The Papists.

[error 73] BY the Keyes and power of binding and loosing, they chiefly and principally vnderstand the censures of the Church, as Excommunications, Anathema∣tismes, suspensiōs, Degradations, & the whole Ecclesiastical iurisdictiō. Rhemist. Annot. Matt. 16. sect. 14. Bel. lib. 1. de pontif. cap. 13. Secondly, they tye remission and retaining of sinnes to their imagined and deuised sacrament of penance, saying, that where Christ gaue authoritie to remit sinnes to his Apostles, Iohn 20.23. he instituted the sacrament of penance, Rhemist. Iohn. 20. sect. 3. The sacrifice also and Sacraments of the Church, say they, are ministred for remissi∣on of sinnes, Rhemist. 2. Corinth. 5. sect. 3. Thirdly, they seeme to grant in words, that by preaching also of the Gospell, sinnes are reteined, and remitted, ibid. but they make small account thereof: for as we haue heard, they make it not of the essence of their priesthood to preach, neither doth it properly appertaine vnto that office: yea, say they, absolutiō cānot be rightly sought for at the priests hands, but by confession of our sins, which is done in penance. Rhem. Ioh. 20. sect. 5. This then is their opinion, that by their deuised ceremonie and Sacra∣ment of penance, sinnes are properly forgiuen, and that the preaching of the word is not thereto necessarie.

Their chiefe argument is, by abusing that place, Iohn 20.23. where they say Christ instituted the Sacrament of penance, when he gaue power to his Apostles to remit and reteine sinnes.

Page  207Ans. First, your Sacrament of Penance, is neither grounded vpon this, nor a∣ny other place of scripture: here in the wordes of Christ there is no institution of a sacrament, because there is no visible element giuen, whereunto the worde being added may make a sacrament. Secondly, here the commission is but re∣newed, which was granted before to his Apostles, and their successors, Matth. 18.18. Fulk. Annot. Iohn. 20. sect. 3.

The Protestants.

THe Keyes of the Church, that is, the power to bind and loose sinners, to open or shut vnto them the kingdome of God, consisteth both in the externall discipline and gouernement of the Church lawfully executed according to the word of God, as also in preaching of the Gospell, by assuring in Christs name all faithfull and penitent persons remission and forgiuenes of their sinnes, and in de∣nouncing and threatning the wrath of God against the disobedient and impeni∣tent: also as the sacraments are ioyned to the word, as seales and pledges of the promises thereof, so by the right administration of the sacraments together with the preaching of the word, sinnes are retained or remitted.

The Rhemists therefore doe vs great iniurie, in falsely charging of vs, that we should hold that the spiritual power of the Church standeth only vpon the prea∣ching of the word, whereas wee grant, that it is exercised also in the Ecclesiasti∣call gouernement of the Church, both in punishing, excommunicating & cen∣suring of offenders, which is the binding of them, and in releasing and absol∣uing them againe, which is the other power of loosing: Rhemist. 2. Corinth. cap. 10. sect. 1. Leauing now this part of spiritual power in Ecclesiasticall discipline, which is not in this place in question betweene vs, wee must touch that other part, which is exercised in the word and sacraments.

1 That the sacraments doe binde and loose, it is proued out of the word of God: they doe binde, Whosoeuer eateth & drinketh vnworthily, eateth & drin∣keth his own damnation, 1. Cor. 11.29. they doe also loose, As oft as ye shal eate this bread and drinke this cup, you shewe the Lords death, till he come, vers. 26.

But here is a double caution and condition to be annexed. First, that all Sa∣craments worke not this effect, but onely those of Christs institution, which are but two, baptisme and the supper of the Lord: for Paul saith, I haue receiued of the Lord, that which I deliuered vnto you, 1. Cor. 11.23. If the Apostles would not, neither might deliuer any Sacraments, but those which were instituted of Christ, what great presumption is it in any other to doe it? Secondly, we must not think, that remissiō of sinnes is necessarily tied to the Sacraments, as though there could be no remissiō without thē, for the grace of remission may be effec∣tual in the name of Christ, by the preaching of the word without a sacramēt, Ioh. 20. sect. 4. Ful. For the word may be preached without a sacramēt, but the sacra∣mēt cānot be ministred without the word: for that were as though a man should deliuer a seale without a writing. Neither is it our meaning, that as the Rhemists cauil with vs, the sacramēt cannot be administred without a sermon of the death Page  208 of Christ: for though that were alwaies to bee wished, yet where it cannot bee had, there must and ought to be a briefe shewing and declaration of the death of Christ out of the word, so oft as the Sacrament is administred, as it is obser∣ued in our Church. Fulk. Annot. 1. Corinth. 11. sect. 15.

3 We must take heede, we conceiue not thus, as though the Sacrament gaue grace by the worke wrought, and that by the very vse, forme, and externall act of the Sacrament wee obtaine remission of sinnes, as the Rhemists would beare vs in hand, 1. Corinth. 11. sect. 15. But the Sacraments are onely effectuall to the worthie receiuers, and to the worthie receiuing, faith is requisite, as Saint Paul willeth all men to examine themselues, 1. Corinth. 11.28. which is, as hee himselfe interpreteth it, to proue whether they be in the faith, 2. Corinth. 13.5. These conditions then being obserued, we denie not, but that there is an exer∣cise of the keyes euen in the Sacraments.

2 But chiefely and principallie, is this power dispensed by the preaching of the word, as Saint Paul saith, Wee are the sauour of death vnto death, vnto some: there is the binding: and to other the sauour of life vnto life: there is the loosing, 1. Corinth. 2.16. So our Sauiour Christ saith, He that refuseth mee, the word that I haue spoken, shall iudge him in the last day, Iohn. 12.48. Here is the power of binding: Againe, the truth shall make you free, Iohn 8.32. Here is the power of loosing. Who therefore doubteth this, that the preaching of the word is the most proper and principall way and meane, for the exercising of this Ecclesiasticall power? for seeing faith is the key of heauen, thereby wee haue free accesse vnto the throne of grace, Rom. 5.2. and faith commeth by hea∣ring, Rom. 10.17. and hearing by the word: It remaineth that by the word the keyes are dispensed.

Augustine also subscribeth vnto this: for speaking of reformation of life and repentance with remission of former sinnes, thus he saith, Quid empturus es vt facias, quae emplastra quaesiturus? ecce cùmloquor, muta cor, & factum est, quod tam saepe & tam diu clamatur, vt fiat. in Psal. 63. What medicine or plai∣ster wilt thou buie to heale thy sinne? Behold euen now, while I preach vnto thee, change thy heart, and it is already done, which we so often call vpon you to be done: See then by the preaching of the word our heart is chaunged, our life amended, and our sinne remitted.