been said, that is so hard and difficult, and in subjecting ourselves to our confessors as to our superiors, with a mind to obey them in whatsoever they shall ordain to this end.
vi. The sixth is of justice highly elevated, of which we exercise the acts as accuser, culprit, witness, judge, executioner: and subjecting ourselves to God's minister, not perforce but willingly, with a mind to undergo His sentence, and with a zeal to revenge on ourselves the injuries we have done against Almighty God, and to repair and restore the injuries that we have done to our neighbour.
viL The seventh is of admirable fortitude in which we vanquish ourselves, and the vehement inclination that men have to cover their sins, to defend and excuse them like Adam, from whom all men inherit it On this account, whosoever vanquisheth himself in this is more than a man; as holy Job implies when he says, " If, as a man, I have hid my sin, and have concealed my iniquity in my bosom." [1] And sometimes we had need of no less fortitude to confess with humility the sin committed than not to commit it For, as St Gregory says, [2] we generally suffer a greater conflict in manifesting the sin committed than would have been suffered in resisting the committing it. And therefore he is no less to be admired that with humility confesses well his sins than he that exercises other virtues.
2. These seven acts, so heroic, accompany confession, and make it of great merit before Almighty God, and of great glory before the angels and before discreet and prudent confessors; and therefore I must endeavour to exercise them with great spirit, that the fruit and the grace may be more abundant, saying to myself that of Ecclesiasticus, " Give and take, and justify thy soul." [3] And seeing Almighty God is willing to give thee pardon of the seven deadly sins, and grace with the seven gifts thereof, give
