loved if thou should consider that in a moment after thy death all these Gallants will be fled and not one will remaine with thy Body thou wouldst not seeke so much to please them thou wouldst not yeeld unto so many remisse effeminate and unworthy condescendments which blemish the reputation and are cause of the damnation of many If thou wert the greatest foole and the most passionate of lovers for any humane beauty do but imagine thy beloved to be deade and putrified as she must be one day it will be impossible that the flame which burnes thee be not immediatly extinguished O how easie it is to subdue the flesh whilst it is alive and sound if one consider what it will be when it is dead Jf thou wert as hardened with malice as Pharao and for all the miracles of the world thou wouldst not bend unto the will of God no more then he did if death should enter into thy thought thou wouldst presently yeeld unto reason as he did as soone as it appeared in his Kingdome and in his owne house I know not whether it be true which some report of Panders that they make use of dead mē skulls as a remedie for all their diseases but I am most certayne that the memorie of death is a most powrfull and afficacious meanes to cure all spirituall evils and to restore the soul unto perfect health King David verefyes my assertion my lord sayes he I had great difficulty to pardon injuries and wrongs which my enemyes did me chastity seemed unto me very hard to keepe contempt was intollerable and in-deed J found all thy commandements al most impossible but when seriously I considered that all here are trāsitory and that I must die this narow way became of its self wide and large chastity appeared easie pardoning of enimies reasonable and all thy precepts light If the remembrance of Death destroyeth sinn the oblivion of it doth intertaine and nourish it for Esaias ca. 47. counting the sinns of Babilon and the punishments with which God would afflict them sayes that the cause of those evils was that they did not remember Death Jeremy seekeing the origine of the vices which reigned in the City of Hierusalem affirmes it to be no other then the little mindefulnes they had of their end SAtan having had a long experience of the soveraigne virtue of this remedie endeavors by all meanes to hender man from making use of it I can not better make thee comprehend his malicious inventions their by the catching or killing of woodculvers which are wilde Pigeons the bird catcher or Fowler having found the tree on which they settle and roost at night in troopes for they are birds that consort together inmultitudes chooseth an abscure and darke night and takes others with guns and drums being arrived at the place they begin to beat the drumme but softly for feare that the Birds should fliy a way and increasing the noyse by little and little they enure them so unto the sound that they at last beat the drummes with all their force with out ever fritghting the Pigeons in the meane while one creepes unto the foot of the tree where he holds up a candle which he had in a darke lanterne the woodculvers which are delighted with light descende unto the lower branches of the tree to enjoy the light then they shoot and at every shott they kill many the others which were higher thinking their companions fled not hearing the gunne by reason of the noise the drummes make takes their place and are also killed Behold the explication of this the tree represents the world the wood Culvers are the men the Fowler is the Divell who intices and allures them unto himself vvith pleasures honors and riches vvhich are like little fires or lights a bout vvhich men fly vvhiles death strikes them their companions never take notice of the blovv by reason of the greate noise vvhich the vvorld makes figured vvel by the drummes So that one hath no sooner quitted these smal splendors but an other courts and seekes them one hath no sooner left any benefice or office but an other flyes thether and so all passe all die and the gratest part are lost for not haveing sufficiently ben vvarned by the death of others that if any one hath reflected on it if any one hath ben moved these resentments as quickly passe as a flash of lightning and even as vve see hogs hie together in troupes grunt and are affrighted vvhen any one of them is killed but he is no sooner dead then every one returnes unto his former imployment this unto his wallowing in mire that unto his rooting with his nose the earth an other to fill him self in the trough even so when a man is dead the neighbowrs are astonished the domestikes weepe the kindred are aggrieved but as soone as he is buried every one return unto his affaires unto his former passions and vices But if all had a lively and couragious spirit and a profound judgment one word in a hundred yeares or to see one dead would be sufficient to convert all those who should see it and considere seriously that the