Page 80 - From Here to Forever (1982)

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From Here to Forever
of popery and led to the battle which shook the papal throne and the
triple crown upon the pontiff’s head.
Tetzel, the official appointed to conduct the sale of indulgences
in Germany, had been convicted of base offenses against society
and the law of God, but he was employed to further the mercenary
projects of the pope in Germany. He repeated glaring falsehoods and
marvelous tales to deceive an ignorant and superstitious people. Had
they possessed the Word of God they would not have been deceived,
but the Bible had been withheld from them
As Tetzel entered a town, a messenger went before, announcing:
“The grace of God and of the holy father is at your gates.
The peo-
ple welcomed the blasphemous pretender as if he were God Himself.
Tetzel, ascending the pulpit in the church, extolled indulgences as
the most precious gift of God. He declared that by virtue of his cer-
tificates of pardon, all the sins which the purchaser should afterward
desire to commit would be forgiven him and “not even repentance is
necessary.
He assured his hearers that his indulgences had power
to save the dead; the very moment the money should clink against
the bottom of his chest, the soul in whose behalf it had been paid
[81]
would escape from purgatory and make its way to heaven
Gold and silver flowed into Tetzel’s treasury. A salvation bought
with money was more easily obtained than that which requires re-
pentance, faith, and diligent effort to resist and overcome sin.
Luther was filled with horror. Many of his own congregation
had purchased certificates of pardon. They soon began to come to
their pastor, confessing sins and expecting absolution, not because
they were penitent and wished to reform, but on the ground of the
indulgence. Luther refused, and warned them that unless they should
repent and reform, they must perish in their sins. They repaired
to Tetzel with the complaint that their confessor had refused his
certificates, and some boldly demanded that their money be returned.
Filled with rage, the friar uttered terrible curses, caused fires to be
8
See John C. L. Giesler, A Compendium of Ecclesiastical History, per. 4, sec. 1, par.
5.
9
D’Aubigne, bk. 3, ch. 1.
10
Ibid., bk. 3, ch. 1.
11
See K. R. Hagenbach, History of the Reformation, vol. 1, p. 96.