ment of the sin. Now when a man goes? to confession, he manifests repentance for his sins; and if this be so good and acceptable an action, as to make the angels in heaven to rejoice, why should I he be ashamed, and not rather approach to the sacred tribunal with joy and comfort? And though he may be under some confusion at revealing his sins to his ghostly father, yet no thoughts of shame ought to discourage him from so doing, because his confessor is bound to secresy by all laws human and divine, and cannot reveal what is told him in confession, without making himself worthy of death before God and man. Yet there can be no danger of his being scandalized, even though the crimes acknowledged be ever so foul, because, tho' he must necessarily be concerned, when he knows any one to continue under the guilt of sin, yet he cannot but rejoice when he finds him forsaking his sins, and, by repentance, returning to a new life. Then it is, that like the father of the prodigal son, he expresses more joy in the return of such a sinner, than in the good life of others, who stand not in need of repentance: for there is more satisfaction in finding the lost sheep, than in the possession of the ninety-nine that never went astray. It

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being then in the power of a repenting sinner, to make heaven and earth, God, angels, and man, to rejoice, I think he can have no reason to be ashamed of so doing. And should he be ashamed, yet still he ought to do it, in punishment of his sins, which perhaps justly deserve disgrace and eternal confusion: for who would not choose to blush and be ashamed for one moment before a ghostly father, rather than be exposed at the last day to public confusion, in the presence of angels and men, and thus begin a miserable eternity. God always knows his crimes, and if he requires him to expose them to his minister, it is for their cure; ought he not then to consider it as a singular mercy, that for the pardon of such sins as deserve hell, he should require so little. If a criminal guilty of death, were to obtain his pardon on condition of confessing his crime in private to his judge, would not he be discharged on very easy terms? What reason then has a sinner to complain of the like easy conditions, which God here offers him for the remission of his sins, the quiet of his conscience, and the avoiding eternal damnation?

Is there any thing else you mean to put the penitent in mind of before he goes to confession ?

Nothing; but again to recommend an utter detestation of all the sins he is to confess, be they never so little, with a firm resolution of amendment: for it is an abuse, says St. Francis de Sales, to confess any kind of sin, whether mortal or venial, without a will to amend : since confession was instituted for no other end.

At Confession.

BEING come to his spiritual director, let him kneel down on his right side, if convenient, with his face towards the side or back of his seat, and having made the sign of the cross, ask his blessing, saying, Benedicite, or, Pray give me your blessing; then say the Confiteor, either in English or Latin, to the words, mea maxima culpa, through my most grievous fault; and without further preamble, begin his confession thus: "Since my last confession, which was a week, fortnight, or a month ago, I accuse myself that And having sincerely declared all he can remember, let him conclude thus: "For these and all my other sins, and imperfections, which I cannot call to mind, I am heartily sorry, purpose amendment, and humbly beg pardon of God, and penance and absolution of you my ghostly father." Then humbly bowing down, go on with the

rest of the Confiteor: Ideo precor, &c. Therefore I beseech the blessed Virgin Mary, &c. Having thus finished what depends on him, let him attentively listen to the advice of his director, and when he gives him absolution, endeavour to humble his heart with all possible sorrow and contrition.

Instructions after Confession.

What should the penitent do when he returns from Confession.

He ought to retire awhile, and after returning thanks to God for the benefits received in this sacrament, renew his good purposes and resolutions: reflect on the obligation he is under of avoiding all the sins he has confessed, and embrace the means for the amendment of his failings; but especially of those he apprehends to be most dangerous, and to which he finds himself most subject: for I think that a person who, as soon as he has done his confession, thinks no more of his sins, nor of the danger he is in of relapsing, nor of the means he is to use for avoiding them, does his work but by halves, and will soon find it undone. Therefore he ought to humble himself in the presence of Almighty God, and most earnestly pray for grace and strength whereby he may be enabled to acquit

himself of his duty, fly the occasions of sin, resist all the temptations to evil, and confess his own weakness. Then let him resign himself to the divine protec tion, and not depart till he has begged pardon for all the defects in. his present or past confessions, to be supplied through the infinite merits of Jesus Christ.

Then you do not approve of those, who, as soon as they return from confession, turn their thoughts immediately to their other affairs, or engage in unnecessary conversation, &c.?

If there be any that do so, without being compelled by some extraordinary accident or circumstance, besides the great indecency, I look upon them as failing in all those points of their duty before mentioned: and as they expect the grace of God for the amendment of their sins, they are bound to adopt a better method.

Prayers after Confession.

I RETURN thee thanks, O loving Father, for having admitted me to this sacrament, wherein suffering thy mercy to take place of thy justice, thou hast cast all my sins out of thy sight. Grant me now thy grace, O Lord, that by a sincere and perfect contrition, my re pentance may be like that of David and Peter, that my offences being effectually