put it in execution and a greater punnishment it is and inflicted for some greater sin for a man not to see nor knowe that which he is bounde to doe Of these secret sinnes which are committed through ignorance and yet for all that bee imputed by God and seuerelie by him punnished we haue many examples in holy scripture I will here onely make mention of two but those of the most notable to giue more light to that which hath beene saide God commaunded King Saul to inuade the countrey of the Amalachites and vtterly to destroye 1 Reg. 15. them not leauing either man or beast aliue because they did not shewe mercy but crueltie towardes the Israelites when they came out of Aegipt Saul went and conquered the coūtry slew men and beastes as he was commanded but yet he did spare the life of the king called Agag and some of the best cattell and in this facte hee neuer thought that hee had committed any sin at all for to saue the kinges life he did it vnder the title of piety and some of the beastes hee reserued for outwarde shewe of religion to offer them in sacrifice to God and therfore when the Prophet Samuell did reprehende him for not hauing kept the commaundement of God he answered confidentlie that he had done all that which God had willed and appointed him Albeit Saul sinned because hee should not haue interpreted the commandement of God according to his owne fancy nor to haue donne expreslie contrary to that which God gaue him in charge either vpon any pretext of piety or colour of religion yet he thought that he had not committed any sinne therein nay rather hee supposed that he had donne verye well and so that which hee reputed for no faulte God very iustlie did impute vnto him for a grieuous sinne and did punnish him most severelie for the same depriuing him of his kingdome and casting him out of his favour and suffering him by a naughtie death to 2 Reg. 24. ende his daies Dauid had a desire to number his people and to muster all the men of war in his kingdome he put this his desire in executiō This was in him a great sinne both because it was very chargeable to the king very troublesome to the people without any necessity or iust cause and also because it was a kinde of pride and vaine ostentation as Saint Gregory saith and to this may be also added howe it was against the law which commanded that when vpon necessitie the people were numbred that euery one shoulde offer a certaine quantity in almes to bee imployed about the vses of the tabernacle This being so grieuous Exod. 30. a sinne and for so many reasons contrary to the lawe of God yet when Dauid did it he thought it not any such vntill afterwarde he sawe the punnishment thereof to consume his people by so pitifull a pestilēce that there were alreadye dead thereof seauenty thousand persons Then he perceaued what a great sinne he had committed and did confesse it saying I haue sinned much in this fact and haue done Charthusianus 2 Reg. 24. foolishlie And Dauid fell into this sinne because beholding himselfe so potent in battaile and to ouercome al his enemies he suffered some presumption to enter into his hart and for this sin and for the sinnes of the people God did suffer him to fall into such an ignorance and blindnesse that hee knewe not howe greate a sinne that was which he then committed So that both Saul and Dauid offended God in doing these sinnes not knowing howe greate the faulte was which then they did and in like manner many fall into verie grieuous sinnes through culpable ignorance as hath bin saide and some of them as Saul neuer come to know or confesse them and so die in their sinnes and perishe for euer Others as Dauid come to the knowledge therof and doe purge them by true penance and contrition To the end therefore that wee may preserue ourselues from falling into so great blindnesse as this is and if we be already fallen that wee may come out of it let vs nowe see what remedies are for this purpose to be vsed and put in practise Chap. X. Of a very profitable remedye against the harme which commeth by secret sinnes and that is euery day to examine our conscience and the manner how this is to he done HAuing now declared how great an hinderāce it is to a good confessiō lightly to examine our consciēce the great harmes which from that negligence doe growe and that is for a mā to fall into those sins which he knoweth not requisite it is likewise to giue some instructions how we may ouercome this carelesnes deliuer our selues from these so great harmes The first is for a man willingly to take paines to enter vvith consideration into himselfe and to search all the corners of his conscience and crauing light at Gods handes that he may know himselfe to stay there for some space pondering the motions desires of his owne soule and the workes which from that doe spring For to applie carefully and with diligence the hearte troubled with such varietye of tentations to consider with quiet the inward actiōs of