Meditations collected and ordered for the vse of the English colledge of Lisbo by the svperiovrs of the same colledge.

THE FIRST MEDITATION. Hovv much it importeth vs to prepare in time for death.

1. COnsider first, that as nothing is more certaine, and ineuitable, then death; so nothing is more vncertaine, and vn∣knowne, then is the day and the houre of it: for the first; the rule is generall without exception, that all must once die; neither the mother, nor the Sonne of God haue beene exempted from this law. So that, the houre will once come to me, that am now young, healthy and lusty, in which I must for euer bid adieu to this world & all that is in it: once will the day come, whose night I shall neuer see; or the night, whose mor∣ne will neuer shine vpon me. Neither can this day or night be farre of from the youngest of vs; for death comes by the post and most common∣ly when least expected: as the rich man in the Gospell, hauing hoarded vp for many yeares, & intending nothing but a merry life; receiued suddenly the sad tydings, Stulte, nocte hac ani∣mam tuā repetent à te: thou foole, this night they shall require thy soule of thee. Death therefore is

shortly most certaine; but when? what yeare? what day? what houre? J will tell you: the yeare, the day, the houre, a man least expects, or feares it; & when he is making greatest proiects for a long life: and this is all the certainety I can tell you; and the comfort J can giue you, is, that death cometh like a theife. Wherefore

Conclude to follow our Sauiours counsell, Semper vigilate, quia nescitis diem neque horam: vvatch allvvaies, because you knovv neither day, nor houre. be sure it will come, be therefore sure also to looke for it daylie.

2. Consider secondly, the sad case of mortalls; who of death know nothing, but that once it will come, but when; but where, but how, it is altogether concealed from them: whether it will be sudden, or foreseen; naturall or violent; by fire, water, or sword; by the fall of a tile, pricke of a pin, slippe of the foot, or any other of those million of chances, which happen in the world euery day. O how disastrous & dangerous are these sudden claps! But suppose thy good hap bring thee to thy bed, with the assistance of thy friends, the succour of Physitians & the comfort of the holy Sacraments (for neuer hope to ex∣ceed this) canst thou yet tell me what thy infir∣mitie will be? whether long or short? gentle or sharpe? cleanly or noysome? bereauing thee of thy wits, or giuing thee time and abilitie to dis∣pose of thy soule, estate and familie? nothing lesse; no strength, no riches, no wit or learning, can helpe any man to the knowledge of the least of these.

Conclude therefore, that seing thou hast no priuiledge or Carta de securo, letter of safetie, aboue thy fellowes, to be euer in a readines for all houres, all chances, to purge and cleanse thy soule of what is past; & for the future, to liue so, as thou wouldst wish to haue liued, when death comes; & doe nothing now, that thou wouldest then repent to haue done.

3. Consider thirdly, that death being so cer∣taine and the time, the place, the manner so hid∣den and vncertaine; yet some comfort would it be, if it might be twice done, that if a man should erre the first time, he might learne his lesson the better against the second: but alas▪ we can die but once, and howsoeuer that happen, well or ill, no lesse then an vnchangeable Eter∣nity depends vpon it: if well, tis well; but if ill, no retraiting backe, no redresse vnder the abso∣lute power of God: which way the tree falleth, when it is cutt downe, there it remaineth for euer; & if it fall to the North of hells scorching colds and flames, dying in mortall sinne, no∣thing remaines but eternall torments without pittie, patience or ease. O momentum, à quo d••∣pendet tam longa aeternitas! ô moment, on vvhich depends soe longe eternitie!

Conclude and conceiue great feare of that dreadfull moment, on which so much depends & which so few consider or prepare for, till it be too late; vse thy best endeauours, to gett per∣fect this lesson of dying well; that thou be not out, when thou comest to putt it in practice: and

if thou likest my counsell, allot at least one day in the weeke to this purpose, dedicating all thy prayers, actions and deuotions of the sayd day to God Almightie for a happy death, and com∣mending thy selfe to the B. Virgin Marie, thy Angell Guardian, and other thy especiall Pa∣trons, that they assist & helpe thee at that houre: this hath beene the practice of many Saints.

4. Consider fourthly the great, yet generall errour of men; who thinke then, when they are sicke and like to die, to doe great acts of deuo∣tion, as loue of God, sorrow for their sinnes, strong purposes of amendment &c. but alàs! how wee deceiue our selues? beleeue me, wee shall be so farre then from gaining any thing a new, that I pray God, the best of vs all may retaine then, and hold, vvhat he hath gotten in his life and health time. Obserue what thou art able to doe in matter of deuotion, if thy head ake, thy teeth paine thee, or any other small indisposi∣tion trouble thee: and then tell me, what thou art like to doe, when a mortall anguish comes vpon thee, and the pangs of death inuade thee, with all the troope of griefes, feares, and desola∣tions, which are vsuall at that time. O delusion of the Deuill! and iust also permission of God! for why or how should a man gaine that, at the houre of death, which, he hath all his life time slighted and neglected? why shall he haue his iournie pence, that neuer put his hand to worke, till the sunne was setting? No, no, deuotions, good workes, prayers and the like done in

health, they are secure and of great esteeme, & will stand by vs, euen at the houre of death; when God knowes how wee shall otherwise helpe our selues; or vvho else vvill helpe vs: for commonly in what estate sicknes findeth vs, in the same death carrieth vs hence.

Conclude to follow the counsell of the Wise man, Quodcunque facere potest manus tua, in∣stanter operare, quia nec opus, nec ratio, nec sapien∣tia, nec scientia erunt apud inferos, quo tu prop••∣ras. VVhatsoeuer thy hand is able to doe, vvorke it instantlie; for neither vvorke, nor reason, nor vvi∣sedome, nor knovvledge shall be in hell vvhither thou dost hasten. & beg instantly of God for his grace, to dispose & prepare thy soule in time for that last houre.