Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsColossians 1

Do accomplish that wanteth.

^[1] As Christ the head and his body make one person mystical and one full Christ, the Church being therefore his plenitude, fullness, or complement Ephe. 1: so the passions of the head and the afflictions of the body and members make one complete mass of passions. With such difference for all that, between the one sort and the other, as the preeminence of the head (and specially such a head) above the body, requireth and giveth. And not only those passions which he suffered in himself, which were fully ended in his death, and were in themselves fully sufficient for the redemption of the world & remission of all sins, but all those which his body and members suffer, are his also, and of him they receive the condition, quality, and force to be meritorious and satisfactory. for though there be no insufficiency in the actions or passions of Christ the head, yet his wisdom, will, and justice requireth and ordaineth, ^[2] that his body and members should be fellows of his passions, as they look to be fellows of his glory: that so suffering with him and by his example, they may apply to themselves and others the general medicine of Christ's merits and satisfactions, as it is effectually also applied to us by Sacraments, sacrifice, and other ways also: the one sort being no more injurious to Christ's death than the other, notwithstanding the vain clamours of the Protestants, that would under pretence of Christ's Passion, take away the value of all good deeds. ^[3] Hereupon it is plain now, that this accomplishment of the wants of Christ's Passions, which the Apostle and other Saints make up in their flesh, is not meant but of the penal and satisfactory works of Christ in his members, every good man adding continually (and specially Martyrs) somewhat to accomplish the full measure thereof: and these be the plenitude of his passions and satisfactions, as the Church is the plenitude of his person: & therefore these also through the communion of Saints and the society that is not only between the head and the body, but also between one member and another, are not only satisfactory ^[4] and many ways profitable for the sufferers themselves, but also for other their fellow-members in Christ. for though one member cannot merit for another properly, yet may one bear the burden and discharge the debt of another, both by the law of God and nature. and it was a ridiculous Heresy of Wicleffe to deny the same. Yea (as we see here) the passions of Saints are always suffered for the common good of the whole body, and sometimes withal by the sufferer's special intention they are applicable to special persons one or many: as here the Apostle joyeth in his passions for the Colossians, in another place his afflictions be for the salvation of the Corinthians ^[5], sometimes he wisheth to be Anathema ^[6], that is according to Origin's exposition( in li. nu. ho. 10 & 24. ) a sacrifice for the Jews, and he often speaketh of his death ^[7] as of a libation, host, or offering, as the Fathers do of all Martyrs' passions. All which dedicated and sanctified in Christ's blood and sacrifice, make the plenitude of his Passion, and have a forcible cry, intercession, and satisfaction for the Church and the particular necessities thereof. In which, as some do abound in good works and satisfactions (as S. Paul, who reckoneth up his afflictions and glorieth in them 2 cor. 11: and Job ^[8], who avoucheth that his penalties far surmounted his sins: and our Lady much more, who never sinned, and yet suffered so great dolours) so other-some do want, and are to be holpen by the aboundance of their fellow-members.

^◦

Which intercourse of spiritual offices and the recompense of the wants of one part by the store of the other, is the ground of the old libels of Indulgence, whereof is treated before out of S. Cyprian (See the Annotations 2 Cor. 2. v. 10 ) and of all indulgences or pardons, which the Church daily dispenseth with great justice and mercy, by their hands in whom Christ hath put the word of our reconcilement, to whom he hath committed the keys to keep and use, his sheep to feed, his mysteries and all his goods to dispense, his power to bind and loose, his commission to remit and retain, and the stewardship of his family to give every one their meet and sustenance in due season.

• 1 There is no want in Christ's passions which he suffered in himself as head: but there is want in those passions of Christ which he daily suffereth in his body the Church, and the members thereof.
• 2 Ro. 8, 17. Leo ser. 19. de passio.
• 3 How Christ's merits are applied to us, without any injury to his death.
• 4 The works of one may satisfy for another.
• 5 2. Cor. 1, 6.
• 6 Ro. 9, 3. Phil. 2.
• 7 2. Tim. 4.
• 8 Iob 6.
• ◦ The ground of Indulgences or pardons.