A ryght notable sermon, made by Doctor Martyn Luther, vppon the twenteth chapter of Iohan, of absolution and the true vse of the keyes full of great co[m]forte. In the which also it is intreated of the mynysters of the Church, and of scolemaisters, what is dewe vnto them. Ande of the hardnes and softenes of the harte of manne.

¶ Vnto the ryghte honorable and his mooste synguler good lorde / my lorde wentworthe. Rychard Argentyne wyssheth increase of honour peace and prosperous succes / in all his procedinges.

ALbeit (ryght honorable) that the prophecye of Ia∣cob was true / that the scri¦pture was not takē a wa∣ye from Iuda / vnto the tyme that Silo came / the very true Messias / both God and man. Yet dyd the almygtye GOD punish the Iewes wyth blyndnes / chefelye / for their Hipocrisye and Idolatrye / ande spoyled them of the moost holy ād right gouuer∣naunce. Where therfore it myght appere / that Antechrist was moost iustlie ād lau∣fullye extirped all together with his vsur¦ped power oute of this mooste fortunate realme and yet the same remained in dede still ī the tēple of god / with his abhomina¦ciō vnder the cloke of īnumerable straūge gods / which by his persuasiōs were dec∣ked ith pardōs, teples golde / siluer / pre¦cyous

stones and other costlie thinges / to styrre there by the people / both to be ser∣uauntes vnto them / and to honour them / wherby (Christ beyng clene extīguisshed) myserably we haue iustifyed the Idola∣trye of the Iewes / that of iust cause the Turke (as the scourge of God) doth ther¦fore hate and persecute Christen men.

It hath pleased almightie god of his gre∣at mercy / to send vnto vs a Iosias / and a Kynge of moost worthye fame / clene to weede oute the same / commaundyng god and his holye woorde frelie to be geuē vn∣to all his louinge subiectes / and Christ o∣nelie truelie ande syncerelye to be taught ande redde euery where / the which is the very true keye / wherby to enter into the Kingdome of heauen / ande the nexte wa∣ye / to obteyne the mightie ande stronge swearde / for euer to beate downe the de∣uell and hys derelie beloued antechriste. For those trulie / did not receyue / with the Apostles / at the handes of the holighoost / the auctoritie of the keies of heauen / that teache theyr owne tradicions / ande not Chryst onelye / and the infinite mercy of God / And yet so moche hath been the cra∣king of the fayned vertues of the aboue∣named ennemy of God. Hys painted ke∣yes

haue bene so moche exalted / his colo∣red lyghtning / is so moche dredde in for∣raine Realmes (the more pitie) euen at this daye / that there by he maketh him sel∣fe not onelie the vicare of god vppō earth / but also a shamefull myxed thynge / set ād boasted vnto the woorlde / as a certeyne God of the earth / being both dradde ande honoured euen aboue God him selfe / and is in dede but a man of sinne / and the son∣ne of perditiō. To the intēt therfore / that thauctorite of his keyes / maye the better be knowen / I haue translated a sermon / declaring the true vse of the keyes of ab∣solution / whome the bisshoppe of Rome hath shamefully abused. Geuinge that for a token of my harte / vnto your good lor∣deshippe / that other by you (yf your plea¦sure so shalbe) maie haue the fruytion of so great a cōforte / to the maintenaunce of holie learninge. That the interest of his deceptfull iugglinge maye vtterly be bannyshed for euer. Ande thus Iesu pre∣serue your lordeshippes estate vnto gods honoure. Fare you well.

¶ At Ippeswyche the 20 daye of Ianua∣ry / the yeare of oure lorde. 1.5.48.