Of the General Day of Judgement
THIS DAY (WHEN THOU HAST MADE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS, and prepared thyself hereunto,) thou hast to meditate upon the day of the general judgement, that by means of this consideration those two principal effects may be stirred up in thy soul, which every faithful Christian ought to have, to wit: the fear of God, and the abhorring of sin.
Consider first what a terrible day that shall be, in which the causes of all the children of Adam shall be thoroughly examined, the process of all our lives diligently perused, and a general definitive sentence given what shall become of us all for evermore.
That day shall comprise in it all the days of all ages, and times, both present, past, and to come. For upon that day the world shall render an accompt of all these times. And then shall almighty God pour out the anger, and indignation, which he hath gathered together in all ages. How violently shall the main flood of gods wrath, and indignation break out at that day, which containeth in it so many floods of anger, and wrath, as there have been sins committed since the beginning of the world until that day. And therefore the Prophet had good cause to say: That day shall be a day of anger: a day of calamity, and misery: a day of obscurity, and darkness: a day of clouds, and tempestuous storms: a day of the trumpet, and alarm against the strong cities, and against the high towers.
Secondly, consider what fearful and terrible signs shall go before this day. For (as our Savior saith,) Before the coming of this day, there shall be signs in the Sun, in the Moon, and in the Stars, and in all creatures both of heaven, and earth. For they shall all have as it were a certain feeling and understanding of their end, before they come to their end in deed: And shall tremble, and quake, and begin to fall before they fall in deed. But as for men they shall (saith he) go up and down dry, and withered, in great anguish, and fear of death, hearing the terrible roarings of the Sea, and seeing the great outrageous storms, and tempests, that shall then be stirring. And by those dreadful signs they shall conjecture what great calamities and miseries are threatened to the world. And in this wise shall they go wholly amazed, and astonied: their faces pale, and wane: their hearts dead before death come: and as persons condemned before the sentence be given. For they shall measure the perils and dangers to come, by the great fear and terror they be presently in. And every one shall be so thoroughly occupied with his own affairs, that none shall think of others: no not so much as the father of the son, or the son of the father. No man shall have to do for any other man: because no man shall be sufficient for himself alone. The Sybilles do affirm, that at that time the beasts shall go bellowing and roaring through the fields, and cities: and that the trees shall sweat blood: and that the Sea shall cast up the fishes on the dry ground. But if this seem incredible to any man, let him consider, that there is much more spoken in the gospel. For it is a greater matter for men to be dried up, than for the sea to be dried up. And it is a greater matter that the virtues of the heavens should be moved, than that all creatures in the earth should be altered.
Thirdly, consider that universal flood of fire, that shall come before the judge, and that dreadful sound of the trumpet, which the Archangel shall blow, to summon and call all the generations of the world to assemble together in one place, and to be present at their general and universal judgement. And above all this, consider with what a dreadful majesty the Judge shall come. Whose coming is described by the Prophet Nahum in these words: Our Lord shall come like a tempest, and furious whirlwind, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He shall take indignation against the Sea, and it shall wax dry, and all the rivers of the earth shall be dried up: The hill Basan, and Carmelus, shall be withered, and the flower of the mount Libanus shall fade, and fall away. The mountains shall quake before him, and the hills shall melt: The earth shall tremble at his presence, and the world, and all the inhabitants thereof. Who shall stand before the face of his indignation? And who shall abide the fierceness of his fury? His wrath shall be poured out like a fire, and the very rocks shall become dust before him.
After this, consider what a strait accompt shall be there required of every man. Verily (saith Job) no man can be justified, if he be compared with almighty God, and if he contend with him in judgement, of a thousand things that he shall charge him withal, he shall not be able to answer unto one. Now then what shall every wicked person think at that time, when almighty God shall enter with him in this examination, and shall there within his own conscience say thus unto him: Come hither thou wicked and naughty man. What hast thou seen in me, that thou shouldest thus despise me, and go to mine enemies side? I have raised thee from the dust of the earth, and created thee after mine own image, and likeness. I have given thee virtue, and strength, wherewith thou mightest have obtained my glory. But thou despising the benefits and commandments of life, which I have given thee, wouldst rather follow the lies of the deceiver, than the wholesome counsel of thy Lord, and creator. To deliver thee form this foul fall I went down from heaven into earth, where I suffered the greatest pains, torments, and reproaches, that ever were suffered in the world. For thee have I fasted: For thee have I travailed from place to place: For thee have I watched, labored, and sweat drops of blood: For thee have I suffered persecutions, scourgings, blasphemies, reproaches, buffetings, dishonors, torments, and even death itself upon the Cross. To be short, for thee I was born in much poverty: For thee I lived in great pain: For thee I died with intolerable torments, and griefs. Witness hereof are this cross, and nails, which thou here now seest: Witness hereof are these wounds both of my hands, and feet, which are here to be seen in my body: Witness hereof are heaven, and earth, before whom I suffered: Witness hereof are the sun, and moon, which were eclipsed at the same hour. Now what hast thou done with this thy soul, which I with the shedding of mine own blood purchased to be mine? In whose service hast thou employed that which I bought so dearly? O foolish wicked and adulterous generation, why wouldst thou rather serve thy enemy with pain, than me thy creator, and redeemer, with joy? Be ye astonied (O ye heavens) at this strange case, and let your gates fall down at the strangeness hereof. For two abominations hath my people committed: They have forsaken me, that am the fountain of lively water, and refused me for an other Barrabas. I called you very often times, and ye would not answer me. I knocked at your gates, and ye would not awake. I stretched out my hands on the cross, and ye would not behold them. Ye have despised my counsels, with all my promises, and threatenings. Wherefore speak ye now O ye Angels: be you judges between me, and my vineyard: what could I have done more for it, than I have done?
