Manasses, seeing that God had pardoned the sins of his father, gave himself up to a wicked life with the hope of pardon; but, for Ammon there was no mercy. St. John Chrysostom says, that Judas was lost because, trusting in the goodness of Jesus Christ, he betrayed him. ” Fidit in lenitate Magistri."
6. He that sins with, the hope of pardon, saying: "I will afterwards repent, and God will pardon me :" is, according to St. Augustine, ” not a penitent, but a scoffer." The Apostle tells us that "God is not mocked." (Gal. vi. 7.) It would be a mockery of God to offend him as often and as long as you please, and always to receive the pardon of your offences. ” For what things a man shall sow," says St. Paul, "those also shall he reap." (Ibid., ver. 8.) They who sow sins, can hope for nothing but the hatred of God and hell. ” Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and patience, and long-suffering." (Rom. ii. 4.) Do you, O sinner, despise the riches of the goodness, of the patience, and long-suffering of God towards you? He uses the word riches, because the mercies which God shows us, in not punishing our sins, are riches more valuable to us than all treasures. "Knowest thou not, ” continues the Apostle, "that the benignity of God leadeth thee to penance ?" (Ibid.) Do you not know that the Lord waits for you, and treats you with so much benignity, not that you may continue to sin, but that you may weep over the offences you have offered to him? For, says St. Paul, if you persevere in sin and do not repent, your obstinacy and impenitence shall accumulate a treasure of wrath against the day of wrath, that is, the day on which God shall judge you. "According to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up wrath, against the day of wrath, and revelation of the just judgment of God." (Ibid., verse 5.)
7. To the hardness of the sinner shall succeed his abandonment by God, who shall say of the soul that is obstinate in sin, what he said of Babylon: ” We would have cured Babylon; but she is not healed; let us forsake her." (Jer. li. 9.) And how does God abandon the sinner? He either sends him a sudden death, and cuts him off in sin, or he deprives him of the graces
