discharged, after eternal punishment has been "removed; Let him be Anathema "."

It might naturally be objected to this doctrine, that the Sacrament of Baptism also remits sin, and yet there is no reserve of temporal punishment in this case; so that it seems unreasonable to suppose that when sins are remitted by the sacrament of Penitence, their temporal penalties are made an exception to the general amnesty. But the Council of Trent has its answer to this objection in the following terms.

"The nature of Divine justice seems to require, "that they who have sinned ignorantly before baptism, should be received into favour in a "different mode from those, who having been "once delivered from the service of sin and of the

66

66

Devil, and having received the gift of the Holy Ghost, have not feared knowingly to violate the

temple of God, and to grieve the Holy Ghost. "And it befits the Divine clemency, not to pardon "our sins without any satisfaction, lest we should "take occasion to suppose our sins light, and

committing injury and insult against the Holy "Ghost, should fall into more grievous sins, laying "up for ourselves wrath in the day of wrath"."

I trust, Sir, you will admit that I have endeavoured to give the fullest and most authentic exposition of the doctrine of your Church in

d Concil. Trident. Sessio xiv.

Sessio xiv. cap. viii.

reference to temporal penalties and satisfactions. Your own statements on the subject are, as I can attest, entirely in accordance with those of all your theologians, and they exactly harmonize with the doctrines of the Council of Trent. There can therefore be no mistake as to what the belief of Romanists really is on these points.

Now, Sir, I have already said, that a large body of your doctrines and practices to which we object, depends on the doctrine of temporal punishment, and the necessity of satisfying for it by penitential works. This is stated correctly by one of your titular bishops, Dr. Hornyhold, as follows.

"The eternal pain is forgiven [in the Sacrament "of Penance], but the temporal pain commonly

remains, as it appears both from the necessity of "the thing, the instance of David, who was pu"nished by the death of his children after his sins were forgiven, 2 Kings xii.; and other instances of temporal calamities inflicted for offences though pardoned. And this method of temporal pain IS THE FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH as to "sacramental Satisfaction, Indulgences, Purgatory, "and Prayer for the dead'."

It does not appear evident at first view, how your doctrine of Satisfaction, Purgatory, Indulgences, Masses, and Suffrages or Prayers for the dead, are connected together; and how vitally they

f Hornyhold, Real Principles of Catholics, p. 277, 278. Ed. London, 1749.

all depend on the doctrine of temporal penalties above mentioned. Bear with me then, while I trace the mutual connexion and dependence of these doctrines and practices.

Your Church lays it down as a broad and general principle, that temporal punishment is still due to the Divine justice for sins, after their eternal punishment has been remitted in the Sacrament of Penance. This is the first step.

Secondly, you maintain, that such temporal punishment may be averted by Satisfactions or works of penance, such as fasting, alms, and prayers, which, according to you, satisfy, expiate, or atone for the temporal punishments due to Divine justice.

Thirdly, you argue, that as temporal penalties are absolutely due to Divine justice; if they are not redeemed or expiated in this life by works of penance, they must be endured in the next life, and this is your doctrine of Purgatory.

Fourthly, you believe, that the Church has the power of remitting such temporal punishments in this life or in Purgatory by Indulgences, in which the merits of Christ and (as many of you hold) of the Saints, are applied to the supply of your deficiency in works of Satisfaction.

Fifthly, you conceive, that as there may be doubts whether the conditions on which Indulgences are given are really fulfilled, and as there may be other reasons for questioning whether a real

remission of temporal punishment has been obtained by Indulgences in any particular case, it is necessary to continue works of Satisfaction, as if Indulgences had not been granted, and to obtain the Suffrages or Prayers of the Church, especially the sacrifice of the Mass, which you believe to have great efficacy in remitting the temporal punishments of the living and dead.

Sixthly, you believe, that one person may perform satisfactory works for another, and thus obtain the remission or diminution of his temporal punishment in this life or in Purgatory, and that he may also acquire the remissions of temporal punishment conveyed by Indulgences, and apply them to the relief of the dead in the tortures of Purgatory, or even to their delivery from those dreaded regions.

From this, Sir, it is evident, that your doctrine of Temporal punishment is the very life-blood, the vital sap, the foundation, the key-stone of your system on all these points. Take this doctrine away, and the whole machinery of your Church is broken asunder. Your Purgatory, your Satisfactions, your Indulgences, your Masses for the dead, Confraternities, privileged altars, scapularies, and beads, medals, and crucifixes, with the whole paraphernalia of indulgenced rites, objects, and prayers, are scattered to the winds. This, Sir, is the root from which springs a huge and fearful mass of superstition, choking and obscuring the pure faith

which still lingers among you; and in assailing this error and its branches, which like serpents have clung round your Catholic faith, and by their poisonous breath have been destroying its children, I have no other object than to restore the ancient Roman faith-the faith of the holy Catholic Church-that faith which has always existed, and which, by virtue of the Saviour's promise, shall prevail over "the gates of Hell," over all the machinations of the Powers of Darkness.

Let us come then to the examination of the basis on which this doctrine rests. Let us enquire what reasons you can furnish for believing, that by a general law of God, temporal penalties remain due to Divine justice after sin has been remitted, and that such penalties can be averted.

1. You appeal in the first place to what passes within our minds; I quote from your own writings.

66

"Is it God's ordinance, that when he has forgiven sins, and so justified the sinner as to place "him once more in a state of grace, he still

reserves the infliction of some degree of punishment for his transgressions? We say, that undoubtedly it is; and I would appeal, in the first "instance, to the feelings of any individual; and "I do not believe there is any one, however he

may think himself in a state of favour before "God-however he may flatter himself that his