the wildernes being produced he saithâ— this same wee ought to doe wherby saluation is brought to our soules yea wee ought to be hold Christ crucified in such manner of Images and belieue in him CALVINS DOCTRINE p lib. 1. c. 11. ¶ 5 de Imaginibus I know saith he that it is vsuall and more then common that Images are idiotes booke This Gregory said but the holy Ghost speaketh far otherwyse so that if he had bine taught in his schoole he would neuer haue spoken so q ¶ 7 wher for if Papistes haue any shame let them neuer hereafter vse any more this refuge Images are idiotes bookes and by and by he saith but these pictures and statues which they dedicate to Saintes what are they but the examples of most filthy luxurie and obscuritie so that if any maÌ„ would fashion himself to these he were worthy of a bastinado yea stewes afford whores more shamfast and modest then temples or churches do those which they call the Images of virgines they fayne also a habit to martyres no lesse vndecent let them frame therfore ther idols at least with a little shame that they may ly with a little more modestie then to say that they are bookes of some sanctitie but wee will also answere this is not the way to teach the faithfull people in holy writ And a little beneath to what end therfore were there so many woodden stone siluer and gold crosses erected in churches euery where r Ibid. ¶ 9. let them looke hither therfore whoe seeke miserable pretences to defend this execrable Idolatrie wherewith true religion hath bine drowned and ouerwhelmed this many ages Images say they are not taken for Gods Å¿ ¶ 13. but this being omitted let vs consider heere by the way whether any Images at all be necessarie in Christinian churches first therfore if the authoritie of the primitiue Church moue vs let vs remember for the first 500. yeares wherin religion and more sincere doctrine did as yet florish and spread it self that Christian Churches commonly were free from images But how impudent a lye this is may appeare by that which hath bine said before An old condemned Heresie Nic. eph lib 16. ca. 27. The Second Counsell of Nice anno 789. pronounced against Image breakers and spoylers of monasteries But Xenaius a Persian first of all taught that the images of Christ and his Apostles and Saintes were not to be worshipped THE 26. ARTICLE Of Purgatory and Lymbus Patrum THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE Besides heauen and Hell there is Purgatory to witt a place or middle state after this life wherin the soules of many faith full for their veniall sines or negligence and intermission of due satisfaction for their mortall sins are purged more fully by suffering a temporall punishment before they passe from thence vnto Paradise and the possession of the ioyes of heauen SCRIPTVRE Lymbus Patrum a Osce 6.3 HE will reuiue vs after 2. dayes in the 3. daye he will rayse vs vp c. b Lath. 9.11 Thou also in the blood of thy testament hast let forth thy prisoners out of the lane where in is no water c Luke 16.22 And was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome d Hebr. 11.40 Ecclesiast 24 45. That they with out vs should not be consummate I will penetrate all the inferiour partes of the earth and wil behold all that sleep and will illuminat Purgatorie e Matt. 5.27 Amen I say to thee thou shalt not goe out from thence til thou repay the last farthing This place S. Cyprian takes for Purgatorie And he that shall speake against the holy ghost Epist 52. ad Anton. num 6. cap. 12.2 it shall not be for giuen him neither in this world nor in the world to come out of this place S. f de ciuit Dei l. 21. c. 1 and S. Greg Dâ—al l. 4. cap. 9. Austine proueth Purgatory also S. Gregory g Act. 2.24 Loosing the sorrowes of Hell out of this place S. h August lib. 12. c. 13. de Gent. ad lit Austine proueth purgatory for saith he Christ himself was not in paynes but to send other men of those doulours of Hel wherewith it was impossible himself should be touched i 1. Pet. 3.19 See Rhem test Annot. vpon this cap. and verse And he preached to them also that were in prison out of these words S. Cyprian Augustine and the fathers proue Christes descension into hell and Purgatorie k 1. Cor. 3.15 But himself shal be saued yet foe as by fier l Apoc. 5.13 And euery creature that is in heauen and vpon the earth and vnder the earth and that are in the sea and that are therein all did I here saying c. benediction and honor and glorie and power for euer and euer m Phil. 2.10 That in the name of Iesus euery knee bowe of the celestials terrestrials and infernals