Sermon on John 20, Text
THE lorde teacheth by the wordes of thys Goſpell / what proffyt he hath done vntounto vsus / by his reſurrextion / that is to vnderunder…ande / that by that he hath erected and inſtituted a kyngdome / in the which it is intreaced / not of golde or ſyluer / nor of other thinges that are neceſſarye to paſſe ouer this oure lyfe / or by what craft or wayes thoſe thynges maye be inuented / or by what reaſon / ſoche beinge gotten maye be preſerued. Trulye this Kyngdome whych doth conſiſt in theſe earthely ande corporall thynges / was inſtitute nowe before ſtrayghtwayes in the beginninge of the worlde / ande being frō that time eſtabliſſhed / it taketh force and endureth / ande is ſubiect by the worde of God vntounto mannes reaſon ande prudence / Geneſis the fyrſt chapter / where God ſaith thus.Gene. 1. The earthely kyngdome. Be ye lordes vppō the fyſſhes of the ſea / and the birdes of the ayre / ād vppon all thinges hauing life that moueth vppon the earth. etc.
This is the olde kingdom in the miniſtraciō wherof / the ſeculer magiſtrate is occupied / neither is there any nede of the holighooſt for the myniſtration of this kyngdome / neither do the holy ſcriptures chefely intreate of this / to teache by what reaſonnes that maye be gouuerned.
But it apperteineth vntounto the office of ſoche as are learned in the lawe / to teach and counſell what is the reaſon of the miniſtration of this kingdome.
But beſydes this earthely kingdome / ther is alſo an other / that is to ſaye / the kyngdome of conſciences / and a ſpirituall kyngdome / the which doth gouuerne cōſcyences / ād in the which it is intreated of theſe buſyneſſes that are betwixt vsus ande God.The ſpirituall kingdome is of ijſortes. Trulye thys Kyngdome is of two ſortes. The one was inſtituted by Moſes / the other is erected and inſtituted here by Chriſte. Where he ſaith. Lyke as my father hath ſent me / ſo do I ſend you etc.
The vſe of Moſes kingdome is this / to teach vsus what ſynne is / and which are trulie good woorks and which are euell. Into this kyngdome muſt thoſe be ſent / which truly as yet do not knowe theyr ſī nes / nor feale them. Of the whych ſorte thoſe are / which are agaynſt the lawe / the which do teach that the lawe is not to be preached. Thoſe that are ſoch as fele not the hardnes of the lawe of Moſes / andethe wayght of the ſame / they can not eſteme as it is worthy / the grace of the goſpel / or the benefite of Chriſt / or with glad harte to embrace the ſame / or to deſire it from the botome of their harte. Wherfore thou ſhalt in vaine teach amonge thoſe moche of the grace that is gotten by Chriſt / for where the lawe is not taught / ande well beaten into them / there do mē knowe nothing of ſynne / what thing it is / howe great the crudelitie and abhomination of it is / and which are the true ande mooſte greuous ſinnes / as. S. Paule doth witneſſe / ſayinge. Wherfore the lawe was geuē.Without lawe / ſynne is dead. Alſo where the lawe is not / there is no tranſgreſſion. For howe great a thynge ſynne is / and alſo / howe great the wrath of God is againſt ſynne / it can not be knowen but by the lawe. Wherfore / where the lawe is not pricked forth / nor diligētly and inſtauntly beaten in to them / there plainely men are Ethnikes and Prophane parſōs / thinking thē ſelues to do well / yea / and excellently to do the thing / whan they do abhominably ſynne agaynſt the preceptes of God.
The wordly power doth reſtrayne ād puniſh / thoſe manyfeſt and groſſe miſcheuous actes ande ſynnes / but what ſynne is before God / it can neither declare nor teach / although ſhe ſhuld take to counſell all the heapes of the bookes parteininge to the lawe. Therfore was the lawe geuē vntounto vsus / that we therby myght learne to knowe what ſynne is / for where ſynne is not knowen there is no remyſſion / ande grace can not be vnderſtand / moche leſſe deſyred and coueted / and more ouer than is there no vſe of grace / for grace ought to fyght againſte ſinne and to vanquiſh it in vsus that we deſpayre not.
