_ 30 _ So you will rebuke them with a smile and with gentle, loving words, not harsh ones, embracing them from time to time and humbling yourself before them. Do this so that they may more readily accept the reproach, because I fear that if you reprimand them with harsh words, they lose their patience, and you will convert them into enemies. I mean this mainly for powerful personages or those with authority or riches. When you hear confessions, especially in this region, before you do so encourage the penitent to examine his past life from some two or three days, calling to mind his sins, writing them down so as to reflect on them the better. Then you can hear his confession. Do not absolve him straight away, but rather defer the absolution for two or three days, giving such people some meditations to reflect upon from the first week of the Spiritual Exercises and to repent of their faults with some penance and punishment to make them sorry. Induce them to give back what they owe, or become friends, or abandon carnal and other deep-rooted sins. Oblige them do this before you absolve them because they make many promises in confession but keep few. It would be better for them to act, before you absolve them
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