n 2. Tim. 1. v. 18. Our lord graunt him to find mercie of our lord in that day See also a very forceable place 1. Iohn 5.16 FATHERS S. Cyprian anno 240. saith o lib 4 epist 2. It is one thing to be purged a longe tyme for sins by torment and clarified by a longe fier and an other thinge to purge all sins by passion and sufferinge Origen anno 230. saith p hom 6. in Exod. he that is saued is saued by fier so that if a man haue some thing mixed with lead that the fier doth purge and resolue that all may become pure gold S. Gregorie Nyssen anno 380. saith m Orat pro mortuit either being purged in this present life by prayers and the studier of wisdome or hauing made satisfaction after his death by the furnace of the purging fier he would returne to his former felicitie Et infra hauing left his body he cannot be made partakers of gods diuinitie vnlesse the purging fier take away the spots mixed in his minde And againe others after this life purge their spots by the fier of purgatorie S. Gregory Nazianzen anno 380. saith n Orat. In â—lumina they shal be Baptized in their other fier wich is the last baptisme neither is it only more crueller but also longer which doth feed on hard matter lyke iron and doth coÌ„sume the lightnes of vice S. Basil anno 380. saith o in cap 9. Esaiae if therefore wee haue made knowne our sinne by coÌ„fession wee haue already made the growing grasse to wither which certainly the fier of Purgatorie would haue oÌ„csumed deuoured Et infra he doth not theaten vtter ruen and destructioÌ„ but sheweth the purgation according to the Apostle p 1. Cor. 3 1â— But him self shal be saued yet so as by fier S. Eusebius anno 520. saith q Euseb Enis leatus hom de Epiphania This infernall payne doth exspect those whoe hauing omitted and not obserued their baptisme shall perish
collect any certayntie out of their writinges These Cal. but hovv true he speaketh I referre you to that vvhich goeth before An heresie condemned by the primitiue Church THis heresie vvas Origens S. Epiphanius haeresi 64. Cal. instit li. 2. cap. 1. ¶ 5. vvhoe said that Adame had lost the Image of God vnto which he was created The same doth Caluin teach in these very vvordes by the sinne of the first man the heauenly Image was blotted out THE 17. ARTICLE OF THE COOPERATION OF FREEVVILL WITH GRACE The Catholicke Doctrine Mans will doth freely and actually cooperat with Gods vocation and grace mouing him SCRIPTVRE a 1. Râ—g 7.3 Yf you turne vnto our Lord with all your hart take away the straung Gods from among you Baalim and Astaroth and prepare your hartes for our Lord and serue him only and he will deliuer you from the hands of the Phiâ—â—lims b Parâ—lip 2. cap 12 x. 14 But he did euill and did not prepare his hart to seeke our Lord. c Isaie c. 1. v. 16.17.18 Bee you washed bee you cleane take away the euill of your thoughts from my eyes cease to doe peruâ—riâ—e learne to doe well seeke iudgment help the oppâ—essed iudge the pupill defend the widowe and come and reproue saith our Lord if your sinns shal be as scarelet they shal be white as snow c. 〈◊〉 you will and will heere me you shall eat of the good thinges of the earth but d v. 19.20 if you will not and will prouocke me to anger the sworde shall deuoure you because the mouth of our Lord hath spaken it And e cap. 55. v. 6.7 seeke our Lord whilst hee is to be found call vpon him while he is neere let the impious leaue his way and the wicked man his cogitations and let him returne vnto our Lord and hee will haue mercy vpon him and vnto our God because he is much in pardoning f Ieremia ca. 5.1 Goe about the wayes of Hierusalem and behold and consider yee and seeke in the streetes therof whether you can find a man doeing iudgment and seeking faith and I wil be mercifull vnto him Read EZechiell cap. 18. from verse 19. to the end Also cap. 33. v. 14 c. g zach 1.3 And thou shalt say vnto them this saith our Lord of hostes turne yee vnto me and I will turne vnto you saith our Lord of hostes h Mat. 3.2.3 Prepare yee the way of our Lord make his pathes straight i Iohn 7.7 If any man thirst let him come to me And trembling and being astonished he said Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe Note heere that vpon his consent Gods grace did worke with him k 1 Cor. 3.9 For wee are Gods coadiutors c And againe l cap. 15.10 but by the grace of God I am that I am and his grace in me hath not bine voyde but I haue laboured more aboundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God with me m Ephes 5.15 Rise thou that sheepest and arise from the dead and Christ will illuminat thee