Dist. 17, Part 2, Art. 2, Q. 3
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-q3
----------------------------------------
### 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 perishes; 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 fifteen: 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 charity: 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 below; 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 approach 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 charity: therefore it seems that neither [are we bound] to confession [out of charity].

3. Likewise, no one knows that he has charity: 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 eucharist. 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], 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 *acceptation* 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 sometimes 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.

---