Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/213

 that leads  to  sin,  and  there  is a shame  that  leads  to  glory. Open thy  conscience,  therefore, fully  and  sincerely  to my  vicar,  and  he  will  open heaven to  thee;  for  to  this end are  delivered  to  him the keys  of  the  kingdom  of heaven.

Why blushest  thou  to  say that in  the  presence  of  a man and sinner  like  thyself,  which thou hast  not  blushed  to  do in  my  presence? For wheresoever thou  art,  my  eyes  are ever upon  thee,  which  behold in every  place  the  evil  and the good. Away, then,  with this shame,  useful  only  when thou wouldst  sin,  but  hurtful when thou  wouldst  repent. For what  is  to  conceal  sins else than  to  cover  up  wounds, and to  refuse  to  permit  the physician to  examine  them until they  grow  corrupt,  because of  thy  foolishness? Dost thou, then,  value  thy  honour more than  thy  salvation? And fearest  thou  to  be  exposed before  one  man  like thyself, when  hereafter  thou wilt have  to  be  accused  and condemned before  the  whole world?

What, wretched  one,  wilt thou do  in  that  terrible  day, when I shall  bring  to  light the hidden  things  of  darkness, and  shall  make  manifest the counsels  of  the  hearts; when there  is  nothing  hidden that shall  not  be  known,  and whatever has  been  spoken  or done  in  the  darkness  shall  be published  in  the  light  before the whole  world? Be not ashamed, then,  to  say,  what thou hast  not  been  ashamed to do.

Oh, to  how  many  do  my sacraments,  which  are  vessels of grace  and  salvation,  become a stumbling-stone  and rock of  scandal,  through  this vice of  unseasonable  shame! Overcome, therefore,  this ridiculous shame,  and  humble thyself before  the  priest, whom I have  deputed  to  thee in my  stead,  to  be  thy  physician and  thy  counsellor. Tell him thy  iniquities,  that  thou mayest be  justified.

Man. I have said,  I will confess against  myself  my injustice  to  the  Lord,  and also to  the  man  whom  I venerate  in  thy  stead: O Lord, forgive the  iniquity  of  my sin. I am a man,  and  know that there  dwells  not  in  my flesh  that  which  is  good; and if I say  that  I have  no  sin, I am a liar,  and  deceive  myself. It is  my  nature  to  go astray,  to  fall,  to  be  ignorant, to be  deceived;  why  should I deny, or  attempt  to  hide it? Why should  I wish  to seem  to men  more  holy  or innocent  than  thou  knowest me to  be,  who  seest  all  that is within  my  heart? Rather will I candidly  discover  to him  all  my  wounds,  that  so  I may  be  the  more  easily  cured by him  whom  I acknowledge to be  the  physician  whom  thou hast appointed  for  me.