Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of Penance · Book III: On Confession
Chapter 7: Testimonies of the Fathers from the Year 200 to 400
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramento Poenitentiae, Book III, the fourth general controversy on the sacraments. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
Origen flourished at the beginning of the second century after the apostles, under the emperor Alexander, son of Mammaea. He in homily 2 on Leviticus says thus: “There is still also a seventh remission of sins, although hard and laborious, through Penance, when the sinner washes his bed in tears, and his tears become his bread day and night, and when he does not blush to disclose his sin to the priest of the Lord and to seek medicine, according to him who says: I said, I will declare my injustice against myself to the Lord, and thou hast forgiven the impiety of my heart; in which is fulfilled also that which the Apostle says: If any man is sick, let him call the presbyters,” and so on. In this place Origen speaks of a confession to be made to a priest, as his words indicate, and of the confession of sins in kind, and of hidden ones, of which men are accustomed to blush; otherwise he would not say, “He does not blush to disclose his sin.” Lastly, he speaks of a confession which has its foundation in the divine letters, as is plain from this, that he brings forward the testimony of Saint James. The same Origen, homily 3 on Leviticus, explaining that, “If he shall sin in one of these, let him declare the sin which he has sinned”: “There is,” he says, “some wonderful secret in this. For in every kind all things which we have done must be declared and brought forth in public: if we do anything in secret, if we have committed anything in word alone, or even within the secrets of thought, all must needs be published, all brought forth; but brought forth by him who is both the accuser of sin and its inciter; for he himself now instigates us to sin, he himself also, when we have sinned, accuses. If therefore in this life we forestall him, and are ourselves our own accusers, we escape the wickedness of the devil our enemy and accuser; for so also elsewhere the prophet says: Tell thou thy iniquities first, that thou mayest be justified.” By these words Origen, as he teaches that in the day of judgement all our sins, even the most hidden, and those done in word or thought alone, are to be brought forth into the midst by Satan, so teaches that, if we wish them to be purged, we should disclose all, namely even the most hidden, and those committed in word or thought alone, to the priest. The same author, homily 2 on Psalm 37: “See,” he says, “what divine Scripture teaches us, that one must not hide sin within. For perhaps, as those who have shut up within them undigested food, or an abundance of humour or phlegm lying heavy and troublesome on the stomach, are relieved if they vomit, so those who have sinned, if indeed they hide and retain the sin within themselves, are pressed inwardly and almost suffocated by the phlegm or humour of sin; but if one becomes his own accuser, while he accuses himself and confesses, he at the same time vomits out the fault and digests the whole cause of the disease. Only look about more diligently to whom you ought to confess your sin; first prove the physician to whom you ought to set out the cause of your sickness, who knows how to be weak with the weak, to weep with the weeping, who has learned the discipline of grieving with and suffering with; so that at length, if he who has first shown himself a learned and merciful physician shall have said anything, if he shall have given any counsel, you may do it and follow it. If he shall have understood and foreseen that your sickness is such as ought to be set out and cured in the assembly of the whole Church, from which perhaps the others also can be edified, and you yourself easily healed, this is to be procured with much deliberation, and by the sufficiently skilled counsel of that physician.” From this place we learn that confession is necessary, even of hidden crimes, and yet that it is not needful to confess all sins publicly, but all indeed privately, and publicly only the public ones, or those which the priest with mature counsel shall judge are to be disclosed. Chemnitz, page 1001, answers to this place that Origen does not speak of all sins when he says that they are to be confessed to a skilled physician, but only of those about which it could be doubted whether they were to be made public. For because some rashly confessed hidden sins publicly, Chemnitz writes that counsel is given by Origen that sins of that kind be not published without the counsel of some skilled physician. And Chemnitz proves that Origen does not speak of all sins in this way: “That Origen,” he says, “in that place does not speak in general of all and single sins to be confessed to the priest is manifest from this. For in the first homily he speaks of the offences, lusts and deeds which are brought before God and set out in his sight through one’s groaning. Then in the second homily, at the beginning, he speaks of lapses which of old pertained to public confession; but because detractions followed from it, Origen advises that such lapses be first set out to the priest, that by his counsel either public confession be undertaken or omitted.” But this distinction of Chemnitz is most vain, since Origen in both homilies speaks of all sins. And in the former indeed he says that all are to be confessed to God, and for all one must groan and supplicate; in the latter he warns that those same are to be confessed to men, first privately, then publicly, according to the counsel of the priest. And these are the words of Origen at the end of the former homily: “All things,” he says, “in which I have offended, whether I have desired a worldly desire, or committed anything else, all I bring before thee, and in my prayers I set them in thy sight.” You see how openly he speaks of all things altogether in the former homily, and not of certain ones only which did not pertain to public confession, as Chemnitz feigns. The same Origen also, homily 17 on Luke, explaining that, “That out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed,” shows that the sins which we confess to God are also to be confessed to men: “And we,” he says, “if we have sinned, ought to say: I have made my sin known to thee, and my injustice I have not hidden. I will declare my injustice against myself to the Lord. For if we do this, and reveal our sins not only to God, but also to those who can heal our wounds and sins, our sins will be blotted out by him who says: Behold, I blot out thy iniquities as a cloud, and thy sins as a mist.” So he, who shows clearly enough that the sins which are to be opened to God and those which are to be opened to the priest are not to be distinguished, but the same are to be confessed to both, and all.
