The Writings of Saint Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland/A Newly-Discovered Confession attributed to St. Patrick

by Saint Patrick

 

V.—A NEWLY-DISCOVERED CONFESSION ATTRIBUTED TO ST. PATRICK.

Introductory Remarks.

FRESH contribution to the Patrician literature has recently appeared in the Revue Celtique (Vol. xv., No. 2) for April, 1894. Paris: Librairie Emile Bouillon, editor: published under the superintendence of eminent Celtic scholars. The chief editors are H. d'Arbois de Jubainville, Membre de l'Institut, Professor in the College de France, with J. Loth, Dean of the Faculty of Letters at Rennes; E. Ernault, Professor of the Faculty of Letters at Poitiers, and G. Dottin, Master of Conferences of the Faculty of Letters at Rennes, Editorial Secretary. The article is written by M. Samuel Berger, Professor in the Protestant Theological Faculty, Paris, and is entitled, Confession des Péchés attribuée a saint Patrice.

This Confession is given by M. Berger in the original Latin, of which we subjoin a translation in English, in order to render our edition of The Writings of St. Patrick as complete as possible.

M. Berger states in the opening note to his article that this confession was discovered in the library of the town of Angers, capital of the Department of Maine and Loire. The manuscript is numbered Angers 14, and is a MS. of the ninth, or rather of the ninth or tenth century. The Confessio begins at folio 180 verso, at the end of the Gallican Psalter, immediately followed by canticles and a litany, in which are invocations addressed to the saints of the centre and north of France (from Bourges and Poitiers to Cologne and Liege), together with St. Boniface, St. Columba, and St. Gall. St. Boniface was an English missionary; but St. Columba and St. Gall, it may be noted, were both missionaries from Ireland. The Confession of St. Patrick is followed at folio 183 verso by the 'Confessio quam beatus Alcuinus composuit Domino Karolo imperatori,' or the confession which St. Alcuin composed for the use of the Emperor Charles the Great. Alcuin was a native of York, trained and educated in that city. He established a school in connection with the monastery of Tours about A.D. 796. The MS. contains other pieces, especially prayers. M. Berger thinks the MS. must have been written at Tours, for the writing exhibits the marks specially characteristic of the MSS. written in that famous monastery. Tours, it must be remembered, is not very far distant further up the Loire.

When one examines into the style of the Confessio before us, it cannot be denied that its Latin is very different from that which appears in the Confession or autobiography preserved in the Book of Armagh and the other ancient MSS. noticed in our Introduction. In a piece of this charaftcr, copied into the Angers MS., as a confession for the use of private Christians, and not because of any special value in relation to the life of St. Patrick himself, the scribe might have had no scruple whatever in correcting, according to his ability, instances of faulty Latin, such as abound in St. Patrick's own writings. It would also be natural to make St. Patrick's quotations from Scripture conform to the Vulgate version which was in common use for ages prior to the ninth century. Although there are cases of doubtful Latinity in the Latin original edited by M. Berger, it is clear that St. Patrick could not have written Latin as pure as that found in this MS. The Latinity of the piece may not, for the reason stated, be quite conclusive against its Patrician authorship. Nor is the Patrician authorship conclusively disproved by the fact that the Bible quotations, where not loosely quoted from memory, are in this confession all derived from the Vulgate.

M. Berger observes that these books of penitence appear to have come originally from Ireland. Books of that kind seem to have been designed to teach those who used them how to make their humble confessions before God in prayer. M. Berger remarks that the names of authors are in several cases apparently assigned to them at random. He remarks that the Penitential of St. Columba is the first work in the series of such compositions, the authenticity of which can be affirmed with certainty. He considers the Confession of Angers to be probably a genuine Irish work, although it is more than doubtful that St. Patrick was its author. But when we reflect on the close connection into which the monastery of Tours, where it was probably written, was brought with Ireland, it is possible that the scribe may have had evidence in favour of the Patrician authorship, which has not come down to us. In its present form the language of this Confessio, if a work of St. Patrick, must have undergone considerable revision, a revision which, under the circumstances, was natural and justifiable.

Turning next to internal evidence, if the piece be regarded as a personal confession of sins, and not one drawn up for the use of converts, there are several points which are inconsistent with St. Patrick's genuine writings. Though he was fully aware from our Lord's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount that sins of uncleanness may be committed by evil thoughts as well as by evil actions, it is difficult to suppose that St. Patrick could have been guilty of such transgressions as this Confession would lead us to conclude. He denies explicitly in his genuine Confession (see pp. 68, 69) that he ever received gifts, while in this newly-found Confession he confesses himself guilty of that sin.

Whatever St. Patrick's early career may have been, and, according to his own statements, prior to his captivity he did not live a holy life (see pp. 47, 50, 58, 61), it is hard to imagine he could have had opportunity to transgress in the way of gluttony and riotous living as described in this writing.

