him seek to be purified.” Homil. x. in Num. T. ii. p. 302. _“If we discover our sins, not only to God, but to those, who may apply a remedy to our wounds and iniquities, our sins will be effaced by him, who said: I have blotted out thy iniquities, as a cloud, and thy sins, as a mist. Isa. xliv. 22." Hom. xvii. in Lucam.
CENT. IV.
LACTANTIUS, L. C.-Speaking of legal circumcision, by which the Christian confession and penance, he says, were prefigured, he observes: “ This is the circumcision of the heart, of which the prophets speak, which God transferred from man's body to his soul. For being willing-such was his eternal mercy—to provide for our life and our salvation, in that circumcision he proposed penance to us; in order that, if we cleanse our heart, that is, if, confessing our sins, we make satisfaction to God, we may obtain pardon. This pardon, he, who looks into the secret recesses of the heart, withholds from the refractory, and from those who conceal their crimes." Institut. L. iv. c. 17. p. 319. Ed. Parisiis, 1748. - “ Now as all heretical sects deem themselves particularly Christians, and think theirs is the Catholic Church, it should be known, that where is confession and penance, by which the sins, to which weak men are subject, are cancelled, there is the true Church.” Ibid. c. xxx. p. 354.
EUSEBIUS OF CÆSAREA, G. C.-"God hates not sinners, nor does he permit them to be corrupted by their sins; but has more care of them, than of those, who are sound; giv-