In the second place we have Saint Cyprian, who flourished in the same century, though somewhat later than Origen. This most blessed martyr, then, in letter 16, book 3, to his people, speaks thus: “For since in lesser offences, which are not committed against the Lord, Penance is done for a fixed time, and exomologesis is made, the life of him who does Penance being inspected, and no one can come to communion unless hands have first been laid on him by the bishop and clergy; how much more in these most grave and extreme offences ought all things to be observed cautiously and moderately according to the discipline of the Lord?” Here we have exomologesis necessary according to the discipline of the Lord, and such an exomologesis that from it the life of the penitent can be inspected and known. Therefore we have that the confession of all sins is necessary by divine law; for neither a general exomologesis, nor one of some sins only, so discloses the life of the penitent that it can be plainly inspected. The same author, sermon 3, On the Lapsed: “Lastly,” he says, “how much greater in faith and better in fear are those who, although bound by no crime of sacrifice or of certificate, yet, because they even thought of it, confessing this very thing before the priests of God with grief and in simplicity, make the exomologesis of their conscience, lay bare the burden of their mind, seek out a saving remedy for their wounds, small and slight though they be.” To this place Chemnitz answers, page 1003, and says that in this place a precept or universal custom is not set forth by Cyprian, but the example of certain persons who were greater in faith and better in fear. He adds also that Cyprian does not speak of the confession of all sins, or of all evil thoughts, but only of that thought which had been entertained about committing idolatry or denying Christ; and therefore that this sentence pertains to public Penance and to public crimes. But these objections are easily refuted from the same Cyprian; for Cyprian does not set forth the example of a free confession, but of a necessary one, as is plain from the following words. For after he had said, “They seek out a saving remedy for their wounds, small and slight though they be,” he adds straightway: “Knowing that it is written: God is not mocked. God cannot be mocked and outwitted, nor deluded by any deceiving cunning; nay, he offends the more who, thinking of God after the manner of man, believes that he escapes the punishment of the crime if he has not openly admitted the crime.” And a little below, of the same who had sinned in thought alone, he speaks thus: “He will plainly have sinned less by not seeing the idols, nor profaning the holiness of the faith under the eyes of the bystanding and insulting people, nor polluting his hands with deadly sacrifices, nor staining his mouth with wicked foods. This avails to make the fault less, not to make the conscience innocent; he can more easily come to pardon of the crime, yet he is not free from the crime; nor let him cease from doing Penance and from entreating the mercy of the Lord, lest what seems less in the quality of the offence be heaped up in neglected satisfaction. Let each confess his offence, I beseech you, brethren, while he who has offended is still in the world, while his confession can be admitted, while the satisfaction and remission made through the priests is pleasing with the Lord.” From these we manifestly gather, on the authority of Cyprian, that it is necessary to confess all mortal sins, even if they have been committed in thought alone. Wherefore those words, “How much greater in faith and better in fear are those who,” and so on, do not contain the example of a confession not necessary, as Chemnitz thought, but an argument from the less to the greater. For if those who sin in thought alone do Penance and make exomologesis, how much more ought this to be done by those who commit sins in word and deed? And what Chemnitz adds, that Cyprian speaks only of the thought of denying Christ, and therefore that this sentence pertains to public Penance and public crimes, is ridiculous. For neither can nor ought a thought of committing some sin be called public, even if that sin could be public; nor does a thought in any way pertain to a public sin unless the public sin itself has come forth from that thought. For how does that pertain to a public sin which is neither public in itself nor the cause of a public sin? And who ever heard that it was customary in the Church that for the mere inward thought of denying Christ anyone should be excommunicated, or compelled to undergo public Penance? although those who openly deny Christ are rightly excommunicated or subjected to public Penance. Cyprian, therefore, did not exact the confession of thoughts of that kind because those thoughts pertained to public sins, but because they were deadly sins, although hidden and inward. Add that if the thought of denying Christ had to be confessed of necessity because it pertained to a public sin, namely as a certain cause of a sin which could be public, in the same way thoughts of robbery, adultery, murder, blasphemy, perjury and of almost all other crimes will have to be confessed of necessity, since they can be causes of public crimes. So whatever he may say, he will yet have to come to this, to confess that all sins are to be disclosed in confession.
Chapter VIII. Testimonies of the Fathers from the year 300 to 400
Now in the third century after the apostles we have first Lactantius, who, since he was the tutor of Crispus Caesar and dedicated his books to the emperor Constantine, without doubt flourished at the beginning of the third age after the apostolic times. He then, in book 4 of the Divine Institutes, chapter 17, explaining the reason why God commanded circumcision in the Old Testament, and teaching that it was a figure of confession and Penance, speaks thus: “For this cause God commanded it to be laid bare, that by this argument he might admonish us not to have a covered breast, that is, not to veil within the secrets of conscience anything shameful that we do. This is the circumcision of the heart of which the prophets speak, which God transferred from the mortal flesh to the soul, which alone is to remain. For wishing in his eternal goodness to provide for our life and salvation, he set before us Penance in that circumcision, so that if we have cleansed our heart, that is, if, having confessed our sins, we have made satisfaction to God, we may obtain pardon, which is denied to the contumacious and to those hiding their misdeeds by him who looks not on the face, as man does, but on the inmost and secret things of the breast.” The same Lactantius, at the end of the book, condemning the Novatians, sets confession as a mark of the true Church: “But yet,” he says, “because each single assembly of heretics thinks that they above all are Christians, and that theirs is the Catholic Church, it must be known that that is the true one in which there is confession and Penance, which healthfully cures the sins and wounds to which the weakness of the flesh is subject.” So Lactantius.
