Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/214



Christ. My son,  thou  hast sinned; sin no  more  but pray rather  that  thy  past sins may  be  forgiven  thee. When, therefore,  thou  returnest  from  confession,  thou art now  entirely  cleansed  from the leprosy  of  thy  sins  in Jordan; that  is,  in  the  bath of my  blood. See thou  return not, therefore,  like  a sow  to her  wallowing,  or  like  a dog to his  vomit. Behold, thou art made  whole;  sin  no  more, lest some  worse  thing  happen to thee. An easy  relapse  is a proof  of  a not  very  serious repentance.

Firmly resolve,  therefore, to endure  all  things  rather than offend  me  again. For this, it  will  be  most  useful  for thee to  know  into  what  sin thou art  most  liable  to  fall, and also  upon  what  occasions thou art  most  apt  to  slip,  so that  thou  mayest  fortify  thyself the  most  wherever  thou findest thyself  weakest  and most exposed  to  danger.

Search, therefore,  not  carelessly, but  diligently,  for  the very root  itself,  from  which alone sprout  forth  nearly  all the thorns,  briers,  and  noxious weeds  that  infest  thy soul. Pluck out,  or  at  least choke up  this,  and  thou  wilt have done  much.

But few  do  this  in  earnest, and therefore  they  ever  stick in the  same  mire;  they  accuse, without  heeding  their conscience. They put  by their  sins,  and  propose  to  do better,  but  soon  return  to their  vomit. They weep  at one  moment  for  what  they have done,  and  a little  after commit what  they  must  weep for again; and  often  pass their lives  in  thus  dallying with me,  till  death  unexpectedly seizes  them,  and  plunges them in  the  deep,  and  the  pit of hell  shuts  its  mouth  upon them.

My son,  beware  of  imitating those  who  thus  abuse my patience  and  long-suffering,  and  so  often  receive my grace  in  vain; crucifying again to  themselves  the  Son of God,  and  making  him  a mockery. I tell thee,  it  is hard  for  those  who  act  thus to be  renewed  again  to  penance. For the  earth  that drinks in  the  rain  which comes often  upon  it,  and brings forth  herbs  meet  for them by  whom  it  is  tilled, receives blessing  from  God. But that  which  brings  forth thorns and  briers  is  reprobate, and  very  near  to  a curse, — whose  end  is  to  be burnt. Does not  man  himself at  last  exclude  entirely from his  favour  and  friendship his  fellow-man  who  time after time  offends  him?

Man. Alas, O Lord,  but now I rejoice  in  the  things which thou  saidst  to  console me, but  now  again  thou  utterest  words  full  of  terror and severity. Good Lord,