ments, but also amongst the sacraments that may be repeated, the faithful are next to be taught. To Peter, asking if sin may be forgiven seven times, our Lord replies: " I say, not seven times, but seventy times seven." [1] Whenever, therefore, the ministry of the priest is to be exercised towards those who seem to diffide in the infinite goodness and mercy of God, the zealous pastor will seek to inspire them with confidence, and to reanimate their hopes of obtaining the grace of God. This he will find it easy to accomplish by expounding the preceding words of our Lord, by adducing other texts of the same import, which are to be found numerously scattered throughout the Sacred Volume; and by adopting those reasons and arguments which are supplied by St. Chrysostome in his book " on the fallen," and by St. Ambrose in his treatise on penance. [2]
As, then, amongst the sacraments there is none on which the faithful should be better informed, they are to be taught, that it differs from the other sacraments in this: the matter of the other sacraments is some production of nature or art; but the acts of the penitent, contrition, confession, and satisfaction, constitute, as has been defined by the Council of Trent, the matter as it were (quasi materia) of the sacrament of penance. [3] They are called parts of penance., because required in the penitent, by divine institution for the integrity of the Sacrament and the full and entire remission of sin. When the holy synod says, that they are " the matter as it were," it is not because they are not the real matter, but because they are not, like water in baptism and chrism in confirmation, matter that may be applied externally. With regard to the opinion of some, who hold that the sins themselves constitute the matter of this sacrament, if well weighed, it will not be found to differ from what has been already laid down: we say that wood which is consumed by fire, is the matter of fire; and sins which are destroyed by penance, may also be called, with propriety, the matter of penance.
The form, also, because well calculated to excite the faithful, to receive with fervent devotion the grace of this sacrament, the pastor will not omit to explain. The words that compose the form are: " I ABSOLVE THEE," as may be inferred not only from these words of the Redeemer: " Whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven;" [4] but also from the same doctrine of Jesus Christ, as recorded by the Apostles. That this is the perfect form of the sacrament of penance, the very nature of the form of a sacrament proves. The form of a sacrament signifies what the sacrament accomplishes: these words "I absolve thee" signify the accomplishment of absolution from sin through the instrumentality of this sacrament; they there fore constitute its form. Sins are, as it were, the chains by