Now what answer can the wicked make hereunto? Such as be scoffers at holy and divine things? Such as be mockers of virtue? Such as be despisers of simplicity? Such as make more accompt of the laws and statues of the world, than of the laws of almighty God? Such as have been deaf to hear the callings of God: unsensible to understand his inspirations: rebellious against his commandments: obdurate and unthankful for all his chastisements, and benefits? What can they say? What answer will those persons make, that have lived in such sort, as if they had believed that there were no God? And such as have made none accompt of any other law, but only how to procure their own worldly interest, and commodity? What will ye do (saith the Prophet Isaias) in the day of the visitation, and calamity, that shall come upon you from afar? Unto whom will ye fly for succor, and help? What shall the glory and abundance of your lands and riches at that time avail you, but that ye may be carried away prisoners into hell, and there fall among the dead?
After all this, consider the terrible sentence, which the Judge shall thunder out against the wicked: And that dreadful saying, which shall make the ears of all that shall hear it to glow and tingle. His lips (saith the Prophet Isaias) are full of indignation, and his tongue is like a consuming fire. What fire shall burn so hot, as those words: Depart from me ye cursed into the everlasting fire. This is the most terrible saying that can be said to a creature. For by this departure and separation is understood the pain which the divines call Penam damni: that is the loss of all losses. Which is a universal spoil of all things, and a deprivation of that chiefest goodness (to wit of almighty God) in whom all good things do consist. Now whither shall those cursed wicked persons go O Lord, that shall depart from thee? In what haven shall they arrive? What master shall they serve? Whosoever they be that shall depart from thee, shall be written in earth, because they have forsaken the vein, and spring of the water of life, which is almighty God. The greatest punishment that the Romans used to put a Citizen unto for certain grievous offences, was to banish him out of the noble city of Rome, and to confine him into some Island apart among some Barbarous nation. Now if it were thought so great a punishment to be banished out of the city of Rome, what a punishment shall this be, to be banished out of the company of almighty God, and of all his elect? Yea, and to be banished for ever and ever into the company of Satan, and of those Barbarous hellhounds.
Depart from me (saith Christ) ye cursed: As if he should say: I have invited you with my blessing, and ye would not come, now therefore take ye my curse to your despite. The wicked man, (saith the Prophet) loved malediction, and it came upon him, and he refused the blessing, (that almighty God offered unto him,) and therefore it shall be kept far enough from him. Our Savior Christ cursed the figtree, and immediately not only the leaves, but even also the body, and roots of the tree withered away, so as it never brought fruit any more. In like manner shall those miserable damned persons be accursed and utterly deprived of all hope of salvation, and of all fruit, and merit for evermore.
But whither dost thou send them O Lord? Unto everlasting fire. O what a bed is this for delicate, and tender persons! Which of you (saith the Prophet) is able to dwell in the burning fire? Which of you is able to continue in the everlasting flames? What greater curse and malediction can there be than this? What calamity, what sentence, what adversity, may be compared with the only shadow of this? This is that terrible and fearful fire, which the Prophet Isiah setteth forth in these words: The streams thereof shall be turned into melting pitch, and the dust of the earth into sulfur, and brimstone, and the very earth of it shall be wholly burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night, nor day: The smoke of it shall go up evermore. It shall be desolate from generation to generation. No man shall ever pass through it.
THE FOURTH TREATIES. Of the consideration of the general day of judgement: wherein the former meditation is declared more at large.
Great are the effects undoubtedly which the fear of God worketh in the soul. Who so feareth God (saith Ecclesiasticus) it shall go well with him at his last end, and on the day of his death he shall be blessed. And in an other place he saith: How great is that man, that hath attained unto wisdom, and knowledge, but be he never so great, he is no greater than he that feareth God. For the fear of God hath placed his seat above all things. Blessed is that man, to whom it is given to fear our Lord. He that hath this fear, with whom shall we compare him? For the fear of God is the beginning of his love. All these be the words of Ecclesiasticus. Whereby it appeareth plainly, that the fear of God is the beginning of all goodness, (sithence it is the beginning of his love.) And it is not only the beginning, but also the key, and preservation of all good things. As St. Bernard witnesseth, saying: I know this for a most certain truth, that there is nothing of so great force and efficacy to keep us in the grace of God, as to live at all times in the fear of him, and to eschew always all manner of proud and presumptuous thoughts.
Now to obtain this so precious a Jewel, it availeth very much to occupy our mind in the consideration and continual remembrance of the judgement of almighty God, and above all other things, in the consideration of that supreme and final general judgement, that shall be given in the end of the world. This judgement is the most dreadful thing of all that the holy scriptures declare unto us. For the things that are there signified unto us of this day are so terrible, that were it not that almighty God himself reported them, they would seem altogether incredible. And therefore our Savior after he had preached, and set out certain of them to his disciples, the greatness of them was such, that they seemed to exceed the common credulity, and faith of men, in regard whereof he ended the matter with this affirmation, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, that the world shall not end before all these things be fulfilled. For heaven and earth shall fail, but my word shall never fail.
