ssion; for
which sins we confidently say with the prophet: 'From my secret sins
cleanse me, O Lord.' Now, the difficulty of a confession like this,
and the shame of making known one's sins, might indeed seem a grievous
thing, were it not alleviated by the so many and so great advantages
and consolations which are most assuredly bestowed by absolution upon
all who worthily approach to this sacrament. For the rest, as to the
manner of confessing secretly to a priest alone, although Christ has
not forbidden that a person may, in punishment of his sins, and for
his own humiliation, as well for an example to others for the
edification of the Church that has been scandalized, confess his sins
publicly, nevertheless, this is not commanded by a divine precept;
neither would it be very prudent to enjoin, by any human law, that
sins, especially such as are secret, should be made known by a public
confession. Wherefore, whereas the secret sacramental confession,
which was in use from the beginning in Holy Church, and is still also
in use, has always been commended by the most holy Fathers with a
great and unanimous consent, the vain calumny of those is manifestly
refuted who are not ashamed to teach that confession is alien from the
divine command and is a human invention."[55]

FOOTNOTES:

[26] 1 Pet. iii. 18.

[27] 2 Cor. v. 18.

[28] 2 Cor. ii. 10

[29] De Poent. c. viii.

[30] John xx, 21.

[31] Matt. ix, 2.

[32] 1 John i, 9.

[33] Acts xix, 18.

[34] 1 Cor. v, and 2 Cor. ii.

[35] Ap. Con. ii, 16.

[36] De Poent. c. 9.

[37] Ep. ii, ad Cor. n. 8.

[38] Adv. Haeres. l. i. cxiii, n. 4, 5, 6, 7.

[39] De Paenit. n. 8-12.

[40] Hom. in Levit. n. 4.

[41] In Ps. xxxvii, n. 6.

[42] Hom. xvii in Lucam.

[43] Divin. Inst. l. iv, c. 30.

[44] Hist. Ecc. Bk. vi, c. 34.

[45] Tract. in Ps. cxxxviii.

[46] Ep. iii, n. 7-9.

[47] De Cain et Abel, l. 2, c. 4.

[48] De Paenit. cii, n. 12.

[49] Vol. I, Lib. iii, n. 5, de Sacerd.

[50] Com. in Matt. c. xviii.

[51] In Exod. n. cviii.

[52] Serm. cccli, n. 9.

[53] Homily on Repentance, part ii.

[54] While this Second Edition is passing through the press, the
following statement is reported by the New York Herald, May 5th, to
have been made the precious Sunday, by the new pastor of St. Ignatius'
Episcopal Church, New York: "And of the confessional, we believe that
auricular confession is a part of the preaching of God's ministers. I
should be