a. There are _two consoling thoughts_ in this matter. 1. The religious vows probably act as a second Baptism, cancelling all former debts. St. Thomas attributes this effect to the perfect dispositions of the person making them. If this is the reason, then it would seem that the renewal of vows may have the same effect, whenever it is made with equally good dispositions. 2. Whatever has once been forgiven remains forgiven. Merit when lost may return, but forgiven sins do not return. b. Yet there are _two classes of sins that may well cause anxiety_. 1. Those of which we have never truly repented, perhaps because we were too proud to admit we were to blame, and laid the blame on others instead. 2. Those sins which we have very often confessed, but which we have made no serious efforts to avoid in future, perhaps because we had no real contrition for them. _POINT IV._ _The sentence_ will be just what is deserved; for a judgment is not an act of mercy, but of the intellect seeing the truth of things and pronouncing accordingly: “I will judge thee according to thy ways, and I will lay upon thee all thy crimes. My eye shall not spare, neither will I show mercy” (Ezech. vii, 8, 9). “Then will he (the Son of man) render to every man according to his works” (St. Matth. xvi, 27). If a mortal sin be there, all is lost: “If a just man shall turn away from his justice and shall commit iniquity—he shall die in his sin, and his justices which he hath done shall not be remembered” (Ezech. iii, 20). The sentence will be final, because there is no appeal to a higher tribunal, and we can no longer merit a change: “The night cometh when no man can work” (St. John ix, 4). The sufferings of Purgatory come to an end, but merit neglected to be acquired can never more be gained. We may well exclaim with St. Magdalene de Pazzi: “It is a terrible thing to have to stand before the judgment seat of God.” _Colloquy._ Ask to understand all things now as you shall realize them at the judgment. CONSIDERATION On Purity of Conscience The main purpose of the first part of the Spiritual Exercises, or what St. Ignatius calls the first week, is to purify the soul from all stains of sin, and to strengthen it against all temptations to sin in future. Of course mortal sin is the principal evil to be destroyed, it is the greatest evil in the world. Since the religious life is essentially the way of perfection, it presupposes the destruction of mortal sin; being the way of the counsels, it supposes the observance of the Commandments.