n Phil. 4 13. I can all thinges in him that strengthneth me o Colosâ— 4. v. 19 Wherin also I labour striuing according to his operation which he worketh in me in power p Hebr. 41 6. Let vs goe therfore with confidence to the throne of grace that wee may obtaine mercy and find grace in a seasonable aide q Ioannes 4. â— Approch to God and he will approch to you r Apoc. â— 20 Behold I stand at the dore and knocke if any maÌ„ shall heare my voice and open the gate I will â—â—â—er into him and will suppe with him and he with me FATHERS S. Irenaeus anno 160 saith Å¿ lib. 4. c. 73. Our Lord hath not only reserued to man the freewill of his power in workes but also in faith saying According to thy faith be it to thee shewing forth the proper faith of man because he hath his owne sentence and therfore hee that belieueth in him hath life euerlasting and hee which doth not belieue the sonne the wrath of God doth remayne ouer him S. Ambrose anno 380. saith t lib. 2. In Luc. c. 2. Thou seest that euery where the virtue of our Lord doth cooperate with mans studies S. Chrysostome an 380 saith v hom 19 in Genesin de iustificatione dislerens Hee doth not impose a necessitie but fit remedies being applyed he doth permit all to ly in the sentence of the sicke And againe x hom 11. in Ioannem anno 80. the soul hath power in it self to worke it owne good neither doth it obey God in any thing vnlesse it will S Prosper anno 450. saith y lib 2. devocat gent. cap 12. Therfore it is free to many who now vse the iudgment of reason to depart that there may be a reward not to haue departed and that which cannot be done without the spirit of God cooperating with it it may be imputed to their merits by whose will it was done Againe z Ibid. c. 26. Truly the grace of God doth chieflie excell in all iustifications by perswading with exhortations by warning with examples by terrifying with dauÌ„gers by mouing with miracles by giuing vnderstanding by inspiring councell and illuminating the hart it selfe and instructing by the affections of faith But also the will of man is ioyned with it which is stirred vp by these foresaid helpes to this that it doe cooperate with the deuyne work in it selfe and that it doe begine to exercise to merite what by deuyne seed it had conceaued to desire hauing of it owne mutabilitie if it fayle of the help of grace if it profit which help is giuen to men by innumerable wayes whether they be secret or manifest that it is of many refused it is their wickednes but that it is of many receaued it is both of deuyne grace and mans will Austine anno 400. saith a lib. 2 Contduas epist pelagianor cap. 1. man doth prepare the hart not vvithstanding not vvithout the help of God vvhoe doth touch the hart Et infra although vnlesse he help vvithout vvhome vvee can doe nothing vvee cannot open our mouth yet vve doe open it by his help and our vvorke for vvhat is it to prepare the hart and open the mouth but to prepare the will Againe b tractatu 72 in Ioan. To the belieuer in him that doth iustifie the wicked his faith is reputed to him vnto iustice in this worke wee doe the workes of Christ this he doth worke in vs yet not without vs. Et infra man doth cooperate his eternall saluation and iustification with Christ working in him Againe c Serm. 15 do verbis Apostoli circamed you see that conuersion it self is not vvithout the help of God Et infra All from God yet not as if vvee did sleepe not as if vvee doe not
is one thinge to be borne of the spirit and an other to feed of the spirit as it is one thing to be borne of the flesh which is done when the mother bringeth forth and an other to feed of the flesh which is done when the infant sucheth m lib 1 de peccator meâ—â—â— and remiss c. â—0 And in an other place he plainly demonstrateth that this precept Vnles yee eat is distinguished from the precept of Baptisme yea in infantes I answear therfore to the argument that S. Austine doth expound this place to be vnderstood of a Sacramentall eating but yet that he doth attribut that eating to infants not in the thing but in an inward desire which is had by baptisme as wee haue said To the other two places of S. Augustine I answere that that saying To what end doest thou prepare thy teeth and bellie belieue and thou hast eaten And that To belieue in him is to eat his flesh are spoken by him not of the Sacrament but of the beliefe of the incarnation for yet he had not com to that parte of the ghospell which treateth of the last supper but that saying whoe eateth in harte not who presseth with his teeth S. Augustine said when he spoke of