same thing that Reginaldus does, and that a man' is not bound to come out of that state of enmity, till he be in those circumstances, that it is very probable, if he does not then come out, he must stay in it for ever. It is something worse than this yet, that Sotus says, "Even to resolve to defer our repentance, and to refuse to repent for a certain time,' is but a venial sin." But Medina d says, "It is none at all."

C

If it be replied to this, that though God hath left it to a sinner's liberty to repent when he please, yet the church hath been more severe than God hath been, and ties a sinner to repent, by collateral positive laws; for having bound every one to confess at Easter, consequently she hath tied every one to repent at Easter, and so, by her laws, can lie in the sin without interruption but twelve months, or thereabouts; yet there is a secret in this, which nevertheless themselves have been pleased to discover for the ease of tender consciences, viz. that the church ordains but the means, the exterior solemnity of it, and is satisfied, if you obey her laws by a ritual repentance; but the holiness, and the inward repentance, which in charity we should have supposed to have been designed by the law of festivals, "Non est id quod per præceptum de observatione festorum injungitur," "is not that which is enjoined by the church in her law of holydays." So that still sinners are left to the liberty which they say God gave; even to satisfy ourselves with all the remaining pleasures of that sin for a little while, even during our short mortal life: only we must be sure to repent at last.

We shall not trouble ourselves or our charges with confuting this impious doctrine. For it is evident, that this gives countenance and too much warranty to a wicked life; and that of itself is confutation enough, and is that which we intended to represent.

If it be answered, that this is not the doctrine of their church, but of some private doctors; we must tell you, that, if by the doctrine of their church they mean such things only as are decreed in their councils; it is to be considered,

c Dom. à Soto in quart. sent. dict. 17. qu. 2. art. 6. concl. secunda. d Non est dubium quin id licitum sit. Cod. de Pœniten. Tract. 1. q. 6. p 18. edit. Salmantic. A. D. 1553.

e Reginald. lib. de Contrit. c. 2. cap. 4.

that but few things are determined in their councils; nothing but articles of belief, and the practice of sacraments relating to public order: and if they will not be reproved for any thing, but what we prove to be false in the articles of their simple belief, they take a liberty to say and do what they list, and to corrupt all the world by their rules of conscience. But, that this is also the doctrine of their church, their own men tell us, "Communis omnium," &c. "It is the doctrine of all their men;" so they affirm, as we have cited their own words above: who also undertake to tell us, in what sense their church intends to tie sinners to actual repentance; not as soon as the sin is committed, but at certain seasons, and then also to no more of it, than the external and ritual part. So that if their church be injuriously charged, themselves have done it, not we. And besides all this, it is hard to suppose or expect that the innumerable cases of conscience, which a whole trade of lawyers and divines amongst them have made, can be entered into the records of councils and public decrees. In these cases we are to consider, who teaches them? Their gravest doctors, in the face of the sun, under the intuition of authority in the public conduct of souls, in their allowed sermons, in their books licensed by a curious and inquisitive authority, not passing from them, but by warranty from several hands intrusted to examine them, "Ne fides ecclesiæ aliquid detrimenti patiatur;" "that nothing be published but what is consonant to the catholic faith." And, therefore, these things cannot be esteemed private opinions: especially, since if they be, yet they are the private opinions of them all, and that we understand to be public enough: and are so their doctrine, as what the scribes and pharisees taught their disciples, though the whole church of the Jews had not passed it into a law. So, this is the Roman doctrine; though not the Roman law. Which difference, we desire may be observed in many of the following instances, that this objection may no more interpose for an escape or excuse. But we shall have occasion again to speak to it, upon new particulars.

But this, though it be infinitely intolerable, yet it is but

f Non illico ut homo se reum sentit culpæ, pœnitentiæ lege pœnitere constringitur. Hæc profecto conclusio more et usu ecclesiæ satis videtur constabilita. Dom. à Soto, in quart. sent, dist. 17. qu. 2. art: 6.

the beginning of sorrows. For the guides of souls in the Roman church have prevaricated in all the parts of repentance, most sadly and dangerously.

