The Lance of the Fear of God
XXV. Not Pleasant but Profitable
"Remember thy last end" (Ecclus. vii. 40)
1. You know how the pious Tobias strove to infuse the fear of the Lord into the heart of his beloved son while the latter was still very young. He was deeply convinced of the truth of the words of Holy Scripture: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. ex. 10) Therefore it is unnecessary that I should say to you : "If you wish to save your soul, fear the Lord; if it is your heart's desire to dedicate your youth to God, fear the Lord."
But how will you be most surely confirmed in this holy fear of God? By thinking upon your last end, according to the exhortation of the Holy Spirit: "In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin" (Ecclus. vii. 40). Therefore comply with this exhortation, and lay to heart the first and most important of these things, namely, death.
2. You are absolutely convinced that death will not spare you, because it has never as yet spared any one; and you dread its coming because you know with equal certainty that everything does not end at death, but that after death an awful judgment awaits you, and that after the judgment there and follow an eternal life.
