a. Anselm’s Solution

17. About the second [n.10] it is said [Anselm, Why God Man I ch.23] that it is not possible for man to make satisfaction to God for sin - to God, I say, whom he has offended.

18. First [Anselm, I ch.13], because by sin the honor due to God is taken away; but nothing equivalent to the honor of God can be returned to him by us.

19. Second [Anselm, I ch.21], because mortal sin is an infinite evil; for it is an evil as great as he against whom the sin is committed; nothing but a finite good can be given back to him by us; therefore, it is not equivalent; therefore etc. [it does not make satisfaction].

20. Again, from another middle term, namely from what is otherwise due [Augustine, 86 Diverse Questions q.68 n.6, Bernard, On Loving God ch.6 n.16, cited by Richard of Middleton, Sent. IV d.15 princ.1 q.2], argument is made thus, that whatever we can pay out to God of obeisance and honor is all due to him by reason of creation, governance, and redemption; therefore, we cannot pay out to him what is not due to him, even from the innocent, and consequently it is due to him otherwise than for sin.

21. It is said, therefore [Anselm, II chs.18-19], that the sinner can make satisfaction in virtue of the passion of Christ, because that passion is so far accepted by the Triune God that, by virtue of his passion, the satisfaction is accepted that, accepted by itself, would not be satisfaction.