tain sins, for an example. And with these punishments the power of the keys has nothing to do; but it is the part of God alone to impose them and to remit them, at his own pleasure.

And it does by no means follow, that if there was a peculiar punishment inflicted on David, there is, besides the common crosses and afflictions of Christians, still a punishment of purgatory, where each sin has its proper degree and portion of punishment. For we can read no where in the Scriptures, that there is no possible means by which we can be released from eternal pain and death, except by such acquittal of our sufferings and expiations: but the Scripture every where testifies that we obtain the remission of sins without merit, through Christ, and that Christ alone has subdued death and sin; we should, therefore, not subjoin or add our merits. And although Christians must endure various pains, chastisements, and tribulations; yet the Scripture shows that these are imposed on us for the purpose of humbling and mortifying our old Adamic nature, and not for the purpose of liberating us from eternal death.

It is admitted in the Scriptures that Job was not afflicted on account of any evil deed. Wherefore it follows that afflictions and temptations are not always evidences of divine wrath; but men should be carefully taught to view them in a very different light, viz. as evidences of favor, so that they may not think that God has forsaken them, when they are afflicted. The other proper fruits of the cross should be considered, viz. that God arrests us, and performs a strange work, as Isaiah says, Isaiah 28, 21, so that he may do his proper work in us, as he continues concerning this with a long consolatory discourse in his 28th chapter. And where the disciples enquired concerning the blind man, John 9,3, Christ says: "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." And thus says Jeremiah, the prophet: "They whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken," Jer. 49, 12. Thus the prophets were slain, thus John the baptist, and other saints were put to death.

Wherefore, afflictions are not always punishments or pains for former sins, but they are dispensations of God, designed for our benefit, so that the power and strength of God may be the more conspicuous in our weakness, showing that he is able to assist in the midst of death. Thus says Paul, 2 Cor. 12, 9: God's "strength is made perfct in weakness." We ought therefore, to sacrifice our bodies for the will of God, to manifest our patience and obedience, not to liberate ourselves from eternal death or everlasting punishment: because, for this purpose, God has instituted another remedy, namely, the death of his Son, Christ our Lord.

And in this manner, St. Gregory explains the example of David, where he says: "If God threatened him on account of that sin, that he might, in this manner, be humbled by his son, why then did he permit the menace to be issued, when the sin was already forgiven? It must be answered, that the remission was granted in order that the man might not be obstructed in the reception of eternal life; the threatened punishment, nevertheless, followed, that he might prove him and retain him in humility." Thus God has likewise imposed natural death on man, and it is, when sins are forgiven, not removed, in order that those whose sins are remitted, may be established and proved and sanctified.

Now, it is evident that the power of the keys does not obviate these common chastisements; as, wars, famines, and similar plagues; again, that canonical expiations (canonicæ satisfactiones) do not exempt us from these plagues, so as to avail and benefit us if we even are in fatal sins. Our adversaries themselves likewise confess that they do not impose expiations for these common plagues, but for purgatory; hence their expiations are mere fantastic dreams.

But here some allege the declaration of Paul, 1 Cor. 11, 31: "For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." From this they conclude: If we would impose punishment on ourselves, God would chastise more graciously. Reply:-Paul speaks of a reformation of the whole life, and not of external punishment and ceremonies: wherefore, this passage adds nothing to expiations; for what regard has God for punishment without reformation? Yea, it is an infamous blasphemy, to teach, that our expiation when it is made in fatal sin, mitigates the punishments of God. Paul speaks of contrition and faith, and of an entire reformation, and not merely of external chastisement. It is impossible, then, to force this passage to mean any thing more than if we reform ourselves, God will avert his punishment. This is true, and it is essential, consolatory, and useful, to preach that God mitigates punishment, if we amend our lives, as he did with Nineveh. And thus Isaiah teaches, Isaiah 1, 18: "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow," if you amend your lives. And this amendment does not consist in canonical expiations, but in other parts of repentance, in contrition, in faith, in good works which succeed faith: but our adversaries apply these consolatory passages to their fallacious views concerning expiations.

The advertence, however, of the ancient teachers and Fathers, to expiations, and the formation of canons concerning them, by the

councils, we stated above, were an external ceremony, and it was not the intention of the Fathers that these ceremonies of repentance should be an obliteration of the crime before God, or of the punishment; for even if there are some Fathers, who advert to purgatory, yet they explain it themselves: if it even does exist, yet it is not a liberation from eternal death and punishment, which Christ alone effects; but it is a purifying and a purgation (as they say) of impure souls. Thus says Augustine: "Daily sins are consumed and obliterated; as, distrust in God, and the like."

We also discover in several places of their writings, that the Fathers used the word satisfactio or expiation, which originally came from the ceremony of public penance, as we have said, for true contrition and the mortifying of the old Adamic nature. In this manner, Augustine says: "The true satisfactio or expiation is the abscission of the cause of sin, that is, the mortifying of the flesh," &c. Again: "It is a restraint of the flesh, not that eternal death or pain is acquitted by it; but that our flesh may not urge us to sin."

