evil that I thought to
do." [Jer. 18:8] Once more from I. John i, "If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." [1 John 1:9] The true
definition of the righteous man is found in Proverbs xviii, "The
righteous man is his own first accuser," [2] [Prov.18:17] that is
to say, he is righteous because he accuses himself. The verse
goes on to say, "His neighbor (i. e., Christ) cometh and searcheth
him," that is, He seeketh him, and suffereth him not to perish;
He will even find him and bring him back from the depths of hell.
Hence Joshua vii. also calls the confessing of sin the glorifying
of God, saying to Achan, "My son, give glory to God, and confess,
and tell me what thou hast done." [Josh. 7:19] St. Jerome
comments on this passage, "Confession of sin is praise of God."
No wonder! For he who confesses his own sins speaks truth; but
God is truth; therefore he also confesses God. Thus Manasseh,
King of Judah, says in his most beautiful Prayer,[3] which is
most excellently suited for one who goes to confession, "But
Thou, Lord, according to Thy goodness hast promised repentance
for the remission of sins, etc." [Prayer of Manasseh, 7] Truly,
"according to Thy goodness Thou hast promised," for our
confession is nothing unless the promise of God is sure, and it
is altogether of His divine goodness that He has promised
remission, which could not be obtained by any righteousness,
unless He had given the promise. Thus faith in that promise is
the first and supreme necessity for one who is about to go to
confession, lest, perchance, he may presumptuously think that by
his own diligence, his own memory, his own strength, he is
provoking God to forgive his sins. Nay, rather it is God Himself
Who, with ready forgiveness, will anticipate his confession, and
allure and provoke him, by the goodness of His sweet promise, to
accept remission and to make confession.

THIRD

[Sidenote: The Purpose of a Better Life--Its Necessity]

Before a man confesses to the priest, who is the vicar, he ought
first to confess to God, Who is the Principal. But he should
regard this matter seriously, since nothing escapes and nothing
deceives the eye of God. Wherefore he ought here, without
pretence, to ponder his purpose to lead a better life and his
hatred of sin. For there is scarcely anything which deceives more
penitents than that subtle and profound dissimulation by which
th