It is written in the Acts of the Apostles, that when St. Paul preached before the president of Judea of the terrible things of this day, the same president began to tremble, and quake, at the words which the Apostle spake, notwithstanding that he was an infidel, and had no belief at all in this mystery. Whereby it may appear, what terrible things those were, that the Apostle then spake of, sith the only sound of them was able to cause such a great fear and trembling in a man that did not believe them. Now the Christian that believeth them, and holdeth them for a matter of faith, what a lively sense and feeling should he have in these things, when he heareth, readeth, or considereth them?
And let no man think to excuse himself, pretending innocency, and saying, that these threatenings are not spoken unto him, but to unjust and wicked persons. For St. Jerome was a just man, and yet for all that he said: That so often as he remembered the day of judgement, both his heart and body trembled for very fear. The Prophet David also was a just man, yea, he was a man according to Gods own heart, and yet for all this he had so great a fear of the accompt of this day, that he said in a certain Psalm: O Lord enter not into judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight no man living shall be justified. The holy man Job likewise was a most innocent, and just man, and yet for all that he lived in such exceeding fear all the days of his life, that he reporteth thus of himself: and saith: Like as he that saileth in the midst of a stormy tempest is in great fear when he seeth the furious raging waves coming upon him: even so have I trembled always before the majesty of almighty God, and my fear hath been so passing great, that I was not able to abide the heavy burthen thereof. But above all these, the Apostle St. Paul was a very just man, and yet for all that he said thus of himself: I feel no remorse of conscience of any thing I have done amiss, and yet I accompt not myself safe, and secure, forsomuch as our Lord is he that shall be my judge.
As if he had said in express words: Many times it may happen, that in our own sight we find ourselves to be without blemish in our works, and yet in the sight of almighty God we be far otherwise. For that which lieth hidden from the eyes of men, is not hidden from the eyes of almighty God. Unto a rude and unskillful painter the work that he hath drawn seemeth to be very perfect: but a conning and skillful painter will find many defects worthy to be noted in it. Now how far greater defects and imperfections shall the most high goodness and wisdom of almighty God find in a creature so evil inclined as man is: Who (as Job saith) drinketh sin, and iniquity, as it were water. Again, if the sword of almighty God did find so much to be pared of in heaven, how much more shall it find in earth, which bringeth forth nothing else but brambles, and briers? And who is he that hath all the corners of his soul so pure, and clean, but that he shall have need to say with the Prophet: Ab occultis meis munda me Domine: Cleanse me O Lord from my secret sins.
Wherefore it behooveth all men to live in great fear and dread of this day of judgement, be their life never so just: seeing the day is so dreadful, our life so faulty, and the Judge so just: and above all, seeing his judgements be so secret, and profound, that no man knoweth what lot shall fall unto him. But (as our savior saith:) Two shall be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other forsaken: Two in one bed, the one shall be taken, and the other forsaken: Two grinding in one mill, the one shall be taken, and the other forsaken. In which words we be given to understand, that of such persons as are all of one same state, and matter of life, some shall be carried up to heaven, and some thrown down into the bottomless pit of hell: insomuch as by this and many other places of the holy * scriptures it plainly appeareth, that no man can accompt himself secure, and assured to be saved, so long as he liveth in this frail and transitory life.
* Psal.18.1.vers.13. Eccle.9.1. Eccle.12.14. Eccle.5.5. Job.31.14.23. Daniel.4.24. Math.12.36. John.8.31. John.15.7.14. Rom.2.13. Rom.8.17. 1.Cor.4.4. 1.Cor.9.27. 1.Cor.10.12. 1.Cor.13.2.13. 2.Cor.5.10.11. Gal.5.24. Philip.2.12. Iac.2.14.17.24. 1.Pet.1.16. 1.Pet.2.21. 2.Pet.1.10. 1.John.2.3.5.6. 1.John.3.7.24. 1.John.4.12. 1.John.5.3 Apoc.3.11. Apoc.14.7.
HOW RIGOROUS THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT SHALL BE.
To consider well of the greatness of this judgement, thou must first presuppose, that there is no tongue in the world able to express the least part of the troubles that shall be upon this day.
And therefore the Prophet Joel being desirous to speak of the greatness thereof, found his wits and senses so weak, and confounded, that he began to stut and stammer like a child, and to say, A! A! A! What a day shall that be? The like manner of speech used the Prophet Jeremias, when almighty God would send him to preach: to signify that he was an infant, and altogether unable to discharge so great an embassy, as he was appointed by almighty God to do. And the same manner doth the Prophet Joel use even at this time, to give us to understand, that there is no tongue in the world, that will not stut and stammer like a child, when it shall go about to signify what things shall happen upon this dreadful day.
Upon this day almighty God will reduce all such filthiness as the wicked have caused in the world through their wicked works, to his first due form, and comeliness. And as their filthy and wicked acts have been many, and great, even so must the purifying of them be proportionable to the acts committed. And so shall the world be so much beautified by the punishment of the wicked, as it hath been defiled and disfigured through their offences. When a man hath by reason of some great fall put his arm out of joint, the more it is out of joint, the more grief and pain must he afterwards abide, before it can be set in joint again, and brought to his due proper place. Now whereas the wicked have disordered all things in this world, and set them out of joint, and wrenched them out of their natural places, when that heavenly reformer shall come to restore the world by punishment of so many disorders, how great shall the punishment be, where so many and so great disorders have been?
