XXXII. I admit and receive Penance for the Fourth Sacrament: It was own’d by the Church, and instituted as such by our Lord Jesus Christ, to the end that there might be no room to doubt of the Remission of Sins, which God promis’d by those Words of Ezekiel, If the Wicked repenteth,
he shall live for ever. I believe, that Jesus Christ initiated this Sacrament, that it might serve as a Canal to convey his precious Blood to us for the effacing of the Sins which we have committed after Baptism; and to the end that we might be intirely persuaded, that ’tis to Jesus Christ alone we are beholden for the Grace of our Reconciliation with God.
I believe Penance to be a Sacrament in the same manner as Baptism is one: Baptism cancels all Sins, and particularly Original Sin; and for the same Reason Penance, which obliterates all Sins either in Thought or in Deed, that were committed after Baptism, must be truly and properly a Sacrament. Besides, that which is perform’d externally by the Penitent and the Priest, shews the internal Operation in the Soul of the Penitent. ’Tis absolutely necessary to believe, that Penance is a Sacrament, because it contains whatever is essential to a Sacrament: ’Tis the Sign of a holy Thing; for on the one hand the Penitent expresses fully by his Words and Actions, that he departs from the Uncleanness of his Sins, and, on the other Hand, the Priest, by conferring this Sacrament, shews the Remission of Sins, which God in his Goodness grants to the Penitent: I am convinced of this Truth, by what Jesus Christ said to St. Peter and the Apostles, Matt. xvi. Ver. 19. And I will give unto Thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: And whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven. These Words leave me no room to doubt of the Forgiveness of Sins: Therefore the Absolution which the Priest pronounces, shews the Remission
of Sins, and ’tis Absolution which operates it in the Soul of the Penitent.
The Sacrament of Penance differs from the other Sacraments, in regard that the Matter of the other Sacraments consists of something natural or artificial, whereas the Three Acts of the Penitent, Contrition, Confession and Satisfaction are, as it were, the Matter of the Sacrament of Penance: These Acts may also be call’d the Parts of this Sacrament: God absolutely requires them of the Penitent, and they are indeed absolutely necessary to make the Sacrament of Penance intire, and that the Penitent may obtain the intire and perfect Remission of his Sins. And when I say, that these Acts are, as it were, the Matter of Penance, ’tis not that I think they are not the real Matter of it, but to shew, that I don’t think that they are of the Nature of the Matter of the other Sacraments: For the Matter of the other Sacraments is altogether external, with regard to the Person who receives them, as the Water in Baptism, and the Chrism in Confirmation. I look upon Confession, as a Part that is absolutely necessary in the Sacrament of Penance.
Tho’ I believe, that perfect Contrition cancels all Sins, yet, as ’tis absolutely necessary, that for producing this Effect it should proceed from a Love purely filial and disinterested towards God, that it should be lively, strong and fervent, and that the Sorrow which produces it in the Soul, may be proportionable to the Heinousness of the Sins committed; and as there are few Persons, whose Sorrow can attain to that Pitch, and by Consequence there would be few that could by this means hope to obtain the Pardon of their Sins; it was therefore necessary, that God, who
is infinitely good, and infinitely merciful, should provide for our Salvation by giving us a more easy Method; and this he has done by granting to his Church the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: Therefore, according to the Doctrine of the Council of Trent, I look upon it as a certain Truth, that every Man who performs an Act of Contrition, which necessarily includes a Resolution not to offend God any more for the future, obtains, by virtue of the Keys which the Church has receiv’d, Pardon and Remission of his Sins, after he has confessed them to a Priest: And I believe, that he obtains such Remission of his Sins, even tho’ his Sorrow be not of that Degree as to be able of itself to procure him such Pardon.
I receive and admit of the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers, who all unanimously teach, that Heaven is open’d to us purely by the Keys of the Church.
I believe, that our Lord Jesus Christ instituted Confession, and that his Institution of it was merely owing to his Goodness and Mercy, when the Apostles being assembled all together after his Resurrection, he breathed on them, and said, John xx. Ver. 22, 23. Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whosesoever Sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever Sins ye retain, they are retained.
’Tis therefore evident, that our Lord granted to the Priests the Power of retaining and remitting Sins, and that at the same time he made them the Judges: ’Tis for this Reason that we ought to conceal nothing from them, and we are oblig’d to accuse ourselves of every Circumstance of our Sins, that they may be able to judge us, and prescribe a Penance to us proportionable