same must infallibly happen unto them selves from whence then proceeds so smal profitt Thinke well on it Thou wilt finde that it proceeds either from the malice of the Divell who deprives thy soul of this profitable thought and diverts it otherwayes if great care be not taken or from the inconstancie of thy jmagination which is so wavering that it knowes not how to remaine long on the same thing if it be not constrained by often reflections therfore I deeme it most necessarie if thou desirest to profitt by this meanes that when thou beginest any busine thou considerest how thou wouldst have done it if presently thou were to die More that once a month thou retirest into a solitary place and dismissing all other thoughts prostrat at the feet of a Crucifixe either in thy chamber or in a Church thou seriously thinkest on these three or four points That the end of thy life will come very soone perhaps before the month be ended That thou must leave all thou hast in this world honors richers and pleasures carrying nothing with thee but the remorse of thy conscience and the sinns which thou hast committed That the Body having given up the Ghost after many paynes and conflicts shall be sowed in a poore sheete layed in the grave and reduced into ashes being forgotten of all the world That the soul shall be happy if at the houre of Death it be in good state but most miserable if it be in mortall sinne and into what part soever it be carried into Heaven or into Hell it shall remaine ther for ever and then imagining thy self to be at the last gaspe and holding the Crucifix in thy hand say with fervor O most mercifull Iesus my support and my strength in whom I beleeve in whom I hope whom I love
mind without doubt from his good Angell it proceeded Thou art here in a good and easy bed environed with filken curtaynes and finds the night so long and tedions and vnable to take any repose Oh what can the soules so many yevres in purgatory doe not mentioning those which burnes in hell for all eternity This thought well pondered made him to resolue to quitt these Fopperyes to apply him the more seriously vnto the obtayning celestiall and eternall happynes What ravishing speech or mouing discourse persuaided a yong and vaine lady to fortefy her courage and to resolue to do penance for her sinns which she did detest as she ought A strong imagination ceased on her Heart She goes with her Neighbours to confesse as much for company sake as for devotion by good fortune she mett with a discreet Confessarious who having heard her confession and sweetly having advertised her of the injury she did her self in living so vainly and wickedly he gave her for penance to weare a haire cloth for certayne howres O Father sayed she what say you to vveare a haire cloth Alas I can not do it I have great difficulty to weare a smocke if it be not very fine well answered the confessarius in lieu of Heircloth you shall fast three dayes how fast replyed she J who can not rise forth of my bed before I have eaten a good caudell O Father this is impossible for me to performe Well then sayed the Confessarius you shall heare three Masses on your knees without turning your head it will be very hard for me not to turne my head replyed she a gaine but impossible for me to kneel so long without fainting I know not what then to do with you replyed the Father seeing you refuse so easie penances having commit'ed so many great sinns Perhaps you can as often as you wash your hands thinke that those white hands shall become filth and wormes meate she accepts of this pen̄ance receaves absolution goes home washing her hands before she sitts to eate she thinks on what was enioyned her for the first and second time she made but smal reflexion but on the third time this thought made so deep impression in her Heart that she resolues to give a fare well vnto all delicacie and vanity for to do pennance proportionable vnto her sinns and to give herself wholy vnto God and to become a Saint Lett these particulare examples suffice for it is a most assured truth that ther have ben million of Persons who have heard most eminent Preacheurs and yett have not ben moved who have had religious Confesseurs able to make Saints and have not gained any thing who have read most spirituall bookes and have nothing profited And yett two or three words well considered a speech spoken without disigne but well pondered and digested hath made them to know themselves and hath reduced them into an happy condition I was Confessarius vnto a Lady of quality who assured me rhat she for 7. years had wepp for the death of her Husband in the beginning very often in the day and afterwards twise every day she never failed to weep I know not how many Religious of divers ordres and other able and discreet people were imployed to make her know the injury she did vnto the holines reputation and virtue of her deceased Husband but all to no effect one day as