Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/289

 from hell — and  when? hear! when so  many  millions of centuries  shall  have  passed  away  as  there  are  drops of water  in  the  ocean,  leaves  on  the  trees,  sands  in the  sea  and  on  the  earth — you  would  shudder  at  this; but still  it  is  true  that  such  tidings  would  give greater joy  to  that  soul,  than  you  would  feel  if  you were told  that  you  had  become  the  king  of  a great kingdom. Yes, certainly; for  that  poor  damned sinner would  say: It  is  true  that  many,  many  centuries will  first  pass  by,  but  at  length  a day  will  come, in which  my  sufferings  will  end! Alas ! all these  centuries will  pass  away,  but  hell  will  ever  be  beginning anew; all these  centuries  may  be  multiplied  like  the sands, the  rain-drops,  and  the  leaves,  but  hell  is  still beginning anew. Every lost  soul  would  gladly,  if  he might,  enter  into  this  agreement  with  God: Lord! if it  please  thee,  increase  my  pain! O Lord ! prolong my pains  as  long  as  it  may  please  thee,  I am satisfied; if  it  will  only  one  day  end,  I am  content. But no,  this  end  will  never  come — never! But perhaps this  poor  lost  sinner  will  delude  and  flatter himself, and  say  inwardly: Perhaps,  God  will  one day have  mercy  on  me,  and  deliver  me  from  hell. No! the condemned  soul  will  always  have  before his eyes  the  sentence  of  his  eternal  condemnation, and his  language  will  be  this: Alas! it is  sure — too sure! all these  torments  which  I now  suffer, this fire,  this  sorrow,  this  cry  of  despair,  will  never end! never, never,  O never! no, it  will  last  for  ever, for ever. O eternity! O hell! how is  it  possible that men  believe  in  you  and  yet  continue  to  live  in sin ! [''Look steadily  here  upon  your  besetting  sin, and with  eternity  in  view, excite  your  soul  to  contrition , and make  a firm  resolution. '' ]

III. My Christian  friend,  think  well  of  this,  and