ommandments of God;[7] not, therefore, mere thoughts about a
virgin or a woman, nor, on the other hand, the thoughts of a
woman about a youth, nor the affections or ardor of lust, that is
to say, the inclinations of the one sex toward the other, however
unseemly, nor, I would add, even passions of this sort; for these
thoughts are frequently passions inspired by the flesh, the
world, or the devil, which the soul is compelled unwillingly to
bear, sometimes for a long while, even for a whole day, or a
week; as the apostle Paul confesses of his thorn in the flesh. [2
Cor. 12:7]

The consequence of all this is that a purpose to avoid these
things is impossible and vain and deceitful, for the inclinations
and desires of the sexes for one another do not cease so long as
occasion is given them, and the devil is not quiet, and out whole
nature is sin. But those who wish to be without sin and who
believe that man is sound and whole, erect these crosses for us
that we may not cease to confess (even to the priest) what things
soever tickle us never so little. Therefore, if these hidden
things of the heart ought to be confessed at all, only those
things should be confessed which involve full consent to the
deed; and such things happen very rarely or never to those who
wish to lead pious lives, even though they are constantly
harassed by desires and passions.

EIGHT

[Sidenote: Mortal and Venial Sins]

At this place we should also speak of that race of audacious
theologians who are born to the end that the true fear of God may
be extinguished in human hearts, and that they may smite the
whole world with false terrors. It might seem that Christ was
speaking of them when he told of "terrors from heaven." [Luke
21:11 Vulg.] These are the men who have undertaken to distinguish
for us between mortal and venial sin. When men have heard that a
certain sin is venial, they are careless and wholly leave off
fearing God, as if He counted a venial sin for naught; again, if
they have heard that the consent of the heart is a mortal sin,
and if they have failed to listen to the precepts of the Church,
or have committed some other trifling offence, there is no place
in their hearts for Christ, because of the confusion made by the
roaring sea of a troubled conscience.

Against these teachers it should be known that a man ought to
give up in despair the idea that he can ever confess all his
mortal sins, and that the doctrine which is contain