For y e Papistes will here obiecte If remissioÌ„ of sinnes cometh from God alone than were the keyes geuen to the congregacioÌ„ in vayne But to the entent that I maye stop the mouthes of y e aduersaries and that they may haue no occasion to barke agaynst the glory of God after this marke wel good Reader what shal be spoken Trueth it is y â— God alone teacheth men hys verite by the holy Ghoste as it is written Al shal be taughte of God Again I will poure oute of my spirite vpon all fleshe and youre sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye The Psalmographe also sayeth I will heare what the Lord speaketh in me yet will he that they shoulde be studious of the holy scriptures bothe daye and nyghte as it is commaunded of Christe Searche the scriptures and also diligently heare the preachynge of hys woorde as it is written He that is of God heareth the woordes of God My shepe heare my voyce Euery one that is of the trueth heareth my voyce So in like maner although God alone remitteth all synne yet will he y â— remission of synnes shoulde be preached to the people that by this meanes they maye repent beleue and be made whole as Christ testifieth saying It behoued Christ to suffer and too ryse agayn froÌ„ death the thirde day and that repentaunce and remission of synnes shoulde be preached in hys name amonge all nacions Faythe cometh by hearing hearing by the worde of God For the ministers of the gospell are the organnes instrumeÌ„tes of Christ by whom God worketh thorow his holy spirit health and saluacion in so many as are predestinate vnto eternal lyfe They are Gods laborers ministers by whom we beleue eueÌ„ as the Lord geueth euery man grace They are the oratours messengers interpreters Asigels Apostles and Embassadours of the Lord as the Apostle sayeth all thinges are of God which hath reconciled vs vnto hym selfe by Iesu Christ and hath geueÌ„ vs the office to preache the attonement For God was in Christ reconciled the worlde vnto him self and imputed not their sinnes vnto them and among vs hath he set vp the worde of attonement Now then are we messengers in the roume of Christ euen as though God exhorted by vs. We beseche you nowe therfore in Christes steade that yâ— be at one with god Agayne to the Galathians he writteth on this manner Ye did not despyse nor abhorre me but receyued me as an Aungell of God yea euen as Christe Iesu. Hereto pertayneth hys saying to the Thessalonians He that casteth awaye vs casteth not awaye menne but God whiche hath geuen hys holy spirit into vs. Moyses also in tymes paste sayde to the people that murmured agaynste hym The Lorde hath hearde your grudgynge and murmuryng wherwith ye murmure against him For what are we Youre murmuriÌ„gs are not against vs but agaynst the Lorde So likewise reade we in the Gospell that the Lord spake of hys ministers Uerely verely I saye vnto you He that receyueth wlâ—ome soeuer I shall sende receyueth me And he that receyueth me receyueth him that also that sent me Agayne he sayeth he that heareth you heareth me and he that despyseth you despiseth me and he that despyseth â—e despyseth hym also that sent me Here se we that the ministers of Goddes woorde are not to be despysed for they are necessarye instrumentes vnto the health of men and they are worthy of double honoure as the Apostle sayeth Therefore maye it be concluded that the absolucion of the Prieste is not too be despysed seynge it is none other thynge if it be a true and Christen absolucion than the preachynge of fre remission of oure synnes in Christes name And although he y â— plaÌ„teth be nothing he that wattereth be nothing but God which geueth the encrease agayne albeit the Lorde blesseth vs with al spiritual benediction yet inasmuche as the inestimable kyndnes manyfolde benefytes of God toward vs can not be knowen nor beleued without preachinge for fayth cometh by hearynge and hearing by the worde of God therefore hath God appoynted hys ministers to open declare vnto men those excellent misteries those confortable ioyful promyses of Gods mercy and good wil towarde mankynde that they maye perceyue learne and vnderstande what is geueÌ„ them of the Lorde what they ought to beleue how thei shuld obtayne the giftes of God and lede a lyfe worthy the kyndnes of so bounteous a father God also hath appoynted the ministers to beget men in Christ Iesu by the Gospell too open the eyes of the blynde to turne theÌ„ from darkenes to lighte to coÌ„uerte the hertes of fathers into children and the disobedient to the wysdome of the righteous He hath commaunded them to preache repaÌ„taunce and remissioÌ„ of synnes in his name vnto all nacions Go youre waye sayeth he into the worlde vniuersall and preache the gospell to euery creature He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued He that beleueth not shal be condemned Moreouer he hath geuen to his faythful ministers the keyes of the kyngedom of heaueÌ„ that whatsoeuer they loosen