Confession and Absolution

In the series of twenty-four conferences delivered in the Cathedral at Philadelphia, during this Lent, was one on God's Conditions for Pardoning Sin. At the request of many, it is now published, but under the title of Confession and Absolution. There have been made such modifications and additions as are necessitated by publication, and such others as will cover aspects of the question treated by me elsewhere in the United States.
The extracts from the Fathers which appear in the following pages are taken from the accurate and judicious collection known as Faith of Catholics, a work in three volumes, well worthy the attention and study of those who, not having a library of the Fathers, or not conversant with the classical languages, are nevertheless anxious to know the evidence of the early Christian writers concerning the doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church.
T. J. CAPEL.
Philadelphia:
Feast of Our Lady's Sorrows, 1884.
To this Second Edition there have been added certain statements and passages, to meet sundry questions addressed to the Author on the subject of Confession and Absolution.
Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph, 1884.

TEXT: God hath reconciled us to Himself by Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. For God indeed was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, and He hath placed in us the word of reconciliation; we are therefore ambassadors for Christ. —2 Cor. v, 18.
Good sense, as well as faith, tells us that having willingly committed or consented to any thought, word, or deed prohibited by God, or having knowingly and wilfully omitted any duty imposed by the divine law, then have we revolted against our God. And should this be done with full knowledge and deliberation in a matter deemed grave by the Lawgiver, or grave in its own nature, or rendered so by circumstances, then has there been a grievous transgression of our duty to God.
Deadly sin accordingly puts us at enmity with God, and deprives us of all claim on His justice. These are days when men talk much of their own rights. Little do they think to assert and uphold the rights of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. And so it escapes them that having violated their obligations to their Creator, their Redeemer, their Sanctifier, by grievous sin, they have no claim for pardon on the ground of justice; they can only appeal suppliantly to the infinite mercy and goodness of God, that their iniquities may be blotted out, that they may be restored to the position whence they have fallen, and that they may regain the habitual grace necessary for keeping the solemn obligations of baptism. This being the case, the Almighty can and does impose His conditions for reconciling the sinner and for restoring the prodigal child to the lost sonship. It is not for sinful man to dictate what such terms shall be. It is for an outraged God to enact, for the transgressor to comply with the command.