第3章

52。Theassuranceofsalvationbylettersofpardonisvain,eventhoughthecommissary,nay,eventhoughthepopehimself,weretostakehissouluponit。

53。TheyareenemiesofChristandofthepope,whobidtheWordofGodbealtogethersilentinsomeChurches,inorderthatpardonsmaybepreachedinothers。

54。InjuryisdonetheWordofGodwhen,inthesamesermon,anequaloralongertimeisspentonpardonsthanonthisWord。

55。Itmustbetheintentionofthepopethatifpardons,whichareaverysmallthing,arecelebratedwithonebell,withsingleprocessionsandceremonies,thentheGospel,whichistheverygreatestthing,shouldbepreachedwithahundredbells,ahundredprocessions,ahundredceremonies。

56。The\"treasuresoftheChurch,\"outofwhichthepope。

grantsindulgences,arenotsufficientlynamedorknownamongthepeopleofChrist。

57。Thattheyarenottemporaltreasuresiscertainlyevident,formanyofthevendorsdonotpouroutsuchtreasuressoeasily,butonlygatherthem。

58。NoraretheythemeritsofChristandtheSaints,forevenwithoutthepope,thesealwaysworkgracefortheinnerman,andthecross,death,andhellfortheoutwardman。

59。St。LawrencesaidthatthetreasuresoftheChurchweretheChurch\'spoor,buthespokeaccordingtotheusageofthewordinhisowntime。

60。WithoutrashnesswesaythatthekeysoftheChurch,givenbyChrist\'smerit,arethattreasure;

61。Foritisclearthatfortheremissionofpenaltiesandofreservedcases,thepowerofthepopeisofitselfsufficient。

62。ThetruetreasureoftheChurchistheMostHolyGospelofthegloryandthegraceofGod。

63。Butthistreasureisnaturallymostodious,foritmakesthefirsttobelast。

64。Ontheotherhand,thetreasureofindulgencesisnaturallymostacceptable,foritmakesthelasttobefirst。

65。ThereforethetreasuresoftheGospelarenetswithwhichtheyformerlywerewonttofishformenofriches。

66。Thetreasuresoftheindulgencesarenetswithwhichtheynowfishfortherichesofmen。

67。Theindulgenceswhichthepreacherscryasthe\"greatestgraces\"areknowntobetrulysuch,insofarastheypromotegain。

68。YettheyareintruththeverysmallestgracescomparedwiththegraceofGodandthepietyoftheCross。

69。Bishopsandcuratesareboundtoadmitthecommissariesofapostolicpardons,withallreverence。

70。Butstillmorearetheyboundtostrainalltheireyesandattendwithalltheirears,lestthesemenpreachtheirowndreamsinsteadofthecommissionofthepope。

71。Hewhospeaksagainstthetruthofapostolicpardons,lethimbeanathemaandaccursed!

72。Buthewhoguardsagainstthelustandlicenseofthepardon—preachers,lethimbeblessed!

73。Thepopejustlythundersagainstthosewho,byanyart,contrivetheinjuryofthetrafficinpardons。

74。Butmuchmoredoesheintendtothunderagainstthosewhousethepretextofpardonstocontrivetheinjuryofholyloveandtruth。

75。TothinkthepapalpardonssogreatthattheycouldabsolveamanevenifhehadcommittedanimpossiblesinandviolatedtheMotherofGod——thisismadness。

76。Wesay,onthecontrary,thatthepapalpardonsarenotabletoremovetheveryleastofvenialsins,sofarasitsguiltisconcerned。

77。ItissaidthatevenSt。Peter,ifhewerenowPope,couldnotbestowgreatergraces;thisisblasphemyagainstSt。Peterandagainstthepope。

78。Wesay,onthecontrary,thateventhepresentpope,andanypopeatall,hasgreatergracesathisdisposal;towit,theGospel,powers,giftsofhealing,etc。,asitiswritteninI。Corinthiansxii。

79。Tosaythatthecross,emblazonedwiththepapalarms,whichissetup[bythepreachersofindulgences],isofequalworthwiththeCrossofChrist,isblasphemy。

80。Thebishops,curatesandtheologianswhoallowsuchtalktobespreadamongthepeople,willhaveanaccounttorender。

81。Thisunbridledpreachingofpardonsmakesitnoeasymatter,evenforlearnedmen,torescuethereverenceduetothepopefromslander,orevenfromtheshrewdquestioningsofthelaity。