whom these words were spoken should teach and the people heare from them should be taken as Christ speaking in them but with condition as they should teach what he charged them to teach For the Apostles had their lesson giuen them to teach whatsoeuer Christ commanded them Mat. 28. 20. And these seuenty were taught what to doe and say Luk. 10. 3 12. which they obseruing Christ was heard in them So the meaning is Hee that heareth you deliuering my message and teaching what I command heareth me as if I were there in very person and he that shall despise you so discharging your duty despiseth mee and him that sent mee euen God himselfe as also Saint Paul speaketh 1. Thes 4. 8. For albeit the Apostles had an vnâ—rring Spirit assisting them in the Ministery Mat. 10. 20. Mar. 13. 11. Iohn 16. 13. of whom these words may bee taken absolutely yet of all other succeeding they are to be vnderstood with the former limitation Else why are we allowed yea charged not to beleeue euery spirit but to trie the spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 1. to trie all things 1. Thes 5 And why are the Bereans who not knowing Pauls Apostolicall function but taking him as a Teacher as other were commended as Bellarmine confesseth l. 1. de Verbo Dei for searching the Scriptures and left as an example for vs to follow Act. 17. 11. if the Teacher were to be credited in euery thing he should speake Mat. 16. 19. Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde in earth shall be bound in heauen c. Answ This is to be done by the Keyes which Christ gaue him as the words before going shew I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen then followeth whatsoeuer thou shalt binde c. to wit by these keyes of Christ Not then by his owne power and will as himselfe pleaseth but as those keyes doe helpe him to open and shut to bind and loose by and with the authority of these keyes must hee proceede and not otherwise Now let vs see what these keyes be by which hee openeth and shutteth byndeth and looseth forgiueth and retaineth sins These Keyes are these two Christs Word and Christs Spirit Mat 18. 18. Ioh. 20. 23. which I thus proue 1. For that in this Text is a promise of giuing the keyes I will giue the keyes c. Now seeing that here they are not giuen but promised let vs see what Christ gaue to Peter and other the Apostles and we shall finde that he gaue them two things his Word which hee calleth the words of his Father and the Word of reconciliation which he put in them and they receiued Ioh. 17. 8. 2. Cor. 5. 19. and his Spirit Ioh. 20. 22. which they also receiued when he said Receiue ye the holy Ghost breathing on them These are the two things which we finde that he gaue them therefore they are either the keyes or inseparable companions of the keyes 2. Christ in Ioh. 20. 21. saith As my Father hath sent me so I also send you so in Chap. 17. 18. But with these two did his Father send him with his Word Ioh. 7. 16. and 8. 26 28 38. and with his Spirit Luk. 4. 18. Mat. 3. 16. Esay 11. 2. and 42. 1. and 61. 1 2. Therefore these two are the keyes Keyes are by Bellarmines interpretation here taken for great authoritie and power as in Esay 22. 22. in Eliakim shadowing the great power and authoritie in Christ Reuel 3. 7. exercised in his Church But what greater power and authority then his Word and Spirit can there be in Christ his Church whatsoeuer it be it is comprehended in these two Therefore these be the keyes 4. He speakes of keyes as of moe then one linked together so that they are giuen as inseparable and so these two be For the Spirit teacheth the Word of Christ Ioh. 16. 13. and 14. 26. and the Word is with the Spirit Esay 59. 21. these two keyes are tyed together and giuen by Christ 5. The keyes promised here are the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen In this spirituall Kingdome by these to beare rule by these to bind and loose in earth is so verily and as surely done in heauen For what in this Kingdome here can beare Rule but his Word and his Spirit What truly can bind and loose in heauen but these We may be assured that what the Word and Spirit of God bindeth they are bound indeed and what these loose remit and forgiue they are loosed remitted and forgiuen of God in heauen of no other keyes can we be so assured hereof These then are the keyes here promised to Peter and were giuen to all the Apostles and to the true Church of God This place therefore helpeth nothing our Aduersaries who boast of an vnerring spirit leading the Pope and his Prelates into all truth if they bragge of this key let them shew vs the other the Word of God and the same written now in the Scriptures or else their boasting is in vaine and their binding and loosing of no force Deut. 17. 8. If there arise a matter c. Answ This place is for vs and against them for here iudgement must be giuen not as men thinke out of their own braine but saith the text according to their owne translation Thou See also Ezec. 44. 