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 FOVRTH PART, WHETHER STRAIGHT waies whatsoeuer be loosed or bound by the ministerie of men vpon earth, be so in heauen.

The Papists.

AN expresse power (say they) is giuen vnto Priests to remit and reteyne [error 76] sinnes: And Christ promiseth, that whose sinnes soeuer they forgiue, they are forgiuen of God, and whose sinnes soeuer they retaine, they are retained of God, Rhemist. annot. Iohn 20. sect. 5. Whereby it appeareth it is their opinion, which is manifest also by the practise of their Church, that at the will and plea∣sure

of euerie priest exercising the keyes vpon earth, men are bound and loo∣sed in heauen.

They ground this their opinion vpon the generalitie of the wordes: Whosoeuers sinnes you remit they are remitted, Iohn 20.23. and Math. 18.18. Whatsoeuer you binde in earth shall be bound in heauen.

Answere: These places are not so to be vnderstood, as though God were bound to ratifie euery decree of men vpon earth: for first this power is gi∣uen to all lawfull pastors which doe holde the Apostolike fayth, not to Ido∣latrous, ignorant and blasphemous priests, such as most, if not all, of the po∣pish sorte are. Secondly, they must decree in the earth according to Gods wil: Wherefore Iohn 20.22. first Christ breatheth his spirite vpon his Apostles, and then giueth them their commission: signifiyng hereby, that they must execute this power as they shall be directed by Gods spirite: and Matth. 18.20. it followeth, that they must be assembled in the name of Christ: that is, accor∣ding to Christs rule and the direction of his word, they must binde and loose, and not at their owne discretion.

The Protestants.

THat no sentence or decree of men bindeth or looseth before God in hea∣uen, but that which is pronounced according to the will and pleasure of GOD, and by the warrant of his worde, the scripture euery where tea∣cheth vs.

1 Prouer. 26.2. As the sparrow by flying escapeth, so the curse that is causelesse shall not come. Isay 5.20. Woe vnto them that speake good of euill, and euill of good: Hee that iustifieth the wicked and condemneth the iust, they are both an abomination to GOD, Prouer. 17.15. Wherefore a priest binding a penitent man, and loosing a wicked man, doth flatly trans∣gresse the law and rule of Gods word: neither shall his sentence be ratified in heauen.

2 In saying that whosoeuers sinnes the priest bindeth or looseth, his sen∣tence standeth in effect before God, they must needes admit one or both of these absurdities: either to grant, that a Priest cannot erre in dispensing of the ••eyes, which were too shamefull a saying, to giue so great a priuiledge to euery ignorant and simple priest, (such as their Church hath great store of) which no mortall man can haue. Saint Paul giueth warning to Timothie, who was more then a common or ordinarie minister, that he lay not his handes sodaynly vpon any, ad 1. Timoth. 5. vers. 22. But if Timothie so excellent a man had been free from erring in executing his function, this exhortation of Saynt Paule had been needlesse and superfluous.

Or else, they must say that the iudgement of mens soules is committed vn∣to them: for if, looke, how they pronounce vpon men on earth, euen so it fareth with them before GOD: then the saluation and damnation of men

dependeth of their sentence: But the scripture sayth, Doe not iudge thy brother, for we shal al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, Rom. 14.10. Men therefore are not iudges to pronounce who are saued or damned, but the iudgement must be committed to Christ.

But who knoweth not that the popish Church doth arrogate vnto them∣selues this power, to define who are Saynts in heauen, and whose soules are tormented in hell? Thus they dealt with Iohn Husse: hauing condemned him, they set a crowne of paper vpon his head pictured with diuels, saying vnto him: Now we commit thy soule to the diuel. At the burning of that wor∣thie seruant of God and blessed martyr, Iohn Frith, one Doctor Cooke, a fowle mouthed papist bid the people to pray no more for him, then they would for a dogge.* 1.1 And thus they take the Lords office out of his hand, in taking vpon them to be iudges of men.

3 I will conclude with Augustines words, he sayth, that sinnes are forgi∣uen or not forgiuen, non secundum arbitrium hominum, sed secundum arbitrium dei, & orationes sanctorum: not after the will and pleasure of men, but accor∣ding to the will of God, and at the prayers of deuout and holie men.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fox pag. 1036.