any earthly cogitation moue you to thinke of any succh materiall keyes as we occupie in earth when you heare of committing the keyes of the kingdom to Peter Keie of heauen vvhat yt ys you must thus vnderstaÌ„d that the key of heauen is Peters woord or tunge because the Apostle weighing well euery of oure desertes openeth or shutteth to euery man the kingdoÌ„ of Christe This key therefore is not made by mortall mannes hande but it is the power of iudgment giuen by Christ To be brief he saith to them all whose sinnes you shal forgiue they shal be forgeueÌ„ c. Thus saith Maximus ioyning together fittly two textes for one purpose out of both maketh a most forcible argument that the iudgment of oure soules which is a passing authoritie that very letting in keping out of heaueÌ„ is addicted by the keyes to Peters the Apostles ministerie For which cause also S. Gregorie calleth all Christes Apostles and the iust occupiers of their roomes the dores by which meÌ„ must enter into heauen or euerlastingly bide our which is a fearfull saing to all suche as contemne their authoritie His woordes be these Quid cuncti Apostoli nisi sancta ecclesiae ostia existunt cùm eis dicitur Cap. 16. lib 28. in Iob. Accipite spirituÌ„ sanctuÌ„ quoruÌ„ remiseritis pecc c. ac si illis apertè diceretur per vos ingrediuÌ„tur ad mehi quibus vos ipsi paÌ„ditis et repelleÌ„tur quibus obseratis what are all the Apostles elles but the doores of holy Church seing it is sayde to theÌ„ take you the holy ghost whose sinnes you doe forgiue they be forgiueÌ„ eueÌ„ as thoughe in plainer termes it had beÌ„ spoken thus by you all must enter that will come vnto me those I saye to whoÌ„ you opeÌ„ the doore by loosing of their sinnes those shall be put backe that you locke out Hyherto S. Grerie This woÌ„derful authoritie caused S. Hilarie thus to make exclamatioÌ„ O holy and most happy men for the desert of youre faith yow haue obteyned the keyes of heaueÌ„ De Trin. lib. 6. and now the whole right both of bindiÌ„g aÌ„d loosing in heauen and earth is assuredlie in you But that you may fullie beholde their right herein consider his notable woordes vpon the alledged place of S. Matthew Super Math. 18. Ad terrorem metus maximi quâ— in praesens omnes continerentur immobile seueritatis Apostolicae iudicium praemisit vt quâ—s in terra ligauerint id est peccatorum nodis innexos reliquerint Som read CoÌ„fessione for coÌ„cessione quos soluerint concessione scilicet veniae receperint in salutem in Apostolicae conditione sententiae in caelis quoque aut soluti sint aut ligati That is to say To the terrour and feare of al men and necessarie keping of them in awe and discipline Christ premised the immouable iudgement of the Apostles seueritie that whom so euer they bound in earth that is to say left fast tied in the bandes of sinnes and whom they loosed that is to witte by mercie receiue to the benefite of pardon that the same person so bound or so released in the same case that the Apostles left them should be in the heaueÌ„s either loose or fast Thus farre S. Hilarie by whom we euidentlie may learne in what carefull case all men be that passe this life not loosed by them whose sentence in earth is so surelie ratified in heauen aboue no lesse how the woords of Christ vttered somtimes in termes of binding loosing other times in remitting reteining doe literally signifie But I will adde S. Chrysostomes testimonie thervnto the rather because our Aduersaries do abuse his woordes sometimes against confession whiche necessarily hangeth on the authoritie of Priesthode in remission and reteining sinnes as anon I shall declare That I be not ouer tediouse I wil reporte his saying in English onelie Those saith he that dwel in earth and are conuersant amongst men Lib. 3. de Sacer. haue receiued power and commission to dispose and dispense such things as be in heauen A povver geuen to Priestes that vvas neuer geuen to Angels yea these meÌ„ haue receued power such as neither God either gaue to Angels nor yet Archangels for it was neuer said to theÌ„ what so euer you bind in earth it shall be bound in heauen and what soeuer you loose in earth it shall be loosed in heauen Earthlie Princes in deed haue power to bind but that perteineth to the bodies of their subiectes onely but the bonde which I nowe talke of that is proper to the power of priestes toucheth the verie soule it self and is so ample that it reacheth to the heauens aboue yea and that so largely that what so euer the priestes doe beneth the very selfe same God wil allow and ratify in heauen aboue and so the Lorde wil confirme the iudgement and sentence of the seruauntes Thus farre spaeketh Chrysostome His woords be so playn that to stand long on them for farther proofe of my matter then the verie face of the sentence dooth importe it were vayne For man may here rather merueyle to see suche straunge power vpoÌ„ Christes woords giueÌ„ to the holy order yet that to be so litce estemed of wicked men so litle regarded euen of the honester sorte of simple folkes that fewe either seeke after their iudgmeÌ„t in causes of their soules or duely honoure that power in them which passeth all other prelacie that euer either maÌ„ or Angell receued in this greate contempt I say of most holy thinges wickednes is rather to be woÌ„dered at lameÌ„ted then by long reasoning to be confuted The sequele of true thinges is so plain in it selfe the diuers places of scripture so answer iustly eche to other that Fathers so coÌ„sonantly coÌ„firme that knowen meaning of the same the verie termes of so many scriptures writen at diuers tymes by sundrie of the Euangelistes so fal vpoÌ„ one vndoubted sense that we may rightly conclude the power to be in all cafes giuen to the Apostles of remission of sinne And vpon such knoweÌ„ termes I make this argument against the aduersaries They treuly and properly doe remitte sinnes vpoÌ„ whose senteÌ„ce in earth the pardoÌ„ of God immediatly ensueth in heauen but Goddes pardon vndoubtedly foloweth the priestes pardon in remission in earth Claue non errante ergo they assuredlie remitte sinnes The maior is manifest the minor hangeth vpon playne scripture thrise told which first appoynted man to loose in earth then that God shall in the same instant forgiue in heaueÌ„ God shall coÌ„firme the seÌ„teÌ„ce of his seruauntes saith S. Chrysostom mans iudgment saith Hilarie shall be as a sentence preiudiciall to God in heauen And thus farre for the woordes of Christ att this present and farther streingth shall more and more be gathered vnto them by diuers partes of all the processe folowing That the same power of remitting and reteining
him of the sentence of death and damnation hath yet enioyned penaunce as when he saide to Adam In the sweare of thy browes thou shalte pâ—ouide for thy liuing Gen. 3. And to Ewe Thou shalt in paine bring furth thy children And to them both that they should die the temporall death though they might escape by his mercie euerlasting miserie seing this we need not to doubt but temporall punishment often remaineth after the sinnes be remitted and that the Church of God doth unitate most conueniently the sayed mercie ioyned with iustice in all her moste righteous practise of pardoning and punishing sinne in Christes behalfe by whose iurisdection she herein holdeth But for the further proufe of this matter I haue saide muche in the defâ—nse of Purgatorie and this question properlie perteineth to that place That Christ gaue by his expresse word authoritie to the pastours of Goddes Church to binde and loose not onely the sinnes them selues but also that teÌ„porall paine or penaunce remaining after the sinnes be â—orgiuen The Fourth Chapter BVT now for the great iurisdiction that Goddes Church hath in releasing the same punishmeÌ„t which remaineth after the â—aâ—â—e be forgiuen it standethe no doubte vppon that highe commission whiche Christ receiued of this Father and did coÌ„municate most amply to the Apostles and by them to all Bishopes for euer For the Father did not onely honour Christ his Sonne according to his humanitie with the power of priesthod or with other soueraigntie for the institution of Sacramentes or suche like but with all regiment of that bodie wherof he is the head as he is man By which key of iurisdiction he corrected sinners with great Maiestie pardoned theÌ„ at his pleasure not only of sinne euerlasting pain where the peniteÌ„ce of the partie did so require but also of suche correctioÌ„ as the law had prescribed for sinne or Gods iustice had enioyned for the same Math. 16. 