she was weepeing in her chamber passing throught a gallery she meets with one of her Maydes sweeping who mildly sayed vnto her I know not Madam vnto what purpose your Lá so long time opposeth the will of God This speech proceeding from a chambre mayde glided so deeply in to her soul and she considered it so well that she resolued to make an end of these teares the which so many premeditated dis courses could not effect because they were not well considered on one word by chance spoken and well considered gained and eonquered her Ther fore being it is most true that one sole word well meditated on is capable to convert a person and to profitt more then long exhortations even as as one only graine well buried in the earth will yeeld more increase then a hundred others cast on the high way or on stones I am resolued having a most ardent desire to aide ye Towards your saluation not to propose vnto ye above two or three words at a time but I conjure you by what is most deare vnto you after that I have spoken Thinke well on it ANd because the great secreat consist in giving you the meanes of well thinking on it J find not a better then a strong representation a lively imagination of the hovvre of death This is the secreat which those that would live holy made vse of For this reason the Emperor Maximilian had his Coffin caried allwayes with him S. Iohn Elimosinarius twise or thrise every day visited his sepulcher The Anchoritts have allwayes in their Cels a Deaths head on which they alwayes looked Ther are so many good Religious vvho hardly meditate on any thing then on death Believe me that amongst the infidels those that have desired to live the better have made vse of this meanes I vvill not give you any other example then that of Philip King of Macedony Father of Alexander the great vvho had one of his Pages vvitth him for to come and tell him every Morning Sir remember that you are a Man and therfore must dye Go too my deare friend tell me seriously and from the heart if God should send you an angell to assure you that you were to dye whithin two or three dayes in earnest what would you thinke then what would you say hasten not to answere but before Thinke well on it I read on your countenance what lyes hidd in your Heart you thinke that you are in health young and strong and therfore you can not imagine death to be so necre O for the love of God my deare friend J befeech you confide not on your youth on your health and strenght nor any quality you can have No no you must be deceaved by those who have no other designe then to ruine you believe me rather who am your faithful friend having no other interest then your good I tell you then and assure you desireing you to believe me More younge beter in health and stronger then you more rich and abler then you shall dye this weeke who not witshstanding believes to live as long as you And although I am not a Prophet for to foretell that you shall be of the number yet I can with as great assurance advertise you as if I were one that death to day is neerer vnto you then it was yesterday and that to morrow it will be neerer then it is to day and it will never rest vnt ill it hath over taken tript vp your heils and sent you into the other world Consider therfore seriously on your affaires Thinke well on it THat
houre thou shalst not have any more time to thinke on it Thinke on it often and profoundly Alas thou thinkest day and night two or three months together on Philosophicall question is not thy saluation more deare unto thee Thinke and considere well on it beseeching the blessed Virgin thy good Angell and the Saints that they engraven deeply this thought in thy heart that it may produce the fruit of eternall life in thee THE SECOND PART Concerning that which one would not have done if he had ben to dye presently I remember to have read in the history of Barlaam and Josaphat that ther was in a certaine Region of the world a florishing Kingdome the habitants of which were accoustomed to choose a King evety yeare during which time they gave him all soveraignity and a retinue sutable unto his quality but the year was no sooner expired but then they banished him into a desolate and unhabited Island wher he had more to suffer in exile then he had recreation and pleasure in his Royalty Among these annuall Kings there was one more provident then the others for foreseing that at the yeares end they would not fayle to use him after the same manner they had afforded unto his predecessors he resolued to live as frugatly as possibly and to save all he could and to send it privatly into the place of his banishment where he failed not to arrive at the ordinary time and by reason of his providence did not meete with those inconveniences and miseries which the others found ther but enjoyed pleasure and content This Parable for I do not belive it to be a true story plainely declaires the blindnes and stupidity of those which