Treatise Roman Catechism With Reply
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-roman-catechism-with-reply-039 |
| Words | 375 |
3.)
Q. 76. What is confession? A. Confession is a particular discovery of all mortal sins to
the Priest, with all their circumstances that increase or
diminish the sin, as far as can be called to mind; (Concil. Trid, Sess. 14, c. 5, & Catech., ibid., n. 48;) without which
neither forgiveness nor salvation is to be obtained. (Trid.,
ibid., Can. 6, 7; Catech., n. 44.)
REPLY. We grant confession to men to be in many cases
of use; public, in case of public scandal; private, to a
spiritual guide for disburdening of the conscience, and as an
help to repentance. But to make auricular confession, or
particular confession to a Priest, necessary to forgiveness and
salvation, when God has not so made it, is apparently to teach
for doctrine the commandment of men; and to make it neces
sary in all cases, is to make, of what may be a useful means, a
dangerous snare, both to the confessor, and those that confess. Q. 77. Of what kind is the absolution which the Priest
grants upon confession? A. The absolution is not only declarative, but judicial; and
the sentence pronounced by the Priest is as if pronounced by
the Judge himself; (Concil. Trid, ibid., c. 6, & Can. 9;) he
perfecting what God causes. (Catech., par. 2, 5, n. 17.)
REPLY. To pardon sin, and absolve the sinner judicially,
so as the conscience may rest firmly upon it, is a power
reserved by God to himself. So: “If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.” (1 John i. 9.) And therefore the
authority of the Priest is only ministerial, declarative, and
conditional. “Men show a ministry in the forgiveness of sins,
but do not exercise a right of power. They pray, but it is
God forgives,” saith St. Ambrose. (De Spir., l. 3, c. 19.)
Q. 78. What is the benefit of absolution? A. Although a sinner is not so affected with such grief for
his sin, as may be sufficient to obtain pardon; yet, when he
has rightly confessed to a Priest, all his sins are pardoned,
and an entrance is opened into heaven. (Catech., ibid., n. 38.)
REPLY.