We seldom find a sinner so abandoned to despair as to say: I will damn myself. Christians sin, and endeavour to save their souls. They say: ” God is merciful: I will commit this sin, and will afterwards confess it." Behold the illusion, or rather the snare, by which Satan draws so many souls to hell. ” Commit sin," he says, ” and confess it afterwards." But listen to what the Lord says: "And say not, the mercy of the Lord is great; he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins." (Eccl. v. 6.) Why does he tell you not to say, that the mercy of God is great? Attend to the words contained in the following verse: "For mercy and wrath come quickly from him, and his wrath looketh upon sinners." (Ibid., ver. 7.) The mercy of God is different from the acts of his mercy; the former is infinite, the latter are finite. God is merciful, but he is also just. St. Basil says, that sinners only consider God as merciful and ready to pardon, but not as just and prepared to inflict punishment. Of this the Lord complained one day to St. Bridget: "I am just and merciful: sinners regard me only as merciful." St. Basil’s words are: “Bonus est Dominus sed etiam Justus, nolimus Deum ex dimidia parte cogitare." God is just, and, being just, he must punish the ungrateful. Father John Avila used to say, that to bear with those who avail themselves of the mercy of God to offend him, would not be mercy, but a want of justice. Mercy, as the divine mother said, is promised to those who fear, and not to those who insult the Lord. “And his mercy to them that fear him." (Luke i. .50.)
4. Some rash sinners will say: God has hitherto shown me so many mercies; why should he not here after treat me with the same mercy? I answer: he will show you mercy, if you wish to change your life; but if you intend to continue to offend him, he tells you that he will take vengeance on your sins by casting you into hell. "Revenge is mine, and I will repay them in due time, that their foot may slide." (Deut. xxxii. 35.) David says, that ” except you be converted, ” he will "brandish his sword." (Ps. vii. 13.) The Lord has bent his bow, and waits for your conversion; but if you resolve not to return to him, he will in the end cast the arrow against you, and you shall be damned. O God!
