who breaks many; for he offends the God of infinite majesty, who commands them all to be observed.
2. Then must I make comparison of this sin with many of mine, pondering with how much more reason I have deserved to be in hell, as those souls are, for having offended Almighty God, not once, but often, in other kinds of sins than theirs, and that without number.
Colloquy. — Oh, how justly have I deserved that death should have attacked me in committing my first offence and crime, and that God should have given me no time of repentance! What moved Thee, O my God! to bear with me more than with these? I confess that I deserve to be in their company, but seeing Thy majesty hath with so much mercy borne with me, I resolve, with Thy grace, to be very truly and entirely penitent.
3. I may also consider that it is no less a mercy of Almighty God to have preserved me from hell, withholding me from descending to everlasting torments, than if, after I had descended, He had delivered me from them; for which I may say with David, " I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Thy name for ever," [1] for Thy mercy has been very great towards me, delivering my soul from the deepest hell. And to know how to esteem aright of this heavenly favour, and how to repay it as I ought, I may speak to myself, saying,
Colloquy. — If God should deliver one of these souls out of hell, and give it a time of repentance, what rigorous penance would it perform? how thankful would it be to Almighty God? and with what fervour would it serve Him? Thou, therefore, art to do the like, considering that God has done to thee so singular a favour as to deliver thee from the danger before thou didst fall into it.
- ↑ Ps. lxxxv. 12.
