The-papacy-its-history-dogmas-genius-and-prospects-wylie

POWER OF INDULGENCES.S39are avaricious of this spiritual wealth, into which, indeed,the dross or riches of this world may be converted with thehappiest facility imaginable."" You may buy as many masses as will free your soulsfrom purgatory for twenty-nine thousand years, at the churchof St John Lateran, on the festa of that saint ; at SantaBibiana, on All Souls'* day, for seven thousand years ; at achurch near the Basilica of St Paul, and at another on theQuirinal Hill, for ten thousand and for three thousand years,and at a very reasonable rate. But it is in vain to particularize,for the greater part of the principal churches inKonie and the neighbourhood are spiritual shops for thesale of the same commodity."*The writer may be permitted to state, that on the cathedralgates in the south of France, particularly at Lyons, hehas seen handbills posted, announcing certain fttes^ and promisingto all who should take part in them, and repeat somany Ave Marias, a plenary indulgence; that is, a full remissionof all their sins up to the time of the fete. AdrianVI. decreed a plenary indulgence of all his sins to whomsoevershould depart out of this life grasping in his hand ahallowed wax candle ! The same inestimable blessing didthe pontiff promise to the man who should say his prayerson Christmas day in the morning in the church of Anastasiaat Rome. Sixtus IV. granted an indulgence of twelve thousandyears to every man who should repeat the well-knownsalutation of the Virgin, " Hail, Mary, &c.; deliver me fromall evils, and pray for my sins." Burnet mentions that hehad seen an indulgence for ten hundred thousand years.-f-In other cases, indulgences have been granted to the personand his kindred of the third generation ; so that it might b6handed down to his posterity like an estate or other property.Nobles have obtained indulgences, including theirretinue as well as themselves,—much as a wealthy man now-* Rome in the Nineteenth Century, vol. ii. pp. 267-270.+ Burnet on the Articles, p. 228, fol. ed.