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CHAP. II.

OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SACRAMENT OF PE NANCE AND THAT OF BAPTISM.

MOREOVER it is evident that this sacrament differs in many respects from baptism. For besides its being very dissimilar both in the matter and form, which constitute the essence of a sacrament; it is mani, fest also, that it does not appertain to the minister of baptism, to act in the capacity of a judge; the church exercising no jurisdiction over a person before his entry into her bosom through baptism. For what have I to do, says the Apostle, to judge them that are without? 1 Cor. 5. It is not so with the servants of faith whom our Lord Jesus Christ has once made members of his body, by the laver of baptism : for, with regard to these, he has been pleased, should they be afterwards contaminated with any crime, not that they should be purified a second time by a repetition of baptism, as this is in no manner allowed in the Catholic church; but that they should appear as criminals before this tribunal of Penance, in order that by the sentence of the Priests they may be delivered, not once only, but as often as repenting of their sins, they should have recourse to it.

Besides, very different are the effects of baptism from those of Penance, for having put on Jesus Christ in baptism, Gal. c. 3. we become entirely a new creature in him, obtaining a full and complete remission of all our sins; but by the sacrament of Penance, we cannot arrive at this total and entire renewal but by many sighs and great labours, which the justice of God exacts from us: insomuch that it is with great reason that Penance has been styled by the holy Fathers a painful and laborious baptism. Now, this sacrament of Penance is as necessary for salvation to those fallen after baptism, as baptism is to those who have not yet been regenerated.

CHAP. III.

OF THE PARTS AND EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF

PENANCE.

THE holy council of Trent moreover declares, that the form of this sacrament of Penance, in which its virtue and efficacy, principally consist, is contained in these words, which the minister pronounces. Ego te absolvo, &c. I absolve thee, &c. to which indeed, by a laudable custom of the holy church, are joined some other prayers; but they in no manner regard the essence of the form of the sacrament, and are not necessary to its administration.

The acts of the Penitent himself, namely: Contrition, Confession and Satisfaction are, it were, the matter of this sacrament; and these same acts, which being of divine institution, are required in the Penitent for the integrity of the sacrament, and for a full and perfect remission of the sins, are also called in this sense, the parts of Penance. But as to the ground and effect of the sacrament, in what regards its virtue and efficacy, it consists in the reconciliation with God; which is often, in pious persons, who devoutly receive this sacrament, followed by a great peace and composure of conscience, and with great consolation of the spirit.

The holy council, explaining after this manner the parts and effect of this sacrament, condemns at the same time the sentiments of those, who maintain that faith and the terrors of an affrighted conscience are the parts of Penance.

CHAP. IV.

OF CONTRITION.

CONTRITION which holds the first rank among the acts of the penient, of which mention has been just made, is an interior grief, and a detestation of the sin committed, with a resolution of never sinning more. This notion of contrition has been at all times necessary for the remission of sin; and to a man fallen after baptism, it serves as a preparation for the remission of sin, when joined to a confidence

in the mercy of God, and to a desire of doing whatever is requisite, for the worthy receiving of this sacrament.

The holy council declares therefore, that this contrition comprises not only a cessation from sin, and a resolution and a commencement of a new life, but also a hatred of the past, according to that of Ezekiel, chap. 18. Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed; and make to yourselves a new heart, and a new spirit. And certainly whoever will consider these transports of the saints: To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee; Psal. 50. I have laboured in my groanings, every night I will wash my bed, Psal. 6. I will recount to thee all my years in the bitterness of my soul, Isaias 38. and others of this nature; he will easily perceive that they flowed from a vehement hatred of the past life, and a great detestation of sin.

The holy council declares moreover, that although it may sometimes happen that this contrition may be perfect from charity, and reconcile man with God, before he actually receives this sacrament, this reconciliation however must not be attributed to contrition alone, independently of the desire of receiving the sacrament of Penance, which is included in it.

And with regard to that imperfect Contrition, which is called Attrition, because it springs commonly either from a sense of the turpitude of sin, or from the fear of punishment and of hell, if with the hope of pardon, it exclude the desire of sinning, the holy council declares, that not only it does not render man a hypocrite, and a greater sinner, but it is even a gift of God; and an impulse of the Holy Ghost; who indeed is not yet abiding in the penitent man, but only excites and as sists him in such a manner as to prepare him for justification. And although it cannot of itself without the sacrament of Penance lead a sinner to justification, yet it disposes him to receive the grace of God in the sacrament of Penance.

