A treatise of the difference bbtwixt [sic] the temporal and eternal composed in Spanish by Eusebius Nieremberg ... ; translated into English by Sir Vivian Mullineaux, Knight ; and since reviewed according to the tenth and last Spanish edition.

CAP. IX.

Of the last day of Time.

THat we may now come to handle the manner of this universal Judgement, which is to pass upon time and men, we are to suppose that this fire, which is to precede the coming of Christ, is at his descent to continue in assistance of his Divine justice, and after his return unto Heaven attended by all the just, to re∣main until it hath purged and purified these inferiour Elements; the which is noted by Albertus Magnus,* 1.1 and collected from divers places of the Divine Scrip∣tures. We are also to suppose that this coming of Christ is to be with greater terrour and Majesty, than hath been yet manifested by any of the Divine persons, either in himself or any of his Creatures. If an Angel which represented God, and was onely to promulgate the Law, came with that terrour and Majesty unto Mount Sinay, as made the Hebrew people, though pu∣rified and prepared for his coming, to quake and trem∣ble; what shall the Lord of the Law doe, when he himself comes to take an account of the Law, and to

revenge the breach of it? With what terrour and Ma∣jesty shall he appear unto men plunged in sin, and un∣prepared for his reception, who are then to be all pre∣sent, and judged in that last day of time?

The day in which the Law was given was very memorable unto the Hebrews: And this day, where an account of the Law is to be given, will be horri∣ble, and ought perpetually to remain in the memory of all mankind. But before we declare what shall pass in this, let us say something of what hath already passed in that, that from the horrour of the first appearance we may gather something of what shall happen in the second, and from the Majesty, wherewith an Angel appeared when he gave the Law, collect something of the Majesty of the Lord of Angels when he judges the Law. Fifty dayes after the departure of the Sons of Israel out of Egypt, after so many plagues and pu∣nishments poured upon that Kingdom, after the bu∣rying of the unbelieving Egyptians, who pursued them, in the bottom of the Red Sea, and that the Hebrews having escaped their enemies were lodged round about Mount Sinay,* 1.2 There was seen to come in the Air from far, that is, from Mount Seir in Idumea, a Lord of great power, attended with an infinite multitude of Angels: In so much as David sings, that ten thou∣sand compassed about his Chariot. And Moses speak∣ing of many thousands which attended him, says al∣so, that he carried in his right hand the Law of God all of flaming fire; and yet he who came in this height of Majesty, waited on with those Celestial Spirits, was not God,* 1.3 but, as we learn from St. Stephen, one∣ly an Angel, and believed to be St. Michael, who be∣cause he came in the Name of God, the holy Scrip∣tures calls the Lord. This Angel thus accompanied came seated on a dark condensed Cloud, which cast forth frequent flashes of Lightning and resounded with dreadful cracks of Thunder,* 1.4 from Mount Seir unto Mount Haran in the Land of the Ishmaelites, and from

thence with the same Majesty passed through the Air unto Mount Sinay, where the Children of Israel lay encamped: who at the dawning of the day astonisht with that fearful noyse, stood quaking and trembling in their Tents. No sooner was the Angel arrived un∣to Mount Sinay, which, as the Apostle says,* 1.5 was co∣vered with rain, whirlwinds, storms and tempests, but he descended in flames, which raught betwixt Hea∣ven and Earth, from whence issued forth a smoke black and thick as from a furnace; during which time a Trumpet was heard to sound with that piercing vehemence, that as it encreased in loudness, so fear encreased in the amazed Israelites, who now stood quaking at the foot of the Mountain, but were by the Angel (so much would he be respected) commanded by the mouth of M••ses not to approach it, lest they died. After which the Angel began with a dread∣ful voice to proclaim the Law: which was pro∣nounced with so much life and vigour, that not with∣standing the horrid noyse of Thunder, the flashes of lightning, and the shrill and penetrating sound of the Trumpet still continued, yet all the Hebrews, who with their Tents overspread those vast deserts, and many thousands of Egyptians, who were conver∣ted and followed them, heard, conceived, and un∣derstood it clearly and distinctly; Nay, so pier∣cing was the voyce, that it entred and imprinted it self in their very bowels, speaking unto every one of them as if it had spoken to him only, which caused so great a fear and reverence in the people, that they thought they could not live, if the Angel conti∣nued speaking; and therefore besought it as a grace that he would speak unto them by the way of Mo∣ses, lest they should die. Nay, Moses himself accu∣stomed to see and work stupendious wonders, and be∣ing of a great and generous spirit, confessed his fear, saying, as we have it from St. Paul,* 1.6 That he was ter∣rified and trembled.

