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

THE FOVRTH CHAPTER, Of the vniuersall iudgement at the last day.

THree reasons are commonly assigned for this vniuersall iudgement at the end of the world: first, that the bodyes also, as well as the soules of the good and bad may haue their iust reward: Secondly, that the iust may receiue a publike honour, and the bad a publi∣ke confusion: Thirdly that our Sauiour Christ may be iudge of all, for the vniust sentence he receiued here of men.

THE FIRST MEDITATION. Of the signes and vvonders that shall forerunne the last day.

1. COnsider first, what the terrour of that day will be, by what the old Prophets haue sayd of it: & first, harken to Isaias c. 13. Vlulate quia propè est dies Domini; crudelis & indignationis plenus, & irae, furorisque ad po∣nendam terram in solitudinem; & peccatores eius conterendos de ea. Hovvle ye, because the day of our Lord is nere; cruel, & full of indignation, & of vvrath, and furie to bring the land to a vvilder∣nesse, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. Next Ioel cryeth our, as vvanting a tongue to expressé his feare: A, A, A, dixi, quia prope est dies Domini: vlulate in monte sancto meo, quia ve∣nit

dies Damini, quia prope est dies tenebrarum & caliginis, dies nubis & turbinis: ante faciem eius ignis vorans, & post eum exurens flamma, a facie eius contremuit terra, motisunt caelt, sol & luna obtenebrati sunt, & stellae retraxerunt splen∣dorem suum, & quis sustinebit eum? A, A, A, be∣cause the day of our lord is at hand: hovvle in my holie mount, because the day of our Lord cometh; because the day of darkenesse, and of mist is nere, the day of cloude, and vvhirlevvind; before the face thereof a deuouring fyre, and after it a bur∣ning flame; at his presence the earth hath trem∣bled, the heauens are moued, the sunne and moone are darkened, and the starrs haue vvithdravvne their shining; and vvho shall susteyne it? Neither doth Sophonias speake in a lovver straine: Iuxta est dies Domini magnus, vox diei Domini amara, dies irae, dies illa, dies tribulationis & angustiae &c. The great day of our Lord is nere; the voice of the day of our Lord is bitter; that day, a day of vvrath, a day of tribulation and distresse &c. And note, that all call it diem Domini, the day of our Lord; for till then all are the dayes of men, to doe and say vvhat they please; and our Lord is silent and seemeth not to take notice of any thing: but vvhen his day cometh, then Loquetur vt parturiens, dissipabit & absor∣behit simul. He vvill speake as a trauailing vvo∣man, he vvill dissipate and svvallovv vp toge∣ther.

Conclude with these holy Prophets, with S. Hierome, and other Saints to get and conserue in,

thy breast a wholesome feare, of that terrible day which may on all occasions serue thee, as a bridle from finne.

2. Consider secondly the terrible signes, mi∣series and disasters, vvhich forerunné and pre∣pare for the day of iudgement. First great tu∣mults, and warres, nations against nations, and Kingdomes against Kingdomes: then earth quakes, plagues and famines: next, the perse∣cution of Anti Christ, vvhich our Sauiour sayth, shall be the greatest tribulation, that euer was. After this the heauens shall tremble, the Sunne grow darke, the moone be couered with blood; inflamed comets, like flakes or balls of fire, shal sall from the skie. The aire in a horrid confu∣sion, rumbling with windes, tempests, thun∣ders, lightnings and fire-bolts. The sea roaring with hideous stormes, swelling amaine aboue the earth, as ready to swallow all at once? and then as fearefully falling back into the abysse of the Ocean. The wild beasts leauing for terrour the woods and desarts, and with lamentable cryes and howlings flying to houses, villages & townes for shelter. And what doth poore man doe all this while, for whom all this feast is made. Arescentibus hominibus prae timore, men vvithering for feare: quoth Christ, wann, pale, and dried vp for feare, terrour, and anguish not knowing which way to turne or helpe themselues.

Conclude to follow the counsell of the Ec∣clesiastes: Memento Creatoris tui in diebus iu∣uentutis

tuae, antequam veniant dies, in quibus dicas, non placent: antequam tenebrescat sol, & luna, & stella. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth, before the dayes come, in vvhich thou maist say they please not; before the sunne and moone, and starres be darke.