After careful consideration of the composition, we must therefore view it, not as designed to be a record of the author's own personal frailties, but rather as a touchstone by which his converts might examine into their individual lives.

Two points, however, in this newly-discovered Confession are in favour of its belonging to the age of St. Patrick—namely, the reference to sinning by divinations (compare stanza 6 of the Irish hymn), and to sinning by partaking of polluted food. The story of St. Patrick's being tempted to eat honey offered in sacrifice to idols, as told in the genuine Confession at p. 54, may illustrate the latter.

The last ten lines of the special confession of sins do appear to have a sort of Patrician ring about them.

The doctrine of the Angers Confession is in harmony with the primitive faith set forth in St. Patrick's writings. There is not one word in it which contains the slightest allusion to the invocation of saints or angels, although angels are alluded to as witnesses of the sins of men. Christ is described as being alone without sin, a doctrine inconsistent with the late mediæval notion of the sinlessness of the Virgin Mary.

It is important also to note that there is no reference in the Confession to any 'auricular confession' made to a priest; and the expressions used in the commencement of the last paragraph which speak of Christ as the High Priest to whom sin is to be confessed, are opposed to any such practice.

Although it is true that this confession of sins is drawn up without any order,' and that, short as it is, it contains various repetitions, the doctrine set forth is highly Evangelical. And as it is probably of an Irish type, it seems to prove that the doctrines of the Irish missionaries of that date were in the main pure and Scriptural. The Divinity of Christ—for the composition is a confession addressed to Christ, and to Him alone—is unmistakably affirmed. There are but two allusions to God the Father, and one to the Holy Spirit, which all occur at the end of the first paragraph.

This new discovery is then of sufficient importance to justify our exhibiting here a complete translation of its text.

[Here] begins the Confession of Saint Patrick, Bishop.

God, my God, omnipotent King, I humbly adore Thee. Thou art King of kings, Lord of lords.^[1] Thou art the Judge of every age.^[2] Thou art the Redeemer of souls. Thou art the Liberator of those who believe. Thou art the Hope of those who toil. Thou art the Comforter of those in sorrow. Thou art the Way to those who wander. Thou art Master to the nations.^[3] Thou art the Creator of all creatures. Thou art the Lover of all good. Thou art the Prince of all virtues. Thou art the joy of all Thy saints. Thou art life perpetual.^[4] Thou art joy in truth.^[5] Thou art the exultation in the eternal fatherland.^[6] Thou art the Light of light.^[7] Thou art the Fountain of holiness. Thou art the glory of God the Father in the height. Thou art Saviour of the world. Thou art the plenitude of the Holy Spirit. Thou sittest at the right hand of God the Father on the throne, reigning for ever.

I seek for forgiveness of my sins, O my God, Jesus Christ. Thou art He who desirest no one to perish, 'but have all men saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.'^[8] Thou, O God, with Thy holy and chaste mouth hast said: In whatever day the sinner may be converted 'living he shall live and shall not die.'^[9] I will return to Thee, O God, and with all my heart^[10] will cry to Thee, my God, and to Thee now I desire to confess my sins. My transgressions are multiplied above me,^[11] because my sins have no number before Thine eyes. O Lord, I appear [i.e., stand before Thee] a witness accused by conscience. I dare not ask what I do not deserve to obtain. For Thou knowest, Lord, all things which are done in us, and we blush to confess what by ourselves^[12] we do not fear to commit. In words alone [tantum] we obey Thee, in heart we lie. And what we do not say we desire we approve of by our acts.^[13] Spare, Lord, those confessing, pardon those sinning. Pity those asking Thee, for in Thy mysteries my perception is weak.^[14] Show, Lord, Thou who dost not receive prayers [verba] from us^[15] with hard heart, that through Thee Thou mayest bestow pardon on us, O Jesus Christ our Lord.^[16]

I will confess to Thee, my God, because I have sinned in heaven and in earth,^[17] and before Thee, and before Thy angels, and before the face of all Thy saints.

I have sinned by negligence of Thy commands and of my deeds.

I have sinned by pride and by envy.

I have sinned by detraction and by avarice.

I have sinned by luxury^[18] and by malice.

I have sinned by fornication and by gluttony.^[19]

I have sinned by false testimony and by hatred of men.

I have sinned by theft and by robbery [rapinam].

I have sinned by blasphemy and by the desire of the flesh.

I have sinned by drunkenness and by hateful tales.

I have sinned by contentions and by quarrelling.

I have sinned by swearing and anger.

I have sinned by earthly and transitory joy.

I have sinned by fear and by the weakness (?) of my mind [suavitatem mentis meæ].