Then we have Saint Athanasius, who in the sermon on those words, “Going into the village which is over against you, you shall find a colt tied,” and so on, at the end of the sermon speaks thus: “Let us examine ourselves whether our bonds are loosed, that we may advance to better things. But if the bonds are not yet loosed, deliver yourself to the disciples of Jesus; for there are those present who may loose you by that power which they received from the Saviour. For whatsoever you shall bind, he says, on earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven; and to whomsoever you shall forgive sins, they are forgiven him.” Thirdly, we have Saint Hilary, canon 18 on Matthew, where he speaks thus: “But for the terror of that greatest fear by which all should be held for the present, he sent before the immovable judgement of apostolic severity, so that whom they shall have bound on earth, that is, left knotted in the bonds of sins, and whom they shall have loosed, namely received into salvation by the confession of pardon, these, by the condition of the apostolic sentence, are in heaven also either loosed or bound.” Fourthly, we have Saint Basil, in the questions or shorter rules, so prescribing, rule 229: “Altogether in the confession of sins the same account holds as also in the disclosure of the diseases of the body. As therefore men do not rashly disclose the diseases of the body to anyone whatever, but only to those who hold the method by which they are to be cured, in the same way the confession of sins also ought to be made, namely before those who can cure them.” And in rule 288 he explains more clearly who they are who can cure sins, namely priests alone: “Necessarily,” he says, “sins ought to be disclosed to those to whom the dispensation of the mysteries of God has been entrusted.” To this place (Lactantius, Athanasius and Hilary passed over) Chemnitz answers, pages 988 and 1017, that Saint Basil speaks of a general confession, by which the penitent acknowledges and confesses himself a sinner; or of the confession of some sins which more burden the conscience; which confession indeed is made for the sake of instruction and counsel. So Chemnitz teaches that confession ought to be made neither of all sins in kind, nor of necessity, but of some only, and not of necessity. But from the words of Saint Basil himself both are refuted. For that all sins are to be confessed in kind is plain from two things. First, from that likeness of the physician and bodily medicine which Basil applies in rule 229. For neither can he be cured bodily who only tells the physician that he labours under some disease, unless he discloses the disease in kind; and if he labours under several diseases, unless he sets them all out one by one; for otherwise the medicine would rather harm than help, unless it is suitably applied to a definite disease. Secondly, from the reason which the same Basil gives in rule 288 why sins ought to be disclosed to the priest; for the reason is that the manner of conversion ought to be accommodated to the nature of the sin, as Chemnitz himself translates, page 1017. But how will the priest be able to accommodate the manner of conversion to the nature of the sin, that is, to enjoin such and so great an outward action of Penance as the sins require, unless he knows all the sins themselves in kind? And that confession is necessary, and not to be made for the sake of counsel only, is clear both from the same likeness of disease and the reason already explained, and from the very word “necessarily” which Basil used. For in vain Chemnitz, page 988, translates, “It seems necessary,” and page 1017, “It is fitting”; for in the Greek text itself there is neither “it seems” nor “it is fitting,” but simply anankaion, “necessary.” Wherefore Godfrey Tilmann rendered it thus: “Necessarily sins ought to be disclosed to those to whom the dispensation of the mysteries of God has been entrusted.”
Fifthly, we have Saint Ambrose, who in book 2 On Penance, chapter 6, says thus: “If you wish to be justified, confess your fault; for the bashful confession of sins looses the knots of crimes.” And in chapter 9 he writes that there were many who willingly confessed privately to priests, but refused to make satisfaction publicly in the Church: “Most,” he says, “through fear of the punishment to come, conscious of their sins, ask for Penance; and when they have received it, are called back by the shame of public supplication.” And chapter 10: “Can anyone bear that you should blush to entreat God, who do not blush to entreat a man? and that it should shame you to supplicate God, from whom you are not hidden, when it does not shame you to confess your sins to a man, from whom you are hidden?” That Saint Ambrose himself also was accustomed to hear confessions, and that privately, Paulinus witnesses in his life, in these words: “Whenever anyone had confessed his lapses to him in order to receive Penance, he so wept that he compelled him also to weep; for he seemed to himself to lie with him who lay. But the lapses of the crimes which they confessed to him he told to no one but the Lord alone, with whom he interceded.” Sixthly, we have Saint Gregory of Nyssa, in the canonical letter to the bishop of Melitene, which is extant in the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 1. For he, in chapter 1 of the same letter, mentions the confession of sins which is accustomed to be made every year about the feast of Easter: “It will be well,” he says, “if on this day we bring not only those who have been transformed by regeneration through the grace of the laver, but lead also those who through Penance and confession ascend from dead works to the living way, to the living hope as to the way from which they were estranged through sin.” And that Gregory speaks of the confession of single sins, not of a general one, the following words witness, in which, a likeness being drawn from diseases and medicines, he teaches that various cures are to be applied to sinners according to the variety of their sins. But priests cannot know the variety of sins