est omnibus hominibus semel mori " It is appointed unto men once to die." [1] Whereupon it ensues that the misfortune and error of an evil death (being the worst of all misfortunes) is irremediable throughout all eternity, as likewise to die a good death is throughout all eternity durable. So that if I once die in mortal sin, there is no means to remedy this evil. For (as Solomon says) " If the tree fall," when it is cut, " to the south or to the north, in what place soever it shall fall there shall it be." [2]
2. If by obstinacy in sin it falls to " the north," that is, hell, there is no remedy to recover grace nor to escape from pain. But if by perseverance in grace it falls to " the south " that is, heaven, there is no fear of returning again to sin nor of the loss of glory. With the lively consideration of this and of the former truths, I should, on the one side, be astonished at myself that, believing this with such certainty of faith, I yet live so careless of my salvation and so forgetful in a matter that so much imports me; and, on the other side, to animate myself to procure with greatest speed penance and amendment of life, and fervour therein, humbly beseeching our Lord to cut the tree of my life in such a time and place, and on such an occasion, that it may not fall to the side of hell but of heaven. And, moreover, I will examine, as St. Bernard says, [3] to what side I should fall if Almighty God should now cut me off, and will endeavour to assure my good success by doing fruits worthy of true repentance, with which the tree inclines to the part of glory, and being then cut off shall be transplanted into it.
(The crafty deceits that men experience concerning these three truths that have been explained shall be set down in the twelfth meditation.)
