if, when you can sin no longer, then you wish to do penance; sins, it is plain, have left you, not you them.” Serm. cccxciii. Ibid. p. 1507.—“Dear brethren, we are admonished throughout the Scriptures, humbly to confess our sins, not only to God, but to holy men, fearing God. Thus the Holy Spirit exhorts us by the Apostle James : Confess your sins one to another; and pray one for another, that you may be saved. (v. 16.) As we are never free from the wounds of sins; so should the remedies of confession be never wanting. God does not demand from us the Confession of our sins, because he does not know them ; but the devil, that he may accuse us before the tribunal of our judge, urges us rather to defend than to acknowledge our faults. While God, who is good and merciful, desires that we confess our sins in this life, that we may not be confounded for them hereafter.” Serm. ccliii. in Append. T. v. p. 415.—“ Sing to God a new canticle. This song is a confession, the confession of your sins and of the power of God. Confess your iniquity; confess the grace of God. Accuse thyself; glorify him: reprehend thyself; praise him, that, when he comes, he may find thee thy own punisher, and be a Saviour to thee. For why do you fear to confess, you who find this the practice in all nations? Let all people, he says, confess to thee. (Psal, lxvi.) Why do you fear to confess, and in your confession to sing a new song with all the earth? In all the earth, in Catholic peace, do you fear to confess to God, lest he condemn you when you have done it? If not having confessed you lie concealed, not having done it you shall be condemned. You fear to confess, who cannot be concealed, if you confess not: you shall be condemned for silence, who might be freed by confession.” Then marking the difference between the confession which the sinner makes to God, and that which is forced by torture from a criminal, he adds : " Let us then