I have sinned by deceit and by murmuring.

I have sinned by the instability of faith of mind, and by the impiety of doubt.^[20]

I have sinned by unmercifulness and by despising of men.

I have sinned by corrupt and wicked works [&] judgments.

I have sinned by negligence and by forgetfulness of the works of God.

I have sinned by wandering and subtlety of my mind.^[21]

I have sinned by impatience and by imperfection of hope.

I have sinned by hardness and by blindness of heart and mind.

I have sinned by forgetfulness^[22] of the love of God and of my neighbour.

I have sinned by disobedience and by the loss of good ordinances.^[23]

I have sinned by the loss of heavenly desires and by the love of earthly things.

I have sinned by inclinations to evil, and by deceitful arguments.

I have sinned by evil examples, and by the uncleanness of humanity.

I have sinned by vain melancholy,^[24] and by stupor of mind.

I have sinned by feigned humility, and loss of the love of God.

I have sinned by cursing, and by divinations.^[25]

I have sinned by the non-accomplishment of my vows and by wicked inventions.

I have sinned by [over-] investigation^[26] of the majesty of God, and of heavenly life.

I have sinned by pomps of the body, and by canvassing for the favours of men.

I have sinned by the intemperance of mirth and madness.

I have sinned by laziness and indolence of mind.

I have sinned by counsels of iniquity, and by returning of evil.

I have sinned by concupiscence and by perpetration of lust.

I have sinned by consent to, and by knowledge of, evil ads and words.

I have sinned by works upon the Lord's day and by illuring imaginations.^[27]

I have sinned by sorrow of the world,^[28] and by love of money,^[29] and by ambitions after honours.

I have sinned by restlessness and by bitterness of mind.

I have sinned by useless joy, and by scurrility, by grievous words, and by intemperance of clamour.

I have sinned by desperation, and by impurity of confession.

I have sinned by imperfection, and negligence of amendment.

I have sinned by presumption and despair.

I have sinned by acceptance of unjust gifts and by the punishments of impious acts.

I have sinned by pretence, and by pleasing of myself.

I have sinned by silence concerning righteousness, and iniquity, and flattery.

I have sinned by rioting^[30] and by taking of polluted food,^[31] and by suggestions of the devil, and by the delight of the spirit, and by knowledge of the flesh.

I have sinned in my eyes and in my ears.

I have sinned in my hands, and in my mouth, and in my lips, and in all my deeds.

I have sinned in tongue and in throat.

I have sinned in neck and in breast.

I have sinned in heart and in cogitations.

I have sinned in mind and in operations.

I have sinned in hands and in feet.

I have sinned in bones and in flesh.

I have sinned in marrow and in veins.

I have sinned in my mind and in my whole body.

If now Thy vengeance will be upon me as great as my sins have been multiplied in myself, how shall I sustain Thy judgment? But I have Thee as the High Priest^[32] to whom I confess all my sins. [I do] that to Thee alone, my God,^[33] because 'I have sinned against Thee alone,^[34] and done evil before Thee.'^[35] And because Thou art, O God, alone without sin, I beseech Thee, O Lord my God, by Thy passion, and by the sign of Thy salvation-bringing cross, and by the shedding of Thy blood, in order that Thou mayest grant to me remission of all my sins. I beg Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou wilt not render to me according to my deserving, but according to Thy great compassion. Judge me, O Lord, according to the judgment of Thy indulgence. I beg Thee and I adjure Thee, O my God omnipotent, that Thou mayest plant in me Thy love and fear. Awake in me repentance of my sins, and sorrow, for Thy name's sake. Give to me the remembrance of Thy commands, and assist me, O my God, blot out my iniquity from Thy sight, and turn not away Thy face from my prayer. 'Cast me not out from Thy presence.'^[36] Leave me not, my God, neither depart from me, but confirm me in Thy will. Teach me what I ought not to do, what to do, or to speak, what to keep silent. Defend me, O Lord my God, against the darts of the devil, and against the angel of hell suggesting and teaching many evil things.^[37] Do not desert me, O Lord my God, nor leave Thy miserable servant, but assist me, my God, and perform in me Thy teaching.^[38] Teach me to do Thy will, because Thou art my teacher and my God,^[39] who reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

 