This dreadful day is called not only the day of Anger, but also the day of our Lord, as the Prophet Joel termeth it. Giving us thereby to understand, that all other days have been the days of men, in which they have fulfilled their own wills against the will of god, but this day is called the day of our Lord, because upon this day our Lord will do his will against the will of men. Thou dost now swear, and forswear, and blaspheme, and almighty God in this mean while holdeth his peace, and saith nothing unto it: but be thou well assured the day shall come when almighty God will break of his long silence of so many days, and of so many injuries, and will answer for his own honor. So that there be no more but two days in the world: the one is the day of our Lord, and the other is the day of men. Man whiles his day endureth may do whatsoever he listeth, and almighty God will hold his peace, and as it were wink at all his doings. Upon this day the King Sedechias may command the Prophet of God to be cast into a well, and bread to be given unto him by ounces. He may use and abuse the Prophet at his pleasure, and at all those injuries almighty God will hold his peace. But after this day there will come an other day, and almighty God will take king Sedechias, and deprive him of his kingdom: he will destroy Jerusalem, and bring king Sedechias in fetters before the king of Babylon, and there shall all his sons and friends be murdered before his face. There shall he command his eyes (which were preserved to see so many mysteries) to be plucked out of his head: which done, he shall cause him to be carried in fetters to Babylon, and confine him into a prison, there to remain all the days of his life. So that as man hath liberty to do upon his day whatsoever he listeth, without any restraint, or impediment at all: even so will almighty God have free liberty to do upon his day whatsoever his will and pleasure shall be, and no man shall be able to let or disturb him.
OF THE TERRIBLE SIGNS THAT SHALL GO BEFORE the day of the general Judgement.
Finally, if thou desire to understand what manner of day this shall be, consider what signs shall go before it. For by the signs thou shalt perceive what the thing shall be that is signified: as by the evening, and Vigil, thou mayest understand what the feast of the day shall be.
First of all, when that day shall be, no man knoweth: no, not the Angels in heaven, nor yet the son himself (to reveal it to any other) but the father only. Howbeit certain signs shall go before it, whereby men may prognosticate not only of the nearness of the day, but also of the greatness and dreadfulness thereof. For as our Savior saith: Before the coming of this day there shall be great wars and troubles in the world. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And there shall be great earthquakes in many places, and pestilence, and famine, and terrible things appearing in the air, and other great signs, and wonders.
And (which is more dreadful than all this) there shall come that great horrible persecution so oftentimes mentioned in the holy Scriptures, which shall be executed by the most cruel persecutor that ever the Catholic Church hath had, to wit, by Antichrist, who shall impugn the Catholic Church most maliciously, not only with most cruel wars, and horrible torments, but also with apparent and feigned miracles. Consider now therefore with thyself (as the blessed holy Pope St. Gregory saith) what a terrible time that of Antichrist shall be, when the godly martyr shall offer his body to the tormentor: and the tormentor shall work miracles before his face. To conclude, the tribulation of these days (as our Savior saith) shall be so great, as the like was never since the beginning of the world, nor never shall be: insomuch that if almighty God of his great mercy did not provide to shorten these days, all flesh should not be saved: But for the elects sake, the days (of Antichrist) shall be shortened.
After these signs (as this day of the general judgement draweth nearer, and nearer) there shall appear other signs more dreadful than these, in the Sun, in the Moon, and in the Stars. Of which dreadful signs our Lord spake by his Prophet Ezechiel, saying: I will cause the stars of heaven to be darkened over thee, and I will cover the Sun with a cloud, and the Moon shall not shew forth her light. And I will cause all the lights of heaven to mourn, and lament over thee. And I will send darkness over all the land. Now when these great signs and alterations shall appear in the heavens, what may we look for upon the earth, which is wholly governed by the heavens? We see in a common wealth, that when the heads that govern it are in any tumult, all the other members and parts thereof are also in a like tumult, and uproar, and the whole commonwealth is tossed and turmoiled with arms, and dissention.
Now if all this body of the world be governed by the virtue and influences of the heavens, in case both the heavens and this body be altered, and out of their natural order, in what ruthful case then shall all the members and parts be, that depend of them? The air shall be full of lightenings, whirlwinds, and blazing stars: The earth shall be full of wide yawning clefts, fearful tremblings, and quakings. And these earthquakes (as it is thought) shall be so great, and violent, that they shall be able to overthrow not only the sumptuous palaces, high towers, and strong Castles, but even the very mountains and rocks themselves shall be also shaken and overwhelmed by them, and quite removed out of their places. But most of all other elements the Sea shall at that time shew greatest rage, and fury, and the waves thereof shall be so high, and so furious, that it shall seem that they will utterly overwhelm all the whole earth. Such as dwell by the Sea side shall be in great dread, and terror, by reason of the great rising waters: and such as dwell further of shall be wonderfully afraid of the horrible roarings, and noises of it, which shall be so extremely outrageous, that they shall be heard many miles off.
