Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/427

 0HIP. XIII.] rSDULOSSCBS. 421 It is a subjeet of sharp controversy among Romanists, whether in- dulgences are infallibly applied to the dead when awarded in their fayour by the living. Bonacina, Neesen, Biluart, &c., deny this. Syl- vine, Steyart, Daelman, Collet, Dens, and Leo X., affirm it. � says,t "that all the living as well as the dead, who truly obtain indulgences. are liberated from so much temporal punishment due for their actual sins according to the divine justice, as is equivalent to the indulgence conceded and obtained." In cases where the soul is lost or happy, the fruit of the indulgence is to go into the common treasury, or is applied to other souls, or to the more indigent or worthy among the iiving.: It is disputed whether the pope jud'w/a//y applies the indulgences to the dead, or whether he does it in a different manner.�t is a matter of controversy whether it is more meritorious to apply an indulgence to the dead or to one's self.] We permit the above to pass without any other observation than the remark, that such is the foolish trifling into which the unscriptural doc- trine of indulgences leads. �. TA.ibi/. Jubilee, among the Jews, denotes every fiftieth year; at which time all slaves were made free, and all lands reverted to their ancient owners. 1. The word jb//ee, in a more modern sense, denotes s grand church solemnity or ceremony celebrated at Rome, in which the pope grants a tdenary induc,e to all sinners who fast, pray, and give alms, at least to as many as visit the churches of St. Peter and St. Paul at Rome. "A jubilee," says Dens, "properly signifies that plenary indulgence which, with certain solemnity, is granted by the Roman pontiK, with various layouts and particular privileges, to those who perform the good works prescribed."�. The jubilee wa3 first established by Boniface �III., in 1300, which was only to rerum every hundred years. But the first celebration brought in such store of wealth that Clement VI., in 1343, reduced it to the period of fifty years. Urban VI., in 1389, reduced it to thirty- three years, that being the age of our $aviour. At length Paul II. brought it, in 1475, to every twenty-five years, that every person might have the benefit of it once in his life. Boniface IX. granted the privi* lege of holding jubilees to several princes and monasteries. There is one at the inauguration of every new pope; and the pope grants them whenever himself or the church stands in need of their privileges. The jubilee bull gives the priest power to absolve in all cases, even to those otherwise reserved to the pope; to make commutation of vows, &c., in which it differs from a plenary indulgence. During the time of jubilee most other indulgences are suspended. But time would fail to enumerate the various points of distinction which the Roman divines have introduced respecting indulgences. The want of Scripture authority seems to be made up by curious theologi- cal questions respecting their privileges, by decisions of popes, and the endless mummery of rituals employed in time of jubilee. We must  T,rt. de Iratull., No. 246. t In Epist. mt Cajetanum. : Dens, No. 24/J.  I& A/era. Several curious quest/ous 8ru ata,d by W/llet p. 1212, whom see. � Indulg., No. 247. 1

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