THat God alone absolueth ye 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• holy scripture. First let vs heare,Esa. xlii • 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• thou mayste be iustified. Thy first father synned, & thy Prophetes haue trespassed agaynste me.

Are not these woordes euident ynough?Math. xxiiii▪ God the father perceyuynge righte wel, that there shoulde aryse fals annoynted & fals preachers, whiche without all shame woulde arrogantlye arrogate, and proudely chalēge 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.Ioan. iii. Can fleshe purifye the soule?Roma. iii.. that whiche is borne of fleshe,Roma. xi▪ is fleshe sayeth Christ. All haue synned, sayeth saint Paule, and wante y• glory of God. Again, God hath wrapped all nacions, sayth he in vnbelefe, that he might haue mercy on all.Ephe. ii. If al be sinners, flesh, and the chyldren of wrath,Luce. xvii. 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 vpō vs one to forgeue another their synnes? Is a traytoure a mete mā to purchase a pardon of a Price for another traytoure? Can one traytoure forgeue another hys treason? Cā one sinner forgeue another his sinne?Iob xiiii▪ Of the vnclene what cā 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,Psal. x. ii. 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,Ioan. xiii. 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,Ese. xxxiii 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• 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 cōfesseth, 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. 〈◊〉 . xii • . By another Prophet he also saieth, thy destrucciō, 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 my soule blesse y• 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• deliuereth thy lyfe from destruccion, and crouneth the in mercy and louing kyndnesse. Agayne let Israel trust in the Lord,Psal. 〈…〉 . for with the Lord there is infinite mercy, and plenteous redēptiō. And he it is that redemeth Israel frō all their sinnes. Whosoeuer therfore taketh on hym to forgeue synne, maketh hym selfe a sauiour, and sayeth with the Aungell Apostata,Es • . xiiii. I will clyme vp aboue the hygh cloudes and I will be lyke vnto y• 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.Esa. x • ii Who deliuered Adam from euerlastinge damnacion,Gene. iii. whan he with hys wyfe had transgressed the commaundemēt of the hygh Lord? Who absolued Nohe from his dronkennes? Who deliuered Loth frō the vnclennes, which he committed with hys doughters?Gene. xix. Who saued Moyses, and forgaue hym hys manslaughter?Exod. ii. Who absolued Dauid frō hys adultry?iii. Reg. xi. Who had cōpassion on the Niniuites whā they repēted,Ionus. iiii. beleued and cōuerted? 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 repentaūce, but onely God alone? to whome did theif • 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,Psal. xx •• . 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,Psa. xxxii. I wil confesse my sinnes vnto the Lorde, and thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne. Here is no menciō made of Aarō 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 mē any Heretyke that taught this kynde of learning at that tyme. God was thā 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,Gene. xv. feare not Abraham, I am thy defender and thyne altogether sufficient rewarder, and is the Lordes hande nowe so abbreuiated and shortened,Esa. lix. that he can saue nomore? or is hys eare so stopped that he can not heare? Lorde God, what a so • ē 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 chaū geable, as he sayeth by the Prophet Malachie,Malac. iii. I am the Lord and am not chaunged.

¶Hytherto haue I bene holde in few wordes to proue, y• 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, yt 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• 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.i. Timo. i

¶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,Math. ix thy sinnes are forgeuē the. The Scribes hearing these wordes of forgeuing sinne, thinking wt thē selfs y• Christ was not God, but mā 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,Marc. ii. or as Marke & Luke writeth,Luce. v Who is he y• speaketh blasphemies? Who is able to forgeue sinne but God alone? here the Scribes tēdering more the glory of God then our papistes & pharises do at this time, could not abyde y• Christ, whome they iudged only mā, should chalēge to him power to forgeue sinne, seing y• alone pertained to God. And vpō this place of ye scripture many write yt y• Scribes erred not in this cōfession y• God alone forgeueth synne, but in this thei sai, thei were deceyued because thei beleued not, y• christ was bothe God and man. If Christe had bene nothinge but mā, 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,Math. ix 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?Iere. xvii. 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 conscī 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 whā of that same sciēce he was altogether ignorante.Math. xi. Moreouer Christe calleth all them y• 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,Ioan. x • . whiche sayeth, I am the resurrectiō 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 frō death & hel,i. Pe • . ii • but he alone, which hath ouercome them both?Ose. xiii. Who cā make me good, but he alone, whiche onely is good?Math. xix. Who cā make me wyse, righteous and holy, but he alone, which is appoynted of God the father to be our wysdome, righteousnes, & sanctification?i. Cor. • . Finally, who cā engraffe in me life & vertu, but he alone, in whome is all hope of life and vertue?Eccle. xxiiii Therfore ful well doth Christ cal so many as labour and are loden with the burdē of synne to him,Mat. xi. and promiseth that he wil refresh them, that is to saye, absolue and deliuer them frome their synnes. Hereto belongeth the sayinge of blessed Iohan Baptiste,Ioan. i. Beholde that lābe of God, whiche taketh awaye the sinne of the worlde. Here blessed Baptiste confesseth, that it is Christe alone, whiche absolueth and taketh awaye the synne of the worlde. Doeth not also the holy Euangelist sainct Iohan in the aforesayde Chapter call Christe that true lighte, which lighteneth euery man that cometh into this worlde: what other thinge is it to lighten, thā too put awaye the cloudes of synnes, and to sende into oure hertes the radiante and glisteringe beames of the eternall sonne, whiche is the knowlege of Gods mooste holy will. And this, sayeth saincte Iohan, is the office of Christe alone.

