dinary means for raising money; which he was advised, by cardinal Pucci, to do by selling indulgences; as the court of Rome, upon several occasions, had formerly experienced to her advantage in raising troops and money against the Turks. Leo, therefore, in 1517, published general indulgences throughout all Europe, in favour of those who would contribute any sum to the building of St Peter's. Some say, that these indulgences were published under the pretence of making war upon the Turks; and that pope sent a Jubilee, with his pardons, through all Christian realms, whereby he collected an immense trea sure. Several persons were sent into different countries, to preach up these indulgences, and to receive money for them. The collectors persuaded the people, that those who gave to the value of about ten shillings sterling, should at their pleasure deliver one soul from the pains of purgatory: But, if the sum was less, they preached, that it would profit them nothing. The pope employed the Dominicans in this dirty work in Germany, at which the Augustines were irritated, and pretended that the office of retailing indulgences belonged to them. As all the money, raised this way in Saxony and thereabouts, was granted to Magdalen, sister to the pope, she, to make the most of it, appointed Archimbald, a bishop, by habit and title, but as well versed in the tricking part of trade as a Genoese, to manage for her. But we are told, that Albert of Brandenburg, archbishop of Mentz and Magdeburg, who was soon after made a cardinal, had a commission for Germany: That, instead of employing the Augustine friars, who had laboured above all the religious orders to make them pass, he gave his commission to John Tetzelius, a Dominican, and to other friars of the same order; because he had lately collected great sums for the knights of the Teutonic order, who were at war against the Muscovites, by preaching up the like indulgences, which the pope had granted to these knights. Tetzelius, or Iccelius as he is called by some, boasted that He had so ample a ⚫ commission from the pope, that though a man should have deflowered the virgin Mary, for a proper sum of money he could pardon him;' and assured the people, that He did not only give pardon for sins past, but also for sins to come.' John Staupitius was the vicar-general of the Augustines in Saxony; and he was greatly esteemed by the elector, who who was one of the most opulent and potent princes in Germany. Staupitius informed the elector of the pernicious consequences of these indulgences. On this occasion, Luther, who was of the Augustine order, and professor of divinity at Wittenberg, began to examine the doctrine of indulgences, which the Dominicans sold in the most open, and in the most infamous manner; and having found it full of errors, he refuted it publicly in 1517. It is said, he was naturally passionate, and zealous for the interest of his order, which made him declaim against the abuses of indulgences, and maintain doctrinal theses about them contrary to the common notions of divines. But it seems not to have been any spleen against the Dominicans that set Luther to work: It was only his dislike to such practices. Some say that Leo X. whose sordid traffic, to which he reduced the distribution of indulgences, gave birth to Luther's Reformation, spoke honourably of this Reformer in the beginning. Silvester Prierio, master of the sacred place, shewed Leo the doctrine which Luther had vented in his book concerning indulgences: But pope Leo answered, that friar Martin had a fine genius, and that these surmises were monkish jealousies. Tetzelius, or Tecellius, impudently sold the pope's indulgences about the country. Luther was greatly exasperated at the blasphemous sermons of this shameless Dominican: And having his heart earnestly bent with < ardent desire to maintain true religion, published certain propositions concerning indulgences, which are to be read in the first tome of his works, and set them ⚫ openly on the temple that joineth to the castle of Wit་ tenberg, the morrow after the feast of All-saints, in 1517. He challenged any one to oppose them, either by writing or disputation. John Hilten, a German franciscan, of Eysenach, pretended to ground some predictions upon the book of Daniel in 1485. Melancthon, who had seen the original of that work, says, the author foretold, that, in 1516, the power of the pope should begin to decay. We are informed, that Hilten was put into prison, for having reproved some monastical abuses; and that being very sick, he sent for the guardian, and told him, I have spoke no great. matter against the monkery; but there shall come one, in 1516, who shall overturn it.' Du Plessis adds, that Luther began to preach that year; in which he was mistaken, for the æra of Lutheranism began not till 1517. The The first thesis published by