MEDITATION III.
ON THE MULTITUDE Of SINS, AND ON THE GRIEVOUSNESS OF THEM, BY SEASON Of THEIR MULTITUDE AND REPUGNANCE TO REASON.
POINT I.
1. The first point is to call to mind the multitude of sins that I have committed in all my former life, to which end I must run through all the stages of it, and through all the places where I lived, and through the offices, occupations, and employments that I have had, observing how often and in what manner I have offended in respect of each of the seven sins which we commonly call deadly, and of each of the commandments of the law of Almighty God and of His Church, and in respect of each of the laws and rules of my state and office: to which end it will help me to know the kinds of sins that may be committed in these matters, as they shall be put in the first points of the 18th meditation and nine following meditations.
And this remembrance of sins must not be dry, but moistened with tears full of shame and confusion, as was that of the holy king who said, " I will recount to Thee all my years in the bitterness of my soul." [1]
2. Having called these sins to remembrance, I will make in prayer an humble confession of them before God, like Daniel, [2] accusing myself of them all, at least of the principal of them, striking my breast as the publican, [3] and saying, " I accuse myself, O Lord, that I have sinned before Thee in pride, presuming vainly of myself, speaking boasting words, despising my neighbours, and rebelling against Thee." And in this manner will I prosecute the accusation in all the seven deadly sins, and throughout all the Ten Commandments.
