Page:MeditationsOnTheMysteriesOfOurHolyV1.djvu/375

 Colloquy. — O my soul, seeing thou art founded upon so precious a foundation as is Christ our Lord, build upon it works of great value, " gold" of charity, " silver" of innocence, and " precious stones" of solid virtues, which may remain with thee unto life everlasting. Beware thou minglest not with them works that shall perish, the " wood" of avarice, the " hay" of sensuality, and the " stubble" of vanity, loving with some disorder the goods of this life; for this shall be fuel for the fire that shall burn thee in the life to come. O good Jesus, deliver me from such madness, preserving me from these sins by Thy grace! Amen.

Fourthly, I am to consider two remarkable things that are in the souls of purgatory.

1. The first is, the great resignation that they have to the will of Almighty God, as regards the greatness and continuance of their pains; and the great patience with which they suffer and accept their torments, being pleased that God is just and chastises them according to their merits, and that He purifies them in that fiery furnace, that being refined they may enter into heaven. Hence I will learn to have patience in my afflictions, if I desire they should be my purgatory, and not my hell; seeing the lesser they are the more profitable they are to pay my debts withal, and are contrived by God's justice to that end. And seeing whatsoever is in Almighty God is to be loved (for " He is all lovely" 13), if I love Him indeed I am to rejoice that He is a doer of justice, and that He has a place appointed to chastise my sin, being, as it is, so worthy of chastisement.

2. The second is, the great desire that these souls have to be aided by the faithful that live upon the earth with sacrifices, prayers, alms, fastings, and other satisfactory