For it was with a similar fear, a fear filled with terror that the Ninnivites were so usefully struck by the preaching of Jonas, when they did penance, and obtained the mercy of God. Thus, it is falsely and without foundation, that some calumniate Catholic Authors, as if they had written, that the sacrament of Penance confers

grace without any good motion from the part of those receiving it, which the church of God has never believed nor taught; and they advance also another falsity, when they teach that Contrition is a constrained and violent act, and not a free and voluntary one.

CHAP. V.

OF CONFESSION.

FROM the institution of the sacrament of Penance already explained, the Catholic church has always understood that an entire confession of sins was also instituted by our Lord, and that according to the divine law, this confession is necessary for all those who fall into mortal sin after Baptism: Because our Lord Jesus Christ, before his ascension into heaven, left the Priests as his Vice-gerents, and as presidents and judges, before whom all mortal crimes, into which the faithful might fall, were to be laid open, in order that they, by virtue of the power of the Keys which was given to them to remit or to retain sins, might pronounce sentence. For it is manifest, that Priests could not exercise this jurisdiction without cognizance of the cause, nor observe that equity in imposing the penalties, if the Penitent confessed his crimes in general only, and not in particular and in detail.

Whence it follows, that all mortal sins of which penitents find themselves guilty after a diligent examine of conscience, ought to be laid open in confession, however secret they may be; and although committed only against the two last commandments of the decalogue, as these sorts of sins not unfrequently wound the soul more dangerously than those which are done in the face of the world.

As to venial sins which do not deprive us of the grace of God, and into which we fall more frequently, although it be laudable, useful and in no manner presumptuous to confess them, as the custom of truly deyout and pious persons sufficiently testify, yet they may be omitted without sin, and expiated by various other remedies.

But, as all mortal sins, even those of thought, render men children of wrath and enemies of God, it is therefore necessary to seek forgiveness of all from God, by a sincere and humble confession. When therefore, the faithful desire to confess all those sins which occur'to their memory, they, no doubt, expose all to the divine mercy; but those who act otherwise and knowingly retain any, present nothing to the divine bounty which can be remitted by the Priest; for if the patient be ashamed to discover his wound to his physician, his art will not heal what he is ignorant of.

It follows also that those circumstances which change the nature of the sin, are to be also explained in confession: because without this, the sins themselves are not entirely exposed by the penitent, nor sufficiently known to his judge, (confessor) to enable him to estimate justly their grieviousness, and to impose an adequate penance upon the penitent. It is therefore, wholly inconsonant to reason to teach, that these circumstances have been invented by idle men, or that it is sufficient to confess one of them only, as for example to say, I have sinned against my brother. But it is moreover impious to assert that it is impossible to make one's confession in the manner thus pointed out, or that it is a rack and a torture to the conscience; for it is evident that in the church nothing more is required of penitents, than after each one has diligently examined himself, and explored to the bottom, all the hidden recesses of his conscience, to confess those sins by which he recollects to have offended mortally his Lord and his God.

But the other sins, which do not occur to the mind after a diligent examination, are understood to be included in general, in the same Confession: And it is with regard to these, that we confidently say with the prophet: From my secret sins cleanse me O Lord, Ps. 18. It is true that confession from the difficulty which it offers and the shame we undergo in laying open our sins, might appear indeed a heavy yoke, were it not rendered light, by so many consolations and advantages which are undoubtedly conferred by Absolution on those who worthily approach this sacrament.

Moreover as to the manner of confessing secretly to a Priest, although Christ our Saviour has forbidden no one to confess his sins publicly, by the way of punishment for his crimes and for his own humiliation, as well as for the edification of others and of the church which he has dishonoured; yet this is not commanded by divine precept, nor would it be adviseable, to require any human law that crimes, particularly such as are hidden, should be divulged by a public confession.

As therefore private sacramental confession which has been from the beginning and is now in use in the Catholic church, has always been commended by the general and unanimous voice of all the most ancient Fathers of the church; the empty calumny of those who are not ashamed to assert that it is of human invention foreign to the command of God, and took its rise from the Fathers assembled in the council of Lateran, is manifestly refuted. For the church in this council did not at all establish the precept of confession for the faithful, because they well knew that it was by the law of God already established and ne

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