A double summons the one, to unfeigned repentance. The other, to the worthy receiving…A double summons the one, to vnfained repentance. The other, to the worthie receiuing…

Confession, they call, a numbering of all their sins in the ear of their ghostly father: for as (say they) a Judge cannot absolve without knowledge of the cause or matter; so cannot the Priest, or ghostly father, absolve ⟨p. 8⟩from other sins, then those which he doth hear.

Confession, they call, a numbering of all their sinnes in the eare of their ghostly father: for as (say they) a Iudge cannot absolue without knowledge of the cause or matter; so cannot the Priest, or ghostly father, absolue ⟨p. 8⟩from other sinnes, then those which he doth heare.

Satisfaction, they call amends making unto God for their sins, by their undue works, Opera indebita, Works more then they need to do, as they term them: This is their penance which they preach, write, and allow: But how true this stuff is, how it agreeth with Gods Word, how it is to be allowed, taught, preached, and written, let us a little consider. If a man repent not, until he have a just and full sorrowing for his sins (dearly beloved) when shall he repent? For in as much as hell fire, and the punishment of the devils, is a just punishment for sin: In as much as in all sin, there is a contempt of God, which is all goodness, and therefore there is a desert of all illness: alas, who can bear for feel this just sorrow, this full sorrow for our sins, this their contrition, which they do so discern from their attrition? Shall not man by this doctrine, rather despair, then come by repentance? If a man repent not until ⟨p. 9⟩he have made confession of all his sins in the ear of his ghostly father: if a man cannot have absolution of his sins, until his sins be told by tale and number in the Priests ear (in that as David saith) none can understand much less then utter all his sins: Delicta quis intelligit? Who can understand his sins? In that David of himself complaineth else where, how that his sins are overflowed his head, and as a heavy burden do oppress him; alas, shall not a man by this doctrine, be utterly driven from repentance? Though they have gone about, something to make plaster for their forces of confession or attrition, to assuage this srruffe; bidding a man to hope well of his contrition, though it be not so full as is required, and of his confession, though he have not numbered all his sins, if so be that he do so much as in him lieth: dearly beloved, in that there is none, but that herein he is guilty (for who doth as much as he may) think ye, that this plaster is not like salt to sore eyes?