olde lawe to prooue that the Popes pardons extend vnto purgatorie is verie farre fett For the priest hood of our sauiour Christ hath succeeded to the priesthood of the lawe as the bodie to the figure or shadow thereof But purchasing of mercie perteineth not to the ministers of the Church but preaching and declaring of Gods mercie wherein they excell the preaching office of the priests of the lawe in more large plaine and cleare demonstration thereof in Christ exhibited borne suffered raised from deade and ascended into heauen not in the matter of mercie or the onelie meane meritorius to obtaine it which is Iesus Christ. As for the discipline of the Church now is not vnlike to the discipline then neither is there anie cause in respect of Christ exhibited that it should be anie Iooser now then it was then For the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeered instructing vs that we should vtterly denie vngodlines and worldlie lustes and liue soberlie iustlie and godly in this world waiting for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great god and our sauiour Iesus Chist which hath giuen himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniouity and purge vs a peculiar people vnto himselfe zelous of good works Thus the holy Ghost describeth the end and effect of the mercie of God in Christ exhibited chargeing Titus to speake and exhort to these thinges to reprehend with alearnestnes and suffer no man to contemne him There is no cause therefore why the sinnews of discipline in the Church of Christ should be loosened or rather cutte in sunder by the Podes pardons which taketh vpon him to release all time of repentance appointed by the gouernours of the Church vnder pretense of greater mercie showed by Christ then was shewed in the olde law But Maises and Aaron you saie procured mercie and pardon for the people and then you bring in the example of paid no breined for worshipping the golden Image of a calse where Aaron him selse was so deepe in that he was no meete person to make intercession for others But in the example you prooue not anie power or iurisdiction of priesthood which doth ser forth onelie the effect of the praier of the faithfull as Saint Iames suth of Helias that he was a man and yet obteined great thinges by his praier Neither doth Moses pray with confidence of his priest lie office which he had not for Aaron was priest both by the law of nature as the elder and afterward by Gods especiall appointment but Moses praieth vpon confidence of Gods promises which were these that the people shoulde be brought into the lande of Chanaon and that Christ should come of the tribe of Iuda which could not haue had their effect if all the people had beene destroied though a great nation had beene made of Moses He strengthneth his faith also by two other reasons in his praier the one of the glorie of God which should be blasphemed by the Egyptiens if the people were destroyed in the wildernes the other of the benefites of God alreadie bestowed vpon the people which should be in vaine if the people shoulde thus sodenlie be consumed But of claiming it with confidence of his priesthood and requiring it as by his iurisdiction and office there is no mention For what iurisdiction or office could he haue to controll God in his iudgements And therefore it is a horrible blasphemous saying that God in a manner was at that point with them that he would pardon and punish at their pleasures Where your meaning is yet more biasphemous that God should much rather he at that point now to pardon and punish at the Popes pleasure which is nothing els but to exalte Antichrist aboue God when his iustice and mercie should depend vpon that deuill incarnates pleasure Yet for reason to excuse this blasphemie you saie that God maketh as it were meanes to Moses that he shoulde not staie him nor his anger from punishing of the offenders Let me alone Moses saith our Lord and suffer me to be angrie But who is so meanlie exercised in the scriptures that he doth not acknowledge that this speech of God as a thousand more in the scriptures is vttered after the affection and infirmitie of man whereof God is moste free yet condescending to the weakenes of mans vnderstanding often vseth so to speake Of which phrases of speech who so shall conclude as you doe maie inferre an hundred horrible heresies and more The true sense therefore of those wordes is that the people indeede had deserued to be destroied but that he had otherwise determined at the praier of Moses and for those causes which his spirit instructed Moses to vtter whome by this speech he prouoketh and stirreth vp to pretie for the people he was purposed to pardon and spare them not that he euer was of minde to submitt his iustice and mercie to mens pleasure in such sorte as he shoulde be driuen to make meanes