Concerning Various Sins — To Be Healed in Sacramental Confession

The sins which are to be healed can all easily be reduced to those which are directly opposed to the duties of the several states, to the more principal sins which are opposed to the diverse virtues and to the precepts of the Decalogue, and to those which are wont to be the cause of many others and which therefore are called capital.

It is certainly not our mind to speak concerning all and each of these, but only concerning some which present a peculiar difficulty, or demand special attention or care of healing. Therefore concerning the manner of healing them and concerning remedies to be suggested against them, we here set forth certain things from approved authors.¹

¹ Cf. the list of authors which we gave in the little work Concerning Various Categories of Penitents, in the introduction.

Moreover the questions to be treated can be reduced to the following:

I. Concerning diverse sins according to state and condition of life:

1. Concerning spouses.
2. Concerning children and parents.
3. Concerning masters and servants.
4. Concerning public officials.
5. Concerning physicians and pharmacists.
6. Concerning merchants and soldiers.
7. Concerning priests and pastors.
8. Concerning religious and nuns.

II. Concerning various sins against the virtues and the precepts of the Decalogue:

Section A. Concerning sins against God:

1. Concerning certain sins against faith.
2. Concerning certain sins against reverence for God.
3. Concerning the sin against the service of God, or concerning the violation of Sunday.

Section B. Concerning sins against one's neighbor:

1. Concerning sins against the internal goods of life and body.
2. Concerning scandal, which is opposed to spiritual goods.
3. Concerning adultery, which is opposed to the good of marriage.
4. Concerning sins against the external goods of fortune and concerning restitution owed for them.
5. Concerning hatred of neighbor, which is a cause of harming reputation, honor, and friendship.

III. Concerning capital sins, which are the cause of other sins:

1. Concerning pride and vain-glory.
2. Concerning avarice.
3. Concerning gluttony.
4. Concerning lust.
5. Concerning sloth.
6. Concerning envy.
7. Concerning anger.