CONSIDERATION XVII
Of the Abuse of Divine Mercy
"Not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? " Rom. ii. 4.
First Point.
WE read in the parable in S. Matthew xiii. that the tares, having grown in a field together with the corn, the servants wished to go and pluck them up. " Wilt Thou then that we go and gather them up?" But the Master answered, "Nay; .... Let them both grow together until the harvest: and ha the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them." From this parable we learn the patience which the Lord shows to sinners, and also the severity which He shows to those who are obstinate. S. Augustine observes, that the devil deceives men in two ways, " By despair and by hope." After the sinner has committed the sin, he tempts him to despair, through fear of the Divine Justice; but before the sin is committed, he tempts the sinner to commit it, by telling "him of the Divine Mercy. Therefore the saint warns every one, by saying, " After sin, hope for mercy; before sin, fear justice." Yes, because he who makes use of mercy to offend God, does not deserve mercy. Mercy is shown to him who fears God, not to him who makes use of it so as not to fear God. He who offends justice, observes Abulensis, can fly to mercy; but he that offends the same mercy, to whom can he fly?
It is but seldom a sinner is found so hopeless, as to wish to be
