Page:StVincentsManual.djvu/551

 the Father,  so,  by  the  communion,  which  all  the  members of Jesus  Christ's  mystical  body  have  one  with  another,  are applicable to  the  faithful  upon  earth.

That our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  given  his  Church  the power to  grant  Indulgences,  is  evident  from  the  inspired volume; for,  1st,  he  says  to  St. Peter: Thou  art  Peter. . . and I  will  give  to  thee  the keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven; and whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth,  shall  be  bound  also in heaven:  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth,  shall be loosed  also  in  heaven. St. Matt, xvi  19. In which  words our Saviour  gives  to  St.  Peter,  as  the  Chief  Pastor  of  his Church, an  ample  and  universal  power  to  conduct  the faithful to  heaven,  by  loosing  them  from  every  thing  that might hinder  them  from  going  thither;  provided,  always, they be  properly  disposed,  and  perform  the  conditions  required upon  their  part. Now, there  are  only  two  things that can  hinder  a  soul  from  going  to  heaven,  viz.:  the  guilt of sin,  and  the  debt  of  temporal  punishment;  until  that debt be  paid,  none  can  enter  therein:  consequently,  our Saviour's saying,  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth, shall be  loosed  in  heaven,  manifestly  includes  both,  and  assures us  that,  when  the  Chief  Pastor  looses  the  faithful from their  sins  in  the  sacrament  of  penance,  or  from  the debt of  temporal  punishment,  by  granting  an  Indulgence, this sentence  is  ratified  in  heaven,  and  stands  good  in  the sight of  God  himself. 2dly, On  another  occasion,  declaring that  he  that  will  not  hear  the. Church— that is,  the Pastors and  Rulers  of  the  Church — is  to  be  considered  as a  heathen  and  a  publican,  he  immediately  says  to  these Pastors, in  the  person  of  all  the  Apostles:  Amen,  I  say unto you,  whatsoever  you  shall  bind  upon  earth,  shall  be bound  also  in  heaven:  and  whatsoever  you  shall  loose  upon earth, shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven. St. Matt, xviii  18. In which  words,  by  the  same  reasoning  as  in  the  former ease, we  see  the  power  of  granting  Indulgences  conferred on the  first  Pastors  or  Bishops  of  the  Church,  as  successors of  the  Apostles. It is  given  to  the  head  of  the Church with  regard  to  all  the  faithful,  and  to  the  Bishops of the  Church  With  regard  to  that  portion  of  the  faithful committed to  their  charge,  to  be  exercised  by  them  under such regulations  as  the  Church  herself,  in  her  sacred Councils, has  judged  proper  to  appoint. 3dly, St.  Paul though not  one  of  the  twelve  Apostles  present  with  our Saviour when  this  power  was  given  them,  both  exercised