Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/325

 (3HIP. IX.] ]'SNAHCL--COqFEOSON. 31 ? on a cchmiustie, robbery of a church, attempts to tax the clergy', and generally all offences agshsst that privileged order. If the person attempt to obtain absolution from an inferior priest in any of these cases, he must be mfered to the higher tribunal; for the st absolu- tion, in such. a case, would be of no effect. And among these reserved cases there is also great cliff*stance; some are reserved by reason st' ecclesiastical censures, some bcomusOn of the greatness of the 8ins. These things ny be hidden he Penitent; and though at first suppeeing himself absols'ed, will be deceived, and will find himself' but half 8.basIred. But the cases of uncertnty end doubt would be. endless enumeration. There ire abe ninny di3cultiss in the confession of' such thina8 in which the sinner had a. For if' he confess the sin so as to cuss another, he commits sin; if he doe8 no, in many cues he sannot confen the circumstances th alter the nature of the crime. Some will tell hi]n he may conceal such crimes till.e more fit opportunity others uy he my omi them altogether; and others oy he may get another con,easer. But then there is a scruple whether he may do this with or without leave; or if.leave be denied him, whether he rnsy take leave in such an accident. Other questions will then arise re- apecLing the iteration of hi8 first confession; ;or if the first one be by ny means made invalid, it must be done over again. But here the penitent must be sure dmt his former confession wn invalid; for if' it wa, he cannot be iMrdoned unless he renew it; and if it we8 valid, he must beware not to confess the same thing twice, and be twice absolved, �or this would not be lew/ul. There re abe many cues in which the confession is to be repeated and though it wes done before, it must be done again; as i� there was no contrition. There are many cues concerning contrition. Though imperfect: it is not to be repeated. But what is and what is not con- trition, wllt is per(ect and whet is iraper act, and what is the first dense and makes the confession valid, can never be told. There divers cases in which a confession materially half' may be reduced to one which is formally half'. Sometimes, too, the church is satisfied when God is not satisfied, es in the case of the 'ormar co.o, (informis confessis,) end then the man is absolved, but his sin is not pardoned. And yet this is but the beginning of' scruples. For suppose the penitent hath done hi8 duty, exMnined himself' strictly, repented tho- roughly, confessed fully, end is absolved f.ornmlly; yet this may nothing, because there me b.e some invalidity in the ordination of  the priest, by crime, by irregulfuity, by direct deficiency in the ordination or succession of the priest; or he rnay have no jurisdiction, which citefully to be inquired into, especially in those places which abound n f'rin8 and unbeneficed priests. Or if' the confessor has order end trisdiction, yet the use of' this power m,y ie suspended for a time., Mid then his absolution is worth nothing. But, by the constitution the Gouncl of. matence, the confeuion is not to be repeated, though the priest be excommunicated. liars is a new source of trouble to Linus rind. But I  to number the sands of the sea. 'Fhere would us end o( coo did we follow out their theology in all its cues.

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