Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences — John Shaqi
Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of IndulgencesLuther, Martin
ReligionChristian
Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences
Luther, Martin
Indulgences; Reformation -- Germany -- Sources
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair,
almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow
less and love increase.
18. It seems unproved, either by reason or Scripture, that they are
outside the state of merit, that is to say, of increasing love.
19. 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.
20. Therefore by "full remission of all penalties" the pope means not
actually "of all," but only of those imposed by himself.
21. 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;
22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according
to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life. 23. 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.
24. It must needs be, therefore, that the greater part of the people
are deceived by that indiscriminate and highsounding promise of release
from penalty.
25. 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.
26. 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.
27. They preach man who say that so soon as the penny jingles into the
money-box, the soul flies out [of purgatory].
28. 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.
29. Who knows whether all the souls in purgatory wish to be bought out
of it, as in the legend of Sts. Severinus and Paschal.
30. No one is sure that his own contrition is sincere; much less that
he has attained full remission.
31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man
who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
32. They will be condemned eternally, together with their teachers, who
believe themselves sure of their salvation because they have letters of
pardon.
33. Men must be on their guard against those who say that the pope's
pardons are that inestimable gift of God by which man is reconciled to
Him;
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