3. Consider thirdly the reasons of this gene∣rall suffering of all creatures. The first, that as, vvhen man the lesser world, is to be dissolued, hee suffereth those cruell fits and conuulsions of his whole body and soule; so this greater world or vniuerse drawing to its last & fatall period, cannot but feele the same shakings: her eyes, that is, the Sunne and moone must needs grow darke: her brest, that is, the earth and sea must heaue and swell; and her armes and leggs, that is, heauen and earth cannot but tremble with thunder & earth-quakes. The second, for that the losse and damnation of men created to glo∣rie & redeemed with the bloud of Jesus Christ, is a thing so worthy of pitty and sorrow, that the Deity it selfe were it subiect to such passions, would grieue and lament their disaster, and the∣refore his will is, that all creatures lament and mourne for them. The third, for that all crea∣tures both of heauen and earth which now ser∣ue and attend, by Gods commandment mans profit and pleasure, must then stand vp, & fight for their God against his sinfull & vngratefull creatures, according to that. Et pugnabit cum illo orbis terrarum contra insensatos. And the round vvorld shall fight vvith him against the senslesse:

Conclude two things, the first, a feeling feare & sorrow for the ruine of so many noble soules? the second, a horrour to thinke that God him∣selfe with all his creatures shall one day reuenge the wrongs, he now patiently beares, and for∣beares from the hands of sinners.

Consider fourtly, what the end will be, where such terrours fore runne: at last there shall come an vniuersall deluge of fire, so great, so violent, that it shall carry and destroy all before it, without rubbe or resistance: then shall be turned into ashes all the vast buildings and Pa∣laces of the world; then shall all the rocky bull∣warkes, and marble pillars fall to dust: then shall all the riches, gold, siluer, diamonds, and pre∣cious stones vanish into smoke and ayre: then shall dye all men and beasts of the earth, ayre & sea: then finally shall cease, and be at a stand all the motion of the heauens, of Sunne, moone & starres, & whatsoeuer on them depends. Behold, this is the finall end, the fatall period of this so much beloued, so much adored world; thus fa∣deth all its glorie, pompe, riches, pleasures; and forfaketh its courtiers, when they haue most need of helpe, ô glittering shadow! ô pain∣ted bubble!

Conclude out of all, to follow our Sauiours counsell vpon this very matter Luc. 21. Atten∣dite vobis, ne fortè grauentur corda vestra in era∣pula & ebrietate & curis huius vitae; & superue∣niat in vos repentina dies illa; tauquam laqueus enim superueniet in omnes, qui sedent super faciem

omnis terrae. Uigilate itaque omni tempore orantes, vt digni habeamini fugere ista omnia quae futura sunt, & stare ante filium hominis Looke vvel to your selues, lest perhaps your hartes be ouercharged vvith surfetting, and drunkennesse, and cares of this life; and that day come vpon you sodenly; for as a snare shall it come vpon all that sit vpon the face of all the earth. VVatch therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted vvorthie to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the sonne of man.

THE SECOND MEDITATION. Of the generall Resurrestion and comming of the Iudge.

1. COnsider first, how the world being fi∣nished and reduced into the foure first elements; an Archangell shall sound the trumpet, and raise his voice with a Surgite mortui, & venite ad iudicium: rise you dead and come to iudgment. A voice so shrill, that it shall be heard ouer the whole world, nay pierce the highest heauens and the deepest hell: and so powerfull also, that all the soules, that euer were created, shall suddenly, without de∣lay, obey the call; and vniting themselues euery one to her owne proper and indiuiduall body, shall all meet in the Uale of Iosaphat. O the om∣nipotent power of our great God! which is able to raise such a multitude of bodyes, so many

wayes, so many ages agoe consumed and tur∣ned into a thousand changes; so that not the least bone, nerue, or sinew shall be wanting to any one. And what an admiration will it cause in the sonnes of Adam, to see such a multitu∣de together, all of the same and equall condi∣tion, without any difference of poore or rich, master or seruant, king or subiect; except onely that of the good and bad, which shall be won∣derfull and eternall?

