Page:Writings of Saint Patrick, Apostle of Ireland.djvu/109

Rh The last ten lines of the special confession of sins do appear to have a sort of Patrician ring about them.

The doctrine of the Angers Confession is in harmony with the primitive faith set forth in St. Patrick's writings. There is not one word in it which contains the slightest allusion to the invocation of saints or angels, although angels are alluded to as witnesses of the sins of men. Christ is described as being alone without sin, a doctrine inconsistent with the late mediæval notion of the sinlessness of the Virgin Mary.

It is important also to note that there is no reference in the Confession to any 'auricular confession' made to a priest; and the expressions used in the commencement of the last paragraph which speak of Christ as the High Priest to whom sin is to be confessed, are opposed to any such practice.

Although it is true that this confession of sins is drawn up without any order,' and that, short as it is, it contains various repetitions, the doctrine set forth is highly Evangelical. And as it is probably of an Irish type, it seems to prove that the doctrines of the Irish missionaries of that date were in the main pure and Scriptural. The Divinity of Christ—for the composition is a confession addressed to Christ, and to Him alone—is unmistakably affirmed. There are but two allusions to God the Father, and one to the Holy Spirit, which all occur at the end of the first paragraph.

This new discovery is then of sufficient importance to justify our exhibiting here a complete translation of its text.