”Quando," says St. Anselm, ” quis manet in peccato, ratio jam est deordinata et ideo veniente tentatione faciet id quod est facilius agere." Hence, according to the holy doctor, though they understand the great advantage of sanctifying grace, sinners, because they are deprived of grace, always relapse, in spite of all their efforts to avoid sin. ” Per peccatum non potest prosequi bonum quod cogniscit, conatur et labitur." But how can the branch that is cut off from the vine produce fruit? "As," says Jesus Christ, "the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me." (John xv. 4.)
2. But some young persons may say: ” I will hereafter give myself to God." Behold the false hope of sinners, which leads them to remain in sin till death, and from death conducts them to hell! Who are you that say, you will hereafter give yourself to God? But who, I ask, promises you that you shall have time to give yourself to God, and that you shall not meet with a sudden death, which will take you out of this world before you give yourself to him? "He," says St. Gregory, ” who has promised pardon to penitents has not promised tomorrow to sinners." (Hom. xii. in Ev.) The Lord has promised pardon to all who repent of their sins; but to those who wish to continue in sin he has not promised time for repentance. Do you say, hereafter? But Jesus Christ tells you that time is in the hand of God, and not under your control. ” It is not for you to know the times or moments which the Father has put in his own power." (Acts i. 7.) We read in the Gospel of St. Luke, that Jesus Christ, seeing a fig-tree which was fruitless for three years, ordered it to be cut down. "He said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and I find none. Cut it down therefore. Why cumbereth it the ground ?" (Luke xiii. 7.) Tell me, you who say that you will hereafter give yourself to God, for what purpose does he preserve your life? Is it that you may continue to insult him by sin? No; he gives you life that you may renounce sin, and change your conduct. ” Knowest thou not that