Conclude to obey now with prompt dili∣gence another like summon of S. Paul the trumpet of the holy Ghost: Surge qui dormis & exurge à mortuis, & illuminabit te Christus: rise, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead: and Christ vvill illuminate thee. Rise from sinne and sensuality to a vertuous and spirituall life, which is the first resurrection, that so the se∣cond may be to thy comfort and ioy.

2. Consider secondly the happy condition of the good and pious soules in this resurrection & reunion with their bodyes, which shall arise most glorious, immortall, impassible, more be∣autifull then the starres, more resplendent then the Sunne. O with what ioy and content will the happy soule enter into such a body? what embraces, what congratulations will there passe betweene so sweet a couple? blessed be thou my body, will the soule say, for helping me to gaine this glorie, by submitting thy selfe to mortifica∣tions, fastings, disciplines, and other acts of pe∣nance; most iust it is, that thou partake of my

glorie and happines. Behold the bodyes of Mar∣tyrs, rent, torne, burnt, deuoured by wild beasts &c. now more shining, then any orientall pearle, more florishing and glittering then any Rubie; more solid & impassible, then any dia∣mond. See also those of Confessours, Virgins, Doctours, so beautifull, so glorious, that no tongue is able to expresse it. O happy penances, austerities, afflictions, which haue deserued so great glorie and immortalitie!

3. Consider thirdly the altogether contrarie condition of the damned: their bodyes immor∣tall, tis true, but onely that they may suffer im∣mortall torments: foule, black, filthy, heauy as lead, rotten and stinking, as when halfe corrup∣ted in the graue: so that tis none of the leastpai∣nes for the soule to enter and be shut vp for euer in so loathsome and horrid a dungeon. What desperation, what curses and execrations will passe betwixt these two vnfortunate & wret∣ched companions? Accursed body, quoth the soule, that to feed, pamper and pleasure thee, haue cast both my selfe and thee into these euer∣lasting torments: nay rather thou accursed sou∣le, quoth the body, that hauing the rule and power ouer me in thy hand and knowing my naturall and prone inclination to sensuality, didst not gouerne & subiect me as thou oughtest to the rule of reason and pietie. These and such like are to be their morning and euening salu∣tations for all Eternitie.

Conclude which of these two states & con∣ditions

thou dost like best; for now free leaue is giuen thee to chuse either: I thinke no man will consult much vpon the choice: wherefore re∣solue to rule, mortifie, and subiect the passions and appetites of thy body in this life, that in the next they may be a comfort and blisse, one to the other: and whensoeuer the body shall offer to rebell, checke it with representing the two states of the next world.

4. Consider fourthly the terrour & maiesty of our. B Sauiour, coming to iudgement: first shall appeare in the ayre the standard of the holy crosse, to the comfort of the good, and terrour of the wicked: next shall come all the nine Qui∣res of Angells in their orders, and all the Pa∣triarchs, Apostles and Saints both of the Old and New Testament; last with most infinite splen∣dour & maiesty shall appeare the Sonne of man Christ Iesus, like an other Salomon with his blessed Mother seated on his right hand; not then to begge for sinners, as now she doth, but ioyntly to condemne those, who would not make vse of her intercession. O what a ioyfull fight will this bee to the iust, and those that are already secured of their saluation? but how ter∣rible to the wicked? the flames of hell are more sufferable, then the inflamed countenance of the angry iudge: then would they, if they could, hide themselues in rockes and caues, in the center of the earth, in hell it selfe, rather then abide this encounter: then will they cry to the mountaines and rockes; Cadite super nos, &

abscondite nos à facie sedentis super thronum, & ab ira Agni, quoniam venit dies magnus irae ipso∣rum. Fall vpon vs, and hide vs from the face of him that sitteth vpon the throne, and from the vvrath of the lambe, because the great day of theire wrath is come.

Conclude seriously to embrace the vertue of of humility; for this it vvas, that raised our Sa∣uiour to this dignity of iudging: begge of him this vertue, and that he vvill haue mercy on thee at that day.

