The Castle of Comfort

The Castel of comfort.

T Hat God alone absolveth y ^e truly penitent, and only forgiveth the sins of so many as with unfeigned faith and hearty repentance convert, turn and flee unto his mercy, it is manifestly proved by diverse texts of y ^• holy scripture. First let us hear, what God himself saith by the Prophet, I am he yea, I am he in deed, which putteth away thy sins, yea, and that for mine own sake, and I will remember thy sins no more. Call to remembrance, & let us be judged together. Tel, if thou haste any thing y ^• thou mayste be justified. Thy first father sinned, & thy Prophets have trespassed against me.

Are not these words evident enough? God the father perceyuynge righte well, that there should arise falls annointed & falls preachers, which without all shame would arrogantlye arrogate, and proudely challenge to them selves that power of forgeuinge sin, which alone pertaineth to him, plainly here affirmeth, that he alone putteth away our sins. And because he would have us the more seriously and earnestly to believe it, he repetethe this word, I twice, saying, I am he, yea, I am he in deed, which putteth away thy sins, yea, and that for mine awne sake. And lease any man should think, that one may more forgive another his sins (I speak of those sins, which are between God and our conscience, and not of the brotherly reconciliation) he affirmeth that our first father Adam, and all Prophets and preachers have sinned, so that of them no remission of sins is to be looked for. Can flesh purifye the soul? that which is borne of flesh, is flesh saith Christ. All have sinned, saith saint Paul, and want y ^• glory of God. Again, God hath wrapped all nations, saith he in unbelief, that he might have mercy on all. If all be sinners, flesh, and the children of wrath, if all be hypocrites, unprofitable servants, earth, dust and ashes, if all be the enemies of God & unfaithful, howe dare we be so bold, as to take vpō us one to forgive another their sins? Is a traytoure a mete mā to purchase a pardon of a Price for another traytoure? Can one traytoure forgive another his treason? Cā one sinner forgive another his sin? Of the unclean what cā be made clean? as Job saith: Who can make him clean, that is conceived of unclean seed? Is it not thou alone o Lord? It is the Lord alone in deed, as David saith, thou o Lord, shalt sprinkle me with Hyssop, & I shall be made clean, yea, I shall be made whither than snow. And as our savior Christ said unto Peter, If I wash the not, thou haste no parte with me. If God washeth us not from our filthiness, we have no parte in the heritage of Christ. Again the aforesaid Prophet saith, the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our Lawegeuer, the Lord is our Kynge, and he it is that shall save us. Howe often is the Lord here repeated, to show y ^• it is he alone, which worketh all good things in us, which forgiveth our sins, and saveth us, yea, and none but he alone. Agayne the Lord him self saith by the same Prophet, I am the Lord & there is no Savior besides me. Here God him self confesseth, that he alone is the Lord, and that there is none other savior besides him, that is too say, none that forgiveth sin and giveth eternal life, but he alone. By another Prophet he also saith, thy destrucciō, o Israel, cometh of thyself, only of me cometh thy help and salvation. David that holy king and godly Prophet, knowing his deliverance from sin to be of God alone, stireth up his inward man to magnify the Lord, saying: magnify the Lord, o my soul, and all that are within me, praise his holy name. O my soul bless y ^• Lord and forget nor all his benefits. For he it is that pardonneth all thine iniquities, & that healeth all thy diseases, yea, he it is, y ^• delivereth thy life from destruction, and crouneth the in mercy and loving kyndnesse. Agayne let Israel trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is infinite mercy, and plenteous redēptiō. And he it is that redemeth Israel frō all their sins. Whosoever therefore taketh on him to forgive sin, maketh him self a savior, and saith with the Angel Apostate, I will clyme up above the high clouds and I will be like unto y ^• most highest. But let him know, that pride will have a faule, and that the Lord is a jealous God, and will give his glory to none other. Who delivered Adam from everlasting damnation, whan he with his wife had transgressed the commandment of the high Lord? Who absolved Nohe from his drunkenness? Who delivered Loth frō the uncleanness, which he committed with his daughters? Who saved Moses, and forgave him his manslaughter? Who absolved David frō his adultery? Who had compassion on the Ninevites whā they reap̄ted, believed and converted? To be short, who forgave and absolved all the Patriarckes, Kynges, Prophets, priests, &c with all other of the old testament, whan they knowledged their sins, and returned unto the Lord their God, with faithful repentance, but only God alone? to whom did thief • e for remission of sins, but to God alone? In whom did they put their afflaunce and trust, but in God alone? as the Psalmograph testifieth, saying: Our fathers trusted in the, o Lord, yea they trusted in the, and thou deliuerest them. They cried unto the, and they were made safe, in the o Lord, they trusted, & were not confounded. Are not these the words of blessed David? I said, I will confess my sins unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin. Here is no menciō made of Aarō or of any of that priesthood, nor yet of Pope, Patriarcke, Cardinal, Archebishop Bishop, Prieste, or of any other man to forgive us our sins, but of God alone. So followeth it, that the Lord alone remitteth the ungodliness of our sin, and that he alone absolveth a pena et culpa. This was godly doctrine in the old testament, neither was he counted of godly mē any Heretyke that taught this kind of learning at that time. God was thā the Lord alone omnisufficient for all his people that truly repented and converted to his immeasurable mercy, neither had he need at that time of any other to be conjoined with him, as he him self said unto Abraham, fear not Abraham, I am thy defender and thine altogether sufficient rewarder, and is the Lord's hand now so abbreuiated and shortened, that he can save no more? or is his ear so stopped that he cannot hear? Lord God, what a so • ē change is this? But I steadfastly believe, that he is the same Lord now, that he was in the old time, and of no less power to remit sin at this present, than he was many thousand years before these our days, in as much as he abideth ever one, and is not chaūgeable, as he saith by the Prophet Malachi, I am the Lord and am not changed.