Let a man now consider how memorable was that day unto the Hebrew Nation, wherein they saw such Visions, heard such Thunders, and felt such Earth∣quakes, as it is no wonder that the great fear, which fell upon them in that day of Prodigies, made them think they could not live: Yet was all this nothing in respect of the terrour of that great day, wherein the Lord of Angels is to demand an account of the vi∣olation of the Law. For after the sending far great∣er plagues than those of Egypt, after burning in that Deluge of fire the Sinners of the world, the Saints re∣maining still alive, that that Article of our Faith may be literally fulfill'd, From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, The Heavens shall open, and over the Valley of Josaphat the Redeemer of the World, attended by all the Angels of Heaven in visi∣ble forms of admirable splendour shall with a Divine Majesty descend to judge it. Before the Judge shall be born his Standard,* 1.7 which St. Chrysostome and divers other Doctors affirm shall be the very Cross on which he suffered. Then shall the just (such being the force and vigour of their spirits, as will elevate their terrene and heavy bodies) meet (as the Apostle sayes) their Redeemer in the Air, who at his issuing forth of the Heavens shall with a voice, that may be heard of all the world, pronounce this his Commandment: Arise ye dead, and come unto Judgement: Which shall be pro∣claimed by four Angels in the four Quarters of the World with such vehemence, that the sound shall pierce unto the infernal Region, from whence the Souls of the damned shall issue forth, and re-enter their bodies, which shall from thenceforward suffer the ter∣rible torments of Hell. The Souls also of those, who died onely in Original sin, shall come and possess again their bodies free from pain or torment; and the Souls of the blessed filling their bodies with the four gifts of Glory, shall make them more resplendent than the Sun: and with the gift of agility shall joyn them∣selves

with those just who remain alive in the Air in their passible bodies, which being yet mortal, and there∣fore not able to endure those vehement affections of the heart, of joy, desire, reverence, love and admira∣tion of Christ, shall then die, and in that instant be∣hold the Divine Essence; after which their Souls shall be again immediately united to their bodies, before they can be corrupted, or so much as fall unto the ground, and thence forward continue glorious; for in the moment wherein they die they shall be purified from those noxious humours and qualities, wherewith our bodies are now infected. And therefore it was con∣venient they should first die, that being so cleansed from all filth, they might by the restitution of their blessed Souls receive the gifts of Glory. Considering then the so different. conditions of the Souls of men, who can express the joy of those happy Souls, when they shall take possession of their now glorious and beautiful bodies, which were long since eaten by worms or wild beasts, some four, some five thousand years agoe turned into dust and ashes? What thanks shall they give to God, who after so long a separation hath restored them to their antient Companions? What gratulations shall the Souls of them, who lived in au∣sterity and penance, give unto their own bodies for the mortifications and rigours which they have suf∣fered, for the hair-shirts, disciplines, and fasts which they have observed? To the contrary, the Souls of the damned how shall they rage and curse their own flesh, since to please and pamper it hath been the occasion of their torments, and eternal unhappiness? Which miserable wretches, wanting the gift of agili∣ty, and so not able of themselves to go unto the place of Justice, shall be hurried against their wills by Devils, all trembling and full of fear.

§ 2.

