The su[m] of diuinitie drawn out of the holy scripture very necessary, not only for curates [et] yong studentes in diuinitie: but also for al christen men and women what soeuer age they be of. Drawn out of Latine into Englyshe by Robert Hutten.

¶ Of absolucion

☞What is absolution?

IT is a certification of remissy∣on of synnes, and of the mercye of God toward synners. For so sayeth Christ. Math. xviii. what so euer ye louse vpō earth, it shal∣be loused in heauen. And. Iohn xx. whose synnes ye shall forgyue they shalbe forgiuen.

☞ Maye a man haue ofter then once remissi¦on of synnes?

Yes, when Peter axed Christ howe ofte shall I forgyue my bro¦there? He answered, seuentye ty∣mes seuē tymes, & Paul saieth If a man be possessed with any syn, ye that be spirituall correcte hym in the spirite of gentilnes. And the churche prayeth daily forgiue vs our faultes.

And Christe sayeth Luke .xv. There is Ioye amonge the An∣geles of god for one sinner which doeth repent.

☞ Dooe the Nouatians and Catharines rightly deny, that they which fall after Bap∣tisme dooe not obtayne remissyon of synnes?

Those heretikes do mischeuou∣sly erre. For manye exāples maye be shewed boeth of the olde testa¦ment and the newe, where they whyche were fallen dyd purches remission of sinnes and absoluci∣on of Christe and the churche.

For an example by Dauid, manasses & Peter. The church of the Galathyās was fallen, & cal∣led againe to repētaūce by Paul. And Paule hym selfe commaun∣deth the lecherouse mā of the Cor¦rinthians to be receiued after re∣pentaūce. The Lord speaketh al∣so by Ezechiel. xxxiii, I lyue say∣eth the Lord I wyl not the death of a synner but rather that he be conuerted and lyue. Here doeth

god make an oth, y^e cōsciēces this maye be comforted and lifted vp, when they here not onely the pro¦mis, but also that it is established wyth an othe.

☞ But what say ye to the places of the Epi¦stel to the Hebrues .vi. It is impossible y^t they which be once lightened &c. And .x. the whiche sinne voluntarily. &c.

❧ These places dooe not denye them whiche be fallen to returne vnto grace & the benifit of Christ For the fyrste place intreateth of y^e cursed blasphemars & obstinate personnes, whych agaynste their owne conscience do persecute the word of god, and do so sore dispise admoniciō and repentaunce, that they supposinge them selfe sure dooe triumphe and dooe greate∣ly reioice in thē selfe for their wis¦dome, because they were so bolde as to mocke the worde of God.

These can not be renued so long as they continue, and crucyfye Christe, and do not obey the gos∣pell.

The, other place commaun∣deth to kepe the fauour and beni¦fit of Christe, and to be ware that it be not loste.

For he which loseth the benifit of Christ, is accused of iudgement

☞ Is there a synne whyche can not be for∣gyuen

¶ Christe Math. xii. maketh di∣stinction betwene the syn whyche may be forgyuen, and that which cannot be forgyuen.

Who so euer speaketh a word agaynst the sonne of manne, it shalbe forgeuen hym. But he whych speaketh a worde against the holye goste, shall not be for∣gyuen neythere in thys worlde nor in the world to come.

And Iohn sayeth. He whych knoweth hys brothere to com∣mytte a synne, whyche is not deadelye lette hym praye for hym and it shall be forgyuen him.

But ther is a synne vnto death I saie not that anye manne shal praye for it.

☞ Which is syn agaynste the holye gooste?

☞ Saynte Austyne vnderstan∣deth synne agaynst the holy goste eyther in them whiche continu∣ally do neuer repent, and whych receyue not the Gospell, or eles desperation. For these synnes be plainly contrary vnto grace, and dooe reiecte it. Other synnes when we fleye vnto grace, be for∣geuen. Therfore. S. Augustine doeth so interprete the sayenge of Christe. He that speaketh a worde agaynst the holy gost that is to saye, he which finally doeth forsake and cast a waye the worde of grace whyche is preached and confyrmed wyth gostely testimo∣nyes, he committeth syn agaynst the holy gost.

☞ Is not euerye fal, after the trueth be once knowen, synne whiche can not be forgyuen?

¶No. For ther be many exam∣ples,

and wytnesses which teach that suche fallynges be forgy∣uen. And euerye persecution of the Gospell is not to be iudged synne vnforgyueable. Because Manasses, Pauli and other per∣secuted the worde of god yet pur¦chassed they forgeuenes. Where∣fore boeth the sentences are to be holden.

Fyrste, that all synnes be for∣gyuen them, whyche beleue, be∣cause the promysse is vniuersall accordyng vnto thys, he hath cō∣cluded all vnder synne, that he myght be merciful vnto all. Also i. Iohn .i. He is a sacrifice, not on∣ly for oure synnes, but for the syn¦nes of the whole world,

Secondarelye thys is also to be holden, that ther is a synne whyche can not be forgiuen, or a synne vnto death. But who com∣mitteth that, y^e cannot be forgiuē it is not oure deutye to iudge, it

is sufficiēt to iudge of y^e whych fo∣loweth y^t ther is no such sin in thē which come to repētaūce & faithe. And vnforgiuable sin perteineth only vnto thē whyche continewe vnto y^e veri end in infidelity & do no repētaūce for thei which do re¦pēt, haue no vnforgiuable sinnes

☞ What is the effecte of repentaunce

The effects & fruits of repētaūce be together newenes of lyfe and maners. For in thē which be recei¦ued into grace, y^e rightuousnes of good cōsciēce must folow, whereof Ihō sayth do y^e worthi workes of repētaūce & of y^e necessitie of this newe obediēce haue we entreted.