[ 3] I say thirdly, that in the ancient churches, many yeares of penance (or publike exercises of humiliation) were ordained for euerie publike grieuous offence. Whereupon it followed, that when many penitent persons gaue euident tokens of tru inter∣nal remorse, for their former scandalous conuersation; then the church thought good to giue to such persons, some relaxatiō of their so inioyned publike penance: which maner of pardoning is plainely acknowledged in the holy councel of Nice. These are the expresse words. De his qui praeter necessitatem praeuari∣cati sunt, aut propter ablationem facultatum, aut propter peri∣culum, aut aliquid huiusmodi, quod factum est sub tyrannide Li∣cini••; placuit sanctae synodo licet sint indigni misericordia, tamē aliquid circa e••s humanitatis ostendi. Concerning those that haue voluntarily transgressed, or for feare to lose their worldely goods, or for danger, or anie such like occasion, as chanced in time of Licinius his persecution; to such although they be vn∣worthie of mercie, yet is it the holy councels mind, to graunt them some pardon or relaxation in that behalfe.
In the councel of Arles, and in the councell of Ancyra, the like pardon is granted to penitent offenders: of which kind of pardons, the ancient fathers Irenaeus, Tertullianus, Eusebius, Sozomenus, and others, do often make relation. Yea, of this sort were the pardons that Saint Gregorie gaue: but of late popish pardons, that is, of applying to whom they list, & when they list, as well to the liuing as to the dead, the merites of Christ and of his saints, as condigne satisfaction for their sins: for of such pardons no councell, no father, no ancient approued Historiographer, maketh any mention at all. Which thing I haue plainely proued, in the third conclusion of the second chap∣ter of my Motiues.