to men that he might execute his iudgementes and shew his mercie both which he doth according to his owne moste free wil moste excellent wisdome and incomparable glorie ALLEN So when his sister Marie was punished by a leprosie for enuying at her brothers authoritie he cried vnto our Lorde and said Lorde God heale her againe of this disease and of his mercie so he did inioyning onelie vnto her seuen daies separation Aaron also procured pardon for the people by the like force of his praier and prieslhood when by sedition the people had highlie offended God yea he did as it were limitte and moderate Gods appointed punishment that his wrath should extend no farther but to the deslruction of a certaine number For when God said vnto Moses and Aaron depait you hence from amongst this people for euen now will I consume them Vpon which worde streight the destruction began and grew verie sore a flame of fire pitifullie consuming them But Aaron out of hande with his incense ranne to that parte where the plague of Gods ire wasted moste and there censed vp towardes heauen and carnestlie requested for the people and so placing him euen iust betwixt those that were slaine and the residue that were aliue the wrath and indignation of God ceassed FVLKE Moses by his praier obteined of God that he did heale his sister of her Ieprosie Ergo the Pope by his pardons maie release men of the punishment laide on them by God when in his pardons he vseth not humble praiers but standeth vpon his power and iurisdiction vpon the power of Peter and Paul and in paine of their indignation beside Gods wrath and sometimes moste presumptuouslie commaundeth the angels to execute his pleasure But whereas God enioyned to Marie seuen daies separation you should haue made your argument somewhat more probable if you could haue shewed out of the scripture that Moses by his pontificall iurisdiction released those daies or anie part
fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur quod non planissimè dictum alibi reperiatur The holie ghost hath magnifically and wholsomlie so tempered the holy scriptures that with euident places he might satisfie hunger and with more darke places might wipe awaie disdainfulnes For nothing almoste is found out of those obscurities which is not found els where most plainlie vttered It were no hard matter to heape vp manie testimonies of the auncient fathers to this purpose but that the va nitie of this answerer appeereth sufficientlie in all our bookes written against the papists in which not onely by the manifest places of the scriptures but also by most euident testimonies of the doctors of the church we confute them in the most and greatest matters of controuersie that ate betweene vs. But what saith our gallant answerer that the councels fathers and anciters of theChurch haue from time to timedeclared the true sense of the scriptures vnto vs hath none of these at any time erred in expounding the scriptures may we safely beleeue them whatsoeuer they say He wil I warrant you deny it except the Pope of Rome do alow their interpretations And therfore this flying from the only scriptures to the interpretation of Coun cels fathers ancetors of the Church is nothing els but an impudent shift to reserue vnto the Pope liberty authority to make what meaning of scripture they please thereby to giue colour to euery fansie they list to father it vpon the authority of the holie scriptures The third cause he affirmeth to be that by chalenging of onely scripture they maie deliuer themselues from all ordinan ces or doctrines left vnto vs by the first pillers of Christs Church though not expressely set down in the scripture c. In deede to deliuer our selues from the burthen of mens traditions the ordinances or doctrines of men we affirme the holie scriptures to be hable and sufficient to make vs wise vnto saluation by faith in Iesus Christ as the Apostles and principall pillers of the Church haue taught vs who haue left no such ordinances or doctrines but they be either expressely set down in the holy scriptures or by plaine and necessarie collection to be gathered out of the same For how will our aduersaries prooue that anie thing is receaued from the Apostles which hath not testimonie out of the writings of the Apostles who can be a sufficient witnes of such de liuerie seeing manie things were of olde referred to the Apostles tradition which euen our aduersaries do not admit to be Apostolical seeing the most auncient and immediate successors of the Apostles as Polyearpus Anicetus can not agree about a ceremony receaued from the Apostles namelie the celebration of Easter what certentie can there be of anie other ordinances or doctines fathered vpon the Apostles without witnes of their writings yea and some times directlie contrarie and repugnant to their writings But hereof