Colloquy. — Who shall not fear thee, O King of the nations? If Thou thus burn the fruitful tree for a few thorns that were mingled with the good fruit, how wilt Thou burn and torment the withered, barren tree that hath brought forth nothing but the thorns of grievous sins?
ii. The second intention is, to satisfy in this life for my sins, and to embrace willingly all penances and afflictions whatsoever, seeing they are as nothing in comparison of these other. For that which is suffered in this life is but little, and for a little time, and is very profitable in order to increase in virtue, and merit an augmentation of grace and glory; but in purgatory much is suffered, and unprofitably for the ends before mentioned. And therefore I must beseech our Lord, that if I shall be careless of this payment, it will please Him to purify me with the fire of afflictions, that I may pay here with gain that which I shall afterwards pay without gain.
Colloquy. — O my Saviour, that didst promise to purify the sins of Thy Church, as gold and silver are purified in the fire, [1] purify me as Thou wilt in this life, that in departing out of it I may go to enjoy Thee. Amen.
iii. The third intention is to avoid as much as possible venial sins, seeing, as the apostle says, they are no other thing but "wood, hay," and "stubble," [2] to make fuel for the fire that shall burn me in purgatory. This is a great rashness, if I have the eyes of faith to behold it; for if I should see a man cut wood from a mountain and carry it to his house, and asking him wherefore he carried that wood, he should answer me that it was to kindle a fire in which to burn himself, should I not hold him for a madman? Then am not I much more mad, doing things with so great pleasure that shall burn me in purgatory? [3]
