Penance Expounded
Q. WHAT is the fourth Sacrament?
A. Penance.
A. Penance.
Q. What warrant have you for doing acts of penance?
A. First, out of Apoc. ii. 4. "Thou hast left thy first charity, therefore be mindful from whence thou art fallen, and do penance?"
Secondly, "And JESUS began to preach, and say, do ye penance; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt. iv. 17.
A. First, out of Apoc. ii. 4. "Thou hast left thy first charity, therefore be mindful from whence thou art fallen, and do penance?"
Secondly, "And JESUS began to preach, and say, do ye penance; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt. iv. 17.
Q. When did Christ ordain this Sacrament?
A. When he breathed on his disciples, saying, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins ye shall forgive, they are forgiven and whose sins ye shall retain, they are retained." John xx. 22, 23.
A. When he breathed on his disciples, saying, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins ye shall forgive, they are forgiven and whose sins ye shall retain, they are retained." John xx. 22, 23.
Q. What is the matter of this Sacrament?
A. The sins and confession of the penitent.
A. The sins and confession of the penitent.
Q. What is the form of it?
A. I absolve thee from they sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
A. I absolve thee from they sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Q. What are the effects of it?
A. It reconciles us to God, and either restores or increases grace?
A. It reconciles us to God, and either restores or increases grace?
Q. How prove you that?
A. Out of John xx. 23, before cited. And out of John i. 9. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all iniquity."
A. Out of John xx. 23, before cited. And out of John i. 9. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all iniquity."
Q. How many parts hath the Sacrament of penance?
A. It hath three parts; namely, contrition, confession, and satisfaction.
A. It hath three parts; namely, contrition, confession, and satisfaction.
Q. What is contrition?
A. It is a hearty sorrow for our sins, proceeding immediately from the love of God above all things, and joined with a firm purpose of amendment.
A. It is a hearty sorrow for our sins, proceeding immediately from the love of God above all things, and joined with a firm purpose of amendment.
Q. What is attrition?
A. It is imperfect contrition, arising from the consideration of the turpitude of sin, or fear of punishment and if it contain a detestation of sin, and hope of pardon, it is so far from being itself wicked, that though alone it justify not, yet it prepares the way to justification; and disposes it at least remotely towards obtaining God's grace in this Sacrament.
A. It is imperfect contrition, arising from the consideration of the turpitude of sin, or fear of punishment and if it contain a detestation of sin, and hope of pardon, it is so far from being itself wicked, that though alone it justify not, yet it prepares the way to justification; and disposes it at least remotely towards obtaining God's grace in this Sacrament.
Q. What if a dying man be in mortal sin, and cannot have a priest.
A. Then nothing but perfect contrition will suffice, it being impossible to be saved, without the love of God.
A. Then nothing but perfect contrition will suffice, it being impossible to be saved, without the love of God.
Q. What is a firm purpose of amendment?
A. It is a resolution not only to shun sin, but also the occasions of it.
A. It is a resolution not only to shun sin, but also the occasions of it.
Q. How long has confession been in use and practice?
A. Ever since the Apostle's time, according to James, v. 16. "Confess therefore your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be saved." And Acts xix. 18. "Many of them that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds."
A. Ever since the Apostle's time, according to James, v. 16. "Confess therefore your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be saved." And Acts xix. 18. "Many of them that believed came confessing and declaring their deeds."
Q. What is confession?
A. It is a full, sincere, and humble declaration of our sins to a priest, to obtain absolution.
A. It is a full, sincere, and humble declaration of our sins to a priest, to obtain absolution.
Q. Is there any special good or comfort to man from confession?
A. Very great, because as to a mind laden with secret griefs, the best of comforts is to disclose her case to some faithful friend; so to a soul laded with secret sins one of the greatest comforts, and best remedies possible, is to have selected persons ordained for that end by Christ himself, men of singular piety and learning, and not questionable by any law of what they hear in confession, to whom one may confess his sins, with an assurance both of comfort, correction, and direction for the amendment of his faults.
A. Very great, because as to a mind laden with secret griefs, the best of comforts is to disclose her case to some faithful friend; so to a soul laded with secret sins one of the greatest comforts, and best remedies possible, is to have selected persons ordained for that end by Christ himself, men of singular piety and learning, and not questionable by any law of what they hear in confession, to whom one may confess his sins, with an assurance both of comfort, correction, and direction for the amendment of his faults.
Q. What are the necessary conditions of a good confession?
A. That it be short, diligent, humble, sorrowful, sincere, and entire.
A. That it be short, diligent, humble, sorrowful, sincere, and entire.
Q. How, short?
A. By avoiding superfluous words and circumlocutions.
A. By avoiding superfluous words and circumlocutions.
Q. How, diligent?
A. By using a competent time and care in the examining of our conscience.
A. By using a competent time and care in the examining of our conscience.
Q. How, humble?
A. By making our confession with humble hearts.
A. By making our confession with humble hearts.
Q. How, sorrowful?
A. By stirring up sorrow for our sins.
A. By stirring up sorrow for our sins.
Q. How, sincere?
A. By confessing our sins plainly, without seeking to lessen or excuse them.
A. By confessing our sins plainly, without seeking to lessen or excuse them.
Q. How, entire?
A. By confessing not only in what things we have sinned mortally, but also how often, as near as we are able to remember.
