Luke. v. one or two, that vpon the mouthe of two or thre wytnesses, euery worde maye stande. Yf he heare not them, tell it vnto the congregacion. Yf he heare not the congregation, let hym be vnto the, as an hethen and publican. Uerely I saye vnto you, what so euer ye bynde on earth, shalbe bounde in heauen. And what so euer ye lose on earth, shalbe loused in heauen. And of the vse of the kayes, in priuye and secrete synnes, oure sauiour Christ hath taught vs by his awne dede and example. For the man, that was sycke of the palsey, Christ said Mark. ii. thus. Sonne conceaue a stedfast fayth, thy synnes be forgyuen the. And as touching byndyng of synnes, he sayd to the hard herted and stubburne Jewes. Yf you were blinde, you shulde haue no synne. But nowe bycause you saye, you see, your synne abydeth styll, that is to saye, it is not forgyuen. Thyrdlye, oure sauioure Christe after his resurrection, gaue the kaies to his apostles (as before he had promysed) breathynge vpon theim, and saying. Receaue the Holy Gost, whose synnes ye shall forgyue, they are forgyuen. Now forasmuche as oure sauioure Christe, in gyuynge the keyes, did promise v so great comforte, dyd so dylygentlye teache the vse of them, and dyd so faythfully, and louyngly ordeyne and commende them and put theim (as it wer) into the handes of his apostles and their successors, we ought in no wyse to dyspyse this greate authoritie, whiche God hath gyuen vnto men, but thankefully to vse it. For knowe this for a suertye good children, that it is a very great offence against God, lytle to care for hys great gyftes and benefites. Therefore when we fal agayne to great synnes, after that we are ones baptysed, we oughte not to walke in a certen rechelesnes, thynkyng that our synnes be forgyuen vs onely because God is merciful. (For this opinion or wauering imagination, is more weake and feble, then that in the feare and battaile of the conscience, it is able to stande against the violent force and craftye assaultes of the Deuel.) But in this fight betwene our conscience and the Deuel, our great trust and comforte is the sure worde and worke of God, whiche maye asserteyne vs that our synnes are forgyuen, that is to say, whan we obteyne forgyuenes of oure synnes and absolution, of the ministers of the churche, to whome Christ hath deliuered the kaies, and hath promysed saying. Whose synnes ye shall forgyue in earthe, their synnes be forgyuen in heauen also. And this also is to be reproued, that some men, whiche continue in manyfest and open synne, and go not about to amende their lyfes, yet they wil be counted Christen men, and interpryse to receaue the same sacramentes, that other do, to come to the churche, to worship God, and to praye with other. Suche muste be warned of their fautes, and yf they refuse to heare and amende, then they ought to be excommunicate and put out of the Christen congregation, vntil they repente and amende their lyfes. Lest by suche manifest sinne and euel examples, other men might be prouoked to do the lyke and so at length many might be infected, and the Christen religyon dispysed and euel spoken of, as though it wer the worst relygyon, forasmuche as Christian men shoulde than leade a shameful and vngodly lyfe. And so by this meanes, the name of God, and God himselfe, might be blasphemed amonge the heathen people. And althoughe those canons, ordynances and rites, whiche be agreable to the gospel, (and were ordeyned in tyme past, to punyshe suche open transgressors and malefactors) are nowe in oure tyme almost vtterly abolyshed and taken awaye, yet for this cause we ought not to dispise or cast awaye, the authoritye and vse of the kayes. For they which presumptuously do cast away all yokes of ecclesiasticall discipline or chasticement, and do let, that such kynde of correction, whiche is agreable to the gospel, maye not be restored againe, shall haue without doubte God for their judge. But let vs praye our Lord Jesus Christ, that as it hath pleased him to restore vnto vs his moste blessed worde, and the true vnderstandyng of the same, so also he wyll vouchesaue to rendre and sende agayne to vs, these and suche lyke good and holsome ordinances, agreable to his worde. Now when a man after baptisme hath greuously synned, and doubteth in his conscience, whether he be in the favour of God or no (as oftentymes yt happeneth) then it is harde for hym to trust to his awn bare imaginations, thinking on this fashion. I know