in earthe maye be also loosened in heauen And whatsoeuer thei bynde in earth maye also be bounde in heaueÌ„ that is to saye he hath committed to theim the office of preachyng the Gospel y t they should go forth into the worlde preache vnto all men the grace and fauoure that is geuen of God the father for Christes sake yea and that thei should proclaime publish and set abrode vnto all men that so many as repent beleue are losoned froÌ„ the captiuitie of sathaÌ„ purged froÌ„ syn deliuered froÌ„ death made enheritours of eternal life Again that so many as beleue not remayne still y â— captiues bonde sâ—aues of sataÌ„ coÌ„tinew bouÌ„de in their synnes and in the state of damnacion and that therefore thei shal dye the death and for euer more be damned excepte they repent turne and beleue And thus their preachynge is so certeyn and sure before God that whatsoeuer they pronounce beynge conformable to the worde of God shall as certenly come to passe as thoughe God hym selfe had spoken it As for an example Whan soeuer the ministers preachers of Gods woorde in this worlde shall declare to the faythfull repentaunce remission of synnes tell them that they be losoned froÌ„ y â— captiuitie of sathaÌ„ it is euen as certen sure as though God hym selfe had sayde these woordes vnto them Thy synnes are forgeueÌ„ the. In lyke manner whan they shall saye to the vnfaythfull that they remayne still bouÌ„de in their synne and that the wrathe of God abydeth vpon them and therefore they shall be damned God approapproueth their sayinge and it shal vndoubtedly come to passe according to their preachinge So that whatsoeuer the minister of Gods worde sayeth accordynge to the worde of
bothe Christ his apostles bidde vs take hede in so many places of the holy scripturs Agaynst these ought all men to fighte that tender y â— glory of God To confounde these Antichristes ought we to sell walet scrippe cote with all that euer we haue and to bye vs a swerde I meane y â— swerde of the spirit which is the worde of God And to this ende that I maye prouoke other valeauntly and boldely to fighte agaynste these aforesayde Antichristes I according to the talent geuen me haue taken vpoÌ„ me to wrastle with those wicked Papistes which beleue teach that God alone doeth not forgeue synne but man also with y â— same power like authoritie Whiche thinge I take in haÌ„de the more gladly because I se y â— thys kynde of doctrine is a great defacing of Gods glory and that it throweth many into great dauÌ„ger forasmuche as they looke for that at the hand of man whiche onely is the gift of God yea it encourageth not a fewe to lyue dissolutely and without the feare of God seyng they are perswaded that if the Prieste layeth his hande ones vpon their head and saye Ego absoluo te they are quyte delyuered of their synneful burden and though they returne streyght waies vnto their filthy vomyte what skylleth it Ego aâ—soluo te will dispatche all togyther If any man sitteth in the temple of God bosting him self as God surely they do it which take vpon theÌ„ the office of God that is to remitte and forgeue synne But they shall be slayne with the breath of the Lordes mouth The order which I wil obserue in the treatise folowing is this Fyrst I wil proue with manifest scriptures that God alone forgeueth sinne SecoÌ„dli that the Priest is but a minister appoynted of God to declare fre remission of synnes to the truly penitent to declare I say and not to forgeue Thirdly I will aunswer to the obiections of the aduersaries and vtterly wype them awaye restorynge the scriptures to their natiue sense At the laste leste I should seme to despyse the true Christen absolucion of a faythfull Minister the vse of y â— keyes whiche consisteth in preaching I will expresse my mynde concerninge them also so that to any indifferent person I doubt not but that my iudgemeÌ„t shal appeare godly and confirmabâ—e to the true vayn of the holy scriptures Thys littel treatyse mooste vertuous Ladye I sende vnto youre grace as a testimonye of my redye benâ— good will and seruiseable hart towarde youre grace beynge prouoked herevnto thorow youre excedynge loue and feruent zâ—le whyche youre mooste honorable Ladyshippe beare bothe towarde the woorde of God and the true professours of the same moste humbly besechynge your grace to take in good parte thys my rude and simple gifte God whyche by hys holy spirit hath wroughte in your hart this entâ—er loue towarde the Gospell of hys sonne Christe Iesu moughte also bringe forthe in youre grace plenteousnes of good workes vnto the glory of hys blessed name and the profit of hys holy congregacioÌ„ AMEN Your graces mooste humble and faythfull oratoure Thomas Becon ¶ The Castel of comforte THat God alone absolueth y e truly penitent and onely forgeueth the synnes of so many as with vnfayned fayth and harty repentaunce conuerte turne and fle vnto his mercy it is manifestly proued by diuers textes of y â— holy scripture First