saith our aduersarie they assume authoritie of allowing or not allowing whatsoeuer liketh or serueth their turnes for the time and hereof he bringeth example First of the number of sacraments whereof some protestants haue written diuerslie because the name of sacrament is diuerslie taken sometimes largelie for euerie holie signe sometimes strictlie for such holie signes onely as being instituted of God are seales of the dispensation of his generall grace in the new teftament perteining to euerie member of the Church somtimes for al holy mysteries or secrets c. But what doth it serue anie protestants turne whether there be more or fewer signes in number that maie be called sacraments seeing all protestants agree about the things themselues that are set forth in the scriptures to be visible signes of grace inuisible and the name it selfe Sacrament in that sense we speake of when we saie there are 2. 3. 4. or 7. sacraments is not once vsed This diuersitie therefore is but of a terme and that not vsed in scripture therefore it ariseth not of anie interpretation or peruerse vnderstanding of the scripture as our answerer would haue it seeme to be But let vs heare his example Martin Luther saith he after he had denied all testimonie of man besides himselfe he beginneth thus about the number of sacraments Principiò neganda mihisunt septem sacramenta tantúm tria pro tempore ponenda First of all I must denie seauen sacraments and appoint three for the time Marie this time lasted not long for in the same place he saith that if he would speake according to the vse of onely scripture he hath but one sacrament for vs that is baptisme In this sentence how manie lies and slaunders be packed together First he saith Martin Luther denieth all testimonie of man which is false for he alloweth all testimonie of man that agreeth with the testimonie of God expressed in the scriptures and often citeth the testimonies of the auncient fathers for confirmation of the trueth which he taught indeede he alloweth man no authoritie to institute sacraments or to make articles of faith or lawes to binde the conscience of man and he would haue all mans testimonies to be examined and iudged according to the word of God but this is not to denie all testimonie of man but to distinguish true testimonies of man from false An other slaunder is where he saith that Luther in denying all mans testimonie excepteth him selfe which is altogether vntrue For he requireth none other credit to be giuen to his owne testimonie then he alloweth to the testimonie of other Neither doth he arrogate any authoritie to him selfe which he derogateth from other men And namelie in this booke of the captiuitie of Babilon he taketh not vpon him absolutelie to teach euerie point but so farr forth as he did for the present vnderstand of them promising after greater study more diligent inquirie to intreat of diuers of them more certenly euen in this verie place of the number of the sacraments he saith he will admit three onclie for the present time intending to be further a duised whether there be fewer or more to be entituled with that name Wherein our answerer offereth him the third iniurie in translating tria pro tempore ponenda I must appoint three for the time as though Luther had taken vpon him to appoint how manie sacraments the Church should haue or would challenge power to appoint more or Jesse at his pleasure where as his wordes if the answerer did not wilfullie corrupt them by false translation do import no such thing but onelie as farr as he did presentlie see there were no more but three of those that were commonlie called sacraments of the new testament which were rightlie to be called by that name The fourth slaunder is that Luther hath but one sacrament for vs which is Baptisme if he would speake according to the vse of onelie scripture yea this is a double slaunder for neither doth
purpose teaching onelie that we are consecrated or made perfect by baptisme which is true in respect of sanctification and remission of sinnes but prooueth not that concupiscence which you confesse to be an euil thing remaining in the regenerate is chaunged in nature to be no sinne although it be forgiuen and shall not be imputed to the elect For the wrong quoting of Augustine do 〈◊〉 concupiscent You were best quarrell with your printer for Master Charke hath instlie charged your booke with error in the first edition whereunto he answered which you will not vnderstand but charge him with ignorance quarreling and impudencie whereas your quotation was twise lib. de nupt concupiscent And not as you saie now lib. 1. de nupt concupiscent You with that you were with Master Charke to see if he would blush at his ignorance by you discouered and cal backe your wish for feare of purseuants But I looke not at all that your brasen face should