that new hells should be found and new torments invented to chastise my grievous sins.
2. And seeing that the goodness, wisdom, immensity, omnipotence, liberality, beneficence, and charity of Almighty God have not been sufficient to bridle me, it had been just that His justice should have appeared to revenge the injuries done to these divine perfections and sovereign benefits, and should have given licence to all creatures (as shall be given at the day of judgment) to take vengeance on me for the injuries that I did to the Creator and to them in using them to offend Him. [1]
Colloquy. — But, O my God and my Creator, seeing that of Thy mercy Thou hast thought it good to bear with me, add this benefit to the former: think it good likewise to forgive and pardon me! Amen.
MEDITATION VI.
ON THE GRIEVOUSNESS OF SIN, BY COMPARING IT WITH THE TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL PAINS WITH WHICH IT IS CHASTISED.
POINT I.
First I must consider the grievousness of mortal sin by comparison with all the pains and miseries that are in this life, considering that it is the came of these temporal evils, Almighty God chastising it most justly by their means. For proof of which I may run over the exterior goods which we call of fortune and those which belong to the body, of all which sin is the destruction.
1. First, sin destroys riches, God depriving sinners of them because they abused them; as He spoiled the Egyptians of their jewels and the Jebusites and Canaanites of their countries. Sin likewise destroys honour; for whoever
- ↑ Sap. v. 18.
