Job 13:23

"What are my iniquities? Which shows that it was to count them that he said: "I will take my soul in my hand. "

How many are mine iniquities and my sins? make me to know my crimes and my offences. This is the task of the righteous in this life, to find out themselves, and on finding out to bring themselves to a better state by weeping and self-chastening. And though John the Apostle tells us that there is no odds between iniquity and sin, when he says, iniquity is sin; yet in the simple usage of speech, 'iniquity' sounds something more than 'sin,' and every one confesses himself a 'sinner,' but he is sometimes ashamed to call himself an iniquitous person. Now between 'crimes' and 'offences' there is this difference, that 'crime' over and above exceeds the weight and measure of sin, but an 'offence' does not exceed the weight of sin; for thus, when a sacrifice is commanded to be offered under the Law, it is doubtless enjoined, as for a 'sin,' the same for an 'offence' too. And crime is never done but in deed, whereas offence is most commonly committed in thought alone. Hence it is said by the Psalmist, Who can understand his offences? seeing that sins of practice are known the quicker, in proportion as they appear externally, but sins of thought are the more difficult to apprehend, that they are committed out of sight. Hence anyone, who being made solicitous by the love of Eternity, has it at heart to appear clean before the Judge that shall come, examines himself so much the more exactly now, in proportion as he bethinks himself how he may then present himself free to His terribleness; and he beseeches to have it shewn him, wherein he offends, that he may punish that thing in himself by penance, and by judging himself here, may be rendered unobnoxious to judgment. But herein it is needful to observe, how great is the punishment of our pilgrimage which has fallen upon us, who have been brought to such a degree of blindness, that we do not know our own selves. We do evil, and yet do not quickly find it out, even when done. For the mind, being banished from the light of truth, finds in itself nothing else than darkness, and very often puts out the foot into the pit of sin, and knows it not. Which it is subject to from the blindness of the state of exile alone, seeing that, being driven away from the illumining of the Lord, it even lost the power to see itself, in that it loved not the face of its Maker.