let vs heare what God him self sayeth by the Prophet I am he yea I am he in dede which putteth awaye thy synnes yea and that for myne owne sake and I will remember thy synnes nomore Call to remembraunce let vs be iudged together Tel if thou haste any thinge y â— thou mayste be iustified Thy first father synned thy Prophetes haue trespassed agaynste me Are not these woordes euident ynough God the father perceyuynge righte wel that there shoulde aryse fals annoynted fals preachers whiche without all shame woulde arrogantlye arrogate and proudely chaleÌ„ge to them selfes that power of forgeuinge synne whych alone pertayneth to him plainly here affirmeth that he alone putteth away oure sinnes And because he would haue vs the more seriously and earnestly to beleue it he repetethe thys worde I twyse sayinge I am he yea I am he in dede whiche putteth awaye thy synnes yea and that for myne awne sake And leaste any man shoulde thynke that one may more forgeue another hys synnes I speake of those synnes which are betwene God and our conscience and not of the brotherly reconciliation he affirmeth that our firste father Adam and all Prophetes and preachers haue synned so that of them no remission of synnes is to be loked for Can fleshe purifye the soule that whiche is borne of fleshe is fleshe sayeth Christ. All haue synned sayeth saint Paule and wante y â— glory of God Again God hath wrapped all nacions sayth he in vnbelefe that he might haue mercy on all If al be sinners flesh and the chyldren of wrath if al be hipocrites vnprofitable seruauntes earth dust and ashes if all be the enemies of God vnfaythfull howe dare we be so bolde as to take vpoÌ„ vs one to forgeue another their synnes Is a traytoure a mete maÌ„ to purchase a pardon of a Price for another traytoure Can one traytoure forgeue another hys treason CaÌ„ one sinner forgeue another his sinne Of the vnclene what caÌ„ be made clene as Iob saith Who can make him clene that is conceyued of vnclene sede Is it not thou alone o Lorde It is the Lorde alone in dede as Dauid sayeth thou o Lord shalte sprinkle me with Hysop I shall be made clene yea I shall be made whyther than snowe And as our sauior Christe sayde vnto Peter If I washe the not thou haste no parte with me If God washeth vs not from oure filthines we haue no parte in the heritage of Christ. Agayn the aforesayde Prophet sayth the Lord is our iudge the Lorde is our Lawegeuer the Lorde is our Kynge and he it is that shall saue vs. Howe ofte is the Lorde here repeted to shewe y â— it is he alone whiche worketh all good thinges in vs which forgeueth our synnes and saueth vs yea and none but he alone Agayne the Lorde hym selfe sayeth by the same Prophet I am the Lorde there is no Sauiour besides me Here God hym selfe coÌ„fesseth that he alone is the Lorde and that there is none other sauiour besydes hym that is too saye none that forgeueth synne and geueth eternall lyfe but he alone By another Prophet he also saieth thy destruccioÌ„ o Israel cometh of thy self onely of me cometh thy healpe and saluacion Dauid that holy kyng and godly Prophet knowyng hys deliueraunce from sinne to be of God alone stireth vp his inwarde man to magnifie the Lorde sayinge magnifye the Lorde o my soule and all that are within me prayse his holy name O
The Castell of comforte in the whiche it is euidently proued y t God alone absolueth and freli forgeueth the sinnes of so many as vnfaynedly repent and turne vnto hym Lately compyled by Thomas Becon Prouer. xviii The name of the Lord is a stroÌ„g castell vnto that doeth the righteous runne and he shal be preserued Csa lv COme to the waters all ye that be thyrsty ye that haue no money come bye that ye maye haue too eate Come bye wyne mylke without money or money worthe Wherfore do ye laye out youre money for y e thing y â— fedeth not spend your labour about the thing y â— satisfieth you not But harkeÌ„ rather vnto me ye shal â—at of y â— best your soule shall haue her pleasure in pleÌ„teousnes Encline iour eares come vnto me take hede your soul shal lyue For I will make an euerlasting couenaunt w t you euen the sure mercies that were promysed to Dauid ☞ Iohan. vii If any man be thyrstye let hym come vnto me and drynke ☞ Psal. xxxiiii Oh taste and se howe swete the Lorde is blessed is that man that putteth hys trust in hym To the moste honorable and verteous Lady Marie duchesse of RychemoÌ„de her grace Thomas BecoÌ„ wissheth from God the father thorow our Lord Iesu Christ a faythfull perseueraunce in gods most holy worde vnto the ende IT is not without a greate cause moste godly Lady that y â— holy Apostle sainct Paule desired the Thessalonians to holde faste y â— doctrine that he had taught theÌ„ afore and not sodenli to be moued from their knowlege vnderstanding nor to be troubled neyther by spirite neyther by wordes nor yet by letter For he vndoubtedly did afore se by the reuelacion of Gods spirit that there should aryse false anoynted and