Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/283

 near an  eternity  of  happiness,  or  an  eternity  of misery. See, his  fate  for  eternity  depends  upon  his last breath,  after  which  his  soul  will  be  for  ever  happy, or for  ever  lost.

O the end  of  life! the last  breath! that last moment, on  which  an  eternity  depends — an  eternity of glory  or  of  pain; of  happiness  or  of  misery; of joy  or  despair; an  eternity  of  every  good,  or  an eternity  of  every  evil; an  eternity  in  heaven,  or  an eternity  in  hell! For, if  in  that  last  moment  you  are saved, you  will  have  nothing  more  to  suffer,  you  will be for  ever  happy  and  blessed; but  if  you  die  in  sin, and are  damned,  you  will  be  wretched,  and  in  despair, so long  as  God  is  God. In death,  you  will  see  what mean those  words:  Heaven,  hell,  sin, an  offended God, contempt  of  the  divine  law,  sins  hidden  in  confession, goods  of  others  not  restored. “O miserable being that  I am,”  the  dying  man  will  exclaim,  “ I must  now,  in  a few  moments,  appear  in  the  presence of God! Who knows  what  judgment  will  meet  me there? Whither am  I going,  to  heaven  or  to  hell? Shall I rejoice  for  ever  with  the  angels,  or  shall  I burn  eternally  with  the  damned? Shall I be  a child of God,  or  a slave  of  the  devil? Alas! soon, too soon, I shall  know,  and  where  I find  myself  that  first moment, there  shall  I remain  through  eternity. Ah ! what will  become  of  me  in  a few  hours,  in  a few moments? What will  become  of  me  when  I can  no longer  repair  that  scandal? When I cannot  restore those ill-gotten  goods? when I cannot  pardon  my enemies  from  my  heart? when I cannot  any  longer make good  that  confession?”  [Examine  yourself  us to  your  principal sin.]  Then  will  you  curse  a thousand times that  day  in  which  you  sinned; you  will  curse that pleasure,  that  revenge  which  you  have  taken,  but