Senfe of St. Paul an unknown Tongue. For he wrote to the Romans in Greek, as St. Jerom obferves, Ep. 123. and all learned Proteftants will eafily grant. Either then he wrote to them in an unknown Tongue, which is highly abfurd: Or the common Language of the Learned is not to be accounted fuch.

ART. XIX.

Of Indulgences.

The 19th pretended Error of Papists is, their Doctrine of Indulgences. To which he adds. That it is the Belief of Proteftants, that Papal Indulgences are the worst of Cheats, and abominable Injures to Chrift and Christians,

pag. 19.

T

ANSWER.

HESE are hard Words indeed. But I fhould wrong the Catechist to expect Justice or good Manners of him towards Papifts. I fhall however be fo charitable to him as to do my best to difabufe him, by letting him know both what Indulgences are, and what they are not. First, then Indulgences are not a Lis cence to commit Sins, as fome Proteftant Authors have moft falfly afferted. 2dly. They are not a Pardon of Sins past, which are only remitted by the Sacrament of Penance and Contritior. What are they then? I Anfwer, They are a Releafe of temporal Punifoment due to Sins repented of, confefs'd, and already pardon'd as to the Guilt,

The Bishop of Meaux in his Expofition of the Chriftian Dedrine tranflated into English, An. 1672. pag. 63. gives the following Account of them. When the Church impofes upon Sinners painful and laborious Works, and they undergo them with Humility, this is called Satisfaction. And

when

when regarding the Favour of the Penitents, or fome other good Works which he has prescribed them, foe pardons fome part of the Pain due to them, this is call'd Indulgence: Of which the Council of Trent has only defined this: That the Power to grant them has been given to the Church by JefusChrist, and that the right Ufe of them is very beneficial 5 Seff. 25. de Indulg.

This Power granted to the Church by Chrift was exercised by St. Paul in relation to the incestuous Corinthians, whom he had put under Penance: But upon Requeft of the Corinthians, who interceeded for him, and leaft too long a Punishment fhould drive him to Defpair, he releas'd a Part of it by the Anthority he had from Jefus Chrift, 2 Cor. 11. v. 6. 7. 10.. This Power was alfo exercifed by the primitve Bishops in Favour of publick Penitents. For they often fhorten'd the Time of their Penance upon the Interceffion of the holy Confeffors, who were in Prifon and had fuffer'd great Torments for the Faith of Christ. I prefume the Catechift was not fo well vers'd in this Subject, as to know thefe Things. For had he known them, he would perhaps have been more moderate than to call Papal Indulgences the worst of Cheats, and abominable Injuries to Chrift and Chriftians.

But let us hear his Proofs. The first is, Because (fays he) there is no pardon of Sin, but by the Mercy of God. through the Blood of Chrift, Rom. 5. v. 1. and Eph. I. v. 7. All this is very Orthodox, but nothing to the Purpose: Because Indulgences are not a Pardon of Sins, but a Release of Temperal Purnishment due to them. And even this is not granted but by the Power given to the Church by Jefus Christ, and through his facred Blood and the Mercies of God.

His fecond Proof is, Because there is no fuch Thing in Scripture, that the Merits of one Saint should be able to make Satisfalion for the Sins of another. But I hope it is plain in Scripture, that the Merits of Jesus-Chrift are able to make Satisfaction for the Sins even of all Mankind. And all Indulgences have their Validity from his infinite Merits. However I anfwer it is very plain in Scripture, That the Prayers of Saints have often appeas'd

God's

God's Wrath, and ftopp'd his Hand from punishing the Sins of others fo feverely, as they had deferv'd; and it cannot be doubted, but it was the Faith and vertuous Behaviour of those Saints, that render'd their Prayers fo available in the Sight of God. Thus God Almighty fent Eliphaz to his Servant Job to be pray'd for by him with this Affurance; For him will I accept, leaft I deal with you after your Folly, Job 42. v. 8. Thus likewife when God was grievously offended at the Mutiny of the Ifraelites against Mojes, and had refolv'd to fend a Plague amongst them to deftroy them, he was appeafed upon the earneft Supplication of Mofes, and anfwer'd him, I have pardon'd them according to thy Word, Numb. 14. v. 20. to wit, the Temporal Punishment he had defign'd to inflict upon them.

