72 ANN AXS OP ROGER DE HOVEDEN. A.D. 118*. of Sennacherib was cut off by the hand of the angel of the Lord. Still, however, that land devoured its inhabitants, and was never able to remain in a state of quietude, or to retain its people, as being transgressors of the laws of God ; thus giving a lesson and an example to those who are aiming at gaining a heavenly Jerusalem, that they cannot possibly attain the same but by the exercise of good works and through many temptations. These events, in fact, might have been already apprehended when Arroaise and other lands passed into the hands of the Pagans, and proper prudence would only have been used if the people who survived had returned to repentance, and by their conversion appeased God, whom by their transgressions they had offended. Nor yet did His wrath come suddenly upon them, but He delayed His vengeance and gave time for repentance. At last, however, He who loses not justice in mercy, has exercised His vengeance in the punishment of the transgressors, and in thus giving a warning to those who wished to be saved. Moreover, we, who amid such great sorrow for that land, ought to give our attention not only to,the sins of the inhabitants thereof, but also to our own and to those of the whole people, and to be in dread lest what still remains to us of that land maybe lost, and their might may rage to the detriment of other nations as well, as we hear in all parts of dissensions and offences between kings and princes, cities and cities, may well mourn with the Prophet and say : ' There is no truth nor knowledge of God in the land. By lying, and killing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.'6 8 Wherefore this is imperative upon aB, and is to be thought upon and to be done ; making atonement for our sins by a voluntary chastisement, we ought, through repentance and works of piety, to turn to the Lord our God, and first to amend in ourselves those matters in which we have done amiss, and then to stand prepared for the fierceness and maBce of our enemies, and those attacks which they do not fear to make upon God, inasmuch as we ought on no account to hesitate to act in the cause of God. Think, therefore, my sons, how you have come into this world, and how you are to depart therefrom, how transitory are aB things, and how transitory are you yourselves as weB ; and with thanksgiving receive, so far as in you Bes, this opportunity for repenting and doing good, and both offer your possessions, and offer yourselves " Hos. iv. 1, 2.