THE TEMPTATION OF MERCY
"The Devil brings sinners to Hell by closing their eyes to the dangers of perdition. He first blinds them, and leads them with himself to eternal torments.
'Commit this sin, and confess it afterwards'.
Behold the deceitful artifice by which the Devil has brought so many thousands of Christians to Hell. We scarcely ever find a Christian so sunk in despair as to intend to damn himself. All the wicked sin with the hope of afterwards going to confession. But by this illusion, how many have brought to themselves to perdition!
'But God is merciful,' behold another delusion, by which the Devil encourages sinners to persevere in a life of sin!
This is indeed the case; for men are induced by the deceits of the Devil to persevere in sin, through CONFIDENCE IN GOD'S MERCY; and thus they are lost.
'God is merciful', they say. Who denies it? BUT, GREAT AS HIS MERCY, how many does He every day send to Hell?
GOD IS MERCIFUL, BUT HE IS ALSO JUST, AND HIS MERCY IS TO THEM THAT FEAR HIM. But with regard to those who ABUSE HIS MERCY AND DESPISE HIM, HE EXERCISES JUSTICE."
–SAINT ALPHONSUS MARIA DE LIGOURI

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