unless the penitents themselves disclose their sins one by one: “As,” he says, “in bodily healing the purpose of medicine is indeed one, to heal him who suffers, but the kind of cure is various (for according to the variety of diseases the discipline of medicine also is suitably applied to each disease), so, since in the disease of the soul also there is a great variety of affections, the medical cure also will necessarily be manifold, exercising the medicine according to the nature of the affection.” So he. There is extant also an oration of the same Gregory on the sinful woman, where these words are had of confession: “Boldly show the priest the things that are hidden, the secrets of the mind; as hidden wounds uncover them to the physician; he will have regard both for your honour and for your health.” In which place he teaches that the confession of hidden things also is to be made. Seventhly, we have Saint Pacian, who in the exhortation to Penance speaks thus: “You first I address, brethren, who, having committed crimes, refuse Penance; you, I say, timid after impudence, bashful after sins, who do not blush to sin but blush to confess.” And below: “Behold again the Apostle to the priest: Impose hands on no man quickly, nor share in other men’s sins. What will you do, you who deceive the priest? who either cheat him in ignorance, or confound him, not fully knowing, by the difficulty of proving?” In which place Pacian teaches that all sins ought to be disclosed to the priest in confession, that he may then be able to impose hands on them; he adds also of hidden sins: “I beseech you, brethren, even for my own peril, by that Lord whom hidden things do not deceive, cease to cover a wounded conscience; prudent sick men do not fear physicians, not even in their hidden parts, though they will cut, though they will burn.” Further, below he addresses those who confessed their sins indeed one by one and all to the full, but shrank from the heavier penalty of Penance: “Now,” he says, “let the discourse be to those who, confessing their wounds well and wisely under the name of Penance, have known neither what Penance is nor what the medicine of wounds is; and are like those who open their wounds and tumours indeed, and confess them even to the physicians sitting by, but when warned neglect what is to be applied and disdain what is to be drunk.” From which place we understand that accurate confession was always in use among Christians.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT VII.
Teslimonia Patrum ab anno 200. ad 300.
. Origenes ad initium secundi saeculi poslaposlo-
los floriiil. imperantft Aloxandro Mammeae. Is in
liomil. in Levit. sic ail: Esl adliuc et septima.licet
dura et iaboriosa per Poenilenliam remissio
peccatorum. cum lavat peccator iii laclirymis
stratum suum, et fiunt ei lachrymae suae panes
die ac nocte, et cum non erubescit sacerdoii Do-
mini indicare peccatum suum, et qaaerere me-
dicinam. secundum eum. qui ait: Dixi. pronun-
ciabo adversum mc injusliiiam mcavi Domino,el
tn remisisti impietatem cordis mei: in quo im-
pletur et illud, quod Apostolus dicil: Si quis in-
firmatur, voccl presbylcros elc. Hoc loco Orige-
nes loqiiilur de confessione facienda sacerdoli, ut
verba ejus indicanl, el de confcssione peccalorum
in specie, el occullorum, quorum homiues erube-
scere solent; alioqui non diceret: A'oti erubescii
indicarepeccaliimsuum.\)f-mqn(i loquiiur de con-
fessione, quae in divinis lileris fundamenlum ha-
bet, ul patet ex eo quod teslimonium sancli Jacobi
adducit in medium.
Idem Origenes homil. 3. in Levil. explioans il-
lud: Sipeccaverit unum ex islis.pronunciet pec-
catnm quodpeccavit. Esl. iiu|nil, aliquodin lioc
mirabile secrelum. Elenim omni geno.rc pronun-
cianda siint. el in publicum proferenda cumta,
qnae egcrimus: si quid iu occullo gerimu^. si
qnid in sormone solo. vel eliam inlra cogilatio-
vum secreta commisimus. cuncta necesse est pu-
hlicari, cuncta proferri: profcrri autcm ab illo,
qui et accusator peccaii est et incenlor: ipse e-
nim nunc nos ut peccemus instigat; ipse etiam
<-um peccaverimiis,accusat. Si ergo in vitaprae-
rcninmus eum. o.t ipsi noslri accusalores simus.
noquiliam diaboli inimici noslri et accusaloris
fffugimns:sic enim et alihi proplieta dicit: Dic tu
iniquitatos tuas prior,ul juslificoris. Ilis vcrbis 0-
vigenes, sicul docd in die judicii omnia pecrala
no>lra eliam occultissima. el solo sermone vel co-
gitatione palrala a Salana in medium prolcrenda;
ila dorel, ul si velimiis ea piirgari. omuia, vidcli-
cel etiam occullissima, el solo verbo vel cogitatu
adn»issa. saciTdoli prodamus.
Idem aiiclor liomil. 2.in psalm. 37. VtVf^.inquit.
q^^iid od.oool nns Srriplnrn. divina. qnia ojiorlol
poccahun non colnro inlrinsocvs. Fortnsso onim
sicut ii, qui liabcnt inlus inclusam escam indige-
^lam, a.ul livmoris vol phlogmnli.s. stomachn gra-
rifer, et niolo.i>lo imminentia, si vomuorint . rele
ranfur: ita ii qui porrnrorunt, siquidom orrul-
tanl et relinenl intra se peccatum, inlrisecus ur-
gentur, et propenioduni suffocantur a phlegmate
veL huniore peccali: si outem ipse sui accusalor
fiat, dum accusal semetipsum et confitelur. simul
evomit el deliclum, alque omnom morbi digerit
cnussam. Tantummodo circumspice ditigenlius
cui debeas cmfitcri peccatum tuum; proba prius
medicum, cui dobeas caussam languorisexpone-
re. qui sciat infirmari cum infirmnnle, flere cum
flente, qui condolendi et compatiendinoveritdi-
sciplinam: ut ita demum, si quid ille dixerit, qui
se prius et erudilum medicum ostenderit. ei mi-
soricordem, si quid consilii dederit, facias et se-
quaris. Si intello.xerit et praeviderit talem esse
languorem tuum.qui in conventu tolius Ecclesiae
exponi debeat, et curari ex quo fortassis et cae-
tori aedificari polerunt. ct tu ipsc facile sanari:
mulla hoc deliberalione.et satis perito mcdici il-
lius consilio procurandum esl. Ex hoc loco disci-
mus: Confessionem esse necessariam, eliam occul-
lorum criminum. nec tamen oporlerc omnia pec-
cata publice confiteri,sed omnia quidem privalim,
publicc autem solum publica, aut ea, quac maturo
consilio sacerdos judicabil esse prodenda.