24. shalt doe whatsoeuer they that are Presidents of the place which our Lord shall choose shall say and teach thee according to his Law now that Law was written 2. Chro. 17. 9. This is it then we desire that the truth of iudgement may be from the written Word of God which this place approueth yet though they produce it and vrge it so often neuerthelesse it speakes not of the necessary points of faith but of controuersies in matters of another nature as the eighth verse plainely sheweth Hag. 2. 12. Thus saith the Lord of hostes Aske the Priests the Law Answ This place is also for vs and against themselues for what were the Priests to be asked what their owne opinion and iudgement No but they were to bee asked the Law that is the Law written and according to which they did answere in vers 13. 4. We teach that Pastors are to bee heard speaking to vs out of the Word written and accordingly as it teacheth them to speake wee must obey with all reuerence 2. Chro. 19. 8 18. Moreouer in Ierusalem did Iehosaphat set of the Leuites c. Answ It is one with that in Deut. 17. 8. and here contrary to the Popish practice the Priests and Leuites were subiect to Iehosaphat the King who had an inspection ouer them and gaue them a charge so 2. Chron. 17. 7 8. 2. Thes 2 15. Stand fast and hold the tradition c. This place is answered fully and at large before in handling the former question Mal. 2. 7. For the lips of the Priest shall keepe knowledge and the Law shall they require of his mouth Answ 1.
adding thereto three Epistles 11. He was the onely Apostle that was rapt in Spirit on the Lords day to receiue the Reuelation of Iesus Christ by an Angell foretelling the Churches estate to the worlds end 12. Lastly hee was of all the rest that liued the longest and alone after them all In these was hee farre beyond Peter He neuer denied his Master as Peter did Hee was neuer called Satan as Peter was Yet for all these excellencies in Iohn the Papists will not haue any Chiefty in him And surely if these eminencies wil not afford him the Headship among them it cannot be found in Peter who attained not to such excellencies Contraried by Antiquitie Cyprian de vnitat Eccles Verily the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was endued with equall fellowship both of honour and authoritie Ierome aduers Iouin lib. 1. All the Apostles receiued the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and the strength of the Church was established equally vpon them all Origen on Math. 16. tract 1. saith of the Keyes that they were not giuen to Peter alone but to all alike and that which Christ said was spoken in common to them all Ambrose de incarnat cap. 4. saith that Peter receiued the Primacie of confession not of honour the primacie of Faith not of Degree Rabanus Maurus de institut Clericorum lib. 1. cap. 4. saith That the rest of the Apostles were fellowlike with Peter in Honour and Authoritie Gainesaid by some of their owne side Aquinas id opuse 20. calleth all the Apostles the Vicars of Christ Cusanus lib. 1. de concord Cathol cap. 13. Wee know that S. Peter hath not receiued more authoritie of Christ then the rest of the Apostles In the Masse they singing to Christ pray that he would keepe his flocke by the holy Apostles who are there called Vicars of his worke Gratian dist 21. in Nouo 24. 4. c. loquitur Nothing was said to Peter that was not said to the rest of the other Apostles who according to S. Ierome are all the Fundamentall stones of the Church Reuel 21. Leo first Bishop of Rome in Aniuers die assump suae ad Pontificatum Ser. 3. saith I giue thee the Keyes was a power transferred to all the Apostles Scriptures obiected answered Mat. 10. 20. Now the names of the twelue Apostles are these the first Simon who is called Peter c. Because he is first named therefore they will conclude a Headship ouer the rest Answ Here is no expresse word of Headship but in numbering the Twelue the first beginneth with Peter So he is onely first here in reckoning in order of numbring but not of commanding superioritie Saint Marke chap. 3. 16. Luke 6. 14. leaue out the word first in naming of the Apostles And Saint Paul in naming the Apostles with Peter giueth him not the first place Gal. 2. 9. He is first reckoned for that hee was first called by Christ Mat. 4. 18. Andrew knew Christ before him and Ioh. 1. 41 42. brought him to Christ but when Christ called them to follow him and to be his Disciples Peter is first in that place of Matthew For when Andrew brought him to Christ neither of them were as yet called by him to follow him for that was not till Iohn the Baptist was imprisoned Andrew was Iohns Disciple and his knowing of Christ was this by Iohns teaching Ioh. 1. 35 36 40. and he brought Peter to Christ vers 41 42. but Andrew abode with Christ but that day verse 39. neither did hee as yet leaue his Master Iohn but when Iohn was imprisoned both Andrew and Peter returned to their calling Mar. 1. 