The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

""436 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.brance in the sight of God." l The minister is moreindulgent than even the Pope, to whom were giventhe keys of the kingdom of heaven ; for, the ministerdeclares Cornelius absolved without the preliminaryof Confession or contrition, while even, according toD Aubigne, the inflexible Pope insisted on the necessity of repentance of the heart, and Confession ofthe lips,"before the donor s offering could avail himto salvation.John Tetzel, a Dominican monk, who was appointed the chief preacher to announce the Indulgence in Germany, was accused, by Luther, of exceeding his powers by making them subservient tohis own private ends. Tetzel s conduct was disavowed and condemned by the representative of theHoly See. The Council of Trent, which was heldsome time afterwards, took effectual measures to puta stop to all irregularities regarding Indulgences,and issued the following decree :Wishing to correct and amend the abuses which have crept intothem, and on occasion of which, .this signal name ofIndulgences is blasphemed by heretics, the holySynod enjoins in general, by the present decree, thatall wicked traffic for obtaining them, which has beenthe fruitful source of many abuses among the Christian people, should be whollyabolished." 21Acts x 31* Sess. xxv. Dec. de Indulgentiis.