Why doth Christe cal so many as thyrste vnto hym,Esa. iv. & promyseth that floudes of lyuysh water shall flowe out of their bellies:Ioan. vii. yea, • poc. xxii. and that he will geue them the water of life frely▪ but onely to shewe, that whosoeuer is thyrsty, and hartely desireth remission of synnes, muste with all haste come to hym,Psal▪ 〈◊〉 . and saye with the Psalmographe, Lyke as the harte desireth the water brokes, so longeth my soule after the, o God. My soule is a thyrste for God, yea, euen for ye liuinge God. &c. Furthermore Christe commaundeth yt repentaunce and remission of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name. 〈◊〉 . • i • iii. Where we may learne, that forgeuenes of synne cometh onely by the name of Christe. And in the Actes of y• Apostles we fynde, y• when any famous & notable acte or miracle was done▪ the people, as manye at this daye, did ascribe it to the vertue and power of the Apostles, willynge to do sacrifice vnto them for it, but the Apostles did reiecte and cast awaye all suche immerited honor and vndeserued prayse, contendyng and maynly laborynge to perswade the people,Act. • iii. &. xiii • that whatsoeuer was don, came not to passe by their power, but by the vertue of Iesu Christe, whom God raysed vp from death. And whē they made mencion of remissiō of synnes, they did neuer remē ber and reherse their owne power to forgeue synne, but onely preached, that so many as beleued and were baptised into the remission of synnes, shoulde be absolued and frely forgeuen by the name of Iesu Christe. And in the actes of the apostles blessed Peter playnly confesseth,Act. x. y• there is no health, no lyfe, no remission of synnes, but in Christ alone, and that there is none other name geuen vnto mē vnder heauen, wherein they muste be saued,Act. iiii. but the name of Iesu Christe alone. Neyther did the Apostles absolue any otherwise than by the preachyng of gods worde, which whē it was heard & beleued, than were y• diligent hearers, and faythful beleuers of the same truly absolued, as Christ sayeth. Now are ye clene for the wordes sake that I haue spoken vnto you, that is. Now are ye deliuered frō your sinnes because ye haue beleued my preaching. •• an. xv. The fayth of y• herte iustifieth, sayeth sainct Paule. Where it maye be learned,Roma▪ x. y• if fayth be not geuen to the worde there is no absolucion or deliueraūce frō sinne.Roma. xiii For whatsoeuer is not of fayth, is sinne, & where fayth is not, there abydeth the wrathe of God, as holy Iohan Baptist sayeth,Ioan. iii he y• beleueth y• sonne, hath euerlasting life, but he that beleueth not the sonne, shal not se life, but the wrath of God abydeth vpon him.Math. viii ix. xv. Therfore before Christ absolued any man of his synnes,Marc. v. ix. he did beholde & se,Luc. xvii. xv • whether he had faith or not.Ioan. xi. If Christe founde true fayth in his hert, thā he alwais sayde, thy fayth hath saued the. Seyng than ye none can search the hert, whyther it be faythfull or vnfaythful▪ but God alone, seynge also that the absolution beareth no strength, but where faythe is, it foloweth that none canne absolue me of my synnes,Iere. xvii. but that Lorde alone, whiche searcheth the raynes & the herte.Psal. vii. The prieste is onely Gods minister,Apoc. • i. appoynted of God (if he be truly sent) to preache that absolucion and fre deliueraunce from my synne, thorow the name of Iesu Christe, whiche pre • chinge if I beleue, I am so sure to be deliuered frō all my sinnes, as though Christ hym self had sayde vnto me, • oan. xv. I frely absolue the, or thy synnes are forgeuē the for thy faythes sake in my name. Are not these the wordes of Christ,Tit. 〈◊〉 . whiche is the self trueth and can not lye, spoken too all faythfull Ministers?Luc. x He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that de • pyseth you, despiseth me, and he that despyseth me, despiseth hym y• sent me. But let vs reherse mo scriptures, althoughe too anye Christen hert, these, whiche hytherto I haue recyted, maye seme abundantly too suffice.

