A few random thoughts on purgatory by a “drunken German monk:”
6. The pope cannot remit any guilt, except by declaring that it has been remitted by God and by assenting to God’s remission; though, to be sure, he may grant remission in cases reserved to his judgment. If his right to grant remission in such cases were despised, the guilt would remain entirely unforgiven
15. This fear and horror is sufficient of itself alone (to say nothing of other things) to constitute the penalty of purgatory, since it is very near to the horror of despair.
16. Hell, purgatory, and heaven seem to differ as do despair, almost-despair, and the assurance of safety.
17. With souls in purgatory it seems necessary that horror should grow less and love increase.
21. Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope’s indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved;
22. Whereas he remits to souls in purgatory no penalty which, according to the canons, they would have had to pay in this life.
26. The pope does well when he grants remission to souls [in purgatory], not by the power of the keys (which he does not possess), but by way of intercession.
31. Rare as is the man that is truly penitent, so rare is also the man who truly buys indulgences, i.e., such men are most rare.
36. Every truly repentant Christian has a right to full remission of penalty and guilt, even without letters of pardon.
82. To wit: — “Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial.”
89. “Since the pope, by his pardons, seeks the salvation of souls rather than money, why does he suspend the indulgences and pardons granted heretofore, since these have equal efficacy?”
I hope he's sobered up by now.
A comprehensive explanation of indulgences, including the basis of the doctrine, the authoritative teaching of the church, who may grant them, the various kinds, the dispositions necessary to obtain one and......yes.....abuses too.
Well worth a read to clear up the misconceptions which constitute 95% of what is written and said on this subject.
When he gets something basic like this so completely wrong, why should his ideas on any other topic seem persuasive?
Purgatory is not despair, almost-despair, kinda despair, sorta despair, or any other kind of despair. The souls in purgatory are completely, perfectly, and constantly assured of their own salvation.