Augustine Aug. 21. de verbis Dom. in this place writeth thus Super hanc Petram quaÌ„ confessus es c. that is vpon this rock which thou hast confessed vpoÌ„ this Rock which thou hast acknowledged saying thou art the son of the liuing God I will build my congregation vpon my selfe I will build my church vpon my self I will build the not my self vpon thee for they that would haue meÌ„ build vpon meÌ„ said I hold of Paul another I hold of Apollo another I of Cephas which is Peter but other which would not be built vpon Peter but vpoÌ„ the rock said I hold of Christ Againe in another place Super hanc Petram quam confessus est aedificabo ecclesiam Idem in Ioan. tract 124. c that is vpon this rock which thou hast confessed I wil build my church for the rocke was Christ vpoÌ„ which fouÌ„datioÌ„ Peter himselfe was built for other foundation then that which is laid caÌ„ no maÌ„ lay which is Christ Iesus the church therfore that is founded on Christ hath takeÌ„ the keyes of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ of him I omit that which he writeth also in his booke against the Iewes Pagans Idem contra Iud. Pag. Arti. and Adrians where he also expoundeth this place after this maner By this it appeareth how he expouÌ„ded this rock here meÌ„tioned not to bee Peter but Christ himselfe Gregor missenus saith Tu es Petrus Greg. Misse in tesiimâ—nijs delectis ex veteri testamento c. Thou art Peter vpon this Rock I will build my Church he meaneth saith he the confession of Christ for he had sayd before thou art the sonne of the liuing God And Hilarius Hilar. lib. 4. de Trini Petra nihil aliud est quaÌ„ firma et inconcussa discipuli fides The rock is nothing else but the strong and assured faith of the Disciple What can be plainer then that which Origen writeth vpon this place If wée confesse sayth he Christe to bee the sonne of God the Father reuealing it vnto vs it shall be sayd to ech one of vs thou art Peter Orig. tract in Math. and vppon this Rocke will I build my Congregation euery maÌ„ is Petra that is a disciple of Christ vpoÌ„ such a rock all ecclesiastical learning is builte if thou thinke that the whole church is only builte vpon Peter what wilt thou saye of Iohn the sonne of thunder and of the other Apostles And further indéede it was spoken to Peter vpon this Rocke I will builde my Congregation Notwithstanding it is spoken in like maner of all the other Apostles and to all faithfull and perfite because they are all Peters and Rockes and vpon al them and the Prophets is Christs Church built and the gates of hell shal not preuayle agaynst any of them Wherefore if they will giue credit to Origen who was within 235 yeres after Christ that that which was sayd to Peter shall be sayde to euery Faithfull man making the like confession and that this which was spoken to Peter here was spoken to all the Apostles and to all Faithfull and perfite men in like maner Then is here nothing attributed more vnto Peter then vnto any of the other Apostles Gregorie Greg. lib. 4.33 Epist was himselfe Bishop of Rome and whome our Romish Cleargie woulde haue to chalenge this dignitie and prerogatiue they giue vnto Peter hée of this place and diuerse others which they vse as moste weightie to confirme Peters and the Popes Supremacie inferreth the quite contrary For he reasoneth thus to Peter it was sayde Louest thou me féede my shéepe Satan hath desired to sifte thée but I prayed that thy Faith may not faile thou being conuerted strengthen thy Brethren thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my church to thée I will giue the keyes of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ whatsoeuer c. and he concludeth in the ende notwithstanding Peter is not called Vniuersall Bishop This one man hath lefte sufficient witnesse behind him to condemn in Peter and in all Bishops of Rome both the name of that dignitie and superioritie and also the authoritie and iurisdiction which the Pope doth claime vnto himselfe by vertu of this place For first how sharply and bitterly writeth he against this that eyther Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople or any other Bishop shoulde clayme or tearm himself to be the vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church in his Epistles First in his fourth booke he tearmeth this Title and name a new a proude Greg. lib 4. Epist 32. Ep. 38. Ep. 39. a pompous name In his 38 Epistle of the same booke a rash foolish peruerse name a name of errour In the Epistle following a wicked name a name of vanitie a name of Hypocrisie a name of blasphemie Lib. 6. epi. 2. In his sixte booke and 2 Epistle a puffe of arrogancie and in the 24 Epistle of the same Booke a superstitious and vngodly name So farre then in his iudgement is it from being agréeable to Gods will for any Bishop to claime this name that he accounteth it a most vngodly and impious thing and not only the name of modesty and humility is thus disalowed of him as some woulde beare vs in hande but the very office authority iurisdiction that is claimed thereby for otherwise the reasons he vseth were of no force Lib. 4.38 for in the 38 Epistle of his 40 Booke hée reasoneth thus What answere wilt thou make vnto Christ at the trial of the last iudgement that goest about vnder the name of an Vniuersall