Hytherto have I been hold in few words to prove, y ^• in the time of the old law, God alone forgave the sins of his people without the help, either of Bishop, Prophet, priest, leuite or any other, y ^t the whole glory of their salvation might be ascribed to him alone. Now let us also labor to declare, that God alone doth the very same thing in the new testament, y ^• he alone may still remain the God of health against the pestilent doctrine of the wicked Papists, which so borishelye sweat to maintain their usurped power, and feigned authority to the great obscuringe of God's glory, and that to him alone all honor and praise may be given.

We read in the holy gospel that when a certain man being diseased of the palsy, was brought unto Christ to be made whole, Christ said unto him: Son be on a good comfort, thy sins are forgivē the. The Scribes hearing these words of forgeuing sin, thinking w ^t thē selfs y ^• Christ was not God, but mā only, & that it was the office of God alone too remit & forgive sin, spake on this manner within them selfs. Hic blasphemat, this fellow blasphemeth, or as Mark & Luke writeth, Who is he y ^• speaketh blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sin but God alone? here the Scribes tēdering more the glory of God then our papists & pharises do at this time, could not abide y ^• Christ, whom they judged only mā, should challenge to him power to forgive sin, seeing y ^• alone pertained to God. And vpō this place of y ^e scripture many write y ^t y ^• Scribes erred not in this confession y ^• God alone forgiveth sin, but in this thei sai, thei were deceived because thei believed not, y ^• christ was both God and man. If Christ had been nothing but mā, he had blasphemed in deed, that is to say, taken that thing upon him, which is the office of God alone, but forasmuch as he was not only man, but also God, he blasphemeth not, he challenged nothing but that was his righte. So did the Scribes and not Christ blaspheme. Let all men therefore learn of this history, that God alone forgiveth sin. Doeth not Christ also in the aforesaid chapter of Matthew, call him self a Phisicion, and show that he came to call sinners unto repentance, and to make them whole? Why calleth he himself a phisicion, but because it is his office to cure and heal? Jeremiah prayed unto this phisicion, saying: heal me o Lord, & I shall be healed, save thou me, & I shall be safe, for thou art he whom I will magnify. For he did know full well, that all other phisicions were unprofitable without his help, and no more mete to cure sick conscīces of them selves, then the old Lyon was to heal the horse, of whom Esope writeth in his fables, which notwithstanding take on him to practice physic whā of that same sciēce he was altogether ignorant. Moreover Christ calleth all them y ^• labor and are laden to him, & promiseth that he will refresh, ease and comfort them. He sendeth them not away to other, but calleth them all without excepcion to him, whereby he showeth that no creature, neither in heaven nor in earth can truly and sufficiently heal our infirm and sick consciences, but he alone, which saith, I am the resurrectiō and life. He that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live, and every one that liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. For who can forgive me my sin, but he alone, which is without all sin? Who can deliver me frō death & hell, but he alone, which hath overcome them both? Who cā make me good, but he alone, which only is good? Who cā make me wise, righteous and holy, but he alone, which is appointed of God the father to be our wisdom, righteousness, & sanctification? Finally, who cā engraffe in me life & vertu, but he alone, in whom is all hope of life and virtue? Therefore full well doth Christ cal so many as labor and are loden with the burdē of sin to him, and promiseth that he will refresh them, that is to say, absolve and deliver them from their sins. Hereto belongeth the saying of blessed Johan Baptist, Behold that lābe of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Here blessed Baptist confesseth, that it is Christ alone, which absolveth and taketh away the sin of the world. Doeth not also the holy Evangelist saint Johan in the aforesaid Chapter call Christ that true light, which lighteneth every man that cometh into this world: what other thing is it to lighten, thā too put away the clouds of sins, and to send into our hearts the radiante and glisteringe beams of the eternal son, which is the knowledge of God's most holy will. And this, saith saint Johan, is the office of Christ alone.

Why doth Christ cal so many as thyrste unto him, & promyseth that floods of lyuysh water shall flowe out of their bellies: yea, and that he will give them the water of life freely▪ but only to show, that whosoever is thyrsty, and heartily desireth remission of sins, must with all haste come to him, and say with the Psalmograph, Lyke as the heart desireth the water brokes, so longeth my soul after the, o God. My soul is a thyrste for God, yea, even for y ^e living God. &c. Furthermore Christ commandeth y ^t repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name. Where we may learn, that forgiveness of sin cometh only by the name of Christ. And in the Acts of y ^• Apostles we find, y ^• when any famous & notable act or miracle was done▪ the people, as many at this day, did ascribe it to the virtue and power of the Apostles, willynge to do sacrifice unto them for it, but the Apostles did reject and cast away all such immerited honor and undeserved praise, contendyng and maynly laborynge to persuade the people, that whatsoever was don, came not to pass by their power, but by the virtue of Jesus Christ, whom God raised up from death. And whē they made mention of remissiō of sins, they did never remember and rehearse their own power to forgive sin, but only preached, that so many as believed and were baptized into the remission of sins, should be absolved and freely forgiven by the name of Jesus Christ. And in the acts of the apostles blessed Peter plainly confesseth, y ^• there is no health, no life, no remission of sins, but in Christ alone, and that there is none other name given unto mē under heaven, wherein they must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ alone. Neither did the Apostles absolve any otherwise than by the preaching of gods word, which whē it was heard & believed, than were y ^• diligent hearers, and faithful believers of the same truly absolved, as Christ saith. Now are ye clean for the words sake that I have spoken unto you, that is. Now are ye delivered frō your sins because ye have believed my preaching. The faith of y ^• heart justifieth, saith saint Paul. Where it may be learned, y ^• if faith be not given to the word there is no absolucion or deliueraūce frō sin. For whatsoever is not of faith, is sin, & where faith is not, there abideth the wrath of God, as holy Johan Baptist saith, he y ^• believeth y ^• son, hath everlasting life, but he that believeth not the son, shall not se life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. Therefore before Christ absolved any man of his sins, he did behold & se, whether he had faith or not. If Christ found true faith in his hert, thā he always said, thy faith hath saved the. Seyng than y ^e none can search the hert, whither it be faithful or unfaithful▪ but God alone, seeing also that the absolution beareth no strength, but where faith is, it followeth that none can absolve me of my sins, but that Lord alone, which searcheth the reins & the heart. The priest is only God's minister, appointed of God (if he be truly sent) to preach that absolucion and free deliverance from my sin, thorough the name of Jesus Christ, which pre • chinge if I believe, I am so sure to be delivered frō all my sins, as though Christ him self had said unto me, I freely absolve the, or thy sins are forgivē the for thy faythes sake in my name. Are not these the words of Christ, which is the self truth and cannot lie, spoken too all faithful Ministers? He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that de • pyseth you, despiseth me, and he that despyseth me, despiseth him y ^• sent me. But let us rehearse mo scriptures, although too any Christian hert, these, which hitherto I have recyted, may seme abundantly too suffice.

