never done us an injury? A man who has been unfortunate enough to ruin souls redeemed by the blood of a God, has much reason to fear for his salvation. What can we reasonably hope from Jesus Christ, after having torn from him what he had so dearly purchased? O fathers and mothers, who do not live as Christians ought to live, it were far better for your children that they had never been born ! — you have given them life only to put them to death — that dreadful death which is eternal! When they shall require of you the heaven they have lost, what will you be able to answer them?
3. Let us clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ, according to the words of the Apostle: let his conduct, his virtues, and his spirit shine forth in us, so that he may be remembered when we are seen. We contribute not less to our neighbour’s salvation by an edifying life, than we do to his damnation by a scandalous one.
[Be very careful to do nothing that may scandalize your neighbour; and humbly beg pardon of God for the sins you have committed.]
“ Wo be to the man by whom scandal cometh.” — Matt . xviii.
“The scandalous sinner must answer for the crimes which his bad example hath caused to be committed.”— Salvian.
TWENTY-SECOND DAY. — ON MORTIFICATION.
We are not Christians to be rich, and so live at our ease. It was not necessary to institute Christianity for that purpose; the world might have been left as it was, under the empire of passion and opinion. The life of a Christian is a crucified life; unless the cross be embraced, faith must be renounced.
2. What does the Gospel say? “ Blessed are those who weep: wo be to you, O rich, who have your consolation in this world ! ” Such is the language of the Holy Ghost. But it is now looked on as