false preachers whiche shoulde worke great miracles and wonders insomuch that if it were possible the very elect chosen people of God shoulde be brought into errour whiche also shoulde saye beholde here is Christe or there is Christe bringing in damnable sectes vtterly denyenge the Lord that bought them as Peter sayeth He considered the imbecillitie weakenes and chyldishe hertes of men whiche excepte they be corroborated fortefied with y â— streÌ„gth of Gods spirit are sone caried aboute with diuers and strauÌ„ge learninges embrasing no lesse gredely that that is to them selfs noysome and pestiferous than that whiche is good and profitable as we at thys present time se dayly before our eyes both in the Papistes and Anabaptistes with suche other damnable sectaries Therfore this moste excellent Apostle desired the Thessalonians yea so many of vs as professe Christ vnfaynedly to perseuer abide in the worde of trueth eueÌ„ vnto the ende that we may be saued not lightly to be moued with the subtile and crafty persuasions of them that teache weake and beggarly tradicions with humayne constitucions which gyue hede to fables and mens commaundementes that turne away the folowers of them froÌ„ the trueth whiche professe that they know God but with their dedes they deny him inasmoch as they are abhominable disobedient yea and vnmete to al good workes which loue their owne pleasurs more than God hauinge an vtter apperans of godly liuing but denyeng the power therof whiche runne froÌ„ house to house and bringe into bondage both men and women lodeÌ„ with synne which are ledde with diuers lustes euer learnynge and neuer able to come vnto the knowlege of the truth which are enemies of the crosse of Christe whiche call that is euill good and y â— is good euill ce In fewe whiche are rauenynge wolfes not sparyng the flocke Dothe the world wante these enemies of Gods glory Haue not we also nede to take hede vnto the aforesayde wholsome admonicion of the holye Apostle saincte Paule Doeth not the worlde at this daye norishe such vngodly monstures What age hath bene withoute them syns the beginning of the worlde What nede I to speke of that great whore of BabiloÌ„ the mother of fornicacions and abhominacions of the earthe whiche hath made dronken w t the wyne of the wrathe of her whoredom all the nacions of y â— earth yea the very kinges and rulers of the earth haue playde the aduouterers with her The fornicacioÌ„ of that most filthy stinking strompet is so openly knowen made manifest vnto vs both by godly bokes and learned sermons that it nedeth not here to be rehersed And woulde God that as the name of this Babilonical strompet is exiled out of mennes mouthes and rased out of bokes among vs so in lyke maner her whoredome I meane the popysh and deuelish decrees which fighte with y â— manifest worde of God mighte ones be vtterly exiled banyshed and for euer dryuen away from the bondes of Christendome that all thinges in the Christen publique weale both in this and in other foren Realmes mighte be instituted ordered and appoynted accordinge to the veritie of Christes moste blessed Gospell But besides this monstrous beaste are there rysen not a few which are playne Antichristes daily labour to obscure the glory of God No maruel seyng that in the Apostles time blessed Iohn coÌ„fesseth that there were many Antichristes and false Prophetes What nede I to speake of them which teache that Christ by his moste precious death deliuered vs onely from original synne Which teache that man is iustified by his owne workes and not by the fayth alone that he hath in Christes moste blessed death which teache that by obseruinge mens tradicions euerlasting life is gotâ—eÌ„ Which teach that external ceremonies iustifie and put awaye synne Whiche teache that maÌ„ is able of his owne strengthe to fulfill the lawe and to satisfie the iustice of God which teache that our prayers can not be hearde without the intercession of other Which teache that all honour pertayneth not too God alone whiche teache that the bloude of oure sauioure Iesu Christ is not a sufficient Purgatorye for all oure synnes except we be broyled boyled and perboyled in y â— Popes fornace Whiche teache that the Lorde Christe gaue not hym selfe so plenteously a swete smelling sacrifice to God the father for vs that with the one oblacion of hys moste blessed body he hath made theÌ„ perfect for euermore that are sanctified Which teache that God alone forgeueth not synne but synnefull man also Are not these very Antichristes enemies of y e crosse of Christ defacers of Gods glory fals annoynted fals preachers rauening wolfs cloudes without water trees without frute raging waues of y â— sea foming out their owne shame waÌ„dring starres to whome is reserued y â— myste of darkenes for euer meÌ„ pleasers hauing men in greate reuerence for auauntage sake curssed chyldren whiche haue forsaken the right waye are gone astray these are they doubtles of whome