once and many times, striving, as it were, with God, I to sin, He to pardon me, and I to return again to sin as if I had never been pardoned; imitating (as says the Apostle St Peter) " the dog" that " returned to his vomit, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." [1] For which I deserved that God should vomit me for ever from Himself, and overwhelm me in the filth of hell, leaving me bound hand and foot in the power of those infernal executioners, as He did with the unthankful servant that owed Him ten thousand talents, and after he was pardoned returned again to offend Him. But yet for all this, trusting in the infinite patience and mercy of Almighty God, I must again return to Him unfeignedly, and, prostrate at His feet, must say to Him, " Have patience with me, O Lord, and with Thine assistance I will pay Thee the total debt of my offences; and if Thou pardonest me this once I will never more return to them ."
POINT III.
1. Thirdly, I must consider the deformity and vileness of these sins, inasmuch as, though there were no hell for them, yet they are contrary to natural reason; for man being created to the likeness of God, by sin he is transformed into a beast, and with their multitude engenders within himself bestial manners and vicious habits. His appetites prevail against reason, the flesh against the spirit, and the slave commands him that by right is the lord; for the wretched spirit is made a slave to the flesh and to her appetites, and is basely enthralled to many other creatures. For (as Christ our Saviour said) " whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin;" [2] "by whom a man is overcome, (says St. Peter,) of the same also he is the slave," [3] and (as a slave) is
