e for
others, which they have bequeathed to the Pope, thus furnishing him
with an abundant treasury. The Pope, through indulgences, is to
distribute this excess, these superfluous merits, as he feels
disposed, at the same time dipping out for himself and his shorn fat
swine the riches of the world; indeed, the ecclesiasts distribute
their own merits and works. This is the refined monastic chastity,
poverty and rigid obedience of the orders--nothing but shameless
falsehood and scandalous vice, practiced under that covering, both
privately and publicly, with the exception of a few who were sincere
in their desire to be monks, of whom I was one. These falsehoods the
orders readily sold to the laity on deathbeds and under other
circumstances.

Indeed, wretched mortals who had incurred a death penalty and were
about to be publicly executed, they referred not to Christ for
comfort, but counseled patience in their own well-deserved suffering
and death; as if God would accept their pain as atonement for their
sins if only they suffered patiently. Purchasing of merit was the
ecclesiasts' chief doctrine, their strongest point. They fearlessly
proclaimed it in public, and through its influence erected numerous
churches and cloisters and satiated the avarice and cupidity of the
Pope. And I too, alas, was one of these knaves until God delivered me.
And now, God be praised, I am execrated and condemned by the hellish
seat of the Roman dragon with its scales because I assailed this papal
doctrine and would not justify it.

15. Oh, the shameful abomination, that in the temple of God and in the
Christian Church must be taught and received things which make wholly
insignificant the sufferings and death of Christ! Gracious God! what
can be said for human merit--for superfluity of human merit--when not
one saint on earth has, with all his pains, suffered enough to cancel
his own obligations; much less to be entitled to the honor of making
his sufferings avail anything before God's judgment-seat, by way of
remuneration or satisfaction for the mortal sins of others in the face
of divine wrath? Note, Peter says Christ left us an example that we
should follow his steps; which is but concluding that no saint ever
wrought or suffered enough to warrant the claim: "I have accomplished
the measure--reached the limit; Christ is no more an example and
pattern for me." No; the saint ought to be ashamed to boast of his
sufferings in comparison to th