The Reprobates being then in the Valley of Josa∣phat, and the Predestinate in the Air, the Judge shall appear above Mount Olivet,* 1.8 unto whom the clouds shall serve as a Chariot, and his most glorious body shall cast forth rayes of such incomparable splendour, as the Sun shall appear but as a coal; for even the Predestinate shall shine as the Sun, but the light and brightness of Christ shall as far exceed them, as the Sun does the least Star. The which most admirable sight shall be yet more glorious by those thousand mil∣lions of excellent and heavenly spirits which shall at∣tend him, who having formed themselves acreal bo∣dies of more or less splendour, according to their Hierarchy and Order, shall fill the whole space be∣twixt Heaven and Earth with unspeakable beauty and variety. The Saviour of the World shall sit upon a Throne of great Majesty made of a clear and beautiful Cloud, his countenance shall be most milde and peace∣able towards the good, and, though the same, most terrible unto the bad. In the like manner out of his sacred wounds shall issue beams of light towards the just full of love and sweetness, but unto sinners full of fire and wrath, who shall weep bitterly for the evils which issue from them.* 1.9 So great shall be the Majesty of Christ, that the miserable Damned, and the Devils themselves, notwithstanding all the hate they bear him, shall yet prostrate themselves and adore him, and to their greater confusion acknowledge him for their Lord and God: And those who have most blasphe∣med and outraged him, shall then bow before him, fulfilling the promises of the eternal Father, That all things should be subject unto him, That he would make his enemies his footstool, and That all knees should bend before him. Here shall the Jews to their greater confusion behold him, whom they have cru∣cified:

and here shall the evil Christians see him, whom they have again crucified with their sins; here also shall the Sinners behold him in glory, whom they have despised for the base trifles of the earth. What an amazement will it be to see him King of so great Ma∣jesty, who suffered so much ignominy upon the Cross, and even from those whom he redeemed with his most precious blood? What will they then say, who in scorn crowned the sacred temples of the Lord with thorns, put a Reed in his hand for a Scepter, cloathed him in some old and broken Garment of purple, buf∣feted and spit upon his blessed face? And what will they then say, unto whose consciences Christ hath so often proposed himself in all his bitter passion and painful death, and hath wrought nothing upon them but a continuance of greater sins, valuing his precious blood shed for their salvation no more than if it were the blood of a Tyger, or their greatest enemy? I know not how the memory of this doth not burst our hearts with compunction.* 1.10 Let us take the counsel of a holy Father in the Desert, who when one asked him, What he should do to soften and mollifie his stony heart, an∣swered, That he should remember that he was to ap∣pear before the Lord who was to judge him; whose sight, as another holy Monk said, would be so terrible unto the wicked, that if it were possible that Souls could die, the whole world at the coming of the Son of God would be struck dead with fear and terrour.

At the side of the Throne of Christ shall be placed another Throne of great glory for his most holy Mo∣ther, not then to intercede for sinners, but for the greater confusion of those, who, when time served, have not addressed themselves unto her, nor reaped the benefit of her Protection: that she may be ho∣noured in the sight of the whole World. There shall be also other Thrones for the Apostles and those Saints, who poor in spirit have left all for Christ; who sitting now as Judges with their Redeemer, and

condemning by their good example the scandalous lives of sinners, shall approve the Sentence of the Su∣pream Judge, and declare his great Justice before the world, with which the wicked shall remain confound∣ed and amazed: and it shall then be fulfilled which so many years since was prophesied by the Wiseman,* 1.11 The wicked beholding the just, who were despised in this life, to be so much honoured, shall be troubled with hor∣rible fear, and shall wonder at their unexpected salvati∣on, saying amongst themselves with great resentment and much grief and anguish of Spirit: These are they who sometime were unto us matter of scorn and laughter. We fools imagined their life to be madness, and that their end would be without honour; but behold they are counted amongst the Children of God, and their lot is amongst the Saints. We err'd and wandred from the ways of truth, and the light of Justice was not with us, nor the Sun of wisdom did shine upon us. We wearied our selves in the ways of wickedness and perdition, and walked in paths of difficulty, and knew not the way of the Lord. What hath our pride profited us? and what hath the pomp of our riches availed us? all those things have passed like a shadow, or like a messenger who passes in haste, or like a ship which cuts the instable waves, and leaves no track where it went, and are now consumed in our wickedness. The Tyrants who have afflicted and put to death the holy Martyrs, what will they now say, when they shall see them in this Glory? Those who trampled under foot the justice & right of the poor of Christ, what will they do, when they shall behold them their Judges? And what will the wicked Judges doe or say, when they shall see themselves condemned for their unjust Sentences,* 1.12 fulfilling that which was said by Salomon; I saw a great evil beneath the Sun, that in the Throne of Judgement was seated impiety, and wickedness in the place of Justice: and I said in my heart God shall judge the good and evil, and then shall be seen who every one is? Here in this life the just and sinner have not al∣ways