the world hath raysed unto greatnes and riches with which they are wholy delighted and absorpt they never thinking that at the end of their life which how longe so ever it be is not a day in the kalender of God the world will deprive them of all it seemed to bestowe on them sending them into the other world where they shall finde nothing but poverty and misery for want of providence Deare Reader I love thee too tenderly for to wish thee so much misery but on the contrarie I do pray from the bottome of my heart for thy greatest happynes in the next life where thou must remayne for all cternity And for this end I aske of thee if God should send a messenger from heaven for to advertise thee that within eight dayes thou shalt die wouldst thou not be exceedingly pleased for having well imployed thy time in honoring and serving thy good Creator in imitating in all thy actions the virtues of thy sweet Saviour in correcting thy faults and doing pennance in cultivating thy soul and adorning it with all virtues in doing good to all that needed thy assistance and ingaining the favour of those who are powerfull in the celestiall Court What contentment unto a Captayne who having bravely overcome his enimies returnes loden with pretious bootie and trophies before his Soveraigne for to receave of him prayses and recompenses due unto him Thinke well on it Thou wilt say that this is but a grosse and rude reprefentation of the ineffable joy which the Soul hath at the howre of Death seing her self environed with many good workes which conducts her vnto the Throne of God O how sweet is Death unto such a Soul O how willingly doth she behold it Wherfore dost thou not live accordingly that thou mayst die so AMiable Iesus sayes in the ghospell that we ought to be alwayes ready for we know not when Death will come If thou shouldst be warned that it will be to morrow wouldst not thou thanke thy memory for having alwayes kept thee in the presence of God and often put thee in minde of the favours which every moment thou receavest from the liberall hand of thy Creator for having perpetually presented unto thee the beauty of heaven and the horror of hell what hopes conceaves the courtier who ever had his eyes on his Prince for to performe his will when he perceaves the daye arriues of the Princes liberality and great bounty Thinke well on it Thou wilt blesse the memory which affords so much felicity unto the soul and wilt exhort thine to afford thee the like happynes IF thy understanding which endeavors to know all could understand that within two dayes it must depart this world would it not leap for joy to have fought the Creator in all creatures and all crcatures in the Creator not having esteemed any othet knowlegd then the making him self most agreable unto God and to be conducted in all things by the faith which made him seeke after heaven in misprising the earth what pleasure and comfort receaved the woman of the Ghosple at the finding of her groat which she had long seeked after did she not invite her neighbours for to congretulate and rejoyce with her Thinke well on it Thou wilt tesolue to imploy thy intellect inseriously considering the grandeurs of thy God and thou wilt make use of all other sciences to arrive unto this knowledg IT is very probable that once in thy life thou hast desired thy death If now thou shouldst see him with his mortiferous Sythe wouldst thou not feele asweet and delicious ravishment of heart for having never loved any other thing then the infinitly amiable goodnes and him who hath infinitly loved thee How great is the consolation of the spowse of a Prince wher she is certayne to have soly loved her husband and that her bridegroome knowes her fidelity Thinke well on it Boldly of affirme him unhappy and miserable who being able to love God loves any thing els take heed least thou be such an one IT is a long time since God hath preached vnto thee that thou shalt render an account of all the talents which be hath bestowed on thee jmagine this to be the day in which he will demaund them of thee and if it were what sweet and ravishing content wilt thou feele in being able with truth to say with the servant of the ghosple lord thou hast given me five talents behold other five I have gained over and above Thou hast given me eloquence which I have alwayes imployed to prayse thee and to procure all others to do the same Thou hast given me a great spirite which I have used in overcoming thy enimies and comforting thy servants Thou hast given me learning which helped me to discover thy greatnes and mighty workes and to declare them unto others Thou hast given me the grace to be beloved of all I have not taken any other pleasure then that it might make me able to inforce all to love thee Thou hast given me industry to trafick and gayne some thing with which I have vertuously and decently maintayned my family and relived the poore Who can explayne the joy and pleasure which thou wilt receave when the great Lord and Master imbrasing thee with affection shal
