God's mercy, they concealed not the greatness of man's sin, in again defiling what God had anew hallowed: they concealed not that such a fall was worse than Adam's, since it was a fall from a higher state and in despite of greater aids: that though God's mercy was ever open, yet it required more enduring pains, more abiding self-discipline, more continued sorrow, again to become capable of that mercy. God is always ready to forgive: the sins can be forgiven; and yet they are not! why? but because to rise again after falling from Baptismal grace, is far more difficult than the easiness with which men forgive their own sins, leads them to think; the frame of mind which would really seek forgiveness, requires greater conflict, more earnest prayers, more complete self-abasement, and real renunciation of self, than men can bring themselves to think necessary, or comply with. Men will not confess to themselves how far astray they have gone: they cannot endure that all should be begun anew; and so they keep their sins and perish! But on that very account did the early Church the more earnestly warn them of the greatness of the effort needed. While she affectionately tendered the hopes of pardon held out in God's word, she faithfully warned men not to build those hopes on the sand. She called on men to return—not as if now they could at once lay down all their burthen at their Saviour's feet, but to wash His feet with their tears; to turn—not with the mockery of woe, but with weeping, fasting, mourning, and rending of the heart. They separated not what God had joined. This the Romish Church has done in its way. They held in words, as well as we, that the Sacrament of Baptism could not be repeated, and that its efficacy alone would not wash away sins subsequently committed; but by devising the new Sacrament of Penance, they did contrive, without more cost, to restore men, however fallen, to the same state of undisturbed security in which God had by Baptism placed them[1]. Penance
- ↑ Card. Bellarmine directly argues (Controv. t. ii. p. 1483,) "Since the Apostle says (Heb. vi.) that it is impossible that a man should be restored through that repentance which is united with Baptism, therefore we must either with the Novatians deny all reconciliation, or with the Catholics
