forgeuen them frely of God if they repent and beleue in Christe as it is written He that beleueth y â— sonne hath euerlasting lyfe If synnes be forgeuen of God the ministers commaunded to declare that same to the people than doth it folowe that they forgeue not the synne but only are ministers appointed of god to publishe that benefite of our saluacion If a Prince pardonneth his subiect for hys treason committed against hys person and sendeth hys letters of fauoure to the traytoure by one of his faythfull seruauntes coÌ„maundynge him to declare his pitefull mercy to the gilty who forgeueth the fauâ—â— the messenger or the kynge I am sure it wyll be answered the kynge And not vniustly For y â— prince alone pardoneth the messenger only declareth hys princes pleasure to the traytoure Euen so all we haue offended worthely deserued eternall deathe Nowe the good pleasure of our moste mighty prince is to forgeue vs euen of his owne fre mercy without our desertes or merites for Christes sake and that hys vnspeakable goodnes towarde mankynde maye be knowen he hath appoynted his ministers to publishe it abrode The summe of their commissioÌ„ is this that whosoeuer will repente hys former lyfe beleue to haue remissioÌ„ of their sinnes thorowe the mercye of God in Iesu Christ our Lord they shal be forgeuen The ministers of God publish these ioiful newes exhorte vnto repentaunce and fayth The people repent beleue their synnes are forgeuen Who forgeueth the synnes of y â— faythful repentauÌ„te The grauÌ„ter of the commission or the declarer thereof God or man I doubte not but that ye wil aunswer God If god alone whom we offende forgeueth the sinne and not the declarers of y â— forgeuenes I haue gotteÌ„ that I haue desyred for the probacion of the second parte of this littel treatyse But let vs heare what Christe sayeth as my father sent me so sende I you Nowe I praye you howe was Christe sent and for what purpose ¶ Let vs heare what he hym selfe sayeth and than shall I be blamelesse By the Prophete Esaye he speaketh on this maner The spirite of the Lorde is vpon me because he hathe anoynted me to preache y â— Gospell too the poore he hath sende me to heale the brâ—ken haâ—ted to preache deliueraunce to the captiue and sighte to the blind frely to set at liberte them that are brosed and to preache the acceptable yere of the Lorde Agayn he sayth I must preach the glad ioyful tydinges of y â— kingdom of God to other cities also fortherfore am I seÌ„t Once again he saith let vs go into y â— next tounes that I may preach ther also for therfor am I come Al these seÌ„teÌ„ces declare manifestly y â— that Christ was sent to preach the kyngdome of God that is to saye fre deliueraunce frome synne to so many as repent and beleue If thei wil not be aboue Christe they must be contented to preache the will of the celestiall father as he was and not to take vpon them that thynge wherof only they are ministers Doth not saint Paule Iames Peter and Iude call theÌ„ selfs the seruauntes of Iesu Christe in all their Epistles declaringe therby that they are not the self master by whome remission absolucion of synnes cometh but onely the ministers of him whiche infundeth and poureth into all men grace fauoure remission of synnes and euerlastyng lyfe there is but one master that is to saye Christe the other are seruauntes as saynct Paule witnesseth We preache not our selfes but Christe Iesu the Lorde and we your seruauÌ„tes for Iesus sake Agayn let a man this wyse esteme vs euen as the ministers of Christ and stewardes of y â— secretes of God All these textes declare manifestlye that priestes if they be true ministers and not rather idolles are nothinge but ministers and seruauÌ„tes appoynted of God to declare vnto the christen congregacion that fre remission of synnes cometh vnto vs from God alone thorow the glorious name of Iesu christe so farre is it of that