FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   540   541   542   543   544   545   546   547   548   549   550   551   552   553   554   555   556   557   558   559   560   561   562   563   564  
565   566   567   568   569   570   571   572   573   574   575   576   577   578   579   580   581   582   583   584   585   586   587   588   589   >>   >|  
of the Dead, Resp. vii]. It seems, therefore, that Christ's Passion did not deliver men from the punishment of sin. Obj. 2: Further, no punishment should be imposed upon them who are delivered from the debt of punishment. But a satisfactory punishment is imposed upon penitents. Consequently, men were not freed from the debt of punishment by Christ's Passion. Obj. 3: Further, death is a punishment of sin, according to Rom. 6:23: "The wages of sin is death." But men still die after Christ's Passion. Therefore it seems that we have not been delivered from the debt of punishment. _On the contrary,_ It is written (Isa. 53:4): "Surely He hath borne our iniquities and carried our sorrows." _I answer that,_ Through Christ's Passion we have been delivered from the debt of punishment in two ways. First of all, directly--namely, inasmuch as Christ's Passion was sufficient and superabundant satisfaction for the sins of the whole human race: but when sufficient satisfaction has been paid, then the debt of punishment is abolished. In another way--indirectly, that is to say--in so far as Christ's Passion is the cause of the forgiveness of sin, upon which the debt of punishment rests. Reply Obj. 1: Christ's Passion works its effect in them to whom it is applied, through faith and charity and the sacraments of faith. And, consequently, the lost in hell cannot avail themselves of its effects, since they are not united to Christ in the aforesaid manner. Reply Obj. 2: As stated above (A. 1, ad 4, 5), in order to secure the effects of Christ's Passion, we must be likened unto Him. Now we are likened unto Him sacramentally in Baptism, according to Rom. 6:4: "For we are buried together with Him by baptism into death." Hence no punishment of satisfaction is imposed upon men at their baptism, since they are fully delivered by Christ's satisfaction. But because, as it is written (1 Pet. 3:18), "Christ died" but "once for our sins," therefore a man cannot a second time be likened unto Christ's death by the sacrament of Baptism. Hence it is necessary that those who sin after Baptism be likened unto Christ suffering by some form of punishment or suffering which they endure in their own person; yet, by the co-operation of Christ's satisfaction, much lighter penalty suffices than one that is proportionate to the sin. Reply Obj. 3: Christ's satisfaction works its effect in us inasmuch as we are incorporated with Him, as the members with
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   540   541   542   543   544   545   546   547   548   549   550   551   552   553   554   555   556   557   558   559   560   561   562   563   564  
565   566   567   568   569   570   571   572   573   574   575   576   577   578   579   580   581   582   583   584   585   586   587   588   589   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Christ

 

punishment

 

Passion

 

satisfaction

 

delivered

 
likened
 

Baptism

 

imposed

 

sufficient

 

baptism


suffering

 

effects

 

written

 

effect

 

Further

 
sacramentally
 

buried

 
secure
 

stated

 

manner


aforesaid

 

united

 
deliver
 

operation

 

lighter

 

person

 

penalty

 

suffices

 

incorporated

 

members


proportionate
 

endure

 
sacrament
 
directly
 

superabundant

 

Surely

 

Therefore

 

answer

 

Through

 

sorrows


iniquities

 

carried

 

applied

 
satisfactory
 
penitents
 

Consequently

 

charity

 

contrary

 

sacraments

 
abolished