me." [1] Thus did he beseech God to pardon not only the crime, but also the punishment due to it, and to restore him, cleansed from the stains of sin, to his former state of purity and integrity. This is the object of his most earnest supplications to the throne of God, and yet the Almighty punishes his transgression with the death of his adulterous offspring, the rebellion and death of his beloved son Absalom, and with the other heavy chastisements with which his vengeance had already threatened him. In Exodus too the Almighty, although yielding to the importunity of Moses, he had spared the idolatrous Israelites, threatens the enormity of their crime with heavy chastisement; [2] and Moses himself declares, that the Lord will take vengeance on it, even to the third and fourth generation. That such was at all times the doctrine of the Fathers, a reference to their writings will place beyond the possibility of doubt. [3]
Why in the sacrament of penance, as in that of baptism, the punishment due to sin is not entirely remitted, is admirably explained in these words of the Council of Trent: " Divine justice seems to require, that they who through ignorance sinned before baptism, should recover the friendship of God in a different manner from those, who, freed from the thraldom of sin and the slavery of the devil, and having received the gifts of the Holy Ghost, dread not knowingly to violate the temple of God and grieve the Holy Spirit. It also consists with the divine mercy not to remit our sins without satisfaction, lest, taking occasion hence, and imagining our sins less grievous than they are, injurious, as it were, and contumelious to the Holy Ghost, we fall into greater enormities, treasuring up to ourselves wrath against the day of wrath. These satisfactory penances have, no doubt, great influence in restraining from sin, in bridling, as it were, the passions, and rendering the sinner more vigilant and cautious for the future." [4] Another advantage resulting from them is, that they serve as public testimonies of our sorrow for sin, and atone to the Church who is grievously insulted by the crimes of her children: " God," says St. Augustine, " despises not a contrite and humble heart, but, as heartfelt grief is gene rally concealed from others, and is not communicated by words or other signs, wisely, therefore, are penitential times appointed by those who preside over the Church, in order to atone to the Church, in which sins are forgiven." Besides, the example presented by our penitential practices, serves as a lesson to others, how to regulate their lives, and practise piety: seeing the punishments inflicted on sin, they must feel the necessity of using the greatest circumspection through life, and of correcting their former evil habits. The Church, therefore, with great wisdom
- ↑ Ps. 1. 4, 5.
- ↑ Exod. xxxii. 8, 9.
- ↑ Vide Aug. lib. 2. de peccat. merit, et remiss, cap. 34. et contra Faust, lib. 22. cap. 66. et prsesertim in Joan, tractat. 124. paulo ante med. Greg. lib. 9. moral, cap. 24. Chrysost. horn. 8. ad pop. Antioch. Interum. Aug. Ench. cap. 30. Ambr. de poen. lib. 2, cap. 5. vide item canones pcenitentiales apud Anton. Aug. vel in actis Eo.cl. Mediolan.
- ↑ Sess. 14. de poenit. cap. 8.
