POINT IV.
From these same principles I must draw another practical conclusion, as the foundation of the purgative way; that is to say, that I must detest sin above all the most detestable things of the world; for that mortal sin only is contrary to my final end, and by it only is it lost. So that neither poverty, nor infamy, nor dishonour, nor pain, nor infirmity, nor baseness of parentage, nor rudeness of wit, nor want of natural sciences, nor all the other miseries of the world, are directly contrary to my final end; nor shall I lose it for them, but only for mortal sin, by which, as much as lies in me, I destroy the true final end, which is Almighty God, "denying Him (as St. Paul says) my works." [1] I even devise another final end to myself, which is the creature, which I take for God. And upon this the same Apostle says that gluttons hold "their belly" for "their God [2] proud men their glory, " and covetous men make an idol of their money." [3]
(This truth shall be considered in the meditations ensuing, to move us to the abhorring of so great an evil as sin is, and to purify ourselves of it with great care.)
MEDITATION II.
ON THE GRIEVOUSNESS Of SIN, BY THE EXAMPLES OF THE SIN OF THE ANGELS, OF ADAM, AND OF SOME OTHERS IN PARTICULAR.
1. The end of this meditation is, to know by examples the grievousness of sin, by which to abhor it, the terribleness of God's justice in chastising it, by which to fear Him, and to appease Him by penance; and the instability of man in good, by which to know his weakness and not to
