penance nor confessed them, as long as the patience of our Lord holdeth him in this mortal life, and that he have power and might to repent him; — notwithstanding that then by force of malady and sickness he may not confess him. For contrition only, within forth, may suffice in such a case. For God despiseth never a contrite heart and humble; and also the pity and mercy of God is much more than any iniquity or wickedness.
And therefore the sin and crime of desperation is to him that only by which he may not be saved nor guarished;[1] for by this sin God, which is right piteous, is overmuch offended, and the other sins be so much more aggrieved;[2] and also the pain eternal is by so much more augmented into the infinite. The evils and sins commised and passed grieve not so much but despair displeaseth more. And therefore none ought to despair of the mercy of God, though that he only had commised all the sins of the world; though yet he suppose [himself] to be of the number of [those] that be damned.
In truth the disposition of the body of our Lord Jesu Christ hanging on the cross ought much to induce a sick person, paining to the death, to have very hope and confidence in God. For He hath the head inclined and bowed to kiss us; the arms stretched abroad for to embrace us; the hands pierced and opened for to give us; the side open for to love us; and all His body stretched for to give Himself all to us. Hope
