does the Roman Church, the mother and mistress of all others, observe aught else in administering this unction, as regards those things which make up the substance of this sacrament, but what the blessed James has prescribed. Nor indeed can the contempt of so great a sacrament be without a heinous sin, and an injury to the Holy Ghost himself.
These are the things which this holy œcumenical synod professes and teaches, and proposes unto all the faithful of Christ, to be belieyed and held, touching the sacraments of Penance and Extreme Unction. But it deliyers the following canons to be inviolably observed; and, perpetually condemns and anathematizes those who assert the contrary.
ON THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF PENANCE.
Canon i. If any one shall say, that in the Catholic Church penance is not truly and properly a sacrament, instituted by Christ our Lord for reconciling the fiiithful unto God, as often as they fall into sin after baptism; let him be anathema.
Canon ii. If any one, confounding the sacraments, shall say, that baptism is itself the sacrament of Penance, as though these two sacraments were not distinct, and that therefore penance is not rightly called "a second plank after shipwreck ;" let him be anathema.
Cannon iii. If any one shall say, that those words of the Lord the Saviour, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins ye shall remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose sins ye shall retain, they are retained,[1] are not to be understood of the power of remitting and of retaining sins in the sacrament of Penance, as the Catholic Church has always from the beginning understood them; but wrests them, contrary to the institution of this sacrament, to the power of preaching the Gospel; let him be anathema.
Canon iv. If any one shall deny, that, unto the entire and perfect remission of sins, three acts in the penitent, which are as it were the matter of the sacrament of Penance, are required, to wit, contrition, confession, and satisfaction, which are called the three parts of penance; or saith that there are only two parts of penance, to wit, the terrors which
- ↑ John XX. 22, 23.