blush either at so small a fault or at so false a defense thereof which are not ashamed of a great number of more wrong and impudent quotationes then that is for which though no purseuantes shall attach you yet the reproch of them shall pursue you to the vtter confusion of your proude and arrogant Censure and more impudent and vnlearned defense Finallie Ambrose lib. 1. de voc gent. c. 5. hath not one worde to prooue that concupiscence in the regenerate is no sinne of it selfe But where Master Charke rehearseth not the verie wordes but the meaning of Saint Augustine expounding him-selfe in what sense he saith that concupiscence is not sinne you set abroad all the sailes of your rayling and venemous tongue and penne against him Saint Augustines words are dimitti concupiscentiam carnis in baptismo non vt non sit sed vt in peccatum non imputetur Quamuis autem reatu suo iam soluto manet tamen donec sanetur omnis infirmitas nostra proficiente renouatione interioris hominis de die in diem cúm exterior induerit incorruptionem non enim substantialiter manet sicut aliquod corpus aut spiritus sed affectio est quaedam malae qualitatis sicut languor Concupiscence of the flesh is remitted in baptisme not so that it is not but so that it is not imputed to sinne And albeit the guilt thereof be loosed yet it remaineth vntil al our infirmitie behealed the renuing of the inward man profiting from daie to daie when the outward man shall haue put on incorruption for it remaineth not substantiallie as a bodie or a spirit but it is a certaine affection of euill qualitic as a sickenes These words declare that concupiscence being an affection of euill qualitie which is as much to saie as sinne remaning in the regenerate although it be not imputed to them as sin for that if they 〈◊〉 against it it shall not preuaill against them to condemne them A sinne not imputed is a sinne of his owne nature The sinnes of Gods elect are not imputed to them they are forgiuen the guilt is taken awaie they are washed awaie in the blood of Christ they are as white as wooll and as snowe yet of their owne nature they are foule abhominable and detestable transgressions of Gods lawe so is concupiscence against the lawe thou shalt not lust as Augustine often confesseth therefore of it selfe sinne euen in the regenerate to whome it is remitted The similutude of a sickenes also whereunto Augustine doth often compare it sheweth the same For a sicknes if it be not healed either by strength of nature preuailing or by medicine doth either cause death or remaineth as long as life so concupiscence of itselfe would kill if the medicines of Christs redemption did not ouercome the malice of it and in the ende take awaie the disease from the rootes But for a cleerer proofe Master Charke alledgeth that Saint Augustine in an other place saith plainlie it is sinne You answer that he saith onelie of concupiscence in generall that it is sinne and not of concupiscence in the regenerate But that Saint Augustine speaketh of concupiscence in the regenerate it is manifest by this reason for that he saith concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit lustesh which is onelie in the regenerate As he him selfe saith in an other place by you quoted Non enim rectè cuiusquam spiritus concupisceret aduersue carnem suam nisi habitaret in illo spiritus Christi For no mans spirit should rightlie lust against his fiesh except the spirit of Christ did dwell in him But that concupiscence without consent is properlie no sinne you saie Saint Augustine prooneth by the wordes of Paule him-selfe who calleth it sinne in the chapter last remembred but that is false he only retaineth his vsuall acception of the word sinne for actualsin as Saint Iames doth whose termes of conception and bringing forth also he vseth yet he concludeth that concupiscence without consent is euill is to be chastised to be brideled to be fought against to be ouercome which prooueth sufficientlie that it is sinne though not actuall sinne yet properlie sinne from which we can not be deliuered but by the grace of Christ sinne of another kinde sinne in another degree called sinnne in the scripture and therefore without controuersie except we will trifle in vaine contention of termes and childish sophismes where the matter is plaine sinne in deede and properlie which of his owne nature deserueth death but that it is purged by the blood of Christ as all other sinnes of what sort or degree soeuer they be in those that are saued That Saint Augustine vseth other whiles the termes of veniallie and mortallie when he speaketh of sinning it can not defend your distinction wherebie you holde that there be some sinnes so smale as of their owne nasure they deserue not damnation contrarie to the scripture that saith generallie the reward of sinne is death Whereas Saint Augustine meaneth onelie degrees of sinnes whereof some are lesse some are hainous yet all deserue death For Saint Augustine must be vnderstood according to the scripture but the scripture must not be racked to agree with Saint Augustine Hitherto concerning the doctrine of the Iesuites that concupiscence in the regenerate without consent is not sinne Against this doctrine Gotuisus opposeth the wordes of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5. 