off sustayning the truth the haire had the greatest beauty in S. Mary Magdaline for having vviped the feet of amiable Iesvs the eyes of S. Peter shined most for having so long and often vvept his sinn the tongue of S. Chrysostome for having converted so many the teeth of S. Appollonia for being pulld out confesseing the truth the breast of S. Agatha vvere most bright for being exposed unto the burning spinsers rather then to deny her faith the hands of St. John Almner for having distributed so many alms the feet of S. Xauerius sor having travailed so many unknown and barbarous Countreys for to lead thē into the fold of the holy Catholick Church and so of others who altogether do sing infinite praises unto the divine goodnes which hath so well provided for them and for a little misery rendred them so much happiness Good Reader I earnestly desire that thou couldst penetrate unto the bottom of my heart for to see the good place thou hast ther doubtless thou wouldst have great confidence in all that I propose unto thee and thou wouldst receave it with the same intention as I deliver it which is no other then to make thee a Saint Tell me then if thou knewest that after this hour there remained for thee no more honor imployment estate greatness dignity nor place in this world wouldst thou not desire to have been the most humble of men in imitation of Jesus Christ and according unto the example of so many Saints who now tryumph in heaven wouldst thou not be pleased to have yeelded a little of thy right precedeance and greatness for to be placed among the friends of God I demand of thee if it be not desireable to be the meanest of men for some few months for to be all thy life of the chiefest of the Kings privy Councel Thinke well on it Thou wilt conclude if thou hast not lost thy common sence that it were most reasonable to be in the last ranck in this world that after death the great Master Almighty God say unto thee my Friend ascend as high in heaven as for my love thou hast been humbled on earth which is most easy VVHen one ascends an high place he is well pleased to have his cloak caried for him to receave it on the top of the mountain if thou must within two or three daies ascend unto the tribunal of God wilt thou not be exceedingly comforted to have caused many of thy goods to be carried thither by the poor certainly thou wilt have need of them to cover thee before the Justice of Almighty God who having been very liberal towards thee requires that thou be so to the poor is not this reasonable Think well on it Resolve during life to put liberally thy goods in the Bank of God that thou mayest receave an hundred fold IF thou wert at the last gasp of thy life and thou shouldst see at the feet of thy bed the Mother of Mercy who most willingly receaves a pure soul comming forth a chast body wouldst thou not melt with joy for having preserved the purity of thy Body and Soul against the violent assaults of the world Devil and Flesh wouldst thou not bless God for having given thee the industry to fly from and avoid these infamous and ravenous Vultures these enraged wolfs these wicked companions which destroy all O what pleasure content and honour is it unto a brave Captain after having magnanimously defended the treasure of his King in an unfortified place against the furious assaults of a puissant enemy and against the domestick treasons he comes from thence tryumphant to tender the treasure unto the King and to be rewarded by him Think well on it Thou wilt firmly purpose to shun all the ocasions which may deprive thee of this treasure and to abandon rather a thousand lives then to lose it bearing for thy device and cognizance Rather to die a thousand deaths then to defile my Body IF within an hour thy soul should be prayed for as it may happen seeing we are not sure of one hour and shouldst call to mind the speech of our Saviour saying as thou measurest unto others so it shall be measured unto thee wilt thou not be well satisfied to have been meek sweet benigne and charitable towards all Joyful for their good and sorry for their evil to have interpreted all they did to a good sense and to have alwaies spoken well of every one wouldst thou not wish that God should treat thee so Think well on it Determine to gain this virtue more pretious then the Philosophers stone for it will procure thee those treasures without pain which cost others so much labour and trouble VVHen thy soul shall take the last farewel of thy Body which it must though never so late who knowes whether it shall be to morrow wil she not thanke it most affectionatly for that by its temperance it hath open unto her the gate for to enter unto the marriage of the Lamb will not she bless all the Tasts abstinences and mortifications which have gained her a good place in the eternal feast which is