The holy court in five tomes, the first treating of motives which should excite men of qualitie to Christian perfection, the second of the prelate, souldier, states-man, and ladie, the third of maxims of Christianitie against prophanesse ..., the fourth containing the command of reason over the passions, the fifth now first published in English and much augemented according to the last edition of the authour containing the lives of the most famous and illustrious courtiers taken out of the Old and New Testament and other modern authours / written in French by Nicholas Caussin ; translated into English by Sr. T.H. and others.

The eighteenth EXAMPLE, upon the eighteenth MAXIM. Of Judgement, and of the pains of Hell.

ALl affairs of the World end in one great affair of the other life, which is that of the judge∣ment God will give upon our soul, at its passage out of the body. A heart, which hath no apprehen∣sion thereof, unless it have some extraordinarie revela∣tion of its glorie, is faithless or stupid to extremity.

The simple idea's of this day make the most confi∣dent to quake: not so much as pictures but have gi∣ven matter of fear, and if some sparks of knowledge, touching that, which passeth at the tribunal of God, come unto us, it ever produceth good effects in souls, which had some disposition to pietie.

Curopalates relateth, that whilest Theodora possessed the Empire of Constantinople with her son, who was yet in minoritie, one named Methodius, an excellent Painter, an Italian by Nation, and religious by pro∣fession, went to the Court of the Bulgarian King, named Bogoris, where he was entertained with much favour. This Prince was yet a Pagan, and though trial had been made to convert him to faith, it suc∣ceeded not, because his mind employed on pleasures and worldly affairs, gave very little access to reason. He was excessively pleased with hunting, and as some delight in pictures to behold what they love, so he ap∣pointed Methodius to paint an excellent piece of hun∣ting in a Palace, which he newly had built, and not to forget to pencil forth some hydeous monsters, and frightful shapes.

The Painter, seeing he had a fair occasion to take his opportunity for the conversion of this infidel, in∣stead of painting an hunting-piece for him, made an exquisite table of the day of judgement. There upon one part was to be seen heaven in mourning, on the other the earth on fire, the Sea in bloud, the throne of God hanging in the clouds, environed with infi∣nite store of legions of Angels, with countless num∣bers of men raised again, fearfully expecting the de∣cree of their happiness, or latest misery. Below were the devils in divers shapes of hydeous monsters, all ready to execute strange punishments upon souls abandoned to their furie. The abyss of Hell was open, and threw forth many flames with vapours, able to cover heaven, and infect the earth. This draught being in hand, the Painter still held the King in expe∣ctation, saying, he wrought an excellent picture for him, and which perhaps might be the last master-piece of his hand.

In the end the day assigned being come, he drew aside the curtain, and shewed his work. It is said the King at first stood some while pensive, not being able to wonder enough at this sight. Then turning towards Methodius, what is this? said he. The reli∣gious man took occasion thereupon to tell him of the judgements of God, of punishments and rewards in the other life, wherewith he was so moved, that in a short time he yielded himself to God by a happy conversion.

If draughts and colours have this effect, what do not visions, and undoubted revelations, which were communicated to many Saints concerning affairs of the other life? Every one knows the wisdom and au∣thority of S. Boniface the Martyr, who converted Ger∣many, sent thither by Gregory the second, and who flourished about nine hundred years ago. This great Apostle of the Northern parts left goodly writings to posterity, being most learned, and we have to this day some Epistles of his taken out of good libraries.

In the one and twentieth of his letters, written to Aldeburgus, he makes mention of a man, who was rai∣sed again to life in his time, the miracle much known, and verified before all the world: for to prove he pro∣ceeded very fair into knowledges of the other life, he advertised many men of note of most secret sins, ne∣ver opened to any living man, and exhorted them for Gods sake to true pennance. He likewise foretold the death of Ceelredus King of Mercia, who reigned with much tyranny and rapine, whereof he received the re∣ward.

This great Prelate S. Boniface, then in Germany, sought to inform himself particularly of this won∣der, and afterward couched in the forementioned E∣pistle, the discourse he had with this late raised man. How he asked many questions concerning events happened to him in this so dangerous passage: he tels the storie, and relates it with tears in his eyes:

Alas! how much other are our knowledges at the separation of the soul from the bodie, than they are in this present life. We here onely see through two lit∣tle holes, which are our two eyes, the bark of objects, a very little distance; but the instant of death discovers unto us much other truths. Represent unto your self, said he, a blind man, who never saw any thing, if some one come and take away the film, giving him sight, he would then behold things spoken of in a much other manner than he imagined. The like happened to me, for my soul leaving my body about midnight, I in∣stantly saw the whole world with the extension of its lands and seas that water it, as if it had been abbre∣viated in a table, although to say truth, it was not the universe which was abbridged, but the sight of the spirit dilated by disengagement from the bodie.