In what a pitiful case then I pray you shall men be in these days? How shall they be astonied, confounded, yea utterly bereaved of their senses, of their speech, and of their taste of all things? Our Savior saith that at this time the people shall be in great anguish, and distress, and that men shall go as though they were withered, and dried up, and had no life in them, by reason of the great fear of those things that shall happen to the world. Then shall they say one to an other: What meaneth this: What do these terrible prognostications signify? What will the world at the length bring forth, that it now swelleth and rageth in such furious wise? What shall the end be of all these so great tossings and alterations of all things? Now after this sort shall men go up and down sore afraid, and dismayed, their hearts failing them, and carrying their arms a cross, and one of them looking pitifully upon an other. And they shall be in so great dread, and fear, beholding one an other to be so far changed, and disfigured, that even that alone were enough to dismay them, although there were nothing else to be feared. All occupations and trades of the world shall then cease every where: and so shall in like manner all study, and desire of purchasing, and gaining. For the greatness of the fear shall hold mens hearts so thoroughly occupied, that they shall not only forget these things, but they shall also forget even to eat, and drink, and to do such things as are necessary for the maintenance and sustentation of their lives: Their chiefest care shall be where to seek out sure and safe places to defend themselves from earthquakes, and from the tempestuous storms of the air, and from the inundations of the Sea. And so men shall go to hide themselves in the caves and dens of wild beasts: And the wild beasts shall seek likewise to save themselves in the lodgings and houses of men. And so all things shall be tossed and turmoiled up side down, and be full of terror, and confusion. The present calamities shall afflict them very sore: but the great dread and fear of those that are to come shall vex them worse, because they know not what the end shall be of such doleful and lamentable beginnings. I want words to declare this matter, as it were requisite to be declared. And all that is said is much less then that which shall be in deed. We see even now by experience when any outrageous tempest riseth in the Sea, or when any stormy whirlwind or earthquake happeneth upon the land, how wonderfully men are dismayed, how they tremble, and be astonied, and how both their strength and wits do fail them. Now then, when the heaven, and earth, the Sea, and the air shall be wholly distempered, and disordered, when in all regions and elements in the world there shall be peculiar storms, and tempests, when the Sun shall threaten with mourning, the Moon with blood, and the Stars with their fallings, who shall be able to eat? Who shall be able to sleep? Who shall be able to take so much as one minute of rest, being compassed on each side with so many outrageous storms, and tempests? O how miserable and unhappy is the state and condition of the wicked, who are threatened with all these fearful prognostications! And contrariwise how blessed is the state of the good, and Godly, unto whom all these things are favors, comforts, and good tidings of the happy prosperity so near at hand approaching then unto them! How joyfully shall they then sing with the Prophet: God is our refuge, and our strength, and therefore we will not fear though the whole earth be tossed, and turmoiled, and the mountains be removed, and fall into the bottom of the Sea. Like as you understand (saith our Savior) when the fig tree and all other trees begin to blossom, and to bring forth their fruit, that then the spring time draweth near at hand, even so when ye shall see these things come to pass, then may ye perceive that the kingdom of God is at hand.
Then may ye open your eyes, and lift up your head, because the day of your redemption approacheth. O how joyful shall the good and virtuous then be! How well shall they think all their travails, and labors employed? And contrariwise, how woeful and sorrowful shall the wicked be, and how sore shall they then condemn all the steps, and ways, of their sinful lives?
OF THE END OF THE WORLD: and of the resurrection of the dead.
After all these signs shall the coming of the Judge approach near at hand, before whom there shall go an universal flood of fire, which shall burn and consume to ashes all the glory of the world.
This fire shall be to the wicked a beginning of their pain: to the good a beginning of their glory: and unto them that have not made full satisfaction, it shall be a purgatory for their offences. Then shall all the glory of the world have an end. Then shall the movings of the heavens, the course of the planets, and the generation of things cease. Then shall the variety of times, with all other things that depend of the heavens, have an end. And so St. John writeth in the Apocalypse: That he saw a mighty Angel clothed with a bright cloud. His face was like the sun: he had a rainbow for a crown on his head: his feet were like pillars of fire: of the which one he set on the Sea, and the other upon the land. And he saith, that this Angel lifted up his arm towards heaven, and swore by him that liveth everlastingly world without end, that from thenceforth there should be no more time. That is to say: that there should be no moving of the heavens, nor of any other thing that is governed by them. And (which is more than all this) no place of penance, nor any time to merit or demerit for the life to come.
After this fire there shall come (as the Apostle saith) an Archangel with great power, and majesty, and he shall sound a trumpet, (to wit: a great and terrible voice,) whose sound shall be heard over all the parts of the world, and with this trumpet he shall summon all nations to come to the general judgement. This is that fearful voice, whereof St. Jerome speaketh: saying, Whether I eat, or drink, or whatsoever I do, me seemeth always that I hear that voice sounding in mine ears, which shall say, rise up all ye that are dead, and come to judgement. Who shall appeal from this summons? Who shall be able to avoid this judgement? Whose heart shall not tremble and quake for fear, at the terrible sound of this voice? This voice shall take from death all her spoils, and cause her to restore again all that she hath taken away from the world. And so St. John saith, that then, The Sea shall restore the dead bodies, which it hath had. And likewise both death and hell shall restore all those bodies that they have. Now what a wonderful sight shall that be, to see the Sea, and the earth, to bring forth in all parts such variety of bodies, and to see so many huge armies, and so many sorts and diversities of nations and people assemble together? There shall the Alexanders appear: There the Zerxes, and Artaxerxes: There the Dariies, and the Emperors of Rome, and the most mighty Kings and puissant Princes of the world, with an other manner of habit, and behavior, and with other kind of thoughts, much differing from those, that they had in this life. To be short, there shall all the children of Adam meet together, every one to give up an accompt of his own life, and to be judged according to his works.
