Chapter IV — On the sacrament of Penance, and its remote and proximate matter

I. QUESTION I. What is the sacrament of Penance? ANSWER. It is wont to be defined: a sacrament instituted by Christ the Lord, by which through the juridical absolution of a priest sins committed after Baptism are remitted to a man contrite and confessed. The first particle betrays the generic character; the other particles express the power in the priest of remitting sins perpetrated after Baptism to a man contrite and confessed. These last particles declare the dispositions necessary in a penitent who would receive this sacrament.

II. The innovators reject Penance from the roll of the sacraments. But their error is disproved from St. Matthew, chapter 16, where Christ says to Peter: I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. I omit very many other divine testimonies. That this sacrament was instituted by Christ chiefly after the resurrection, Trent declares, session 14, chapter 1.

III. This sacrament is necessary to all who have fallen after Baptism for the obtaining of salvation, as Trent defined, session 14, chapter 2. That this sacrament can be repeated all Catholics teach.

IV. QUESTION II. What is the matter of this sacrament? ANSWER. The matter of this sacrament is twofold, remote and proximate. Of the former now, of the latter afterwards. The remote matter is sins, either mortal or venial, committed after Baptism. For original sin, or actual crimes perpetrated before Baptism, are not the matter of this sacrament. There is no crime, however grave, which cannot be remitted by this sacrament, as the Church defined against the Montanists and Novatians.

V. QUESTION III. What is the proximate matter of this sacrament? ANSWER. They are three acts of the penitent, namely contrition, confession, and satisfaction, as Trent intimates, session 14. Of each in turn discourse is to be instituted by us.