The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

410 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.Not a few Protestant Episcopalians, I believe, stilladmit that original sin is washed away in the Sacrament of Baptism. If the minister is not guilty ofblasphemy, in being the instrument of God s mercy,in forgiving sins by Baptism, how can a priest blaspheme in being the instrument of divine mercy, inabsolving sinners in the Sacrament of Penance ? forthe same Lord who instituted Baptism for the remission of original sin, established Penance for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism. Did notthe Apostles exercise divine power in raising deadbodies to life again, and in raising souls that weredead to the life of grace? And yet no one butScribes and Pharisees accused them of usurpingGod s powers. And cannot the Almighty, without derogating from His own glory, give to menin the nineteenth century privileges which He accorded to them in the first age of the Church ?Far, then, from dishonoring, we honor God byhaving recourse to the earthly physician whom Hehas appointed for us, and, like the multitude in theGospel, we "glorify God, who hath given such1power to men."Others also object to Confession, on the allegedground that there is no necessity for having recourse to the ministrations of a priest, since Godcan forgive us in secret. If God is able to saveus without any priestly ministrations, why, then,are not the people informed that they can, in1 Matt. be. 8.