Bishop to subdue all his members vnto thée Here he condemneth the name for that hee whiche desireth it goeth aboute to subdue all the members of Christe vnto him Whiche in verye déede is broughte to passe not by the verye name but by the power signifyed by the name His Comparison in the thirtith Epistle of the same Booke Li. 4.30 Epi. where he resembleth him to Lucifer that affecteth the name cannot condemne the name onlye but the thing also because it was not Lucifers desyre onelye to bee named God but also to sitte in his seate and execute his Dominion When as in that place hee sayeth that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople challenging that Title doeth Contra Euangelicam Doctrinam against the meaning of the Gospell against Saint Peter the Apostle agaynste the Ordinaunce of the Canons agaynst the faith agaynste all the Churches of GOD agaynst GOD himselfe and many other thinges more in anye mans iudgement that maye bée sufficiente by his authoritie to disallow the name and the office not onely in Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople but also in any other Bishop that shall clayme it For that some séeke to auoyde it in posting ouer this whole writing to bée against Iohn the B. of Constantinople as though Gregorie had misliked this name of vniuersal Bishop in him so ambitiously gréedily séeking for it not if it had ben
and in the penitent as in the receyuer So that the offering hereof is in the minister but the effect and force thereof in the sinner But for as muche as they offer the merites of Christ and full pardon to such as haue lowly and contrite harts and doe vnfainedly repent themselues pronoūcing vnto the same a sure and vndoubted forgiuenesse of their sinnes and hope of euerlasting life therefore they are sayde to binde and lose to reteine and forgiue sins not because God hath endued his ministers with this absolute power to forgiue and reteine them at their pleasure as our popishe Priests woulde beare vs in hand for that hee hath reserued vnto him alone and it only belongeth vnto him Euen the verye malicious Scribes and Phariseis knew this for when as Christe had sayde vnto the man sick of the Palsey sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen they not acknowledging him to be God sayd among thēselues Marc. 2.5 this man blasphemeth who can forgiue sinnes but God only And God by the Prophet Esai Esai challengeth this vnto himselfe I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquitie euen as to create to alter change the heart to destroy body and soule belongeth only vnto God and so also to forgiue and reteine sinnes The antient Fathers haue iudged that the Priest ought to haue no right to challenge any authoritie to forgiue sinnes Ambrose Ambr. li. 9. Epist 76. sayth it is not the Embassadour it is not the Messenger but the Lord himselfe hath saued his people He remaineth one for this cannot bée common to any man with Christe to forgiue sinnes that is only the office of Christ who hath borne the sinnes of the worlde And Austine August God gaue the ministerie of forgiuing of sinnes to his seruauntes but the power thereof he retained to himselfe August de scalis Paradisi So in another place the office of baptizing God hath graunted vnto many the power and authoritie of forgiuing sinnes he hath reserued to himselfe alone Saint Ierome expounding this place very well declareth what power and commission is giuen to Gods ministers in this behalfe Hierony We reade in scriptures that the Leapers are bidden to shew themselues vnto the Priest that if they be Leapers they should be so made of the Priest not that the Priest doe make the leaprous or vncleane but that they haue knowledge of the leaprous and clean person that they are able to iudge who is cleane or vncleane euen therefore as the Priest maketh the cleane or vncleane so doth the Bishop here bind and lose hereby we sée that Ierome thought Ministers had no further power then to declare them to be lose or bound euen as the Priests in the time of the law had no power but to iudge and pronounce the man eyther cleane or vnclean but not to clense them or to make them vncleane So sayth Bonauentura Bonauentura they did clense because they shewed the cleane Peter Lumbard Pet. Lumb one of their owne Doctors sayth hauing well weighed this matter Christ gaue to priests authority to binde or lose that is to declare to men they bee bounde or lose What therefore the authoritie of binding and loosing the forgiuing and reteining of sinnes is that is giuen to the ministers of God it is apparant not to haue giuen ful power to absolue and binde of themselues at their will but to publish that pardon that God in Christ offereth vs which if we take hold on by faith then we are assoiled if we contemne it our sinnes are reteined to oure condemnation and because he hath committed the publishing of forgiuenesse of sinnes vnto his ministers therefore his ministers are said to forgiue and reteine not because the power thereof resteth in themselues as our popish priests would chalenge For therefore haue they made the Priest to holde a consistory and to be a iudge ouer the sinnes of the people and to driue them to make particular confession of their secrete sinnes vnto the Priest that they may absolue thē and