14 16. In which vocation Christ found them and then called them and the first of them was Simon Math. 4. 18. And hereupon being first named when he was called and the first called of all the Cyprian Ep 71. ad Quint. Greg. in Ezech. hom 18. are of this iudgement that Peter was first called Apostles by Mathews relation chap. 4. he is in the reckoning of the 12. first named by him in chap. 10. 21. and so by the other Euangelists For it is the Rhemists errour to say that Andrew was first called and a common mistake to yeeld them so much whereby they seeme to take more hold from this place and from the rest where Peter is first named then there is iust cause although the argument is of it selfe very weake as by the former Reasons is euident and as before hath beene proued For Reuben was first in the numbring but Iudah for all that was chiefe in gouernment Math. 16. 19. I will giue vnto thee the Keyes c. The Gagger will haue Peter chiefe for that he supposeth the Keyes were giuen to him onely Answ 1. The question which Christ propounded was to all the Apostles verse 13. 15. though Peter readiest euer to speake made the answer yet not onely for himselfe but for all the rest as appeareth in verse 20 where our Sauiour commandeth them all not Peter alone not to tell that he was Christ which sheweth that they all knowing it would haue professed as much if Peter had not preuented them Therefore his answer beeing for all Christs power giuen thereupon was generall to all Secondly the Keyes giuen are no such things as belong onely to Peter but are common to all See before an answer to this place Thirdly the words following in this Text Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth c. containing the action or office of the Keyes belong to all Math. 18. 18. which power here was giuen not onely to Peter but also to the other Apostles by the Rhemists owne confession Fourthly Iesus Christ when hee breathed on them the Holy Ghost Ioh. 21. 22 23. which with one bredth he gaue to all saying As my Father sent me so I send you and gaue them all power of forgiuing and retaining of sinnes which is the power of the Keyes here spoken of Christ sent all his Apostles as his Father sent him Therefore Peter cannot haue more authoritie then the rest vnlesse they can proue that Peter was sent by Christ otherwise then Christ himselfe was sent by his Father Fiftly the words are a promise of giuing the Keyes and power to bind and loose to remit and retain sinnes afterwards and not the giuing of them now but this promise wee see was not performed to Peter alone but to all the Apostles Ioh. 20. 23. not then naming Peter and therefore this promise was made vnto all and so intended to be performed as the fulfilling sheweth Lastly the Fathers are of the same opinion with vs touching the meaning of this Text See before Origen Ambrose and the same on Psal 39. Austin in Iohan. tract 118. Theophylact on Mathew 16. Beda on this Text. 1. Cor. 3. 4 22. One saith I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Cephas I of Christ The Gagger here from the order would proue Peter chiefe next Christ
fit this Shrift is for bawdry If any desire more reade Bishop Vshers last booke wherein is cited Gratian Iohannes Semeca Michael of Bononia Iohannes de Selua Also let him look into Doctor Whites way of the true Church of the Papists differing opinions about this pag. 440. 441. in quarto digress 55. Num. 8. and D. Whites last booke p. 190 191. Ans to Fisher 192. citing Iohn Medina Gratian and Caietan Iansenius Vasques Mich. Palacius Gloss on Gratian Gerson Panormitan Maldonat and others Scriptures obiected answered Math. 18. 18. Whatsoeuer ye shall binde on earth c. Answ 1. Here is not a word of confession in this place of Scripture but rather of accusation by another For in the words foregoing the notice giuen to the Church is from the partie not offending but offended If thy brother trespasse against thee c. tell it to the Church But all Auricular confession is supposed voluntary whereby a man accuseth himselfe and in priuate not publike as here Ioh. 20. 23. Whose sinnes ye remit c. Answ 1. Here is no mention of confession of sinnes to them Secondly the authoritie giuen here to the Apostles was exercised in the publike Ministerie preaching of the Word though they heard no priuate confession as the Papists dreame of Therefore the Apostle Saint Paul calleth the preaching of the Word the ministerie of Reconciliation 2. Cor. 5. 18. Thirdly Christ saith there As my Father sent mee so I send you Now he was not sent to heare priuate confessions and thereupon to giue them absolutions but by preaching to binde vp the broken hearted to proclaime libertie to the captiues and the opening of the prison to them that are bound Esai 61. 1. Luk. 4. 