Blessed Paul in his Epistel to the Romans proveth manifestly, that God alone iusti • ieth us. If our justification cometh from God alone, than followeth it well, that the remission of our sins cometh from God alone also. For remission of sins goeth before Justification. By Christ's death are we delivered from our sins but by his resurrection are we insti • ide and made righteous. So doeth it evidently appere, that it is God alone, which both remitteth the sin, and also justifieth y ^• sinner for Christ's sake, which is our righteousness. Agayne the aforesaid Apostle saith, that God hath not only given us his son, but also all things with him. Ergo absolucion of sins. So se we y ^• God alone absolveth & forgiveth us our sins for Christ's sake. Saīt Paul to the Galatians affirmeth, that Christ gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, that is to say, from all evil in this present world. Ergo God alone it is, which delivereth us from our sins in this vale of misery. Ye are wasshed away from your sins, saith he, yea, ye are sanctified & made righteous by y ^• name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. Ergo our absolucion, our deliverance from sin, our sanctification, our justification and all that ever good is cometh from God thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Again he saith, God y ^• father hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, ergo with the blessing of absolucion and free deliverance from all our sins. God hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and carried us into the kingdom of his well-beloved son, by whom we have redemptiō, even by his blood remission of sins. Ergo by Christ's blood are we absolved and delivered from our sins.

Every good gift and every perfect gift, saith James, cometh from above, and descēdeath from the father of light. Ergo absolucion, which is a good and perfect gift, cometh down from the father of light. Blessed John in his epistle saith: If we confess our sins, god is faithful & righteous to forgive us our sins & to make us clēne from all iniquity. Here saint John affirmeth, that God for • eueth us our sins, and ma •• h us clean from all unrighteousness. He saith also, that the bl • ude of Jesus Christ gods ow • • on, maketh us clean 〈…〉 sin. And in the chap •• • olowyng he saith, If any • an sinneth, we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ that righteous one. And he it is that obtaineth mercy for our sins, not for our sins only, but for all the world also. Again he saith, I writ unto you, o ye little children, that your sins are forgiven you for Christ's name sake. Here se we agaī that by Christ remission of sins cometh to us from God the father. Moreover bl • ssed John in his reuelacion writeth on this manner, Christ hath loved us, and washed us frō our sins by his blood. Here se we y ^• all our sins be washed away by Christ's blood alone. What should I write more▪ If I go forth to gather together all the places of holy scripture, y ^• prove the absolucion of our sins to come from God alone, I should not only trouble the most godly Reader, but also writ a volume more Prol • rior thā the Iliades of the greek poet Homere, whan to any christen judgment I may justly seme all ready to have poroued my article true & sufficiently christē mē unto y ^• great shame of all these Papists, which cease not with their stētorous voices to speak evil of the true preachers of God's word, and to obscure or deface the glory of God. Take away the power of only remittinge sins from God, & what remaineth there, wherefor we should confess our selfs bound to him? I speak of matters concerning the salvation of our souls. If all that be of the shaven nation, have power to absolve men of their sins at their pleasure, and to remit or retayn, whose iniquities it pleaseth them, than is God well promoted, evē out of y ^• Halle into y ^• Kytchyn, as they use to say.

So should it also follow, that so many as pleased the priests should have their sins forgiven them, and so be saved, otherwise not. O intolerable blasphemy. But as God alone remitted the sins of the fathers of the old Testament, so in like manner doth he now in the new testament. Who absolved Mary Magdalene frō her sins, but Christ? Who forgave the thief his robbery and manslaughter, but Christ? Who had compassion on Peter, whā he had denied his master christ, but Christ? Who made of Mat thew the publica • e and tolgatherer, a faithful apostle & preacher, but Christ? Who is that good shepeharde, that fetcheth home the strayeshepe, lovingly upon his shulders unto the shepefolde, is it not Christ, which saith of himself, I am that good shepeharde? A good shepeharde giveth his life for the sheep. Who received home joyfully the lost son, was it not Christ? Who healed the wounded man? the Prieste or the Levite? Or rather Christ the Samaritan? who made of Saul the persecutor, Paul an Apostle, was it not Christ? Who absolved all these with many other in y ^• scripture from their sins, but Christ alone, the son of the living God? Doth not all power belong to Christ, both in heaven and in earth? to him therefore alone doeth the power of remi • tinge sin pertain. Seyng than y ^• this is true, and nothing more true, why may we not be bold to say, • agre the Papists, y ^• God alone absolveth the truly penitent, and only remitteth the sins of so many as with an unfeigned faith convert & flee unto his mercy? If this be heresy, which we only confess and teache. I could allege diverse sentences out of the holy doctors of Christ's church, which maintain this doctrine. But seeing I fright not for the auauncement of man, but for y ^• glory of God, I will not satisfy this my work with man's doctrine, but with the infallible verite of God's word. For I know that every man is a liar, but God is true, & his word abideth for evermore.