that I haue synned, but yet I am in this opinion, that God is not so cruel a reuenger. But that he hath forgyuen me. For suche an opinion without Goddes worde, is not a trew faith, nor is able to stande in the daungerous skirmyshes of temptation. But trewe faith must euer be stayed vpon the certen worde and wourke of God. Now God dothe not speake to vs, with a voyce soundynge out of heauen. But he hath giuen the kayes of the kingdom of heauen, and the authoritie to forgyue synne, to the ministers of the churche. Wherefore let him that is a sinner, go to one of theim let him knowlege and confesse his synne, and praye him, that accordyng to Gods commaundemente, he wyll gyue him absolution and comfort him with the worde of grace and forgyuenes of his synnes. And when the minister dothe so, then I ought stedfastly to beleue, that my synnes are truly forgyuen me in heauen. And suche a faythe, is able to stande stronge, in all skyrmyshes, and assautes of oure mortal enemy the Deuel, forasmuche as it is buylded vpon a sure rocke, that is to say, vpon the certen word and worke of God. For he that is absolued, knoweth for a suertye, that his synnes be forgyuen him by the minister. And he knoweth assuredlye also, that the minister hath autoritie from God himselfe so to do. And thirdely he knoweth that God hath made this promise to his ministers, and sayed to them. To whom ye forgyue synnes vpon earth, to him also they shall be forgyuen in heauen. Wherefore good children, gyue good eare to this doctrine, and when your synnes do make you afrayed and sadde, then seke and desyer absolution and forgyuenes of your synnes of the ministers, whiche haue receaued a commission and commaundement from Christ hymselfe, to forgyue men their synnes, and then youre consciences shal haue peace, tranquillitie and quietnes. But he that dothe not obey this counsell, but beyng ether blynd or proude, doth dispyse the same, he shal not fynde forgyuenes of his synnes, neither in hys awne good wourkes, nor yet in paineful chastysementes of his bodye, or any other thynge, whereto God hath not promysed remission of sinnes. Wherfore dispyse not absolution, for it is the commaundemente and ordinance of God, and the holy Spirit of God is present, and causeth these thin to take effect in vs, and to worke our saluation. And this is the meaning and playne vnderstandynge, of these wordes of Christ, which you hearde heretofore rehersed, whiche are writen to thentent that we shoulde beleue, that whatsoeuer Goddes ministers do to vs by Gods commaundement, are as muche auaileable, as yf God hymselfe shoulde do the same. For whether the minysters do excommunicate open malefactors and vnrepentant persons or do gyue absolution to those, which be truly repentant for their synnes, and amende their lyues, these actes of the ministers, haue as great power and authoritie, and be confirmed and ratified in heauen, as thoughe oure Lorde Jesus Christ himselfe had done the same. Wherefore good children, learne these thinges dilygentlye. And when you be asked how vndrestande you the wordes before rehersed? ye shall answer. I do beleue, that what soeuer the ministers of Christ do to vs by Gods commaundement, either in excommunicatinge open and vnrepentante synners, or in absoluyng repentant persons, all these their actes, be of as greate authoritie, and as suerly confirmed in heauen, as yf Christe shoulde speake the wordes out of heauen. So ye haue good children, the begynnynge and foundation, of the ministers of Gods worde, and of the authoritie of the kayes, as our Lord Jesus Christ did first ordeyne and institute the same. The whiche our sauiour Christ did institute and appointe for this purpose, that our consciences myghte thereby be comforted, and assured of the forgyuenes of synnes, and to haue the inestimable thresures of the gospel, as often as we haue nede thereof. That we thereby being made stronge in oure faith, might so continewe to thende of our life. And he that continueth to the ende, shal be saued. The which graunt vs the most merciful God. Amen. A SERMON OF THE COMMUNION OR THE OUR Lorde Jesus Christ good children, in the. xv. chapter of John speketh these wordes. I am the true vyne, and my Father is the husbande man. Euerye braunche that beareth not fruyte in me, he wyll take awaye. And euerye braunche that beareth fruyt, he wyll prune, that it maye bring forth more fruit. Now are ye cleane, thorowe the wourdes whych I haue spoken |