the Sacrament not to exclude Sacramentall eating but that he might signifie the end of the Sacrament to be this to nourish our soule and not our body for he is truly refreshed with this meat that eateth in hart not that presseth it with his teeth to witt only with his teeth for he doth not exclude corporall eating when in the same place he saith that Iudas did eat it only corporally but only he doth preferre the spirituall eating before the corporall because the spirituall doth profitt without the carnall but not the corporall with out the spirituall The like is that place of Osea I vvill mercy not Sacrifice Osea cap. 6. Now our lord doth not reiect sacrifices but will none of them without mercy To the other Fathers I answere that they expound mystically not according to the letter but they in no place euer denied that those wordes ought not to be taken literally of the Sacramentall eating yea on the contrary they are aboue cited in be halfe of the Sacramentall eating for the literal and mysticall sense doe not repugne one an other To the last of S. Austine I answere Lib. â— de Doctrina Christiana he puteth a figure in the wordes concerning the manner of receauing the flesh of Christ not of the substance of the thing it self For he would not say the flesh of Christ so called figuratiuely is to be eaten that is the bread wherby his flesh is signified if wee consider the essence and verie thing of eating which only requireth that true meat be deliuered through the mouth vnto the stomake by vitall instrumentes wee shall easily perceaue that S. Austine vnderstandeth it to be eatcn figuratiuely concerning the manner for the ordinarie and proper manner of eating flesh is that it be visibly cutt in partes and so taken by little and little boyled not raw c. but the flesh of Christ is taken whole and inuisibly without any hurt of it self wherfor the flesh of Christ is slaine and torne in eating not properly but only figuratiuely for wee represent the passion of Christ Now that S. Austine doth vnderstand it in this sense this manifest for tow respects first because he saith it is to be expounded figuratiuely least some vnlawfull acte or wickednes should seeme to be commaunded Moreouer it were a wicked thing to kill and eat the flesh of Christ in partes but not after a certayn spirituall manner to receaue the verie flesh it self in the Sacrament without any hurt ther vnto Secondly because he himself doth explicate what is the litterall sense which seemeth to sound any wickednes to witt that wherein the Capharnaites did take the wordes of Christ tract 27. in Ioann Psal 98. who thought that his flesh was to be torne as wee see it done in the shambles and some little parte giuen to euery one therfore when S. Austine saith that by this precept Vnlesse yee eat is commaunded that wee communicate by the passion of Christ and worship and cogitat it in our myndes he doth only signifie that which the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 11. That the flesh of Christ is to be receaued in the Sacrament for a remembrance of the passion and death of our lord All other friuoulous obiections for as much as they haue no authoritie but theire owne bare explications I thinke needlesse to write specially when you see that wee haue all antiquitie with the whole Church for our sentence and opinion to witt that the true body and blood of Christ is vndoubtedly and really eaten in the Sacrament of the Eucharist But to make S. Austine more cleare heare yet this one sentence of his he therfore expounding a little beneath these words He which eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood remayneth in me saith thus He that remayneth not in Christ in whome Christ doth not remayne without doubt he doth not eat his flesh spiritually nor drinke his blood although carnally and visibly he presse the body and blood of Christ with his teeth but doth rather eat ad drinke the Sacrament of so great a thinge to his owne iudgment because being vnclean he doth presume to coÌ„e to the SacrameÌ„t of Christ which no maÌ„ receaueth worthily vnlesse he be cleane These S. Austine whoe therfore caÌ„ be so froward as to deny say that S. Austine doth not expouÌ„d these words of S. Iohn to pertaine vnto the Sacrament of the Eucharist where the flesh and blood of Christ is realy eaten dronken and that he would only teach when he saith This bread is to be eaten by faith that neither teeth nor bellie is to be prepared but that faith and puritie of mynd is necessary wherby this meat ought to be taken that it may profit and be worthily eaten without