in that place of torments, some to compassionate them? No, all hate them, and rejoice in their sufferings, which will last for ever, without end or mitigation. The trumpet of divine justice continually sounds and thunders forth in their ears those terrible words: ever, ever; never, never. Amongst these miserable beings, O Jesus, I have deserved to be numbered; but do thou, who hast hitherto preserved me from falling into hell, preserve me for the future from falling into sin, which alone can condemn me to that place of woe. Ah! never suffer me again to become thy enemy. I love thee, O infinite goodness, and I am sorry for having offended thee. Pardon me, and as I have deserved to burn for ever in the fire of hell, grant me to burn for ever with the fire of thy holy love. O Mary, in your powerful intercession do I confide.
Meditation Fiftieth.
On the uncertainty of grace.
I. DELAY not to be converted to the Lord, and put it not off from day to day: for his wrath shall come on a sudden, and in the time of vengeance he will destroy thee. Eccl. v. 9. The Lord admonishes us to be speedily converted, if we would be saved; because if we go on putting off our conversion from day to day, the time of vengeance will come, when God will neither call nor wait for us any longer; death will overtake us in sin, and there will be no means of escaping eternal damnation. God admonishes us in this manner, because he loves us and wills not to see us perish. I am convinced, O God, that thou desirest my salvation; I know that thou desirest to deal with me in thy
