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| Chapter VI. A question whether our sins ought to be remembered out of contrition of heart.
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Chapter VI.
A question whether our sins ought to be remembered out
of contrition of heart.
Germanus: And whence can there
be aroused in us this holy and salutary contrition from humiliation,
which is described as follows in the person of the penitent: “I
have acknowledged my sin, and mine unrighteousness have I not hid. I
said: I will
acknowledge
against myself mine unrighteousness to the Lord,” so that we may
be able effectually to say also what follows: “And Thou forgavest
the iniquity of my heart;”2119
or how, when
we kneel in prayer shall we be able to stir ourselves up to tears of
confession, by which we may be able to obtain pardon for our offences,
according to these words: “Every night will I wash my bed: I will
water my couch with tears;”2120
if we expel
from our hearts all recollection of our faults, though on the contrary
we are bidden carefully to preserve the remembrance of them, as the
Lord says: “And thine iniquities I will not remember: but do thou
recollect them?”2121
Wherefore not
only when I am at work, but also when I am at prayer I try of set
purpose to recall to my mind the recollection of my sins, that I may be
more effectually inclined to true humility and contrition of heart, and
venture to say with the prophet: “Look upon my humility and my
labour: and forgive me all my sins.”2122
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