Howbeit although all persons shall rise again at that day never to die any more, yet shall there be a great difference between bodies, and bodies. For the bodies of the just shall rise very beautiful and bright like the Sun. But the bodies of the wicked shall rise very black, and filthy, even like unto death itself. Now what a great joy shall it be then unto the souls of the just, to see their desire now fully accomplished? What a joy shall it be, to see themselves after so long a banishment to be united and joined everlastingly in company with their most dear and loving brethren? With what joy may the soul say then unto the body? O my body, and faithful companion, that hast holpen me to gain this crown, that hast so oftentimes fasted, watched, and suffered with me the painful strokes and lashes of discipline, the travail of poverty, the cross of penance, and the contradictions and reproaches of the world? How often times hast thou spared the meat from thine own belly to give it to the poor? How often hast thou lacked cloths thyself to clothe the naked? How often hast thou renounced and lost think own right, and title, for that thou wouldst not break peace, and be at dissention with thy neighbor? Wherefore it is meet that thou shouldest now be partaker of this heavenly treasure, seeing thou hast holpen me to gain the same: And it is meet that thou shouldest be my companion in this my glory, seeing thou hast been my companion in all my pains, and labors. Then shall these two faithful friends be joined together in one subject, not (as they were in this life) with contrary appetites, and desires, but with a league of perpetual peace, and conformity. So as they may sing, and say for ever. Behold what a good and joyful thing it is for brethren to dwell together in one. But contrariwise, what a heaviness and grief shall it then be to the soul of the damned person, when he shall see his body in an ugly form, as there it shall be given unto him, to wit: black, filthy, stinking, and horrible. Then shall he say: O cursed body! O beginning, and end of my pains, and sorrows! O cause of my damnation! Now art thou no more my companion, but mine enemy: Now art thou no more my helper, but my persecutor: Now art thou no more my habitation, but the chain and snare of my destruction. O cursed taste! How dearly do I pay now for thy delicacies, and delights? O stinking flesh, that hast thus brought me to these painful horrible torments, by yielding to thy lusts, and pleasures! What? Alas! Is this the body for whose sake I committed so many sins? Were these the delights of this body, that caused me utterly to cast away myself? Was it for this stinking muckhill, that I have lost for ever the kingdom of heaven? Was it for this vile and filthy carcass, that I have lost for ever the glory of life everlasting? O ye infernal furies rise up now against me, and tear and rent me in pieces, for I have well deserved these horrible torments! Cursed be the day of my unfortunate birth, seeing my hap must be so miserable, as to suffer everlasting torments in the most horrible pit of hell, for so short pleasures, and delights.
These and other more desperate words shall the damned soul speak unto that body which she loved so exceedingly in this transitory world. But tell me O miserable soul, why dost thou now so much abhor that thing, which heretofore thou lovedst so well? Is not this flesh thy dearly beloved? Is not this the belly, which thou madest thy God? Is not this the face, which thou didst keep so charily from the sun, and wind? Is not this the visage, which thou didst paint with so many artificial colors? Are not these the arms, and fingers, which glistered with rings of gold, and diamonds? Is not this the body, for whose sake search was made both by land, and Sea, to furnish a table for it with all delicate and dainty dishes, to have a fine and soft bed, to procure curious and costly garments? Who hath now so altered thy affection? Who hath made thy body to look now so horrible, and ugly, which before seemed so fair, and amiable? Thou seest here now Christian brother, what end the glory of the world hath, with all the vain pleasures and delights of the body.
OF THE COMING OF THE JUDGE: Of the matter of the judgement: And of the witnesses, and accusers, that shall be there against the wicked.
Now when all mankind shall be raised again, and assembled together in one place, expecting the coming of the Judge, then shall he whom almighty God hath appointed to be judge over the quick and the dead come down. And like as at his first coming he came with very great humility, and meekness, inviting men upon peace, and calling them unto penance: even so at his second coming he shall come with very great majesty, and glory, accompanied with all the powers and principalities of heaven, threatening all those with the fury of his anger, that refused to use the meekness of his mercy. At this time the fear and terror of the wicked shall be so great, that as the Prophet Isaias saith: they shall seek the clefts of stones, and the hollow places of the rocks, to hid themselves therein, for the great fear they shall have of our Lord, and of the glory of his majesty, when he cometh to judge the world. To conclude, this fear shall be so great, that as St. John saith, both the heavens and the earth shall fly from the presence of the judge, and shall find no place where to hide themselves. Now O ye heavens, why do ye fly away? What have ye done? Why are ye afraid? And if by the heavens be understood the blessed spirits that are in heaven: O ye blessed spirits that were created and confirmed in grace, why do ye fly away? What have ye done? Why are ye afraid? Undoubtedly they are not afraid for any danger that is towards themselves, but they be afraid to behold in the judge such a great majesty, and indignation: the greatness whereof shall be able to strike all the heavens with terror, and admiration. When the Sea is outrageous, and tempestuous, even he that standeth safe upon the shore is in a kind of fear, and admiration. When the father goeth like a lion about his house in punishing his bond slave, his innocent son is also afraid, although he know right well that his fathers rage is not bent against him, but against the slave. Now what shall the wicked do at this time, when even the just shall be so greatly afraid? If the heavens fly for fear, what shall the earth do? And if those that be wholly spirit do tremble, and quake, what shall they do that have been wholly flesh? And if (as the Prophet saith) the mountains shall melt in this day before the face of almighty God: What stony hard hearts then have we, that for all this be nothing at all moved?