Remnitius pag. 1001. ad hunc locum respondet,
Origenem non loqui de omnibus peccatis, cum di-
cit. ea medico perito esse confilenda.sed solum de
iilis, de quibus dubitari poteral. an essoMl publice
manifeslanda. Quia enim nonnulli, temere peccata
occulla publice confilebantur, consilium dari ab 0-
rigenc scribit Remnilius. ut ejusmodi peccala noii
sinc consilio alicujus perili mcdici publiconlur.
Probat autem RiMnnilius, Origencm non loqiii de
omiiibus peccatis, hoc modo: Quod, inquil, O/wV/c-
nos in illo lor.o non in genere de omnibus etsin-
gulis peccatis sacerdofi confitendis loquatur, in-
de manifeslum. In prima enim homilia.loquitur
de delictis. concupiscenliis el commissis, quae
anle Deum proferunlur: cl in conspeclu ipsius
per gemitum ipsius exponuntur. Do.inde in se-
cnnda homilia in principio .ioquilur de Inpsibus,
qui olim ad pubiicam confessionem porlinue-
rnnl: quia vero inde sequobanlur oblrcclaliones,
suadet Origenes, ul talos lapsus primum sacer-
dnti o.xponanlur.ut de ojus consilio vel suscipia-
tur publica confcssio. vel omillalur.
Sed hacc dislinctio Rcmnilii vanissima esl: si-
quidem Origcnes in nlraque homilia de omuibus
poccatis loquilur. Ac in priore quidoni, dicil o-
mnia Deo esse confitcnda, et pro omnibus gemcn-
dum cl supplicandum: in posloriorc nionot. illa
oadcm Iioniinihus confiionda, primum privalim,
doinde publioe, juxta consilium sacordolis. Ilaoc
antom sunt verba Origonis in fine prioris liomiliae:
Omnia, inquil, o.x qvn doliqui, sive conrupivi
cnncupisconl iam saeculnrom.sire quidaUudrnm-
misi. omnia ante fe proforo. el in orationibus
meift in conspecfu tvo j)o?io.VidfS (]uam nporle dc
ommbii»; omruno loqiialur in prioro boiuilia.ol iioii
de (luibiisdam liinluin,qn;ie ad publicam ooufcssio-
nem non pertineronl, »il fiugit R^ninilius.
Idom otiam Origonos homil. 17. in Liram.cxpli-
cansilliul: l;t rovolentur ox mullis cordibus rn-
qilnlinnofi. nslendil percala. qiiao Doo ronfitemnr
690
Di: POKMTHMIA
!"<■;•> ctiiim lioiiiinibiis i'niilileiitl;i: indiu m(|iiil. ri
jM)s Nt p(^r(uirn-imu!i. (lcbrnuia (Uccrc: Prcratuni
nviuni nolum lihi l'('ci, el ini^iuHnUtm nicnni noa
(ihscondi IH-vi: Annnncinho injm^tilidm nicatn
contra mo Domino. Si cnini hoc fcccriinus. cl rt>-
rohircrinuu^ pcccata nostra non soluni Dc.o. scd
ct his qui possunt mcdcri vuhicrihus noslris, at-
i]U(^ pcccalis. dclohuntur pcccata noslra ah co,
(fui ait: Ecce dcJeo ul nuhcin ini(juilalc.s tuas, cl
sieut califjinem peccata tua. H;i(m; illc, qui Siilis
ainMio osliMulil. uon osso (Jislinjriio.nda poroalii.
(liiao Doo. el (inao saceriloU sinl aporionda; sed
(Milem iilri(iiio. alque omnia conrilcnda.
Sccnndo loco li;ibomiis s. Cyprianum, qiii co-
doin saornlo. liccl aliquanlo poslcrins, quiim Ori-
uencs floruil. Ilio igilur hoalissiuius iiiarlyr. iii c-
pisl. U). lib. 3. adVlcbem suam ila loquilur; Nam
rum in minorihus dclictis.quac non in Doniinum
cnmmiHnntur.Pocnilc.nlia atjnturjuslo lcinporc.
ci c.vomoloficsis fiat. inspecta vita cjus. qui arjil
Pocnilenliam, ncc ad ctrnimunicalionem venire
quispossil. nisi prins illi ah cpiscopo el clero
nianus fucrit imposita: quanto magis in his (jra-
vissimis et extremis dcliiUis cantc omnia el mo-
dcrate secundani disciplinam Domini ohservnri
oportet? Hic habomus cxomologesim ncccssariam
socnndum discipliniim Domini, cl lalcni exomolo-
jTCsim. ul ex ea pocnilenlis \ila inspici, el cogno-
sci possil.Proinde habcmus confessioncm omnium
porcalonim, jurc divino esse necessiiriain: nequc
'"iiim. oxomolosxosis gencralis. aul aliquorum lan-
liim peccalorum. vilam poeuilcnlis ila dclegil, ut
oa plane inspici possil.