18. And this iurisdiction and power of regiment he gaue to Peter principally when he bestowed on him the Keyes of heauen vpon the rest of the Apostles with him the power of binding loosing which is moste principally properly meant of enioyning penaunce or punnishing by sharpe discipline the sinners euel life either before they forgiue his sinnes or afterward For as the place of the xx of S. Iohn properlie coÌ„cerneth the power of pardoning reteining or giuing penaunce for satisfaction in the sacrament by the right of priesthod receiued in their orders thoughe it maye somwhat coÌ„cerne the Iurisdiction of the high Magistrates also so the place of S. Matthew rather perteyneth to the chastismeÌ„t of the wicked by opeÌ„ discipline as they haue the regimeÌ„t of al our affaires theÌ„ it doeth to the sacrameÌ„tal remissioÌ„ or satisfaction enioyned Cap. 18. binding vvaht vt meaneth For ligare there doth signifie some bonde of punishmeÌ„t wherwith the party is tied charged for his correctioÌ„ not only boÌ„de of sinne wherwith the Church bindeth no maÌ„ no more theÌ„ God him selfe doth but euerie man onely bindeth him selfe in his owne sinnes And the Church or her ministers do properly then binde wheÌ„ they punishe by their Iurisdiction the sinnes committed not for the damnation of them that did fall but for their correctioÌ„ ameÌ„dmeÌ„t And the playn meÌ„cioÌ„ of excommunicatioÌ„ which there is expressed to be giuen to the Apostles for the chastismeÌ„t of such as by more geÌ„tle admonition will not amende nor obeie the Church doth proue that to binde in that place namely importeth power of punishment to be executed on the offenders which way of chastisment is an open exercise of discipline giuen to the Apostles to be vsed at their discretioÌ„s for the edifung of Christes Church Therefore as to binde there is as well an acte of the proper power of iurisdiction Loosing vvhat yt signifieth as it is a function of priesthode to be exercised in the sacrameÌ„t of penauÌ„ce so to loose soluere in the place thoughe it maye signifie to remitte sinnes in waye of sacramental Confession yet it is more aptly correspondent to the woorde that went before of binding which was not sinne but the paine or punishmeÌ„t for sinne whereby it muste needes folow that as to binde doth signifie to charge the peniteÌ„t person with some teÌ„poral payn so to loose must also meane to dissolue the baÌ„de which before was layed on him for present correctioÌ„ For this is a rule moste certen that all the bandes which the Church layeth vpon any offender be medicinable if the partie list so take them and maye be loosed by the same power of the Church by which they were bounde before And therefore euer as mention is made in scripture of binding or which is all one punishing of sinnes ther is also mention of the like power of loosing for Christ woulde not giue power to the Church to binde or correcte sinnes but much more he would haue the Church resemble him selfe being her heade in mercie and therefore gaue her alwaies power to loose that kinde of punishment which she by her ministers had bounde or enioyned before For these two actes being aunswerable in coÌ„ference and coÌ„trarietie must necessarily folow eche other and properly perteyne to the like power and prerogatiue Then the one being giuen to the Apostles euen out of the sacrament of penaunce the other must needes also by the like right be receiued Lib. 1. de poenit Cap. 2. S. Ambrose rebuketh much NouatiaÌ„s because they would haue the Church enioyne penaunce but they liked not that she should mercifullie release the same against nor the penitents sinnes neither Dominus saith he parius soluendi esse voluit ligandi qui vâ—rumque pari conditione permisiâ— ergo qui soluendi ius non habet nec ligandi habet Oure Lorde woulde haue the right of loosing and binding to be like for equally he gaue the power of both Therefore who so euer hath not right to loose he hath no power to binde If any man then list folowe the Nouatians he maye holde at his pleasure that it perteineth to the Churches iurisdiction to binde that which the caÌ„ not loose again contrarie to Christes expresse graunt made vnto her first in the person of Peter and then in the right of all the Apostles to whome when he had promised as well the keyes of Order as iurisdiction he said vnto them what so euer you shall binde in earth it shal be bound in heauen and what so euer you loose in earth it shall be loosed in heaueÌ„ first giuing theÌ„ thereby authoritie to punish theÌ„ to pardoÌ„ And therefor as the SacrameÌ„t of Penance wherin sinnes be released or reteined was grounded vpoÌ„ the woordes of Christ spokeÌ„ to the Apostles after his resurrectioÌ„ wherof we talked so much in the former treatise so the power of giuing pardoÌ„ or punishing out of the sacrament by the vertue of their Iurisdiction as the Pope and other Bishopes now
doo alwayes haue done is founded most fast vpon this place of S. Matthew spokeÌ„ first and principally to S. Peter Cap. 16. â—â— Cap. 18. and theÌ„ to other Apostles vniuersally Now if any list be assured by the doctours interpretation that the woordes of our Sauiour of binding and loosing do directly giue power to the pastours of his Churche to punish the offenders and release their sentence of seueritie againe lett them read Ad AuxiliuÌ„ Epischopâ—â— S. Augustines 75. Epistle where they shall finde muche of this matter thus amogst other thinges spirit alis poena de qua scriptum est Quae ligaueritis in terra erunt ligata in coelo ipsas animas obligat The spirituall punishmeÌ„t wherof Christ spake wheÌ„ he sayde what so euer you binde in earth it shall be bounde in heauen doth fast binde the soules them selues And S. ChrisostoÌ„ disputing excellently vpon these woordes of binding or loosing compareth the iurisdictioÌ„ of Princes temporall vnto the spiritual power herein maketh this to excelle that as farre as heauen passeth the earth the soule in dignitie surmounteth the bodie If any king saith Chrysostom should giue vnto some subiect suche authoritie vnder him Lib. 3. de sacerdot that whom so euer he would he might cast into prison and againe release him when he list all men woulde accompte that subiect most happie But he that hath receiued not of an earthly Kinge but of God him selfe a power that passeth that other as farre as heauen is froÌ„ the earth and the soule excelleth the bodie I trow him euerie maÌ„ muste both wonder at and highly reuereÌ„ce Thus far said the Doctour acknowledging that as some by princes grauntes maye prison or pardoÌ„ the bodies so the priestes maye punishe mens soules loose or pardoÌ„ theÌ„ again For the proof whereof he applieth fitly both the woordes of Christ spokeÌ„ to S. Peter the like afterward to al the Apostles concerning binding and loosing Againe S. CypriaÌ„ other holy Bishopes of Affrike Epist 2. lib. 1. which had enioyned long penaunce to certaine that had fallen in time of persecutioÌ„ froÌ„ their faith for flattery or feare of the worlde and had thought not to haue giueÌ„ theÌ„ any Indulgence peace or pardoÌ„ for that theÌ„ they called dare pacem which we now terme to giue a pardon till the houre of death came Statueramus say they vt agereÌ„t diu plenaÌ„ poenitentiam we had veryly determined that they should haue doone out all their full enioyned penauÌ„ce but now vpon other great respectes we doo agree to giue peace or pardon to those that haue earnestlye done some penance alreadie and lameÌ„ted bitterly their former fall But mark wel here by what authoritie they chalenge this power what they doe chaleÌ„g They chaleÌ„g pardy power to giue penaunce to the offenders they claime by right the release therof Again they clerely take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ in consideration of the fault to enioyne what they list how long they list and vpoÌ„ like iust respect by their wisdoÌ„s to pardoÌ„ some peece of the same again either after death or els if good matter moue them long before But by what scripture doo they claim such iurisdictioÌ„ that they may giue discipline to offenders euen without the sacrameÌ„t of penance only by their iurisdictioÌ„ right of regimeÌ„t then by their only letters to giue theÌ„ in abseÌ„ce peace pardoÌ„ of their enioyned penaunce againe By vvhat scripture the Bishopes chalenge Iurisdiction S. Cyprian al his honorable felowes shall aunswer you in the same place for there they giue a reason of that their proper right Quia ipse permisit qui legeÌ„ dedit vt ligata in terris etiam in coelo ligata essent Solui autem possent illic qui hic prius in ecclesia soluerentur that is to saye he doth permit vs who made this law that what soeuer we bouÌ„de in earth shold be bounde in heauen and those thinges should be loosed in heaueÌ„ aboue which the Church her beneth releaseth before vvhat the pope forgeueth by pardons Let vs therefore be bold also to aunswere our Aduersaries with the said holie fathers if they aske vs by what right the Pope or Bishope doth giue pardoÌ„ or what it is that he doth forgiue by his pardoÌ„ let vs aunswer for theÌ„ for our Mother the Church that they pardon onely the penaunce enioyned or other paine due for greuous sinnes after they be remitted in the sacrameÌ„t of penance And that they maie so doo by good authoritie we alleage Christes owne woordes with the named holy Fathers what so euer you bind in earth it shal be bound in heauen and if you loose in it earth before it shal also be released in heauen But vpon this practise of Goddes Church I will charge them further hereafter And now to make vp this matter for the true meaning of the said text which we now proue to perteine to the establishing of the true title of giuing pardons I wil recite the saing of S. Clement him selfe in time the Apostles equal expert in their regimeÌ„t priuie to all their dooinges He liuely expresseth the dignitie of the chefe pastours power of their gouernmeÌ„t vnto which he applieth the power of binding loosing in suche sorte as we haue sayd But heare his owne woordes as Carolus Bouius hath translated them Cap. 11. li. 2. de coÌ„st O Episcope stude munditie operum excellere cognoscens locum tuum ac dignitatem tanquam locum Dei obtinens eò quòd praees omnibus Dominis Sacerdotibus Regibus Principibus patribus filijs magistris atque subditis simul omnibus sicque in ecclesia sede cum sermonem facies vt potestatem habeÌ„s iudicandi eos qui peccauerunt quoniam vobis Episcopis dictum est quodcunque ligaueritis super terram erit ligatuÌ„ in coelo quodcunque solueritis super terram erit solutum in coelo â—udica igitur o Episcope cum potestate tanquam Deus sed poenitentes recipe In Englishe O thou that arte a Bishope study endeuoure to excel other in the bewty of good workes in respect of thy place and dignity and consider thou sittest in Goddes owne roume being promoted aboue al Lordes Pristes Kings Princes parentes childreÌ„ masters seruaunts euery one The high state of Bishops Therefore so sit in the Church when thou doest speake as one that hath power to iudge al those that haue sinned For to you Bishoppes it was saide what so euer you binde in earth it shal be bound in heaueÌ„ and what so euer you shal loose in earth it shal be loosed in heauen Iudge then o Bishoppe with power maiesty as God but yet haue mercy on the penitent Thus saith S. Clement By whose woordes you may perceiue Gods right to be in a maner conferred vpon his ministers by the termes of binding and loosing not onely geueÌ„ for the remitting or reteining
for thaduantage of their vngodly assertion that Christ in his owne person as he is God and man should not be present in the sacrament Vide Ciril in Ioan lib. 4. Cap. 14. doe couertly blaspheme the blessed and highly sanctified flesh of our sauiour auouching it to be vnprofitable whereby they vnaduisedlie dishonour the dreedful incarnation of Christ and al the workes wrought by the meane of his flesh and bloud and ministerie of his manhode for the remissioÌ„ of our sinnes and purchasing saluation to his Churche Let vs therefore Christianly confesse with the Scripture with the Church of Christ that our Sauiour not onelie by power equall to his Father concerning his diuine nature but also by the sending and graunt of his Father and vnction of the holie Spirit being farre vnder them both in his humaine nature doth remitte sinnes Wherevppon it orderlie followeth that whoso euer denieth man to haue authority or that he maie haue power graunted him by God to forgeue sinnes he is highlie iniuriouse to our Sauiours owne person and the dispensation of his flesh and mysterie of his holie incarnation For though there be great diuersitie betwixt his state and others because in one person both God and man be perfectlie vnited in him and therfore much more prerogatiue might be and doubtlesse was geuen to his humanitie as to him that was both God and man in respecte of his baser nature then to anie other of his brethren being but mere men yet this is assuredlie to be beleeued that he whiche coulde without derogation to his Godhead communicate with the sonne of man and graunt him in consideration of his assumpted nature the rule and redemption of his people the gouernement of our soules the assoyling of our sinnes and to woorke all wonders in the power finger and force of the holie Ghoste the same God without all doubt through his Sonne and our Sauiour may at his pleasure without all vnseemelines or derogation to his eternal honour and so it shal be proued that he doth geue power to the gouernours of his Churche and houshoulde to pardonne and geue penance to iudge and rule the people in the right of our said Sauiour to the edifieng of his body and making perfect his Saincts Neither must we here make anie great accompt of such as shal obiect to the Priests of Gods Churche as the Scribes did vnto Christ himself when they saw him in expresse words absolue many of their sinnes conceiuing in their harts as it is recorded by S. Mathew in the history of the healing of the maÌ„ that had the paulsie Cap. 9. that Christ did iniurie to God and committed blasphemie in taking vpon him to remit mans offences whose malitiouse mindes and cogitations Christ did so reprehend that they might well perceiue by his sight of their inwarde secrets that he was very God who onelie by nature looketh into mans hart and therefore did thereby wel insinuate that they could not iustly reprehend his doing seing he was God in deed might as God pardon mans offences Yet that notwithstanding he stood not with them then vpon the right of his Godhead for the doing of this excellent functioÌ„ whiche in deed by nature and propretie is onely perteining to him but he gaue this reasoÌ„ of his doing that the Sonne of man had power to remitte sinnes in earth wherby me semeth wherein yet I submit my iudgemeÌ„t to the more learned that he plainly professed that by power receiued he might in respect of his manhod calling forgeue sinnes and that in earth as meaning thereby to institute an order and way how to remitte sinnes here in the worlde eyther by himselfe or by his ministers at whose sentence past in earth the penitent should be free by iudgemeÌ„t of God in heauen For so our Sauiour two or three times talking of maÌ„s ministery in the remission of sinnes termeth it loosing in earth and the contrary binding in earth Matt. 16. 