1. ⁠ The original is here 'rex regum, dominus dominantium,' which is an exact quotation (et only being omitted) of the Vulgate rendering of Rev. xix. 16.
2. ⁠ The phrase here employed, 'arbiter omnis seculi,' conveys a deep thought, if we could regard the writer as fully conscious of the difference in meaning between the Latin words 'arbiter' and 'judex,' the former of which signifies one who gives judgment according to what is right and equitable, the latter, one who judges according to strict law.
3. ⁠ The expression, 'magister gentibus,' here employed is somewhat peculiar.
4. ⁠ 'Vita perpetua.'
5. ⁠ 'Lætitia in veritate.'
6. ⁠ 'Tu es exultatio in æterna patria.'
7. ⁠ The original is here 'lux lucis,' which must be distinguished from the Latin 'lumen de lumine,' used as the translation of the expression in the Nicene Creed, φῶς ἐκ φωτός, which conveys the idea of Christ as the Light proceeding from the Father, the fountain of light.
8. ⁠ 1 Tim. ii. 4, the portion enclosed within inverted commas is identical with the Vulgate translation. Hence we have given the wording of the Rheims translation in the so-called Douay Bible.
9. ⁠ This is the Douay rendering of Ezek. xviii. 21, as the Latin of the original of the words under quotation marks is identical with the Vulgate of that passage, 'vita vivet et non morietur.'
10. ⁠ Lat. 'in omni corde.'
11. ⁠ Lat. 'multiplicata sunt delicta mea super me.' Such passages as Isa. lix, 12 and Psa. xl. 12 may have been in the writer's mind, but there is no actual quotation of Scripture.
12. ⁠ Lat. 'per nos.'
13. ⁠ The Latin here is 'et quod velle nos dicimus, nostris actibus adprobamus.' M. Berger suggests that nos is a mistake for non. We have followed his suggestion in the translation above, but with some hesitation.
14. ⁠ The Latin is 'quia in sacramentis tuis meus sensus infirmus est.' The words are easy to translate, though the meaning conveyed thereby is not quite clear.
15. ⁠ Lat. 'qui ex nobis duro corde verba non suscipis.'
16. ⁠ The Latin is here at fault. 'Jhesus Christus Dominus noster' is in the nominative, and not in the vocative case.
17. ⁠ The Latin here is faulty, 'ego peccavi in cælo et in terra et coram te.' The Vulgate in Luke xv. 21 has correctly 'peccavi in cœlum et coram te.'
18. ⁠ Lat. 'luxoriam' instead of 'luxuriam.'
19. ⁠ Lat. 'peccavi per fornicationem et per gulam.'
20. ⁠ Lat. 'peccavi per instabilitatem mentis fidei et per dubietatis impietatem.'
21. ⁠ Lat. 'peccavi per vagationem et per discretionem mentis meæ.' In late Latin 'discretio' is sometimes used in the meaning of judgment, perhaps here with the idea of straining after matters too high, Comp. Psa. cxxxi.
22. ⁠ The MS. has 'per observationem.' M. Berger corrects 'per [in]observationem.'
23. ⁠ The Latin is, 'per amissionem bonorum constitutorum.'
24. ⁠ The Latin is, 'per accidiam vanam et per stuporem mentis.' 'Accidia,' more correctly spelled 'acedia' (see Du Cange's Glossarium med. et infimæ Latin.), is the Greek ἀκηδία, loss of care, and then grief, or melancholy, sometimes arising from ennui. Jerome explains 'acedia' as a disease common among monks.
25. ⁠ Compare the references to spells and other divinations of that kind in the Hymn of St. Patrick.
26. ⁠ Lat. 'per scrutationem Majestatis Dei.'
27. ⁠ Lat. 'per dominici diei operationes et per inlecebr[os]as cogitationes.' So M. Berger corrects the MS. reading.
28. ⁠ Lat. 'per tristitiam seculi,' a thought evidently borrowed from 2 Cor. vii. 10, where the same expression is used in the Vulgate.
29. ⁠ Lat. 'et per amorem pecuniæ;' comp. 1 Tim. vi. 10, but the Vulgate has there 'cupiditas' and not 'amor pecuniæ.'
30. ⁠ Lat. 'per commessationem.'
31. ⁠ Compare the story of St. Patrick having refused the honey offered in sacrifice to false gods, as told in his Confession, at p. 44.
32. ⁠ Lat, 'sed habeo te sacerdotem summum ad quem confiteor omnia peccata mea.'
33. ⁠ Lat. 'Id tibi soli, Deus meus.'
34. ⁠ Quoted exactly from the Vulgate version, Psa. l. 6 (in English version, Psa. li. 4).
35. ⁠ Lat. 'fletum.'
36. ⁠ The Lat. is identical with that in Psa. l. 13 in the Vulgate version; the Psalm in the English version is Psa. li. 11.
37. ⁠ Compare St. Patrick's references to the devil in the Epistle to Coroticus, pp. 68 and 69.
38. ⁠ Lat. 'doctrinam meam.'
39. ⁠ A quotation from the Vulgate version, Psa. cxlii, 10, with the insertion of the words 'tu es doctor meus et,' 'Thou art my teacher and.' The Psalm in the English Bible is Psa. cxliii, 10