Luther contained ninetyfive propositions, in which he plainly declared his opinion about indulgences. He maintained, "that the pope "could release no punishments, but what he inflicted; " and so indulgences could be only a relaxation of eccie"siastical penalties: That Christians are to be instruct"ed; that the purchase of a pardon is not to be com"pared to works of mercy; and that it is better to give "to the poor, than to buy pardons: That no confidence "should be placed in indulgences, which cannot remit "the least venial sin in respect of the guilt: That those "who believe they shall be saved by indulgences only, "shall be damned with their masters, and that it is a "matter of indifference whether men buy or not buy any "indulgences." He also condemned several propositions which he attributed to his adversaries; and reproved several abuses, of which he declared them guilty. He pronounced an anathema upon those who spoke against the truth of apostolic indulgences; but hoped for all blessing upon those, who should be vigilant in stopping the licence and zeal of the preachers up of papal indulgences. Luther vindicated his thesis in a letter to the archbishop of Mentz, who promoted the sale of these indulgences, and told him," he could not keep silence, when he saw "the souls entrusted to the care of such an illustrious person so ill instructed, and for which he must one day "give an account;" assuring him at the same time, that what he did in opposing this monstrous traffic, was entirely from a principle of conscience and duty, and with a faithful and submissive temper of mind. This Tetzelius assembled the monks and sophistical divines of his convent, whom he commanded to write something. against Luther; while he cried out from the pulpit, that Luther was a heretic, and worthy to be prosecuted with fire. In a public dispute at Francfort upon the Oder, he laid down a thesis, in which he opposed that of Luther; and he also published a piece in German against a sermon which Luther had preached on indulgences. preaching friar, who was an inquisitor in Germany, maintained, that the ministers of the church may im'pose a punishment to be suffered after death; and that it is better to send a penitent, with a small penance into purgatory, than to send him into hell by refusing absolution: That heretics, schismatics, and wicked men are excommunicated after death; and the dead are subject to the laws of the church: That the pope, by by granting plenary indulgences, intends to remit all punishments in general: And that indulgences remit punishment more readily than works of charity.' Tetzelius also composed fifty other propositions about the authority of the pope, which he said was supreme, and above the universal church, and a council: That there are many catholic truths, which are not in the holy scriptures; that the truths defined by the pope are catholic; and that his judgment in matters of faith is infallible. These famous positions of Luther and Tetzelius were like the challenge and defence of the dispute set on foot by both parties. Luther wrote with great moderation in the beginning of this important dispute: But Tetzelius treated him as an heresiarch. The former trusted to the goodness of his cause, which he defended by his parts and knowledge: The latter was so ignorant, that he could not write his own answer, which was drawn up for him by Conradus Wimpina, the divinity-professor at Francfort. Luther was protected by the elector of Saxony: But Tetzelius had more authority by his office of commissioner and inquisitor; though he was a man of such very profligate morals, that he had been condemned to die for adultery at Inspruck, and was pardoned at the intercession of the elector of Saxony. The emperor Maximilian, being at Inspruck, was so offended at the wickedness and impudence of Tetzelius, who had been convicted of adultery, that he intended to have him seized upon, put in a bag, and flung into the river; and would have done it, if he had not been hindered by the solicitations of Frederic elector of Saxony. Tetzel, or Tetzelius, was a person too mean and worthless to be compared on any account with Luther: And Seckendorf tells a pleasant tale of a gentleman of Leipsic, who bought an indulgence of Tetzelius, only by way of absolution for robbing and cudgelling him afterwards. Tetzelius caused the propositions of Luther to be burnt; which inforced Luther to treat more amply of the cause, and to maintain his matter. Thus arose this controversy, wherein Luther, (says Fox) neither suspecting, nor dreaming of any change that might happen in the ceremonies, did not utterly reject the indulgences, but required a moderation in them; And, therefore, they falsely accuse him, which blaze that he began with plausible matter, whereby he might get praise, to the end, that he might change the state of the commonweal, |