Before the Judge there shall come that royal standard of the cross, to be a witness of the redemption and remedy which almighty God sent to the world: and that the world would not receive it. And so the holy cross shall there justify the cause of almighty God, and leave the wicked void of all manner of comfort, and excuse. Then shall all nations of the earth (saith our Savior) weep, and lament: and they all shall strike and beat upon their breasts. O how great cause shall they then have to weep, and wail! They shall weep, because at that time they can neither do penance, nor fly from the justice of almighty God, nor appeal from his sentence. They shall bewail their sins past, their shame present, and the torments that are to come. They shall bewail their miserable hap, their unfortunate birth, and their cursed end. For these and many other causes they shall weep and wail very bitterly: and as persons wholly dismayed and fettered in all parts, and without all manner of comfort, and remedy, they shall wring their hands, and strike themselves upon their breasts.
Then shall the Judge make a division between the evil, and the good: and place the goats at his left hand, and the sheep at his right hand. O how happy and blessed shall those persons be, that shall be thought worthy to have a place among those elected sheep! O Lord, I most humbly beseech thee, let me have tribulation here in this world: Punish me here: cut me in pieces here: burn me here, so that I may there be placed at thy right hand. Then shall the general judgement begin to be solemnized: and the causes of each one shall be thoroughly scanned, and examined: According as the Prophet Daniel writeth in these words. I stood (saith he) attentively, and I saw certain seats set in their places, and the ancient of years sat down, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool. The throne wherein he sat was like flames of fire, and the wheels thereof like burning fire. And a river of raging fire issued and came forth from before him. Thousand thousands were attendant to serve him, and ten hundred thousand thousands stood waiting before him, etc. I beheld all this in the vision of the night, and I saw one coming in the clouds, who seemed to be the son of man. Hitherto are the words of the Prophet Daniel. Whereunto St. John addeth, and saith. I saw all the dead both great and small standing before this throne, and there the books were opened: and an other book opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to the contents in those books, according to their works.
Behold here dear Christian brother the measure whereby thou shalt be judged. Behold here the tax, and prices, whereby all things that thou dost shall be valued, and esteemed, and not by the fond judgement of the world, which hath the false and counterfeit weights of Canaan in their hands, in whose balance virtue and vice are judged to be of small weight, and accompt. In these books are written all our whole life, and that with such care, and diligence, that a word hath no sooner passed thy mouth, but it is forthwith noted, and set in his proper register.
But of what things (trow ye) will the Judge require an accompt of us? O Lord (saith Job) thou hast numbered all the steps of my life. Certainly, there shall not be somuch as one idle word, nor one only thought whereof an accompt will not be required in that judgement. Yea, and not only of those things that we either think, or do, but also of those that we leave undone: of such things I mean, as we are bound to do. If thou say at the day of Judgement: O Lord, I have not sworn: the Judge will answer, that thy son, or thy servant hath sworn, whom thy duty was to have chastised, and corrected. And we shall give an accompt not only of our evil works, but also even of our good works, with what intention and after what manner we did them. Finally, as St. Gregory saith: An accompt shall there be required of us of every point and moment of our life, how and after what sort we have spent them. Considering therefore that such a strait accompt shall be required of us, how happeneth it, that we that believe this as a most certain truth, do nevertheless live with such security, and negligence as we do? Wherein do we put our affiance? Wherewithal do we persuade and flatter ourselves in the midst of so many dreadful perils, and dangers? How cometh this to pass, that those persons that have most cause to fear this dreadful day, do least fear it, and those that have least cause to fear it, do live in greatest fear thereof? Holy Job was a just man (for so almighty God witnessed of him with his own mouth,) and yet for all this he lived in so great fear and dread of his accompt at the day of Judgement, that he said: What shall I do, when almighty God cometh to judge, and when he beginneth to question with me, what answer shall I make unto him? Surely these be words that proceed from a very sore afflicted, and troubled heart. What shall I do, saith he: As if he had said: One care I have that troubleth me continually: One nail I carry always fixed in my heart, that will not suffer me to take any rest. What shall I do? Whither shall I go? What answer shall I make, when almighty God shall enter into judgement with me? But O holy and blessed man Job, why art thou thus afraid? Why art thou thus troubled, and vexed? Art not thou he that said: I have been a father unto the poor, an eye unto the blind, and feet unto the lame. Art not thou he that said, that In all thy life time thy heart never reproved thee of any wicked deed. Now being a man of so great innocency, why O holy Job art thou thus afraid? Truly the cause is for that this holy man knew right well that almighty God looked not with fleshly eyes, and that he judged not according to the judgement of men, in whose eyes often times that thing shineth very gay, and bright, which in the sight of almighty God is very abominable. Thou art O holy Job very just indeed, yea even for this cause thou art very just, because thou livest in so great fear. This fear of this holy man Job (my dear brethren) condemneth our false security. These words of his overthrow our vain confidence. For which of us hath at any time respect of this care of our dreadful accompt at the day of Judgement once refrained from his dinner, or supper, or broken his sleep? Whereas those devout godly persons that think hereupon as they ought to think, do often times lose their sleep, and their appetite to their meat, yea, and some times more than that also. We read in the lives of the ancient holy fathers, that when one of those holy men saw one of his scholars laughing, he reprehended him for it, and said: What? Knowing as thou dost, that thou must yield an accompt to almighty God before heaven and earth, art thou that notwithstanding so bold as to laugh? This holy father thought that that man which looked earnestly for this dreadful accompt could hardly laugh.
