Whether Penance Is a Second Plank After Shipwreck?
Objection 1: It would seem that Penance is not a second plank after
shipwreck. Because on Isa. 3:9, "They have proclaimed abroad their
sin as Sodom," a gloss says: "The second plank after shipwreck is to
hide one's sins." Now Penance does not hide sins, but reveals them.
Therefore Penance is not a second plank.
Obj. 2: Further, in a building the foundation takes the first, not
the second place. Now in the spiritual edifice, Penance is the
foundation, according to Heb. 6:1: "Not laying again the foundation
of Penance from dead works"; wherefore it precedes even Baptism,
according to Acts 2:38: "Do penance, and be baptized every one of
you." Therefore Penance should not be called a second plank.
Obj. 3: Further, all the sacraments are planks, i.e. helps against
sin. Now Penance holds, not the second but the fourth, place among
the sacraments, as is clear from what has been said above (Q. 65, AA.
1, 2). Therefore Penance should not be called a second plank after
shipwreck.
_On the contrary,_ Jerome says (Ep. cxxx) that "Penance is a second
plank after shipwreck."
_I answer that,_ That which is of itself precedes naturally that
which is accidental, as substance precedes accident. Now some
sacraments are, of themselves, ordained to man's salvation, e.g.
Baptism, which is the spiritual birth, Confirmation which is the
spiritual growth, the Eucharist which is the spiritual food; whereas
Penance is ordained to man's salvation accidentally as it were, and
on something being supposed, viz. sin: for unless man were to sin
actually, he would not stand in need of Penance and yet he would need
Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist; even as in the life of the
body, man would need no medical treatment, unless he were ill, and
yet life, birth, growth, and food are, of themselves, necessary to
man.
Consequently Penance holds the second place with regard to the state
of integrity which is bestowed and safeguarded by the aforesaid
sacraments, so that it is called metaphorically "a second plank after
shipwreck." For just as the first help for those who cross the sea is
to be safeguarded in a whole ship, while the second help when the
ship is wrecked, is to cling to a plank; so too the first help in
this life's ocean is that man safeguard his integrity, while the
second help is, if he lose his integrity through sin, that he regain
it by means of Penance.
Reply Obj. 1: To hide one's sins may happen in two ways: first, in
the very act of sinning. Now it is worse to sin in public than in
private, both because a public sinner seems to sin more from
contempt, and because by sinning he gives scandal to others.
Consequently in sin it is a kind of remedy to sin secretly, and it is
in this sense that the gloss says that "to hide one's sins is a
second plank after shipwreck"; not that it takes away sin, as Penance
does, but because it makes the sin less grievous. Secondly, one hides
one's sin previously committed, by neglecting to confess it: this is
opposed to Penance, and to hide one's sins thus is not a second
plank, but is the reverse, since it is written (Prov. 28:13): "He
that hideth his sins shall not prosper."
Reply Obj. 2: Penance cannot be called the foundation of the
spiritual edifice simply, i.e. in the first building thereof; but it
is the foundation in the second building which is accomplished by
destroying sin, because man, on his return to God, needs Penance
first. However, the Apostle is speaking there of the foundation of
spiritual doctrine. Moreover, the penance which precedes Baptism is
not the sacrament of Penance.
Reply Obj. 3: The three sacraments which precede Penance refer to the
ship in its integrity, i.e. to man's state of integrity, with regard
to which Penance is called a second plank.
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