Six Discourses on Natural Calamities, Divine Threats, and the Four Gates of Hell - Softcover

Ligouri, Saint Alphonsus

9781500825386: Six Discourses on Natural Calamities, Divine Threats, and the Four Gates of Hell

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1500825387 ISBN 13: 9781500825386

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014

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From � 11.42

"Ah, I will comfort Myself over My adversaries: and I will be revenged of my enemies." -----Isa. 1:24. Such is the language of God, when speaking of punishment and vengeance: He says that He is constrained by His justice to take vengeance on His enemies. But, mark you, He begins with the word Heu, "Ah:" this word is an exclamation of grief by which He would give us to understand, that if He were capable of weeping when about to punish, He should weep bitterly at being compelled to afflict us His creatures, whom He has loved so dearly as to give up His life through love for us. " 'Alas' " says Cornelius a Lapide, "is uttered by one who is lamenting and not insulting; God signifies by this word that He is grieving, and that He is unwilling to punish sinners." No, this God, Who is the Father of mercies, and so much loves us, is not of a disposition to punish and afflict, but rather to pardon and console us. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of affliction. -----Jer. 29:2. But some one will say, since such is His character, why does He now punish us? or, at least, appear as if He meant to punish us? Why so? Because He wishes to be merciful towards us: this anger which He now displays is all mercy and patience. Let us then, my brethren, understand how the Lord at present appears in wrath, not with a view to our punishment, but in order that we may cleanse ourselves of our sins, and thus enable Him to pardon us. Such is the subject of our discourse: GOD THREATENS TO CHASTISE IN ORDER TO DELIVER US FROM CHASTISEMENT. The chapters are: God Threatens to Chastise Us in Order to Deliver Us from Chastisement Sinners Will Not Believe in the Divine Threats Until the Chastisement Has Come Upon Them, Part 1 God Is Merciful for a Season, and Then Chastises The Four Principal Gates of Hell, Part 1: Hatred The Four Principal Gates of Hell, Part 2: Blasphemy The Four Principal Gates of Hell, Part 3: Theft The Four Principal Gates of Hell, Part 4: Impurity External Devotions are Useless if we do not Cleanse our Souls from Sin God Chastises Us in This Life for Our Good, Not for our Destruction CITATIONS: Referring to Some Particular Calamities 1. Earthquakes 2. Drought 3. Scarcity and Sterility 4. Hail and Lightning 5. Hurtful Animals 6. Sickness 7. Calamities in General

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