Now as touching accusers, and witnesses, there shall not want in this behalf. For our own very consciences shall be witnesses and cry out against us: All creatures which we have abused shall be witnesses against us: And above all, our lord himself whom we have offended shall be also a witness against us: As he himself hath signified by one of his Prophets, saying: I will be a swift witness against enchanters, adulterers, perjured persons, and against those that seek cavels to defeat the laborer of his day wages, and against them that do evil intreat the widow, and Orphan, and oppress pilgrims, and strangers. For they do not fear me, saith our Lord.
Neither shall there want accusers against the wicked. For the devil himself shall be a sufficient accuser: who (as St. Agustine writeth) shall allege very exactly before the judge his right, and title, and shall say unto him. O most just and righteous judge, thou canst not of justice but give sentence and adjudge these wicked traitors to be mine: forsomuch as they have been always mine, and have in all things fulfilled my will. Thine they were, (I grant,) because thou didst create them, and make them after thy Image, and likeness, and redeem them with thy blood. But they have defaced thy Image, and put on mine. They have refused thine obedience, and embraced mine. They have despised thy commandments, and observed mine: They have lived with my spirit. They have imitated my works. They have walked in my steps. And in each thing have followed my counsels. Consider how much more they have been mine than thine, as appeareth herein, that notwithstanding I gave them nothing, I promised them nothing, nor laid my shoulders on the Cross for them, yet have they always obeyed my commandments, and not thine. If I commanded them to swear, and forswear, to rob, and to kill, to commit adultery, fornication, simony, and usury, and to deny thy holy name, all this they did willingly, and with great facility. If I commanded them to bestow their lands, their goods, their life and their soul, for a point of honor, and estimation, which I persuaded them in any wise to maintain, or for a false delight whereunto I invited them, they did forthwith very willingly hazard all this for my sake. But for thee, that art their God, their creator and their redeemer, that gavest them their lands, their goods, their health, and life, that hast offered unto them thy grace, and promised them thy glory, and above all this, hast suffered most cruel death upon the cross for them, they never took the least pain and labor in the world. How oftentimes hast thou come to their doors in great poverty, nakedness, and full of sores? And what alms hadst thou of them, but a wayward answer, and shutting their doors in a great fury and anger upon thee, they being then more careful to feed their hawks, their dogs, and their horses, and to clothe their walls with hangings of tapestry, silk, and gold, than to relieve, clothe, and help thee? Wherefore seeing thou art a most just Judge, and knowest that this is most certainly true, the very order of justice requireth, that they should be now punished for their injuries, and contempts, done to so great a majesty.
Now this accusation being found most true, Christ the judge will pronounce that terrible sentence against the wicked, saying: Depart ye cursed into the everlasting fire, which is prepared for Satan, and his angels. For I was hungry, and ye gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me not to drink: etc. And then shall the good go to life everlasting, and the wicked to fire everlasting. Now who is able to express what an intolerable anguish, and grief, it will be to the damned persons, when they shall hear those most terrible words pronounced against them? There shall they cry out to the mountains, to come, and fall upon them, and to the hills to cover them. There shall they blaspheme, and renay, and open their sacrilegious mouths even against almighty God. There shall they continually curse the day of their birth, and their unhappy state. There shall their day wholly end. There shall their glory be finished. There shall their prosperity be utterly extinguished, and overthrown. There shall the day of their horrible pains and griefs begin in their bodies to continue for ever, and ever. As St. John signifieth in his Apocalypse under the name of Babylon, in these words: The kings of the earth shall weep and wail over themselves, that have enjoyed the pleasures and delights of Babylon, and have committed fornication with her, when they shall see the smoke that riseth up from their tormentors, and they shall endeavor to keep themselves afar of for fear of them, and say: Woe, woe, be unto that great City of Babylon, for in one hour is her judgement come. And the merchants of the earth shall lament, because now there be none to buy their merchandises of gold, and silver, and precious stones. And they shall lament over her, and say: woe, woe, be unto that great City, that was clothed with garments of purple, scarlet, silks, and velvets, and was covered over with gold, and precious stones. For in one hour all this great riches shall perish, and come to naught.
Wherefore O my dear Christian brethren, if this must pass in this wise, let us provide for ourselves (I beseech you) whilst we have time here in this life, and let us follow the counsel which he giveth to us, who would rather be our advocate, than our judge: and there is none that knoweth better what is required for that day, than he who must be the judge of our cause. Christ then our judge teacheth us briefly what we ought to do, in these words: Take heed (saith he in the gospel of St. Luke cap.21.ver.34.) that your hearts be not burthened with over much eating, and drinking, and with the cares of this life: and beware that that sudden day come not upon you at unawares. For it shall come like a snare upon all that dwell upon the face of all the earth. And therefore watch and pray at all times, that ye may be worthy to be delivered from all these evils that are to come, and that ye may appear before the son of man. Now considering this my dear brethren, come I most heartily pray you, and let us arise whiles we have time out of this so heavy sleep, before that dark night of death fall upon us, and before this dreadful cay come, whereof the Prophet Malachy cap.3. saith: Now he cometh, and who dare abide his coming? And who shall be able to behold the day thereof? Undoubtedly that man shall be able to abide this dreadful day of judgement, that shall prevent the judge, and judge himself before hand, according as St. Paul forewarneth and counseleth us.
OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION 