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 or 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 to repentance? If a man repent not until 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? ⟨p. 9⟩Who can understand his sins? In that David complaineth of himself elsewhere, how that his sins have overflowed his head, and as a heavy burden do oppress him; alas shall not a man by this doctrines be utterly driven from repentance? Though they have gone about, something to make a plaster for their sores of confession or attrition, to assuage this stuff; 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? Yes undoubtedly, alas when they have done all they can, for the appeasing of consciences in these points, this is the sum, that we yet should hope well, but yet so hope that we must stand in a mammering and doubting, whether our sins be forgiven. For to believe remissionem peccatorum, that is, to be certain of forgiveness of sins, as our Creed ⟨p. 10⟩teacheth us, they count it a presumption. O abomination, and that not only therein, but in all their penance as they paint it!
If a man repent not, untill he have a just and full sorrowing for his sinnes (dearly beloved) when shall he repent? For in as much as hell fire, and the punishment of the Divels, is a just punishment for sinne: In as much as in all sinne, there is a contempt of God, which is all goodnesse, and therefore there is a desert of all ilnesse: alas; who can beare or feele this just sorrow, this full sorrow for our sinnes, this their contrition, which they doe so discerne from their attrition? shall not man by this doctrine rather despaire, then come to repentance? If a man repent not untill he have made confession of all his sinns in the eare of his ghostly Father: if a man cannot have absolution of his sins, untill his sins be told by tale and number in the Priests eare, in that (as David saith) none can understand, much lesse then utter all his sins: Delicta quis intelligit? ⟨p. 9⟩Who can understand his sins? In that David complaineth of himselfe elsewhere, how that his sinnes have overflowed his head, and as a heavy burthen doe oppresse him; alas shall not a man by this doctrines be utterly driven from repentance? Though they have gone about, something to make a plaister for their sores of confession or attrition, to asswage this stuffe; 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 numbred all his sinnes, if so be that he doe so much as in him lieth: dearely beloved, in that there is none, but that herein he is guilty (for who doth as much as he may?) think yee, that this plaister is not like salt to sore eyes? Yes undoubtedly, alas when they have done all they can, for the appeasing of consciences in these poynts, this is the summe, that we yet should hope well, but yet so hope that we must stand in a mammering and doubting, whether our sins be forgiven. For to beleeve remissionem peccatorum, that is, to be certaine of forgivenesse of sinnes, as our Creed ⟨p. 10⟩teacheth us, they count it a presumption. O abomination, and that not onely therein, but in all their penance as they paint it!
