Dist. 17, Part 2, Art. 2, Q. 3
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 17
Quaestio III. An quis quoad modum obligetur confiteri ex caritate.
Tertio quaeritur de obligatione ad confessionem quantum ad modum, et quaeritur, utrum obligemur ex caritate. Et quod sic, videtur:
1. Quia Augustinus dicit, et habetur in primo capitulo huius distinctionis: «Nemo potest confiteri nisi suscitatus; a mortuo enim, velut qui non est, perit confessio1; nemo autem resuscitatur, nisi qui a peccato solvitur», haec Augustinus; sed nullus solvitur a peccato sine caritate: ergo confessionem quae est in praecepto, oportet fieri in caritate, quia aliter fieri non potest, ut dicit.
2. Item, in confessione peccati est laus Dei, ut dicit Hieronymus; sed non est speciosa laus in ore peccatoris, ut dicitur Ecclesiastici decimo quinto2: ergo cum non teneatur quis ad laudem Dei nisi eatenus, qua est speciosa; ergo nullus tenetur ad confessionem faciendam in statu peccati. Si ergo tenetur ad illam, tenetur in statu gratiae: ergo in caritate.
3. Item, tres sunt partes poenitentiae ordinatae, scilicet contritio, confessio et satisfactio: ergo quilibet, qui tenetur ad poenitentiam, cum ad haec omnia teneatur, tenetur ordinate: ergo prius ad contritionem: ergo nemo debet confiteri nisi contritus. Sed non conteritur quis nisi in caritate3: ergo si tenetur ad confitendum, tenetur ad confitendum ex caritate.
4. Item, in confessione est absolutio, et illa est absolutio a poena, non a culpa, sicut melius patebit infra4; haec autem absolutio nulla est, nisi praecedat absolutio culpae: ergo in nullo habet illud Sacramentum efficaciam, nisi in eo qui habet gratiam. Sed qui recipit Sacramentum tenetur se disponere ad efficaciam Sacramenti, alioquin ficte accedit, et omnis talis peccat mortaliter; sed efficacia confessionis non est nisi in habente caritatem: ergo tenetur homo confiteri ex caritate.
Contra: 1. Sacramentum poenitentiae est contra morbum mortalis culpae efficax medicamentum: ergo in eo morbus ille curatur: ergo recipitur ibi salus mentis et corporis: ergo videtur, quod non oporteat ad illud afferre sanitatem, sed quaerere; ergo non oportet, quod accedat5 ad confessionem ex caritate, nec ad hoc tenetur.
2. Item, ad opera praeceptorum et etiam virtutum, sicut continere, obedire, parentes honorare, non tenemur ex caritate6: ergo videtur, quod nec ad confessionem.
3. Item, nullus scit, se habere caritatem7: ergo si tenemur confiteri ex caritate; cum nemo hoc sciat, utrum hoc fecerit, nemo est absolutus: ergo adhuc tenetur, ergo semper debet iterare. Praeterea, si accedit sine caritate, videtur peccare mortaliter.
4. Item, confessio non est opus privilegiatum, immo confessio peccati est peccatorum et impiissimorum; sed non tenetur quis ad aliqua opera facienda ex caritate, nisi quia sunt opera valde nobilia: ergo etc.
### Conclusio. Non est necessarium confiteri ex caritate, sed requiritur et sufficit dispositio ad caritatem sufficiens, saltem secundum probabilitatem.