which it doth not profit but hurt Againe our aduersaries obiect an other place out of S. Athanasius where in his tract vpon these wordes Whoesoeuer shall speak a word against the son of man it shal be for giuen c. saith thus How many men would his body haue sufficed for meat that it might become food for the whole world but therfore he made mention of his ascension into heauen that he might draw them from a corporall vnderstanding and that they afterwards might vnderstand his flesh wherof he spoke to be meat sent from heauen and spirituall food and that it was to be giuen by himself For the wordes which I speake vnto you our Sauiour are spirit and life which is the same as if he should say my body which is shevven and giuen for the world shal be giuen for meat that it may be giuen spirituallie to euery one and become a protection and preseruation to euery one vnto the
that they seeme from hence to scrape testimonies to proue that it doe not suffice to confesse sins to God only or lay men but that the priest must know of it their diligence is shamefull and wicked For if the auncient Fathers doe at nny tyme persuade sinners to disburden them selues vnto their pastour it cannot be vnderstood of any recyting or such lyke matter wher of then as he doth not know so he doth not explicate yet a little after he saith although they teach a grosse errour in saying that it ought to be declared by word they trust in a ceremonie in stead of Doctrine An old condemned Heresie This was the heresie and chiefe errour of the Nouations witnes Theodoretut lib. de haeret fab and S. Cornelius Papa apub Euseb l 6. hist cap. 33. that the Church and priestes of Christ had no power to absolue sinners and reconcile them againe vnto God THE 36. ARTICLE Of Satisfaction THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE A man iustified may truly Satisfie God for the giult of his temporall payne wherfore there may iustly be inioyned Satisfactory workes as fastinge abstinence Almes deeds and discipline also chastisement of the body for a payne and punishment to such as fall and are penitent and such men also may piously and with great profit vndertake the same and fulfill it SCRIPTVRE a Nom. 2â— v. 12. BEcause you haue not belieued in me to Sanctify me before the Children of Israell you shall not bring in these people into the land which I will giue them b 2 Kinges cap. 12 14. Because thou hast made the emimes of our lord to blaspheme for this thing the son that is borne to thee shall die the death c 3. Kinges cap. 21. v. 27.28.29 When Achab had heard these words he rent his garments and couered his flesh with hearcloth and fasted and slept in sackcloth and the word of the lord came to Elias the Thisbite sayinge hast thou not seen Achab humbled before me therfore because he hath humbled himself for my sake I wil not bring in the evill in his dayes d 2. Kinges 24 22 c. Daniel 4 24. Choyse is giuen thee of three thinges c. either famine three months warre or three dayes pestilence for a penaunce e Tobias 12.8 9. and Ecclesiasticus 3.33 Prayer is good with fasting and Almes c. that is it which purgeth sinnes and maketh to find mercy and life euerlasting f Ioel 2.12 Turne to me with all your hart in fasting and in weeping and in mourning g Psal 6.7 I haue laboured in mourning I will wash my bed euery night I will water my bed with my teares h Ps 34.13.1 But when they were troublesome to me I did put on cloth of heare i Ps 24.18 See my humiliation and my labour and forgiue all my sins k Matt. 3.2 Doe pennaunce for the kingdome of heauen is at hand l cap. 11.21 They had done penance in hearcloth and ashes long a goe m Lucke 3.3 Preaching the baptisme of penance vnto remission of sinnes n cap. 13.3.5 Vnlesse you haue penance you shall all likewyse perish o Act 8 22. Doe penance therfore for this thy wickednes p cap. 2.38 But Peter said vnto them doe yee pennance and let euery one of you be baptized in the name of Iesus for the remission of your sinnes q 1 Cor. 5 5. See also Daniel 4. v 24. and prouerbs 26 6. To deliuer such an one to Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued FATHERS 1. Concilium Vacense anno 442. bringeth in S. Peter speaking thus yf peraduenture either enuie or infidelitie or any of those Mischiefs which you haue spoken of before shall secretly creep into any mans hart Let him not be ashamed to confesse those thinges vnto him that hath the care of the gouerment of his soule that he may be cured by him through the word of God and wholsome Councell wherby through sound faith and good workes he may avoyde the