should be very violent, there is no sin, as long as there is no consent. ” Non nocet sensus," says St. Bernard, ” ubi non est consensus." (De Inter. Domo., cap. xix.)
2. Even the saints have been tormented by temptations. The devil labours harder to make the saints fall, than to make the wicked sin: he regards the saints as more valuable prey. The Prophet Habacuc says, that the saints are the dainty food of the enemy. ” Through them his portion is made fat, and his meat dainty." (Hab. i. 16.) And therefore, the prophet adds, that the evil one stretches out his net for all, to deprive them of the life of grace: and that he spares no one. "For this cause, therefore, he spreadeth out his net, and will not spare continually to slay the nations. ” (Ibid., v. 17.) Even St. Paul, after he had been made a vessel of election, groaned under temptations against chastity. ” There was," said he, "given me a sting of the flesh, an angel of Satan to afflict me." (2 Cor. xii. 7.) He three times prayed to the Lord, to deliver him from these temptations; but in answer the Lord told him, that his grace was sufficient for him. ” For which thing thrice I besought the Lord, that it might depart from me. And he said: My grace is sufficient for thee." (ver. 8, 9.) God permits even his servants to be tempted, as well to try their fidelity, as to purify them from their imperfections. And, for the consolation of timid and scrupulous souls, I will here state that, according to the common opinion of theologians, when a soul that fears God and hates sin is in doubt whether she gave consent to a bad thought, she is not bound, as long as she is not certain of having given consent, to confess it: for it is then morally certain that she has not consented to it. Had she really fallen into grevious sin she would have no doubt about it; for mortal sin is so horrible a monster, that it is impossible for him who fears God to admit it into the soul without his knowledge.
3. Others, who are not scrupulous, but are ignorant, and have lax consciences, think that evil thoughts, though wilfully indulged, are not mortal sins, unless the act is consummated. This is an error worse than the former. What we cannot lawfully do, we cannot
