tient rewarder. Eccl. v. 4. O God, how basely have I corresponded with thy favours! Thou hast bestowed graces upon me, and I have requited them with injuries: thou hast loaded me with blessings, and I have insulted and dishonoured thee. But for the future it shall not be so. The more thou hast borne with me, so much the more will I love thee. Do thou assist my weakness.
III. The devil will say to thee: "But dost thou not see that thou canst not now resist this temptation?” Answer him: but if I do not resist now, how shall I be able to resist afterwards, when I shall have become weaker, and the divine assistance will fail me? Am I to be told that, in proportion as I multiply the number of my sins, God will multiply the number of his graces towards me? Finally, he will say to thee: “ But although thou wert to commit this sin, thou mayest still be saved.” Say to him in reply: I may be saved; but is this a reason why I should write my own sentence of condemnation to hell? I may be saved; but I may also be lost, and this is more probable. This is not an affair to be left; to the chance of a " may be.” But, O Lord, how much hast thou done for me? I have multiplied my faults, and thou hast increased thy graces! The thought of this imbitters my sorrow for having so heniously offended thee. My good God, why have I offended thee? O that I could die of grief! Help me, O Jesus, for I desire to be wholly thine. Holy Mary, obtain for me perseverance in virtue, and suffer me not any more to live ungrateful to God who has so much loved me.
