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
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
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