lxix. 28, 29.) Concerning which Bellarmine observes, " There is no punishment greater, than when sin becomes the punishment of sin." Far better would it have been for any one of these unhappy ones, had the Lord allowed him to die after having committed the first sin; for dying after so many sins, he will suffer even as he has sinned.
Affections and Prayers.
My God, in this miserable state I know full well that I deserve to be deprived of Thy grace and of Thy light, but seeing that Thou dost still grant me light, and feeling that Thou dost still call me to repentance, it is a sign that Thou hast not yet forsaken me. And since Thou hast not left me, arise, O Lord, increase Thy mercy towards me; increase my light; increase my desire to serve and to love Thee. Change me, O my God, and from a traitor and rebel, which I have been, make me a lover indeed of Thy goodness, so that one day I may come to heaven, there to praise Thy mercy for ever. Thou art therefore willing to pardon me, and I desire nothing else than Thy pardon and Thy love. I repent, O Infinite Goodness, for having given Thee so much displeasure, I love Thee, O my Sovereign Good, because Thou commandest me to love Thee. I love Thee because Thou art worthy of being loved. Ah, my Redeemer, through the merits of Thy Blood, make Thyself to be loved by a sinner whom Thou hast loved so much, and whom Thou hast borne with for so many years. My hopes are all in Thy mercy. I hope to love Thee, from this day forward, even until death, and afterwards in eternity. I will praise Thy mercy, my Jesus, for ever.
Third Point.
My brother, when the devil tempts you to sin again, if you wish to condemn yourself, it is in your power to sin; but do not in that case say that you wish to be saved. As long as you choose to sin, look upon yourself as condemned, and picture to yourself that God thus writes your condemnation, "What should have been done more in My vineyard that I have not done in it?" (Isa. v. 4.) Ungrateful one, what more is there