enioyne them a penaunce answerable to their offence Howsoeuer they go about to cloke and colour the matter in very déed they take vpon them that which is proper to God to iudge of the weight gréeuousnesse of sinnes to appoint and alot to euery one a iust satisfaction to chaunge eternall paynes into temporall to haue the disposing of the merites of Christ euen as the Executors haue the disposing of dead mens goods as though Christ were not or knew not after his death how to bestow them to geue Heauen and throwe downe to Hell whome they will to rehearse the particular blasphemies and impieties whiche by the keyes of heauen and authoritie of binding and loosing they claime they haue run into although it were profitable to consider the abhominations of that Church yet least I should grow infinite it shal be sufficiente to haue but lightlye touched these thinges Thus I trust I haue sufficientlye declared first that God reuealeth the knowledge of all heauenly thinges Secondlye that not Peter but Christe is the Rocke whereon God doth build his Church and last of all that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the authoritie of binding and loosing consisteth in the preaching of his word God of his mercye graunt vnto vs the reuealing of his Christ and to be builte vpon him the true rocke and the opening of the kingdome of heauē by the preaching of his worde that wee maye obtayne that blessednesse which Christe hath prepared for them that truly acknowledge and confesse him To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be al honour and glory and power now and for euermore Amen
A GODLYE SERMON Preached before the Queens most excellent Maiestie vpon the 17. 18. 19. verses of the 16. Chapter of S. Mathew VVherein is contained the conclusion of a Dialogue betweene Christ and his Disciples Shewing breefely that the authoritie which the Pope of Rome doth challenge to himselfe is vnlawfully vsurped Very necessarie for these perilous times wherein the simple may perceiue their intollerable impietie vsurping that office and action which euer appertayned vnto Christ only Published at the request of sundry godly and well disposed persons ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Windet for Iohn Perin and are to be sold at his shop in Paules churchyard at the sign of the Angel A godly Sermon preached before the Queenes most excellent Maiestie vpon the 17. 18. 19. verses of the 16. Chapter of S. Matthewe Matth. Chap. 16. vers 17. 17 And Iesus answered and said to him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauē 18 And I say also vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not euercome it 19 And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen THese words which I haue read right honourable beloued in our Sauioure Christ containe the conclusion of a Dialogue betwéene Christ and his disciples For we read immediatly before in the thirtéenth verse of this sixtéenth Chapter that when Iesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi our Sauiour Christ partly to make tryall of the faith knowledge and profiting of his disciples hauing bene now so long taught by him and séene so great wonderfull miracles and partly to learn whether they conceiued any better of him than the common multitude as also to cause them to make a confession of their faith and beliefe in him in which he might strengthen and confirme them against al troubles and persecutions that were after to ensue he demaunded of them all this question whome do men say that I the sonne of man am Answere was made by them that some said he was Iohn Baptist Matth. 14.2 for so surmised the Herodians as apeareth in the 14. of this Gospel Where it is sayde that when Herod the Tetrarch who had beheaded Iohn Baptist heard of the fame of Iesus he said vnto his seruaunts this is Iohn Baptist that is risen againe from the dead and therefore great workes are wrought by him Some said he was Elias being deceiued partly by the Prophecie of Malachie misvnderstoode who had prophcied that Eliah the Prophet should be sent before the comming of the great and fearfull day of the Malach. 4.5 Lord partly by the like spirite they perceiued in Christ that was in Elias as the frée libertie of rebuking vices in the scribes and Pharisées the power of working miracles raising vp the dead to life againe as Elias did Some other thought him to be Hieremias because he bare a figure of Christ and for that it was saide of him Beholde this day haue I set thee ouer the nations and ouer the kingdomes Ierem. 1.9 to plucke vp and to roote out and to destroye and throw downe to build and to plant which was in verie déede truely to be perfourmed in Christ And they that thought him none of these yet because of his doctrine for he taught them as hauing authoritie Matth. 