Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/397

95* a long journey to him, that he will forgive them everything provided they pay for it in golden ducats; that the sinner is free to, specify what sins he wants to have forgiven and that, if he pays for it, he (the Pope) will grant him in a letter a freedom to sin for as many years as are paid for, even till a man's death is fo desired. Any priest can absolve all sins at a deathbed by the power of the Pope. And the people buy from that Great Priest their freedom to sin.

The se things, therefore, are evident: Christ has the divine right to forgive the sins of the world. Does he have, then, an official in his service to whom he has given his full powers? What is intrinsic to the Lord, the servant has arrogated to himself, usurping also all honors pertaining to his Lord; he increases his wealth in worldly ways, enriching himself by the sale of indulgences and prebends, by endowments and wars; he intrigues with kings and sells indulgences in various countries in order to secure money for his warfare. This was shown in the days when Boniface was at war with Chelc̄icky̍ has the names confused; it was not Boniface but John XXIII (Baldassare Cossa, 1410–1419) who promised indulgence to all who would take part in his crusade against King Ladislaus of Naples. Chelc̄icky̍ was probably thinking of Boniface IX ( 1389–1404).