Now will I prepare myself to the second parte of this treatise, and afterward make answer to the obiecciōs of the adversaries, that God may still remain a glorious God in the presence of all men, and all other recoūted dust and ashes in comparison of him. The seconde parte of this treatise is this, as concerning the priest, he forgiveth not the sin, but only is a minister of God, appointed to utter & declare that free remissiō of sins purchased for us of God the father, by the most precious blood of Jesus Christ. This maketh the Papists to cry, ad ignem, ad ignem. For this doctrine plucketh them down one staff lower than they were before. They may now become no more Checkemate with God. For before they were not only not contented to be his ministers, but also they would be heylefellow well met with hī. Now shall they be fain, either to be y ^• messengers and servants of God, or else plain Antichrists and papists. But let us se, what the scripture saith.

That the priest forgiveth not sin but God alone, it is sufficiently proved before. Now must we learn of y ^• holy scriptures, whither y ^• priest be but only a minister appointed of God to utter & declare y ^• absoluciō & free deliueraūce from sin, or not. That this is his office, it is manifest by diverse places of y ^• new testament. Whā Christ sent forth his disciples, he said unto them on this manner: Go into y ^• universal world, & preach y ^• Gospel to every creature, who so shall believe & be baptized, he shall be saved, but who so will not believe shall be condemned. Here is it evident enough, what authority priests have, & what their office is, verily to preach y ^• Gospel & to baptize. Mark y ^• they must preach y ^• Gospel, as s. Paul saith, Christ sent me not only to baptize, but to preach y ^• Gospel. Again, woe is unto me, if I preach not y ^• Gospel. And in y ^• discripsiō of a spiritual minister he showeth y ^t such one ought to be chosen, as is not only learned, but also apt too teache, able to exhort with wholesome doctrine, & to convince or overcome them that speak against the truth of Christ's gospel. And saint Peter saith, ye elders feed the flock of Christ, so much as in you is. What other thing is it to preach the gospel, than to declare unto the people, that their sins be forgiven them freely of God, if they repent and believe in Christ, as it is written. He that believeth y ^• son, hath everlasting life. If sins be forgiven of God, & the ministers commanded to declare that same to the people than doth it follow, that they forgive not the sin, but only are ministers appointed of god to publish that benefit of our salvation. If a Prince pardonneth his subject for his treason committed against his person, and sendeth his, letters of favor to the traytoure, by one of his faithful servants, cōmaundynge him to declare his pitefull mercy to the gilty, who forgiveth the fau •• the messenger or the king? I am sure it will be answered the king. And not unjustly. For y ^• prince alone pardoneth, the messenger only declareth his princes pleasure to the traytoure. Even so all we have offended, & worthily deserved eternal death. Now the good pleasure of our moste mighty prince is to forgive us even of his own free mercy, without our deserts or merits for Christ's sake, and that his unspeakable goodness toward mankind may be known, he hath appointed his ministers to publish it abroad. The sum of their commissiō is this, that whosoever will repent his former life & believe to have remissiō of their sins thorough the mercy of God in Jesus Christ our Lord, they, shall be forgiven. The ministers of God publish these ioiful news exhort unto repentance and faith. The people repent & believe, their sins are forgiven. Who forgiveth the sins of y ^• faithful repentaūte? The graūter of the commission, or the declarer thereof? God or man? I doubt not, but that ye will answer, God. If god alone, whom we offend, forgiveth the sin, and not the declarers of y ^• forgiveness, I have got̄ that I have desired for the probacion of the second parte of this littel treatise. But let us hear what Christ saith, as my father sent me, so send I you. Now I pray you howe was Christ sent, and for what purpose?

Let us hear, what he him self saith, and than shall I be blameless. By the Prophet Isaiah he speaketh on this manner. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me, to preach y ^• Gospel too the poor he hath send me, to heal the br • ken ha • ted, to preach deliverance to the captive, and sight to the blind freely to set at liberty them that are brosed, and to preach the acceptable yere of the Lord. Again he saith, I must preach the glad & joyful tidings of y ^• kingdom of God to other cities also, fortherfore am I sent. Once again he saith: let us go into y ^• next tounes, that I may preach there also, for therefore am I come Al these sētēces declare manifestly, y ^• 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 that Christ was sent to preach the kingdom of God, that is to say, free deliverance from sin to so many as repent and believe. If thei will not be above Christ, they must be contented to preach the will of the celestial father, as he was, and not to take upon them, that thing whereof only they are ministers. Doth not saint Paul, James, Peter, and Jude, call thē selfs the servants of Jesus Christ in all their Epistles, declaringe thereby, that they are not the self master, by whom remission & absolucion of sins cometh, but only the ministers of him, which infundeth and poureth into all men grace, favor, remission of sins and everlasting life? there is but one master, that is to say, Christ, the other are servants, as saint Paul witnesseth, We preach not our selves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and we your servants for Jesus sake. Again, let a man this wise esteem us, even as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of y ^• secretes of God. All these texts declare manifestly, that priests, if they be true ministers, and not rather idols, are nothing but ministers and servants appointed of God to declare unto the christen congregation, that free remission of sins cometh unto us from God alone, thorough the glorious name of Jesus christe, so far is it of, that the priests contrary to their commission cā forgive sins, whose office consisteth in declaring, and not in giving remission of sins.

