Ps 18:13

“"Cleanse me, O Lord, from my secret faults." From the lusts which lie hidden in me, cleanse me, O Lord. "And from the" faults "of others preserve Your servant" [Psalm 19:13]. Let me not be led astray by others. For he is not a prey to the faults of others, who is cleansed from his own. Preserve therefore from the lusts of others, not the proud man, and him who would be his own master, but, Your servant. "If they get not the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled." If neither my own secret sins, nor those of others, get the dominion over me, then shall I be undefiled. For there is no third source of sin, but one's own secret sin, by which the devil fell, and another's sin, by which man is seduced, so as by consenting to make it his own. "And I shall be cleansed from the great offense." What but pride? For there is none greater than apostasy from God, which is "the beginning of the pride of man." [Sirach 10:12] And he shall indeed be undefiled, who is free from this offense also; for this is the last to them who are returning to God, which was the first as they departed from Him.”

“Who can discern his errors? Clear Thou me from hidden faults. – It is true that my heart and will are directed towards Thy commandments, but this I ask of Thee, that Thou clear me from hidden faults, for his errors who can discern? for there is no one who knows and discerns all, for somewhere or other he errs and the matter is hidden from his eyes; and for this I make request, that Thou punish me not for my hidden faults, but that Thou clear me from them.”

“Sins. Who can always decide when a sin is only venial? (Haydock) — Though I may have avoided the grosser transgressions, how can I be assured that my heart is innocent? (Calmet) — This assurance is reserved for Methodists, who seem to look upon it as essential, before a person can obtain salvation. But where does God specify this condition? We know that (Haydock) we are to work out our salvation in fear and trembling; and that St. Paul, though conscious to himself of nothing, said: yet in this I am not justified, &c., 1 Corinthians iv. 4., and ix. 27., and Philippians ii. 12. Hebrew speaks of “ignorances,” which might not however be wholly blameless. (Berthier) — Ones, or enemies: “….and from the proud preserve.” (Symmachus; Chaldean) But he alludes to the distinction of sins of ignorance and of pride, (Leviticus iv. 2., and Numbers xv. 30.; Calmet) or malice. (Haydock) — David had not fallen into many sins of the latter description, though his adultery and murder were such. But the former are daily sins, into which even the just fall frequently. (Calmet) — None can be assured of their state, (Ecclesiastes ix.) but are kept between hope and fear. (Worthington)”