better either for a little morsel to be cast forth of Paradise with Adam and Eve or for a small abstinence to enter into Heaven with a multitude of Saint Thinke well on it Resolve to observe temperance which cannot be but discreet for it is a virtue which will prolong thy daies in health on earth and render thee eternally happy in the Kingdom of Heaven THou hast often heard say that of three friends a man gaines in this world to wit Riches Kindred and good works there is but one onely which faithfully keeps him company in the other world the Riches leaves him in the bed as soon as his soul is expired for the sumptuous funerals which are often made are more proper to augment the ambition of the living then to afford any relief unto the dead the Kindred seeme little more constant in Friendship they accompany the body unto the grave with grief and tears but I could not bc deemed a Lyar if I should averr that very often they have more mind to laugh then to weep for if any one weep in good earnest the earth hath no sooner deprived him of sight of the dead but he hath lost the memory of him If he be a Sonne who hath buried his Father he thinkes rather on what his Father hath left him then to pray unto God for him If he be a Husband who hath buried his wife he dreames rather of the meanes to gain another more rich then to relive her dead the good workes accompany us unto the divine Tribunal they plead our cause having obtained for us a crown of glory remain with us and are our ornaments for ever in Heaven which of these Friends wilt thou have Thinke well on it Despise and neglect the first which will abandon thee in the way and adhear not too much unto the second
who will leave thee at the grave but affect and addict thy self unto the third which will accompany thee for all eternity IF thou wert to be laid on a bed this evening for to morrow morning to be carried unto the grave which I know to have happen unto more then four wouldst thou not be exceedingly content to have suffered with patience the loss of thy goods thy renown thy health and all other things and wouldst thou not rejoyce really for having moderated although with difficulty thy natural passions wouldst thou not be infinitly consolated if God should tell thee by thy Patience thou hast saved thy Soul and thou shalt dwell with me for all eternity in my glory Thinke well on it Thou wilt conclude that he is most wife who moderating his violent passions had rather recourse in his affaires unto the puissant ayde of God and so gain a great Crown in Heaven HEre I make an and of all my queries and only ask thee if being at this hour to die thou dost remember among the paynes and anguishes of death that thou hast used a great diligence in the service of God and for thy salvation that for it thou hast not spared riches life nor honor that for it thou hast imployed thy self day and night with all possible intention that the glory of God and the good of thy soul have been the two feet on which thou hast marched in all thy affaires the two hands which hath made thee to labour alwaies the two eyes which hath conducted thee through all wouldst thou not be exceedingly cheerful and in fulness of delight if then presenting thy soul unto God he shall demand of thee whofe Image is this thou canst answer Lord it is the Image of the most holy Trinity which I have conserved inviolate the best I could possible washing it in the blood of Jesus Christ which I receaved in the Sacrament of Penance when that I confessed any Sin I have thereunto added according unto thy intention the imbellishment of all the virtues I knew to practice assisted with thy divine Grace O what pleasure wilt thou feel when after this answer thou shalt see the Father Omnipotent give the kiss of peace unto thy Soul acknowledging her for his child what consolation vvhen the most amiable Jesus shall imbraise it most affectionatly as his dear Spouse vvhat ravishment vvhen the Holy Ghost shall place it on high among the Saints of Heaven as his dear beloved dear Friend I do beseech thee both for the good I vvish thee and for the ardent affection I bear thee Thinke well on it If thy patience being tired thou telst me that I sing but one song vvhich is very importunate and troublesome and that I break your brains with my Think well on it And thou shouldest be exceedingly pleased if I would think on it well my self and leave you in quiet well God be blessed I did expect cleen another thing from a Person whom I so dearly love and desire to serve in the important affaires of the salvation of his soul but patience I will not any longer trouble thee and I will depart presently after I have said these two words Thinke well on it or not Thinke on it These things will not saile to happen Thinke on death or Thinke not on it notwithstanding it will not leave approaching thee dayly so that all the worldly power cannot make it stop one moment nor make it avance