A Preparation For Confession.
There is scarcely any duty of greater importance in religion, than to receive the Sacrament of Penance with the necessary dispositions. Penance is as indispensably requisite for those who have fallen into sin after baptism, as baptism itself is for such as have never been baptized. It is a second plank after the shipwreck of sin, without which the sinner must inevitably perish. But then it is to be observed, that this sacrament must be received with the necessary dispositions. The cleansing of the baptismal robe, and restoring it to its original purity, is not to be effected without much labour and application. It would be absurd to imagine, that the unchangeable justice of God, which could not be satisfied but by the sufferings of Jesus Christ, and which, notwithstanding these sufferings, doth still condemn to eternal torments the unrepenting sinner; it would be absurd, I say, to imagine that his justice should now be appeased by a superficial or outward compliance with this duty, accompanied perhaps with insincerity, gross negligence, or a fixed adherence to mortal sin, and therefore destitute of real sorrow, change of heart, and a firm purpose of amendment. The enormity of sin is the same at this day as it ever was; it is as unchangeable as God himself; because it is essentially a rebellion against him; a breach of his law, an insult offered to his eternal Majesty, and consequently not more remissable at present in the sacrament of penance, than at the earliest period of Christianity, when the severest discipline prevailed, and when the fervour of primitive penitents was so ardent.—Hence, that this merciful institution may never be frustrated of its end, and in order that the sinner may always receive the pardon of his offences, we must strictly fulfil these five following conditions:
I. An examination of conscience, that we may know all our sins.
II. A heart-felt sorrow for having committed them.
III. A firm resolution never to commit them again.
IV. A candid and humble confession of them to a priest empowered to absolve us.
V. A desire or intention of satisfying God, and our neighbour also, if injured.
A Protestation
Before The Examination Of Conscience.
O God, the searcher of all hearts, behold, I here protest, in thy presence, that what I now design is sincerely for the honour of thy name, and because I heartily desire to be delivered from the guilt of my sins: therefore I come to thy sacrament of penance, that, complying with thy holy institution, I may obtain thy blessing and pardon, as thou has promised. May thy holy grace assist me in performing this great duty well, as it is thy mercy which has called me to it.
Think seriously, and with the most lively gratitude, on all the benefits God hath so liberally bestowed on you, and particularly for his goodness in preparing this sacrament as a remedy for your sins.
How great are my obligations to thee, O my God, in thus providing for me, after my disgrace, the means of a perfect reconciliation. To have purified me in the waters of baptism, was not enough; thou hast also left me the waters of penance, to wash me still more from my iniquities, and cleanse me from my sins. For this end thou hast left to the church, in the persons of the apostles, the power of remitting our offences: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins ye shall forgive, shall be forgiven." O what Excessive goodness! What an advantage to poor sinners, to have a tribunal established for them, always open, where they may be received into favour! Can I ever be insensible to so striking an instance of thy bounty? I have withdrawn myself from thee by a formal contempt of thy law, and thou art pleased to make the first advances to meet me: O Father of mercies, and God of goodness, be thou for ever blessed! Permit me to fly to this powerful refuge; and suffer not that, by a new ingratitude, I should for the future ever abuse so excellent a resource of salvation. No: it is not human respect, nor custom, nor the fear of being thought careless of my soul, that brings me at present to this sacrament of reconciliation; no, it is a sincere regret for having incurred thy displeasure; for who can be at rest, O my God, when he knows that he is thy enemy, and that he has offended the very best of fathers?