the soule and the outwarde of the body is a thing of trauaile paine and therefore necessary it is that a man should resolue him selfe to imbrace this labour and to overcome this difficultie And to the end that a man may by vse make this examination well and get a facility therein let him not thinke it enough to examine his conscience once before he goeth to confession but let him make it daiely And for that purpose at night when he goeth to bed let him retire himselfe into some secret place before some image and there let him call his soule to account how it hath bestowed that day and let him examine well all that hee hath thought said or done and such sins as he findeth himself to haue fallen into let him purge with the teares of pennance for so did holy Iob and this was his meaning when he saide I considered O Lord with feare all my workes because Cap. 9. I knowe that thou wilt not leaue any sin vnpunnished as though hee had said To preuent thy iudgment and punnishment I haue iudged and punnished my selfe and that euery day and euery hower because the holye man coulde not make this examination of all his workes had hee not vsed it very often And king Dauid so employed about the affaires of his kingdome and so charged with businesse of great weight was not for all that carelesse herein but did euery night recollect himselfe to make this examination of his conscience and to bewaile all the wickednesse which he had committed against the will of God This doth he plainly declare when he saith thus I haue labored in sorowe and sighing for my sins and euery night haue I exercised my felfe vntill I haue
determined to serue God doe not seldome fall Concerning the first Many very effectuall be the reasons which ought to moue and invite all faithful christians to frequent the Sacraments that is to confesse themselues and communicate once in eight or fifteene daies or at least once a moneth For if they be such persons as God hath voutchsafed so to favour that since their last confession they haue not fallen into any mortall sinne very necessary it is for them so to doe both to preserue themselues in Gods grace to increase in the same and also in all other vertuous heavenly gifts to make themselues daiely more acceptable in the sight of God to be more fit instruments to set forth his glory to advance the good of his Church to make their salvation more certaine to lay vp the treasure of greater merits in eternall felicity to procure more light and strength both to know and overcome all the temptations deceipts of the enemies of our soule to doe the workes of vertue with greater facilitie and sweetnes to passe over this life with more peace and spirituall comfort to be at our death more assisted and holpen of God with plenty of heavenly succor and so finally to depart this life with more hope of salvation greater quiet and comfort of soule For these and such other like effects and singular commodities very necessary it is I say that the servant of God should often repaire to the sacraments For albeit since his last confession hee hath not fallen into any mortall sinne yet certaine it is that hee hath committed many veniall wherof some he doth know and others he doth not and yet for all that not to be excused because he might well haue known them and these veniall or small sinnes although they doe not spoile the soul of gods grace yet doe they great harme and put a man in such a case that he doth thereby fal the sooner into those that be mortall as else where hath beene handled Certaine In tract 4. cap. 24. likewise it is that a man is continually assaulted with daiely and divers tentations by the devill the world the flesh our corrupt nature which doe put him in great danger to fall into mortall sinne and many of them be secret and very perilous and therefore passing necessary it is that he should alwaies haue a remedy to deliver his soule from veniall sinnes and great neede he hath of daiely strength to resist all tentations great neede of the continuall dew of Gods grace from heaven to mitigate his wicked inclinations and all this doth he find in the holy Sacraments of confession communion if he do often frequent them And although it cannot be denied but that there bee other remedies for the purging of veniall sinnes so most certain it is that this of frequenting the Sacraments if it bee done as it ought is the best and most effectuall of all other Of the wonderfull effects which the blessed sacrament of the Altar worketh in them that doe frequent it S. Bernard giveth an excellent testimony these be his words The Ber. in ser de ce dom most pretious sacrament of the body of our Lord doth worke in vs two effects The one is that it doth diminish the sence of veniall sinnes and the other is that it doth wholy take away all consent to mortall sinnes And the holy man doth proue this to bee true by that experience which the servants of God doe find feele in their owne heartes to whome he doth