Idcm auclor sorm. 3. delapsis: De?7tgwe,inquit,
qunnfo el fide majore. el timore melioresunl.qui
quamvis nuUo sacrificii. autlibeUifacinorecon-
slricli. quoniam lamen de hoc vcl cofjilavc.rwU,
hoc ipsum apud sacerdotes Dei dolcnler, et sim-
vUciler eonfUenles. exomolorjesim conscientKie
fneiunf.animipondusexponunt.saUUarem mc.de-
lam parvislicel.ct modicis vulneribus cxquirunl.
.Ad hunc locum rcspondel Remnilius, pag.1003.
ac dicit. hoc loco a Cypriano non proponi praece-
pliim. vol ronsuoludinom universalcm, scd cxem-
nluni quorundam, qui fide majore el limorc mc-
liore erant. Addil cliam. non loqui Cyprianum de
nnnfessione omnium peccalorum. velomniumma-
larum co?ilalionum, scd cjus lanlum cogilalionis,
quae de idololalria commiilenda, sive de Christo
ahnofrando suscepla fueral:proindc pcrlinere hano
senlenliam ad publicam Poenilenliam, clad publi-
ca crimina. .
Sed istae objecliones ex eodem Cypriano facile
rofelIunlur:non enim Cyprianus exemplum propo-
iiil confessionis liberae, sed iieccssariiic, nl palel
•<x soqiipmibus verbis. Nam poslcaquain dixcral:
SahUarem medelam parvis Uccl, et modicis vul-
'ncrihns exqnirunt. adjungil conlinuo, ScAenies
scriptum csse: Deus non deridetur. Derideri ct
rircumveniri Dcus non potest, nec nstutia aliqua
faUanle deludi: plus immo deUnquit, qui secun-
dum hominem Deum coqitans, cvadcrc sepoe-
nam criminis credU, si nonpalamerimcn admi-
s<7.- el paulo infra dc lisdem, qui bola cogilalionc
p.Micavoriiiil. ila io.piiliir: .}linus planc pccc.averit
non vidcndo idoUi, nec suh oculis circ.iinstantis,
(Uquc insullanti^i iiojmli sanclitaicm fidci propha-
nando.mni pollucndo manus suas fnncslissac.ri-
ficiis. ncc srclcratis cihis ora maculando. Uoc c,o
proficU. uf sit minor ciUf)a,non nt iiuwce.ns r.on-
scicntia: facilius ])otcsl ad vcniam criminis ]ier-
venirc, non c.si tamcn immunis a. criminc: nec
cesscl in aqc.nda PocnUentia, alque in Uomini
misericordia dcjyrc.canda. ne quod minusessein
quaUUUe dclicli vidcliir,in ncijlcela stUisfacAione
cumiUeliir: confUcaiUur sinquU, quacso, fralres,
delictum suum, dum adhuc, qui deUquil,i.n sae-
culo est, duni admUti confcssio ejus polesl, duni
satisfaclio cl rcmissii) facta per sacerdotes apud
Dominuin (jralia c.sl.
Kx his manilcslc colligimus auclorc Cypriano,
noccssiirium cssc (jonlih^ri pccciilu oinnia morlaliii,
cliamsi sola cogitalione commissa sinl.Quan; vcrha
illa: Quanfo ct fide majore et timore meliore
sunt. qui etc. non coiilineiit cxcmpium coiifessio-
nis noii ncccssiiriac, ul Kcmnilius cxislimiivit, scd
argumcalum a minorc ad niiijus. Si criim (|ui sola
cogilalione pecoant. Pocnilcntiam agunt, atquc e-
xomologesim faciunl, quanlo magis id ficri dcbc-
rct ab iis , qui vcrbo cl opcrc peccala commit-
tuiit?
Quod aulem Remnilius addil, Cyprianum loqui
solum dc cogilalionc iibncgiilionis Chrisli, ct pro-
iude hiiiic senlciiliiim pcrlincrc an Poenitcntiain
publicam et crimina publica, ridiculum est. Ne-
que enini cogitatio de peccato iiliquo patrando, pu-
blica dici polest, aut debel,etiamsi peccatum illud
publicum essc possit: ncquc ullo modo ad pecca-
tum puhlicum perlinet cogitatio, nisi peccatum ip-
sum publicum ex ea cogilalione prodicrit. Quomo-
do enim ad pcccalum publicum pcrtinet, quod ne-
que in se est publicum, neque esl peccali publici
caussii? et quis uiiquam audivit in Ecclesia id lieri
solilum, ul ob solam intcrniim cogitalioncm abne-
galionis Christi, aliquis excommunicarelur,aut pu-
blicam Poenilentiam subire cogcretur? etiamsi qui
palam Christum ahnegant, jure excoramiiniccntur,
n Poeuilcnliae publicae subjicianlur. Noii igilur
Cyprianus confcssioncm ejusmodi cogitationum e-
xigebal, quod cac cogilationes ad peccalii publica
perlincrenUsod quod esscnt pcccalii Iclhalia,(iuam-
vis occulla, alqiic in!ei'ua.