18. as also he calleth Gods high senteÌ„ce in the same causes loosing and binding in heauen Neither doth the interpretation of S. Hilarie anie whit hinder my meaning In explaÌ„ Mat. Can. 18. who vpoÌ„ that place affirmeth Christ to haue remitted this mans sinnes by the might of his Godhead for it standeth wel that one worke should be wrought by the principal cause and yet by the office and ministery of some secondary cause appointed by the ordinaunce of God for the same vse as we see in Baptisme to the remission of the childes sinne both the might of God and the ministery of maÌ„ to concurre at once whereof we shall haue I trust better occasion to speake anon But to returne back to our cause when Christ had declared that the Son of man had in earth power to remitte sinnes he then by this farder proofe argument ouerturneth the whole cause of their disdaine inward murmur against him for the same whether is it more easy to saie thy sinnes be forgeuen thee or to saie to the incurable person take vp thy bed and walke I doe the one in al your sightes and he is cured at my woorde why then mistrust you the other It was no lesse the proprety of God alone Note to heal him sodainly of his corporal infirmitie that had ben desperatly sick so long then to forgeaue sinnes but the one power though by nature it was propre to him self yet be gaue it in the sight of you al to the Sonne of man in earth why theÌ„ mistruste yow but he might wel geue the other This reason proceding from the wisdome of Gods owne sonne shal helpe our fayth much towchinge this article and shal not a litte further the dignitie of the Apostles who also after their maisters example may prooue the force of their authoritie vpon mennes soules which can not be open to our bodily eyes by the apparaÌ„t power that their woordes shall be seen openly to woorke on mennes bodies especially if it be wel weighed that Christ wrought miracles aso not onely by the excellent dominion and force of his Godhead but also as S. Augustine proueth by the Spirite of God in respect of his manâ—ode De Trin. lib. 1. c. 11. In quo spiritu sancto saith he operatus â—st virtutes dicens Si ego in spiritu Dei eijcio â—aemonia certè superuemet in vos regnum Dei â—n the power of which holie ghost Christe wrought miracles according â—o his owne sayinge in these wordes â—f I expel out deuilles by the spirite â—f God then surely the kingdome of God will come on you The Iewes â—herefore seeing them selues thus ouercome in their vayn cogitations waxed affrayed and glorified God who gaue suche power to men For though no man euer had equall authoritie or like power to Christ who was both God maÌ„ yet of this plentiful spirite vnctioÌ„ many of his brethren haue through his ordinance receyued parte as shortly nowe it shal be proued
men make of the Apostles spirite woorde and writing that they haue cōdemned the whole vse therof as superstitious Holy Orders not helping thē selfes by figures but by opē force Grace is giuen to Timothy as in a sacrament when he tooke orders of Paule 1. Tim. 4 the Apostle sayeth so much in expresse termes yet this grace and the whole sacrament of Orders these holy men reiecte Matrimonie Matrimonie to S. Paule is a great sacrament of oure ministers not misliked so farre as concerneth their fleshly coniunctiō which they onely lust after Ephes 5. but grace they list not receiue thereby least it should be a sacrament wherby the vnitie of Christ and his spouse the Church which in no sauce they can abide might be fullie represented and signified These felowes therfore that dare be so bold to disturbe al the orders and sacramentes of Goddes Church and to mainteine their phantasies dare brast the sacred bandes of expresse scriptures in such poyntes as doo directly touche the whole policie of oure Christian common wealth and ordered wayes of oure saluation euen in those which Christ moste carefully left to be practised for the vse of his louinge flocke by the warrant of woordes moste playne what shal wee saye to such bolde and impudent faces that thus dare doo and yet which I more merueyl at in this their vncurtesie and moste vnhonest dealing will not sticke to crie and call vpon Goddes woorde as thoughe they did that by scripture the contrarie whereof they expressly find in scripture And truely where they be not holpen by the verie woordes vaine it shall be for them to stand with vs and with all oure Fathers and with the practise of al nations and with the verie expresse iudgment of the Church of God it shal not boote them I say in their dark ignorance and infinitie pride to stand with vs hauing so many helpes for the true meaning and the expresse text of the woorde for oure selues and side Sometymes where it maie appeare that the woordes and outwarde face of scripture serue not oure assertions so playnly as the holy traditions of Christes Church doo there they cal vpō vs with infinite clamoures to abide the iudgment of the woorde which they would be thought to esteme aboue al mans meaning But whither wil they now runne thincke you where al oure sacramētes stand vpō euident woordes more thē woordes vpon the verie expresse notorious actiō of Christ him selfe all instituted sincerly to be practised of the Churce after his departure hēce al cōmended in knowen termes of greatest most efficacie that could be not by way of preaching in which he vsed sometyme figures not at suche tyme as he vsed other then common knowen speach but after his resurrection when he now vttered no more parables as he did before Matt. 13. Marc. 4. that suche as sawe should not see and such as were of vnderstanding might not vnderstand but did open vnto his dearest their senses that they might vnderstand scriptures and more carefully expressed his meaning for the instruction of his holy Disciples to the better bearing of that charge which he ment to leaue them in after his departure whither wil these men I say where they see al thinges so enuironed with trueth whither wil they flye The scriptures be playnly ours the doctours thei dare not claime reason is against them ther is then no waye to beare it oute but with boldnesse and exercised audacitie Yet here we wil assaye by the notorious euidence of this one cause that we now haue in hande to breake their stonie hartes to the obedience of Christes Church and woorde for whose faith if they haue seen great light and force of argument allready and shall yet see much more I truste they will not still withstande the knowen trueth Al woordes then of institution of sacramentes being literaly to be taken thinges of so great charge not otherwise to be vnderstanded then are both by act and woord of Christe sincerely vttered we neede not doubt but the fourme of Christes sentence in which he giueth the Apostles power to remitt sinnes is plainely to be taken in that common sense as the same by woordes importeth and therefore that by force thereof they maye remitte sinnes And yet to make more proofe to satisfie all men I wil ioyne to these woordes of oure Sauioure that most properly concerne the sacramente of penaunce other his woordes touching oure principall conclusion not vnlike wherby in cōferēce of the like sainges together which our Aduersaries doe alwayes as they would seeme wel to allow trueth may trie it selfe Therefore as our Maister here saieth vnto them whose sinnes you shal forgiue they be forgiuē And whose sinnes you reteine they be also reteined euen so said he twice before vnto the Apostles expressing in other woordes almoste the same meaning and sense once to them altogether in the xviij of S. Matthew an other tyme before that in the xvi of the same Gospel to S. Pecer alone To them in general thus saith Christ If thy brother haue committed any offence towards thee go to him and admonish him priuately betwixt him and thy selfe If he take it wel thou hast then wonne thy brother if he regarde thee not take one or twoo with thee that in the mouthes of two or three wittnesses euerie vvoord may stande if he regarde not them neither then make complainte of him to the Churche that is to saye as S. Chrysostome expoundeth it Super hūc locū to the Gouernours of the Churche and if he will not obeye the Church thē take him for no better thē a Heathē and a Publicā And streight vpon these woordes De fide operib cap. 3. least any mā should sette light by the Churche or rulers thereof Christ added sayth S. Augustine a wonderfull terrour of her seuere authoritie saing Amen dico vobis quaecunque alligaueritis super terram erunt ligata in coelo quaecunque solueritis super terram erunt soluta in coelo surely I saye vnto you what thinges soeuer you binde in earth it shal be bounde in heauen And what soeuer you loose in earth it shal be loosed in heauen This text is cleare for the Churches claime in remission of sinnes thoughe it properlie perteine rather to the outwarde power iudiciarie and courte of external iudgment for open crimes and notorious contemptes then for the sinnes of the people that be secrette and onely subiect to power practised in the sacrament of penaunce which nowe lightly is closse and onely vttered in secret to him that hath charge of his soule Neuer the lesse if the priestes of God haue receiued power to loose and bynde which is to pardon and punishe open notorious crimes and contemptes whiche towchinge the giltinesse of the faulte doth no lesse perteine to the proper power of God then the absoluinge of secrette sinnes doth then without question they
