CHAPTER IX. THAT THE SINNER, CONVINCED OF THE EVIL STATE OF HIS HEART, SHOULD NOT NEGLECT ANY THING WHICH MIGHT If it be true that conversion may be a means on the one hand absolutely necessary, and on the other perfectly sufficient to secure the salvation of the greatest sinners, as we may have seen in the preceding chapter, it is evident that he of whom we speak could not refuse to employ this means without neglecting the greatest of his interests, and without acting directly contrary to the most natural and the most legitimate dictate of his heart, which is self-love. But this is not all : if it is necessary to be converted, and if this sinner has only a few moments in which to do so, should he not on the one hand in such manner improve all these moments, however short, in this alone; and on the other, apply himself to it with all his might, and all the earnestness of which he is capable? For as to the first, could ever distraction be more insupportable than on this occasion ? The sinner of whom I speak shall be judged in a moment after. The sentence which shall be pronounced upon him shall decide his destiny to all eternity. He is upon the point of seeing himself eternally happy or eternally miserable. And this object, so great in every sense, will not be sufficient, in his judgment, to fill all the capacity of his feeble and finite mind. This mind will have thoughts to bestow and moments to employ upon other subjects. Can we imagine a stupidity like this? It is here we may apply the thought of M. Pascal, by adding to it something to make it a little more just in respect to our subject. We have only to imagine a man confined in a dungeon. He knows that his judges have already commenced the trial of his case. He knows that his sentence will be pronounced in an hour; and being once pronounced, it will never be revoked. This sentence depends in a certain sense upon prevention. He may yet advance some plea, which will render them favorable to him: but if he neglects to do all he can, he will be infallibly condemned. He knows this; he is warned of this; and instead of improving the few remaining moments, he voluntarily loses them; he amuses himself with sport and diversion. Can we imagine a more insensate conduct? This representation is forcible, but it does not come up to the importance of our subject. The negligence of this prisoner could not have naturally any other consequence than the loss of a life sufficiently miserable, since it is no other than a tissue of crimes and amusements. But the negligence of the dying, who think not sufficiently of death, is infallibly followed by the loss of life eternal. Thus, as much as this life eternal is more precious than that which is temporal; as much as the punishments of hell are more formidable than those to which the judges of the earth could condemn us, so much more the negligence of those who improve not their last moments is more fatal than that of the prisoner of whom I have spoken. But it is not sufficient to think of this alone; he must also think strongly; or rather, he must labor with diligence: he must use his utmost exertions for it. In fact, true conversion is a work so difficult, that without the help of a supernatural and omnipotent grace, it would be impossible. It must change the whole constitution of the heart; it must give it new desires, or at least it must present new objects to all those desires. Instead of our hearts neither loving, nor desiring, nor seeking any thing but the creature, it must neither love, desire, nor seek any thing but God. Instead of all our cares being centred in earth, they should be raised to heaven. What exertion, what diligence is there not requisite for success! Should we not take into account as of some importance, the attacks of the devil, who seems to redouble his efforts upon an occasion which is so favorable to him, and which gives him so great an opportunity to overcome us? I know at the same time, that we can defeat all his efforts by a vigorous resistance. But is this resistance not to think of what we are doing, or to think of it carelessly? This is what he desires, and nothing contributes more to give success to his pernicious designs. Many imagine that all the efforts of the devil at such a moment, tend only to alarm us, to cast us by this means into despair; and I do not deny that he thus sometimes labors to do this. But I am persuaded, that among all the attacks to which we are exposed on these occasions, this is on one hand most rare, and on the other the least dangerous. It is not by despair that this wicked spirit chiefly establishes his dominion: on the contrary, it is by security and by negligence. His greatest pains on these occasions are taken either to lull us to sleep or to distract us. He endeavors to occupy us with every other thing than that alone upon which we ought to think. It is thus he would prevent our escape from him, while alarm, fear and terror might lead us effectually to implore the mercy of God with all the ardor necessary to obtain the desired result. It is, then, our duty on these occasions first to remove from our mind all the thoughts which tend not to excite the feelings which should be formed in the soul, and at the same time to recollect ourselves, and to seek with all diligence, and with all the exertion of which we are capable in this situation, to render these feelings the most lively and the most fervent that will be possible. But as we are incapable of doing any thing without grace, we must implore it humbly and ardently. This may be done by the following prayer. PRAYER. It well becomes me, LORD, to entertain an exalted idea of thy mercy and of thy goodness, since I presume to apply unto thee for that aid which is so necessary to me on this occasion. Though I should have at this hour all the repentance which I take the liberty to solicit of thee; though, in a word, I should have all I am wanting, I acknowledge thou mightst have no regard for it, and leave me to my punishment, and precipitate me into hell. Thy justice has nothing to oppose this, and I acknowledge that I have but too well deserved it. Having refused to serve a |