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
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
to smell them never the lesse as favorably as may be this being sayed the damned opened his cloke with which he seemed to be covered from whence issued so horrible stinke that all the Religious were constrained to leave the Monastery without ever being able to inhabite there againe if one damne soul caused so great infection what shall J pray thee so many millions of Souls and bodies burning in Hell cause Thinke well on it ADde unto all these evils the comble and chiefe of all these miseries which is that all these cruell torments shal never have an end my deare Friēd at this word Never thy Heart though never so couragious doth it not faile thee yes never the miserable damned shal shal have an end of their paine after an hundred yeares torment a thousand of yeares begin and they being ended an hundred thousand are beginning and after them succeeds as many millions as there are drops of water in the Sea and Athomes in the aire and after all this ther will remaine an eternity intire O eternity thou art exceeding O eternity thou art most horrible O eternity thou art badly considered Eternity Eternity O the weighty word Eternity If one were for tenn yeares to lye on a soft bed and strewed with roses what a great torment this would be if one were constrained for twenty yeares to have his eyes fixed on the most agreable object of the world what anguish and wearisomnes vvould it cause if thy eares during fifty yeares vvere inforced to heare the most ravishing musick on earth vvould it not be insupportable Alas O my God what will be the eternall paine which with out any mitigation or solace will continue for ever to be couched for ever on most ardent coales to swallow alwaycs most bitter gall and wormwood mingled with the foame of Serpents to see for ever the hideous and inexplicable shapes of the divels to heare alwayes the enraged musick of horrid blasphemies which the damned shall utter against God to smell the stinkes and the intollerable infections of Hell for all eternity For ever Alas my God! alas how long is this for ever that shall never have an end nor rest it is exceeding long to suffer for ever it is a miserie without a second if it were for a thousand yeares one might hope that it would have an end but for ever my soul likes it not O! For ever a great for ever which never can be comprehended this eternall ever frights my Soul considering this ever what Heart doth not fayle and tremble Heaven THe consideration of Heaven must-needes be a very efficacious meanes for to withdraw us from vice and to leade us unto virtue seeing that the Prince of the Apostles made use of it for to excite Prelats to justly performe their duty firmely believe yee sayes he unto them that in recompense of your fidelity and labours which yee have taken in the government of souls yee shall receceave a Crowne of Glorie which shall shine on your heads all eternity St. Paul imployed no other reason for to persuade the Collossians to cast off the old man which carryes with him many infirmities and to revest themselves with the new man who hath for his portion the greatest virtues if yee do this sayes he the celestiall inheritance shall be the high prize and avantageous reward of your paynes Jesus Christ himself after having declared unto his Disciples the many wayes which leades unto Heaven found nothing more efficacious for to incourage them thē to say unto them my Friends among the difficulties with which yee shall incounter in these separated wayes from the commun and publike way Confide couragiously on the assurances which I give yee that they will conduct yee unto infinite rewards The greatest Saints made use of this consideration for to practice the highest virtues Heare David who speakes for all O my Soverign Lord I confesse that I had an exceedingly proud Heart and very hard to yeeld unto thy favorable inspirations but by the consideration of thy infinit recompences I have humbled it and made it to performe all thy pleasures and commands Deare Friend tell me art not thou able to do the same Thinke well on it BEcause the true recompance which God gives unto his good servants is found in Heaven it is necessary to know what this Heaven is St. John Apoc 21. affirmes that it is a great City of which the walls are of precious stones raised on a fundation of pure gold with twelve gates most magnificent which serves but for shew for they are never shutt for the light which produceth there a continuall faire day banisheth all darknes and night St. Matthew sayes it is a great Kingdome St. Luke addes that it is eternal St. Peter calls it divine divine indeed since that God is ther King the Virgin Mother is ther Queene the Angels are the Courtiers and all the Saints are there Inhabitatants A Kingdome where all the discourse is of Ioy and contentment All griefe vexation anger and disquiet being banished thence wher is not to be seen any Plebeyan or mean Person all there being most Noble wher all that is good is found in aboundance without any want the Divines teache that it is an Estate composed of all the good imaginable and yet more then can be imagined and exempt from all evils Dispute no more of it sayes St. Paul for I who have ben there can not declare the things I have seen ther so great and admirable they are No truly addes St. Augustine for though all the tongues of men yea of all the Angels should be imployed in it they could not declare them J will not omit notwithstanding to say a word or two of this place of the company and of the glorie of this beautifull Heaven whilst I shall speake Think thou well on it THe place wher Heaven is seated is very high infinite in its extension most pure and most fertile and full of all goodnes the Philosophers and reason teach us that the place ought to answer the qualitie of him that ther is lodged even so we see the Palaces of Princes do surpasse and excell in beautie and richesse the Cottages of Peasantes and clownes I will leave thee to think what must be the mansion and habitation of a God and of all his Favorits compared with all the Howses of this world One must be ignorant that the Firmament so admirable in beauty so shining with stars is but the pavement of this divine Howse for not to conclude evidently that with in there are other rarietyes farr beyond our imagination O Lord God of Power sayes David how charming is the place of thy habitation my Soul can not think on a more agreable and delectable thing because thinking on it presently it is ravished Great King thou hast greater occasion to do this then the Queene of Saba had considering the wonders of the Palace of thy Sonn Salomon Jt is this that caused St.