18. Neither did he binde any to priuate confession nor sate to heare the same Therefore such as he sendeth are not tyed to doe otherwise neither hath heere Popish shrift any ground Fourthly Caietan on this place saith that the Sacrament of penance hath here no commandement Act. 19. 18. And many that beleeued came and confessed c. Answ Here is mention indeed of confession but this proueth not imposed priuate confession secretly in the Priests eare For first this is of a confession voluntary not enforced Secondly of many that did it but not of all Thirdly publike and not in S. Pauls eare For as they shewed their workes and brought their bookes and burnt them before all men verse 19 So was this confession open for the Text maketh no difference of these actions Fourthly Here it is said they confessed but no particular enumeration of sinnes with circumstances Fiftly Caietan a Cardinall in his Commentarie hereof holdeth that this place is not meant of Auricular confession Iam. 5. 16. Confesse your faults one to another Answ This is nothing for the Popish confession For first it is as generall as prayer one for another But Prayer is a dutie common to all Secondly he saith not the prayer of the Priest but of a righteous man And I hope that others beside Priests are righteous men Thirdly here is not a word of absolution but a promise to the prayer of faith not to the Priests words to saue the sicke and to haue his sinnes pardoned verse 15. Fourthly confession commanded heere is not confined to a Priest but may extend to any other This Saint Iames speakes to all to whom he wrote his Epistle And this place is to be vnderstood one of these three wayes First either of Priests and people and then are the Priests bound to confesse as well to the people as the people to them For it s said Confesse one to another that is mutually or reciprocally Secondly or heere is vnderstood onely of Priests among themselues and then is there nothing to the people Thirdly or onely of the people among themselues and then is this nothing to the Priest to take authoritie hence to bind the people to confesse to him Fourthly confession here is not of secret sinnes in heart against God or sinnes hidden from men but of trespasses or offences one against another as the word in the Originall sheweth and is so taken in Marke 11. 25 26. Vpon which grieuances mutuall confession or acknowledgement of wrongs is here enioyned as a fit meanes of brotherly reconciliation and preseruation of peace among themselues To which they must adde prayer one for another that their mutuall confession reciprocally for reconciliation may bee blessed vnto them Of which practice happy are they which make conscience and blessed should we be if to this euery man would submit himselfe A harder taske then to whisper his sinnes in a Priests eare secretly Lastly the Rhemists say vpon this text that it is not certaine that S. Iames speaketh here of Sacramentall confession Wherevpon others in alledging Scriptures for Auricular confession leaue out this place as not to the purpose Mat. 3. 5 6. Then went out to him Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the Region round about Iordane and were baptized in Iordane confessing their sinnes Answ This sorteth not with Popish Auricular Confession and that for these three reasons First this was publike not in a corner of the Temple or of a Synagogue but in the place where he baptized them in Iordan before all the people Secondly this was at their first conuersion receiuing Baptisme and not yeerely at set times Thirdly it s not certaine what sinnes or how many whether in generall or particular they confessed Fourthly it was impossible for Iohn to heare euery mans priuate confession with enumeration of circumstances seeing all Iudea and all the Region about Iordane and Ierusalem went out to him meaning very many and multitudes of people Leuit. 13. 2. 14. 2. The Leper shall bee brought vnto the Priest c. Answ 1. Here is no mention of confession of sinnes but of one brought to the Priest to take a view of the Plague of Leprosie vpon the body verse 9 10. All the argument therefore that can hence be drawne is onely typicall not conuicting Secondly the partie was not to come and confesse himselfe a Leper to the Priest but the Priest was to iudge him so and to pronounce him a Leper chap. 13. 3 11 44. Then should the Leper cry and confesse not to the Priest but to the people that hee was vncleane verse 45. Thirdly this iudgement of the Leprosie by a plaine Law here belonged to the Priest But where can they shew a Law onely for their Priests to heare priuate confession after their Popish manner Fourthly the Priest looking vpon the partie was not in priuate betweene them two but before other for hee was brought vnto the Priest by others to bee viewed Fiftly the Priest did not alwayes professe the partie cleane vpon shewing his malady as the Popish Priest doth euer the Confitent vpon shewing his sins by confession but the Leuiticall Priest put the partie apart from all others a time for a tryall Leuit. 13. 4 5. and after