Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/206

 thy heart,  for  thou  knowest not when  I shall  come  to  thee. What if  I come  as  a thief  in the  night,  and  at  an  hour when thou  thinkest  not! Watch, therefore,  and  be ready  at  all  hours.

Behold, what  is  thy  life  but a vapour, that  appears  for  a little  while! What is  thy body, liable  as  it  is  to  a thousand accidents,  miseries,  and dangers, and  which  a wind,  a slight  fever,  or  a sudden  accident, lays  low  in  a moment? And dost  thou  venture  to  lean confidently upon  so  frail  a support?

Is not  the  folly  of  such  confidence sufficiently  proved  by the  examples  of  mortality that are  of  daily  occurrence; which, without  distinction  of age,  sex,  or  condition,  but  not without the  sure  counsel  of my  providence,  are  frequently brought before  thy  eyes,  that thou mayest  learn  how  vain are men’s  hopes,  how  delusive their  thoughts,  and  remember that  what  has  befallen another  may  also  befall thee, and  that  he  is  happy  and wise who  improves  his  own conduct from  the  misfortunes of others.

Man. Thou art  just,  O Lord,  and  thy  judgment  is right;  but  spare  me,  if  I speak  to  my  Lord,  who  am dust  and  ashes. Is the  death of the  wicked  a pleasure  to thee? Are not  thy  mercies over all  thy  works? And when thou  art  angry,  wilt thou not  remember  mercy? Hast thou  not  said,  I desire not the  death  of  a sinner,  and the wickedness  of  the  wicked shall not  hurt  him,  in  what day soever  he  shall  turn  from his wickedness? Is there  not, then, time  for  repentance  as long  as  there  is  life?

Christ. Great indeed  is thy  folly,  whosoever  thou  art, who forgettest  my  justice,  to flatter  thyself  with  the  hope of my  mercy. Wilt thou  therefore be  evil,  because  I am good?

Is it  for  this  that  I proclaim myself  to  be  merciful and ready  to  pardon,  merely that thou  mayest  sin  the  more securely, and  the  more  freely provoke me  to  anger? and that, when  thou  hast  filled me with  reproaches  at  thy will, thou  mayest  not  the  less confidently promise  thyself my mercy? Great, I own, is my  mercy  towards  sinners, while  it  is  the  time  for mercy; but thou,  whom  I have  warned  so  often  by  my inward  inspirations,  so  often by the  preachers  of  my  word, but hast  ever  resisted  my  spirit, and,  like  the  deaf  asp, that stops  her  ears,  hast  refused to  hearken  to  my  voice, how canst  thou  venture  to hope  for  my  mercy  at  the  last, who, according  to  thy  hard-