Dist. 17, Part 2, Art. 2, Q. 2
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/4/d/17/q/bon-sent-IV-d17-p2-a2-q2
----------------------------------------
### Question II. *Whether the sinner is bound to confess at once, when he can.*

Secondly, as to the time it is asked whether the sinner is bound to confess at once, when he can. And that he is, it seems.

1. Hugh of Saint Victor: « If there is no necessity that can be alleged, contempt is not excused »; but when the opportunity of confessing presents itself, no necessity can be alleged: therefore he is not excused from contempt.

2. Likewise, the longer a man remains in sin, the more unfit he is: therefore the sooner he confesses, the more fit he is for rising again; but it is established that one is at some time bound to confess, and only when he is more fit: if therefore he is the more fit, the sooner [he confesses]; therefore as soon as he can, he is bound to confess.

3. Likewise, one sick with a bodily and dangerous illness, who is approaching death and does not know [the hour of] death, is bound to seek a physician and consult [him] without delay and at once, if opportunity presents itself: therefore since the spiritual illness is greater, and the danger greater, and the day of death unknown; it seems that he is bound to confess without delay.

4. Likewise, he who is in grace is bound never to fall: therefore conversely, he who is in fault — that he may not draw advantage from evil — is bound never to be in fault: therefore if he is bound never to be in fault, and this cannot be except by rising again; before he rises again, he is bound always to rise again: therefore at once, from the moment he sinned. But confession is for relieving from sin: therefore etc.

**On the contrary:**

1. An affirmative precept does not bind for all time, but for some determinate time; but whenever a determination of time is added to an indeterminate thing, no one is bound to observe it before that time; but in the second commandment concerning confession it is said that one ought to confess once a year: therefore it seems that he is not a transgressor, whether he omits or whether he defers to confess up to a year.

2. Likewise, if he is bound to [confess] at once, by parity of reasoning [he is bound] in another moment, and since there are now infinite [moments] in time; he would then sin infinitely, if he were to omit [it]; but this is unfitting: therefore etc. If you say that he is bound at once, when he recognizes the offense; *on the contrary:* suppose he does not bethink himself, he is not bound; but this is an evil and a negligence: therefore he draws advantage from malice.

3. Likewise, in the same decretal the command is given concerning the Eucharist and under the same penalty; but it is established that no one sins by omitting [it], if he defers to receive the Eucharist up to Easter: therefore by parity of reasoning concerning confession.

4. Likewise, it is lawful for the sinner to seek a discreet priest and wait: therefore it is also lawful to seek a suitable time and wait for doing penance and making satisfaction; but this is the time of Lent instituted for this: therefore it seems that it is lawful without sin to wait for Lent.

### Conclusion

> **Conclusion.** *These too, who are bound to confess not only from ecclesiastical institution but also from grave transgression, are not bound under [pain of] grave [sin] to confess actually at once, except in a case according to the various circumstances.*

**I respond:** Concerning this it must be noted that confession may be spoken of in two ways: either as to the inward purpose, or as to the outward word. If as to the inward purpose, then it is commonly granted that one is bound to purpose to confess, when and to be contrite, because without the purpose of confessing and amending sin is not remitted, just as not without contrition. To this, moreover, one is bound, when he calls to mind the fault committed and the offense against God, or when a time presents itself in which he ought to recall [it], as in the hour of death, or in danger, or in some other similar [circumstance].

But as to when one is bound to proceed to the act, here different [men] hold differently. — For some say that, since the act of confessing is not necessary for justification — because justification is through contrition — and so confession is necessary only because it is in the precept, and the Church does not require [it] before Easter; that he is not bound beforehand, unless the danger of death is imminent. And of this delay they say that license has been granted by that decretal issued in the general Council: « Everyone of either sex » etc.

