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HE importunity that we are told to use towards God consists in that urgent form of prayer just described: — never fainting.

Think of that cry of the elect that rises night and day before God! We must firmly believe that our own unjust deeds — our scandals — all we do that disedifies the Saints and makes them suffer, calls down vengeance upon us by day and by night; and that we can only appease this cry bya continual cry of repentance. Have mercy, O God, have mercy! This is what we must cry, night and day: — this is what our needs are incessantly calling out.

Remember the sad state of that judge who said: "I fear not God, nor regard man.’ When all restraint is gone, there is no more hope. So long as there is some check upon us: — so long as, though not fearing God, we are at least slightly restrained by the fear of man: — there is yet hope, and our passions are subject to some kind of moderation.