New Book: Confession

Here is another new book by Rev. Furniss. This book is titled 'Confession'.

Fr. John Furniss - Confession. It is available as a free etext for download, in PDF, RTF, and can be viewed online.

Another original work for Saints' Books prepared with the help of volunteers. Thanks be to Our Lord from whom all blessings flow.

Of the many books available on Saints' Books this is one of those books that everyone should read. It is short, simple, and gives clear guidance on how to make a proper Confession.

In times of confusion it is easy to not be taught how to make a proper Confession. This book is the remedy. It teaches Confession, Contrition, and Satisfaction and of special note are the four qualities necessary for proper Contrition.

Do you know the four qualities necessary for proper Contrition? If not you should read this book! Without Contrition there is no Absolution! Without Contrition there is no forgiveness of sins!

Samples from the ebook:

'THE sinner has not yet received Absolution. His soul is still lying in chains -- the chains of mortal sin. They are great heavy clanking chains. They are strong as the gates of Hell. Those chains go into the soul. They have eaten their way into the very inward spirit. Corruption and rottenness have grown up from the soul into the links of those chains and made them one thing with itself. Those chains go round the soul and into every part of it. The soul looks as if it was buried from the sight in those chains. Who can break those terrible chains in pieces? No man, no spirit, no devil, no angel could break them. All men and angels and devils together, could not break the least little ring of those chains. Poor soul! there is a God above who heareth the groans of them that are in fetters. Ps. 101. There is a God who is able to break those chains, who wants to break them if you only want it yourself. And, since you have come to Confession, God will break those chains. But, wait a little. The Priest is saying the words of absolution. Those words of themselves could do nothing. But there is the endless force and Almighty power of the Blood of Jesus in those words. Another moment! -- the words of absolution have struck the chains off the sinner like a flash of lightning. Those chains are snapped and broken in pieces as if they were but a bit of thread. The sinner is free!

Ps. 135. With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm God has burst the iron bars.'

'JUDAS was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. He committed a very great sin. He sold Jesus Christ to the Jews for thirty pieces of silver. But repentance came into his heart. When he heard that the Jews were going to crucify Jesus, he repented. He was very sorry for his sin. He wished with all his heart that he had not done it. He would not do it again for anything. With his heart full of sorrow, he walked to the Temple, and went in. The Temple was full of people and of priests. He went into the midst of them. They all looked at him, for they saw that he had something to say. He felt very much ashamed, but he did not mind the shame. He confessed his sin, aloud in the hearing of all the priests and the people. He said, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood! This was not all. He knew that he had done wrong to receive the thirty pieces of silver. So he gave all this money back again. What a good Confession this seemed to be. Was it, then, a good Confession? No. Judas walked out of the Temple. He went down into the valley of Josaphat. There he hanged himself on a tree, and while his dead body hung there, his bowels gushed out, and it became known to all the people. Why, then, did Judas make a bad Confession? He had everything wanted for a good Confession except one thing, which looks very little, but is very great. He had not hope. He had no hope, no confidence that God would pardon him, although God would have been very glad to pardon him. Then, before the children go to Confession, after the Act of Contrition, they should be sure to make an Act of Hope. They might say, My dear Jesus, I hope in you. I believe, I am sure, you will forgive my sins, because you died for the forgiveness of them.'