punished that rebel against the commandments of Almighty God, as Pharaoh and his vassals did, there coming upon them frogs [1] , flies, sciniphs [2] , murrain [3] , boils [4] , locusts, thunders, lightnings, hail, and thick darkness; yea, and the Angel of God, with his sword drawn, entered their houses, killing their first-begotten [5] , and destroying what they loved most, until at last the sea of tribulations, which gives free passage to the just, drowns [6] and stifles them for their sins, sinking them like lead to the bottom of hell, where they will be burned and tormented in that fire everlasting.
3. And that we may not imagine that these plagues touched only the ancients before the coming of Christ, when our Lord was called the God of vengeance, there is mention also made of them in the Apocalypse. For God's providence, which is benign to the observers of His law, is rigorous against those that infringe it, wherefore He has in readiness "seven angels" with "seven" dreadful "trumpets," and " seven" other, with " seven phials," full of His " wrath" and indignation, which they pour out " upon the earth," [7] striking sinners with dreadful plagues.
Colloquy. — O my soul, why dost not thou tremble to trespass against that law which has such terrible and zealous avengers? How is it that thou art not terrified with the sound of these trumpets? How is it that horror is not caused in thee with the horrible wine of these " phials?" How art thou not affrighted with the dreadfulness of these " plagues?" O most merciful Jesus, who receivedst five wounds on the Cross, and wast wounded on it from head to foot, cure with this precious blood the wounds of my sins, that I may be free from such horrible plagues! Amen.
