54 Readings in European History 239. An official account of indulgences, taken from the "In- structions " issued to those who were to pro- claim them in Germany. Conditions necessary for receiving indulgences. Preachers are ordered "to commend each to believers with the greatest care and, in so far as they can, explain the same." The first grace is the complete remission of all sins ; and nothing greater than this can be named, since man, who lives in sin and forfeits the favor of God, obtains complete remission by these means and once more enjoys God's favor; moreover, through this remission of sins the pun- ishment which one is obliged to undergo in purgatory on account of the affront to the Divine Majesty is all remitted, and the pains of purgatory completely blotted out. And although nothing is precious enough to be given in exchange for such a grace, — since it is a free gift of God and a grace beyond price, — yet in order that Christian believers may be the more easily induced to procure the same, we estab- lish the following rules, to wit : In the first place, every one who is contrite in heart, and has made oral confession, — or at all events has the inten- tion of confessing at a suitable time, — shall visit at least the seven churches indicated for this purpose, to wit, those in which the papal arms are displayed, and in each church shall say five paternosters and five Ave Marias in honor of the five wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby our sal- vation is won, or one Miserere, which psalm is particularly well adapted for obtaining forgiveness of sins. Sick or otherwise incapacitated persons shall visit with the same devotion and prayers, the seven altars, which the commissioners and subcommissioners shall have erected in the church where the cross shall be raised, and on which they shall have affixed the papal arms. Where, however, persons are found so weak that they can- not conveniently come to such a church, then shall their confessor or penitentiary cause an altar to be brought to a convenient place approved by him. And where such per- sons visit this place and offer up their prayers near the altar or before it, they shall deserve the indulgence as though they had visited the seven churches. . . .