Blessed Paule in his Epistel to the Romains proueth manifestly,Roma. viii. that God alone iusti • ieth vs. If our iustificacion cometh from God alone, than foloweth it wel, that the remission of our sinnes cometh from God alone also. For remission of synnes goeth before Iustification.Roma. iiii. By Christes death are we deliuered from our synnes but by his resurreccion are we insti • ide and made righteous. So doeth it euidently appere, that it is God alone,i. Cor. i. which both remitteth the synne, and also iustifieth y• synner for Christes sake, which is our righteousnes.Roma. viii. Agayne the aforesayde Apostle sayeth, that God hath not onely geuen vs his sonne, but also all thinges with hym. Ergo absolucion of synnes. So se we y• God alone absolueth & forgeueth vs oure synnes for Christes sake. Saīt Paule to the Galathians affirmeth,Galat. i. that Christ gaue him self for our sinnes, that he might deliuer vs from this present euill worlde, that is to saye, from all euil in this present worlde. Ergo God alone it is, • . Cor. vi. which deliuereth vs from oure sinnes in this vale of misery. Ye are wasshed awaye from your sinnes, sayeth he, yea, ye are sanctified & made righteous by y• name of the Lord Iesu, and by the spirit of our God. Ergo our absolucion, oure deliueraunce frome synne, our sanctification, oure iustification and all that euer good is cometh frome God thorowe Iesu Christ our Lord. Agayn he sayeth,Ephe. i. God y• father hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessinges, ergo with the blessinge of absolucion and fre deliueraunce from all oure sinnes.Colos. i. God hathe deliuered vs from the power of darkenes, and caryed vs into the kyngedome of his welbeloued sonne, by whome we haue redemptiō, euen by hys bloude remission of synnes. Ergo by Christes bloude are we absolued and deliuered frome oure synnes.

Euery good gyfte and euery perfecte gifte,Iac. • . sayeth Iames, cometh from aboue, and descē deth frome the father of lyght. Ergo absolucion, whiche is a good and perfecte gyfte, cometh doune frome the father of lyghte. Blessed Ihon in his epistle sayeth: If we confesse our synnes, god is faythfull & righteous to forgeue vs oure synnes & to make vs clēne from all iniquite. Here saynct Ihon affirmeth,i. Ioan. i that God for • eueth vs our synnes, and ma •• h vs clene from all vnrighteousnes. He sayeth also, that the bl • ude of Iesu Christ gods ow • • onne,i. Ioan. ii. maketh vs cleane 〈…〉 sinne. And in the chap •• • olowyng he sayeth, If any • an synneth, we haue an aduocate with the father Iesu Christ that righteous one. And he it is that obtaineth mercy for our synnes, not for our sinnes only, but for al the world also. Again he sayeth, I writte vnto you, o ye litle chyldren, that your synnes are forgeuen you for Christes name sake. Here se we agaī that by Christ remission of synnes cometh to vs from God the father. Moreouer bl • ssed Ihon in hys reuelacion writteth on this manner,Apoc. i. Christ hath loued vs, and washed vs frō our synnes by hys bloude. Here se we y• all our synnes be washed away by Christes bloud alone. What shoulde I write more▪ If I go forthe to gather together al the places of holy scripture, y• proue the absolucion of our sinnes to come from God alone, I shuld not onely trouble the mooste godly Reader, but also writte a volume more Prol • rior thā the Iliades of the greke poet Homere, whan to any christen iudgement I maye iustly seme all redy to haue poroued my article true & sufficiently christē mē vnto y• great shame of all these Papistes, which cease not with their stētorous voyces to speke euill of the true preachers of Gods worde, and to obscure or deface the glory of God. Take away the power of onely remittinge synnes from God, & what remayneth there, wherfore we should confesse our selfs boūde to hym? I speake of matters concernynge the saluacion of our soules. If all that be of the shauen nacion, haue power to absolue men of their sinnes at their pleasure, and to remit or retayn, whose iniquities it pleaseth them, than is God wel promoted, euē out of y• Halle into y• Kytchyn, as they vse to saye.

