could I hope that thou wouldst call me a good and faithful servant, when I have hitherto been so bad and faithless towards thee, changing my promises of fidelity into treasons? But I will be faithful to thee for the future, and will sooner lose my life a thousand times than forfeit thy grace. Do thou give me strength to fulfil this my resolution.
II. On the other hand, what anguish, O Jesus, will that sinner experience, who, dying in sin, and being presented before thee, shall behold thy wrathful countenance! The soul that departs this life in God’s displeasure, will first condemn herself, and will then hear from Jesus Christ that terrible sentence: “ Depart from me, thou accursed, into ever “ lasting fire.” How often, O Jesus, have I deserved to hear from thee the same sentence, when I have committed mortal sin! When death shall have overtaken me, thou wilt then be my judge j but now thou art my Father and Redeemer, ready to pardon me, if I am sorry for having offended thee. I am therefore sorry, from the bottom of my heart, for all my offences against thee; and I am sorry, not so much on account of hell which I have deserved by them, as because by them I have grievously offended thee, who hast loved me with an infinite love.
III. The soul goes forth and leaves the body, but it is for some time doubtful whether the person be alive or dead. While the bystanders are doubting, the soul has already entered eternity. The priest, satisfied at length that the man is dead, recites the prayer of the church: “ Come to his assistance, all ye saints of God: meet him all ye angels of God: receive his soul and present it now before its Lord.” But of what avail will it be to the soul that has departed an enemy of God, and upon whom sentence has already been passed, to call the saints and angels to her assistance? O, my good angel,
