Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/104

 number, we  should  tremble,  lest,  adding  another  to  our past sins,  we  complete  the  measure  of  our  iniquities,  be abandoned  by  God,  and  lost  forever. This thought  has powerful efficacy  in  dispelling  the  illusion  by  which  the devil so  often  induces  Christians  to  relapse  into  sin. Holding out  the  hope  of  pardon  to  them,  he  says:  You may indulge  your  passions  for  this  time;  you  will  afterwards confess  it,  and  obtain  forgiveness. Oh! if Christians were  penetrated  with  the  salutary  fear  that  any new sin  should  never  be  forgiven,  would  they  not  be struck  with  horror  at  the  very  idea  of  relapse? But through a  false  hope  of  pardon,  innumerable  souls  return to their  former  crimes,  until  the  measure  of  their  iniquities is  filled  up,  and  they  are  thus  irremediably  lost.

Nor do  I  speak  of  venial  faults  of  imperfect  advertence, or  of  human  frailty,  when  I  say  that  a  religious should cleanse  her  soul  from  all  sins. From such  imperfections no  one  is  exempt:  For,  says  St.  James,  in many  things  we  all  offend.  Even  the  saints  have  fallen  into the sins  of  frailty. If, says  St.  John,  we  say  we  have  no  sin, we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us.  Our  corrupt nature is  so  strongly  inclined  to  evil,  that  it  is  impossible for  us,  without  a  most  special  grace  (which  has  been given  only  to  the  Mother  of  God),  to  avoid,  during  our whole lives,  all  venial  sins — even  those  that  are  but  imperfectly deliberate. God permits  such  defects  even  in  souls dedicated to  his  love,  to  keep  them  humble,  and  to  make them feel  that,  as  they  fall  into  light  transgressions,  in spite  of  all  their  resolutions  and  promises,  so  but  for  his divine support  they  should  likewise  be  precipitated  into grievous crimes. When we  are  guilty  of  a  venial  fault we must  humble  our  souls,  and,  confessing  our  weakness, must  endeavor  to   multiply  prayer,  and   to  implore  the