第1章

Outofloveforthetruthandthedesiretobringittolight,thefollowingpropositionswillbediscussedatWittenberg,underthepresidencyoftheReverendFatherMartinLuther,MasterofArtsandofSacredTheology,andLecturerinOrdinaryonthesameatthatplace。Whereforeherequeststhatthosewhoareunabletobepresentanddebateorallywithus,maydosobyletter。

IntheNameourLordJesusChrist。Amen。

1。OurLordandMasterJesusChrist,whenHesaidPoenitentiamagite,willedthatthewholelifeofbelieversshouldberepentance。

2。Thiswordcannotbeunderstoodtomeansacramentalpenance,i。e。,confessionandsatisfaction,whichisadministeredbythepriests。

3。Yetitmeansnotinwardrepentanceonly;nay,thereisnoinwardrepentancewhichdoesnotoutwardlyworkdiversmortificationsoftheflesh。

4。Thepenalty[ofsin],therefore,continuessolongashatredofselfcontinues;forthisisthetrueinwardrepentance,andcontinuesuntilourentranceintothekingdomofheaven。

5。Thepopedoesnotintendtoremit,andcannotremitanypenaltiesotherthanthosewhichhehasimposedeitherbyhisownauthorityorbythatoftheCanons。

6。Thepopecannotremitanyguilt,exceptbydeclaringthatithasbeenremittedbyGodandbyassentingtoGod\'sremission;though,tobesure,hemaygrantremissionincasesreservedtohisjudgment。Ifhisrighttograntremissioninsuchcasesweredespised,theguiltwouldremainentirelyunforgiven。

7。GodremitsguilttonoonewhomHedoesnot,atthesametime,humbleinallthingsandbringintosubjectiontoHisvicar,thepriest。

8。Thepenitentialcanonsareimposedonlyontheliving,and,accordingtothem,nothingshouldbeimposedonthedying。

9。ThereforetheHolySpiritinthepopeiskindtous,becauseinhisdecreeshealwaysmakesexceptionofthearticleofdeathandofnecessity。

10。Ignorantandwickedarethedoingsofthosepriestswho,inthecaseofthedying,reservecanonicalpenancesforpurgatory。

11。Thischangingofthecanonicalpenaltytothepenaltyofpurgatoryisquiteevidentlyoneofthetaresthatweresownwhilethebishopsslept。

12。Informertimesthecanonicalpenaltieswereimposednotafter,butbeforeabsolution,astestsoftruecontrition。

13。Thedyingarefreedbydeathfromallpenalties;theyarealreadydeadtocanonicalrules,andhavearighttobereleasedfromthem。

14。Theimperfecthealth[ofsoul],thatistosay,theimperfectlove,ofthedyingbringswithit,ofnecessity,greatfear;andthesmallerthelove,thegreateristhefear。

15。Thisfearandhorrorissufficientofitselfalone(tosaynothingofotherthings)toconstitutethepenaltyofpurgatory,sinceitisveryneartothehorrorofdespair。

16。Hell,purgatory,andheavenseemtodifferasdodespair,almost—despair,andtheassuranceofsafety。

17。Withsoulsinpurgatoryitseemsnecessarythathorrorshouldgrowlessandloveincrease。

18。Itseemsunproved,eitherbyreasonorScripture,thattheyareoutsidethestateofmerit,thatistosay,ofincreasinglove。

19。Again,itseemsunprovedthatthey,oratleastthatallofthem,arecertainorassuredoftheirownblessedness,thoughwemaybequitecertainofit。

20。Thereforeby\"fullremissionofallpenalties\"thepopemeansnotactually\"ofall,\"butonlyofthoseimposedbyhimself。

21。Thereforethosepreachersofindulgencesareinerror,whosaythatbythepope\'sindulgencesamanisfreedfromeverypenalty,andsaved;

22。Whereasheremitstosoulsinpurgatorynopenaltywhich,accordingtothecanons,theywouldhavehadtopayinthislife。

23。Ifitisatallpossibletogranttoanyonetheremissionofallpenaltieswhatsoever,itiscertainthatthisremissioncanbegrantedonlytothemostperfect,thatis,totheveryfewest。

24。Itmustneedsbe,therefore,thatthegreaterpartofthepeoplearedeceivedbythatindiscriminateandhighsoundingpromiseofreleasefrompenalty。

25。Thepowerwhichthepopehas,inageneralway,overpurgatory,isjustlikethepowerwhichanybishoporcuratehas,inaspecialway,withinhisowndioceseorparish。