may pardon or reteine mans sinnes of all sortes as wel in the sacramente of penance al that be confessed as in publike iudgment what soeuer is by witnesse proued And as in this they maye at their pleasure where iustice requireth correcte the open offender by moste graue censures of Goddes Church so may the priestes giue due penaunce in the sacrament for the chastisment of suche sinnes as be to them confessed and for the satisfying of Goddes iustice by sinne violated The other text of holy scripture coÌ„teining Christes woordes to S. Peter seuerally A more peculiar prerogatiue geueÌ„ to S. Peter than to other Apostles by certayne notable circumstances of the letter and by woordes of great graunt spokâ—n singularly to him giueth the chief of all his Apostles in more ample termes and beneficial clauses this power and prerogatiue also To him it was onely said thou aâ—t Peteâ— which is as much to say as a rocke for oure Maister gaue him that name newe at his firste calling Ioan. 1. in significatioÌ„ of further intent and purpose which he here vttered and vpon this rocke will I sette my Church and hel gates shall not preuaile agaynste it That so sayd he thus spake in playne termes Et tibi dabo claues regni coelorum Et quodcunque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum in coelis quodcunque solueris super terram erit solutum et in coelis And to the wil I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and what soeuer thou shalt binde in earth it shall be bounde in the heauens And what thow loosest in earthe it shal be loosed in the heauens Ibid. 21. This promise made vnto Peter and performed no doubt after his resurrection when he committed to him the feeding and gouernement of all his deare flocke both yong and olde doth excedingly importe a wonderfull incomparable soueraygntie and iurisdiction ouer mens soules For a mortall man to receiue the keyes of Christes kingdom by them to binde loose to locke out and lett in Keies of heauen vvhat they be before our maister Christe who had the full iurisdiction therin it was neuer heard of And when the holy Propheces doe meane to sette out the greate and passing power giueÌ„ by God the Father to his onely SoÌ„ne in earth they vse to expresse the same ofteÌ„ by the termes of keyes as when the prophet Esaie saith I wil lay the keyes of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder he shall shutte and ther can none be hable to open and he shall open so that none can shutte agayne And Christ him selfe speaking to his beloued Iohn in the Apocalipse saith Cap. 22. I am the first and the last I am aliue and was dead before Apocal. 1. 3. and I haue the keyes of death and hell The keyes therfore euer signifyng power and gouernemeÌ„t of the houshold was giueÌ„ to Christ as to whom being the principall most excellent rectour of his own Church that he bought so dearly they most duely belong But he coÌ„municated vnto Peter as to his speciall steward that vse of the same for the gouernment of our soules with exceding much preheminence both in binding loosing Yet I do not remeÌ„ber that any of the olde writers doe put any greate differeÌ„ce betwixt the authorities of Peter the rest of the Apostles coÌ„cerning the remitting of sinnes which is a thing perteining indifferently to the whole order of priestod therfore no more proper to the Pope or Peter then to priestes Apostles thoughe Origen noted well that the iurisdictioÌ„ of Peter semed by those woords to be enlarged aboue the residue by that that our Sauiour sayde to him that what soeuer he bounde or loosed in earth it should be loosed or bound in the heauens wher to the rest he spake of heauen only in the singular number I speake only of this latter clause of binding loosing with the keyes therunto belonging For there is no doubt but great preheminence of rule iurisdictioÌ„ is promised before in the same text now recited elles where actually giuen vnto him more then to the rest of his brethern Neuerthelesse eueÌ„ this power of bindig loosing coÌ„mon to all the holy order was in him first seuerally planted for the coÌ„meÌ„datioÌ„ of vnitie order De simplicitatâ— prelatorum as S. Cyprian saith so the same authoritie geuen to other might yet after a sort be deriued from his fullnes of power and prerogatiue as from a founteyne But we wil not stand hereon nowe nor yet to put difference betwixt these woords and termes loosing or remitting binding or reteining nor to dispute whether these two textes more proprely signifie the authoritie and iurisdction geuen to the spirituall Magistrates for punishing by temporal pain enioyned and releasing by mercie as they see occasion the same appointed penance againe or els it proprely concerneth the very release of sinne it self or reteining the sinne which they vppon iust causes wil not forgeue These things would grow to ouer tediouse a tale and ouer curiouse for the simple whoÌ„ I would most helpe in these matters and I shal briefly touch so muche hereof as is necessarie hereafter when I shal dispute of pardons For in deede these two textes of binding and losing as wel spoken to Peter as to the residue afterwarde shall be the ground of our whole discourse there and therefore til then we must touch these textes no farther but as in common perteineth to remitting or reteining sinnes For they are brought indifferentlie of the holy Fathers with that foresaid words of S. Iohn in which as I haue declared the very institution of penance and Priestes iudgement of our soules and sinnes be most proprely grounded Therefore that by al these woordes so often vttered by our Sauiour you may wel perceiue the very litteral and vndoubted meaning to be that Priests haue authoritie by Christes warraunt effectually to remit and reteine sinnes I wil recite one or two notable places of most auÌ„cient Fathers that they ioyning with such plaine woordes of sundrie places of scripture may make all most sure to such as can by any reasoÌ„ be satisfied First I alledge the saing of S. Maximê° an old author a blessed saint Homil. In natali Petri Pauli He doth by conference couple together these textes wheroÌ„ we now stand thus he speaketh very pithely therefore you shal heare his own woords Ne qua vos fratres de creditis Petro clauibê° regni more no straruÌ„ clauiuÌ„ cogitatio terrena ê‘moueat clauis caeli lingua est Petri quam singulorum merita censendo Apostolus vnicuique regnum caelorum aut claudit aut aperit Non est ergo clauis ista mortalis artificis aptata manu sed data à Christo potestas est iudicandi Denique ait eis qnorum remiseritis peccata remissa erunt quorum detinueritis detenta erunt Thus he saith in our tung Least
I thinke no man hath yet so shakeÌ„ of shame and feare of God that he dare holde that Christe was not hable to mainteine all power rule and iurisdiction with all kind of functions whiche he instituted for the benefite of the people till the worldes end both him self and the holy Ghost promised to be present for that purpose til the general iudgemeÌ„t And that those functions were necessary for his euerlasting coÌ„moÌ„ welth his soleÌ„ne institutioÌ„ careful prouisioÌ„ of them doe declare that he meneth no lesse to establish the same which he theÌ„ instituted not only the foresaid reasoÌ„s but the saing of S. Paul doth proue Ephes 4. He gaue vnto the Church som to be Apostles som to be prophets some to be Euangelists some to be pastours and Doctours and al this to the worke and maintenance of the ministerie for the perfiting of the Saincts aÌ„d vpholding of Christes body til the time of the acknowledging of Gods Sonne Thus doth Christ prouide for his deare Church in al maner of seruice office euen til the last day Wherby it is most cleare that the power of remission of sinnes being once geueÌ„ to the Church caÌ„ neuer ceasse whiles man of his continual frailty ceasseth not to sinne That which was then coÌ„pted a necessarie refuge remedy for sinnes coÌ„mitted can not nowe perish in the worlde where sinne is a great deale more rife and the remedie more needful But to conuince them plainlie that thinke contrary Ioan. 20. Thomas had like povver to other thoâ—gh he vvere absent vvhen Christe spake to them let them tell me whether Thomas being not theÌ„ present as the Euangelist saith and therefore the woordes not vttered to him in person let them shewe me whether he had not afterwarde by force of that institution