The TEXTS examined which Papists

τ

cite out of the Bible for the

Proof of Their Doctrine

Aug. 16. 1688.

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Güil. Needham.

HE Church of Rome having advanced a certain Doctrine of Satisfactions, which they maintain to be founded upon feveral Places of Holy Scriptures, the defign of fome following Pages is to obferve the meaning of thofe Places, and whether they be a fufficient Foundation of fuch a Doctrine. But for the better Advantage of this Defign, that I may perform it with more Perfpicuity, I fhall discourse of these Satisfactions in fome latitude, and explain fome things that are previous, and in order to a right ftating of thofe Scriptures which are brought for the proof of them,

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w.

I. I

I. Ihall give an account of this Doctrine of Satüƒations, as it is afferted in the Roman Church.

II. I fhall obferve the Grounds and Arguments it is founded upon.

III. That thefe being removed, or there being no Satisfactions for fuch Purposes, as they maintain them, I fhall obferve the Reafon of Afflictions, and voluntary Chastisements or Penances, which are the Matter of Satisfactions, in the Church.

IV. And fo come in the fourth place, to explain thofe Texts of Scripture which they produce for this Do&rine.

V. And, laftly, fhew the Original of it, when it began, and was established in the Church.

I. To give an account of this Doctrine of Satisfactions, which is this, That God, upon the exercife of a true Repentance, through the Mercy of his own Nature, and the Satisfaction of Chrift's Sufferings, remits the Guilt, and eternal punishment of Sin; but leaves a Debt of fome Temporal Pains to be undergone by us, which we are to expiate, and fatisfy for, either in the Afflictions of humane Life (as they are the Difpenfations of Divine Providence) or in fome undue Performances, and voluntary Penances of our own; which if we do not, they ftill remain upon us as a neceffary Suffering in the other State. And by thefe Afflictions, or in thele Penances, they affirm, that we can truly fatisfy for the temporal Penalties of our Sins, which are ftill retained, or required from us after the Remiffion of their eternal Punishment.

Now all this is to be understood in respect of fuch Sins as are committed after Baptifm; for thofe that are

antecedent to that are wholly cancelled thereby in that fuller Application of Chrift's Sufferings; and thiofe Perfons that immediately die, after the Benefit of that Sa crament, as they are capable of no punishment in this Life, fo they are fecure from the Purgatory of another in the notion of thefe Authors. As if Remillion of Sins, and the Application of Chrift's Sufferings did not belong to a true Repentance, without which even Bap tifm it felf of adult Perfons would fignify nothing; (Acts 2. 38. & 3. 19.)

This is the Sum of the Roman Doctrine in this Particular: The Profeffors of that Church very nicely diftinguish the punishment of Sin into Temporal and E ternal, the latter of which they affirm to be remitted to all true Penitents through the Efficacy of Chrift's Sacrifice; but the former to be payed and fatisfied for in their own Perfons.

This Doctrine hath a general Confent to it, although they differ in fome certain Notions and Definitions about it, fome maintaining that the Guilt of Sin, or the Offence of the Divine Majefty is remitted through Contrition alone, or in the Benefit of Abfolution added thereto, and that the eternal Punishment in the Virtue of the Keys is changed into a Temporal, which Works of Sa tisfaction are neceffary to the Discharge and Removal of.

Others think that both the Guilt and Eternal Punishment are remitted through Contrition, but that an Ob ligation ftill remains to fome Temporal punishment in the order of the Divine Mercy, which the Gospel-Minifters in the Authority of their Prieftly Office can remit one part of, and injoin fome Penances as a Satisfaction for the other.

Now, fome diftinguish in Sin, between the Offence thereof, or Averfion from God; and inordinate Appetite, or Conversion to the Creature: and for the first they fay, being infinite, as it refpects, or is an Affront of an infinite Majefty, none can fatisfy but the Man Chrift Jefus; and therefore this is only forgiven thro' the Faith of him, and his Performance on our behalf; but for the other, which is only a finite thing, every Perfon may fatisfy in his own Action,through the Affiftance of the holy Spirit which enables him thereto.

And as to the Efficacy of these Satisfactions, fome modeftly affirm that they only apply the infinite Satisfaction of Chrift to us, and are effectual as they are joined through Faith to his Paffion. Others maintain that they have no Value from Chrift's Paffion, which they would not have in their own Nature, though the Influence they are performed by, were obtained in another Means, or Conveyance to us.

However 'tis their general Doctrine that they are equivalent in themselves to the Temporal Penalties due to Sin, and obtain in a commutative manner, the Remiffion of them, as they are acted from the Graces of the Holy Spirit, which being an infinite Principle in our Souls, makes the Performances that derive from them, fully answerable to the Demerit of Sin, and a proper Satisfaction on our part for it.

Now it is obfervable, that the Council of Trent, which is now the Canon of the Roman Church, determines nothing among thefe Niceties of School-Authors, but only affirms in a general manner, that a Temporal Punishment is still due to Sin, after its Guilt, and eternal Punishment is cancelled in refpect to Chrift's Merits, which must be undergone either in the Chastisements of this Life, as they are inflicted by Divine Provi

dence,