Wherfore lyke as it is neceſſarie for a phyſician (that wyll with praiſe profeſſe his arte / and be like vntounto his name ād callinge) to hauehave the vſe of longe experience / and to be exerciſed moch ād longe time in that ſcience that he maie knowe and ſearche oute / fyrſt what / and what kynde of deſeaſe it is and alſo what are the cauſes therof. For if he ſhall endeuoure to remedie the ſicknes (the dyſeaſe not beyng knowen / nor the cauſes of the ſame foūde oute) he ſhall rather gyue a poyſon / then the remedie or helpe of the ſame. Euen ſo is it neceſſarie fyrſt ſynne to be knowen before that grace be preached. And for the know leadge of ſīne / the lawe is nedefull. Wherfore the fyrſt inſtruction of a chriſten mā is diligently to be taught / ande the tenne commaundementes are to be interpreted well / and beaten into the people and that is neceſſarie to be done in ſermons in the temples. For reaſon (as I hauehave ſaide) is a great deale to weake / ād to full of imbecilitie / with all her wyſdome / ande wyth all …e …awes and preceptes of all the learn… men of the lawe / to parfourme that. And albeit that we graunt / that chefelie in reaſon is p…āced and graffed a certeine knowleadge of the thīge chat is honeſt ād diſhoneſt / yet is that ſo ſmall and thin…e / that it can not ſufficiently knowe the malice ād noughtines of her nature and the greatnes of ſinne. And therfore god hath inſtituted by Moſes / this doctrine ande preachyng of the lawe / the which he had ceyued before of the fathers.
The other kyngdome is that which the reſurrection of our lorde Ieſus chriſt hath made. For by his reſurrectiō he wolde beginne ande erecte a newe kyngdome the which ſhuld reſiſte ſynne (when by the lawe they are knowen) death and hell / ād doth reſtrayne thē / take them a waye and aboliſh thē / neither doth this kīgdō teach vsus howe matrimonies maie be cōtracted / howe the prouiſyon of the houſe at homeand of the publike weale / ande Empyres are to be gouuerned ande miniſtred. Howe peace ande concorde vppon the earth and the ſocieté of men is to be preſerued. Howe we muſte buylde / ſowe / plante / ād tyll our landes, etc. Of this (I ſaye) this other kyngdome teacheth nothing. But it is therfore erected / that we maye knowe where we muſt dwell / or whether we muſt go from hence / that we maye lyue perpetuallye / when this corruptible ād bodely kingdome will fayle / and the condicion of thys life ſhall hauehave an ende / whē oure goodes ād all our faculties / honoures / promocions / houſes and landes / the woorlde and what ſo euer is in it / and cō meth oute of the earth / ande fynallye the lyfe it ſelfe is to be forſakē. And trulie death hangeth ouer vsus / ād is to be loked for eueryevery momente.
Yf adam had not ſynned / than neyther death nor any other calamytie ſhulde hauehave bene fearfull vntounto vsus / neyther ſhulde any daunger hauehave bene vntounto vsus / by any kynde of euell. But nowe / throughe ſynne / death is brought into the worlde / and vppon all mankinde. From the which no man is ſure / no not for one momente of tyme / for as moche as eueryevery moment ſhe hangeth ouer mā. But to what place wilt thou flie? Whether wilt thou turne the? What minde ſhalt thou be in than? Whether doeſt thou ſuppoſe to go / when preſent death ſhall take the from hence? For this contention and for this agony is the kyngdome of Chriſte bought / the which for that purpoſe was appointed to be an euerlaſting kinge / that he might be lorde of ſynne and of iuſtice / of death ande life. Wyth theſe / the kingdom of Chriſt hathe to do. Vppon theſe he ruleth. He hathe theſe in his hande.
Thus the lorde meaneth (in this place where he ſaith. Take you the holighooſt / whoſe ſynnes ſo euer you ſhall remitte / they are retayned.) to delyuer men from ſynne / or to declare vntounto them that thoſe that dwell in ſinne / are to be dāpned eternally. Here truly it can not be ſayde that a woorldly kingdome is inſtituted of him (as the Pope doth glory wyth a loudelye of the keyes of power and right to lowſe and binde all thinges / ād by that meanes / to make that ſīne. whyche is no ſynne / ād alſo that Chriſt him ſelfe doth not binde or lowſe / and ſo playnely he hath made by that meanes a worldy kingdome) But Chriſte doth here clerely ynough teachwhat hys keyes are?The keyes of Chriſtes kyngdom / ande what they be. that is to ſaye / not to faſten ande to lowſe agayne lawes / as the Pope / but to remytte or retayne ſynnes.