power also to remitte sinnes If he had as by reason I am sure they can not denie as ful preheminence and power to doe al things that then Christ charged his ten Disciples which were present to doe in his name then the power of remission of sinnes was not so streightlie limited as the woordes might seme to be vttered by which no doubt a Sacrament was instituted to take force in the Church both then and afterward to the worlds end not that any man may of his owne head vpon force onelie of Christes commission geuen at the time to his Apostles take that high function vpon him but that he which ordinarilie shal be called by receiuing of grace and the holy Ghost in externall Sacrament by laying on of handes of Priesthoode may likewise vpon his owne flock and cure exercise that office no lesse then those holie men might after Christes calling therevnto occupie the same worke of binding and loosing of suche sheepe of Christes fold as to them were committed And so did S. Thomas who then was not there so did S. Mathie who then was no Apostle so did Barnabas so did Timothie and Titus who were ordered by S. Paule Lib 1. de Poenit. Cap. 16. and so did Paule him selfe of whom S. Ambrose saith that he did remitte sinnes without al derogation to Christ The good studiouse Reader must marke wel then that al these holy functions or passing preheminencies are not geuen to the priuate persons in respect of them selues neither of Peter nor of Paul nor any other but they are bestowed vpon them for the vse of the Churche which dieth not in their persons and therefore must be honoured with the same offices by other after they be dead by perpetual succession that shal neuer cease De doct Christ lib. 1. c. 18. And that caused S. Augustine and other holie Fathers to say the keies were geuen to the Churche and authority to remitte sinnes to baptise and to enioyn penance not because the whole Church by gathering al her Children together A fond reason must geue sentence vpon euery sinner or els the Priestes iudgement to be nothing as some foolish seditiouse heades haue now to the disturbance of the worlde deuised but because it is our common wealth and house of faith which is so bewtified in her ministers with al kinde of Sacraments and good orders for the gouernment of her children and because al meÌ„ may see it was the earnest loue careful prouidence for this his spouse and not the persons of the Apostles in respect of them selues which moued his wisdome to the iustitution of such perpetual offices in the Church Herevpon therefore and in consideration that the keyes of opening and shutting heauen by binding and loosing mans sinnes shall euer remaine for the vse and honour of the Churche the saied holie S. Augustine hath these woordes Li. 1. c. 18. De doct Christ Claues dedit Ecclesiae saue vt quae soluerit in terrae soluta essent in coelo quae ligauerit in terra ligata essent in coelo Christe deliuered the keyes to the Churche that who so euer shee loosed in earth should be loosed in heauen and what so euer shee bound in earth shoulde be bounde likewise in heauen Li. 1 2. cont Donatist And Optatus his equall striuing with the Donatistes for all holie giftes which Christ bestowed vpon his Churche chalengeth all other Sacramentes and namely the keies for the Catholique and vniuersall Churche from the parte of Donatus the heretike as in the right of Peter He saith exceeding pithelie Claues datae sunt Petro ☜ non haereticis and afterward Cathedram Petri quae nostra est per ipsam caeteras dotes apud nos esse probamus etiam sacerdotium The keyes are geuen to Peter aÌ„d not to heretiks by the chair of Peter whiche is oures we proue all other giftes of the church to be ours yea eueÌ„ priest hode This he hath in sense in diuers places by which we see the iurisdictioÌ„ power geuen to the principal Apostle yet to remaine and by it all other the Churches notable preheminences whiche he calleth Ecclesiae dotes The douries of the Churche through his whole discourse against the Donatists So doth Epiphanius attribute the power of penaunce and pardon to the Church likewise not only in baptisme whiche he calleth the moste perfect penance but also afterwarde vppon the parties relapse in which case the heretikes called Cathari Cathari affirmed that the Churche had no authoritie to pardon them any more Against which pernicious sect he saith if any man fall after his baptisme the Churche will not be vnmerciful to him Lib. 2 ToÌ„ 1 haeres 59. Dat enim reuersionem post poenitentiam poenitentiam For shee geueth him leaue to returne and hath penance after penance By whiche he noteth that the Churche hath two Sacraments for remission of sinne the one is baptisme which he termeth perfect penaÌ„ce Cap. 6. with S. Paul to the Hebrews And S. Augustin doth cal it in his Enchiridion Cap. 64. Magnam indulgentiam a grauÌ„d pardon and afterwarde the
authoritie practise thereof being often allowed by oure maister Christe who obserued the lawes so huÌ„blie therin that he alwayes after he had healed any suth separated persons sent them for all that to the priestes afterwarde to offer their oblations prescribed by the lawe for the same And that this power of pronouncing the leapers to be sound or sore to be seperated or admitted to the companie of faithfull did represent the power of priesthode Supra Epist Iacobi concerning the leprosie of oure soules not onely S. Bede but S. Chrysostom also doth declare For he talking of confession of sinnes to the priest writeth thus Quamuis leprae immuÌ„ditiam iuxta legeÌ„ sacerdoti pandamus atque ad eius arbitrium qualiter quanto tempore insserit purificari curemus The vncleannes of the more greuous leprosie he meaneth deadlie sinne let vs open to the priest aÌ„d according to his arbitremeÌ„t how so euer he biddeth vs and how longe so euer he commandeth vs let vs seeke to purifie oure selues In Math. â—â— And S. Ierome Quomodo ergo tibi le prosum sacerdos mundum vel immundum fecit sic hic alligat vel soluit Episcopus presbyter noÌ„ eos qui insontes sunt vel noxij sed pro officio suo cuÌ„ peccatorum audierit varietates scit qui ligandus sit quiue soluendus Looke therefore saith he how the prieste maketh there in the olde lowe a person clean or vnclean so here doth the Bishop or Priest binde or loose not binding the innocent nor loosing the giltie but when he hath heard the varietie and diuersitie of the sinnes then he knoweth whom to loose and whom to binde This place is verie playne for confession and distincte rekening of euerie of oure mortall sinnes Distinct confessioÌ„ of mortal synnes proued to be necessarie The which the holy doctour proueth to be necessarie because els the priest of God could not doe iustice in punishing pardoning but should of ignoraunce either binde the good or loose the wicked In which case Almightie God that knoweth exactlie the woorthines and vnworthines of all persons will not allowe the priestes sentence that did proceede of ignoraunce but will him selfe giue iudgment according to the parties deseruing For the priest is but a minister of his sacrameÌ„t not the lorde instituter therof he must therfore coÌ„form him selfe to Gods wil whose place he there occupieth For as the priest in the old law could not make the cleaÌ„ person to be vnclean no more caÌ„ the priest of the newe law binde the innoceÌ„t or absolue the person that coÌ„tinueth in sinne Neuer the lesse the priest worketh more properlie vnder God touching the remissioÌ„ of sinnes because he is here apointed the minister of grace recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ then the preist in the old lawe For there in the making of any man hole of the leprosie or other vncleannes the priest had not to doe at al Note the differeÌ„ce betvviâ—t the prist office of of the olde lavve and the priestes est the nevve for this matter but only wheÌ„ was made hole by God it was the priests office to discerne the same to shew it vnto that peoole to admitte him againe into the felowshippe of the residewe after oblatioÌ„ made for the purposâ— For to them it was not saide whoÌ„ so euer you punish whith leprosie or make vnclean he shal haue a leprosy or whoÌ„ soeuer you heale make cleane he shal be whole no such promise was made vnto theÌ„ for it was enough that it might represeÌ„t haue some reseÌ„blauÌ„ce of our SacrameÌ„t of penauÌ„ce of the