there speake in this manner If any of you doe not now so often feele neither yet so greate motions as before time you did of anger of envie of carnality and other vices let him giue thankes to the body and bloud of Christ which hee receaveth in the holy sacrament because this is the effect thereof and let him take comfort therein for as much as God by this meanes doth cure and make sound the corruption of our nature Thus writeth S. Bernard And the selfe same thing is confest by all holy men and the generall councell of Trent doth confirm the same Ses 13. c. 8. declaring that the blessed Sacrament doth worke this in all such as receaue it with due preparation to wit that it doth deliver them from consenting to tentations pacifie their passions giue them victory over their enemies preserue and encrease thē in good life by giving force and strength for al these foresaid ends And from hence it commeth that in al cities townes where there be many that often repaire to the sacraments many there be also which all their life long continue in Gods grace without ever falling into any mortall finne And all ordinary ghostly fathers be witnesses of this trueth who find by experience that christian people doe receaue this great commoditye by frequenting the Blessed sacrament of the Aultar with devotion and a vertuous disposition These reasons aleadged are sufficient to perswade all good Catholicks though not guilty in their conscience of any mortall sin often to confes themselues and to communicat but if since their last being at cōfession they haue committed any deadly sin then besides the former reasons greater necessitye haue they streight waies and without delay to goe vnto the sacrament of Confession to witt that by meanes thereof they may come out of that damnable state and deliver themselus from all those mischiefes and harmes which from that kind of sin do growe as to be hated of God to liue in disgrace of the Blessed Trinity to bee abhorred of heavenly Maiesty and to be captiues and slaues to Sathan the prince of darkenesse to be subiect and obedient to his will and to lose the great value and merits of all the good works of their life past to be in apparant danger of falling into greater sins into greater blindnes and hardenesse of hart and finally into everlasting damnation From al these evils and mischiefs and many more annexed to these that man is delivered who after due preparation purgeth his soul streight waies by confession And although true it be that onely by contritiō with a purpose to confesse in time convenient a man may deliver himselfe from the state of mortall sin yet to haue contrition without helpe of the sacrament is an hard thing vnto which few doe attaine for as much as true contrition conteineth in it selfe a great hatred of sinne by reason wherof the soul doth in will abhorre and detest all mortall sinne more then all other evils in the world with all a firme purpose of amendmēt of life and so resolutely determineth never more to consent to any deadly sinne whatsoever neither for interest or commodity nor to avoide any paine or misery of this life and togither with this necessary it is that the principall thing which moveth a man to this hatred of sin and amendment of his life bee the loue of God aboue all thinges And because
washed my bed with the abundance of teares which mine eyes did powre foorth And in an other Psalme Psal 76. hee saith In the night time haue I exercised my selfe meditating within my soule the mercies receiued of God and the sinnes which I haue committed against him and reprehending accusing my selfe I haue with sorrowe washed my soule This examination is to bee made by deuiding it into fiue members or points In the first let him giue thankes vnto God for benefites receaued as for hauing created him of nothing according to his owne image and for his glorie for hauinge preserued him redeemed him and made him a christian and for hauing suffered and expected him to doe pennaunce and in particular for that hee hath that daye giuen him life strength succour and holye inspirations to liue vvell and deliuered him from many sins and dangers into which thorough his owne weaknesse and subtiltie of his enemies hee might haue fallen In the seconde pointe let him craue grace and lighte of God to knovve throughly all his sinnes which he hath committed that daye and also any others donne in any time of his life past which by forgetfulnesse or ignorance hee hath not yet confessed nor amended Let him acknowledge that of himfelfe he is most ignorant and blinde to knowe any good thinge and that through the infinite mercy of God and the merits of Christ our Lorde he must receiue this gift to know himselfe and therefore let him craue it with humility to vnderstand his sinnes and to bewaile them as he ought In the third point let him run ouer all the workes wordes and thoughtes of that day and consider well whether he hath done any wicked worke or omitted to doe any good vnto which hee was bounde And such good workes as hee hath done whether he did not corrupt them make them naught in the doing as if he did correct or punnish any vpon reuenge if he reiected any poore body not giuing him almes as was conuenient if he said not his prayers without attention In his wordes let him consider whether he hath sworn without necessity back-bited any tolde any lies or vttered any idle or impatient wordes In his thoughtes let him examine whether he hath had any pride anger couetuousnesse griefe at the good of his neighbour vaine desires of worldly praise and in these and other such like wicked thoughtes let him examine him selfe whether he hath cast them quickly from him crauing Gods grace to withstand them and hath detested them as contrary to the will of God In the fourth point For such sinnes as he findeth that he hath committed that daye bee they great or small let him repent be sorie from his hart and ponder with himselfe how sinne is an offence done against the maiestie of God and therefore let him say in his soule with a detestation thereof O that I had neuer committed thee for any thinge in the worlde And let him consider that although hee hath many times fallen into the same faulte that hee ought not for all that to bee dismaied nor disordinatelie grieued but let him humble himselfe and with a louing hart and confidence in the goodnesse of God who so often as a sinner doth turne vnto him is ready to receaue him againe craue pardon at his haÌ„ds and let him offer vnto his diuine maiesty the merits of his holye passion that through them hee would voutsafe to grant him remission And if the sinnes into which he hath fallen that day be of the greatest sorte let him for them condeÌ„ne him selfe to some penaÌ„ce as to fast or to take away some part of his meate or drink or to giue some almes or to say three Creedes or three Salue reginas with his armes stretched out like a crosse in reuerence honor of the blessed Trinity or the three howers which our Lord fauiour remained vpoÌ„ the crosse or fiue times to kisse the earthe in honor of the fiue woundes of our Sauiour In the fifte and last pointe let him purpose in his hearte the amendmente of those sins that is not to committe them euer anye more for all the worlde and although he hath fallen a thousande tymes into them yet let him a thousande times fully purpose to doe so no more and when he determineth not to commit them againe let him by no meanes trust vpon himselfe or relie vpon his owne strength for the performance of that his intent but let him trust vpon the grace of god which he will bestowe vpon him for that purpose through the merittes of his sacred passion as else where hath beene declared And let Tract 2. cap. 2. him conclude with one PATER NOSTER to God praying therin for pardon for that is past and grace to amend himselfe and an AVE MARIA to our blessed Lady that she woulde vouchsafe for this ende to assist him with hir prayers and intercession This is the daily examination of our conscience and it importeth so much for a man to be diligent herein and neuer vpon any occasion or businesse to omit it albeit he spend no more therein then the fourth parte of an hower that no wordes can sufficiently commend the same By the helpe of this examination a man doth ouercome culpable ignorance and is deliuered from those secret sinnes which from that doe growe because he doth what lieth in him to know the trueth and for the goodnesse of God to reueale it By meanes also of this examination a man is deliuered from that weakenes that blindnesse that deformity which the sinnes committed that day left in his soule and obtaineth of God more strengthe more light and purity of soule and doth euery day proceede goe forwarde in the seruice of God By this examination doth he likewise fulfill those precepts and admonitions of Christ so often and so earnestlie repeated in the Gospell Watche and pray Mat. 24. 15. Luc. 12. because you knowe not the day nor the hower of your death and iudgement Be ready because at that hower which you thinke not of the sonne of the Virgin will come to call you to his diuiue iudgement By this examination also doth a man watch ouer him selfe escapeth the daunger and bande of his former sinnes deliuereth himselfe from those to come and maketh his soule ready for death yea if it shoulde come that very night as it is possible and indeede may come so he might haue chanced vpon a sodaine death and therby had hee not examined himselfe before haue perished and beene damned for euer but now hauing before hand examined wel his conscience with contrition for his sinnes is a saued soule To this daily examination holy fathers doe exhort vs especially Saint Basill who speaketh thus Examine at euening or in the night De renâ—â—tiatione seculi thy whole daies worke Enter into consideration and remember thy actions within thy soule to amende them and make them better and compare