What could she not decide for the individual by virtue of the power she arrogates to bind and to loose, to forgive sins, and to open or to close the door of heaven for the dying?
What she has done with the Church's gifts of grace we know.
"There is a deep, beautiful meaning underlying this idea.

But it has degenerated into a base traffic in indulgences.

We have sincere natures.
For a long time we believed that salvation is gained by works--gifts to the Church, fasts, scourgings, seclusion from the world, self-confinement in a cell--and our wealth went to Rome.

Rarely do we look vainly in the most beautiful sites on mountain or by river for a monastery! But at last the sound sense of Germany rebelled, and when Luther saw in Rome poor sufferers from gout and cripples ascending the stairs of the Lateran on their knees, a voice within cried out to him the great 'sola fide' on which our faith is founded.

On it alone, on devotion to Jesus Christ, depends our salvation." "Then," asked Wolf, "you boldly deny any saving power to good works ?" "Yes," was the firm reply, "so far as they do not proceed from faith." "As if the Church did not impose the same demand!" replied Wolf in a more animated tone.