Respondeo: Ad horum intelligentiam notandum est, quod quaedam sunt Sacramenta ordinata ad gratiam acquirendam sive obtinendam, ut baptismus et poenitentia; quaedam ordinata ad gratiam promovendam sive augmentandam, ut confirmatio et eucharistia8. Dico ergo, quod sicut Sacramenta augmentantia gratiam non habent efficaciam nisi in habentibus caritatem; sic Sacramenta gratiam impetrantia non habent efficaciam nisi in eis qui se disponunt. Et sicut dictum est in praecedentibus9, quod non tenemur ad eucharistiam accedere cum caritate secundum veritatem, sed secundum probabilitatem sufficit; sic dico, quod ad Sacramentum poenitentiae non est necesse, quod accedat habens caritatem, vel dispositionem ad caritatem sufficientem secundum veritatem, sed sufficit secundum probabilitatem. — Haec autem dispositio est attritio, quae frequenter ob confessionem superadiunctam et absolutionem sacerdotis formatur per gratiam, ut fiat contritio, sive ad ipsam contritio subsequatur; et multis ibi gratia conceditur. Unde dico, quod sufficit, quod probabiliter se disponat ad gratiam per omnium peccatorum detestationem. Quodsi se non disponit, immo cum voluntate peccandi accedit; dico, quod peccat mortaliter, quia Sacramentum irritum facit, quantum in se est, et hoc non est sine contemptu; unde tenetur iterum reverti ad sacerdotem et petere absolutionem.
Et si tu quaeras, unde exigat hoc confessio, cum non sit opus privilegiatum; dico, quod hoc habet, quia est opus sacramentale ad iustificationem institutum; unde haec confessio ad absolutionem est ordinata.
Concedo ergo, quod non est necessarium, nec obligatur quis confiteri ex caritate, sed tenetur confiteri vel ex caritate, vel ex dispositione ad caritatem sufficiente, vel secundum probabilitatem, vel secundum veritatem.
Ad argumenta in oppositum:
1. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur in contrarium, quod non confitetur nisi suscitatus; dicendum, quod vocat suscitatum dispositum ad caritatem, qui iam incipit suscitari, cum atteritur per dolorem et in confessione plerumque recipit vitam.
2. Ad illud quod obiicitur de laude speciosa, dicendum, quod laus est speciosa dupliciter: vel secundum acceptationem10 Dei, vel secundum conscientiam laudantis. Illa est speciosa secundum acceptationem Dei, in qua peccator fit iustus, vel quam facit, postquam est iustus. Illa vero est speciosa secundum iudicium conscientiae nostrae, in qua conscientia et voluntas conformat se laudi secundum suam existimationem. Et ad hanc speciositatem tenemur, non ad illam, quia nescimus, quae Deus acceptat; credimus tamen probabiliter, quod Deus acceptat vel semper, vel frequenter quae conscientia recta approbat, tamen nescimus.
3. Ad illud quod obiicitur de ordine, dicendum, quod contritio dicit duo: et dicit peccati detestationem et dicit gratiae informationem. Ratione primi oportet, quod praecedat, alioquin confessio est cum fictione; ratione secundi non oportet, quia in hoc non consistit fictio, cum nemo illud in se habere sciat.
4. Ad illud quod obiicitur de absolutione, dicendum, quod nemo recipit effectum, nisi caritatem habeat saltem in principio confessionis, vel in medio, vel in fine. Multi autem habent in fine, qui tamen non habent in principio; et aliquando11 se credunt habere in principio et in fine, qui fortassis non habent; et aliqui non habent nec credunt, se habere. Primi non incurrunt offensam, sed acquirunt gratiam; secundi evadunt offensam, quamvis non acquirant gratiam; tertii vero non acquirunt gratiam, sed iram. Et sic patent obiecta.
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Question III. Whether one is bound as to the mode to confess out of charity.
Thirdly there is inquiry concerning the obligation to confession with regard to the mode, and it is asked whether we are bound [to it] out of charity. And that it is so, it seems:
1. Because Augustine says, and it is found in the first chapter of this distinction: "No one can confess unless he has been raised up; for from a dead man, as from one who is not, confession perishes1; but no one is raised up again except him who is loosed from sin"—thus Augustine; but no one is loosed from sin without charity: therefore the confession which is in the precept must be made in charity, because otherwise it cannot be made, as he says.
