stand by:
entreats him to examine the true church with docility and candor, laying
aside all obstinacy, the enemy to truth. He says {558} the name Catholic
comes from God, and is necessary to distinguish the dove, the undivided
virgin church, from all sects which are called from their particular
founders. This name we learned from the holy doctors, confessors, and
martyrs. "My name," says he, "is Christian, my surname Catholic: the one
distinguishes me, the other points me out to others." "Christianus mihi
nomen est; Catholicus veto cognomen: illud me nuncupat, istud ostendit;
hoc probor, inde significor." He says that no name can be more proper to
express the church, which is all obedient to Christ, and one and the
same through the whole world. "As to penance," says he, "God grant it be
necessary to none of the faithful; that none after baptism fall into the
pit of death--but accuse not God's mercy, who has provided a remedy even
for those that are sick. Does the infernal serpent continually carry
poison, and has not Christ a remedy? Does the devil kill, and cannot
Christ relieve? Fear sin, but not repentance. Be ashamed to be in
danger, not to be delivered out of it. Who will snatch a plank from one
lost by shipwreck? Who will envy the healing of wounds?" He mentions the
parables of the lost drachma, the lost sheep, the prodigal son, the
Samaritan, and God's threats, adding: "God would never threaten the
impenitent, if he refused pardon. But you'll say, only God can do this.
It is true; but what he does by his priests, is his power. What is that
he says to his apostles? Whatsoever you shall bind, &c., Mat. xvi. Why
this, if it was not given to men to bind and to loosen? Is this given
only to the apostles? Then it is only given to them to baptize, to give
the Holy Ghost, (in confirmation,) to cleanse the sins of infidels,
because all this was commanded to no other than to the apostles. If
therefore the power of baptism and of chrism, (confirmation,) which are
far greater gifts, descended from the apostles to bishops; the power of
binding and loosing also came to them." He concludes with these words:
"I know, brother, this pardon of repentance is not promiscuously to be
given to all, nor to be granted before the signs of the divine will, or
perchance the last sickness; with great severity and strict scrutiny,
after many groans, and shedding of tears; after the prayers of the whole
church. But pardon is not denied to true