the priestes contrary to their commission caÌ„ forgeue synnes whose office coÌ„sisteth in declaring and not in geuinge remission of sinnes Therfore let theim be conteÌ„ted nomore froÌ„ hensforth arrogaÌ„tly to arrogate y t vnto them which pertayne to God alone but huÌ„bly coÌ„fesse that God onely forgeueth the synne and that they are but commissioners appointed of God to publishe and setforth the same I meane the remission of synnes geuen to the faythfull peniteÌ„t of God alone Neyther let theym frowne at thys doctrine whiche setteth them in their righte place but rather as it becometh good faythfull seruauntes let theim geue the glory of our saluacioÌ„ to God alone and be glad that they are called vnto so worthy honorable office to declare the misteries of God to the people whose preachinges or sermoÌ„s whosoeuer beleueth may be so certenly assured of y â— remissioÌ„ of their sinnes as though God hiÌ„ self had sayd vnto theÌ„ your sinnes are forgeueÌ„ you For thys sayng of Christ is an infallible verite he y â— heareth you heareth me Now let vs beholde y e obieccioÌ„s of y â— papistes briefly confute theÌ„ y â— all y â— glory may be the Lordes Fyrst they alledge this saying of Christe loosen hym let him go away Agayn loosen theÌ„ a bring theÌ„ vnto me Here is simple poore shyfte too proue their absolucion whan thei are coÌ„pelled to fle vnto y â— vnteiyng of a vile shete and loseninge of a simple rude Asse Loke whersoeuer the papistes fynde any worde that cometh of this verbe Soluo that maketh for absolucioÌ„ streyght wayes I maruel how this escaped theym Solue quod debes I thinke if Salue regina hadde bene turned into Solue regina as some of theim that be not very fyne mouthed pronounce it they wolde not haue bene ashamed to haue alledged it for absolutioÌ„ euen as some of the papistes do which where so euer they fynde Ignis take it for Purgatory streyght-wayes O noble doctors of Tyrology rather than of Theology As concerning the first text which is that Christ commaunded that Lazarus should be let loose and suffered frely to go hys waye if they will gather their absolucion of that it may than be proued y â— all other men and womeÌ„ haue that same power so well as they For there were at that tyme present not onely the disciples of Christe but also diuers Iewes with certeyn women whiche I am sure were not all priestes Haue they not made a good market they haue brought a shillinge to .ix. pens yea rather to nothynge They haue done fayre by them selfes by my fay Whyle thei laboure to make them selfs goddes to excell all other in dignitie they go so wisely to worke that they haue made them selfs equal to the mooste inferioure O crafty dawbers Whiche of them all is able too proue that Christ
my soule blesse y â— Lord and forget nor al his benefites For he it is that pardonneth al thyne iniquities that healeth all thy diseases yea he it is y â— deliuereth thy lyfe from destruccion and crouneth the in mercy and louing kyndnesse Agayne let Israel trust in the Lord for with the Lord there is infinite mercy and plenteous redeÌ„ptioÌ„ And he it is that redemeth Israel froÌ„ all their sinnes Whosoeuer therfore taketh on hym to forgeue synne maketh hym selfe a sauiour and sayeth with the Aungell Apostata I will clyme vp aboue the hygh cloudes and I will be lyke vnto y â— mooste hyghest But let hym knowe that pryde will haue a faule and that the Lorde is a ielous God and will geue hys glorie to none other Who deliuered Adam from euerlastinge damnacion whan he with hys wyfe had transgressed the commaundemeÌ„t of the hygh Lord Who absolued Nohe from his dronkennes Who deliuered Loth froÌ„ the vnclennes which he committed with hys doughters Who saued Moyses and forgaue hym hys manslaughter Who absolued Dauid froÌ„ hys adultry Who had coÌ„passion on the Niniuites whaÌ„ they repeÌ„ted beleued and coÌ„uerted To be shorte who forgaue and