So shoulde it also folowe, that so many as pleased the priestes shoulde haue their synnes forgeuen them, and so be saued, otherwyse not. O intollerable blasphemy. But as God alone remitted the synnes of the fathers of the olde Testament, so in lyke maner doth he nowe in the new testament.Luc. vii. Who absolued Mary Magdalene frō her sinnes, but Christe? Who forgaue the thefe hys robbery and māslaughter,Luc. xxiii. but Christ? Who had compassion on Peter, whā he had denied his master christ, but Christ?Math. ix Who made of Mat thew the publica • e and tolgatherer, a faithful apostle & preacher, but Christe?Luc. • v. Who is that good shepeharde,Iohn. x. that fetcheth home the strayeshepe, louingly vpon hys shulders vnto the shepefolde, is it not Christe, whiche sayeth of him self, I am that good shepeharde? A good shepeharde geueth his lyfe for the shepe. Who receyued home ioyfully the loste sonne, was it not Christe?Luc. • v. Who healed the wounded manne? the Prieste or the Leuite? Or rather Christe the Samaritane? who made of Saul the persecutour, Paule an Apostle, was it not Christe? Who absolued al these with many other in y• scripture from their synnes, but Christe alone, the sonne of the liuynge God?Mat. xxviii Doth not al power belōg to Christe, both in heauen and in earth? to hym therfore alone doeth the power of remi • tinge synne pertayne. Seyng than y• this is true, and nothyng more true, why maye we not be bolde to saye, • agre the Papistes, y• God alone absolueth the truly penitent, and onely remitteth the synnes of so many as wyth an vnfayned fayth conuerte & fle vnto hys mercy? If this be heresy, whiche we onely confesse and teache. I coulde allege diuers sentences out of the holy doctors of Christes churche, which maintaine this doctrine. But seyng I fighte not for the auauncement of man, but for y• glory of God, I wil not satisfie this my worke with mans doctrine, but with the infallible verite of Gods word. For I know that euery man is a lyar,Psal. • . 〈◊〉 but God is true,Esa. xl. & hys worde abydeth for euermore.

Now will I prepare my self to the second parte of this treatise, and afterwarde make aunswer to the obiecciōs of the aduersaries, that God maye styll remayne a glorious God in the presence of al men, and al other recoūted duste and ashes in cō parison of hym. The seconde parte of this treatise is this, as concernyng the priest, he forgeueth not the synne, but onely is a minister of God, appointed to vtter & declare that fre remissiō of synnes purchased for vs of God the father, by the most precious bloude of Iesu Christe. This maketh the Papistes to cry, ad ignem, ad ignem. For this doctrine plucketh them doune one staffe lower than they were before. They may now become no more Checkemate with God. For before they were not onely not contented to be his ministers, but also they woulde be heylefellow wel mette with hī. Now shall they be fayne, eyther to be y• messengers and seruaū tes of God, or els playne Antichristes and papistes. But let vs se, what the scripture sayeth.

That the priest forgeueth not synne but God alone, it is sufficiētly proued before. Now must we learne of y• holy scriptures, whyther y• priest be but onely a minister appoynted of God to vtter & declare y• absoluciō & fre deliueraūce from synne, or not. That this is his office, it is manifest by diuers places of y• new testamēt. Whā Christ sent forth his disciples, he sayd vnto them on this maner: Go into y• vniuersal worlde, & preache y• Gospel to euery creatur,Max • . xvi. who so shal beleue & be baptised, he shall be saued, but who so wil not beleue shalbe condēned. Here is it euident ynough, what authoritie prestes haue, & what their office is, verely to preache y• Gospel & to baptise. Marke y• they must preache y• Gospell, as s. Paule sayeth, Christ sent me not onely to baptise, but to preache y• Gospel. Again, wo is vnto me,i. Cor. • . if I preache not y• Gospel.i. Cor. ix. And in y• discripsiō of a spiritual minister he sheweth yt such one ought to be chosen, as is not onely learned, but also apte too teache, able to exhorte with wholsome doctrine, 〈…〉 & to conuince or ouercome them that speake agaynst the trueth of Christes gospell. And sainct Peter sayeth, ye elders fede the flocke of Christe, somuche as in you is. What other thynge is it to preache the gospel, than to declare vnto the people, that their synnes be forgeuen them frely of God, if they repent and beleue in Christe, as it is written. He that beleueth y• sonne, hath euerlasting lyfe.Ioan. iii. 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, cō maundynge him to declare his pitefull mercy to the gilty, who forgeueth the fau •• the messenger or the kynge? I am sure it wyll be answered the kynge. And not vniustly. For y• 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 commissiō is this, that whosoeuer will repente hys former lyfe & beleue to haue remissiō 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• faythful repentaūte? The graū 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• forgeuenes, I haue gottē that I haue desyred for the probacion of the second parte of this littel treatyse. But let vs heare what Christe sayeth,Ioan. x • . 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.Esa. lxi. The spirite of the Lorde is vpon me,Luc. ii •• because he hathe anoynted me, to preache y• Gospell too the poore he hath sende me, to heale the br • ken ha • 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,Luc. • iii. I must preach the glad & ioyful tydinges of y• kingdom of God to other cities also, fortherfore am I sēt. Once again he saith:Ma • e. • let vs go into y• next tounes, that I may preach ther also, for therfor am I come Al these sētēces declare manifestly, y• 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 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 thē 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,Mat. xxiii. Christe, the other are seruauntes, as saynct Paule witnesseth, We preache not our selfes, but Christe Iesu the Lorde,ii. Cor. iiii. and we your seruaū tes for Iesus sake. Agayn, let a man this wyse esteme vs, euen as the ministers of Christ, and stewardes of y• secretes of God.i. Cor. iiii. All these textes declare manifestlye, that priestes, if they be true ministers, and not rather idolles, are nothinge but ministers and seruaūtes 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 cā forgeue synnes, whose office cō sisteth in declaring, and not in geuinge remission of sinnes.

