Before this tribunal of Christ I am to present myself in prayer, imagining this sovereign judge seated on a throne of fire, as Daniel [1] saw Him, to represent the terribleness of His wrath against the wicked; or on a most pure white throne of most resplendent light, as St. John [2] saw Him, to represent His infinite wisdom and purity, and His clemency towards the good. And of both these figures I may avail myself, as shall be seen in the following point.
POINT I.
First are to be considered the persons assisting at this judgment, regarding the qualities and appearances of each one of them. These are four at the least.
1. The first is the soul that is to be judged, which shall stand alone, naked, without her body or any visible things, clothed only with her works. For although at the time of death there are present many kinsfolk and many religious persons, yet in that instant that it issues out of the body there is none of them that can bear it company or favour it. As desolate shall be the soul of a king as that of a clown, of a rich man as of a poor man, of a learned man as of an idiot; for dignities and riches remain here, and though it carry with it its knowledge, there is no great account made of it, but of works. [3] By which I shall see what great senselessness it is to procure with so much solicitude that which cannot help me in that conflict, and to lose that which most of all concerns me.
2. On either side of the soul (as is gathered out of Holy Scripture) shall stand at least the angel-guardian and the devil, [4] with different countenances, accordingly as they suspect what is likely to happen. I may imagine " that on the right hand" of the wicked " the devil stands," [5] very
