have sinned times in the morning, and in the other those of the evening.
2. It will likewise help me to give myself a stroke on the breast when I fall into this sin, both to remember the times that I have sinned by the times that I have stricken my breast, and also forthwith to move me to contrition for my sin, and to obtain pardon of it For in this sense also said the Holy Ghost, " A just man shall fall seven times, and shall rise again." [1] Giving it to be understood, that when he falls he has light to know that he has fallen; and if he falls while it is day, he stays not to rise up at night; rather if he fall " seven times," he rises seven times as soon as he has fallen, sorrowing for his fall, and purposing amendment; and in this manner his frequent falling will be turned into frequent praying, and into good affections and purposes, which, with new grace, repair the injury of the fall.
(Other means of examining and reflecting upon our works shall be inserted in the sixth part in the meditation of what Almighty God said when having finished the work of the creation of the world.)
MEDITATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR CONFESSION AND COMMUNION.
As the purity of the soul (which is the end of the purgative way) is perfectly obtained with the use of the two sacraments of Confession and Communion, it will not be amiss here to insert certain meditations by which we may prepare ourselves worthily to receive them; and by the way to teach beginners the manner how to make this preparation, causing them to hold in estimation the frequency of these two remedies that Almighty God has left us for our salvation.
- ↑ Prov. xxiv. 16.
