Instruction concerning penance and holy communion the second part fo the instruction of youth, containing the means how we may return to God by penance, and remain in his grace by the good and frequent use of the sacraments. By Charles Gobinet, Doctor of Divinity, of the house and Society of Sorbon, principal of the college of Plessis-Sorbon.

CHAP. V. Of the Conditions necessary to make the Confession entire.

ACcording to the Doctrine of the Church there are three: To declare the Species or Nature of the Sin, the Number, and the Cir∣cumstances that change the Species or Nature of it.

First, we must confess the Species, Sort, or Nature of the Sin: It is not sufficient to say in general terms, I have sinned, I have very much offended God; but we must tell particularly in what: I have, for example, committed Theft, or Blasphemy, or Detraction.

The reason of this rule is given by the Holy Council of Trent; because, says it, the Priests are constituted Judges in this Sacrament, to give a judgement of the sins of men. Now it is manifest they cannot exercise that judgment without the knowledge of the Cause; nor observe the necessary equity in the enjoining of the Penance, except the Penitents declare their Sins in particular, and not only in general.

Secondly, they must discover the number, that is, how often they have fall'n into each sort of Sin. This is also absolutely necessary, that the Confessor may judge aright: because he, who hath committed a Sin often, is much more Culpable, then he who hath done it but seldom.

Thirdly, we must explain the circumstances which change the Species or Nature of Sin, as the

same Council hath declared in express terms; and this is to be done for the same reason, that obligeth us to confess the Sins of different Spe∣cies, or sorts. Thus in Theft one must express the circumstance of a Sacred place, in which he robbed, or a Sacred thing, which he hath taken: because this circumstance changes the Species, and makes it a Sacriledge.

In the sin of impurity, one must discover the quality of the person with whom he hath sinned: whether it be a Single or Married Person, or re∣lation, for these circumstances make different sins, of Fornication, Adultery, or Incest.

In fine, Penitents, and particularly young peo∣ple are often defective in these three rules. For first, as to the Species, or nature of the Sin, it happens frequently, that they do not declare it at all. For example, concerning the sin of Impurity, they say no more then that they have willingly entertain'd evil thoughts, without mentioning in the least, whether they were accompanyed with any immodest touches of themselves, or o∣ther effects which follow; which are sins of ano∣ther Species, and more grievous then the thoughts. They will confess they have touched others unci∣villy, without discovering how, or what sort of persons. They will accuse themselves of Detra∣ction of their Neighbour, but not offer to de∣clare the thing they have said.

Secondly, as to the number it happens often, that telling the Species they are afraid to discover the number intirely, and therefore conceal some part, the number sometimes causing as much shame as the Species it self and quality of the sin. In which case the Confession is no less invalid

and Sacrilegious, then if they had concealed the very Species of the sin.

Thirdly, they frequently commit the same fault by the notable circumstances, which they are afraid to discover. For example, if they have robbed, or done some notable injury to their Neighbours Goods, or cheated him at play, they are afraid to tell the quantity, lest they should be obliged to restitution.

In all these occurrences when one willingly and wittingly conceals these notable circumstan∣ces, the Confession is null. Have a care, Theotime, to avoid these considerable faults, which often happen in Confession, for want of discovering the Species or kind of the sin, the number or no∣table circumstances.