him more than his sickness? Cæsarius writes of a young man who cried out in his death agony: O my God! why have I been so careless? Why have I lived so long in tepidity, and spent so many years in idleness? Such is the anguish caused the dying man by the recollection of his neglect of the divine service in his youth. Cornelius tells us of an old man, who before his death burst out into the following sighs: O wretched man that I am! why have 1 been so diligent in temporal things, so anxious to provide for my wife and children, and so careless of myself and my salvation? Of what use to me now is all the toil I have undergone during my life? Such is the anguish caused the dying man by the cares he had during life which were not directed to heaven. A young man, who was led astray into sins against holy purity, cried out in a terrible voice as he lay on his death-bed: wo to him who has led me astray! Such is the anguish suffered by the dying man who has allowed himself to be seduced by bad company. Berengarius said on his death-bed: Alas! unhappy me! I must now appear be fore God my Judge! As far as my own sins are concerned, I hope to obtain pardon for them, because I sincerely repent of them; but I am terribly afraid on account of the sins I have made others commit by my heretical doctrine and evil life. Such is the anguish caused the dying man by the scandal he has given during life and the teaching and example by which he has led souls into sin. And indeed it must be a terrible thing to think on one’s bed of death: 1 have led a soul into sin; perhaps it is now lost or will be lost; now I have to give an account of it before the judgment-seat of God. A religious suffered the acutest remorse on his death-bed because he had lost but one hour in unnecessary sleep; what confusion and distress must then fall to the lot of those worldlings who spend whole days, weeks, months, and years in idleness? Another young man when in his death agony stretched out his tongue, and pointed to it, saying: this wicked tongue of mine is the cause of my eternal damnation; for he remembered all the unchaste conversations he had carried on during his life. Another on his death-bed began to cry most piteously, and said: it is all over with me! I am lost forever! I did not follow the divine vocation! Alas! what have I done! Now I hear those dreadful words: “I called, and you refused. I also will laugh in your destruction, and will mock.”[1] Another young
- ↑ Vocavi, et renuistis. Ego quoque in interitu vestro ridebo; et subsannabo.—Prov. i. 24, 26.