5. Consider fiftly, how at command of the Iud∣ge, the holy Angells passe through all that vast multitude, chüse and picke out the good & iust from among the bad; & place them on the right hand of the iudge, leauing the rest on the left; neuer to meet or liue together any more for all Eternitie. O vvhat furie, vvhat confusion and enuy vvill possesse and torture the soules of the vvicked, especially those of Princes, Potentates, and rich persons in this vvorld, to see themsel∣ues so contemned, and the poore and simple so exalted? then vvill they groane and cry out: Hi sunt, quos habuimus aliquando in derisum & in similits. dinem improperij: nos insensati, vitam illorum aestimabamus insaniam & finem illorum sine honore: ecce quomodo computati sunt inter fi∣lios Dei, & inter Sanctos sors illorum est? ergo er∣rauimus a via veritatis &c. These are they whom vve had sometime in derision, and in a parable of reproch: vve senselesse esteemed their life madnes, & their end vvithout honour behold hovv they are

counted amongst the children of God, and their lot is amongst the saints? vve therefore haue erred from the vvay of truth &c. On the contrary, vvhat ioy and content vvill the good haue, to see themselues so honoured by God and his An∣gells, in the sight of the vvhole vvorld, that is heauen, earth and hell.

Conclude to bend all thy endeauours in this vvorld, that thou maist deserue to be placed on the right hand, at that great meeting: nothing vvill so enrich thee then, as voluntary pouerty now; nothing so exalt thee then, as humilitie, Nam qui se humiliat, exaltabitur: becauso euerie one that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted: learne therefore pouerty and humilitie.

6. Consider sixthly, how presently vvill be o∣pened the booke of consciencés, vvherein shall appeare to all, that are present, that is, to all the Angells and men both good and bad, that euer haue been created, the thoughts, vvords, and deeds of euery one in particular; so clearly and distinctly as if all vvere vvritten in their fore∣heads, or in the beames of the Sunne. What glo∣rie and honour vvill it be to the iust, to haue all their good vvorkes come now to light, vvhich in this vvorld they laboured to hide, and con∣ceale in humble silence: and although their sin∣nes shall be exposed to view, yet they shall be so adorned and accompanied vvith holy ••penance, that it vvill rather turne to their honour, then any sort of shame or confusion. But not so vvill the sinnes of the wicked, but vgly, deformed,

and in their owne shape: ô what confusion, es∣pecially for those, vvho liued here in sacred dig∣nities, or in esteeme and repute of holy and ver∣tuous, to see then layed open all their hipocri∣sies, deceits, and other enormous crimes?

Conclude to haue a great care, what thou wri∣test here in this sayd booke, for euen so shall it there appeare, if gold, gold; if inke, inke; & be sure of our Sauiours saying, Nihil absconditum, quod non manifestabitur: there is nothing hid, vvhich shall not be made manifest. Jt is therefore more vvisedome to refraine altogether from what thou wouldest not haue knowne, then by doing it, to expose thy selfe to a certaine confu∣sion and shame.

THE THIRD MEDITATION. Of the forme of Iudgement and the sentence that follvveth.

1. COnsider first, how the account here to be made, and the examination to be ta∣ken will not be done in grosse, and in generall termes onely, as some may imagine; summing vp the great sinnes and leauing out the lesser: but it will be most exact and in par∣ticular of euery thought, vvord, and deed, as it shall appeare in the booke of consciences, and more in the great Register of God and booke of life. This our Sauiour forewarneth in the 12. of S. Mathew: Dico autem vobis, quoniam omne

verbum ociosum, quod locuti fuerint homines, red∣dent racionem de eo in die iudicij. But I say vnto you that euery idle vvord that men shall speake, they shall render an account for it in the day of iudgement. This made holy Iob euer tremble at the thought of this day, Quid faciam cum sur∣rexerit ad iudicandum Deus? & cum quaesierit, quid respondebo illi? non enim potero ei respondere vnum pro mille: vvhat shall I doe, vvhen God shall rise to iudge? and vvhen he shall aske; vvhat shall I ansvver him? for I can not ansvver him one for a thousand: and againe; Si fortitudo quae∣ritur; robustissimus est; si aequitas iudicij, nemo audet pro me testimonium dicere: if strength be demauned, he is most strong: if equitie of iudge∣ment, noe man dare giue testimonie for me: So that his finall resolution••s, Si habuero quicquam iustum, non respondebo, sed meum iudicem depre∣cabor. All though I haue any iust thing, I vvill not ansvver, but vvill beseech my iudge.

