Much obviously depends upon the
wisdom and common sense of the director. The Prayer-book refers
penitents to a "discreet and learned" minister of GOD'S Word. If a man
proposes to practise habitual confession he will do well to assure
himself of the discretion and learning of the priest whose help he
seeks.
The method of making a sacramental confession is simple. Self-
examination is made beforehand, the results being, if need be, written
down, either in full, or in the form of notes to assist the memory. A
first confession should cover the whole life so far as remembered,
from childhood upwards: subsequent confessions the period since the
last was made. The confession should aim at completeness, an effort
being made to remember not only specific acts of wrongdoing, but
slight failings and weaknesses of character and the general lines and
tendencies of faulty spiritual development. Symptoms should, if
possible, be distinguished from causes, habits and tendencies and
besetting sins from isolated acts. Cases in which a sin has been
deliberate should be noted as such: but there should be no dwelling
upon extenuating circumstances or intermingling of claims to virtues
or graces of character with the admission of defects.
Pages:
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237