58. Not are they the merits of Christ and the Saints, for even
without the pope, these always work grace for the inner man, and
the cross, death, and hell for the outward man.

59. St. Lawrence said that the treasures of the Church were the
Church's poor, but he spoke according to the usage of the word in
his own time.

60. Without rashness we say that the keys of the Church, given by
Christ's merit, are that treasure;

61. For it is clear that for the remission of penalties and of
reserved cases, the power of the pope is of itself sufficient.

62. The true treasure of the Church is the Most Holy Gospel of
the glory and the grace of God.

63. But this treasure is naturally most odious, for it makes the
first to be last.

64. On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally
most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.

65. Therefore the treasures of the Gospel are nets with which
they formerly were wont to fish for men of riches.

66. The treasures of the indulgences are nets with which they now
fish for the riches of men.

67. The indulgences which the preachers cry as the "greatest
graces" are known to be truly such, in so far as they promote
gain.

68. Yet they are in truth the very smallest graces compared with
the grace of God and the piety of the Cross.

69. Bishops and curates are bound to admit the commissaries of
apostolic pardons, with all reverence.

70. But still more are they bound to strain all their eyes and
attend with all their ears, lest these men preach their own
dreams instead of the commission of the pope.

71. He who speaks against the truth of apostolic pardons, let him
be anathema and accursed!

73. But he who guards against the lust and license of the
pardon-preachers, let him be blessed!

73. The pope justly thunders[18] against those who, by any art,
contrive the injury of the traffic in pardons.

74. But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use
the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and
truth.

75. To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a
man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the
Mother of God--this is madness.[19]

76. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able
to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is
concerned.[20]

77. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could
not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy ag