The Catechift's third and laft Proof is, because (fays he) Chrift needeth not any Merits of Saints to be added to bis Satisfaction. This is moft certainly true, Because the Satisfaction Chrift has made for us is of an infinite Value: And whatever is infinite cannot need any Thing to be added to it. But will the Catechist infer from thence, that therefore we need not do Penance for our Sins, nor receive the Sufferings God fends us in the Spirit of Penance? If he does, he gives the Lie to the Word of God in a thousand Places. Nay there is not a Truth, more certain, than that we are bound to punish our Sins, and do Penance for them, notwithstanding the infinite Satisfaction made by Chrift.

But why are we bound to do this, if Chrift has fully fatisfied the divine Juftice, and ftands in no need of having our Satisfaction join'd to his? The Reafon is, becaufe Chrift having purchas'd an abfolute Dominion over us with the infinite Price of his Blood, it cannot be difputed but he may lay what Terms or Conditions he pleafes upon us as Means, without which the Price he has paid down fhall not be applied to us. And therefore, tho' it be certainly true, that having fatif fied fuperal undantly for us, he might have applied that Satisfion to us without fubjecting us to any penal Works or temporal Sufferings, after the Guilt of Sin together with it's sternal Punishment was remitted, yet it

pleafed

pleafed his infinite Wisdom, both for our greater good and the Manifestation of his Justice as well as Mercy, to eftablish Things upon another Foot, by changing the eternal Punishment into a temporal one, and obliging us to purchase the Fruits and Application of his infinite Satisfaction by doing worthy Fruits of Penance, and fubmitting humbly and Patiently to the Sufferings, he fhall think fit to lay upon us. And 'tis this we call Satisfaction: Which (to exprefs my felf in the very Words of the Bifhop of Meaux pag. 68.) is in effect but an Application of the infinite Satisfaction made by Jesus-Chrift, whether to our felves or others.

Whence it follows, that tho' Chrift needs not our Sufferings or penal Works to be added to his Satisfaction, he requires them of us. And unless we fubmit to the Laws he has thought fit to impofe upon us, we render our felves unworthy of becoming Partakers of the Happiness, he has purchased for us.

ART. XX.

Of Merits.

The 20th pretended Eorror of Papists is the Doctrine of Merits. pag. 14.

T

ANSWER.

HIS is a Difpute meerly about a Word: And I dare confidently fay the Thing we really mean by it is fo uncontestable a Truth, that no Man who pretends to Reafon and Religion can deny it. Our Doctrine then of Merit is this.

1. That no Man can be Justified but by the Grace of God through Jefus-Christ: And that only thofe are Juftified, to whom the Merits of his Paffion are communicated.

2. That

2. That Sin is forgiven us by the pure Mercy of God through Jefus Chrift, without any Merit or Defert on our Side.

3. That none of the As, which in the Converfion of a Sinner precede his Juftification, whether they be Faith or Good Works, can Merit this Grace.

4. That good Works after Juftification are not equal to the Reward of future Happiness. And that they are not Acceptable to God, but as they proceed from the Grace and derive their. Value from the Merits of Jefus-Christ.

5. That we can do nothing of our felves in Order to Salvation, nor even have a good Thought.

6. That there is no Merit, but what is a Gift of God through Jefus-Chrift, and of which no Man can Glory. Whence it follows (as the Council of Trent fpeaks with St. Austin) that when God crowns our Merits he only crowns his own Gifts.

7. That God has promifed eternal Life as a Reward to thofe, who ferve him faithfully in this Life: According to thefe Words of St. James: Bleffed is the Man that endureth Temptation, for when he is tried he fall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him. James 1. v. 12.

8. That this Promife contains a Covenant, or Bargain between God and Man; whereby it is ftipulated, that fuch and fuch Conditions fhall be perform'd on the Part of Man ; and that when thefe Conditions are perform'd, God, whofe Word is the ftrongest Security a Man can have, will beftow eternal Life upon him. This is God's Covenant with Man; and it follows plainly from it, that our Performing the Conditions impofed upon us, gives us a Title to the Reward promifed upon thofe Conditions; And this is precifely our Meaning of what we call the Merit of eternal Life.

But fince our Works are not equal to the Rewards, how can we be faid to merit or deferve it? I anfwer, our Works are certainly unequal to the Reward: Nay tho' we did ten thoufand Times more, they would ftill fall fhort of it: Becaufe God has been fo boun

tiful