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。
第3章