The opinion of others is that, just as one is bound to the purpose of confessing, when the inward opportunity presents itself; so one is bound to the work, when the outward [opportunity] presents itself; for either the purpose is not efficacious, or one falls away from an efficacious purpose, if, when the opportunity presents itself, it does not issue into the work. And they say that the opportunity presents itself, when one has an abundance of a discreet priest and the memory of the sin committed. Nor does the decretal stand in the way, because it does not give license for deferring, but forbids negligence and delay; just as the Church forbids that anyone remain in excommunication beyond a year; yet it does not give license for remaining up to that hour. Likewise, if an emperor gives to some infamous person the privilege that there be no proceeding against him, as against an infamous [person]; he does not on this account free [him] from the mark of infamy, but only from the penalty, that there be no proceeding against him. So that decretal does not free from the holding [to confess] and the offense, but [provides] that the Church not deny to anyone entrance into the church, or even burial, as it does afterward. If therefore before the framing of the decretal he was bound to confess, when the opportunity offered itself; so it seems that [he is bound likewise] after its framing, because the decretal was issued not for the negligent, but against the negligent.

But which of these opinions is the truer is doubtful and difficult to judge. Nevertheless, for the clearer understanding of the truth, a distinction can be made, when it is asked to when the faithful one is obliged to confess, [namely] that according to the twofold obligation which was touched on above, and according to the twofold command, the answer is to be given in different ways. For some are obliged to confession not from a fault committed, but from ecclesiastical institution, as those who do not have mortal sins. Such [persons] can defer up to Easter, because the command of that decretal does not bind, except as it binds to the Eucharist, for which confession made to a priest prepares. But some are obliged not only from ecclesiastical institution, but from their own transgression; and these are bound from the institution of the Sacrament. To assert generally of such [persons] that they can defer up to Easter seems to me dangerous; likewise, that they are bound always to confess, when opportunity presents itself; seems very hard. Therefore it seems that one should reasonably hold the mean, namely that the opportunity of place, time, and priest can present itself before Easter in three ways: either so that it is feared lest it ever present itself, as is the case in those who are gravely ill, and such are bound without doubt to confession; or so that a greater opportunity is awaited, whether as to time or as to priest, and thus [confession] can be deferred without any sin; or so that a greater opportunity is never reasonably awaited, neither as to priest nor as to time, and then I believe, without prejudice, that he is bound.

And therefore one thing must be judged here of a religious, another of a layman. For to a religious the whole time of life is a time of penitence; and therefore, an abundance of a priest being had, if he has sinned mortally, I believe that he is bound to confess without delay and to have recourse to him; and let "without delay" be understood as right reason has determined. — But a layman can reasonably wait for the Lenten time, which is a time of penitence. Hence since the time is more opportune for them for making satisfaction and confessing, if they wait, it is reasonable to judge that they do not sin, provided they firmly purpose to confess at that time. — But of clerics I do not dare to judge; yet I believe [it] my counsel to them that all who fall through mortal [sin] should confess as soon as they can. For he does not seem truly contrite who for so long a time carries the wound of sin hidden. But if you object to me that the state does not bind anyone except by vow; I respond that the state does not bind, but the command given to all; and to this [moment] or to that the opportunity binds, which presents itself in different ways to different [persons]. And that holds true in all affirmative [precepts], that one [person] is bound for some time, to which time indeed another is not bound, as is clear in the honor of parents. It must therefore be confessed that that command binds no one to [confess] at once except in a case, as has been seen.

**To the arguments for the affirmative side:**

1. To that, then, which is objected, that contempt is not excused; it must be said that he calls "necessity" not only the unavoidable, but a necessity-of-convenience. — Or it must be said that he speaks of those who depart from this life without the Sacraments, who are not excused, if they can then receive the Sacrament.

2. To that which is objected, that one confessing sooner is more fit; it must be said that a man can rise again from sin before confession, as has been seen; and therefore, since it has been wiped away through contrition, that does not follow.

3. To that which is objected concerning one sick with a bodily illness, it must be said that if he sees another way of cure, he is not bound to consult a physician, or even, if he awaits a more fitting time; and because it is so in the matter at hand: therefore etc.

4. To that which is objected, that he is bound never to fall; it must be said that it is not alike: because to be bound to not falling is the holding of a negative precept, which binds for all time; but to be bound to rising again is the holding of an affirmative [precept], which does not bind for all time.

**To the contrary:**

To that which is objected for the contrary, it must be said that, as far as concerns the command of that decretal, they are not obliged before Easter, as those reasons prove; yet some are obliged from the necessity of the institution of the Sacrament.

---