because of the offence against God, he at once resumes his efforts, and pursues his enemies with new resolution and energy even to the death.
I wish that some persons—who think themselves spiritual—would well consider these things; who cannot, or will not, give themselves a moment's peace, when they have committed a fault. Such persons rush off to their spiritual father chiefly to relieve themselves of their anxiety and vexation, which arise from self-love more than from any thing else, although their first concern should be to be cleansed from the stain of their sins, and to be fortified against temptation by the most holy Sacrament.
CHAPTER V.
Of the mistake of many, who hold Timidity for a Virtue.
MANY persons fall into this error. These consider the fearfulness and restlessness which follow upon sin a virtuous feeling, (for it is accompanied by a certain dissatisfaction with one's self,) and do not see that it springs from a secret pride and from presumption, which are based on self-trust and self-reliance. Thinking themselves to be something, they have placed