2. Likewise, in the confession of sin there is praise of God, as Jerome says; but praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner, as is said in Ecclesiasticus, chapter fifteen2: therefore since one is bound to the praise of God only insofar as it is comely; therefore no one is bound to make confession in a state of sin. If therefore he is bound to it, he is bound in a state of grace: therefore in charity.
3. Likewise, the parts of penance are three, set in order, namely contrition, confession, and satisfaction: therefore anyone who is bound to penance, since he is bound to all these, is bound [to them] in order: therefore first to contrition: therefore no one ought to confess unless contrite. But one is not made contrite except in charity3: therefore if he is bound to confess, he is bound to confess out of charity.
4. Likewise, in confession there is absolution, and that is absolution from punishment, not from guilt, as will appear better below4; but this absolution is null unless absolution from guilt precedes: therefore that Sacrament has efficacy in no one except in him who has grace. But he who receives the Sacrament is bound to dispose himself to the efficacy of the Sacrament, otherwise he approaches feignedly, and every such person sins mortally; but the efficacy of confession exists only in one having charity: therefore a man is bound to confess out of charity.
On the contrary: 1. The Sacrament of penance is an efficacious medicine against the disease of mortal guilt: therefore in it that disease is cured: therefore there is received there the health of mind and body: therefore it seems that one need not bring health to it, but rather seek it; therefore it is not necessary that one approach5 confession out of charity, nor is he bound to this.
2. Likewise, to the works of the precepts and even of the virtues, such as to be continent, to obey, to honor parents, we are not bound out of charity6: therefore it seems that neither [are we bound] to confession [out of charity].
3. Likewise, no one knows that he has charity7: therefore if we are bound to confess out of charity, since no one knows this, whether he has done this, no one is absolved: therefore he is still bound, therefore he must always repeat [it]. Moreover, if he approaches without charity, he seems to sin mortally.
4. Likewise, confession is not a privileged work; indeed the confession of sin is [the work] of sinners and of the most impious; but no one is bound to do any works out of charity, except because they are works exceedingly noble: therefore etc.
### Conclusion. It is not necessary to confess out of charity, but a disposition to charity that is sufficient is required and suffices, at least according to probability.
I respond: For the understanding of these matters it must be noted that certain Sacraments are ordained to acquiring or obtaining grace, as baptism and penance; certain are ordained to promoting or augmenting grace, as confirmation and the eucharist8. I say therefore that, just as the Sacraments that augment grace have no efficacy except in those having charity, so the Sacraments that impetrate grace have no efficacy except in those who dispose themselves. And just as was said in the preceding [questions]9, that we are not bound to approach the eucharist with charity according to truth, but according to probability it suffices; so I say that for the Sacrament of penance it is not necessary that one approach having charity, or a disposition to charity sufficient according to truth, but it suffices according to probability. — But this disposition is attrition, which frequently, on account of the superadded confession and the absolution of the priest, is formed by grace, so that it becomes contrition, or contrition follows upon it; and to many grace is granted there. Hence I say that it suffices that one probably dispose himself to grace through the detestation of all his sins. But if he does not dispose himself, but rather approaches with the will to sin; I say that he sins mortally, because he makes the Sacrament void, as far as in him lies, and this is not without contempt; hence he is bound to return again to the priest and seek absolution.
And if you ask whence confession exacts this, since it is not a privileged work; I say that it has this because it is a work sacramental, instituted unto justification; hence this confession is ordained to absolution.
I therefore grant that it is not necessary, nor is anyone obligated, to confess out of charity, but he is bound to confess either out of charity, or out of a disposition to charity that is sufficient, either according to probability or according to truth.
To the arguments on the opposite side:
1. To that, then, which is objected to the contrary, that one does not confess unless raised up; it must be said that he calls raised up one disposed to charity, who already begins to be raised up, when he is made contrite through sorrow and in confession most often receives life.