The ſentence therfore / and the ſomme of the wordes of Chriſte is. In this ſhall my kingdome conſiſt / this ſhalbe the maner of my kingdom. F…rſt that men maye knowe them ſelves to be ſīners. And trulie that buſines is geven in commiſſiō vntounto my ſervaunt Moſes / that by his lawe / he maye bringe mēne into the knowledge of ſinne / not becauſe I wolde binde them (for why? they were bounde before / ande miſerably chayned) neyther ſhall I nowe do firſt that men may ſinne or geve an occaſiō to ſinne / neither wil I have any thī ge to do with ſinne (as the Pope doth by his lawe and by his keies of bindyng / ſayinge / there …o be ſynne where none is) but I ſhall have to doo wyth them that naturally are ſīners / or have ſynned agaīſt the commaūdementes of God / that is to ſay / ſoche as contemp…e God ſoche as beleve not in God / ſoch as deſpiſe the woorde of God / ſoche as gyue not vntounto God his due obedience et cetera.
Theſe ſinnes that is to ſaye the contemp…e of God / crudelite / blaſphemie / inobedience and other lyke / are not made bythe law of the Pope / but are very ſinnes / cleauing and faſted in fleſh and bloude / ād borne even wyth man / the which can not be abſolued ād takē awaie by the Pope / by the keye (as he calleth it) of remiſſyon ād abſoluciō / after the ſorte as he vſeth it / but they cleave ſtyll ād remayne in mā as lōg as he leadeth this life / ād he cā not depoſe or laie thē a parte vtterly but with the life
Wherfore that we maie eſcape frō theſe ſynnes / for the which eternall dampnaciō remained vntounto vsus / and be deliuered from the payne of everlaſtyng death.Wath the kingdom of Chr…. For that is the kingdome of Chriſt appointed and erected / ād therfor every where he calleth that his kingdome / not an earthely kingdom or worldly or pollytike / but the kīgdome of heauen becauſe even than it ſhall take the begīning whē this earthely kīgdom through death ſhall ceaſe to be / that men may knowe howe after this life / leauing thys earthely kyngdome / they maye come into the heauēly kīgdome. Of thys my kīgdom (ſayth he) thys ſhalbe the maner / after this ſort ſhal this my kīgdom be erected / ſtabliſſhed / delated ād gouuerned.
As my Father hath ſent me / ſo do I alſo ſende you et cetera.
That is to ſaie.The office of the Apoſtles. You Apoſtles ād your ſucceſſours vntill the worldes ende ſhalbe my meſſangers or Ambaſſadours / by whome I hauehave purpoſed to reigne in all the worlde / ſo that you muſt take vppon you the ſame office the which I hauehave done / vntounto the which alſo I was ſēte. That is to ſaie / that thoſe maye be deliuered frō ſinne and death / whiche do feale their ſinne ād death / and deſire to be deliuered frō them. Ande contrary / that ſoche as deſire not the helpe wherby they maie be redeamed from them / but do put it awaie / that thoſe beying bound in ſinnes to death ād detained / may ſo remaine. This ſhalbe your kingdome / this ſhalbe your miniſterie or ſeruice / ande this ſhalbe your office that you ſhall take vppon you.
VntoUnto this kingdome it behoueth all ſoche to ſubmitte them ſelues that are preſſed downe and vexed with ſinne / yf they wilbe deliuered and lifted vp from them / and be partakers of the euerlaſting lyfe. VntoUnto thoſe that lygh vnderunder the heauy waight of theyr ſynnes / lygh groning / ād are miſerablie troubled / Chriſte biddeth vsus to ſaye / that they ſhulde be of good cō forte / ād not deſpayre becauſe of theyr ſinnes / but lett them knowe that Chryſt byhis death and reſurrectyon / hath brought fourth vntounto vsus / the remiſſiō of all ſinnes. Yf they heare this ande beleve it / they are ſaintes and they are ſaved. For yf their ſī nes be remitted / than hath death no ryght vppon them. But theſe that feale not nor knowe theyr ſynnes / nor are feared wyth the feare of death / ande do not penaunce / but procede conſtauntely / geving them ſelues vntounto bodely luſtes / as the pleaſure of the fleſh requireth / and liuīg after the arbitremēt of the olde man / VntoUnto theſe we ſaye by the commaundement of Chryſt / you ſhall remaine in ſinne / in indignation ande eternall death. For you aſke no remiſſion of ſinnes and mercy / ande you do frowardely put from you and treade vnderunder fote everlaſtyng lyfe.