paynes of eternall sier and obteyn the rewards of life euerlasting S. Dionysius Areopagita anno 80. Epist 6. Vehemently rebuketh Demophilus the monke because with his foot he thrust away a sinner that had submitted and prostrated himself at the knees of the priest being about to confesse his sinnes and receaue absolution from the same S. Iustine Martyr anno 150. Quaest 79. asketh a question why God permitted king Iosias to be slayne with a sworde being a most holy man and he answereth in these words Certenly Iosias had a woefull end of his life because he obeyed not the commaund of Hieremias who said vnto him by Gods commaund that he should not proceed to meet the kinge of Aegipt in battayl as Hieremias saith Wherfor that our lord might receaue him out of this world purified from his sinnes he therfore gaue him to be punished for his disobedience by the sworde of the Aegiptians S. Irenaeus anno 160. saith Lib. 4. cap. 28 in fine He tought that he should doe those thinges that were commaunded by God from the beginnig and that they should disolue the old concupiscence by good workes and follow Christ and that those things which men possesse being distributed to the poore doe make a dissolution of that concupiscence past Tacheus Maketh it manifest saying behold I giue one halfe of my goods to the poore lib. de paenit Tertullian anno 200. saith thou hast offended but thou maist yet be reconciled thou hast one to whome thou maist make Satisfaction Et infra Satisfaction is wrought by confession And a little before he saith what a foolish thing is it not to fullfill our penaunce and soe to obteyne the pardon of our sins this is as much as not to pay the price and yet to say hold on the marchandice for our lord hath appoynted to graunt pardon for this price he hath determined that a full discharge from punishment should be obteyned by this Satisfaction of penaunce homii 6. in Exod. Origen anno 230. saith if any man peraduenture being deceaued by the Diuell hath receaued such money let him not altogether dispaire for our lord is mercifull and full of compassion and desireth not the death of his creature but rather that he be conuerted and liue by penaunce weeping and Satisfaction let him blott out that which is committed homil 3. in lib. Iud. Againe See saith he how our mercifull lord mixeth his mercy with seueritie and measureth the payn it self by a iust and milde weight he doth not wherby reiect offenders but as longe tyme as thou knowest thou hast erred as longe tyme as thou hast offended so much the more humble thy selfe vnto God and satisfie him by the confession of penaunce Sermone do opere Elcemosynis S. Cyprian anno 240. saith Neither should infirmity haue any humane frailty which imbecillity could ouer come vnlesse
diuine pietie helping iustice by the workes of mercy againe did open acertayn way to defend saluation so that afterward wee may wash away by Almes what soeuer filth wee gather or contract the holy ghost speaketh in the Scripture and saith sinnes are purged by almes and faith not those sinnes which weere formerly committed for those are purged by the blood and satisfaction of Christ Where wee may obserue that he putteth a manifest differeÌ„ce betweene Baptisme and penaunce Againe Wee must pray vnto our lord Sermone de lapsis wee must pacify our lord by our satisfaction Et infra ad finem wee ought to pray and beseech more earnestly and to passe the day in murning with whole nights in watchinges and teares and to the prostrate in ashes and hearcloth and humble in filth c. he that shall in this sort satisfie God and through the penance of his fact and shame of his offence conceaue more force and faith for the very grief of his fall being now heare and hauing obteyned his request of our lord he shall make the Church glade which before the had made sorrowfull and shall not now deserue only pardon of God but also a crowne a lib 6. de vero cultu cap. 24. Lactantius anno 320. saith he may be brought back agayn if he be sorrie for his sinnes and being conuerted vnto a better course of life may satisfie God b in Psal 118. v. 136. S. Hilarie anno 350. saith expounding that of the Psalme Mine eies haue gushed out issues of waters because they haue not kept thy law This saith he is the voyce of penance to pray with teares to shigh with teares and through this confidence say I will wash my bed euery night this is the pardon of sin to weep with a fountayne of weeping and to be made wett with a shower of teares c in oratione super illa verba Attende tibi c. S. Basil anno 380. saith haue a care of thy self that