Page:Thecompleteascet02liguuoft.djvu/53

 rather let  me  die  than  offer  Thee  so  great  an  injury. In Thee, my  crucified  Jesus,  do  I  place  all  my  hopes. O Mary, mother  of  Jesus! recommend me  to  thy  Son.

1. The  more  we  have  experienced  the  patient  mercies of God,  the  more  we  ought  to  be  afraid  of  continuing  to abuse  them,  lest  the  time  of  God's  vengeance  overtake us. Revenge is  Mine,  and  I  will  repay  in  due  time.1     God will put  an  end  to  his  forbearance  towards  those  who will not  cease  to  abuse  it.

I give  Thee  thanks,  O  Lord! for having  patiently borne with  me,  though  I  have  so  often  betrayed  Thee. Make me  sensible  of  the  evil  that  I  have  done  by  abusing  Thy  patience  for  so  long  a  time;  make  me  sorry  for all the  offences  I  have  committed  against  Thee. No, I will  never  more  abuse  Thy  tender  mercy.

2. "  Commit  this  sin;  you  can  afterwards  confess  it." Such is  the    artifice  with  which   the    devil   has    drawn many souls   into  hell. Many Christians,  now  in  hell, have been  lost  by  this  delusion. The Lord  waiteth,  that He may  have  mercy  on  you? God waits  for  the  sinner, that the  sinner  may  be   converted,  and  obtain   mercy; but when  God  sees  that  the  time  which   he  allows  the sinner for  doing  penance  is  employed  only  in  increasing the number  of  his  offences,  then  he  waits  no  longer,  but punishes him  as  he  deserves.

Pardon me,  O  God! for I  desire  never  more  to  offend Thee. And why  should  I  delay? that Thou  mayest  condemn  me  to  hell? I fear  indeed  that  now  Thou  canst no longer  have  patience  with  me. I have  indeed  offended Thee too  grievously. I am  sorry  for  it. I repent  of  it.