Adde quod si cogilalio abnegalionis Christi ne-
cessario conGtcnda esset, quia ad pcccalum publi-
cum pertineret. nimirum ul caussa quaedam pec-
cali, quod publicum csse poluil: codcm modo co-
gitationes rapinae, aduUerii, homicidii, blasphe-
miae, perjurii. aliorumque fermc omnium crimi-
nura neccssario confilendae erunt, cum caussac
esse possint scelerum publicorum.Ilaque quidquid
dixerit, eo tamcn illi veniendurn eril.ut peccata o-
mnia in confessione detegenda esse falealur.
CAPUT VIII.
Teslimonia Patrum ab anno 300. ad 400.
Jam vero Tertio saeculo post apustolos, habc-
mus primum Lnctanlium, qui cura Crlspi Cacsaris
LlUEh TKRTILS
G9I
iiistiliilor fiieril oA iinpernlori Conshinliiio lihros
siios iiuDCiipavciil. sine (iubio jid iniliuiii lerliae
aclalis posl aposlolica lempora floruil.
Is igiliir in lib. i. (livinarum insliluliomim, ra[).
17. oxplicans ralioncm cur Dcus circumcisionein
in Tcslamenlo velc.ri imperavil, ac floccns, eain
conrcssionis ac Pocmlenliac figuram luisse, ila lo-
quilur: Oh hanc cnussam Deus nudari eam. jus-
sil, ul hoc arfjumcnln nos admoncrcl, ncinvulu-
tum peclus habcrcmus. idest.ne qhiod pudcndum
facimus inlra conscientiae sccrcla vclcmus. Ilacc
csl cordis circumcisio.de qua prophctac loquun-
tur, Quam Deus n carne mortali ad animam
transtulil. quae sola mansura est. Yolens enim
Tilae ac saluti noslrae pro aetcrna sua pictate
consulcrc. Poenitenliam nobis in illa circumci-
sione proposuil, utsi cor mundaverimus. idesl,
si pcccala nostra confessi, satis Deo fcccrimus,
veniam consequamur quae conlumacibus. et ad-
missa sua cclantibus dencgalur ob co, qui non
faciem sicut homo.sed inlima ct nrcana pectoris
inluelur.
Iilem Lnclnnlius in cxlnMii. lib. Novalinnos dam-
nans,ponil pro nola verae Lcclosiae confcssionem:
Sed tamen. inquil, quia sinfjuli quiquc coetus
haereticorum se potissimum Chrislianos.et suam
osse catholicam Ecclcsiam pulanl, sciendum cst,
illam esse veram. in qua est confesi^io ct Pocni-
tcnlia. qvae peccata et vulncrn. quibus subjccta
esl imbcciUitas carnis, salubriter cural. Hucc La-
clanlius,
Deindc babemus s. Albanasium, qiii in serm.in
iUn verba: Profccti in pa[}um.qui cx advcrso est,
invenielis jmlium alliQalum clc. nd lincm scrmo-
nis ila loquilur: Nos ipsos examincmus, num so-
lulasint iioslravincula. ut in mcUus proficia-
nius. Quod si noiidum solula sinl vincnla.tradas
le ipsum discipulis Jesii: a.dsunt cnim qui le sol-
vanl pro potestale ea. quam a Salvatore accepc-
rwnl. Qua.ccurnqup cnim liqavcritis.inquit in tcr-
ra. crunt liqala ct in coclis: et quaecumquc sol-
verilis in lerra.erunl soluta ct in coelis:et si qui-
bus rcmiseriiis peccala. rcmittuntur ei.
Tcrtio: Hnbcnius s. Iliiarium, can. 18. in Mallb.
nbi sic locpiilur: Ad terrorem autem metusmaxi-
mi, quo inpraescns omnes conlinerentur , immo-
bile scverilatis aposloUcae judicium praemisit.ut
quos in terris liqaverint, idest.peccatorum nodis
innexos rcUnqucrint. el quos solvcrint,confessio-
ne vidclicet vcnine reccperint in salutem, h,i n-
posloUcae condilione sentenliae, in coelis quo-
quc, an soluli sinl, aut ligali.
Onarlo: Habemus .'«anclum Bnsilium in qiiaeslio-
iiibus sivc riij^ulis brcvioribus. ila praccipicnlem.
rci^ijja 21i). Omnino in peccatorum confcssione
cadcm ral.io csi. qnac cliam in apcrlidne vitio-
rum corporis.lt iqilur vilia corporis nequaquam
qjiihusvis tcmerc liomincs nperiunl. scd iis tan-
lumiinodo, qui ralioncm. qua ea curanda sinl,
lcneant: eodcm modo e.tiam peccatorum confes-
sio fieri debct. apud eos vidcUcet, qui cn possint
curarc: cl rcj^ula 228. cxplicol clnrius,(pii sinlqui
peccala possunl curarc , nimirtim soli sacprilo-
les: A'eccssflr?t> , inqiiil , iispoccala apcriri dc-
bcnt.quibus c.rediia est dispemniio mysleriornm
Dci.