2. To that which is objected concerning comely praise, it must be said that praise is comely in two ways: either according to the acceptation10 of God, or according to the conscience of the one praising. That praise is comely according to the acceptation of God in which a sinner is made just, or which he makes after he is just. But that praise is comely according to the judgment of our conscience, in which the conscience and the will conform themselves to the praise according to their own estimation. And to this comeliness we are bound, not to that, because we do not know which things God accepts; yet we believe probably that God accepts, either always or frequently, those things which a right conscience approves, though we do not know.
3. To that which is objected concerning order, it must be said that contrition states two things: it states both the detestation of sin and it states the informing by grace. By reason of the first it is necessary that it precede, otherwise the confession is with feigning; by reason of the second it is not necessary, because in this feigning does not consist, since no one knows himself to have it.
4. To that which is objected concerning absolution, it must be said that no one receives the effect unless he has charity at least at the beginning of the confession, or in the middle, or at the end. But many have it at the end who nevertheless do not have it at the beginning; and sometimes11 they believe themselves to have it at the beginning and at the end, who perhaps do not have it; and some do not have it nor believe themselves to have it. The first do not incur offense, but acquire grace; the second escape offense, although they do not acquire grace; the third, however, do not acquire grace, but wrath. And thus the objections are clear.
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- 1Eccli. 17, 26: A mortuo quasi nihil, perit confessio. — In fine arg. edd. ut debet pro ut dicit, cod. S dicitur.Ecclesiasticus 17:26: From a dead man, as from one who is nothing, confession perishes. — At the end of the argument the editions read ut debet ("as it ought") for ut dicit ("as he says"), codex S dicitur ("as is said").
- 2Vers. 9. — Sententia Hieronymi in maiori relata continetur in Breviario in Ps. 103, 1: In eo enim, quod confitemur Deo peccata nostra, glorificamus eum. (Opus hoc olim attribuebatur Hieronymo).Verse 9. — The opinion of Jerome, reported in the major [text, i.e. Lombard's], is contained in the Breviary on Psalm 103:1: For in this, that we confess our sins to God, we glorify him. (This work was formerly attributed to Jerome).
- 3Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.See the scholion on the preceding question.
- 4Vide supra d. 16. p. I. a. 2. q. 2. in corp. definitionem contritionis. — Verbis nisi contritus cod. aa interserit prius, et pro non conteritur codd. I K non est contritus.See above, d. 16, p. I, a. 2, q. 2, in the body [for] the definition of contrition. — At the words nisi contritus ("unless contrite") codex aa inserts prius ("first"), and for non conteritur ("is not made contrite") codices I and K [read] non est contritus ("is not contrite").
- 5Edd. cum uno alteroque cod. accedatur.The editions, with one or another codex, [read] accedatur ("that one approach," passive).
- 6Vide III. Sent. d. 37. a. 1. q. 2.See III Sent., d. 37, a. 1, q. 2.
- 7Eccle. 9, 1.Ecclesiastes 9:1.
- 8Codd. I K nisi quae.Codices I and K [read] nisi quae ("except which").
- 9Vide supra d. 7. a. 2. q. I. et d. 12. p. II. a. I. q. 2. seq.See above, d. 7, a. 2, q. I, and d. 12, p. II, a. I, q. 2 and following.
- 10Hic et inferius plures codd. acceptionem.Here and below several codices [read] acceptionem ("acceptance").
- 11Cod. O supplet Dei, Vat. divinae. Inferius pro vel semper cod. Z plus semper. — Pro et codd. F G scilicet, edd. quia. — Codd. E F melius aliqui, Vat. alii. — Vide scholion ad I. huius articuli quaest.Codex O supplies Dei ("of God"), the Vatican [edition] divinae ("divine"). Below, for vel semper ("either always") codex Z [reads] plus semper ("more always"). — For et ("and") codices F and G [read] scilicet ("namely"), the editions quia ("because"). — Codices E and F better [read] aliqui ("some"), the Vatican [edition] alii ("others"). — See the scholion on question I of this article. ---