CHAP. XIII.] mDULOENCr. S. :405 men from the guilt or pollution of sin. Through Jesus Christ is preached the forgiveness of sins. "By him, all that believe are justi- fied from all things," Acta x'fii, 38. "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin." "If we confee8 our sins, he is faithful and just to for- .give us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," 1 John ?, 9. The blood of Christ is 8ufilcient, not only to atone for sin, but also to cleanse from all poHutinns. CHAPTER XIII. INDULGENCES. I. STATEMENT 0r THElit Dec?mss. 1. Creed of Piue IV. quoted: 2. Dens cjuoted: 3. The pope is the sovereign dispenser: 4. Conditions and dispositions required m those who receive Indulgences: 5. Declaration of Leo X.: 6. Decree of Council of Trent.t II. Tss AUTHO!tlTY BY WHICH THBY 8UPPO!tT THE DOCTRINg. I. They make it an art/clo of fa/th: 2. The authority of the Council of Trent: 3. Their Scripture autho- rity: 4. Ecclesiastical usage not for them. They came in the place of the ancient ca- nonical penances, and followed the abro?.tion of the primitive discipline. Meshelm cited: 5. The foundation of them was laid by Clement?rI., A.D. 1350,tIII. SPscI- URNS 0?* INDULOENCB8. 1. Romanista endeavour to keep out of sit?ht their real cha- racter: 2. Form of one quoted by Robertoon, u used by Tetzel. Th,s is no exa?.ra. tiOO of their doctrine; nor abuse of it. Their real doctrine the same: 3. Such indul- gences as have been annulled: 4. Those granted to certain orders. Form of one: 5. Those granted to all the faithful. Many instances given. Specimen in full, by Benedict XIV.: 6. Indulgences of recent date. Form of one, dated May 14th, 1809.-- IV'. How ?nBv ,PPLV ?O Tat D*-*,D.--V. THB Jvmr,?. 1. The jubilee among the Jews: 2. Its first institution in the Church of Rome: 3. The jubilee in 182&.?VI. CoiqaBqvsNcaa or hqnvLaSLqcse. 1. The conditions on which they are granted is strop. s? argument against them: 2. Uncertainty, danger, and deception of them: 3. They operst"e as a commission to commit sin. The indulgence properly prepares to remlt sin; and not its temporal guilt merely, as their divines say. The Protestant doctrine not chargeable? with the same difficulty: 4. Indulgences suppome sentiments and feelings averse to pure religion: 5. The sale of them operates as an to commit sin: 6. It is even a licen, e to sin. This proved by facts. The tax book referred to: 7. They are employed by the Church of Rome to obtain money. I. $Mt?t of t? doctd;? amc?ing 1. The creed of Pope Pins IV. has the following article on indul- fences: "I also afth'm, that the power of indulges was left by Christ to the church, and that the use of them is most wholesome to Christian people."The Council of Trent found themselves in a di- lemma on this subject. They were compelled, by the vigilance of l:?rotestants, not to justify the abominable traffic of Leo X. and some of his predecessors, nor, on the other hand, to lower it so far as to make indulgences no more than a remi,,sion of church censures. The prac- tice of the Church of Rome, and the express declarations of bulls and indulgences themselves, must be our guide when holy mother refuses to define this article of her faith. 2. Peter Dens defines indulgences thus: "W?t is an indtdger? ? It is the remission of the temporal punishment due to sins, remitted as to their guilt, by the power of the keys, without the sacrament, by the applico, tion of the satisfactions ?%hich are contained in the treasury of the church. WIMt i? ufideJ*?tood ?t t]? t?�azur!j of t]? �;?urc]? It is the collection (mmulu,) of the spiritual gunds remaining in 1 ,Goocle
�
