should draw fear and warning, for that it may possibly happen that such a kind of sudden death shall light upon me.
4. Upon this I should deeply consider, that any mortal sin whatsoever, if I do not penance for it, deserves that God's justice should chastise me with this death, as Christ our Lord admonished to this purpose, in two like cases that happened in His time: the one, when Pilate killed suddenly certain Galileans; [1] the other, when the tower of Siloe fell upon eighteen men. " Think you," says He, " that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee " or " Jerusalem? " " Non, dico vobis; sed nisi poenitentiam habueritis, omnes similiter peribitis " No, I say to you," for this has happened that you may understand, that " except you do penance you shall all likewise perish as if He should say, " When you see any die suddenly and of a disastrous death, be not vainly secure, saying, 4 This happened to them because they were great sinners for, verily, I say unto you, that what sinner soever he be, though he be not so great, if he do not penance he is worthy of punishment, and shall perish as these perished."
Colloquy. — Then if this be truth, as indeed it is, why do not I tremble to live one hour in mortal sin, of what sort soever it be? Who can secure me that the punishment shall not fall upon me that I so justly have deserved? Who hath excepted me from this general threatening with which Christ our God threateneth all sinners? O miserable sinner, have pity on thine own soul, [2] and endeavour to appease Almighty God with penance before so horrible misery light suddenly upon thee.
POINT III.
1. The third property of death is, that it happens but once, according to that of the Apostle St. Paul, " Statutum
