Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

But for the present, as to our concernment, let us take these things, according to the best understanding, which their framers ⟨p. 265⟩and founders have been pleased to give us of them; the Story intended to be •old, was indeed neither so, nor so. There was no such solicitation of the Pope by Christian Princes at that time, as is pretended; no Cruciata against the Turk undertaken; no attempt of that nature ensued, not a penny of indulgence-Money, laid out to any such purpose. But the short of the matter is, that the Church of Mentz, being not able to pay for the Archiepiscopal Pall of Albertus from Rome, having been much exhausted by the purchase of one or two for other Bishops, that died suddenly before, the Pope grants to Albert a number of pardons, of, to say the truth, I know not what, to be sold in Germany, agreeing with him, that one half of the gain he would have in his own right, and the other for the pall. Now the Pope's Merchants that used to sell pardons for him in former days were the Preaching friars, who upon Holy-days, and Festivals, were wont to let out their ware to the people, and in plain terms, to cheat them of their money; and well had it been, if that had been all. What ⟨p. 266⟩share in the dividend, came to the venders, well I know not: probably they had a proportion according to the commodity that they put off; which stirred up their zeal to be earnest and diligent in their work. Among the rest, one Fryer Tetzel, was so warm in his employment, and so intent upon the main end that they had all in their eye that Preaching in or about Wittenberg, it sufficed him not in general, to make an offer of the pardon of all sins that any had committed, but, to take all scruples from their Consciences, coming to particular instances, carried them up to a cursed blasphemous supposition of ravishing the blessed Virgin; so coc• sure he made of the forgiveness of any thing beneath it, Provided, the price were paid that was set upon the pardon. Sober men being much amazed and grieved at these horrible impieties, one Martin Luther, a Professor of Divinity at Wittenberg, an honest, warm, zealous Soul, set himself to oppose the Fryers Blasphemies; wherein his zeal was commended by all, his discretion by few, it ⟨p. 267⟩