The world was all encompassed with fire, which seemed to me of an excessive greatness, and ready to swallow all the elements, if its impetuous course had not been stayed by the measures of Gods hand. At the same time I perceived our Saviour in the quality of a Judge, environed with an infinite number of Angels, indued with marvellous brightness and ex∣cellent beautie: on the other side devils in dreadfull shapes, which I cannot now well describe, since my soul is returned to my body. At the same instant, souls newly unloosened from all parts in so prodigious numbers, that I could never believe there had been so many creatures in the world. Then was a rigorous examen made of crimes committed in the life past: And I saw very few souls who had holily lived, whilest they were as yet in this mortal flesh, to fly unto heaven with palms and Crowns. Others were reserved to be purged, as gold in the furnace, and to follow the steps of those happie warriours, who had gone before them.

As for those who went from this life out of the state of grace, and were in mortal sin, it was a hor∣rible

thing to see the tyrannie with which the devils used them For I perceived, in places under the earth, pits, which vomited fire and flames, on the brinks whereof I saw those souls in such manner, as we shall see some fatal birds, who bewailed & lamented their disasters with dreadful complaints, able to rent rocks and marbles asunder. Then they were thrown into precipices of fire, bidding a long adieu to all pleasures, without hope ever to behold the face of God, nor pleasing light of the Sun, or to have fruition of any other reflection, but the flames of their torments.

I who saw these strange passages, leave you to think with what terrour I expected the last sentence of my judge. The evil spirits began to accuse me with all vio∣lence: you would have said they had reckoned all the steps of my life, so rigorously they mustered up all the slightest actions. But nothing at that time was so in∣supportable to me as mine own conscience. For the sins which I heretofore imagined to be light, were presented unto me in spirit, as horrid phantasms, which seemed to reproch me with mine ingratitude towards God, and to say: I am the pleasure thou hast obeyed, I am the ambition whose slave thou wast, I am the avarice which was the aim of all thy actions. Behold so many sins, which are thy children. Thou begatest them: Thou so much didst love them, as to prefer them before thy Saviour. It is an admirable thing that I likewise saw the specter of a man, whom I had heretofore wounded though yet alive. He seemed to be present at this Judgement, and to require of me an account of his bloud.

All these horrours had already engulphed me into an inconsolable sadness, expecting nought at all but the stroke of thunder and sentence of my Judge, at which time my good Angel disposed himself to pro∣duce some good works I had heretofore done.

One cannot say, nor believe the comfort a soul then feels in the rememberance of virtues it exercised in the bodie. Happy a thousand-fold the hands, which sow alms on earth, to reap them in heaven. It seemed to me I saw so many stars of a favourable influence, when I beheld this little good I had done with Gods grace.

Lastly sentence was pronounced, that for instru∣ction of many, I should again return into life. I must confess unto you, that amongst so many trou∣bles of mind, so many fears and frights, which I suf∣fered before the decision of my affairs (except devils and hell) nothing so much struck me with horrour, as to see my bodie, for which a burial was prepared. Is it possible (said I to my self) that to serve this car∣rion I so often have forsaken my God! Is it possible that to fatten this dunghil, I dispised my soul! That I so adored my prison and fetters, as to ballance them with the Cross and nails of my Saviour Jesus! For this cause I had some repugnance to reenter into this bodie, which seemed to me a little hell. But my soul coming back into it, I remained the space of seven dayes quite stupid, and so lastly strove with my self, till bloud gushed from mine eyes, as not having tears sufficient to bemoan my sins. Behold me ready to declare and witness to all mortals by an authentike example the words of the Wiseman, who saith: MEMORARE NOVISSIMA TUA, ET IN AETERNUM NON PECCABIS: RE∣MEMBER ALL VVILL PASSE AT THE LAST HOUR, AND THOU SHALT NEVER OFFEND.

I beseech the Reader, who peruseth these lines, to put the affairs of his conscience in order, and if he love any thing in the world, to love it for life eternal.

Notes

• Curopalates Scilizza.
• S. Bonifacius. ep. 21.
• Eccl. 3.