have now spent some time in meditating on hell; enter into yourself and see how you have to live in future, if you wish to escape eternal pains. Make a firm resolution to amend your life; repent of and detest your sins from the bottom of your heart; fear sin more than all other earthly evils; throw yourself at the feet of our crucified Lord, and with true contrition of heart and tears of sorrow beg of Him by the merits of His sacred Passion to be merciful and to pardon you. And be sure that the more carefully you avoid all sin, the freer will you be from the pains of hell. Often say to God: “from the pains of hell deliver us, O Lord!” but add also: from mortal sin, deliver us, O Lord! for that is the only thing that can bring you to hell.
Conclusion and resolution. Ah, dear Christians, let us all adhere to this resolution! For God’s sake do not forget what you have heard; we have not been treating of trivial matters, but rather of how we are to escape an eternal hell, where there are everlasting torments for all the senses, in the odious company of the demons and lost souls, and where heaven itself is an eternal hell. Oh, wo to us if we should learn what it is by experience before we use the means of escaping it! O Mary, Mother of mercy! do not allow us ever to become the enemies of thee and thy Son, or to blaspheme thee forever! Take us under thy protection now while there is time; obtain for us a true hatred, sorrow, and detestation of our sins, a true love for thee and thy divine Son, and the grace to persevere therein till death, so that we may continue to love and praise thee and thy Son in a happy eternity, and thus enjoy heaven in heaven. Amen.
Another introduction to the same sermon for the fourth Sunday of Advent.
Text.
Videbit omnis caro salutare Dei.—Luke iii. 6.
“All flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
Introduction.