maruelouse authoritie geueÌ„ in the new law to our priestes concerning the remissioÌ„ of sinnes For to oures it was not saide you shal discerne whoÌ„ I haue loosed alredie in heauen shew to the world whoÌ„ I haue reteined bound or not foâ—giueÌ„ in heaueÌ„ but as S. Hilarie saith the priestes senteÌ„ce is made preiudicial to God in heaueÌ„ not that the priestes forgiuen is first and them Gods afterward as two distinct actions in time but because the pristes is prius quo ad nos as the Philosophers doe terme such thinges by the pristes worck which is playn to vs we streight com to the knowledg of Gods like worke of remissioÌ„ in heaueÌ„ which is prius natura because Gods actioÌ„ is the principal maÌ„s must necessarily depend theron Consider vvel hovv the vvorck of God and man ioyne together is all sacrameÌ„tes But ells both Gods worke mans run ioyntly together in remission of sinnes as al instrumeÌ„tal secoÌ„dary causes neuer make a seueral actioÌ„ froÌ„ the principal but they coÌ„cur ioyntly to euerie effect as it is most plain in all sacraments whereby God worketh grace the which grace as it procedeth froÌ„ God so it cometh by maÌ„s seruice not by distincte operation of the principal and the seruing and secondarie causes but in one worcke and vndiuided operatioÌ„ of them both For in baptisme God woorketh not the remission of original or actuall sinnes first and then sendeth the partie to the fount afterwarde that the priest therin may declare what God hath wrought before or to woorke the same againe that so the partie might haue a double grace of remissioÌ„ first by God then by the priest for that were foolishe to surmise But God by the priestes ministerie and the sacrament doth remit sinnes so that the action hereof at once fitly may fall vpoÌ„ them both And so it is in penaunce where God the principall and the priest the secondarie or seruisable cause ioyntly forgeue to gether For so the woordes of institution of this sacrament doe moste plainly coÌ„uince whose sinnes you shal forgiue they be forgiuen he speaketh in the present tense as thoughe he would say as you forgiue them or retein theÌ„ ipso facto I forgiue them or retein them And therefore sauing the honour of the Maister of Sentences The Master of the Sentences his error he had not good consideration when he did holde as some other did after him that first maÌ„s sinnes be remitted by God in his contrition and purpose to come to the Sacrament and afterward the same remission to be declared by the Priest and as it were confirmâ—d by his approbation in confession being therein partlie deceiued by the saying of S. Hierom before alleaged whome he tooke perchaunce to haue compared in al respectes the office of the old Priestes for the viewe of the vncleane and oures of the new lawe in the iudgemente vsed vppon mans sinnes and partly as I take it by a sentence of S. Augustine which compared together the receiuing of Lazarus by Christ and the Disciples loosing his bandes to Christes pardoning of our sinnes first and then the Priests loosing the same afterwarde in the face of the Church This to be shorte De verbis Dimini ser 8. is a peece of S. Augustines sentence Quâ—d ergo facit ecclesia
Apostles Ergo the same remaineth stil in Gods church WhervpoÌ„ it is clear that the Priests at this day haue as ful power to forgeue sins as the Apostles had And this ArgumeÌ„t of the coÌ„tinuance of al offices rights of the Churche is the most plainest rediest way not only to help our cause now takeÌ„ in haÌ„d but vtterly to improue al false doctrines detestable practises of heretikes A certain truth to ouercom falsehod by For thei must here be examined diligeÌ„tly what coÌ„mon welth that is or what church that is in which Christ doth preserue the gouernmeÌ„t geueÌ„ to the Apostles Where it is that the power not only of making but also of practising al Sacraments hath coÌ„tinued stil What company of ChristiaÌ„ people that is wherin the Apostles Doctors preachers ministers through the perpetual assistaÌ„ce of Gods Spirit be continued for the building vp of Christes bodie which is the number of faithful people What Church that is whiche bringeth foorth from time to time sonnes to occupie the roomes of their fathers before them It is not good Reader the pelting pack of Protestants It is not I say and they know it is not their petie congregations that hath till this daie continued the succession of Bishops by whom the world as S. Augustin saith is ruled as by the Apostles and firste Fathers of our Religion Surely our Mother the Churche hath ben long baren if for her Fathers the Apostles who died so long since shee neuer brought foorth children til now to occupie their roomes and great lack of rulers if shee haue made her only contemners to be her owne gouernours No no these fellowes hold not by her but they hold against her Esai 1. Heretiques vsurp vnlaufully Catholiques roomes these sitte in no seat Apostolike but they by all force dishonour the seat Apostolike these are not they qui pro patribus nati sunt tibi filij but these are the sonnes quos enutriuisti genuisti ipsi spreuerunt te If you ask of these men how they holde they seeke no Fathers after whome they maye rightly rule they seke no large rew of predecessours in whose places they may sit they aske no counsel of Gods Church by whose calling they should gouerne but they make a long discourse of statutes and teÌ„poral lawes to couer their ambitious vsurpatioÌ„ that in greate lacke of Christes calling their vniuste honour may be approued by mans fauoure Therby let them holde their teÌ„poral dignities their landes their lyuelyhodes their wiues also if they can obteine so much at the common wealthes handes but their spiritual functions their ministering of sacraments their gouernaunce of oure soules and what elles so euer they vsurpe without the warrant of Goddes Church the longer they exercise them the farther they be from saluation and the nerer to eternall woe miserie But to come to our purpose it is our Church Catholike in which all holy functions haue bene practised after Christes institution euer since his AsceÌ„sion vp to heaueÌ„ And therfore this principal power of remitting and reteining sinnes muste needes be continued in the Church by her ministers and priestes as it was begonne in the Apostles before An answer to suche as deny this power to passe from the Apostles to all other priestes because many of them being euel men may be thought not to haue the holy Ghost whereby they should effectually remit sinnes The Sixth Chap. AND to Caluin or other of his secte that require the like vertue force of the holy Ghostes assistaunce in al men that take vpon them to remitte sinnes as was giuen to the Apostles who firste receiued that power I aunswer that the same gifte of the holy Ghoste is yet in the ministers of the same Sacrament no lesse then in the Apostles For thoughe they had more plentiful sanctification whereby they were in all their life more holie and more vertuous then lightly any other eyther priestes or lay men were after them yet the giftes of the holy Ghost touching the ministerie and seruice of Goddes Church which were not so muche geueÌ„ them for their owne sakes as for the vse of the common wealth and for the right of practising certayne holy functions requisite for the peoples sanctification as they were imployed vpon them so they were also giuen to diuers that were neyther good nor vertuous and therfore lacked that which properly is that grace of the holy Ghost that is called of our schoole men gratia gratum facieÌ„s such a grace as maketh man acceptable to God Therefore the holy Ghost breathed vpon the Apostles then by Christ and giuen yet to priestes in their ordering by Bishopes is a gifte of God and a grace of the holy Ghost not whereby euery man is made vertuous Grace geueÌ„ in the sacrameÌ„t of Order vvhat ye ys or conning or happy before God but it is a gifte onely of God whereby man is called aboue his owne nature and dignitie to haue power and authoritie to doo and exercise any function in Goddes Church to the spiritual benefite of the people which is not onely not alwayes ioyned to vertue and holy knowledge but is ful often by calling due to them which are most wicked persons without any impaire of their authoritie And these kind of giftes and graces of the holy Ghost be called