before its time most happy are those who often think on it O how sweet and fair will they find it miserable are those that never think on it O how hideous and bitter will they find it Thinke to give an account Thinke not on it yet it must be made maugre thee who soever thou art Happy are they who thinke to keepe them selves alwayes ready O how cheerfull will they depart unfortunate are those who are never mindefull of it O how cruelly shall they be treated Thinke that there is a Hcaven and a Hell Thinke not on it neverthelesse most assuredly thou most goe for all eternity unto the one or the other Most happy are those who practice virtue which conducts them unto the first O how few are there Miserable are those who are given unto vice which leades them into the second O what multitudes are there But what do I I am al most angry with one whom I love as my self excuse my dearest Friend I beseech thee this little and sudden passion and remember not what I sayed last Thinke or not Thinke on it Alas all the contrarie I doe conjure thee more thcn ever to Thinke on it with attention to the end thou maist act better permitt me to shew thee the meanes O death how bitter is the memory of thee unto a man enjoying peace and content in his riches O death how sweet is the memory of thee unto a man having peace with his God! Choose thou hast freedome THE THIRD PART Certaine meanes ayding to do well what he would have ben done and to hender the doing of that which he would not have ben done in this life WHat better and more prevalent reason can J give him who is very deeply engraven in my heart for to assist him in procuring his saluation then that which the Holy Ghost sayes in the 7. of Eccle My Sonn in all thy workes remember thy later end and thou wilt not sinne for ever and what must arrive then but Death Judgment Hell or Heaven these therfore are the things which he counsels us to remember if we desire to serve God faithfully and never to offend him Death I have already helped thee with the first knowing it to be both the easiest applyed because daily we see some one or other dye or heare the bell for some buriall and the most proper remedie to cure our spirituall diseases for thou never so affectionatly fastened unto any thing the sole thought of Death will easiely untye it the horse leech is not so obstinately fastened unto the Body but a few ashes will force him to quitt his hold Be thou proud and the most ambitious that ever was only consider that after death all will trample on thee and thy bones shall not be distinguished frō those of the poorest begger who perhaps will be happy in Heaven when thou shalt burne in Hell assuredly this consideration will render thee humble and make thee to esteeme all J suppose thee to be the most avaricious in the world and to thinke on no other thing then to gaine riches if thou wouldst consider with Iob that the rich Man being awaiked from the sleepe of death shall finde nothing of what he had gathered together and opening his eyes in the other life he shall find nothing but torments which he hath merited by his rapine thou wilt of necessity moderate thy disordinate affection which thou hast towards perishable and momentary riches When thou hast the most violent passion to be esteemed and to be
and ever will love afforde me at this houre thy powerfull hand for to depart securely I confesse before the whole world that my miserable life hath ben replenished with many great wickednesses of which I heartely repent my self and I do confide that thy infinit goodnes will pardon me and not permitt my soul to be lost for which thou gavest thyn on the Crosse No I can not beleeve that thou wilt repulse me o my dearest Iesus for I am flesh of thy flesh bone of thy bone sonn of thy Father thou also calst me thy Brother Therfore my Brother seing thou hast taken my humanity to give me thy divinity deliver me at this houre from the throat of the lyon I kisse this side from whence proceeded my happynes open it unto me and wash my ordures and impurities with the water and bloud which issued from thence I adore these hands which were nailed for me unto them I recommend my soul they have created me they will save me I honor these woundes in which I will hide my self untill the choler of my judg be passed O celestiall Father be unto we propitious and remember that my sinnes have ben chastised with al rigour in the person of thy most beloved Sonn O my lord Jesus Christ permitte not the the infinit price of thy bloud to be unprofitable unto my soul O holy Ghost fortefy me with thy grace that I do not faile or be subdued in this last conflict O Mother of God who hath ben most charitable and favorable unto me all my life time be so now in this moment I beseech thee on which depends all my felicity O S. Michael who has the commission to present Soules unto the divine Tribunall and to defend them from the enemy I recommend mine unto thee O good Angell