Therefore let them be contented no more frō hensforth arrogātly to arrogate y ^t unto them, which pertain to God alone. but humbly confess, that God only forgiveth the sin, and that they are but commissioners, appointed of God, to publish and setforth the same, I mean the remission of sins given to the faithful penitent of God alone. Neither let them frown at this doctrine, which setteth them in their righte place, but rather (as it becometh good & faithful servants) let them give the glory of our saluaciō to God alone, and be glad that they are called unto so worthy & honorable office to declare the mysteries of God to the people, whose preachings or sermons, whosoever believeth, may be so certainly assured of y ^• remissiō of their sins, as though God hī self had said unto thē, your sins are forgivē you. For this saying of Christ is an infallible verite, he y ^• heareth you heareth me. Now let us behold y ^e obiecciōs of y ^• papists, & briefly confute thē, y ^• all y ^• glory may be the Lord's. Fyrst they allege this saying of Christ, loosen him & let him go away. Again, loosen thē a bring thē unto me. Here is simple poor shyfte too prove their absolucion, whan thei are compelled to flee unto y ^• vnteiyng of a vile shete, and loseninge of a simple rude Ass. Loke wheresoerver the papists find any word that cometh of this verb Soluo, that maketh for absoluciō straight ways. I marvel how this escaped them, Solue quod debes. I think if Salue regina had been turned into Solue regina, as some of them that be not very fine mouthed pronounce it, they would not have been ashamed to have alleged it for absolutiō, even as some of the papists do, which, where so ever they find, Ignis, take it for Purgatory straight-ways. O noble doctors of Tyrology, rather than of Theology.

As concerning the first text, which is that Christ commanded that Lazarus should be let loose, and suffered freely to go his way, if they will gather their absolucion of that, it may than be proved, y ^• all other men and womē have that same power so well as they. For there were at that time present, not only the disciples of Christ, but also diverse Jews with certain women, which I am sure were not all priests. Have they not made a good market? they have brought a shillinge to .ix. pens, yea, rather to nothing.

They have done fair by them selves by my fay. Whyle thei labor to make them selfs gods, & to excel all other in dignity, they go so wisely to work that they have made them selfs equal to the most inferioure. O crafty daubers. Which of them all is able too prove that Christ spake these words, loosen him and let him go, rather to his Disciples than to all the other indifferently? I think rather that he spake them to y ^• women, as most commonly occupied about such things. But to whom he spake, the text maketh no menciō, therefore cā they prove nothing.

As touching the losoninge of y ^• Ass, who seeth not their folishnes? the occasion why christ sent the disciples for the Ass, was not to give them power to losen men from their sins at their pleasure, but to fulfil y ^e prophecy of zachary, which so long before prophesied y ^• Christ should come rydynge mekely upon an Ass, contrary to the expectacion of the ambitious & vain glorious Jews. What is this to the purpose? Where as Christ by this example teacheth humility, the papists gather pride. Christ submitteth him self, even with the most lowest, and they exalt thē selfs with the most highest, yea, above all that is called God or that is worshipped, and sit in the temple of God, and show them selves as God. Tell me good Reader, are not these sweet Allegorymakers? I would they would ones cease to moralyse, for they have lied too longe.

Some of them also allege this saying of Christ, Whatsoever thou shalt bind on the earth, shall be also bound in heavē. And whatsoever thou shalt loosen on earth, shall be loosoned in heaven. Here they esteem them selves more thā God's. By this text, they think they may do, whatsoever pleaseth them, save or condemn, bind or loose, hold up or cast down, build or subuerte, bring to heaven or caste down to hell, but if the good men would take the pains to look what goeth before, their cōbe should sone be plucked down, they would not make so much of their painted shethe. Christ saith a littel before, I will give y ^• , the keys of y ^• kingdom of heavē. He saith not, I give y ^• . Christ in this place only promised y ^• keys to the congregation, and performed his promise after his resurrection, as we may se in y ^• Gospel of John. Hereof may y ^• papists rightwell perceive, y ^• this text, whereof hitherto they have so greatly gloried, and out of the which they have sucked so great advantage, maketh littel unto the aduauncemēt of their feigned power.

