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Objection 1: It would seem that Augustine defines confession
unfittingly, when he says (Super Ps. 21) that confession "lays
bare the hidden disease by the hope of pardon." For the disease
against which confession is ordained, is sin. Now sin is sometimes
manifest. Therefore it should not be said that confession is the
remedy for a "hidden" disease.
Objection 2: Further, the beginning of penance is fear. But
confession is a part of Penance. Therefore fear rather than "hope"
should be set down as the cause of confession.
Objection 3: Further, that which is placed under a seal, is not
laid bare, but closed up. But the sin which is confessed is placed
under the seal of confession. Therefore sin is not laid bare in
confession, but closed up.
Objection 4: Further, other definitions are to be found differing
from the above. For Gregory says (Hom. xl in Evang.) that
confession is "the uncovering of sins, and the opening of the
wound." Others say that "confession is a legal declaration of our
sins in the presence of a priest." Others define it thus:
"Confession is the sinner's sacramental self-accusation through
shame for what he has done, which through the keys of the Church makes
satisfaction for his sins, and binds him to perform the penance imposed
on him." Therefore it seems that the definition in question is
insufficient, since it does not include all that these include.
I answer that, Several things offer themselves to our notice in the
act of confession: first, the very substance or genus of the act,
which is a kind of manifestation; secondly, the matter manifested,
viz. sin; thirdly, the person to whom the manifestation is made,
viz. the priest; fourthly, its cause, viz. hope of pardon;
fifthly, its effect, viz. release from part of the punishment, and
the obligation to pay the other part. Accordingly the first
definition, given by Augustine, indicates the substance of the act,
by saying that "it lays bare"---the matter of confession, by
saying that it is a "hidden disease"---its cause, which is "the
hope of pardon"; while the other definitions include one or other of
the five things aforesaid, as may be seen by anyone who considers the
matter.
Reply to Objection 1: Although the priest, as a man, may
sometimes have knowledge of the penitent's sin, yet he does not know
it as a vicar of Christ (even as a judge sometimes knows a thing, as
a man, of which he is ignorant, as a judge), and in this respect it
is made known to him by confession. or we may reply that although the
external act may be in the open, yet the internal act, which is the
cause of the external act, is hidden; so that it needs to be revealed
by confession.
Reply to Objection 2: Confession presupposes charity, which gives
us life, as stated in the text (Sent. iv, D, 17). Now it is
in contrition that charity is given; while servile fear, which is void
of hope, is previous to charity: yet he that has charity is moved more
by hope than by fear. Hence hope rather than fear is set down as the
cause of confession.
Reply to Objection 3: In every confession sin is laid bare to the
priest, and closed to others by the seal of confession.
Reply to Objection 4: It is not necessary that every definition
should include everything connected with the thing defined: and for
this reason we find some definitions or descriptions that indicate one
cause, and some that indicate another.
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