28. whosoeuer shall see a woman to lust after her he hath alreadie committed adulterie with her in his heart which text you confirme as you said before to be alledged ignorantlie and against him-selfe because here is a manifest consent of the heart expressed to make concupiscence adulterie And for that purpose you cite Saint Augustine and to all this you aske what sir William replyeth and answer your selfe Surelie nothing but maketh a long idle speake of praedicatum and subiectum as pertinent to the matter as Charing crosse to Billings gate If William Charkes
same worke of binding and loosing of such sheepe of Christes folde as to them were committed And so did Saint Thomas who then was not there so did Saint Matthew who then was no Apostle so did Barnabas so did Timothie and Titus who were ordeined by Saint Paul and so did Paul him selfe of whome Saint Ambrose saith that he did remit sinnes without all derogation The good studiousereader must marke wel then that al these holie functions or passing preheminencies are not giuen to the priuate persons in respect of themselues neither of Peter nor of Paul nor any other but they are bestowed vpon them for the vse of the Church which dieth in their persons and therefore must be honoured with the same offices by other after they be dead by perpetuall succession they shall neuer cease And that caused Saint Augustine and other holie fathers to saie the keies were giuen to the Church and authoritie to remit sinnes to baptize and to enioyne penance not because the wholl Church by gathering all her children together must giue sentence vpon euerie sinner or els the priests iudgement to be nothing as some foolish seditious heades haue now to the distrurbance of the world deuised but because it is our common wealth and house of faith which is so beutified in her ministers with all kinde of sacraments and good orders for the gouernment of her children and because all men may see it was the earnest loue and carefull prouidence for this his spouse and not the persons of the Apostles in respect of them selues which mooued his wisedome to the institution of such perpetuall offices in the Church FVLKE Your conclusion is true that the power extended to al the Apostles successors but it is not strongly prooued by the example of Thomas Matthew Paull and Bernabas who were Apostles them-selues in the highest degree and therefore I like better the solution of Cyrillus which vnderstandeth the intention of Christ to haue beene of the wholl order of the Apostles and their successours although more then Thomas had beene absent at such time as he gaue that power alledging the examples of Eldad and Meldad which being of the number that were chosen to be gouernours to assist Moses although they were not present with the rest before the tabernacle yet they were indued with the spirit of prophesie because they were of the number appointed Where you saie that no doubt a Sacrament was instituted by these wordes of Christ and often haue so saide you onelie saie it and bring no proofe thereof neither doe you declare what is the visible signe of the inuisible grace nor what 〈◊〉 the element to which the worde commeth that we might acknowledge a sacrament with you That the keies are giuen to the Church although it prooue 〈◊〉 that euerie member of the Church should execute them yet it prooueth that Peter had no soueraigne nor singular authoritie of the keies aboue the rest of the Apostles but that the Pastour of euerie Church hath the same not of the gift graunt commission or permission of Peter but of the graunt and immediate commission from Iesus Christ him-selfe Whether the power of excommunication perteine to all the Church or to certaine chosen gouernours thereof it is a question not incident to this to be handled ALLEN Hereupon therefore and in consideration that the keies of opening and shutting heauen by binding and loosing mans sinnes shall euer remaine for the vse and honour of the Church the saied holie Saint Augustine hath these wordes Claues dedit Ecclesiae suae vt quae solucrit in terra soluta essent in coelo quae ligauerit in terra ligata essent in 〈◊〉 Christ deliured the keyes to the Church that whoesoeuer shee loosed in earth should be loosed in heauen and whatsoeuer shee bound in earth should be bound likewise in heauen And Optatus his equall striuing with the Donatistes for all