The next things, therefore, that we shall remark, are their doctrines concerning contrition: which when it is genuine and true, that is, a true cordial sorrow for having sinned against God; a sorrow proceeding from the love of God, and conversion to him, and ending in a dereliction of all our sins, and a walking in all righteousness; both the psalms and the prophets, the Old Testament and the New, the Greek fathers and the Latin, have allowed as sufficient for the pardon of our sins through faith in Jesus Christ (as our writers have often proved in their sermons, and books of conscience): yet first, the church of Rome does not allow it to be of any value, unless it be joined with a desire to confess their sins to a priest; saying, that a man by contrition is not reconciled to God, without their sacramental or ritual penance, actual or votive; and this is decreed by the council of Trent: which thing, besides that it is against Scripture, and the promises of the Gospel, and not only teaches for doctrine the commandments of men,' but evacuates the goodness of God by their traditions, and weakness, and discourages the best repentance, and prefers repentance towards men, before that which the Scripture calls repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

But the malignity of this doctrine, and its influence it hath on an evil life, appears in the other corresponding part of this doctrine. For as contrition without their ritual and sacramental confession will not reconcile us to God: so attrition (as they call it) or contrition imperfect, proceeding from fear of damnation, together with their sacrament, will reconcile the sinner. Contrition without it, will not: attrition with it, will reconcile us; and, therefore, by this doctrine, which is expressly decreed at Trent, there is no necessity of contrition at all; and attrition is as good to all intents and purposes of pardon: and a little repentance will prevail as well as the greatest, the imperfect as well as the perfect. So Gulielmus de Rubeo explains this doctrine: "He that

8 Sessio 4. c. 4.

h In 4. sent. dist. 18. q. 4.

confesses his sins, grieving but a little, obtains remission of his sins by the sacrament of penance ministered to him by the priest absolving him." So that although God working contrition in a penitent, hath not done his work for him without the priest's absolution, in desire at least; yet, if the priest do his part, he hath done the work for the penitent, though God had not wrought that excellent grace of con trition in the penitent.

But for the contrition itself: it is a good word, but of no severity or affrightment by the Roman doctrine: "One contrition, one act of it, though but little and remiss, can blot out any, even the greatest sin" (always understanding it in the sense of the church, that is, in the sacrament of penance), saith cardinal Tolet." A certain little inward grief of mind is required to the perfection of repentance," said Maldonat. And to "contrition a grief in general for all our sins is sufficient; but it is not necessary to grieve for any one sin more than another," said Franciscus de Victoria'. "The greatest sin and the smallest, as to this, are all alike; and as for the contrition itself, any intention or degree whatsoever, in any instant whatsoever, is sufficient to obtain mercy and remission," said the same author.

Now let this be added to the former, and the sequel is this, That if a man live a wicked life for threescore or fourscore years together, yet if in the article of his death, sooner than which God hath not commanded him to repent, he be a little sorrowful for his sins, then resolving for the present, that he will do so no more; and though this sorrow hath in it no love of God, but only a fear of hell, and a hope that God will pardon him; this, if the priest absolves him, does instantly pass him into a state of salvation. The priest with two fingers and a thumb can do his work for him; only he must be greatly disposed and prepared to receive it: greatly, we say, according to the sense of the Roman church; for he must be attrite, or it were better if he were contrite; one act of grief, a little one, and that not for one sin more

1 Lib. iii. instruc, sacerdot. c. 5. n. 4.

* Sum, qu. 16. art. 6.

I De 'contrit. num. 107. Quæcunque intensio contra peccatum, in quocunque instanti, sufficiet ad consequendam misericordiam et remissionem. Ibid. n. 106,

than another, and this at the end of a long wicked life, at the time of our death, will make all sure.

t

Upon these terms, it is a wonder that all wicked men in the world are not papists; where they may live so merrily, and die so securely, and are out of all danger, unless peradventure they die very suddenly, which because so very few do, the venture is esteemed nothing, and it is a thousand to one on the sinner's side.

SECTION II.

We know it will be said, that the Roman church enjoins confession, and imposes penances; and these are a great restraint to sinners, and gather up what was scattered before. The reply is easy, but it is very sad. For,

1. For confession; it is true, to them who are not used to it, as it is at the first time, and for that once, it is as troublesome, as for a bashful man to speak orations in public: but where it is so perpetual and universal, and done by com panies and crowds at a solemn set time; and when it may be done to any one besides the parish-priest, to a friar that begs, or to a monk in his dorter, done in the ear, it may be to a person that hath done worse, and therefore hath no awe upon me, but what his order imprints, and his viciousness takes off; when we see women and boys, princes and prelates do the same every day and as oftentimes they are never the better, so they are not at all ashamed; but men look upon it as a certain cure, like pulling off a man's clothes to go and wash in a river; and make it, by use and habit, by confidence and custom, to be no certain pain: and the women blush or smile, weep or are unmoved, as it happens under their veil, and the men under the boldness of their sex: When we see that men and women confess to-day, and sin to-morrow, and are not affrighted from their sin the more for it; because they know the worst of it, and have felt it often, and believe to be eased by it: certain it is, that a little reason, and a little observation, will suffice to conclude, that this practice of confession hath in it no affrightment, not so much as the horror of the sin itself hath to the conscience. For they who commit sins confidently, will, with less regret