the place which they deserve; many times the wicked takes the right hand, and the holy the left. Christ shall then rectifie all those grievances, and shall sepa∣rate the wheat from the tares: The good he shall place upon his right hand, elevated in the Air, that all the world may honour them as holy: And the wicked shall stand far at his left, remaining upon the Earth to their own confusion and the scorn of all. How shall the sinners envy the just, when they shall see them so much honoured, and themselves so much despised? How confounded shall be the Kings of the earth, when they shall behold their Vassals in Glory, and Lords when they shall see their slaves amongst the Angels, and them∣selves in equal rank with Devils? For it seems the De∣vils then shall assume bodies of Air, that they may be sensibly seen by the wicked, and shall stand amongst them for their greater affront and torment.

§ 3.

Immediately the Books of all mens Consciences shall be opened, and their sins publisht to the whole world; The most secret sins of their hearts, and those filthy acts which were committed in private; Those sins which through shame and bashfulness were conceal'd in Confession, or cover'd with excuses, crooked and sinister intentions, hidden and unknown treacheries, counterfeit and dissembling virtues, all shall then be manifested; feigned friends, adulterous wives, unfaith∣ful servants, false witnesses, shall all to their great shame and confusion be then discovered. If we are now so sen∣sible when people murmure at us, or that some infamous act of ours is known to one or two persons, how shall we be then troubled when all our faults together are made known unto all, both men and Angels? How many are there now, who if they imagined that their father or brother knew what they had committed in secret, would die with grief? And yet in that day not

onely fathers and brothers, but friends and enemies, and all the world shall to their confusion know it. The virtuous actions of the just how secretly soever performed, their holy thoughts, their pious desires, their pure intentions, their good works, which the world now either disesteems, or calumniates as mad∣ness, shall then be manifested, and they for them shall be honoured by the whole world; virtue shall then appear admirable in all her beauty, and vice horrible in all her deformity. It shall then be seen how decent and beautiful it is for the great to humble themselves, for the offended to be silent, and pardon injuries: on the other side, how insolent and horrid a thing it is to trample upon the poor, to wrong the humble, to de∣sire revenge, and Lord it over others. Then shall be also discovered the good works of the wicked, but for their greater affront, in that they have not persevered in doing well: and that calling to remembrance the good counsel and advice which they have given un∣to others, which hath been a means of their salva∣tion, they may be now confounded to have neglected it themselves to their own damnation. The sins also of the just shall be published, but with all their repen∣tance, and the good which they have drawn from their faults, in such sort as it shall no ways redound to their shame, but be an argument of rendring thanks and di∣vine praises to the Lord, who was pleased to pardon them. But nothing shall be of greater despite and confu∣sion unto sinners, than to behold those, who have com∣mitted equal & greater sins than themselves, to be then in Glory, because they made use of the time of repen∣tance, which they despised and neglected. This confusion shall be augmented by that inward charge which God shall lay against them of his divine benefits, unto which their Angel guardians shall assist by giving testimony how often they have disswaded them from their evil courses, and how rebellious and refractory they have still been to their holy inspirations. The Saints also shall accuse

them that they have laughed at their good counsels, and shall set forth the dangers, whereunto they them∣themselves have been subject by their ill example.

The just Judge shall then immediately pronounce Sentence in favour of the good in these words of love and mercy, Come you blessed of my Father, possess the Kingdom which was prepared for you from the creation of the world. O what joy shall then fill the Saints,* 1.13 and what spight and envy shall burst the hearts of Sinners! but more when they shall hear the contrary Sentence pronounced against themselves: Christ speaking unto them with that severity, which was signified by the Prophet Isaiah, when he said, His lips were filled with indignation, and his tongue was a devouring fire. More terrible than fire shall be those words of the Son of God unto those miserable wretches, when they shall hear him say, Depart from me ye cursed into eternal fire prepared for Satan and his Angels. With this Sen∣tence they shall remain for ever overthrown, and co∣vered with eternal sorrow and confusion. Ananias and Saphira were struck dead only with the hearing the angry voice of St. Peter; What shall the Repro∣bate be in hearing the incensed voice of Christ? This may appear by what happened unto St. Catharine of Sienna, who being reprehended by St. Paul,* 1.14 who ap∣peared unto her, onely because she did not better em∣ploy some little parcel of time, said, that she had ra∣ther be disgraced before the whole World, than once more to suffer what she did by that reprehension. But what is this in respect of that reprehension of the Son of God in the day of vengeance? for if when he was led himself to be judged, he with two onely words, I am, overthrew the astonisht multitude of Souldiers to the ground, how shall he speak when he comes to judge?* 1.15 (In the book of the lives of the Fa∣thers, composed by Severus Sulpitius and Cassianus, it is written of a certain young man desirous to become a Monk, whom his Mother by many reasons, which