Ad hunc locum (Laclanlio . Allianasio el Hila-
rio, prnelermissis) respondcl Remuilins, pa£c. 988
cl 1017. s.Bnsilium loqui de confcssioiic gencMali.
qua poeniiens peccalorem sc agnoscilac falclur:
vel de confessione aliquorum peccatorum, quae
magis conscienlinm gravnnt: (]uae quidem confes-
sionc linl inslruclionis ci consilii gralia. Ilnque
neque omnium peccalorum in specie, ncque ne-
cessario, scd ali(|unriim tnnlum, cl non ncces-
sario confessionem tlcri debere Rcmnilius do-
cel.
Al ex ipsius s.Basilii verbis ulrumque refellitur.
Quod enim omnia pcccalain specic condtonln sint.
patel cx duobus. Primo cx illa simililudine mcdici
ct medicinac corporalis, quam Basilius adbibel re-
gula 229. [Vcque enim curnri polcsl corporaliler,
qui medico solum dicil. se mnrbo nliquo Inborarc,
111 spccic delcgal morbum; cl si pluribus morbis
laborat, nisi eos omnes singillalim cxponat, alio-
qui ciiim mcdicamenlum polius operil. qnnm [)ro-
(ieril, nisi nd cerlum morbum convenicnlcr a(»-
plicelur. Secundo ex ralionc, qunm idcm Bnsilius
reddil regula 288. cur oporlcal sacerdoli percala
dcicgerc: rntio cnim cst , quoniam convcrsionis
modus nccommodatus esse dcbct nd ralionem |)cc-
cati, ut ipse Remnitius vertit pag. 1017. Quomo-
do iiulciu polcrit snccrdos accomodare modum
conversionis ad ralionem pcccali, idcsl, aclioncm
exlcrnnm Poenitcnliae injnngcrc (lualem cl qunn-
lain pcccnla rcquirunt, nisi peccala ipsu oinnia iii
spticic noveril?
Esse autem confessioncm ncccss:iriam, el iion
solum consilii gralia faciendam, |)erspicuum csl.
tum ex endcm rnoibi simililndine ct ralione jam
explicaln, tum ex ipsa voce, Nccessario, (|ua Bnsi-
lius usiis csl. Fruslra enim Rcmnitius pag. 988.
vertil: i\cccssarium vidctur; et pag. 1017. Aptum
esl: nam in ipso lcxtn grncco non cst, videlur.ue-
qne aplum cst, scd simplicilcr , avaYxaiov, Ne-
cessarium. Quare sic reddidil Godcfridus Tilmnn-
nus:i^(;cessa)'zo iis peccala apcriri debent, quibus
credila est dispcnsalio myslcriorum Dei.
Quinto Iinbcinus s. Ambrosium. qui lib. 2. de
Poenilenlin, cap. 0. sic ail: Si vis juslificari, fa-
lerc dcHclum tuum: solvit enim criminum nexus
verecunda co»/es.sio pcccalorum. <'t cn|). 9. scri-
bil mullos ftiisse, qui libentcr confilebnntnr priva-
tim &ncerdotibus, sed pnblice in Ecdesia snlisfa-
cere rccnsabanl: Plcrique, inquil, fuluri su})pU-
cii mctu peccalorum suorum consrii. Pocnilcn-
tiam pctunl: ct cum accepcrint.pubUcc supplica-
lionis rcvocanlur pudore; ci cap. 10. An. quis-
quam fcrat, ul erubcscas Deum roqarc, (fui non
crul)cscis roqare hominem? ctpudcat lc Dco sup-
plicare, quem non lal.es; cum non. pudcntpecca-
la lun homini. qucm lalcns, confilcri?
l[»sum eli.im s. Ainbrosium coiilVssi(mes andirc
soliliim, el quidiMii privatim, lcstatiir Paulinns iii
vita (*iusd(!m, liis vci bis: Quoliescv,mquc illi ali-
quis oh pcrcipicnilam lUx-nUoilinm lapsus suos
c(nifcssu.<, csscl: ila flcbat, ul ct lUum jlcre com-
pcUerct-.vidcbalur ciiam sibi cum jacente jnccre.
ttUi
UK POKNITENTIV
i.uMssus aulem crtmiMum,</mis ilU coulitcbuntiir, dicina, noverun!: siinUcsquc sunt illis. qui pla-
uulii ntsi Domino soli, quod qucm inlcrccdohal, <]as quitrcm (ipcriunt ac Ininorcs, incdicisquc cl-
lotfuvlmlur.
Si \io liahomiis s. Greuoriiim nis.semmi m ('pi-
stoia canonica n<l cpisoopiim Milyloncs. qii.ie ox-
>i.il in lnbliolhooa ^imclorum Palrum. lum. I. Is o-
niin 0. !. cpistoUio ojustiom, mominil confosslonis
pccciilnrnm, quae sinjjuli^ annis circa pusoliao, fo-
hlnni liori st>|pl: Rcctc. inquil, liahueril.si Iwdicr-
uo dic non solnm cos. qui c.r rcncncralionc pcr
hiracri (jraliam transmulali sunt, adducamus,
sed eos eliam qui pcr Poc.nilcntiam el confcs-
.^iiincm . a morluis opcrihus adrivcnlcmviam
ascendunt . ad vivcnlcm spcm lamqiiam via-
nn dctiucamus , a qua per peccaluni alienati
snnt
■tam a.-isidcnlibus confilcnlur. scd cuiinonili quae
imponcnda sunl ncqli^junt. cl quae hihcnda fa-
slidiunl: ox (juo loco iiilolli^iiiuis, confossionom
accuralam so-mpor in usu fuisse apud Christianos.