Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that the forgiveness of guilt is not an effect of penance as a virtue. For penance is said to be a virtue, in so far as it is a principle of a human action. But human action does nothing towards the remission of guilt, since this is an effect of operating grace. Therefore the forgiveness of guilt is not an effect of penance as a virtue.

Objection 2: Further, certain other virtues are more excellent than penance. But the forgiveness of sin is not said to be the effect of any other virtue. Neither, therefore, is it the effect of penance as a virtue.

Objection 3: Further, there is no forgiveness of sin except through the power of Christ's Passion, according to Heb. 9:22: "Without shedding of blood there is no remission." Now Penance, as a sacrament, produces its effect through the power of Christ's Passion, even as the other sacraments do, as was shown above (Question 62, Articles 4,5). Therefore the forgiveness of sin is the effect of Penance, not as a virtue, but as a sacrament.

On the contrary, Properly speaking, the cause of a thing is that without which it cannot be, since every defect depends on its cause. Now forgiveness of sin can come from God without the sacrament of Penance, but not without the virtue of penance, as stated above (Question 84, Article 5, ad 3; Question 85, Article 2); so that, even before the sacraments of the New Law were instituted, God pardoned the sins of the penitent. Therefore the forgiveness of sin is chiefly the effect of penance as a virtue.

I answer that, Penance is a virtue in so far as it is a principle of certain human acts. Now the human acts, which are performed by the sinner, are the material element in the sacrament of Penance. Moreover every sacrament produces its effect, in virtue not only of its form, but also of its matter. because both these together make the one sacrament, as stated above (Question 60, Article 6, ad 2, Article 7). Hence in Baptism forgiveness of sin is effected, in virtue not only of the form (but also of the matter, viz. water, albeit chiefly in virtue of the form) from which the water receives its power---and, similarly, the forgiveness of sin is the effect of Penance, chiefly by the power of the keys, which is vested in the ministers, who furnish the formal part of the sacrament, as stated above (Question 84, Article 3), and secondarily by the instrumentality of those acts of the penitent which pertain to the virtue of penance, but only in so far as such acts are, in some way, subordinate to the keys of the Church. Accordingly it is evident that the forgiveness of sin is the effect of penance as a virtue, but still more of Penance as a sacrament.

Reply to Objection 1: The effect of operating grace is the justification of the ungodly (as stated in the 1.2, Question 113), wherein there is, as was there stated (Articles 1,2,3), not only infusion of grace and forgiveness of sin, but also a movement of the free-will towards God, which is an act of faith quickened by charity, and a movement of the free-will against sin, which is the act of penance. Yet these human acts are there as the effects of operating grace, and are produced at the same time as the forgiveness of sin. Consequently the forgiveness of sin does not take place without an act of the virtue of penance, although it is the effect of operating grace.

Reply to Objection 2: In the justification of the ungodly there is not only an act of penance, but also an act of faith, as stated above (ad 1: 1.2, Question 113, Article 4). Wherefore the forgiveness of sin is accounted the effect not only of the virtue of penance, but also, and that chiefly, of faith and charity.

Reply to Objection 3: The act of the virtue of penance is subordinate to Christ's Passion both by faith, and by its relation to the keys of the Church; and so, in both ways, it causes the forgiveness of sin, by the power of Christ's Passion.

To the argument advanced in the contrary sense we reply that the act of the virtue of penance is necessary for the forgiveness of sin, through being an inseparable effect of grace, whereby chiefly is sin pardoned, and which produces its effect in all the sacraments. Consequently it only follows that grace is a higher cause of the forgiveness of sin than the sacrament of Penance. Moreover, it must be observed that, under the Old Law and the law of nature, there was a sacrament of Penance after a fashion, as stated above (Question 84, Article 7, ad 2).

Articulus 6

Argumentum 1

Ad sextum sic proceditur. Videtur quod remissio culpae non sit effectus poenitentiae secundum quod est virtus. Dicitur enim poenitentia virtus secundum quod est principium humani actus.

Sed humani actus non operantur ad remissionem culpae, quae est effectus gratiae operantis. Ergo remissio culpae non est effectus poenitentiae secundum quod est virtus.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, quaedam aliae virtutes sunt excellentiores poenitentia.

Sed remissio culpae non dicitur effectus alicuius alterius virtutis. Ergo etiam non est effectus poenitentiae secundum quod est virtus.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, remissio culpae non est nisi ex virtute passionis christi, secundum illud Heb. IX, sine sanguinis effusione non fit remissio.

Sed poenitentia inquantum est sacramentum, operatur in virtute passionis christi, sicut et cetera sacramenta, ut ex supra dictis patet. Ergo remissio culpae non est effectus poenitentiae inquantum est virtus, sed inquantum est sacramentum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra, illud est proprie causa alicuius sine quo esse non potest, omnis enim effectus dependet a sua causa. Sed remissio culpae potest esse a deo sine poenitentiae sacramento, non autem sine poenitentia secundum quod est virtus, ut supra dictum est.

Unde et ante sacramenta novae legis poenitentibus deus peccata remittebat. Ergo remissio culpae est effectus poenitentiae secundum quod est virtus.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod poenitentia est virtus secundum quod est principium quorundam actuum humanorum. Actus autem humani qui sunt ex parte peccatoris, materialiter se habent in sacramento poenitentiae. Omne autem sacramentum producit effectum suum non solum virtute formae, sed etiam virtute materiae, ex utroque enim est unum sacramentum, ut supra habitum est.

Unde, sicut remissio culpae fit in baptismo non solum virtute formae, ex qua et ipsa aqua virtutem recipit; ita etiam remissio culpae est effectus poenitentiae, principalius quidem ex virtute clavium, quam habent ministri, ex quorum parte accipitur id quod est formale in hoc sacramento, ut supra dictum est; secundario autem ex VI actuum poenitentis pertinentium ad virtutem poenitentiae, tamen prout hi actus aliqualiter ordinantur ad claves ecclesiae. Et sic patet quod remissio culpae est effectus poenitentiae secundum quod est virtus, principalius tamen secundum quod est sacramentum.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod effectus gratiae operantis est iustificatio impii, ut in secunda parte dictum est.

In qua, ut ibidem dictum est, non solum est gratiae infusio et remissio culpae, sed etiam motus liberi arbitrii in deum, qui est actus fidei formatae, et motus liberi arbitrii in peccatum, qui est actus poenitentiae. Hi tamen actus humani sunt ibi ut effectus gratiae operantis simul producti cum remissione culpae. Unde remissio culpae non fit sine actu poenitentiae virtutis, licet sit effectus gratiae operantis.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod in iustificatione impii non solum est actus poenitentiae, sed etiam actus fidei, ut dictum est.

Et ideo remissio culpae non ponitur effectus solum poenitentiae virtutis, sed principalius fidei et caritatis.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod ad passionem christi ordinatur actus poenitentiae virtutis et per fidem et per ordinem ad claves ecclesiae. Et ideo utroque modo causat remissionem culpae virtute passionis christi.

Ad 4

Ad id autem quod in contrarium obiicitur, dicendum est quod actus poenitentiae virtutis habet quod sine eo non possit fieri remissio culpae, inquantum est inseparabilis effectus gratiae, per quam principaliter culpa remittitur, quae etiam operatur in omnibus sacramentis. Et ideo per hoc non potest concludi nisi quod gratia est principalior causa remissionis culpae quam poenitentiae sacramentum. Sciendum tamen quod etiam in veteri lege et in lege naturae erat aliqualiter sacramentum poenitentiae, ut supra dictum est.