Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of Penance · Book II: On Contrition
Chapter 1: Preface; the Catholic Doctrine Is Proposed
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. III, De Sacramento Poenitentiae, Book II, the fourth general controversy on the sacraments. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
Preface
About to dispute of the parts of Penance, contrition, confession and satisfaction, we shall make our beginning from contrition, as right order demands; of which part of Penance few things would need to be said, for two reasons. First, because many things which could be said of contrition in this place seem able to be disputed more conveniently in the disputation on justification. Next, because the Lutherans have now almost withdrawn from those errors which Luther at the beginning had taught about contrition. Certainly Martin Chemnitz, in the second part of the Examination of the Council of Trent, chapter 4 on Penance, admits almost everything that was defined in the same council about contrition; but since he was not ignorant that those definitions of the council were established against the old errors of Luther, lest he should seem to condemn Luther so openly, and also lest he should seem to say nothing, he has tried by various calumnies and lies, wrongly interpreting the doctrine of the council, to make it odious. Those calumnies and lies we have already noted above, and, so far as seemed necessary, wiped away, in the first book, chapter 6. For the rest, lest we leave this work of ours imperfect, we have thought it worth while to bring forward the doctrine of the Catholic Church, and briefly to refute what either Luther objected of old, or his disciples now object, against it.
Chapter I. The Catholic doctrine is proposed
The Council of Trent, then, session 14, chapter 4, proposes seven heads on contrition, which among all Catholics ought to be most certain. The first is: that contrition is a sorrow of mind and detestation of sin committed, with the purpose of not sinning for the future. The second: that contrition has always been necessary for the lapsed for obtaining pardon. The third: that after Baptism it ought to be joined with trust in the divine mercy, and with the vow of performing the other things which are required for the sacrament of Penance. The fourth: that contrition formed by charity reconciles a man even before the sacrament is actually received. The fifth: that imperfect contrition, which is usually called attrition, which is conceived from the fear of hell, if it excludes the will of sinning and is joined with hope of pardon, not only does not make a man more a sinner, but is a gift of the Holy Spirit and useful for justification. The sixth: that attrition without the sacrament, actually received, cannot of itself bring the sinner to reconciliation, yet disposes him to receive grace in the sacrament. The seventh: that contrition is not forced and extorted, but free and voluntary. From these heads we have what contrition is, what its necessity, what its kinds, what its effect; and on all these there are ten controversies. The first: whether contrition is a good and free act, and whether it pertains to the law or to the Gospel. The second: whether it is an act of free will alone. The third: whether it includes hatred and detestation of past sin. The fourth: whether it includes the purpose of living well. The fifth: whether it is necessary for justification. The sixth: whether it requires the greatest sorrow. The seventh: whether it has the power of reconciling the sinner to God. The eighth: whether before the absolution of the priest. The ninth: whether it can blot out all sins. The tenth: whether attrition is a gift of God.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
LIBER SECUNDLS DE POEMTENTIA ftUI EST DE CONTRITIONE PRAEFATIO De poenilenliae parlibus, Conlritione, confessio- ncs, adversus antiquos Lutlieri errores conslitutas ne el salisfaclione dispulaluri, a Contrilione, ul re- esse non ignorabat, ne Lulherum tani aperte dain- ctus ordo postulat, initium faciemus: de qua Poc- n^i"G, et etiam nc nihil dicerc videretur, variis ca- nilentiae partc duabus dc caussis pauca dicenda lumniis cl mendaciis doclrinara concihi perperam essent. Primum, quod multa, quae de Contrilione iulerpretando, odiosam reddere conatus esl. Eas hoc loco dici possent, commodius in dispulatione calumnias ct mendacia jam supra notavimus , ct de juslificatiGne disputari posse videnlur.Dei?itZc, quantum necesse videbalur, abslersimus, in primo quod Lulherani jam pene rccesserinl ab ilhs erro- libro cap. 6. ribus,quosinitio deConlritioneLulhcrusdocuerat. Caeterum, ne opus hoc noslrum imperfectum Certe Martinus Keranitius in 2. par. cxaminis Iri- reUnquamus,operacprctium esse duxinius, doctri- (icntini concihi cap. 4. de Pocnilentia, fercadmit- "'^'^ Ecclesiac calliolicae in medium adferrc, et lit omnia, quae in codem concilio de Contritionc ^^l^^^^ ^*^' Lulherus objecit olim, vcl nunc ejus di- definita sunt: sed quoniam cas conciHi dcfinilio- scipuli advcrsus camobjiciunt, brcviterrcfutare. CAPUT PUIMLM Proponilur doctrina catholica / Igilur Iridenlinum concilium sess. 14. cap. 4. seplem capita de Conlrilione proponil , quae apud calholicos omnes ccrlissima esse debenl. Primum esl: Conlritionem esse dolorem animi ac delesla- tionem de peccato commisso, cuni proposito non peccandi de caelero. Alterura: Contritionem lapsis semper luisse necessariam ad veniam oblinendam. Tertium: Posl Baptismum dcbere cssc conjunclam cum liducia divinae misericordiae , et cum voto praestandi caetera, quao ad sacramenlum Poeni- tentiac requiruntur. Quartum: Conlritionom cliari- lale formalam rcconciliarc bominem , eliam anlc- quam sacramentum aclu percipialur. Quintum : Conlritionem imperfcclam, quae attritio dici solct, quac cx metu gclicnnac concipilur; si voluntatcm peccandi excludal, ct cum spe veniae sit conjun- cta, non solum non faccre hominem magis pecca- lorem, scd esse donum S[)iritus sancti , ct utilcm ad juslilicationem. Sextum: Attritioncm sine sacra- menlo, quod reipsa percipialur, non possc pcr se ad rcconciliationcm pcccatorcm perduccre , eum lamen ad graliam in sacramcnto susci[ticndam dis- ponere. Scptimum : Conlritionem non esse coa- ctam el cxlortam, sed libcram cl voluntariam. p]x his capilibus hnbcmus , quid sit Coutrilio . quae cjus ncccssilas, quae spccics, quis cfTcclus: sunl autcm de his omnibus controvcrsiae dnccm. Prima:An Coiilrilio sil actus bonus ct libor,ct num iid legcm, an ad evangclium j)crlincal. Sccunda : Aii sil aclus solius libcri arbitrii. Tcrtia: An inclu- dal odium ac deteslationem peccati praetcriii. <hjarta:An includal propositum bcne vivcndi.Ouin- lii: An sit ncccssaria ad juslilicalioncm. Scxla: Au summum dolorcm cxigat. Scplima: An vifn haboat peccalorem Dco rccnnciliandi. Octava : Ari aiilr absolulionem sacerdolis. Nona: An pcccala omnia delerc queat. Decima: An attritio sil donum Dei.