holie giftes which Christ bestowed vpon his Church challengeth all other sacraments and namelie the keies for the Catholike and vniuersall Church from the part of Donatus the heretike as in the right of Peter He saieth exceeding pithely Claues darae sunt Petro non haereticis And afterwade Cathedram Petri quae nostra est per ipsam caeteras dotes apud nos esse probamus etiam sacerdotium The keies are giuen to Peter and not to heretikes by the chaier of Peter which is ours we prooue all other giftes of the Church to be ours yea euen priesthoode Thus he hath in sense in diuerse places By which we see the inrisdiction and power giuen to the principall Apostle yet to remaine and by it all other the Churches notable preheminences which he calleth Ecclesiae dotes The douries of the Church through his wholl discourse against the Donatists So doth Epiphanius attribute the power of penance and pardon to the Church likewise not onelie in baptisme which he calleth the moste perfect penance but also afterwarde vpon the parties relapse in which case the heretikes called Cathari affirmed that the Church had no authoritie to pardon them any more Against which pernicious sect he sayeth If any man fall after his baptisme the Church will not be vnmercifull to him Dat enim reuersionem post poenitentiam For shee giueth him leaue to returne and hath penance after penance By which he noteth that the Church hath two sacraments for remission of sinne the one is baptisme which he termeth perfect penance with Saint Paul to the Hebrewes And Saint Augustine doth call it in his En. chiridion Magnam indulgentiam a graund pardon And afterward The Church hath an other kinde of remission which Epiphanius calleth poenitentiam post poenitentiam But of these two more shal be said anon After this 〈◊〉 doth Lactantius 〈◊〉 to the true Church confession penance and profitable healing of our woundes and such sores as be found in our soules By all which euerie man may conceiue easelie that this honour and commission of priesthoode for the remission of our sinnes did not decaie with the Aposties appointed by Christ nor shall cease till Christes comming to 〈◊〉 the worlde FVLKE These testimonies needed not to be heaped vp in vaine but that you would beare the ignorant in hand most iniurioslie that Caluin and the better learned of the protestants do holde that the power of binding and loosing ated with the Apostles and continueth not in the Church Saint Augustines wordes are as you cite them but there followeth immediatlie an explication which you haue omitted Scilicet vt quis quis in Ecclesia eius dmitti sibi peccata non crederet non eidimitterentur quisquis autem crederet seque ab his correctus auerteret in eiusdem Ecclesiae gremio constitutus eadem fide atque correctione sanareiur Quisquis enim non cred it dimitti sibi posse peccata fit deterior disperando quasi nihil illi melius quà m malum esse remanear
vbi de fructu suae conuersionis infidus est Christ deliuered the keies to the Church saith S. Augustine that whatsoeuer she loosed in earth should be loosed in heauen and what soeuer she bound in earth should be c. that is to saie that whosoeuer would not beleeue that sinnes should be forgiuen him in his Church they should not beforgiuen vnto him but whosoeuer did beleeue and being corrected did turne him-selfe awaie from them being placed in the bosome of the same Church should be healed by the same faith and correction For whosoeuer doth not beleeue that his sinnes maie be forgiuen vnto him is made worsse by dispairing as though nothing remained better for him then to beleue when he is vnfaithful vnbeleeuing of the fruite of his conuersion These wordes of Saint Augustine do shew that sinnes are forgiuen to the penitent and faithfull that beleeue the doctrine of repentance and forgiuenes of sinnes which is preached in the Church The place of Optatus vrging the vnitie of Peters chaire against the schismatikes that were deuided from the communion of the Catholike Church ascribeth no greater authoritie to Peters chaire in exercising the keyes or anie other power of the Priesthood then to all other chaires That Epiphanius allowethrepentance after baptisine against the Catharistes it prooueth no more an other sacrament of penance then that we do euen as he graunt that there is place of repentance before god reconciliation vnto the Church for such as do daily fall after baptisme But contrary wise it appeareth that Epiphanius alloweth but one sacrament of repentance which is baptisme Andyet saith he we take not awaie the mercie of God knowing the preaching of the trueth and the mercie of the Lord c the pardonable nature the vnstedfastnes of the soule the weaknes of the flesh the deepenes of the sense of manie men because no man is void of sinne and pure from filthines though his life be but one daie vpon the