ing, contrary to the institution of this sacrament, that the souls of the faithful, now observed, of confessing at whatsoever. of and embraces, as pious and worthy of being retained. giving sins public sins, namely, by rebuke, provided which perniciously extend the ministry of the keys to those words of our Lord : Whatsoever you shall bind a custom which this holy Synod most highly approves he that is rebuked shall acquiesce, and secret sins was bestowed in ordination, the office of forgiving sins to all the faithful of Christ indifferently and indis- soever you shall loose upon earth shall be loosed also false, and utterly alien from the truth of the Gospel, 50 ROMAN CATHOLICISM criminately, as that every one has the power of for- in heaven; and: Whose sins you shall forgive, they they are retained were in such wise addressed The holy Synod declares all those doctrines -to be are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, [Chap. 5.] THE MINISTRY OF CONFESSION by a voluntary confession made to any individual that most sacred and that most acceptable time of Lent upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven, and what- any others soever besides bishops and priests, imagin- It also teaches that even priests, who are in mortal sin, exercise, through the virtue of the Holy Ghost which