_ 40 _ desires or hatred, and who have no wish to mend their ways, by taking steps to give up their sins, because they are so ingrained, the cure for such people, if reason has any value or force, should be the love and reverence that they ought to have for God so as to disavow such sins. When they lack this, it should be the fear of death, of hell, but most of them lack this fear, just as they lack love. With such people you will proceed in the following manner: describe to them God’s punishments in this life, like curtailing their lives, serious illnesses, the disgraces of this present existence, loss of goods, persecution by captains, perils of the sea, and others of life’s catastrophes that God permits, all on account of their sins. Through fear of these punishments there are many who do penance. It is through fear of this rather than through fear of God or of the pains of hell. Sinners notice these calamities because of their great neglect of God and their consciences and their lack of faith. They believe what they see and have doubts about what they ought to be aware of in the other life. When you have to deal in spiritual matters with a particular person and converse about questions related to God and the salvation of the soul, be careful in what
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