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Objection 1: It would seem that one can be dispensed from confessing
his sins to a man. For precepts of positive law are subject to
dispensation by the prelates of the Church. Now such is confession,
as appears from what was said above (Article 3). Therefore one may
be dispensed from confession.
Objection 2: Further, a man can grant a dispensation in that which
was instituted by a man. But we read of confession being instituted,
not by God, but by a man (James 5:16): "Confess your sins,
one to another." Now the Pope has the power of dispensation in
things instituted by the apostles, as appears in the matter of
bigamists. Therefore he can also dispense a man from confessing.
On the contrary, Penance, whereof confession is a part, is a
necessary sacrament, even as Baptism is. Since therefore no one can
be dispensed from Baptism, neither can one be dispensed from
confession.
I answer that, The ministers of the Church are appointed in the
Church which is founded by God. Wherefore they need to be appointed
by the Church before exercising their ministry, just as the work of
creation is presupposed to the work of nature. And since the Church
is founded on faith and the sacraments, the ministers of the Church
have no power to publish new articles of faith, or to do away with
those which are already published, or to institute new sacraments, or
to abolish those that are instituted, for this belongs to the power of
excellence, which belongs to Christ alone, Who is the foundation of
the Church. Consequently, the Pope can neither dispense a man so
that he may be saved without Baptism, nor that he be saved without
confession, in so far as it is obligatory in virtue of the sacrament.
He can, however, dispense from confession, in so far as it is
obligatory in virtue of the commandment of the Church; so that a man
may delay confession longer than the limit prescribed by the Church.
Reply to Objection 1: The precepts of the Divine law do not bind
less than those of the natural law: wherefore, just as no dispensation
is possible from the natural law, so neither can there be from positive
Divine law.
Reply to Objection 2: The precept about confession was not
instituted by a man first of all, though it was promulgated by James:
it was instituted by God, and although we do not read it explicitly,
yet it was somewhat foreshadowed in the fact that those who were being
prepared by John's Baptism for the grace of Christ, confessed their
sins to him, and that the Lord sent the lepers to the priests, and
though they were not priests of the New Testament, yet the priesthood
of the New Testament was foreshadowed in them.
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