despise, but rather embrace and cherish the contrite and humbled heart ; not demanding from the sinner only the fruits of good actions, but receiving the words of compunction for his sins, and the humble confession of his bad deeds.” L. iii. Ep. ccxliii. T. ii. p. 417. “The way to Christ is through prayer, and fasting, and tears, and confession, and watching, and other acts of penance.” Ibid. Ep. 171. p. 381.
SALVIANUS, L. C. “ Few men, who are wealthy, though conscious of their crimes, are disposed to redeem them, I do not say, by Confession and Satisfaction, a) but not even, which is most easy, by donations and acts of mercy.” Ep. ad Salon. p. 212.
COUNCIL OF TRENT.
“ From the institution of the Sacrament of Penance, as before explained, the whole Church has always understood, that the entire Confession of sins was also instituted by our Lord; and that this Confession, by divine right, is necessary for all who fall after Baptism; because our Lord Jesus Christ, about to ascend into heaven, left the Priests his Vicars, with the authority of judges, to whom all grievous crimes, into which men may fall, must be referred, in order that they pronounce sentence on them, by the power of the keys, that is, the power of binding and loosing. For, it is plain that, if the cause be unknown, such sentence cannot be pronounced; nor equity, in the enjoining of punishment, be preserved, if sins generally, and not each one particularly, be declared.” Sess. xiv. c. v. p. 113.—“ If any one shall deny, that sacramental Confession was instituted, or is necessary, by divine right, to salvation; or shall say, that
