examination of the heart 526 undertake some extraordinary penitential actions, such as prayers, or mortification of the body, works of mercy, and others. These may be adequate to some extent for the remission of punishment and sufficient for transgressions, according to that saying: “break off your sins by practicing righteousness” (Dan 4:27), and with voluntary penances. After King David asked the Lord for forgiveness of his sin, [f.171v] he also promised to do a certain remarkable atonement, namely: teaching justice to the unjust: “Then I will teach transgressors [Y]our ways, and sinners will return to [Y]ou” (Ps 51:13), and elsewhere: “every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping” (Ps 6:6). Without a doubt, no evil deed can be forgiven either in this or in the other life without the penalties being paid and endured. And if the matter stands thus, it would be better for you to voluntarily undertake atonements for your faults and failings, which will be very pleasing to the most merciful God, rather than waiting for different ones that are sure to come after death; for not even the most severe acts of penance can be compared with them. 3. Consider that you are now about to approach the fountain of the Supreme Good from which you will be able to draw all you want and as much as you like; into which you will immerse all your faults and cleanse every stain of your soul. And you will come out and return pure from there, untouched by evil deeds, spotless, such as you had come out from the holy bath of Baptism in the past. For the Apostle calls this Sacrament of Penance a Baptism. But you will indeed approach this fountain, about which the very pious king prophet, inflamed with holy thirst, says: “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for [Y]ou, O God” (Ps 42:1). And in another place: “my soul thirsts for [Y]ou” (Ps 63:1), “When shall I come and behold the face of God?” (Ps 42:2). You will go, therefore, to this most desired fount; but first impress upon your soul that you should seek in it not delight, but salvation; desire eagerly not sweetness, but advantage; and then, having extinguished in yourself the flames of depraved
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==