{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/214/2140169.htm","path":"chr/ecf/214/2140169.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/214/2140169.htm","text":"They who have sinned in divers particulars, if they have persevered in the prayer of confession and penance, and are wholly converted from their faults, shall be received again to communion, through the mercy and goodness of God, after a time of penance appointed to them, in proportion to the nature of their offence.\nThose who have fallen unto various faults and have confessed them with compunction, and done the penance suitable to them, shall be favourably received.\np. 126 Hefele.\nVan Espen and others were of opinion that this canon treated only of those who had themselves been guilty of various criminal acts, and it has been asked whether any one guilty not only of one gross sin, but of several of various kinds, might also be again received into communion. It seems to me, however, that this canon with the words, \u201cthose who have sinned in divers particulars,\u201d simply means that \u201csinners of various kinds shall be treated exactly in proportion to the extent of their fall.\u201d That the question is not necessarily of different sins committed by the same person appears from the words, \u201cin proportion to the nature of their offence,\u201d as the singular, not the plural, is here used.\nBut Van Espen, with Aubespine, is clearly right in not referring the words, \u201cif they persevere in confession and repentance,\u201d to sacramental confession, to which the expression \u201cpersevere\u201d would not be well suited. Here is evidently meant the oft-repeated contrite confession before God and the congregation in prayer of sins committed, which preceded sacramental confession and absolution.\nThis canon is found in the Corpus Juris Canonici, Gratian\u2019s Decretum, Pars II., Causa XXVI., Qu\u00e6st. vii., can. iv.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Ser. II, Vol. XIV: The Ca...","type":"page"}