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Objection 1: It would seem that sins are not the proper matter of
this sacrament. Because, in the other sacraments, the matter is
hallowed by the utterance of certain words, and being thus hallowed
produces the sacramental effect. Now sins cannot be hallowed, for
they are opposed to the effect of the sacrament, viz. grace which
blots out sin. Therefore sins are not the proper matter of this
sacrament.
Objection 2: Further, Augustine says in his book De Poenitentia
[Serm. cccli]: "No one can begin a new life, unless he repent of
the old." Now not only sins but also the penalties of the present
life belong to the old life. Therefore sins are not the proper matter
of Penance.
Objection 3: Further, sin is either original, mortal or venial.
Now the sacrament of Penance is not ordained against original sin,
for this is taken away by Baptism, nor against mortal sin, for this
is taken away by the sinner's confession, nor against venial sin,
which is taken away by the beating of the breast and the sprinkling of
holy water and the like. Therefore sins are not the proper matter of
Penance.
On the contrary, The Apostle says (2 Cor. 12:21):
"(Who) have not done penance for the uncleanness and fornication and
lasciviousness, that they have committed."
I answer that, Matter is twofold, viz. proximate and remote: thus
the proximate matter of a statue is a metal, while the remote matter is
water. Now it has been stated (Article 1, ad 1, ad 2), that
the proximate matter of this sacrament consists in the acts of the
penitent, the matter of which acts are the sins over which he grieves,
which he confesses, and for which he satisfies. Hence it follows that
sins are the remote matter of Penance, as a matter, not for
approval, but for detestation, and destruction.
Reply to Objection 1: This argument considers the proximate matter
of a sacrament.
Reply to Objection 2: The old life that was subject to death is the
object of Penance, not as regards the punishment, but as regards the
guilt connected with it.
Reply to Objection 3: Penance regards every kind of sin in a way,
but not each in the same way. Because Penance regards actual mortal
sin properly and chiefly; properly, since, properly speaking, we are
said to repent of what we have done of our own will; chiefly, since
this sacrament was instituted chiefly for the blotting out of mortal
sin. Penance regards venial sins, properly speaking indeed, in so
far as they are committed of our own will, but this was not the chief
purpose of its institution. But as to original sin, Penance regards
it neither chiefly, since Baptism, and not Penance, is ordained
against original sin, nor properly, because original sin is not done
of our own will, except in so far as Adam's will is looked upon as
ours, in which sense the Apostle says (Rm. 5:12): "In whom
all have sinned." Nevertheless, Penance may be said to regard
original sin, if we take it in a wide sense for any detestation of
something past: in which sense Augustine uses the term in his book De
Poenitentia (Serm. cccli).
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