Their last and moste strong bulwark, where y ^• keys were given to the true ministers, is this text, Whosoever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them. And whosoeuers sins ye retain, they are retained. Here they triumph & persuade themselves, that they have got̄ the victory, though they never fight stroke. But if they will be favorable to God, and work no injury to the other scriptures afore rehearsed, they shall have no cause to lift up their bristles. Christ speaketh here after the manner of our speech, which diligently must be noted, unless we will deprive God of his glory. Whan we se a man restored to his health, which longe before hath ben vexed of some grievous disease, & is made whole thorough the diligence of some Phisicion we use to say, Doctor Turner made this mā whole, or doctor Byll, or some other, which is expert in that kind of science, and yet is it not the doctor that made him whole, but rather y ^e emplastures and medecines y ^• he ministered unto him, yea, rather god, if we will speak truly which gave such virtue to his creatures to work health unto the sick. So doeth the scripture speak. Somtyme it attributeth our health to the ministers of the word, as in this aforesaid place, sometime and moste commonly to God him self, as we tofore have abundantly heard, & sometime to the word of God, as it is written. Now are ye clean for the words sake which I have spokē unto you, Itē, Neither herb nor emplasture hath healed thē, but thy word, o Lord, y ^• healeth all things. Hereto pertaineth y ^e saying of y ^e Psalmograph, he sent his word, & healed thē, & delivered thē frō their destruccions, and yet doeth God only make us whole, & forgive us our sins as he himself witnesseth by the Prophet, saying, thy destrucciō o Israel cometh of thyself, only of me cometh thy help & salvation. What cā be more plainly spoke? Who is able once to hiske against these things? Who will once opē his mouth to barcke against this doctrine? Nomā I suppose, except he be altogether drouned in papisme. This therefore is the true meaning of thaforesayd text. Whā soever y ^• ministers of y ^• Lord's word declare unto me y ^• sweet promises of God y ^• father made to me in Christ's blood, & I believe thē, thā are my sins forgiven me at y ^• very instaūt, but if I do not believe thē, than are my sins retained, y ^• is to say, not forgivē. And forasmuch as I either reap̄t & believe, or else cōtinew still in mine old damnable state, at the preaching of y ^• Lord's ministers, therefore y ^• scripture attributeth my deliueraūs from sin or otherwise to thē, whan notwithstanding God alone remitteth my sin, if I repent and believe. If I do not, the uncircumcision of my hert, that is, my incredulity and unfaithfulness is the occasion that my sins are retained and not forgiven. For this saying alway must needs avyde true, thy destrucciō, o Israel, cometh of thyself, only of me cometh thy help and salvation. So y ^t the priests (I mean the ministers of God's word) are counted to forgive sin, whan they preach to the truly repentaūte remission of sins thorough Christ, and to retain sin, whan they declare too the unfaithful damnation, and that the wrath of God abideth vpō them, so long as they remain still in their incredulity and unfaithfulness, as it is writ̄, He that believeth not on y ^• son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. Thus se we, that those te • te • of the holy scripture, which the papists allege for y ^• maintenance of their feigned & usurped power in remitting sin, maketh nothing for their purpose, if they be truly alleged & understand, according to the vain of the holy scriptures. The scriptures of God may not be rent and torn, neither harked nor wrested to serve the private affects of men, but every text must be so weighed, pōdered, alleged, and vnderstōd, that it may agre with the other texts of the holy Bible, that all the glory of our salvation may be ascribed to God alone, which is both the beginner & finisher of all our health, to him therefore be all honor and praise forever. Amen.

N Ow will I make hast to the last parte of this treatise, which requireth y ^• I should express my mind, concerning the keys, which Christ before his passion promised too his church, and after his resurrection performed his promise, and show by the sacred scriptures, that the gift of the keys is no vain and idle gift, but a necessary, joyful and comfortable treasure. For y ^e Papists will here object, If remissiō of sins cometh from God alone than were the keys given to the congregaciō in vain. But to the intent, that I may stop the mouths of y ^e adversaries, and that they may have no occasion to bark against the glory of God after this, mark well good Reader, what shall be spoken. Truth it is y ^• God alone teacheth men his verite by the holy Ghoste, as it is written, Al shall be taught of God. Again I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and youre sons and your daughters shall prophecy. The Psalmograph also saith: I will hear what the Lord speaketh in me, yet will he that they should be studious of the holy scriptures, both day and night, as it is commanded of Christ. Searche the scriptures, and also diligently hear the preaching of his word, as it is written. He that is of God, heareth the words of God.

