Page:Goldentreatiseof00pete.djvu/89

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But alas, how hast thou sinned? with such facility, with such notable audacity, with so little fear and conscience, yea with such serenity and pleasure, as though thou hadst to do with no other than a wooden God, who regardeth not these sublunary things, neither understandeth nor seeth any thing what is done on the face of earth. Is this the honor due unto his supreme Majesty? is this a renumeration of his benefits? dost thou with such services requite his whippings, his buffetings, and precious blood shed upon the cross for thy sake? O wicked wretch, that hast offended so great a majesty, more miserable, that for so slight a cause, and most deplorable, that thou art not sensible of thy utter ruin: that after sin thou fearest not damnation, and so neglectest to do penance.

Moreover, it is very profitable, to insist a while upon this consideration, and that thou esteem thyself nothing, and certainly persuade thyself that thou hast nothing of thyself but sin; all other things to be the gifts of Almighty God's bounty. For it is most evident, that all our good, both of grace and nature doth flow from him; for he is the author of the grace of predestination (which is the fountain and original of all others) of the grace of our vocation, of concomitant and preserving grace, and of the grace of everlasting life. What hast thou then, that thou canst boast of, but sin? only this, nothing thou canst attribute to thyself, all other things belong to God: whence thou may-