首页 >出版文学> Mary—’Gusta>第1章

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。