graâ—iae gratis datae certayne giftes giuen to men for no desertes of their persons but freely for the vse of other men to whome they be beneficial euen there where they be hurteful to the bestowers In which sense S. Paul numbreth a greate sorte the fourth to the Ephesians Eph. 4. Cap. 12. and the first Epistle to the Corinthians and he calleth theÌ„ not onely the graces of the spirite but also the diuisioÌ„s of functions and ministratioÌ„s as the gifte of working miracles the gifte of tunges the gift of prophecieÌ„g the gifte of preaching and so furth all which being the giftes and graces of the spirit for the Churches edifiyng Cap. 2. and of S. Peter being called the holy Ghost in the Actes yet they were giuen to euil men often as well as to good without al impairing of Goddes honour yea with the greate encrease of Goddes glory that euen by the wicked is able to woorke his wil and holy purpose for the benifite of his elect And in this sense the spirite of God breathed vpon the Apostles was a gift of the holy Ghost whereby man should remitte by lauful power of God the sinnes of the people Whervpon Theophilact sayeth that In 20. Cap. IoaÌ„ potestatem quandam donum spirituale dedit Apostolis vt remittant peccata ostendens quod genus spiritualium donorum eis dederit inquit quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur eis that is to say Christ gaue to his Apostles a certayne povver and spirituall gift vvherby they might remitte sinnes For he shevved what power of the spirite it was that he breathed on them when he
and obedience to Gods ordinance by the warrante whereof they al as I haue proued chalenge al maner of interest in the gouernment of our soules Much more might be said out of diuerse holy Fathers muche out of the decrees as wel of Bishops as CouÌ„cels the authoritie whereof no ChristiaÌ„ Catholike did euer reiect In Lateran in Florence Can. 21. Tract de Sacra De Poen and in Trent Councels Penance is decreed to be a sacrament and of necessitie to al such as fal into deadly sinne after Baptisme The minister thereof by their holy determination is a Priest laufully ordered the remission of sinnes is in them al chalenged to be his right not only by declaration that God hath or will pardon them nor by the preaching of the Gospel nor any other waies newely deuised by the Diuel to delude Christes ordinaunce and misconstrue his plaine woordes But proprely is the Priest proued to be the minister vnder God of reconciliation and therefore may by his woords absolue men in the said sacrament of their sinnes as in Christes own steed whose honourable iudgement seat by his commission and the holy Ghostes assistaÌ„ce he doth laufully possesse And so surely doth Gods ministers hold this power and prehemineÌ„ce that no power or dignitie of man could euer be so wel warranted and approued by Gods owne woorde and practise of all ages and nations christened as this is The spiritual meÌ„ holde by more cleare euidence theÌ„ any temporall Prince All the Princes in earth though they reigne ful righteously can not yet shew the tenth part of the euidence that Gods Priests can doe for their title of remission of sinnes and it booteth not mee in this my base state to admonish them though I hartely wish thei would consider it that the contempte of spirituall iurisdiction and the dignitie of Priesthode falleth at length to the disobedience to all temporall power and wicked contempt of ciuile gouernment also The issue of heresy as in those disordered daies we may to our great grief behold when vnder pretence of religion and Gods woord wherof they haue no more respect surely then the Deuill him selfe hath they haue disobeyed not only Peters keyes but also Cesars sword Neither lette any man thinke that where the bands of conscience the awe of Gods maiesty the feare of Hell and damnation the hope of heauen and saluation is remoued that there can be any ciuile obedience long Feare of man is much flattery of man is more but bond of conscience passeth them both Thus therfore haue Gods Priests made accompt of their calling and long practised power of remitting and reteining the peoples offences Here it is proued that by the right of the Priest in remitting sinnes the duetie of all Christian people doth necessarilie rise for the confession of euerie of their mortal sinnes vnto him as the same is also proued by the doctrine of all holye Fathers of Christes Churche The tenth Chap. AND now I must aduertise my louing brethren of the necessary sequele hereof which to some I know semeth so hard and vnpleasant that the very consideration therof hath driuen many that haue not felt the sweetnesse of Gods Spirite by whiche euery of his coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts be they neuer so rough in apparance are made easie and delectable to the feare misliking and lothsomnesse of the Sacramente of Penaunce Whiche as it is for other causes many much abhorred of the waÌ„tons lately departed out of the Church and of some worldly Catholiks to that be not so zelouse in folowing truth as they be disirouse to know truth Vvhy confessioÌ„ is couÌ„ted so burdenous to many so it is moste lothed and feared for that in it there is required a distinct simple sincere and plaine confession to be made of euery sinne that is knowen or suspected so be mortal vnto a Prieste whiche is the lauful minister of the same Sacrament with such diligent and exact examination of our consciences as a matter of such importaÌ„ce doth of reason require That is the great offence and staie that the weaklinges of Christes Church doe so earnestly respect and so long they shall be vexed and molested in mind with the sowre remembraunce thereof as they do not proue the swete gracious and incomparable effect ensuing most assuredly thereon Considerations to be had for remouiÌ„g the impediments of confession so long shal they stumble at so small a straw as they doe not feele the burden of sinne feare the paines of hel follow the quiet of conscience foresee the dreadful day of iudgement so long shal thei be bashful to submit them selues to one mans most close secreat meeke and merciful iudgement as they feare not the infinit shame open horrible confusion euerlasting rebuke before God Angel MaÌ„ and Diuel at the seat and sentence that shal be pronouÌ„ced in the face of al creatures which must fal to them that close vppe vnder couer and compasse of their conscience such a number of manifolde sinnes wherof in that day both accoÌ„pt and confession must be made to their vttermost confusion Finallie so long shal maÌ„s wil and corrupted nature disobey Gods ordinance herein as he earnestly and humbly seeketh not by praier at Christes handes the grace gift of obedience and repentaÌ„ce for as the fulfilling of euery of Gods commaundemeÌ„ts can not otherwise be had but by his special fauour so saith S. Augustin De fide ad PetruÌ„ Cap. 31. or as som think rather Fulgentius Firmissimè â—ene nullarenus duhites neminem his posse hominem poenitentiam agere nisi queÌ„ Deus illuminauerit gratuita sua miseratione conuertit Hold this for an assuraÌ„ce that no man can here do penance except he be illumined and conuerted theavnto by his singular mercy Neither doth this Doctour mean of any other way of repentaÌ„ce then is vsed for mortal sinnes after baptism in the sacrameÌ„t of the church putting there in a maner by expres words a doble sacrameÌ„t one for original sin that is in childreÌ„ only and that he calleth SacramentuÌ„ fidei the other â—or sinnes afterward coÌ„mitted whiche he termeth Poenitentiam Penance And let no man think the true repentaÌ„ce can be in any or effectual for the remission of sinnes if he followe not the appointed ordinance of God for remission of sinnes For I dare be bold to say that as since the time that our Sauiours words tooke place Nisi quis renatus fuerit Except a man be borne againe of vvater and the holy Ghost he can not enter into the kingdom of heauen that since these words no maÌ„ can be saued â—bout Baptism so likewise since Christ spak these woords vvhose sinnes you doe forgeue they be forgeueÌ„ I dare say neuer maÌ„ was saued nor can be saued that either coÌ„teinneth or neglecteth coÌ„fession or earnestly seketh not for it if he fall in relapse of deadlie crimes after his baptisme I wil speak it plainlie because I woulde haue it thought on