to the priests, and subject themselves to their judgment. [1] In vested, then, as they are, by our Lord with power to remit and retain sins, priests are, evidently, appointed judges of the matter on which they are to pronounce; and as, according to the wise admonition of the Council of Trent, we cannot form an accurate judgment on any matter, or award to crime a just proportion of punishment, without having previously examined, and made ourselves well acquainted with the cause; hence arises a necessity, on the part of the penitent, of making known to the priest, through the medium of confession, each and every sin. [2] This doctrine, a doctrine defined by the holy synod of Trent, the uniform doctrine of the Catholic Church, the pastor will teach. An attentive perusal of the Holy Fathers will present innumerable passages throughout their works, proving in the clearest terms that this Sacrament was instituted by our Lord, and that the law of sacramental confession, which, from the Greek, they call " exomologesis," and " exagoreusis," is to be received as evangelical. That the different sorts of sacrifices, which were offered by the priests for the expiation of different sorts of sins, seem, beyond all doubt, to have reference to sacramental confession, an examination of the figures of the Old Testament will also evince.
Not only are the faithful to be taught that confession was instituted by our Lord; but they are also to be reminded that, by authority of the Church, have been added certain rites and solemn ceremonies, which, although not essential to the Sacrament, serve to place its dignity more fully before the eyes of the penitent, and to prepare his soul, now kindled into devotion, the more easily to receive the grace of the Sacrament. When, with uncovered head, and bended knees, with eyes fixed on the earth, and hands raised in supplication to heaven, and with other indications of Christian humility not essential to the Sacrament, we confess our sins, our minds are thus deeply impressed with a clear conviction of the heavenly virtue of the Sacraments, and also of the necessity of humbly imploring and of earnestly importuning the mercy of God.
Nor let it be supposed that confession, although instituted by our Lord, is not declared by him necessary for the remission of sin: the faithful must be impressed with the conviction, that he who is dead in sin, is to be recalled to spiritual life by means of sacramental confession, a truth clearly conveyed by our Lord himself, when, by a most beautiful metaphor, he calls the power of administering this sacrament, "the keys of the kingdom of heaven." [3] To obtain admittance into any place, the concurrence of him to whom the keys have been committed is necessary, and therefore, as the metaphor implies, to gain admission
- ↑ Luke xvii. 14.
- ↑ Sess. 14. c. 5. et can. 7. de poenit. Sacerdotes *sse pecatorum judices docent August, lib. 20. de civil. Dei, c. 9. Hieron. epist. 1. ad Heliod. Chrysost. lib. 3. de Sacerd. et hom. 5. de verbis Isaise. Greg. hom. 26. in Evang. Ambr. lib. 2. de Cain, . Greg. cap. 4. Trid. sess. 14. de poenit. c. 5. can. 7.
- ↑ Matt. xvi. 19.