earth And perfect repentance in deede is in the lauer of baptisme but if a man fall the holie Church of god doth not loose him for it gran teth him a returne and after that repentance an other repentance The Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a sorowfullnes for that which is committed by which the partie maie be brought to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfect repentance that he spake of before that is recouer the grace of forgiuenes of sins confirmed vnto him in baptisme which is the onelie sacrament of repentance the fruite whereof endureth vnto our liues end to make vs partakers of the fruite of regeneration that is life euerlasting The examples that he bringeth of repentanee offered to Cain and graunted to Peter do Prooue that he speaketh not of any sacrament of rePentance but sheweth that God receaueth them that fall after baptisme vnto repentance according to the preaching of trueth and of the mercie of God I muse what you meane when you saie that Epiphanius termeth baptisme perfect repentance with Saint Paul to the Hebr. cap. 6. For the Apostle to the Hebrewes hath no such terme either in that chapter or in anie other place of that epistle except you dreamed of such a matter because he professeth to leaue the first principles of religion as repentance from dead workes c. which pertaineth to the doctrine of baptisme and Imposition of hands and to grow to perfection In the Catholike Church as Lactantius saith there is confession because there is faith there is also repentance which wholsomlie healeth the sinnes and wound to which the weakenes of the fleshis subiect by which it is prooued that there is remission of sinnes in the Church continuing vntill the comming of Christ to iudgement ALLEN But he that listeth to see in what office and by whome he holdeth this singular honour of remission of sinnes he shall finde not onelie the Apostles who were called by Christ but all other Bishops also that succeede them in the Church to be her ministers herein Whereof let him reade the 26. Homely of Saint Gregorie pertaining almost whollie to that purpose I will repeat a few wordes onelie out of it committing the rest to the diligence of the reader Libet intueri saith he illi discipuli ad tanta onera humilitatis vocati ad quantum culmen gloriae sint oeruecti Ecce non solùm de semetipsis securi fiunt sed etiam alienae obligationis relaxationis potestatem accipiunt principatumque superniiudicij sortiuntur vt vice Dei quibusdam peccata retineant quibusdam relaxent Ecce qui districtum iudicium Dei metuunt animarum iudices fiunt alios damnant velliberant qui semetipsos damnare metuebant Horum profectò nunc in Ecclesia Dei Episcopi locum tenent ligandi atque soluendi authoritatem sumunt grandis honor sed graue pondus est istud honoris It is my meaning now to beholde to what marueilous honour the Disciples of Christ be exalted which before were called in their base state to great burden and troubles For now they be not onelie in assurance of their owne state but they haue obtained power of binding and releasing other and the verie soueraigntie of heauenly iudgement that in Gods owne steade they may some mans sinnes release and other offencesreteine Loe those that once feared the straight sentence of Gods owne iudgement are made the iudges of other mens soules to condemne or deliuer where they list that before doubted of them-selues And now truelie in these mens roomes are the Bishops of Gods Church and receiue the authoritie of binding and loosing and their owne state ofregiment High surclie is their Chaire but greater is their charge S. Gregorie said so farre But Saint Augustine shall make vp this matter with words of such waight that I trust euerie man shall see the trueth and almost feele the grossenesse of falsehood thereby He writeth thus vpon this verse of the Psalme Eructauit which is the 44. in number with him Pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filij constitueseos Principes super omnem terram In place of thy parentes thou hast Children borne thee them thou maist make the Princes of the wholl earth The Apostles did beget thee they were sent them-selues they preached in their owne persons and finallie they were thy fathers But could they alwaies corporallie abide here And though one of them said I would gladlie be dissolued and be withChrist yet for your sake I counted it more necessarie to tarie in flesh Thus he said but how long could his life last he might not remaine til this daie much lesse for the time to come What then is the Church desoiate after the departure of her parents God forbid In steade of thy parentes thou hast sonnes saith the text what is that to saie Marie the Apostles sent by Christ are as fathers and for them God hath raised vp children or sonnes which be the holie Bishops of the world