life which will â—nâ—â—melesse vnwilling to entertayne death when soeâ—er it shall come and will afford me greater confidence and hope of my future Saluation 2. The Meditation of Iudgment did most affraight my poore Soule considering the 〈◊〉 and terrible signes which are to be the fore-runners of the day of iudgment But specially considering the last Sentence proâ—â—inced by the Iudge to the wit led and to be Good or vertuous To the wicked in these wordes Goe you cursed into euerlasting fyre To be Good and vertuous Come you blessed of my 〈◊〉 posâ—esse the kingdome which is prepared for you 〈◊〉 beginning of the world I then concluded with my selfe That no paynes or labour in this world could be thought by any man enioying but any spark of reason to be ouermuch for the auoyding of the euerlasting fyre or for the gayning of that promise kingdome 3. In the meditation of Hell I did consider two points with reference to my determined life First the insufferablenesse of the paines of Hell Secondly that they were tâ— continue for all Eternity Alas thought I who is all the rigour and austerities in the most strâ—ct course of Religion that is in the world in respect of the leaâ—â— part of those dreadfull torments Againe What is to leade a life somewhat paynefull to flesh and bloud only for the space of some few yeares in respect suffering insupportable torments for alleternity and without end Then did I conclude in the secrâ—â— of my Soule Happy is that Man or woman whâ— with a Christian Resolution and courage is wholy beâ— to lead a most seuere and austere life for the preuâ—nceâ— the grieuousnes of the paines of Hell which are to continue for euer And then were presented vnto my trembling Hart those words of the Holy Scripture Who a can dwell with deuouring fyre and with euerlasting ardours 4. To end with the Meditation of Heauen O now was my Soule rauished with inexplicable comfort in pondering that it is in on power and will by suffering some laborioâ—â— Acts in this world and through the mercy God to purchase those most happy ioyes Heauen Then I said to my selfe Shall the obseruance of the three Vowes of a Religious life shâ— fasting shall rising in the night to prayse God or shâ— any other Morâ—ifications whatsoeuer practised in Monasteries be thought too great a price for the buying of the most pretious Margarite b of the kingdome of Heauen where all the Saints do now raigne with God and shall raigne for euer and euerlastingly No and hereupon came presently into my mind those words of the Apostle sometymes repeated by my owne Father The sufferings c of this tyme are not worthy of the glory to come that shall be shewed vnto vs In this sort were my thoughts busied after I had performed the Method prescribed in euery Meditation Confessarius I much reioyce Happy Cosmophila at this your more then expected fortunate proceeding Well then Seeing things so prosperously goe on there remayneth nothing but that the Lady Abbesse now at the feast of S. Iohn Baptist my Patron which is within these few dayes do admit you into the Nouiship with your sister Caelia In the meane tyme both of you may make your Letters ready which you meane to send to your PareÌ„ts mine ioyned to theÌ„ by that time shall not be wanting Your Retinue which you brought with you may stay here vntill the tyme aforesaid when you shall publikely receaue the vsuall Habit or cloathing of the Nunnes of this Monastery at the performance whereof your said-seruants may be present that so they may with greater confidence assure your Parents of all things here falling out either coÌ„cerning you or your Sister Caelia And seeing Religious Women in most Monasteries do change their Names at their first entrance into Religion therefore since your owne desire vpon your receauing of the Sacrament of Confirmation aboue expressed is such hereafter inâ—teed of Cosmophila signifying A louer of the world you shall be called Sister Christophila as hauing deuored your selfe wholy to the Loue and seruice of Christ our Redeemer and Sauiour Abbesse I condescend Cosmophila most willingly to all that which Reuer Father Confessarius hath disposed touching your admittance And at the day aboue named I will giue you your Habit and we will by Gods Grace account you hereafter as one of our owne Caelia No more then Cosmophila but sister Christophila O happy houres We are now Sisters in a double manner Before by Nature now by Grace before by Generation of Pâ—rents now by Regeneration of God himselfe briefly before by a certaine constraint and Necessity proceeding from Man now by our voluntary 〈◊〉 of one and the same Religious forme of liâ—e rising from the blessed impâ—â—ations of his Diuine Goodnes But Good sister seeing the tyme of your admittance will be within these so few dayes â—et vs in the meane while haue ready a ioint letter written from 〈◊〉 to our louing Parents to acquaint them with all the passages concerning vs both Cosmophila I shall louing Sister be most willing to put my name and hand to all what