absolued all the Patriarckes Kynges Prophetes prestes c with all other of the olde testament whan they knowledged their sinnes and returned vnto the Lord their God with faithfull repentauÌ„ce but onely God alone to whome did theifâ—e for remission of sinnes but to God alone In whome did they put their afflaunce and trust but in God alone as the Psalmographe testifieth sayinge Our fathers trusted in the o Lord yea they trusted in the and thou deliuerest them They cryed vnto the and they were made safe in the o Lord they trusted were not confounded Are not these the woordes of blessed Dauid I sayde I wil confesse my sinnes vnto the Lorde and thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne Here is no mencioÌ„ made of AaroÌ„ or of any of that priesthode nor yet of Pope Patriarcke Cardinall Archebishop Bishop Prieste or of any other man to forgeue vs our synnes but of God alone So foloweth it that the Lorde alone remitteth the vngodlynes of oure synne and that he alone absolueth a pena et culpa This was godly doctrine in the olde testament neyther was he counted of godly meÌ„ any Heretyke that taught this kynde of learning at that tyme. God was thaÌ„ the Lorde alone omnisufficient for all hys people that truly repented and conuerted to his vnmesurable mercye neyther had he nede at that tyme of any other to be conioyned with hym as he hym selfe sayde vnto Abraham feare not Abraham I am thy defender and thyne altogether sufficient rewarder and is the Lordes hande nowe so abbreuiated and shortened that he can saue nomore or is hys eare so stopped that he can not heare Lorde God what a soâ—eÌ„ chaunge is this But I stedfastly beleue that he is thesame Lorde now that he was in the olde tyme and of no lesse power to remit sinne at thys present than he was many thousande yeres before these oure dayes in asmuche as he abydeth euer one and is not chauÌ„geable as he sayeth by the Prophet Malachie I am the Lord and am not chaunged ¶ Hytherto haue I bene holde in few wordes to proue y â— in the time of the olde law God alone forgaue the synnes of his people without the helpe eyther of Bishop Prophet prieste leuite or any other y t the whole glory of their saluacion might be ascribed to hym alone Nowe let vs also labour to declare that God alone doth the very same thynge in the new testament y â— he alone maye stil remayne the God of health agaynst the pestilent doctrine of the wicked Papistes whiche so borishelye sweate to maintaine their vsurped power and fayned authoritie to the greate obscuringe of Gods glorie and that to hym alone all honour and prayse maye be geuen ¶ We reade in the holy gospel that when a certen man beyng diseased of the palsey was brought vnto Christe to be made whole Christ sayde vnto hym Sonne be on a good conforte thy sinnes are forgeueÌ„ the. The Scribes hearing these wordes of forgeuing sinne thinking w t theÌ„ selfs y â— Christ was not God but maÌ„ onely that it was the office of God alone too remit forgeue synne spake on thys manner within them selfs Hic blasphemat this felow blasphemeth or as Marke Luke writeth Who is he y â— speaketh blasphemies Who is able to forgeue sinne but God alone here the Scribes teÌ„dering more the glory of God then our papistes pharises do at this time could not abyde y â— Christ whome they iudged only maÌ„ should chaleÌ„ge to him power to forgeue sinne seing y â— alone pertained to God And vpoÌ„ this place of y e scripture many write y t y â— Scribes erred not in this coÌ„fession y â— God alone forgeueth synne but in this thei sai thei were deceyued because thei beleued not y â— christ was bothe God and man If Christe had bene nothinge but maÌ„ he had blasphemed in dede that is to say taken that thing vpon hym whiche is the office of God alone but forasmuche as he was not onely man but also God he blasphemeth not he chalenged nothing but that was hys righte So did the