Therfore let theim be contēted nomore frō hensforth arrogātly to arrogate yt vnto them, which pertayne to God alone. but hū bly cōfesse, 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 penitēt 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 saluaciō 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 sermōs, whosoeuer beleueth, may be so certenly assured of y• remissiō of their sinnes, as though God hī self had sayd vnto thē, your sinnes are forgeuē you. For thys sayng of Christ is an infallible verite, he y• heareth you heareth me.Lu • . x. Now let vs beholde ye obiecciōs of y• papistes, & briefly confute thē, y• all y• glory may be the Lordes. Fyrst they alledge this saying of Christe, loosen hym & let him go away.Ioan. xl. Agayn, loosen thē a bring thē vnto me.Math. xxi. Here is simple poore shyfte too proue their absolucion, whan thei are cōpelled to fle vnto y• 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 absoluciō streyght wayes. I maruel how this escaped theym,Math. xviii. 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 absolutiō, 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• all other men and womē 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 spake these wordes, loosen hym and let hym go, rather to his Disciples than to all the other indifferently? I thynke rather that he spake them to y• women, as mooste comonly occupied aboute suche thinges. But to whom he spake, the text maketh no menciō, therfore cā they proue nothyng.

As touchyng the losoningeMath. xxi. of y• Asse, who seeth not their folishnes? the occasion why christ sente the disciples for the Asse, was not to geue theym power to losen men from their sinnes at their pleasure, but to fulfil ye prophecy of zachary, whiche so lōge before prophecied y• Christ shoulde come rydynge mekely vpon an Asse, contrarye to the expectacion of the ambicious & vayne glorious Iewes. What is this to the purpose? Where as Christ by this example teacheth humilite, the papistes gather pryde.ii. Thes. iii Christe submitteth hym self, euen with the mooste lowest, and they exalt thē selfs with the mooste hyghest, yea, aboue all that is called God or that is worshypped, and syt in the temple of God, and shewe them selfes as God. Tell me good Reader, are not these swete Allegorymakers? I woulde they woulde ones cease to moralyse, for they haue lyed too longe.

Some of them also alledge this sayinge of Christe, Whatsoeuer thou shalt bynde on the earth, shalbe also boūde in heauē. And whatsoeuer thou shalt loosen on earthe, shall be loosoned in heauen. Here they esteme them selfes more thā Goddes. By this texte, they thynke they maye do, whatsoeuer pleaseth theym, saue or condemne, bynde or loose, holde vp or cast doune, buylde or subuerte, brīg to heauen or caste doune to hel, but if the good men woulde take the paynes to looke what goeth before, theyr cōbe should sone be plucked doune, they wold not make somuch of their paynted shethe. Christ sayeth a littel before, I will geue y•, the keyes of y• kyngdom of heauē. He sayeth not, I geue y•. Christ in this place onely promised y• keyes to the congregacion, and performed his promise after his resurreccion, as we maye se in y• Gospel of Ihon. Hereof maye y• papistes rightwell perceyue, y• this texte, wherof hytherto they haue so greatly gloried, and out of the whiche they haue sucked so greate aduauntage, maketh littel vnto the aduauncemēt of theyr fayned power.

