Part I, Chapter VI

Of the First Purgation, Which Is That of Mortal Sin

The first purgation that must be made is that of mortal sin; the means to make it is the holy sacrament of penance. Seek, in the first place, the best confessor you can find; then procure some of those books which have been composed for assisting sinners to make a good confession; such as Granada, Bruno, Arias, or Auger; read them carefully, and remark, from point to point, in what you have offended from the time you came to the use of reason to the present hour. Should you distrust your memory, write down what you have observed, and having thus prepared and collected together the bad humors of your conscience, detest and renounce them with the greatest contrition and sorrow that your heart can conceive, considering these four things (1) that by sin you have lost the grace of God; (2) that you have resigned your claim to heaven; (3) that you have chosen the eternal pains of hell; and (4) that you have renounced the eternal love of God. You see, Philothea, that I speak of a general confession of the whole life, which, though not absolutely necessary, yet I look upon as exceedingly profitable in the beginning, and, therefore, earnestly advise it. It frequently happens that the ordinary confessions of those who lead a common worldly life are full of considerable defects; for they often make little or no preparation, neither have they sufficient contrition; nay, it too frequently happens that they go to confession with a tacit inclination of returning to sin, which appears from their subsequent unwillingness to avoid the occasions of sin, and to make use of the means necessary for the amendment of their life. In all these cases, a general confession calls us to the knowledge of ourselves; it excites in us a wholesome confusion for our past life; it makes us admire the mercy of God, who has so patiently waited for us; it appeases our hearts; composes our minds; excites us to good resolutions; gives occasion to our spiritual father to prescribe us advices more suitable to our condition, and opens our heart to declare ourselves with more confidence in our following confessions. Speaking, then, of a general renovation of your heart, and of an universal conversion of your soul to God, by undertaking a devout life, it appears necessary, Philothea, to exhort you to this general confession.

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