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IX. Of Satisfaction.
HE believes very injuriously of Christs Passion, being perswaded, that his Sufferings & Death were not sufficiently satisfactory for our sins; but that it is necessary for every one to make satisfa∣ction for themselves. And for this end, after he has been at Confession, the Priest injoyns him a Penance; by the perfor∣mance of which, he is to satisfie for his offences; And thus confidently relying upon his own penitential Works, he ut∣terly evacuates Christ's Passion; and though he professes himself a Christian, and that Christ is his Saviour; yet by his little trusting to him, he seems to think him to be no better, than what his Cru∣cifix informs him, that is, a meer Wood∣den one.
HE believes it damnable, to think injuriously of Christs Passion. Nevertheless he believes, that though condign Satisfaction for the Guilt of Sin, and the Pain eternal due to it, be proper only to Christ our Saviour; yet that penitent Sinners being re∣deem'd by Christ, and made his Mem∣bers, may in some measure satisfie by Prayer, Fasting, Alms, &c. for the tem∣poral pain, which by order of God's Justice, sometimes remains due, after the Guilt, and the eternal pains are re∣mitted. So that trusting in Christ as his Redeemer, he yet does not think that by Christ's Sufferings, every Christian is discharg'd of his parti∣cular Sufferings; but that every one is to suffer something for himself, as S. Paul did, who by tribulations, and in suffering in his own flesh, did accomplish those things, that wanted of the Passions of Christ; and this not only for himself, but for the whole Church, Col. 1.24. and this he finds every where in Scripture, viz. People admonish'd of the greatness of their sins, doing Penance in Fasting, Sack-cloth and Ashes, and by voluntary austerities, endeavouring to satisfie the Divine Justice. And these personal Satisfactions God has sufficiently also minded him of, in the punish∣ments of Moses, Aaron, David, and infinite others; and even in the Afflicti∣ons sent by God upon our own Age, in Flagues, Wars, Fires, Persecutions, Rebellions, and such like: Which, few are so Atheistical, but they confess, to be sent from Heaven for the just Chastisement of our sins; and which we are to undergo, notwithstanding the infinite Satisfaction made by Christ, and with∣out any undervaluing it. Now being thus convinc'd of some temporal punish∣ments being due to his sins, he accepts of all Tribulations, whether in Body, Name or Estate, from whence-soever they come, and, with others of his own chusing, offers them up to God, for the discharging this debt, still confes∣sing, that his Offences deserve yet more. But these penitential Works he is taught to be no otherwise satisfactory, than as joyn'd and apply'd to that sa∣tisfaction which Jesus made upon the Cross; in virtue of which alone, all our good Works find a grateful acceptance in God's sight.