she alleadged, pretended to disswade, but all in vain; for he would by no means alter his intention, de∣fending himself still from her importunity with this answer, I will save my soul, I will assure my salvation; it is that which most imports nic. She perceiving that her modest requests prevailed nothing, gave him leave to do as he pleased: and he according to his resolu∣tion entred into Religion; but soon began to flag and fall from his fervour, and to live with much carelesness and negligence. Not long after his Mother died, and he himself fell into a grievous infirmity, and being one day in a Trance was rapt in spirit before the Judgement Seat of God. He there found his Mother, and divers others expecting his condem∣nation; She turning her eyes, and seeing her Son a∣mongst those who were to be damned, seemed to re∣main astonisht, and spake unto him in this manner; Why, how now Son; is all come to end in this? where are those words thou saidest unto me; I will save nay soul? was it for this thou didst enter into Religion? The poor man being confounded and a∣mazed knew not what to answer; but soon after when he returned unto himself, and the Lord was pleased that he recovered and escaped his infirmity, and con∣sidering that this was a divine admonition, he gave so great a turn, that the rest of his life was wholly tears and repentance; and when many wisht him that he would moderate and remit something of that ri∣gour, which might be prejudicial unto his health, he would not admit of their advices, but still answered, I who could not endure the reprehension of my Mo∣ther, how shall I in the day of judgement endure that of Christ and his Angels? Let us often think of this, and let not onely the angry voice of our Saviour make us tremble,* 1.16 but that terrible Sentence, which shall se∣parate the wicked from his presence. Raphael Colum∣ba writes of Philip the second King of Spain, that be∣ing at Mass he heard two of his Grandees, who were

near him, in discourse about some worldly business, which he then took no notice of, but Mass being end∣ed, he called them with great gravity, and said unto them onely these few words, You two appear no more in my presence: which were of that weight, that the one of them died of grief, and the other ever after re∣mained stupified and amazed. What shall it then be to hear the King of Heaven and Earth say; Depart ye cursed? and if the words of the Son of God be so much to be feared, what shall be his works of ju∣stice?

At that instant the fire of that general burning shall invest those miserable creatures;* 1.17 the Earth shall open and Hell shall enlarge his throat to swallow them for all eternity, accomplishing the malediction of Christ, and of the Psalm which saith,* 1.18 Let death come upon them, and let them sink alive into hell. And in another place; Coals of fire shall fall upon them,* 1.19 and thou shalt cast them into the fire, and they shall not subsist in their miseries. And in another Psalm;* 1.20 Snares, fire, and sul∣phur shall rain upon sinners. Finally, that shall be exe∣cuted which was spoken by St. John, That the Devil, Death, and Hell, and all,* 1.21 who were not written in the Book of life, were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where they shall be eternally tormented with Antichrist and his false Prophets. And this is the second death, bitter, and eternal, which comprehends both the Souls and the Bodies of them who have died the spiritual death of sin, and the corporal death which is the effect of it. The Just shall then rejoyce, according to David,* 1.22 beholding the vengeance which the Divine Justice shall take upon sinners, and sing an∣other song like that of Moses,* 1.23 when the Aegyptians were drowned in the red sea, and that Song of the Lamb, related by St. John,* 1.24 Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God omnipotent, just and righteous are thy wayes, King of all Eternity; who will not fear thee O Lord, and magnifie thy name? With those and thou∣sand

other Songs of joy and jubilee they shall ascend a∣bove the Stars in a most glorious triumph, until they arrive in the Empyrial Heaven; where they shall be placed in thrones of glory, which they shall enjoy for an eternity of eternities. In the mean time the earth, which was polluted for having sustained the Bodies of the damned, shall be purified in that general burn∣ing: and then shall be renewed the Earth, the Hea∣vens, the Stars, and the Sun, which shall shine seaven times more than before; and the creatures, which have here been violated and oppressed by the abuse of man, (whereof some had taken armes against him to revenge the injuries of their Creatour, and others groaned under their burthen with grief and sorrow) shall then rejoyce to see themselves freed from the ty∣ranny of sin and sinners, and joyful of the triumph of Christ shall put on mirth and gladness.