7.29 not as the Scribes and for his life and miracles they accounted him as one of the Prophets Christ hearing this to drawe out a more certaine and excellent confessiō out of his disciples than this was he further demaunded of them all but whome say ye that I am as though he should haue said whatsoeuer other men do thinke of mée or howsoeuer they be distract in opinions you who ought to haue better knewledge of mée whome do ye thinke me to be Then aunswered Simon Peter in the name of al the rest thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ reioycing at this true perfect and constant confession that Peter had made as it were in recompence and commendation therof he burst out into these words Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my father which is in heauen c. Which wordes are euen the conclusion of that Dialogue betwéene Christ and his disciples and do containe the approbation and commendation of Peters confession In the which many things do offer them selues to our considerations but for this present time and occasion in these thrée verses thrée especiall pointes may be here obserued by vs. The first from whence Peter had this knowledge faith of Christ that he was the sonne of the liuing God Secondarily what is the foundation and rocke whereupon the Church of God was built Thirdly what the power authoritie commission was that is giuen vnto Peter in this place The first point is declared in the first verse of this text by two meanes first by remouing and denying those things which might séeme to be the cause yet are not as flesh and bloud Secondarily by expressing the true and perfect cause which was the reuelation of Almightie GOD. For the first by flesh and bloud is meant here the nature of man and all his giftes that he hath naturally as his wit vnderstanding and wil for so it is taken in sundrie other places of the holie Scriptures as in the first of Saint Iohns Gospell Ioan. 1.12 where he saith that such as receiued Christ they were borne not of bloud nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God And in the first to the Galathians Galath 1 1◠where he testifieth that when it pleased God to reueale his sonne in him that he shoulde preach him among the Gentiles he communicated not with flesh and bloud and in like manner in the sixth to the Ephesians Ephes 6.12 exhorting vs to put on all the armour of God that we might be able to stande against the assaultes of the diuell because we wrestle not against flesh bloud but against principalities and powers c. In which places as in diuerse others also by flesh and bloud is meant nothing but the nature of man and whatsoeuer is in him by his naturall birth and procreation so that this phrase and manner of spéech vsed of our Sauiour Christ here in this place doth signifie and declare vnto vs that this knowledge of Christ confession of faith which Peter made he had it not of himself neither by any meanes of man but from aboue by the manifestation and reuelatiō of God who had opened this great mysterie and giuen him this faith This doctrin ouerthroweth the iudgement and opinion of the
authoritie he promised here vnto al equally in these wordes Peace be vnto you as my father sent me euen so sende I you when he had said that he breathed vpon them they receiued the holy Ghost adding Whose soeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto thē whose soeuer sinnes ye retain they are retained Here we sée he giueth his peace vnto them al he breatheth on them all they all receiue the holy ghost alike they are al endewed with the same power of forgiuing reteining sins Where is then Peters prerogatiue especially now when it should specially haue bin specified But what if any principall authoritie and power had béene giuen to Peter by Christ here what doth that belong to the Bishop of Rome where is Peters will and testament by which he hath bequeathed his keyes rather vnto him than vnto the Bishops of Ierusalem or Antioche by what Scripture can they proue that Christ hath made them rather Peters successours in this authoritie and commission then other Bishops If the keyes were promised giuen to Peter alone and to none of the other Apostles howe dare they giue them vnto the Bishops of Rome There is not one worde in the Scripture of their succession by inheritance Seing then that neither the course of the dialogue nor yet the authoritie and function is other that is here giuen then was giuen to all the Apostles of Christ himselfe afterwarde in like manner and that although some more speciall and excellent office was cōmitted to Peter then to any other Apostle yet that the B. of Rome cannot claim that more than any other Bishop it maketh nothing for the establishing of the supreme power ouer the vniuersall Church of God which the Pope arrogateth vnto himself But let vs sée what the auncient learned fathers thinke on this point That which Origen writeth is most plaine against them which think any speciall thing was giuen to Peter An soli Petro dantur claues regni coelorum c. Doest thou thinke that the keyes of the kingdom were only giuē to Peter and to no other neither any other should receiue them If these words were not common to all men as they are I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen how can al these sayings things which are applyed to Peter before be common to all men For Christ thus spake in common to them all Whome do ye saye that I am and Peter answered in the name of all Doeth he not vtter the same in plainer wordes in the 20. of Iohn saying to all the Apostles Ioan. 20. and breathing vpō them receiue the holie Ghost whose sinnes ye forgiue c. They were all of like authoritie with Peter Thus much Origen then which wordes what can be more plaine Cyprian Cyp. de simp praelat also