if finding my prayers too importune you say vnto me that I begin first to thinke and pōder on what I demaund of you I am content and will truly declare vnto you what I thinke If I were advertised by a messenger from heaven that my life were to have an end with in this weeke I protest vnto you that I would put in exsecution that which often I learned being young of a very learned and Religious Person who did me the honor to love me and to have a care of my soul amongst the pious and good discourses with which he entertained me when I visited him he often sayed vnto me My Sonn what soever thou wouldst have done at the howre of death doe it now whilst thou art able and what thou wouldst not have done then be carefull to not commit it now Lett you and I willingly have this profitable counsell before our eyes alwayes and so engraven in our hearts as it is necessary for vs for which end Thinke well on it ANd if by good fortune your mind delates it self and desires to know every particular which you would have done and not have done if you were at the end of your life I am exceedingly satisfyed and I prayse God with all my heart because he hath so sweetly touched you for it is a great testimony that you take to heart that which most concernes you in which if I can assist you I will imploy all my indeavors writting what soever sweet Iesus shall please to dictat vnto my soul which may ayde you to gaine heaven deeming my self most happy if I should sweat bloud and water yea give my life for to render this good service vnto you To the end that the profitt be more assured and the greater I aske you four things before I begin The first is that every demaund I shall make you will imagine that it is not I that speake but it is your good Angell or the blessed Virgine or God himself indoing so you will be the more attentive The Second is that as soon any poynt be proposed you beseech the Holy Ghost for to illuminat your vnderstanding to know the verity of what is proposed vnto you saying with fervor Come o Holy Ghost infuse into my soul a beame of thy divine light that I may be able to comprehend what is sayed vnto me now The third is that for to conceave that which shall be proposed vnto you and to answer ther vnto the better you for a while deliberatly considere pondering each poynt the space of three or four Paters at least The fourth is that you make a firme resolution with the grace of Almighty God to live better saying an Ave Maria to the end that the Immaculat Virgine assist you If you please to grant me these four things I do assure my self that you in a short time will find great benefitt and be in a very good disposition to appeare before Almighty God when it shall please his divine Majesty to call you vnto his presence Lett vs begin THE FIRST PART Of that which one would not have done if he were at the houre of death DEare Reader profoundly reasonable and truely Christiane I coniure thee to tell me but rather tell me fron the heart then the mouth If God should assure thee at this present that thou art to die this weeke wouldst thou not be very sorry to have so miserably spent so many houres faire dayes and large yeares which were afforded thee for to gayne Paradise For what to eate drinke and sleepe as beasts doe For what to trimme thy self laugh and play as fooles doe For what to do say and thinke that which is vnworthy of a reasonable soul much more of a Christien I beseech thee what wouldst thou say of a Merchant who had imployed himself all the time of a faire in walking plaing and making good cheere whilst his Companions are become rich by labouring day and night with what confidence dares he returne home having foolishly spent all he had caried with him without buying any Marchendize how vvill he be blamed by his Parents and friends how confounded will he be appearing befor-his neighbours who know his ill husbandry Say with devotion Come o holy Ghost enlighten me with a beame of thy light for to vnderstand this proposition And then Thinke well on it Having done this consider hovv thou hast behaved thy self hereto fore Be a shamed if thou hast ben faulty resolue to act better here after Addresse thy self vnto the blessed Virgin beseeching her to second thy good resolutions Ave Maria. THou who hast so often desired to be advertized of the howre of thy death if I now assure thee that within five or six dayes thou shalt die wilst thou not have great cause to complayne on thy memory in having taken so much payne a bout things vn profitable indecent and hurtfull which have hendred the remembrance of God What esteem wilst thou have of him who being able easely to fill his cofers with silver gold and pearle had rather put therin durt shells and filth Thinke well on it Thou wilst boldly conclud that he is indiscreet and vn fortunate who having an happy memory for creatures doth forgett the Creator and remembring the affaires of the world hath lost the memory of his owne concernes if thou finds thy self guilty of this misfortune be ashamed and asking pardon for what is past resolue to do better hereafter Ave Maria. I am certayne that thou hast a tender devotion vnto thy good Angell and that thou remits thy whole lyfe vnto his conduct If he should now come and tell thee that he hath but four or five dayes to governe thee wouldst thou not condemne thy vnderstanding of stupidity more then brutall in having ben employed so vn profitably in so many foperies and childish toyes so vn worthily occupied in so many vanityes so vnfortunatly busued in transitorie things which are worth nothing incomparaison of those which God hath prepared for thee in the kingdome of heaven promised on his faith and by solemne oath vnto thee What opinion wouldst thou have of him vvho being able to apply him self easely vnto good affaires from vvhence he might gaine much honor and profit had rather amuse himself vvith lacquies and children about trifels Thinke well on it Thou vvilst freely avoue that it is the most extravigant folly that a man can commit Considere if thou be exempt and resolue be vvayling vvhat is past to doe better from this day forvvard I knovv thou believest that there are many Saincts in the Church vvho do miracles and fore tell vvhat is to come if any one of these should vvhisper thee in the eare that thou hast but tvvo or three dayes to live wouldst thou not be excedingly confounded for having imployed thy vvill in fondly loving that vvhich vvisely ought to be hated and maliciously hating that vvhich ought perfectly to be beloved art thou not very much ashamed to
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 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