benefits in the glorification and resurrection; with all which I am to charge myself, and with great astonishment to wonder at myself, that I have answered so many benefits with so evil services; holding competition with God, He by doing me favours and giving me great gifts, and I by doing Him injuries and committing against Him grievous sins, considering that every sin is, as it were, an infinite ingratitude, as being against an infinite benefactor, and against infinite benefits that I have received from His hand, given with infinite love and without any merits at all of mine.
4. To exaggerate the more the grievousness of my sins in this respect, it will be good to make use of some histories that make to this purpose: as of that of Joseph, to whom it seemed impossible to sin with the wife of his lord, of whom he had received so many benefits. [1] And that of Saul, who, though he were a cruel persecutor of David, yet grew meek [2] when he heard tell the great services that he had done him. And when he saw that David killed him not when he had power to kill him, he had compunction, and said, " Thou art more just than I, for thou hast done good to me and I have rewarded thee with evil." [3]
Colloquy. — O my soul, how canst thou sin against thy God and Lord, from whom thou hast received all the good thou hast? O God of my heart, how much more just art Thou than I, for thou ceasest not to show me mercies, and I cease not to return Thee offences! Thou having power to take away my life and my being, yet dost it not; and I having no power to take away Thine, yet as much as it lieth in me I attempt to do it. Thou didst cut off the head of the giant and didst break the head of the serpent to deliver me from death; and I subject myself unto them by offending Thee! Who is it that, having power to kill his enemy, killeth him not? And yet
