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Objection 1: It would seem that confession does not deliver one from
the death of sin. For confession follows contrition. But contrition
sufficiently blots out guilt. Therefore confession does not deliver
one from the death of sin.
Objection 2: Further, just as mortal sin is a fault, so is
venial. Now confession renders venial that which was mortal before,
as stated in the text (Sent. iv, D, 17). Therefore confession
does not blot out guilt, but one guilt is changed into another.
On the contrary, Confession is part of the sacrament of Penance.
But Penance deliver from guilt. Therefore confession does also.
I answer that, Penance, as a sacrament, is perfected chiefly in
confession, because by the latter a man submits to the ministers of the
Church, who are the dispensers of the sacraments: for contrition has
the desire of confession united thereto, and satisfaction is enjoined
according to the judgment of the priest who hears the confession. And
since in the sacrament of Penance, as in Baptism, that grace is
infused whereby sins are forgiven, therefore confession in virtue of
the absolution granted remits guilt, even as Baptism does. Now
Baptism delivers one from the death of sin, not only by being received
actually, but also by being received in desire, as is evident with
regard to those who approach the sacrament of Baptism after being
already sanctified. And unless a man offers an obstacle, he
receives, through the very fact of being baptized, grace whereby his
sins are remitted, if they are not already remitted. The same is to
be said of confession, to which absolution is added because it
delivered the penitent from guilt through being previously in his
desire. Afterwards at the time of actual confession and absolution he
receives an increase of grace, and forgiveness of sins would also be
granted to him, if his previous sorrow for sin was not sufficient for
contrition, and if at the time he offered no obstacle to grace.
Consequently just as it is said of Baptism that it delivers from
death, so can it be said of confession.
Reply to Objection 1: Contrition has the desire of confession
attached to it, and therefore it delivers penitents from death in the
same way as the desire of Baptism delivers those who are going to be
baptized.
Reply to Objection 2: In the text venial does not designate guilt,
but punishment that is easily expiated. and so it does not follow that
one guilt is changed into another but that it is wholly done away. For
"venial" is taken in three senses [FS, Question 88, Article
2]: first, for what is venial generically, e.g. an idle word:
secondly, for what is venial in its cause, i.e. having within itself
a motive of pardon, e.g. sins due to weakness: thirdly, for what is
venial in the result, in which sense it is understood here, because
the result of confession is that man's past guilt is pardoned.
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