Scribes and not Christe blaspheme Let all men therefore learne of this historie that God alone forgeueth synne Doeth not Christe also in the aforesaid chapter of Matthew call hym selfe a Phisicion and shew that he came to call synners vnto repentaunce and to make them whole Why calleth he him self a phisicion but because it is his office to cure and heale Ieremy prayed vnto this phisicion sayeng heale me o Lorde I shall be healed saue thou me I shall be safe for thou arte he whome I will magnifye For he did knowe full well that all other phisicions were vnprofitable without his helpe and no more mete to cure sicke consciÌ„ces of them selfes then the olde Lyon was to heale the horse of whome Esope writeth in his fables whiche notwithstandyng take on him to practise phisicke whaÌ„ of that same scieÌ„ce he was altogether ignorante Moreouer Christe calleth all them y â— labour and are laden to hym promiseth that he will refreshe ease and conforte them He sendeth them not awaye to other but calleth them all withoute excepcion to hym whereby he sheweth that no creature neyther in heauen nor in earth can truly and sufficiently heale our infirme and sicke consciences but he alone whiche sayeth I am the resurrectioÌ„ and lyfe He that beleueth in me althoughe he be dead shal lyue and euery one that liueth and beleueth in me shal neuer dye For who can forgeue me my synne but he alone which is without al sinne Who can deliuer me froÌ„ death hel but he alone which hath
y â— other Apostles Ye meÌ„ and brethren what shall we do Peter sayde vnto them Repent be baptised euery one of you in y â— name of Iesus Christ for the remission of synnes and ye shall receyue the gifte of the holye Ghoste As they were greatly dismayde whaÌ„ the holy Apostle opened vnto theim their malicious fact in sleayng Christ the Lorde so were they very much conforted whan they hearde of sainct Peter y t there was hope of theyr synnes to be forgeuen so that they repented theym of their wickednes and were baptised in y â— name of Iesu Christ. With how entier and vnspeakeable sorow is it to be thought that the famous and notable adulterer amoÌ„g the Corinthians was ouerwhelmed whaÌ„ at y â— coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of s. Paule he was deliuered vnto sathaÌ„ excoÌ„municate put out of the christeÌ„ company and reputed among them as an Ethnycke Publicane Contrariwyse with what excedyng ioye was he replenished whan after hys repentaunce and sorowe he heard the swete promyses of Goods mercy declared vnto hym that lygheth bent oute towarde all synners that repent in faythe and afterwarde was receyued into the company of the faythfull Christianes I passe ouer diuers other histories bothe of the olde and newe testamente whiche do abundantly declare what great conforte the faythful peniteÌ„t synners haue alway had in hearing the confortable promises of Gods mercy Now the absolucion beyng as I said before nothynge elles but the preachynge of fre deliueraunce from synne by the death of Iesu Christ for God alone forgeueth synne and absolueth the faythfull penitent it ought not to be contemned and despysed but whansoeuer the Mynyster of the Lordes woorde be it priuatly or openly shall reherse vnto â—en the swete and confortable wordes of Gods mercye towarde all them that repent in fayth they oughte too geue earnest fayth vnto them beynge vndoubtedly perswaded that their synnes at that time be assuredly forgeuen theÌ„ as thoughe God hym selfe had spoken these wordes according to this saying of Christ he that heareth you heareth me But it were expedient that al true ministers should praye that their forme or manner of absolucion be pure and agreable to y â— vayn of the holy scriptures without the intermixtion of anye mans authoritie in remittinge synne eyther of Peter Paule Fraunces Dominike Benet or anye other or yet of theÌ„ selfs agayn y â— it be