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THis is a fundamental truth in the matter of satisfaction, and it is very necessary to un∣derstand it well, that we may know what satis∣faction or a Penance, is, and how much it imports us to comply with it.
I said above that God ordinarily makes use of the second sort of reconciliation, which im∣poseth
an obligation at least to suffer some pu∣nishment for sin: which is easy to be proved.
He hath always practiced this in the Old Testament; Nay even from the beginning of the World.
When he pardoned the first man his sin, it was upon condition to do Penance by labour, to which he condemned him; and in effect it was a very severe Penance, which continued all his Life.
When he pardoned David his sins of Adultery and Murther, he told him by his Prophet, that he should be chastised by the death of his Child; and he remitted him nothing of all the menaces with which he threatned him by the same Prophet; That he himself should see the dishonour of his house: the dissention amongst his Children, and other misfortunes which were foretold him, and all which came to pass.
For this reason the Penitents of the Old Testament, when they begged of God pardon of their sins, they never as much as ask'd to be exempt from all punishment, but only not to be chastised according to the rigour of the di∣vine justice; they desired to avoid his fury, and the more fignal effects of his wrath, but they submitted themselves to the fatherly correction he should be pleased to impose upon them. Re∣prehend me not O Lord said David Psal. 27. in thy Fury, nor punish me in thy Wrath. And a little af∣ter he declares that he is ready to do Penance and to suffer for his Sins, ibid. v. 18. Ecce ego in flagella paratus Sum; I am prepared saith he for Scourges. Another begs of God that he will Chastise him, but not in his Fury. Corripe me Domine, veruntamen
in judicio non in furore. Hierem, 10.24.
There are a vast number of the like examples in the old Testament, which shew evidently that God doth not pardon Sins, but with an obliga∣tion to do Penance; and that the Penitents of that time never pretended, nor required to be exempt from suffering for their Sins.
Yea even there have been some of the most il∣luminated amongst them, who have sounded in∣to the depth of the punishment, which God hath reserved to himself in the other Life, and who knew that God punished after death the Sins of the just, which had not been sufficiently expia∣ted during Life. So Judas Machabeus, not only a great Captain, but also high Priest of the Law, after a signal Victory sent orders to Jerusalem to offer Sacrifice for the sins of the faithfull, who had been slain in that fight. And the Scripture 2. Mach. 12.46. approves that action, as an holy and wholsome thought; assuring us that by prayers and Sacrifices the dead are released from their Sins. But this cannot be understood of Sin, as to the fault, or the eternall punishment, which can∣not be remitted after Death, no more then the fault from whence it springs. It must then be un∣derstood of the Temporall punishment which the dead ought to satisfy for in the other Life, and from which they may be released by the Prayers and Sacrifices of the Living.
As to the new Law, here also God hath still continued the same manner of receiving Christi∣ans into his Grace, in obliging them to satisfa∣ction by temporal punishment; and that with so much more reason, as the Law they profess is more holy and more perfect.
This is the Reason why our Saviour hath said Mat. 12.35. that at the day of Judgment we must give account of the least Sins, as idle words: This sentence shall be given after death: There we shall give an account of our sins, there to receive the punishment: This shall not at all be an eternall punishment, for they will not at all deserve it; it must then be a temporall punishment, which must be undergone, and by which we must satis∣fy in the other Life, if we have not satisfyed during this.
Hence also it is that the same Son of God by giving to his Apostles power to remit and retain sins, hath also given that of binding and loosing Sinners. This power of binding reacheth to ma∣ny things: but amongst others it contains the Power of obliging Penitents to make satisfacti∣on for their sins; and in releasing them from the bonds of the guilt and eternall punishment, it imposes upon them a temporall pain, for the sa∣tisfaction of the Divine Justice. Thus the Church hath always urderstood that power of binding, as the Council of Trent hath declared Ses 14. c. 8. adding Can. 15. an Anathema to those that hold the contrary.
This is the cause, why the same Church which is infallible in the interpretation of the senti∣ments of her Spouse, hath always made use of this power from the Apostles even unto this present time, having always received Sinners unto the Sacrament of Penance, by imposing upon them wholsome penances for their sins. For which she her self hath made rules and Canons, prescribing different penances for different sorts of Sins.