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。
第1章