declared to the penitent that God alone forgeueth the synne and that the Priestes are but the ministers of God too whome he hath geueÌ„ the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen for to shewe to y â— true penitent loosoning that is to saye remissioÌ„ of their synnes to the obstinate and hardeharted synners byndyng that is that they remayn still in the daunger of damnacion and shalbe damned except they repent beleue It wolde also be prouided that whan the faythfull penitent is desirous to haue hys conscience confyrmed stablished and conforted with the worde of God it shuld not be muÌ„bled in the latin toÌ„ge as the Papistes haue hytherto vsed in their absolucions but in the mother tounge that the Idiote and vnlearned may vnderstande it and be edifyed Or els what fayth shall he coÌ„ceyue in hys herte Howe shall he repent How shall he knowe the goodnes of God towarde synners Howe shall he arme hym selfe with fayth agaynst sathaÌ„ synne and desperacion Howe shall he prepare hym selfe too geue God thaÌ„kes for his kindnes and lyue worthy of his profession God grauÌ„t that al thinges maye be done vnto hys glory vnto the profit of hys holy congregacion Here hast thou moste godly Reader my mynde concerning the absolucion and forgeuenes of synnes which if it be examined by the scriptures of God al mannes doctrine set aparte I doubt not but it will stande so stronge that the gates of hell shall not once be able too preuayle agaynst it Farewel most gentle Reader and praye that the Lordes woorde maye haue fre passage that y â— name of the great God and our sauiour Iesu Christe maye be glorified amonge all nacions and that al discension layde asyde we may agree in one faythe and one truthe Amen ☞ Geue the glory to God alone ☞ ⧠☜ Imprinted at London by Ihon Daye dwellinge in Aldersgate and William Seâ—es dwellinge in Peter Colledge These bokes are too be solde by the litle CoÌ„duite in Chepeside ☞ Cum gracia et Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ii Thes. ii Mat. xxiiii i. Pet. ii Heb. xâ—â—i Math. x. Galat. iiii Tit. i. â— Timo. iii. Phil. iii. Esa. v. Act. xx Apoc. xviii i. Ioan. ii iiii â— Ioan. i Roma iii. viiii Ephe. ii i. Timo. ii i. Ioan. i. i. Ioan. i. Heb. vii ix x. Ephe. v. Maâ—h ix Marc. ii Luc. v. ii Pet. ii Luc. xxii ii Tâ—s ii Esa. xi Esa. xliiâ— Math. xxiiii â–ª Ioan. iii. Roma iii. Roma xi â–ª Ephe. ii Luce. xvii Iob xiiii â–ª Psal. x. ii Ioan. xiii Ese xxxiii 〈…〉 〈◊〉 xii◠〈…〉 Psal. 〈…〉 Esâ— xiiii Esa. xâ—ii Gene. iii. Gene. xix Exod. ii iii. Reg. xi Ionus iiii Psal. xxâ—â— Psa. xxxii Gene. xv Esa. lix Malac. iii. i. Timo. i Math. ix Marc. ii Luce. v Math. ix Iere. xvii Math. xi Ioan. xâ— i. Peâ— iiâ— Ose. xiii Math. xix i. Cor. â— Eccle. xxiiii Mat. xi Ioan. i. Esa. iv Ioan. vii â—poc xxii Psal â–ª 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—iâ— iii. Act. â—iii xiiiâ— Act. x. Act. iiii â—â—an xv Roma â–ª x. Roma xiii Ioan. iii Math. viii ix xv Marc. v. ix Luc. xvii xvâ— Ioan. xi Iere. xvii Psal. vii Apoc. â—i â—oan xv Tit. 〈◊〉 Luc. x Roma viii Roma iiii i. Cor. i. Roma viii Galat. i. â— Cor. vi Ephe. i. Colos. i. Iac. â— i. Ioan. i i. Ioan. ii Apoc. i. Luc. vii Luc. xxiii Math. ix Luc. â—v Iohn x. Luc. â—v Mat. xxviii Psal. ◠〈◊〉 Esa. xl Maxâ— xvi i. Cor. â— i. Cor. ix 〈…〉 Ioan. iii. Ioan. xâ— Esa. lxi Luc. iiâ—â— Luc. â—iii Maâ—e â— Mat. xxiii ii Cor. iiii i. Cor. iiii Luâ— x. Ioan. xl Math. xxi Math. xviii Math. xxi ii Thes. iii Ioan. xx Ioan. xv Sapi. xvi Psal. e. vii Ose. xiii Note Ioan. iâ—â— Math. xvi Ioan. xx Esa liiii â—ere xxxi Ioan. vi Heb. viii Ioel. ii â—ct ii Psal. i. Ioan. v. viii â— Luâ— xxii ◠〈…〉 â— Cor. iii. ii Cor. v. Goolat iiii i. Thes. iiii Exod. xvi Math. x. Luc. x. i. Timo. v. â— Cor. iii. 〈◊〉 x. Luc. i. Luce. xxiiii Marc. xvi Math. xvâ— Math. xvi Ioan. xx Note Luc. xi Malach. ii Mark xv Iaco. i. ii Reg. xiâ—â— Luc. vii 〈◊〉 xxiii Act. ii Cor. v. ii Cor. ii 〈…〉