Page:MeditationsOnTheMysteriesOfOurHolyV1.djvu/342

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against the Lord." [1] For in this will be verified that of Ecclesiasticus, "Hear in silence; and for thy reverence" that herein thou showest, "accedet tibi bona gratia" — " good grace shall come to thee [2] and what better " grace" than that which is here given, which is the grace of God Himself?

4. In all this it will be a great aid to me not to regard the priest as he is a man, but as he is the minister of Almighty God, [3] or rather as God Himself is in him, respecting with internal and external reverence; for that His divine Majesty would that the confessor should absolve, not praying for pardon, but commanding, and sentencing as Almighty God, saying, " I absolve thee."

Colloquy. — O my soul, seeing thou hopest to hear this word of eternal life, what matter is it to suffer some temporal shame? " When thou art reproved," " show repentance," for so thou shalt escape wilful sin. [4] Discover once all thy sins, seeing Almighty God hath promised thee to forget them all. [5]

POINT IV.

Of satisfaction. — 1. In order to the third act of satisfaction, I must make a most effectual determination to obey my confessor in whatsoever convenient thing he shall command me, as well for the medicine of my spiritual infirmities as to satisfy for the injuries I have done against Almighty God; for it is reason that the sick should obey the physician in things that are necessary for the obtaining of his health, and the escaping the peril and occasion near at hand to destroy it; and it is likewise just that the debtor should pay that which he owes to his creditor. And seeing Almighty God is will-

  1. 2 Reg.xii. 13.
  2. Ecclus. xxxii. 9.
  3. S. Bonavent. in specu. par. ii. c. 3; et de informati. novit. c. 12.
  4. Ecclus. xx. 4.
  5. Ezech. xviii. 23.