WEDNESDAY MEDITATION OF THE HOUR OF DEATH 1633
GIOVANNI DI PAOLO
St Catherine of Siena Receiving the Stigmata
c. 1447-65
Imagine thy self, to lie upon thy death bed, having a hallowed candle in thy hand, Crucifix upon thy breast, thy ghostly Father calling upon thee, that if thou canst not speak, yet at least to hold up thy hand, ion token of thy hope and assistance of in the mercies of Christ: thus then disposed proceed to the points of meditation following.
1. Of the certainty of death, according to that of the apostle, Heb. 9. For it is appointed for men once to die: But as for the hour When, the place Where, or the manner Ho, these of all other are most uncertain, save that we see death commonly to come, when it is least looked for.
2. Consider what a trouble it will be at that time, not only to look back to the things of the world which in a moment thou must forsake, but especially when thou shalt look before thee to what is to come: finding they self very uncertain of thy Salvation both by reason of the multitude of thy sins (many whereof being utterly forgot shall then come fresh unto thy mind and such as before seemed small shall then be thought heavy) as also in regard of the suddenness and strictness of thy account, the severity of the Judge the terror of Hell & c.
3. Be at Gods hands, that these points may be so imprinted in thy mind, as thou mayest always have a care so to live, as thou wouldst be found in the hour of death.
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