according to the proportion of thy offence thou maist be chaunged by this and haueing a medicine procure thy owne health is the sinne great and grieuous thou hast great need of confession bitter teares earnest contention in watchings long and continued fasting is the offence light and not intollerable let this also be satisfied by penance d in epist 82. ad Ecclesiam vercelleâ—sem S. Ambrose anno 380. saith how can wee be saued vnles wee wash a way our sinnes by fasting Againe e ad Virginem lapsâ—m cap. 8. a deepe wound must haue a great and large medicine a great sin must of necessitie haue great satisfaction Againe f in lib. de Elia and Ieiunio cap 2â— wee haue saith he many helps wher by to redeeme our sinnes hast thou money to redeeme thy sin our lord is not to be sold but thou art to be sold yea thou art sold by thy sinnes redeeme thy self by thy workes redeeme thy self by thy monie â—n orat de paupetum â—more prope exâ—rema S. Greg. Naz. anno 380. saith f Sinnes are purged by mercy and faith therfore let vs purge our selues by mercy and wash a way the filth and spots of our soule with that hearb and become white some as wooll others as snoe to witt according to the proportion of mercy In paraenesi ad paenitentiaâ— S. Paâ—â—nus anno 350. saith I beseech thee and earnestly pray thee that thou be not ashamed of this work that it be not irksome vnto thee with all speed to imbrace necessarie remedies vnto saluation to giue thy minde vnto sorrow to wrape thy body in saccloth to tumble in ashes to afflick thy self by fasting to worke and be earnest in prayer wherin you doe not spare your owne punishment therin God will spare you Et infra behold I promise you if you returne vnto your Father with true satisfaction not sinning any more or adding any thinge to your former sins but saying also some humble and mournfull saying Father wee haue sinned in thy sight and are no more worthy to be called thy sons presently that vnclean beast and deformed meat of huskes will departe from you Epist 1. cap. 7. S. Innocentius anno 402. saith But concerning the esteeming of the weight of sins it belongeth vnto the priest to iudge and to attend vnto the confession of the penitent and to the weeping and tears of him that correcteth S. Leo anno 440. saith g Sermone 1. de â—â—â—unio decimi mensis the mercy of God is obteyned by prayer the concupiscence of the flesh is extinguished by fasting sinnes are redeemed by Almes Againe Speaking of penitent priestes he saith h Epist 92. ad Rusticum cap. 2. such as haue fallen ought priuatly to retire them selues to obteyn the â—ercy of God wherby also their satisfaction may be come fruitfull vnto them if it be worthy In cap. 1. Ioelis S. Hierome anno 380. explicating that of the Prophet Ioel Gird your selues and mourne c. saith he that is a sinner and whome his owne conscience doth bite let him put on hearcloth and mourne either for his owne sins or for the sinnes of the people and let him Goe into the church from which he had strayed by his sinnes and let him ly and sleepe in saccloth therby to recompence his former delights by which he had offended God with the austeritie of his life S. Augustin anno 400. saith in Euchiridio cap. 70. wee must change and amend our life God doth not become mercifull for our sinnes past by almes he is not to be sought after for this that wee might haue leaue alwayes freely and without punishment offend for he giueth no man licence to sinne although he doe blot out sinnes committed by his mercy if due satisfaction be not neglected Againe as for dayly light sins and of smale moment cap. 71. without which no man liueth the dayly prayer of the faithfull doth satisfie for such Againe homil 50. cap. 11. let the sinner come vnto the prelate by whome the keyes of the church are gouerned and as it were now beginning to be a son according to auÌ„cient custome let him receaue the measure of his satisfaction from such as are ouer the Sacraments Et infra it doth not suffice to amend our manners cap. 15. and leaue our wicked customes vnlesse wee doe also satisfie God for such thinges as wee haue already committed c. S. Maximus anno 420. saith he is not reprehended homil in diâ— cinerum that hath heretofore by an erroneous hart and slipperie course of life fallen from the right way vnto saluation and doth now againe endeuour to be reconciled vnto God by sorrourfull satisfaction of penance S. Greg. anno 601. saith lib. 6. in 1. Reg. explicans cap. 15. sinnes ought not only to be confessed but also blotted out by the austoritie of penaunce Ibid. indeed sins that are corrigible are