Their laste and moste strōg bulwarke,Ioan. xx. where y• keyes were geuen to the true ministers, is this text, Whosoeuer synnes ye forgeue, they are forgeuen vnto them. And whosoeuers synnes ye retayne, they are retayned. Here they triumphe & perswade themselfes, that they haue gottē the victory, though they neuer fight stroke. But if they will be fauorable to God, and worke no iniurie to the other scriptures afore rehersed, they shall haue no cause to lifte vp their bristles. Christe speaketh here after the manner of our speache, whiche diligently must be noted, vnles we wil depriue God of his glorie. Whan we se a man restored to his healthe, whiche longe before hathe ben vexed of some greuous disease, & is made whole thorowe the diligence of some Phisicion we vse to saye, Doctor Turner made this mā whole, or doctor Byll, or some other, whiche is expert in that kynde of science, and yet is it not the doctor that made hym whole, but rather ye emplastures and medecines y• he ministred vnto hym, yea, rather god, if we wil speake truly which gaue such vertue to hys creatures to worke health vnto the sicke. So doeth the scripture speake. Somtyme it attributeth our health to the ministers of the worde, as in thys aforesayde place, somtyme and moste comōly to God hym self, as we tofore haue abundantly hearde, & somtyme to the worde of God,Ioan. xv as it is written. Nowe are ye clene for the wordes sake which I haue spokē vnto you, Itē,Sapi. xvi. Neyther herbe nor emplasture hathe healed thē, but thy worde, o Lord, y• healeth al thinges. Hereto pertaineth ye saying of ye Psalmographe,Psal. e. vii he sent his worde, & healed thē, & deliuered thē frō their destruccions, and yet doeth God onely make vs whole, & forgeue vs our sinnes as he himself witnesseth by the Prophet,Ose. xiii. saying, thy destrucciō o Israel cometh of thy self, only of me cometh thy helpe & saluacion. What cā be more plainly spoke? Who is able once to hiske against these thinges? Who wil once opē his mouth to barcke agaist this doctrine? Nomā I suppose, except he be altogether drouned in papisme. This therfore is the true meaning of thaforesayd text. Whā soeuer y• ministers of y• Lordes worde declare vnto me y• swete promises of God y• father made to me in Christes bloud,Note. & I beleue thē, thā are my sinnes forgeuen me at y• very instaūt, but if I do not beleue thē, than are my synnes retayned, y• is to saye, not forgeuē. And forasmuch as I eyther repēt & beleue, or els cōtinew still in myne olde dānable state, at the preaching of y• Lordes ministers, therfore y• scripture attributeth my deliueraūs from synne or otherwyse to thē, whan notwithstandynge God alone remitteth my synne, if I repent and beleue. If I do not, the vncircumcision of my hert, that is, my incredulitie and vnfaithfulnes is the occasion that my sinnes are retained and not forgeuen. For thys sayinge alwaye muste nedes avyde true, thy destrucciō, o Israel, cometh of thy selfe, onely of me cometh thy helpe and saluacion. So yt the priestes (I meane the ministers of Gods worde) are counted to forgeue synne, whan they preache to the truly repentaūte remission of synnes thorowe Christe, and to retayne synne, whan they declare too the vnfaythfull damnacion, and that the wrath of God abydeth vpō them, so long as they remayne still in their incredulitie and vnfaythfulnes, as it is writtē, He that beleueth not on y• sonne shall not see lyfe,Ioan. i •• . but the wrathe of God abydeth vpon hym. Thus se we, that those te • te • of the holy scripture, which the papistes alledge for y• maintenaunce of their fayned & vsurped power in remitting synne, maketh nothing for their purpose, if they be truly alledged & vnderstande, accordinge to the vayne of the holy scriptures. The scriptures of God maye not be rent and torne, neyther harked nor wrested to serue the priuate affectes of menne, but euery text must be so weyed, pō dered, alledged, and vnderstōd, that it may agre with the other textes of the holy Bible, that al the glory of our saluacion may be ascribed to God alone, which is both the beginner & finisher of all our health, to hym therefore be all honour and prayse for euer. Amen.

NOw wil I make hast to the laste parte ofMath. xvi. this treatyse, which requireth y• I should expresse my mynde, concernyng the keyes, which Christe before hys passion promised too hys churche,Ioan. xx and after his resurreccion performed hys promyse, and shew by the sacred scriptures, that the gyfte of the keyes is no vayne and idle gyfte, but a necessarie, ioyfull and confortable treasure. For ye Papistes will here obiecte, If remissiō of sinnes cometh from God alone than were the keyes geuen to the congregaciō in vayne. But to the entent, that I maye stop the mouthes of ye 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.Esa liiii. Trueth it is y• God alone teacheth men hys verite by the holy Ghoste, • ere. xxxi. as it is written,Ioan. vi. Al shal be taughte of God.Heb. viii. Again I will poure oute of my spirite vpon all fleshe,Ioel. ii. and youre sonnes and your doughters shall prophecye. • ct. ii. The Psalmographe also sayeth:Psal. i. I will heare what the Lord speaketh in me,Ioan. v. viii. • . 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• remission of synnes shoulde be preached to the people, that by this meanes they maye repent beleue and be made whole, as Christ testifieth,Lu • . xxii • . saying: It behoued Christ to suffer, and too ryse agayn frō 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 & instrumētes 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, • . Cor. iii. euē 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 geuē vs the office to preache the attonement. For God was in Christ, & reconciled the worlde vnto him self,ii. Cor. v. 