purgatory till they have paid the last farthing. Now, such is the goodness of God, that he accepts the penitential works we do in this world, and the sufferings we bear in a penitential spirit here, as payment of that debt; and, as our sufferings here scarce deserve the name of sufferings, in comparison of the torments of purgatory, this shews what. a vast advantage we may draw from the afflictions of the present life, and how unreasonably we act by neglecting to make the proper use of them.

(4.) We learn also from the same truth, how great esteem we ought to have for the indulgences which the Church grants us from time to time, and how careful and diligent we ought to be to use every opportunity of gaining them; seeing, if we be properly disposed, and faithful in performing the conditions prescribed, they will undoubtedly be of the greatest benefit to our souls in discharging our heavy debt, either in whole, for what is past, if we be so happy as to gain a plenary indulgence, or, at least, to a considerable degree in proportion to our dispositions and diligence in doing our part.

APPENDIX III.

OF PUBLIC PENANCES.

Q. 51. WHAT are the reasons for inflicting public penances?

A. There are several very strong reasons for inflicting public penances on public offenders. (1.) The express command of the holy Scripture; for St. Paul, instructing the pastors of the Church, in the person of his disciple Timothy, in the duties of

their station, among other things says, "those that sin, reprove before all, that the rest also may have fear. I charge thee before God, and Christ Jesus, and the elect angels, that thou observe those things without prejudice, doing nothing by declining to either side," 1 Tim. v. 21.; where we see with what a strong adjuration the apostle enjoins this duty. (2.) The same holy apostle confirms this command by his example; for, when he heard of the incestuous Corinthian, he excommunicated him, delivering him over to Satan, and kept him in that state of public penance, deprived of all the benefits of religion, for about a whole year, 1 Cor. v. 5. (3.) The example of the Church of Christ, which, instructed by the words and example of this apostle, was most rigorous and severe in inflicting public penances, especially upon public offenders. The nature and duration of these public penances, in the ages immediately after the apostles, were determined by the bishops, according to the particular circumstances of the case; but, as charity waxed cold, and crimes became more frequent, the Church also became more severe, and more rigor. ous in the use of these public penances, in order to put some restraint on these crimes, and established, by her sacred canons, proper regulations, determining the nature and duration of the penance to be imposed, according to the crime committed; and some of them lasted for one, three, seven, yea fifteen years together. And this practice continued, with some alterations, to be axactly observed for public crimes till about the twelfth century; after which they began to be changed into other works of piety, so that the use of public penances became less frequent, and in many places fell into disuse. But, (4.) the great Council of Trent taking this into consideration, in order to re

store the use of them again, as being of the greatest benefit to religion, in putting a restraint upon sin, decrees as follows: "The apostle admonishes, that those who sin openly are to be corrected publicly. When, therefore, any crime is committed publicly, and before many, by which others will, doubtless, be offended, and moved with the scaudal, a condign punishment must be publicly inflicted on the offender, according to the nature of the crime, that those who have been provoked by his example to evil, may be recalled to their duty by the testimony of his amendment;" Council of Trent, sess. xxiv. cap. 8. (5.) The Roman Ritual, and many others, expressly forbid those to be admitted to absolution, "who have given public scandal, unless they give public satisfaction, and take away the scandal."

Q. 52. These are very strong and express laws indeed; but what are the reasons upon which these laws proceed?

A. Chiefly these three: (1.) For satisfying the divine justice, which requires that the punishment should always be proportioned to the offence; hence God himself says to Noah, "whosoever shall shed man's blood, his blood shall be shed," Gen. ix. 6.; and our Saviour to St. Peter, all that take the sword, shall perish with the sword," Matth. xxvi. 52.; and the Holy Ghost lays down this general rule, “by what things a man sinneth, by the same also he is tormented," Wisd. xi. 17.; consequently, public sins require to be publicly punished. (2.) For the salvation of the criminal himself, that, by his public penance, he may be the more sensible of his crime, and by the humiliation and confusion attending it, may be the more effectually converted, and become more careful to avoid such doings in future. (3.) For the re

covery of those who may have been led into sin by his bad example; for, as nothing is more apt to lead men into sin than the ill example they see, so nothing adds greater force to its pernicious influence, than when it passes unpunished; and on the contrary, nothing serves more effectually to deter others from following it, than when they see the offender condemned to public punishment. (4.) For imprinting in the minds of the ignorant a just sense of the evil of sin: for, when they see sin committed with impunity, they very naturally lose the horror they ought to have at it, especially if the offender be in a station above themselves, and better instructed in his duty; for then they naturally say, if it were so great an evil, how would such a one be guilty of it? Nor is there any thing so effectual to prevent this, and to excite and keep up in their minds the just idea they ought to have of the evil of sin, than to see it publicly punished. (5.) To satisfy for the public offence they have given by their public sin.

Q. 53. But is it not to be feared, that, by public penance, the sin will be made more public, the Scandal propagated, and an occasion given to many bad thoughts and imaginations?

A. To this it is replied, (1.) That St. Paul, the Church of Christ, even with the experience of many ages, and the Council of Trent, had no such fear, when they so strongly enjoined, and so strictly practised the punishing of public offenders by public penances. (2.) There are two ways any sin may be spoken of to others; first, by proposing it in an alluring light, as pleasant, honourable, or useful, by which the hearers are excited to love it, and to commit it; and, on this account, plays, novels, and romances, are the most pernicious and detestable engines the devil makes use of to engage men

to sin. Secondly, by proposing it in a odious light, shewing its innate malignity, and the fatal consequences it produces both for soul and body, in time, and for eternity; and in this view, sermons and good books, though they describe sin to the hearers, and shew its various kinds, yet are the most powerful means appointed by the divine providence to deter men from sin. Now, when a sinner is reproved publicly, his crime is spoken of always in this last view, and represented in all its horrors, and fatal consequences, which, joined with the confusion and humiliation which the sinner is undergoing at the time, instead of increasing the scandal, must have the quite contrary effect, and excite sentiments of horror and aversion in the minds of those present. And this is the very reason assigned by the apostle for ordering public reproofs, "that the rest also may be afraid; and this is the very effect it naturally produces, as is confirmed by constant experience.

CHAPTER XXV.

OF THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREME UNCTION.

Q. 1. WHAT is the end and design of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction ?

A. The Council of Trent declares it in these words: "Our most merciful Redeemer, who desired that his servants should at all times be provided with wholesome remedies against the darts of their enemies, as in the other sacraments, he gives Christians the greatest helps, to enable them to