Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

The Protestants.

AL the power of binding and loosing committed to the Apostles and to the Ministers of the word and Sacraments, is, by declaring the will and pleasure of God out of his word, both to pronounce forgiuenes of sinnes to all, that are truely penitent, & the reteining of them to the obstinate and impenitent, Fulk. annot. Iohn 20. sect. 3. So that Ministers are not made iudges in this case, but on∣ly as the Lords ambassadors, to declare the will of God out of his word.

1 There is a notable place for this purpose, 2. Corinth. 5.18. God hath recon∣ciled vs vnto himselfe through Iesus Christ, and hath giuen vs the ministerie of reconciliation. So then Christ is the onely author of reconciliation, the Apostles are but ministers: how then say the Rhemists, that Christ himselfe is but a mini∣ster also of our reconciliation, yet a chiefe minister, whereas the Apostle ma∣keth him the author? God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, vers. 19. Wee are but ambassadors for Christ, and pray you in Christs stead, to bee reconciled vnto God: this then is the office of Ministers, not to re∣concile men vnto God, but to pray them to bee reconciled through Christ: Christ onely is the reconciler, they but ministers of reconciliation: They are but messengers and ambassadors, onely to declare their Princes pleasure;

their commission is certaine, beyond that they cannot goe. Wherefore that is a blasphemous decretal, and cleane contrarie to the scripture, which is ascribed but falsely, to Pontianus Bishop of Rome, which sayth, that God hath Priests so familiar, that by them he forgiueth the sinnes of others, and reconcileth them vnto him, Fox. pag. 59. But S. Paul sayth, that God onely by Christ reconcileth vs vnto himselfe.

2 Augustine doth very freely vtter his minde concerning this matter, who putteth this obiection: If men doe not forgiue sinnes, then it should seeme to be false which Christ sayth, Whatsoeuer you bind in earth is bound in heauen. He answereth: Daturus erat dominus hominibus spiritum sanctum, &c. God was to giue vnto men the holy Ghost, by whom their sinnes should be forgiuen them. Spiritus dimittit, non vos; spiritus autem Deus est: Deus ergo dimittit, non vos: the spirit therefore remitteth sinne, and not you: the spirit is God, God forgiueth sinnes, and not you. Here is one argument, God onely forgiueth sinnes: Ergo, not man. Againe, Quides homo nisi aeger sanandus? vis mihi esse medicus? mecum quae∣re medicum. O man what art thou that takest away my sinnes, but a sicke man thy selfe? wouldest thou be my phisition? nay, let vs both together goe seeke a phisition that may heale vs. Lo, another argument: He cannot be a phisition to others, that needeth a phisition himselfe: he cannot reconcile others to God, who hath himselfe neede of a reconciler. Further, he sayth: Qui dimittit per ho∣minem, potest dimittere praeter hominem: non enim minus est idoneus per se dare, qui potest per alium dare. He that can forgiue sinnes by man, can forgiue also with∣out man: for he may as well forgiue by himselfe, as he can doe it by another. Here is then the third argument: If man doe actually forgiue sinnes, then Christ should not forgiue sinnes without man:* 1.1 for the whole power is committed to man. Yea, the Rhemists affirme the same, that it is necessarie we should submit our selues to the iudgement of the Priest for release of our sinnes: if it bee neces∣sarie, then sinnes cannot be remitted without the Priest: then is Christs power limited, he cannot forgiue without man, which is contrarie to that Augustine affirmeth here.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Augustin. Homil. 23.