in his booke de simplicitate Prelatorum against the Nouatians confirmeth this The Lord sayth he saith vnto Peter thou art Peter The Lord after his resurrection gaue vnto his Apostles like power yet to declare the vnitie he disposed the originall of vnitie beginneth at one The rest of the Apostles were euen the same that Peter was endewed with like fellowship both of honour and power but the beginning procéedeth of vnitie to declare one Church Basil Basil 23. cap. de vita solit also sayeth Christus Petrum post se suae Ecclesiae pastorem constituit c. Christ appointed Peter to be Pastor of his Church after and so consequently giueth the same power and authoritie to all Pastours and doctours a token whereof is this that all Pastours doe equally binde and lose as they list as well as he Augustine de Agone Christiano Cap. 32. Cum Petro dicitur pasce oues meas omnibus dicitur When it is sayde to Peter féede my shéepe Aust de Agon Christ cap. 31. cap. 32. it is saide to all And in the 31. Chapter Wretched men while in Peter they vnderstande not Christ which is the rocke and while they wil not beléeue that the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are giuen vnto the Church not vnto Peter alone they haue lost the keyes out of their handes and in another place hee sayeth the Churche which is founded in Christ Aug. tract 124. saper hath taken the keyes of him so that not Peter onely but the whole Church receiued the keyes of him Beda Beda sayeth the power of bynding and loosing although it seeme to be giuen onely vnto Peter without doubt this is to bee knowen that it is giuen also vnto the other Apostles Haymo one of their owne doctors well weighing the text affirmeth contrarie vnto them Wee must not thinke sayeth hee that vnto blessed Peter alone this power was giuen but as hee for all aunswered Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God so in the person of one all heard whatsoeuer thou shalt binde in earth c. Cyrill Cyr. in Ioan. li. 3. cap. 20. Christ gaue full power vnto the Apostles and vnto others that succeeded them in the Churches To conclude then if by the testimonyes of the auncient and learned fathers Christ gaue full and like power to all his Apostles If the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was endewed all with like honour and power If Christes wordes were common to all the rest If all Pastours doe equally binde and loose as well as Peter then is there no speciall priuilege giuen vnto Peter aboue others by this place Wherefore I trust this first poynt is manifest by the circumstance of the place and opinion of ancient writers that there is no speciall prerogatiue or function giuen vnto Peter that was not committed to all that whatsoeuer was spoken by Christ here vnto Peter did not belong here vnto him only but to them al in common Now secondly haue wee to consider what was that power authoritie that was giuē vnto Peter here that was to haue the keyes of the kingdom of heauen the authoritie of binding loosing but herein haue wee to weigh what is meant contained in these words how farre they ought to stretch For the B. of Rome claimeth by right of succession inheritance whatsoeuer power iurisdiction was giuen vnto Peter therfore by the vertue of these wordes promise of Christ claimeth al power authoritie whatsoeuer may be contained included in these speaches Hereof hath he challenged to himselfe to be aboue kings Princes to haue the authoritie of consecrating deposing them to be aboue all general councels to haue fulnes of power to expound the scriptures to whose determination the Church of God must necessarily stand to haue authoritie to dispense with Gods worde to make that lawfull which before was vnlawfull to haue absolute frée power to decree whatsoeuer he liketh of and that of the church is to be obserued as an heauenly Oracle that he hath power to giue heauen to throwe downe into
hell whome he will that he hath power to assoyle mens sinnes and to deliuer them both a pena culpa both from the fault penaltie and to reteine and kéepe them at his pleasure that he may binde and loose aboue all other Bishops for he may loose whome other Bishops binde he may bind whome other Bishops loose but whome he bindeth or looseth can no man assoyle or binde but onely he himselfe for Bulles pardons indulgencies anathematizations and all the rest of such trishtrash hath béen founded vpon this power and prerogatiue he challengeth vnto him self by this place the refutation of which particuler pointes being too ample a matter to be handled at this time and besides hauing sufficiently both in this seconde part and also in the thirde declared and proued that no prerogatiue is giuen vnto Peter aboue others by this place that his ministerie was endewed with no greater power and authoritie then the ministerie of the rest of the Apostles it shal bee needelesse to deale with them at this present onely that is needefull to shewe what is meant by the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the authoritie of bynding and loosing By the keyes is meant nothing else here but the preaching of the Gospell and herein wee agree with Chrysostome Crysostom that sayeth they are the knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian Tertullian which tearmeth them to bee