For it is clear that the pope's power is of itself sufficient for the remission of penalties and cases reserved by himself. The true treasure of the church is the most holy gospel of the glory and grace of God.
But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the first to be last Mt. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
Therefore the treasures of the gospel are nets with which one formerly fished for men of wealth. The treasures of indulgences are nets with which one now fishes for the wealth of men.
The indulgences which the demagogues acclaim as the greatest graces are actually understood to be such only insofar as they promote gain. They are nevertheless in truth the most insignificant graces when compared with the grace of God and the piety of the cross.
Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of papal indulgences with all reverence. But they are much more bound to strain their eyes and ears lest these men preach their own dreams instead of what the pope has commissioned.
Let him who speaks against the truth concerning papal indulgences be anathema and accursed. But let him who guards against the lust and license of the indulgence preachers be blessed. Just as the pope justly thunders against those who by any means whatever contrive harm to the sale of indulgences. Much more does he intend to thunder against those who use indulgences as a pretext to contrive harm to holy love and truth.
To consider papal indulgences so great that they could absolve a man even if he had done the impossible and had violated the mother of God is madness. We say on the contrary that papal indulgences cannot remove the very least of venial sins as far as guilt is concerned. To say that even St. Peter if he were now pope, could not grant greater graces is blasphemy against St. Peter and the pope. We say on the contrary that even the present pope, or any pope whatsoever, has greater graces at his disposal, that is, the gospel, spiritual powers, gifts of healing, etc.
The bishops, curates, and theologians who permit such talk to be spread among the people will have to answer for this. This unbridled preaching of indulgences makes it difficult even for learned men to rescue the reverence which is due the pope from slander or from the shrewd questions of the laity. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers? He famously married a series of six wives in his search for political alliance, marital bliss and a healthy male heir. His desire to It was a stormy night and the weather was bad but the turnout was not.
People had gathered to hear Martin Luther King, Jr. King knew that storms pass and that joy comes in Live TV. This Day In History. History Vault.
Martin Luther Enters the Monastery But Hans Luther had other plans for young Martin—he wanted him to become a lawyer—so he withdrew him from the school in Magdeburg and sent him to new school in Eisenach. Martin Luther Questions the Catholic Church In early 16th-century Europe, some theologians and scholars were beginning to question the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
The 95 Theses Committed to the idea that salvation could be reached through faith and by divine grace only, Luther vigorously objected to the corrupt practice of selling indulgences. Recommended for you. How the Troubles Began in Northern Ireland. Martin Luther King Jr. The Reformation The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era.
Assassination Martin Luther King, Jr. Christianity Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the world, with more than 2 billion followers. See More. Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven seem to differ as perfect despair, imperfect despair, and security of salvation differ.
It does not seem to be proved either by arguments or by the Holy Writ that they are outside the state of merit and demerit, or increase of love. This, too, seems not to be proved, that they are all sure and confident of their salvation, though we may be quite sure of it. Therefore the Pope, in speaking of the perfect remission of all punishments, does not mean that all penalties in general be forgiven, but only those imposed by himself.
Therefore, those preachers of indulgences err who say that, by the Pope's indulgence, a man may be exempt from all punishments, and be saved. Yea, the Pope remits the souls in Purgatory no penalty which they, according to the canons, would have had to pay in this life. If to anybody complete remission of all penalties may be granted, it is certain that it is granted only to those most approaching perfection, that is, to very few.
Therefore the multitude is misled by the boastful promise of the paid penalty, whereby no manner of distinction is made. The same power that the Pope has over Purgatory, such has also every bishop in his diocese, and every curate in his parish.
The Pope acts most rightly in granting remission to souls, not by the power of the keys - which in Purgatory he does not possess - but by way of intercession. They preach vanity who say that the soul flies out of Purgatory as soon as the money thrown into the chest rattles. What is sure, is, that as soon as the penny rattles in the chest, gain and avarice are on the way of increase; but the intercession of the church depends only on the will of God Himself. And who knows, too, whether all those souls in Purgatory wish to be redeemed, as it is said to have happened with St.
Severinus and St. Nobody is sure of having repented sincerely enough; much less can he be sure of having received perfect remission of sins. Seldom even as he who has sincere repentance, is he who really gains indulgence; that is to say, most seldom to be found.
On the way to eternal damnation are they and their teachers, who believe that they are sure of their salvation through indulgences.
Beware well of those who say, the Pope's pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to God. For the forgiveness contained in these pardons has reference only to the penalties of sacramental atonement which were appointed by men.
He preaches like a heathen who teaches that those who will deliver souls out of Purgatory or buy indulgences do not need repentance and contrition. Every Christian who feels sincere repentance and woe on account of his sins, has perfect remission of pain and guilt even without letters of indulgence. Every true Christian, be he still alive or already dead, partaketh in all benefits of Christ and of the Church given him by God, even without letters of indulgence.
Yet is the Pope's absolution and dispensation by no means to be contemned, since it is, as I have said, a declaration of the Divine Absolution. It is exceedingly difficult, even for the most subtle theologists, to praise at the same time before the people the great wealth of indulgence and the truth of utter contrition.
True repentance and contrition seek and love punishment; while rich indulgence absolves from it, and causes men to hate it, or at least gives them occasion to do so.
The Pope's indulgence ought to be proclaimed with all precaution, lest the people should mistakenly believe it of more value than all other works of charity. Christians should be taught, it is not the Pope's opinion that the buying of indulgence is in any way comparable to works of charity. Christians should be taught, he who gives to the poor, or lends to a needy man, does better than buying indulgence. This word cannot be understood to mean sacramental penance, i. Yet it means not inward repentance only; nay, there is no inward repentance which does not outwardly work divers mortifications of the flesh.
The penalty [of sin], therefore, continues so long as hatred of self continues; for this is the true inward repentance, and continues until our entrance into the kingdom of heaven. The pope does not intend to remit, and cannot remit any penalties other than those which he has imposed either by his own authority or by that of the Canons.
The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God's remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven.
God remits guilt to no one whom He does not, at the same time, humble in all things and bring into subjection to His vicar, the priest. The penitential canons are imposed only on the living, and, according to them, nothing should be imposed on the dying. Therefore the Holy Spirit in the pope is kind to us, because in his decrees he always makes exception of the article of death and of necessity. Ignorant and wicked are the doings of those priests who, in the case of the dying, reserve canonical penances for purgatory.
This changing of the canonical penalty to the penalty of purgatory is quite evidently one of the tares that were sown while the bishops slept. In former times the canonical penalties were imposed not after, but before absolution, as tests of true contrition.
The dying are freed by death from all penalties; they are already dead to canonical rules, and have a right to be released from them. The imperfect health [of soul], that is to say, the imperfect love, of the dying brings with it, of necessity, great fear; and the smaller the love, the greater is the fear.
This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone to say nothing of other things to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love. Again, it seems unproved that they, or at least that all of them, are certain or assured of their own blessedness, though we may be quite certain of it. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;.
Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life. If it is at all possible to grant to any one the remission of all penalties whatsoever, it is certain that this remission can be granted only to the most perfect, that is, to the very fewest.
It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release from penalty. The power which the pope has, in a general way, over purgatory, is just like the power which any bishop or curate has, in a special way, within his own diocese or parish.
The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys which he does not possess , but by way of intercession. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory]. It is certain that when the penny jingles into the money-box, gain and avarice can be increased, but the result of the intercession of the Church is in the power of God alone.
Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out of it, as in the legend of Sts.
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