A. By confessing not only in what things we have sinned mortally, but also how often, as near as we are able to remember.
Q. What if a man do knowingly leave out any mortal sin in his confession for fear of shame?
A. He makes his whole confession void, and commits a great sacrilege by lying to the Holy Ghost, and abusing the Sacrament.
A. He makes his whole confession void, and commits a great sacrilege by lying to the Holy Ghost, and abusing the Sacrament.
Q. How prove you that?
A. By the example of Ananias and his wife Saphna, who were struck dead at the feet of St. Peter, for daring to lie to the Holy Ghost. Acts v. 5, 10.
A. By the example of Ananias and his wife Saphna, who were struck dead at the feet of St. Peter, for daring to lie to the Holy Ghost. Acts v. 5, 10.
Q. Is he that hath so done bound to confess all again?
A. Yes, all that are mortal, together with that which he left out, and the sacrilege he committed.
A. Yes, all that are mortal, together with that which he left out, and the sacrilege he committed.
Q. What is satisfaction?
A. The sacramental penance, enjoined us by the priest at confession, (which is considered a part of this sacrament,) besides which we may also add more, for our own sins, by our voluntary prayers, fasting, or other good works, or sufferings.
A. The sacramental penance, enjoined us by the priest at confession, (which is considered a part of this sacrament,) besides which we may also add more, for our own sins, by our voluntary prayers, fasting, or other good works, or sufferings.
Q. For what do we satisfy by that penance?
A. For such temporal punishments as remain due sometimes for our sins, after they are forgiven us.
A. For such temporal punishments as remain due sometimes for our sins, after they are forgiven us.
Q. How do you prove that priests have power to impose penance?
A. Out of 1 Cor. vi. 3, where St. Paul excommunicated the incestuous Corinthian; "I (saith he) absent in body, but present in spirit, have already judged him that hath so done, &c. to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the soul may be saved." ver. 5.
A. Out of 1 Cor. vi. 3, where St. Paul excommunicated the incestuous Corinthian; "I (saith he) absent in body, but present in spirit, have already judged him that hath so done, &c. to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the soul may be saved." ver. 5.
Q. How prove you that temporal punishments may remain due for our sins, after the sins themselves be forgiven us?
A. First, because Adam, after his sin was forgiven him, was notwithstanding cast out of paradise for ever, and his whole posterity made subject unto death and many miseries, in punishment of that sin. Gen. iii. 25.
Secondly, because David, after his sin of adultery was forgiven him, was temporally punished for it with the death of his child: "Our Lord (saith Nathan) hath taken away thy sin, nevertheless thy son shall die." 2 Kings xii. 13, 14.
Thirdly, because "Whom our Lord loveth he chastiseth." Heb. xii. 6.
A. First, because Adam, after his sin was forgiven him, was notwithstanding cast out of paradise for ever, and his whole posterity made subject unto death and many miseries, in punishment of that sin. Gen. iii. 25.
Secondly, because David, after his sin of adultery was forgiven him, was temporally punished for it with the death of his child: "Our Lord (saith Nathan) hath taken away thy sin, nevertheless thy son shall die." 2 Kings xii. 13, 14.
Thirdly, because "Whom our Lord loveth he chastiseth." Heb. xii. 6.
Q. By what other means are those temporal punishments released?
A. By indulgences.
A. By indulgences.
Q. What is an indulgence?
A. No[t] a pardon for sins to come, or leave to commit sin, (as Protestants do falsely and slanderously teach) but a releasing only of such temporal punishments, as remain due to those sins, which have already been forgiven us by penance and confession.
A. No[t] a pardon for sins to come, or leave to commit sin, (as Protestants do falsely and slanderously teach) but a releasing only of such temporal punishments, as remain due to those sins, which have already been forgiven us by penance and confession.
Q. How doth an indulgence release those punishments?
A. By the superabundant merits of Christ and his saints, which it applies to our souls by the special grant of the church.
A. By the superabundant merits of Christ and his saints, which it applies to our souls by the special grant of the church.
Q. When did Christ give his church power to grant indulgences?
A. When he said to St. Peter, "To thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, it shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in Heaven." Matt. xvi. 19.
A. When he said to St. Peter, "To thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, it shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in Heaven." Matt. xvi. 19.
Q. How prove you that the apostles did ever use this power?
A. Out of 2 Cor. ii. 10, where St. Paul remitted part of the Corinthians penance. "To him that is such a one (said he) this rebuke sufficeth, &c. whom you have pardoned any thing, I also pardon."
A. Out of 2 Cor. ii. 10, where St. Paul remitted part of the Corinthians penance. "To him that is such a one (said he) this rebuke sufficeth, &c. whom you have pardoned any thing, I also pardon."
Q. What is required for the gaining an indulgence?
A. That we perform the works enjoined us, and that the last part of them be done in a state of grace.
A. That we perform the works enjoined us, and that the last part of them be done in a state of grace.
Q. What are those works?
A. Fasting, prayer, and alms deeds; as also confession and communion.
A. Fasting, prayer, and alms deeds; as also confession and communion.
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