My sheep hear my voice. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice. So in like manner although God alone remitteth all sin, yet will he y ^• remission of sins should be preached to the people, that by this means they may repent believe and be made whole, as Christ testifieth, saying: It behooved Christ to suffer, and too rise again frō death the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations. Faythe cometh by hearing, & hearing by the word of God. For the ministers of the gospel are the organnes & instruments of Christ, by whom God worketh thorough his holy spirit, health and salvation in so many as are predestinate unto eternal life. They are God's laborers & ministers, by whom we believe, evē as the Lord giveth every man grace. They are the oratours, messengers, interpreters, Asigels, Apostles and Ambassadors of the Lord as the Apostle saith, all things are of God, which hath reconciled us unto him self by Jesus Christ, and hath givē us the office to preach the atonement. For God was in Christ, & reconciled the world unto him self, and imputed not their sins unto them, and among us hath he set up the word of atonement. Now then are we messengers in the room of Christ, even as though God exhorted by us. We beseech you now therefore in Christ's stead, that y • be at one with god. Agayne to the Galatians he writeth on this manner, Ye did not despise nor abhor me, but received me as an Angel of God, yea, even as Christ Jesus. Hereto pertaineth his saying to the Thessalonians, He that casteth away us, casteth not away men, but God, which hath given his holy spirit into us. Moses also in times paste, said to the people that murmured against him, The Lord hath heard your grudgynge and murmuryng, wherewith ye murmur against him. For what are we? Youre murmurīgs are not against us, but against the Lord. So likewise read we in the Gospel, that the Lord spake of his ministers, Verily, verily I say unto you: He that receiveth, wl • ome soever I shall send, receiveth me. And he that receiveth me, receiveth him that also that sent me. Agayne he saith: he that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despyseth you, despiseth me, and he that despyseth • e, despyseth him also that sent me. Here se we that the ministers of God's word, are not to be despised, for they are necessary instruments unto the health of men and they are worthy of double honor, as the Apostle saith. Therefore may it be concluded that the absolucion of the Prieste is not too be despised, seeing it is none other thing, if it be a true and Christian absolucion, than the preaching of free remission of our sins in Christ's name. And although he y ^• plāteth, be nothing & he that wattereth be nothing, but God, which giveth the increase, again, albeit the Lord blesseth us with all spiritual benediction, yet inasmuche as the inestimable kindness & manifold benefits of God toward us cannot be known nor believed without preaching (for faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God) therefore hath God appointed his ministers to open & declare unto men those excellent mysteries, those comfortable & joyful promises of God's mercy and good will toward mankind, that they may perceive, learn and understand, what is givē them of the Lord, what they ought to believe, how thei should obtain the gifts of God, and lede a life worthy the kindness of so bounteous a father, God also hath appointed the ministers to beget men in Christ Jesus by the Gospel, too open the eyes of the blind, to turn thē from darkness to light, to cōuerte the hearts of fathers into children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous. He hath commanded them to preach repātaunce and remissiō of sins in his name unto all nations, Go youre way, saith he into the world universal, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be condemned. Moreover he hath given to his faithful ministers the keys of the kyngedom of heavē, that whatsoever they loosen in earth, may be also loosened in heaven. And whatsoever thei bind in earth may also be bound in heavē, that is to say: he hath committed to them the office of preaching the Gospel, y ^t they should go forth into the world, & preach unto all men the grace and favor that is given of God the father for Christ's sake, yea and that thei should proclaim, publish and set abroad unto all men, that so many as repent & believe, are losoned frō the captivity of sathā, purged frō syn, delivered frō death, & made enheritours of eternal life: Again that so many as believe not, remain still y ^• captives & bond s • aues of satā, & cōtinew bound in their sins, and in the state of damnation, and that therefore thei shall die the death, and forever more be damned, except they repent, turn and believe. And thus their preaching is so certain and sure before God, that whatsoever they pronounce, being conformable to the word of God, shall as certainly come to pass, as though God him self had spoken it. As for an example, Whan soever the ministers & preachers of God's word in this world shall declare to the faithful repentance, remission of sins, & tell them that they be losoned frō y ^• captivity of sathā, it is even as certain & sure, as though God him self had said these words unto them: Thy sins are forgivē the. In like manner whan they shall say to the unfaithful, that they remain still bound in their sin, and that the wrath of God abideth upon them, and therefore they shall be damned, God approapproueth their saying, and it shall undoubtedly come to pass according to their preaching. So that whatsoever the minister of God's word saith, according to the word of God, ought to be received w ^t great reverence, and takē as an oraele, sent down from heaven, & undoubtedly believed, as a manifest and infallible verity of God. And this preaching of remittyng or retaynyng sins are the keys of the kingdom of heaven, which Christ promised his Apostles before his death, as we may se in Matthew, and after his resurrectiō performed his promise, as we rede in the Gospel of saint Johan. And by a Metaphor Christ calleth the preaching of his word a key. For as a key hath two properties, one too shut, another to open, so hath the word of God. It openeth to the faithful the treasure of the gifts of God, grace, mercy, fauou • e, remission of sins, quietness of conscience, & everlasting life, but to the unfaithful it shutteth all his treasures, and suffereth thē, to receive none of them all, so long as they persiste and remain in their incredulity and unfaithfulness. These keys are given too so many, as being truly called unto the office of ministracion, preach y ^• word of God. They loosen, that is to say, they preach to the faithful remissiō of sins by Christ. They also bind, that is, they declare to y ^• unfaithful damnation. But he y ^• preacheth not the word of God, can neither bind nor loose, though he challenge never so great dignity, authority & power. For Christ calleth it the key of knowledge. And the Prophet saith, y ^• lips of a Priest keep knowledge, and at his mouthe shall they require the law, for he is the Angel or messenger of the Lord of hoostes. Therefore where there is no k •• wlege, there is no key. And where there is no key, there is neither opening nor shuttinge, that is, neither byndynge nor loosonynge. Here let all men judge what is to be thought of the Papists absolucion, whereof they crake so much, which also they sell dearly. If no remission of sins cometh from them, but by preaching God's word, it followeth that their absolucion availeth but littel, seeing they never preach, neither the law of God, nor the sweet promises of him, but only mumble a few words in the latin tongue, yea, and this is not understanded, so likewise many times contrary too the divine scriptures, and y ^e glory of god. Miserable doub • les is that cōgregacion, which hath a blind guide to their Curate, which hath neither the gift nor the knowledge of preaching. For if the blind leadeth the blind both fall into y ^e dyche. Again, greatly fortunate is that Paryshe, and highly blessed of God, to whom a learned shepherd hath chanced, which can feed them with knowledge and doctrine. Whatsoever they shall hear of such a learned and godly minister, let them believe it as a voice comynge down from heaven. And