the day of judgment of all the consciences of the good and evil before men and before angels, [1] when " the Lord," as the apostle St. Paul says, " both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart," [2] with a special light, which Almighty God shall communicate, in order to make them to be seen.
1. In this I will consider how God our Lord on that day shall open (as the Holy Scripture says) and unfold "the books" [3] of men's consciences, which during the time of this life were last shut up, so that all shall read what is written in the book of every one's conscience, and every one what is written in that of all; and according to the contents of those books judgment shall be concluded and sentence pronounced, that all may see the truth and uprightness of God's justice, as well for the honour of the good as for the confusion of the wicked. Whence I will gather how much it behoves me to consider well what I write in the book of my conscience; for I may now write what I please and cover it as I will, but in that day, whether I will or no, all shall come to light, and if the book of my conscience be well written, according to the book of life, which is Christ Jesus, my "book," [4] says Job, shall be my defence, my honour and my crown. But if it be contrary to that of Christ Jesus, it shall be my accuser, my dishonour and my condemnation.
Colloquy. — O most tender Saviour, whose book in the day of judgment shall be opened, that Thy life may be as a law and living rule by which judgment shall be made of ours, permit me not to write in the book of my conscience anything that may be contrary to Thy book! And if at any time, through my
