would rather be Bent into the other world," [1] that is, that he would rather suffer himself to be killed and cut in pieces, and to sink a thousand degrees under ground with terrible pains and ignominies, than to commit such a sin.
Colloquy. — O most glorious martyrs, that offered yourselves to sustain such horrible torments rather than to commit only one sin, willing rather to lose your lives than to admit any offence, though but for an instant, beseech your Eternal and Sovereign King to grant me such charity and fortitude, that to fly from sin I may little esteem any pain whatsoever. Amen.
3. Id confirmation of which, I will consider that the evil of sin so far exceeds the evil of pain, that God our Lord, though He be infinitely good, may be the author and cause of any pain whatsoever; nay rather, as the prophet Amos said, " Shall there be evil in the. city which the Lord hath not done?" [2] for this does not make Him evil, neither is it contrary to His goodness; but it is impossible that He should be the author or cause of the least sin whatsoever, for that would be contrary to His goodness, which, as the prophet Habbakuk says, [3] cannot " look upon iniquity" as approving or delighting in it.
4. And by the same reason, Almighty God becoming man, might take upon Himself all the evils whatsoever of pain only that were in the world; [4] but it is impossible that in Him should be found any evil of sin, and Christ our Lord would have offered Himself to suffer all the torments and dishonours that He endured, and others much greater if it were necessary, to prevent but one sin; in imitation of whom I am to do the like, being exceedingly sorry for the sin in which I have hitherto lived.