Conclude thou to doe the same, and to make now a rigorous and exact examen of all thy a∣ctions, and this In amaritudiue animae tuae: in the bitternesse of thy soule, for this onely preuention is able to saue thee; for as S. Paul sayeth, Si nos met ipsos di judicaremus, non vtique iudicaremur; if vve did iudge our selues, vve should not he iud∣ged, To our shame, viz: or hurt. This holy Da∣uid obserued, and then prayed vnto God; Feci iudicium & iustitiam, nou tradas me calumnian∣tibus me. J haue doue iudgement and iustice, deli∣uer me not to them that calumniate me.

2. Consider secondly; that the first question & interrogatory will be, how we haue imployed our soule, with all her powers created to Gods image, & redeemed with the bloud of his onely Sonne: and how our body vvith all its members, giuen to execute the externall acts of vertue. The second, what, vse and profit wee haue made of all the gifts of God, both naturall and superna∣turall; of the life, health, strength, and vnder∣standing, he hath giuen vs: of all the fauours and graces bestowed on vs; of all the illumina∣tions: inspirations and mouings to good: of all his benefits, and Sacraments, where vvith he euer fed vs; and finally of the precious bloud of his dearest Sonne, vvith vvhich he redeemed vs. The third, how vve haue complied vvith the obligation of the state, he hath placed euery one in, as that of a scholler, of a Religious man, of a Priest, of a Prelat &c. Now thinke vvhat a large & heauy charge vvill be layed to euery one, and how many vvill be able to cleare themselues.

Conclude, hovv necessary it is to haue our eyes open, and to obserue vvell, vvhat vve say, doe, & thinke: and daylie to beseech our Iudge, to haue then mercy on vs; for now he vvill heare vs for then, but then he vvill be inexorable.

3. Consider thirdly how the examinations taken, and the processe concluded; the iudge cometh to giue the last and definitiue sentence, vvhich vvithout appeale shall stand for Eterni∣ty: and first turning himselfe towards the iust vvith a most amiable countenance, inuiteth

them vvith: Uenite benedicti Patris mei, possi∣dete paratum vobis regnum à constitutione mun∣di. Come ye blessed of my father, possesse you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the vvorld. O what comfort, vvhat ioy, vvhat glorie vvill this be to the iust, to see themselues novv setled and secured in the Eternall blisse & fruition of God? and againe vvhat confusion, & raging enuy to the vvicked, to see their old ac∣quaintance, friends and Kindred so exalted, & honoured vvith the company of God and his Angells, and themselues reiected, contemned, cast out? Against vvhom the Iudge vvith sire in his eyes, and terrour in his countenance, thun∣dereth out this horrid doome: Discedite à me maledicti in ignem aternum, qui paratus est dia∣bolo & Angelis eius. Get ye avvay from me you cursed into sire euerlasting, vvhich vvas prepared for the deuil, and his Angels. O good God, whe∣ther shall they goe, vvhen they goe from thee, their God, their Creatour, their Redeemer, their last end and Su••num bonum? there chiefe good, and finall happinesse.

Conclud vvith a twofold resolution; the one, to spare no labour now, nor yeeld to any diffi∣culties, for the securing and gaining to thy selfe the happy sentence of the iust: the other, neuer to separate thy selfe here from Christ by mor∣tall sinne, least then he doe the like to thee for euer.

4. Consider fourthly, how the sentence is no sooner giuen, but put in execution; for the earth

will suddenly open, & swallow vp at once all that confused masse of damned men & diuells; Et clausa est ianua, and the gate is shut, neuer more to be opened for Eternity. What doe we thinke, will those a thousand-times vnhappy creatures doe, finding themselues shut vp body and soule in the darksome dungeons of hell, without euer hoping for any ease redresse or re∣medy, as long, as God shall be God? then will they rent & teare themselues, out of despaire & madnesse: then will they curse their father and mother, kindred and whole world: then will they blaspheme God and all his Saints: then shall they cry for death, but find no other then this neuerdying. O swetest Iesu, who didst hang on the crosse for me; chastise me here, as thou pleasest, but free me then from such a damna∣tion. On the other side, the earth leueled into a Paradise, and the Sunne, moone & starres set in order, shall Christ mount the skies, rounded with all that blessed company: where sorrow neuer enters, nor ioyes cease.