This is the end wherein all time is to determine, and this the Catastrophe so fearful unto the wicked, where all things temporal are to conclude. Let us therefore take heed how we use them; and that we may use them well, let us be mindful of this last day, this day of justice and calamity, this day of terrour and amazement; the memory whereof will serve much for the reformation of our lives. Let us think of it, and fear it, for it is the most terrible of all things ter∣rible, and the consideration of it most profitable and available to cause in us a holy fear of God, and to convert us unto him.* 1.25 John. Curopolata writes of Bo∣goris King of the Bulgarians a Pagan, who was so much addicted to the hunting of wilde beasts, that he desi∣red to have them painted in his Palace in all their fury and fierceness: and to that end commanded Methodius the Monk a skilful Painter to paint them in so hor∣rible a manner, as the very sight might make the be∣holders tremble. The discreet Monk did it not, but in place of it painted the Day of Judgement, and pre∣sented it unto the King, who beholding that terrible

act of Justice, and the coming of the Son of God to judge the World, crowning and rewarding the just, and punishing the wicked, was much astonished at it; and being after instructed left his bad life, and was converted to the faith of Christ. If onely then the Day of Judgement painted was so terrible, what shall it be executed? Almost the same happened unto St. Dosi∣theus,* 1.26 who being a young man, cokored and brought up in pleasures, had not in his whole life so much as heard of the Day of Judgement; until by chance he be∣held a Picture, in which were represented the pains of the damned, at which he was much amazed, and not knowing what it was, was informed of it by a Matron present, which he apprehended so deeply, that he fell half dead upon the ground, not being able to breath for fear and terrour: after coming to himself, he demanded what he should doe to avoid that mise∣rable condition; it was answered him by the same Matron, that he should fast, pray, and abstain from flesh, which he immediately put in execution; And though many of his house and kindred endeavoured to divert and disswade him, yet the holy fear of God, and the dread of eternal condemnation, which he might incurre, remained so fixt in his memory, that nothing could withdraw him from his rigorous pe∣nance and holy resolution, until becoming a Monk he continued with much fruit and profit. Let us there∣fore whiles we live ever preserve in our memory this day of terrour, that we may hereafter enjoy security for the whole eternity of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Albert. Magn. in comp. Theol. lib. 7. c. 15. Less. de perf. div. lib. 13. c. 30. & 23.
• * 1.2

  Deut. 33. Vid. Bar∣rad. l. 6. itin. c. 5. Ps. 65. Deut. 33.
• * 1.3

  Act. 7.
• * 1.4

  Deut. 33.
• * 1.5

  Heb. 42.
• * 1.6

  Heb. 12.
• * 1.7

  Chrys. Tom. 3. Serm. de Cruce.
• * 1.8

  Zach. 1.
• * 1.9

  Psa. 109. 1 Cor. 15. Phil. 2.
• * 1.10

  In vit. PP.
• * 1.11

  Sap. 5.
• * 1.12

  Eccl. 3. & 10.
• * 1.13

  Abul. in Mat. Jansen. Sot. Les. l. 13. c. 22. & alii. Isai. 30.
• * 1.14

  In vita e∣jus c. 24.
• * 1.15

  In vita PP. l. 5. apud Ro∣sul.
• * 1.16

  Raph. Columb. Ser. 2. Domin. in Quadr.
• * 1.17

  Less. l. 13. c. 23.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 54.
• * 1.19

  Ps. 139.
• * 1.20

  Psal. 10.
• * 1.21

  Apcc. 20.
• * 1.22

  Psal. 57.
• * 1.23

  Exod. 15.
• * 1.24

  Apoc. 15.
• * 1.25

  Joh. Cu∣ropol. in hist. apud Rad. in opusc. & in vitis PP. Occi∣dentis.
• * 1.26

  Anon. in Elog. Do∣rothei & Dosithei.