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 y • be at one with god.Goolat. iiii. 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,i. Thes. iiii. 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,Exod. xvi. The Lorde hath hearde your grudgynge and murmuryng, wherwith ye murmure against him. For what are we? Youre murmurīgs are not against vs, but agaynst the Lorde. So likewise reade we in the Gospell,Math. x. that the Lord spake of hys ministers, Uerely, verely I saye vnto you: He that receyueth, wl • ome soeuer I shall sende, receyueth me. And he that receyueth me, receyueth him that also that sent me.Luc. x. Agayne he sayeth: he that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despyseth you, despiseth me, and he that despyseth • 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 thei. Timo. v. 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. • . Cor. iii. And although he y• plāteth, 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, 〈◊〉 . x. 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 geuē 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,Luc. i. too open the eyes of the blynde, to turne thē from darkenes to lighte, to cō uerte the hertes of fathers into children, and the disobedient to the wysdome of the righteous. He hath commaunded them to preache repātaunce and remissiō of synnes in his name vntoLuce. xxiiii. all nacions, Go youre waye, sayeth he into the worlde vniuersall, and preache the gospell to euery creature.Marc. xvi. 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 kyngedomMath. xv • of heauē, that whatsoeuer they loosen in earthe, maye be also loosened in heauen. And whatsoeuer thei bynde in earth maye also be bounde in heauē, that is to saye: he hath committed to theim the office of preachyng the Gospel, yt 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 frō the captiuitie of sathā, purged frō syn, deliuered frō death, & made enheritours of eternal life: Again that so many as beleue not, remayne still y• captiues & bonde s • aues of satā, & cōtinew boūde 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 frō y• captiuitie of sathā, it is euen as certen & sure, as though God hym selfe had sayde these woordes vnto them: Thy synnes are forgeuē the. In lyke manner whan they shall saye to the vnfaythfull, that they remayne still boūde 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 God, ought to be receyued wt greate reuerence, and takē as an oraele, sent doune from heauen, & vndoubtedly beleued, as a manifeste and infallible veritie of God. And this preaching of remittyng or retaynyng sinnes are the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen, which Christ promysed his Apostles before hys death, as we maye se in Matthew,Math. xvi. and after hys resurrectiō performed hys promyse, as we rede in the Gospel of saint Iohan.Ioan. xx. And by a Metaphore Christ calleth the preachyng of his worde a keye. For as a keye hath twoo properties, one too shutte, another to open, so hath the worde of God. It openeth to the faythfull the treasure of the giftes of God, grace, mercy, fauou • e, remission of synnes, quietnes of conscience, & euerlastyng life, but to the vnfaithfull it shutteth all his treasures, and suffereth thē, to receiue none of them all, so lōg as they persiste and remayne in theyr incredulity and vnfaithfulnes. These keyes are geuen too so many, as beynge truely called vnto the office of ministracion, preache y• worde of God. They loosen, that is to say, they preache to the faythfull remissiō of synnes by Christe. They also bynde, that is, they declare to y• vnfaythfull damnacion. But he y• preacheth not the woorde of God,Note. can neyther bynde nor loose, though he chalēge neuer so great dignitie, authoritie & power. For Christ calleth it the keye of knowlege.Luc. xi. And the Prophet sayth, y• lyppes of a Priest kepe knowledge, and at hys mouthe shall they requyre the lawe, for he is the Aungell or messenger of the Lorde of hoostes.Malach. ii Therefore where there is no k •• wlege, there is no keye. And where there is no keye, there is neyther openynge nor shuttinge, that is, neyther byndynge nor loosonynge. Here let all menne iudge what is to be thoughte of the Papistes absolucion, whereof they crake so muche, whiche also they sell derely. If no remission of synnes cometh from them, but by preachynge Gods woorde, it foloweth that their absolucion auayleth but littel, seyng they neuer preache, neyther the lawe of God, nor the swete promyses of hym, but onely mumble a fewe woordes in the latin tonge, yea, and this is not vnderstanded, so likewise many tymes contrarye too the diuine scriptures, and ye glory of god. Miserable doub • les is that cō gregacion, which hath a blynd guyde to their Curate, whiche hath neyther the gyfte nor the knowledge of preachynge.Mark. xv. For if the blynde leadeth the blynd both falle into ye dyche. Agayn, greately fortunate is that Paryshe, and hyghly blessed of God, to whome a learned shepeheard hath chaunced, which can feede them wyth knowlege and doctrine. Whatsoeuer they shall heare of suche a learned and godly minister, lette theym beleue it as a voyce comynge doune frome heauen. And so ofte as by suche a shepeharde remission of synnes in ye bloude of Christe is preached vnto the congregation, let thē esteme that preachinge none otherwyse, than if the Lord hym self had preached it. Let them stedfastly beleue the woorde of God, and vndoubtedly by their fayth th • row the grace of God, they