首页 >出版文学> Mary—’Gusta>第3章

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。