guardian helpe me O all yee S. of Heaven come unto my succour that leaving this earth I may ascend into Heaven for to prayse eternally with yee our soveraigne Creator The Iudgment THe consideration of Judgment which followes Death is not lesse profitable then that of death if it be maturely pondered when I represent unto my self sayes Job the justice impartiality and rigour of the divine judgment and the exact account I must render I am so frightned with my sinns that I am enforced to resolue to shun them more then the greatst evil what so ever The Saints conducted by the Holy Ghost do exhort thee to thinke on it often place thy self before the eyes of this Soveraigne judge adviseth S. Gregorie feare him now to the end that abstaining from vice thou mayst not feare him when he shall judge thee remember the name of that king who seing the picture of the generall judgement entred into such a strong apprehēsion that he was almost dead Certes if thou rightly imagine what it will be thou wilt stifle all the imperfections of thy Soul St. Hierosme had not a better practice for to triumph ouer vice and to addict him unto all virtue whether I eate sayes he drinke sleepe or wake and in all I do it seemes to me that I heare this dreadfull and terrible voice Arise yee dead and come vnto judgment IN good earnest if thou knewest assuredly that within two or three hours thou wert to be summoned to answer before the Tribunal of God wouldst thou dare O! for the love of God mark what I ask thee wouldst thou dare yet once more I beseech thee think well on what thou wilt answer wouldst thou well dare to resolve to appear at the Judgment of God IN this fearful and terrible Judgment where thou shalt find assembled the great Councel of the King of Kings who hath ordained this hour for to decide wholly and justly the criminal process of thy Conscience Process in which will be examined exactly all the parts of thy life a Process where will be determined the final sentence of thy eternal felicity or misery VVhoudst thou dare I say to appear in the condition thou art for to plead thy cause Thou who art so bashsul and fearful when thou art taken in never to little a fault Thou wouldst thou dare to behold a Person of quality Thou who tremblest at the least apparent danger VVouldst thou dare appear in the presence of him before whom the most puissant Monarchies of the earth tremble the highest Seraphins hide themselves with their wings not being able to endure and behold the brightness of so great a Majesty Ah! for the sacred and bitter Passion of Jesus Christ Thinke well on it When I consider how thy soul leaving thy body is in danger to fall into the hands of the Apparitours of the Soveraign Judg who will lead thee directly before this dreadful Parliament I sweat I am in a trance with the imagination I have of seing thee at Barr for to answere being strongly accused BUt by whom by thy mortal enemies or rather immortal who out of the hatred which they bear thee vvil not omit the least thing they can reproach thee vvithal in this great and majestical assembly by whom by those vvho heretofore have been thy good Friends as the Blessed Virgin thy good Angel so many Saints who hath taken so great paines to save thee if thou vvouldst have harkened unto them by whom by the complices and confederates of thy vvickedness vvho are enraged against thee and by thy ovvn Conscience vvhich vvill say open unto all the vvorld all thy imperfections But of vvhat shalt thou be accused of all in vvhich thou hast not kept the Commandements God gave thee the holy inspirations vvhich he most lovingly suggested unto thee of all vvhich thou vvast oblieged to do according to the estate unto vvhich God hath called thee of all vvhich thou hast done to satisfy thy unruly passions of all vvhich thou hast neglected to doe for the glory of God But hovv accused vvith so much assurance of thy adverse Party that nobody vvill dare to reply or speak one vvord in thy behalf and defence vvith so much evidence of all thy imperfections that not one of them can be hid or disguised vvith so great remorse of thy Conscience that thou vvilt acknovvledg all vvith so much shame that thou vvilt desire the mountaines to fall on thee Is not this dreadful Think well on it Having thought on it seriously if thou dost not conceave a great fear if thou tremblest not vvith terrour pardon me I beseech thee if I doubt and mistrust the verity of thy faith for hovv can I be assured that thou beleevest rightly if thou makes no reckoning and esteem of things so important and concernes thee so much vvhat meanes to be persvvaded that thou regardes it if vvhen it is presented unto thee thy Heart remaines colder then marble and more hard then steel Wherefore earnestly endeavour to knovv thy self seeing that thou shalt be most rigorously judged O Great affair is it to appear for to ansvver before so great a Court it is exceeding misfortune to