the interpretation of the lawe and with Eusebius Eusebius that they are the worde of GOD. and verie well may the preaching of the worde bee expressed by the Metaphore of a keye For as by it wee are let into the house so by the preaching of the worde are wee brought into the Church and housholde of GOD and haue accesse to his kingdome For Christ being the dore as Saint Iohn testifieth by whome wee must enter if wee will be saued and the ladder by which wee must ascende vp into heauen as appeareth by Iacobs dreame and the preaching of the Gospell opening and manifesting vnto vs Christ as Paul witnesseth that vnto him the least of al Saints was giuen this grace that hee shoulde preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ and being the meanes whereby wee are reconciled vnto Christ Paul tearming his ministerie therefore the ministerie of reconciliation the publishing and preachinge of Christ and his Gospell may well therefore be tearmed a keye This Metaphore is vsed of our Sauiour Christ in the same sense Woe be to you interpreters of the lawe Luc. 12.52 for you haue taken away the keye of knowledge Ye entred not in your selues and them that came yee forbad in which wordes our Sauiour Christ termeth the true interpretation of the lawe and preaching of the Gospel the key of knowledge For it was that the Scribes Pharises did suppresse adulterate It is apparant enough that the worde of God according to the sundry effectes and properties therof hath sundrie names So for that it encreaseth and multiplyeth it is called séede for that it cutteth the heart and deuydeth the fleshe from the Spirite it is called a Sworde For that it taketh vs and encloseth vs and bringeth vs togither it is called a nett For that it washeth vs cleane it is called water For that it enflameth vs it is called fire For that it féedeth vs it is called bread euen so for that it openeth giueth vs an entrance into the house it is called a keye This house is the kingdome of heauen Christ is the dore the worde of God is the keye and Preachers the keye bearers So sayeth Chrysostom Chrys opere â—nperfect cap. 23. The keye bearers be the Priestes to whome is committed the teaching of the worde and of the expounding of the Scriptures So then that by the Metaphore of the keye the Euangelist should declare that Christ committed vnto his Apostles the preaching of his worde by which his Church should be gathered togither and built vppon Christ the rocke is no strange speach but verie fit and significant to declare that vnto vs and hereby also he sheweth that he hath committed vnto them a great office and weightie function and that he putteth them in chiefe place and authoritie For he hath the chiefest authoritie in the house or citie to whome the keyes are committed and who hath authoritie to let out and let in by them To this end God vseth this Metaphore in the Prophet Esay Isa 22.22 when he promiseth to Eliachim the chéefe power and authoritie in the King Ezechias house saying with my garments I will cloath him with my girdle I will strengthen him and the keye of the house of Dauid will I lay vppon his shoulder so he shall open and no man shall shut Hereby haue we to learne that as those to whome this charge is committed to beare the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen ought to haue a great care of the well ordering of them so we must also with no lesse carefulnesse and reuerence embrace and receyue them The vse of these keyes is in more perticular manner declared by our Sauiour Christ when as he saith that whatsoeuer he bindeth on earth shall bée bound in heauen c. by the power of binding and losing is meant that which is expressed by Saint Iohn Whose sinnes yee forgiue they are forgiuen him Ioan. 20. and whose sinnes ye retayne they are retayned for when our sinnes are forgiuen we are losed from them when they are not forgiuen wée remayne bound in them these things are brought to passe in vs by the ministerie of his word and by the vertue and power thereof So sayth Ierome Hieron Esai lib. 6 〈…〉 whatsoeuer yée loose in earth shall be losed in Heauen the Apostles lose them by the worde of God and testimonies of the scriptures and exhortations vnto vertue And Ambrose Sinnes be forgiuen by the worde of God the expounder thereof is the Leuite and Priest Ambr. de Cain Abel cap. 4. The Prophet Esai prophecying the sending of Christ sayth that the Lorde had annointed him that he shoulde preache the Gospell to the poore that he shoulde heale the broken hearted and preach deliuerance to the Captiue recouering of sighte to the blind and setting at libertie them that are loosed so that to binde and loose to forgiue and retaine sinnes is a propertie and effect of the worde of God preached For that publisheth vnto vs remission of sinnes worketh in vs mortification deliuereth vs from the power of Sathan and restoreth vnto vs the libertie and fréedome of the children of God which thinges bée brought to passe not by the bare publishing and hearing of the worde but when as by faith we lay hold vpon the swéete promises and greate benefites which bée offered vs in Christ which be deliuered vnto vs by his ministers as by his Legates for remission of sinnes is in the Priest as in the messenger in the worde of God as in the instrument