Thirdly, I should consider the great affliction and anguish that the fear of the account I am to render with Almighty God, and of the rigorous judgment on which I am to enter, will cause me at that hour, as also that I know not the sentence that shall he pronounced in the affair of my salvation.
1. In this I should ponder the dreadfulness of this fear for three causes, i. Because the evil that is feared is the supreme of all evils, an eternal evil and remedyless, and I am now at the gates of it ii. Because the sentence which is to he given is definitive and irrevocable, and at that instant is to he executed without resistance, iii. Because the issue on my side is very doubtful, since the sin that I committed is manifest to me, hut not the true penance that I did, and my conscience accuses me to have offended the Judge, hut I know not whether I have appeased Him. " For man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love or hatred [1] and though I find no sins in myself, yet it may be that God will find them. [2] For all these causes the fear will at that time be most terrible. For if those who have a suit in any weighty business, on which all their wealth, their honour or life is interested, have very great fear the day that they expect the sentence, how much greater fear shall I be in when I am near the day on which the definitive sentence is to be given of my salvation or damnation? And if the greatest saints are then afraid, how much more shall I fear that am a miserable sinner?
2. This anguish and fear is wont to be augmented by the craft and subtlety of the devil, who in that hour tempts with increased malice, because he sees that " he hath but a short time" [3] remaining, and therefore he stirs up greatly all that may incite to desperation, he excessively
