In the Sacrament as well of Baptism, as of penance, all the bands of sin are loosed, and the whole everlasting pain due to sin is forgiven. At Baptism no temporal pain is enjoined to us, because Christ most freely bestoweth the benefit of his death upon us at that our first entry into the Church.‡ But if afterward we abuse his mercy, returning again to filthy sin, Christ would our second, third, and all other reconciliations from thence forth, to be with due satisfaction, not of his dreadful anger, (which only his blood, and the Sacrament of penance, by due contrition and confession in deed or in vow received, is able to remove) but with satisfaction of such temporal pain, as his merciful justice required both of all others from the beginning, and* namely of King David:3 To whom confessing his fault Nathan said, Our Lord hath put a way thy Sin, thou shalt not die. Behold the forgiveness of the mortal sin, and of the everlasting pain due to the same. But yet so is it forgiven, that withal it is transferred into a temporal satisfaction. What was that? It followeth in the story, that because David through his adultery and murder had caused the enemies of God to blaspheme his holy name, the child borne of the wife of Uriah should surely die. And so it came to pass. If the death of a Son be so grievous a punishment to a good Father, that King David was content to pray, to fast, to lie on the ground, afflicting him self seven days, only to try whether he might as it were by exchange buy out the death of his Son, and yet so could not obtain his desire: we may be most certain, that the very best friends of God, sinning after Baptism (or circumcision, which in the old law stood in place thereof) must by ordinary course satisfy with some temporal affliction that just judgement of our merciful Make and Redeemer, if farther grace be not found by some other way. This satisfaction hath been therefore justly called the third and last part of penance. Which if it be not fulfilled in this life, undoubtedly it shall be straightly exacted in the world to come in the fire of Purgatory.
In the Sacramente as wel of Baptisme, as of penaunce, al the bandes of sinne are loosed, and the whole euerlastinge paine due to sinne is forgeuen. At Baptisme no temporall paine is enioyned to vs, because Christe moste freely bestoweth the benefite of his death vpon vs at that our firste entrie into the Churche.‡ But if afterwarde we abuse his mercie, returninge againe to filthy sinne, Christe would our seconde, thirde, and al other reconciliations from thence foorth, to be with due satisfaction, not of his dreadful angre, (whiche onely his bloude, and the Sacrament of penaunce, by due contrition and confession in deede or in vowe receiued, is able to remoue) but with satisfactiō of such temporal paine, as his mercifull iustice required bothe of all others from the beginninge, and* namely of Kinge Dauid:3 To whome confessinge his faulte Nathan saide, Our Lorde hath put a way thy Sinne, thou shalte not die. Beholde the forgeuenesse of the mortal sinne, and of the euerlastinge paine due to the same. But yet so is it forgeuen, that withal it is transferred into a temporal satisfaction. VVhat was that? It foloweth in the storie, that bicause Dauid through his aduoutrie and murther had caused the ennemies of God to blaspheme his holy name, the childe borne of the wife of Vrias should surely die. And so it came to passe. If the death of a Sonne be so greuous a punishment to a good Father, that King Dauid was content to praie, to faste, to lie on the groūde, afflicting him selfe seuen daies, onely to trie whether he might as it were by exchaunge bie out the death of his Sonne, and yet so could not obteine his desire: we may be most certaine, that the very best frendes of God, sinning after Baptisme (or circuncision, whiche in the olde lawe stode in place thereof) muste by ordinary course sarisfie with some temporall affliction that iuste iudgement of our merciful Make and Redeemer, if farther grace be not founde by some other waie. This satisfaction hath benne therefore iustly called the thirde and last parte of penaunce. VVhiche if it be not fulfilled in this life, vndoubtedly it shal be straightly exacted in the worlde to come in the fire of Purgatorie.
- ‡A Doctrine full of sundry blasphemies.A Doctrine ful of sondrie blasphemies.
- *King David alleged for proof of Pardons.Kinge Dauid alleged for proufe of Pardonnes.
- 3• ▪ Reg. 12.
