[32] See Thesis 1.
[33] See Thesis 4.
[34] See Letter to Archbishop, below. The text of this Instruction in Kapp, Sammlung, etc. (1721), pp. 117-206. Tschackert has surmised that even the number of the Theses was determined by the number of the paragraphs in this Instruction. There were 94 of these paragraphs, and of the Theses 94 + 1. Enstehung d. luth. u. ref. Kirchenlehre (1910), p. 16, note 1.
[35] The following, based on an unpublished manuscript of Th.
Brieger, is an interesting analysis of the contents and subject
matter of the Theses. For the sake of brevity the minor
subdivisions are omitted:
Introduction. The ideas fundamentally involved in the concept
of poenitentia (Th. 1-7).
I. Indulgences for souls in purgatory (Th. 8-29).
1. Canonical Penalties and the pains of purgatory (Th. 8-19).
2. The relation of the Pope to purgatory (Th. 8-19).
II. Indulgences for the living (Th. 30-80).
1. The content and nature of the preaching of indulgences
(Th. 30-55).
2. The treasury of the Church (Th. 56-66).
3. The duty of the regular church-authorities on the
matter (Th. 67-80).
Conclusion (Th. 81-95).
1. The objections of the laity of the indulgence-traffic
(Th. 81-91).
2. The evil motive of the traffic in indulgences, with
special references to the statements of Th. 1-4 (Th.
91-95). H. Hermelink in Krüger's Handbuch der
Kirchengeschicte (1911), III, 66.
[36] Weimar Ed., I, pp. 525 ff.
I
LETTER TO THE ARCHBISHOP ALBRECHT OF MAINZ
OCTOBER 31, 1517
To the Most Reverend Father in Christ and Most Illustrious Lord,
Albrecht of Magdeburg and Mainz, Archbishop and Primate of the
Church, Margrave of Brandenburg, etc., his own lord and pastor in
Christ, worthy of reverence and fear, and most gracious.