Indulgences, by means of which we are enabled with lightest burden to ourselves to pay to the justice of God even to the last farthing all we owe Him of temporal penalty after the eternal penalty of sin and its guilt have been remitted.
For, indeed, these Indulgences form a treasury which abides continually before the face of God,—a treasury, that is, of the merits and satisfactions of Jesus Christ, of the most blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saints,—a treasury which might technically be called in some sort the value received by God for the satisfactions of our Divine Redeemer, which were superabundant and infinite; as well as of Mary ever blessed; and lastly, of the Martyrs and other Saints, being all that portion of their works of penance not necessary for the expiation of their own sins. For this reason it is that Holy Indulgences are called by the Holy Council of Trent heavenly treasures. This is the doctrine inculcated by the Sovereign Pontiff Clement VI., of blessed memory, in the following words: "Jesus Christ did by His superabundant Holy Passion bequeath to His Church militant here on earth an infinite treasure, not laid up in a napkin, nor hidden in a field, but committed by Him to be dispensed for the welfare of the faithful by the hands of blessed Peter, who has the keys of heaven, and by his successors here on earth, the vicars of Jesus Christ. In this treasure are amassed also all the merits of the Blessed Mother of God, and of all the elect, from the first just man even to the last." And I will add, that these riches, being infinite, have never diminished, and never will diminish; but, like a mighty ocean, suffer no loss, draw from it what you will.
True it is, however, that Christians are not at liberty to take and use this treasure as they please; but only when and how, and in that quantity, greater or less, which is determined on by the Holy Church and the Sovereign Pontiff. Hence Indulgences are distinguished into two classes. Some are called Partial; and these are given for days, or periods of forty days, called "Quarantines," or for a year or years. Others are called Plenary, or, as it is sometimes said technically, "in form of Jubilee."
By Partial Indulgences, of days that is, or quarantines, or years, so much temporal penalty is remitted to the recipient of them as he would have had imposed upon him of old by the penitential canons of the Church, which penances