so often as by such a shepeharde remission of sins in y ^e blood of Christ is preached unto the congregation, let thē esteem that preaching none otherwise, than if the Lord him self had preached it. Let them steadfastly believe the word of God, and undoubtedly by their faith th • row the grace of God, they shall obtain remission of all their sins. Contrariwise, i • they believe not, their sins are retained and by no means forgiven. These things have I spoken, concerning the abs • l • cion or the keys, which consisteth only in preaching God's word, that the Papists may have no occasiō, justly to bark against me, as they have done hitherto both for my sermons and bkes. God forgive them, and send them a better mind. Now, forasmuch as the true and Christian absolution is nothing else but the preaching of free deliverance from sin, by y ^• death of Jesus Christ, it ought not to be contemned and despised, but rather to be received w ^t great humility and reverence, even as a divine oracle, sent down from the father of lights. For no mā cā express, how greatly it conforteth infirm & weak consciences, which are troubled with y ^• fear of God's judgments. Whan the Prophet Nathan came unto king David, and rebuked him for sleyng Urias the Hethite, & for taking his wife Bethsabe unto his wife, and told him howe greatly God was angry with him, and what plages should fall upon his house, yea, upon him self for his wickedness, it is not to be doubted, but that David was stryken with a wonderful great heuynes, and his hert pearsed with an inward sorrow, insomuche that he was righte ashamed of him self, of his fault, of his wickedness, & was compelled even of conscience to braste out into the knowledge of his sin, & to say, I have sinned against the Lord. As David was now full of sorrow, grief, trouble, disquietness in his hert, & had joy of nothing (unto such shame and confusion was he brought in his conscience) so likewise it is not to be doubted, but that he was wonderfully revived, maruelouslye restored unto the peace and quietness of his conscience, yea, and plenteously replenisshed with joy in his mind, whan the Prophet said these words unto him: The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die. Mary magdalen was a famous sinner, & whan she heard her unclean conversation rebuked by the word of God, she hertely repented, and was replenished w ^t an inward sorrow, lamenting greatly, that she had offended so bounteous a Lord & merciful God, insomuche that a large fountain of tears followed out of her tender eyes. All this time undoubtedly her sorrow was greater thā it can be here expressed. But whan she heard this comfortable absolucion of our savior Christ, Remittūtur tibi peccata. Thy sins are forgiven the. Again, thy faith hath made the safe Go thy way in peace, that is to say, with a quiet and merry conscience. O good God, who is able to express w ^t howe great joy and singular solace she was affected? So sure and comfortable is it to weak and troubled consciences too hear the sweet and comfortable words of our free deliverance frō the grievous burden of • ynnes by Christ's blood. The thief was full of great anguysh and trouble in his conscience, whan he hanged upon the cross in y ^• time of Christ's passion, & confessed that both he & his fellow thief suffered worthily, even according to their deserts, and in the middes of his troubled conscience, he cried unto the Lord Christ on this manner, saying: Lord remember me, whā thou comest into thy kingdom. But whan Christ had made him aūswear and said, Verily I say unto the, this day shalt thou be with me in Paradyse, O with what a quiet conscience suffered he his pains, and with howe glad an hert yield • he up his spirit into the hands of the eternal father? So comfortable a thing is it to a troubled conscience, for to hear any thing that may quiet it. Again whā blessed Peter preached unto the Jews and told thē, that they had crucifyde Christ the Lord, the scripture saith, that they were pricked in their hearts, & said unto Peter and unto y ^• other Apostles: Ye mē and brethren, what shall we do? Peter said unto them: Repent & be baptized everyone of you, in y ^• name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghoste. As they were greatly dismayde, whā the holy Apostle opened unto them their malicious fact, in sleayng Christ the Lord, so were they very much conforted, whan they heard of saint Peter, y ^t there was hope of their sins to be forgiven, so that they repented them of their wickedness, and were baptized in y ^• name of Jesus Christ. With how entier and unspeakable sorrow is it to be thought, that the famous and notable adulterer among the Corinthians was overwhelmed, whā at y ^• commandment of s. Paul he was delivered unto sathā, excommunicate, put out of the christē company, and reputed among them as an Ethnycke & Publican? Contrariwyse, with what exceeding joy was he replenished, whan after his repentance and sorrow he heard the sweet promises of Goods mercy declared unto him, that lygheth bent out toward all sinners that repent in faith, and afterward was received into the company of the faithful Christians? I pass over diverse other histories, both of the old and new testament, which do abundantly declare, what great comfort the faithful penitent sinners have always had in hearing the comfortable promises of God's mercy. Now the absolucion being, as I said before, nothing elles but the preaching of free deliverance from sin, by the death of Jesus Christ (for God alone forgiveth sin and absolveth the faithful penitent) it ought not to be contemned and despised, but whansoeuer the Mynyster of the Lord's word, be it privately or openly, shall rehearse unto • en, the sweet and comfortable words of God's mercy, toward all them that repent in faith, they ought too give earnest faith unto them, being undoubtedly persuaded, that their sins at that time be assuredly forgiven thē, as though God him self had spoken these words, according to this saying of Christ, he that heareth you, heareth me. But it were expedient, that all true ministers should pray that their form or manner of absolucion be pure and agreeable to y ^• vain of the holy scriptures, without the intermixtion of any man's authority, in remittinge sin either of Peter, Paul, Francis, Dominike, Benet, or any other, or yet of thē selfs, again y ^• it be declared to the penitent that God alone forgiveth the sin, and that the Priests are but the ministers of God, too whom he hath givē the keys of the kingdom of heaven for to show to y ^• true penitent loosoning, that is to say: remissiō of their sins, to the obstinate and hardeharted sinners byndyng, that is, that they remain still in the danger of damnation, and shall be damned, except they repent & believe. It would also be provided, that whan the faithful penitent is desirous to have his conscience confyrmed, stablished and conforted with the word of God, it should not be mūbled in the latin tōge as the Papists have hitherto used in their absolucions, but in the mother tongue, that the Idiote and unlearned may understand it and be edifyed. Or else what faith shall he cōceyue in his heart? Howe shall he repent? How shall he know the goodness of God toward sinners? Howe shall he arm him self with faith against sathā, sin and desperacion? Howe shall he prepare him self too give God thankes for his kindness, and live worthy of his profession? God grant that all things may be done unto his glory, & unto the profit of his holy congregation.

Here hast thou (moste godly Reader) my mind, concerning the absolucion and forgiveness of sins, which if it be examined by the scriptures of God, all man's doctrine set apart, I doubt not, but it will stand so strong, that the gates of hell shall not once be able too prevail against it. Farewell most gentle Reader, and pray that the Lord's word may have free passage, that y ^• name of the great God, and our savior Jesus Christ may be glorified among all nations, and that all discension laid aside, we may agree in one faith and one truth.

Imprinted at London by John Daye, dwellinge in Aldersgate, and William Se • es, dwellinge in Peter College

These books are too be sold by the little Cōduite in Chepeside.

Cum gracia et Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.