Thus says Gregory with regard to the restitution of strange goods, that it is a false repentance, if we do not make satisfaction to those whose goods we hold in possession unjustly; for he is not affected with sorrowfulness, because he has stolen, who yet continues to steal; for as long as he retains in his possession goods that are not his own, so long is he a thief or a robber. Such restitution must be made to those, to whom the individual is indebted, and concerning this civili satisfactione, it is not necessary to dispute here, Eph. 4, 28.

Again, the Fathers write that it is sufficient if once during a whole life time, public penance, or public repentance is done or made, concerning which the canones satisfactiones (canonical satisfactions) are made. From this, it may be observed, that it was not their intention that these canons should be essential to the remission of sins; for, independent of these ceremonies of public repentance, they teach much elsewhere concerning Christian repentance, where they do not advert to the canones satisfactiones (canonical expiations).

The architects, who wrote the Confutation, say that the abolition of expiations contrary to the express Gospel, cannot be allowed. We have hitherto shown in a manner sufficiently clear, that these canonical expiations, that is, these works, (of which they speak,) we are not under obligation to do, are unfounded in the Scriptures.

This thing itself illustrates the matter; for if expiations are works which no one is under obligation to perform, why do they assert that we teach contrary to the Gospel? Because, if there were any declaration in the Gospel that everlasting punishment and death would

be removed by such works, they would be works which we would be under obligations to God to perform. But they teach in this manner for the purpose of making a disguise before the inexperienced, and they allege passages from the holy Scripture, which speak of true Christian works which we are in duty bound to do, yet at the same time they base their expiations on works which we are not under obligation to perform, and which they call opera non debita.

They teach and concede in their schools, that such expiations may be omitted without committing fatal sin. Their declaration is, therefore false, that the express Gospel prevails on man to observe these expiations.

We have, moreover, frequently stated that genuine repentance can not exist without good works and fruits, and the ten commandments teach what really good works are, viz; sincerely and cordially to regard God in the most exalted manner, to fear and love him, to call upon him freely in time of need, to thank him always, to acknowledge his word, to hear it, also to teach and console others by it, to be obedient to parents and government, to attend to our office and vocation faithfully, not to be bitter, not to be envious, not to murder, but to be agreeable, friendly to neighbors, to assist the poor according to ability, not to commit fornication or adultery, but every where to keep the flesh in restraint. And all this is thus to be done, not for a commutation of eternal death or everlasting punishment, which pertains to Christ alone; but in order that Satan may have no room, that God may not be provoked to anger, and the Holy Spirit, offended. These fruits and good works, God has commanded, they likewise have a reward, and they should also be performed on account of God's honor and the divine commandments.

But that eternal punishment cannot be remitted, except by expiation alone in purgatory, or by certain good works of human appointment, the holy Scriptures nowhere assert. The public penitents are frequently acquitted of such imposed penance and expiations, by indulgences, so that they may not be too severely pressed. If men have power to release expiations and imposed punishment or pain, God has not commanded such expiation; for no man can abolish divine commandments.

But inasmuch as the ancient custom of public penance and expiation has long since been abolished,-a thing which the bishops have permitted from time to time,-indulgences are unnecessary and yet the name indulgentia or indulgence continued in the church. And as the word satifactio (expiation) is now understood differently from an ordinance and a ceremony of the church; so, the word indulgence

was likewise understood and explained incorrectly as a favor and remission, by which souls are released from purgatory; yet the whole power of the keys does not extend any farther than here upon earth alone, as the text reads: "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven," Matt. 16, 19.

Consequently the power of the keys, is not a power to establish particular punishments or services to God; but alone, to remit the sins of those who repent, and to excommunicate those who do not repent; for loose in this place signifies, to forgive sins; bind signifies not to forgive them: Christ speaks of a spiritual kingdom, and God has commanded, to release those from sin, who truly repent; as Paul says, 2 Cor. 10, 8: The Lord has given us authority for edification, and not for your destruction.

Wherefore, the reservation of cases, in which the pope and the bishops reserve certain cases, is likewise an outward worldly formality. For it is a reservation of canonical punishment, and not, a reservation of the crime before God. Our adversaries have, therefore, taught correctly, where they themselves confess and say, that in the hour of death, such reservation should not supersede the true, Chirstian absolution.

We have herewith exhibited the substance of our doctrine concerning repentance: and we feel assured, that it is wholly essential and important to pious Christians. And if pious and impartial individuals consider this most weighty matter, according to its merit, and if they compare this our doctrine, yes, Christ's and the apostles' doctrine, with the many inadmissible, confused, puerile disputations and writings of our adversaries, they will discover that our adversaries have omitted the most excellent, and essential part, viz., faith in Christ, without which, it is impossible to form a proper conception of Christ, through which alone the consciences of men can be really consoled. They will likewise perceive, that our adversaries have devised much from their own heads, with regard to the merit of attrition, with regard to the enumeration of sins, and with regard to expiations, all of which is unfounded in the Scriptures, having neither human nor divine authority, and which our adversaries themselves do not understand.

VII. OF THE NUMBER AND USE OF THE SACRAMENTS.

Our adversaries approve our assertion in the thirteenth article, that the sacraments are not mere signs by which persons recognize themselves among each other; as, signals of war, colors, &c.; but