Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/216



Christ. Walk before  me, and I will  be  with  thee  in  all thy ways,  and  will  direct  thy steps. But knowest  thou  not that torment  is  due  to  the sinner, in  proportion  to  the vain-glory and  luxury  in which  he  has  lived? Is it  not just that  the  number  of  his stripes should  be  commensurate to  the  greatness  of  his fault?

Therefore, if  thou  art  wise, anticipate the  sentence  of  the judge, and  punish  thyself,  lest, perhaps, at  the  last,  thou  be cast  into  prison,  never  to  go out  from  thence  till  thou  repay the  last  farthing. It is easier to  satisfy  the  divine justice now,  while  it  is  yet the time  of  mercy,  and  the day of  salvation; it  is  easier to discharge  thy  faults  in  this life than  to  reserve  them  to the  time  when  I shall  judge with justice.

Therefore, be  converted  to me  with  all  thy  heart,  in fasting,  in  weeping,  and  in mourning. Thou hast  indeed very  often  offended  me, by pursuing  the  pleasures  and gratifications of  the  flesh. Is it not  just,  then,  that  thou shouldst chastise  thy  body, and bring  it  into  subjection; that, as  thy  flesh,  when  it  Was pampered, drew  thee  into  sin, so, now  that  it  is  afflicted it may  bring  thee  back  to pardon?

The prayer,  too,  of  the humble and  meek  has  ever been pleasing  to  me,  and moved me  to  be  favourable their sins. Therefore thou wilt earnestly  employ  this means also,  that  I,  as  the  true High Priest  and  advocate  at my  Father’s  right  hand,  may intercede for  thee,  and  offer to my  eternal  Father  the price of  my  blood  and  the merits of  my  passion,  by which  I have  made  satisfaction for  the  sins  of  the  whole world.

Redeem, too,  thy  sins  by alms-giving. Nothing so  much inclines me  to  mercy,  as to  see  you,  from  feelings  of brotherly  love,  show  mercy to the  needy  and  afflicted. But if  thou  shut  up  the  bowels of compassion  towards  them, and refuse  to  listen  to  their cry, see  the  time  come  not, when thou  wilt  cry  thyself, and not  be  heard  Wouldst thou, then,  make  satisfaction for thy  sins? Behold, how good is  prayer,  with  fasting and alms.

But the  satisfaction  which is best  of  all,  as  most  pleasing to  me,  and  most  profitable to  thyself,  is,  to  direct the whole  force  of  thy  penitence against  thy  sins  themselves, and  the  roots  of  those sins. Specially, therefore, and earnestly,  apply  thyself to the  exercise  of  those  virtues which  are  the  most  opposed to  the  vicious  inclinations of  thy  mind,  and  most distasteful to  the  flesh,  where