Page:Apocalypse Revealed Vol I.djvu/28

16 the punishment of sin, and was made a sacrifice for us, whereby he took away that right of the law, that it might not condemn believers, because he is a propitiation for them, for the sake of which they are reputed just.

"V. . That repentance consists of two parts; one is contrition, or terror struck into the conscience by reason of sin; the other faith, which is conceived from the Gospel, and by the remission of sine, comforts the conscience and delivers from terrors. He who confesses himself to be nothing but sin, comprehends all sins, excludes none, and forgets none; thus sins are purged away, man is purified, rectified, and sanctified; because the Holy Spirit does not suffer sin to have dominion, but represses and restrains it. That the enumeration of sins ought to be free, as the person may chuse or not chuse; and that great stress is to be laid upon private confession and absolution; therefore, if any one chuses, he may confess his sins, and receive absolution from the confessor, and that in such case his sins are remitted. The words which the minister is to make use of on this occasion are; 'May God be propitious to thee, and confirm thy faith; be it unto thee as thou believest, and I, by the commandment of the Lord, remit to thee thy sins:' but others say, 'I announce to thee the remission of thy sins:' that still, however, sins are not forgiven by repentance any more than by works; but by faith. Therefore, the repentance of the clergy is only a confession before God that they are sinners, and a prayer that they may persevere in faith. That expiations and satisfactions are not necessary, because Christ is expiation and satisfaction.

"VI. . That after the fall of Adam all men propagated according to nature are born in sin, that is, without the fear of God, and with concupiscences; and that this condemns and brings eternal death upon those who are not born again by baptism and the Holy Spirit: that it is a privation of original righteousness, and at the same