shall obtayne remission of all theyr synnes. Contrariwise, i • they beleue not, their synnes are retayned and by no meanes forgeuen. These thinges haue I spoken, concernyng the abs • l • cion or the keyes, which consisteth only in preaching Gods worde, that the Papistes maye haue no occasiō, iustly to barke agaynst me, as they haue done hytherto both for my sermons and bkes. God forgeue them, and sende them a better mynde. Nowe, forasmuche as the true and Christen absolution is nothing els but the preachinge of fre deliueraunce from synne, by y• death of Iesu Christ, it ought not to be contemned and despised, but rather to be receiued wt great humilitie and reuerence, euen as a diuine oracle, sente doune from the father of lightes. For no mā cā expresse,Iaco. i. how greatly it conforteth infirme & weake consciences, whiche are troubled with y• feare of Gods iudgementes. Whan the Prophet Nathan came vnto kyng Dauid,ii. Reg. xi •• and rebuked hym for sleyng Urias the Hethite, & for takīg his wyfe Bethsabe vnto hys wyfe, and tolde hym howe greatly God was angrye with hym, and what plages shoulde fall vpon hys house, yea, vpon hym selfe for hys wickednes, it is not to be doubted, but that Dauid was stryken with a wō derfull great heuynes, and his hert pearsed with an inwarde sorowe, insomuche that he was righte ashamed of hym selfe, of his faulte, of his wickednes, & was cōpelled euen of consciēce to braste out into the knowlege of hys synne, & to saye, I haue synned agaynst the Lorde. As Dauid was now full of sorow, griefe, trouble, disquietnes in his hert, & had ioye of nothing (vnto suche shame and confusion was he broughte in hys conscience) so likewyse it is not to be doubted, but that he was wonderfully reuiued, maruelouslye restored vnto the peace and quietnes of his conscience, yea, and plenteously replenisshed with ioye in hys mynde, whan the Prophet sayde these wordes vnto hym: The Lorde hath put away thy synne, thou shalt not dye.Luc. vii. Mary magdalen was a famous synner, & whan she herde her vnclene conuersacion rebuked by the woorde of God, she hertely repented, and was replenished wt an inwarde sorow, lamenting greatly, that she had offended so bounteous a Lorde & mercifull God, insomuche that a large fountayne of teares folowed out of her tē der eyes. All this tyme vndoubtedly her sorow was greater thā it can be here expressed. But whan she herde this confortable absolucion of our sauioure Christe, Remittūtur tibi peccata. Thy synnes are forgeuen the. Again, thy faith hath made the safe Go thy way in peace, that is to saye, wyth a quiete and mery conscience. O good God, who is able to expresse wt howe great ioye and singular solace she was affected? So sure and confortable is it to weake and troubled consciences too heare the swete and confortable wordes of our fre deliueraunce frō the greuous burden of • ynnes by Christes bloude. 〈◊〉 . xxiii. The thiefe was full of great anguysh and trouble in his conscience, whan he hanged vpon the crosse in y• time of Christes passion, & confessed that both he & hys felowe thefe suffered worthely, euen according to their desertes, and in the middes of his troubled conscience, he cryed vnto the Lord Christe on this maner, sayeng: Lorde remember me, whā thou comest into thy kyngdom. But whan Christ had made him aū swere and sayde, Uerely I saye vnto the, this day shalt thou be wyth me in Paradyse, O wyth what a quiet consciēce suffered he hys paynes, and with howe gladde an hert yelde • he vp his spirit into the hādes of the eternal father? So confortable a thynge is it to a troubled conscience, for to heare any thynge that maye quiet it. Agayn whā blessed Peter preached vnto the Iewes and tolde thē,Act. ii. that they had crucifyde Christ the Lord, the scripture sayeth, that they were pricked in their hertes, & sayde vnto Peter and vnto y• other Apostles: Ye mē and brethren, what shall we do? Peter sayde vnto them: Repent & be baptised euery one of you, in y• name of Iesus Christ for the remission of synnes, and ye shall receyue the gifte of the holye Ghoste. As they were greatly dismayde, whā 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, yt there was hope of theyr synnes to be forgeuen, so that they repented theym of their wickednes, and were baptised in y• name of Iesu Christ. With how entier and vnspeakeable sorow is it to be thought, that the famous and notable adulterer amōg the Corinthians was ouerwhelmed,Cor. v. whā at y• cōmaūdemēt of s. Paule he was deliuered vnto sathā, excō municate, put out of the christē 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?ii. Cor. ii. I passe ouer diuers other histories, bothe of the olde and newe testamente, whiche do abundantly declare, what great conforte the faythful penitēt 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 • 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 thē, 〈…〉 . 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• 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 thē selfs, agayn y• 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 geuē the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen for to shewe to y• true penitent loosoning, that is to saye: remissiō 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 mūbled in the latin tōge 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 cōceyue 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 sathā, synne and desperacion? Howe shall he prepare hym selfe too geue God thākes for his kindnes, and lyue worthy of his profession? God graūt 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• 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.