File:Martin Luther, the man and his work (1911) (14577636959).jpg

Identifier: martinluthermanh00mcgi (find matches)
Title: Martin Luther, the man and his work
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: McGiffert, Arthur Cushman, 1861-1933
Subjects: Luther, Martin, 1483-1546
Publisher: New York, The Century Co.
Contributing Library: Princeton Theological Seminary Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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and understand my wishfor your pontifical forbearance. In your most illustriousname there are carried about papal indulgences for thebuilding of St. Peters. I do not so much complain of theutterances of the preachers, which I have not heard, as ofthe false opinions everywhere entertained by the commonpeople; for the poor creatures believe that if they buyindulgences, they are sure of salvation, that souls fly outof purgatory as soon as they throw their money into thebox, and that the grace is so great that there is no sinwhich cannot be absolved thereby. . . . In addition, most reverend Father in the Lord, inthe instructions for the use of the agents published inyour name it is said, doubtless without your Reverencesknowledge and consent, that one of the principal benefitsto be had from indulgences is the inestimable gift ofGod whereby man is reconciled to Him and all the pun-ishments of purgatory blotted out, and that to those whobuy pardons contrition is unnecessary. What can I do,
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PRESENT APPEARANCE OF THE CASTLE CHURCHIN WITTENBERG THE ATTACK ON INDULGENCES 93 most excellent Patron and most illustrious Prince, butpray your Reverence, through the Lord Jesus Christ, tolook into the matter and do away wholly with those in-structions and command the preachers to adopt anotherstyle of discourse, lest perchance some one may finallyarise and refute them in print, to the confusion of yourmost illustrious Highness. This I should greatly deplore;but I fear it may be done unless matters be speedilymended. The mingled respect and menace of this extraordi-nary letter are very interesting. Evidently Lutherrealized that he had to deal not merely with Tetzel andhis agents but with the Primate of Germany himself.His views on penance and indulgences, he doubtlessknew well enough, were out of harmony with thoseprevailing in high quarters, but he apparently stillhoped, even if not very confidently, that his attackmight not mean a break with the rulers of the church,that rather th

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