to play, and who should willingly lose all his money, hoping to win it back at the last stake? This is even the madness of that one who continues to live in sin, but who hopes to make amends for all his sin at the last moment of his life. Can the Ethiopian or the leopard change the colour of his skin? And how can any one lead a good life who for a long time has contracted a habit of sin? " Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." (Jer. xiii. 23.) Hence it is, that the habitual sinner is at last given up to despair, and thus finishes his life.
Upon this passage in Job, " He breaketh me with breach upon breach, He runneth upon me like a giant," (Job xvi. 14), S. Gregory remarks, " When a person is attacked by an enemy, at the first wound which he receives he may still be able to defend himself; but the more wounds that he receives so much more strength does he lose, until in the end, he is slain." Even in this way does sin act. After the first and second sin, the sinner still has strength to withstand be it ever understood that he has this strength by means of the Divine grace which assists him; but if afterwards he continues to sin, the sin becomes like a giant, it " runneth upon him like a giant." On the other hand, the sinner, finding himself much weaker, and having so many wounds, how can he avoid death? Sin, according to Jeremiah, is like unto a heavy stone which oppresses the soul. " They have .... cast a stone upon me." (Lam. iii. 53.) Now, S. Bernard observes, it is as difficult for a sinner to arise from an evil habit, as it is difficult for one who has fallen under a heavy stone, and who has not sufficient strength to remove it, to free himself from it. "He arises with difficulty whom the weight of evil habit presses."
Therefore will the habitual sinner exclaim, Then I am despaired of? No; thou art not despaired of, if thou art willing to amend. But justly does an author observe, that for very great sins very great remedies are required.
If a man who was sick, in danger of death, were unwilling to apply the proper remedies, because he was not aware of the danger of his disease, the doctor would say, "Friend, thou wilt die if thou dost not take the medicine." The sick man would answer, " Behold, I am ready to take anything if my life is in danger."