Who (I praye the) can expreſſe with wordes howe infinite / howe ſubſtanciall ande full of health this cōforte is / that one maie opē vntounto an other with one worde the kingdom of heauē / and cloſe vp the gates of hell? For as moche as in this kīgdom of grace (the which Chryſte hath inſtituted by his reſurrectiō) we do no other thīg thā that we ſpeake with opē mouth. I remitte vntounto the thy ſynnes / not of my ſelf / or by my propre power or vertue / butin the name and ſteade of Ieſus Chriſt. For why? he ſaith not that you ſhall remitte ſynnes in your name (for no man liuing can remytte or retaine ſynnes) but he ſaith thus. Like as my father hath ſent me euen ſo I ſende you. I hauehave not done this by my counſell or arbitrement / but for this I was ſent from my father. And this commaundement I giuegive alſo vntounto you / that you do the ſame vntyll the ende of this worlde / that you and all the world maie knowe this remiſſion or retaining of ſynne / not to be done by the vertue or power of man / but by the cōmaundemēt of him that hath ſent you.
This is not onelyonly ſpoken of thoſe that are miniſters and preachers of the woorde of God / but of all faythfull Chriſtianes. Here maye eueryevery vertuous man / cō forte and abſoile his neighboure in the agonie of death / ande other neceſſities ande temptacions. When thou heareſt of me thys woorde / then doeſt thou heare that god will hauehave mercy on the / ād deliuer the frō death ād ſynne / iuſtifie the ād ſaue the.
But thou ſayeſt. I hauehave in dede harde the abſolution of the / but who knoweth / whether it be certaine that my ſynnes alſo are forgeuen before God? I anſwere. Yf I had ſaid and done that / as man or of mine owne or of any other mānes auctothoryte alonely / thā ſo to ſaye ād to doubte / thou mighteſt not without cauſe / whether the abſolutiō geuen / ſhuld be hereafter effectuall and auailable before God or no. And verely I hauehave hearde many / euē in the extreme agony of death / doubtīg of this thīge / ſayinge / Oh woulde to god I knewe certaīly that my ſīnes are forgeuē vntounto me. I wold buy the certitude therof with all my poſſiblities and goodes. For albeit he be aparaūtly neuer ſo good a mā ne that pronoūceth the abſolutiō / and as cōcerning his oune parſon / neuer ſo true / yet he that is grudged in conſcience ād the minde that is careful / is not cōtēted with him / yea if thou thinkeſt hī to be a mā / and ſeeſt in hī nothīg elles than mā / than muſt thou nedes doubte ād canſt nothīg ſticke or truſt vntounto his abſolutiō / nor any thing confyrme or erecte thy mynde by it.
But if thou be certaine / ād cāſte ſtrengthen thy mīde agaīſt this doubte / thā is it neceſſary that thy mīde (beīg taught ād inſtituted by the worde of God) ſaye after this ſorte. Neither the miniſter of the worde / nor yet any manne abſolueth me from my ſynnes / neyther hath my curate taught me ſo to beleue / but god (by this miniſter or faithfull Chriſtiā / ſhewwīg ordeclarīg the remiſſion of ſinnes) hath done it. This is more certeine thā that / that is aſſured / for why? my lorde Chryſt hath commaūded the ſame / where he ſayd. Like as my Father hath ſent me / ſo do I ſende you et cet. Here doth he make equall and matche thoſe whome he ſēdeth / vntounto him ſelfe / in every thinge / as moche as cō cerneth theyr Ambaſſage or meſſage / that they (being ſente of hī) maie do ād with expedicyon perfourme that thynge for the which he was ſent from his Father / that they maye both remitte ād retaine ſinnes. This is the thing that maketh that abſolution to be effectuall. Vithout this commaundement / Abſolution ſhulde be fruſtrate and vayne.
Yf therfore thou (being laden with the burden of ſinnes) arte vexed and troubled in mynd. Yf thou quake for fear of death / by whome God ſhal puniſh ſīnes everlaſtīgly / ād if thou (beīge in thys pēſyuenes) doeſt heare of the minyſter of the church / the curate of thy ſoule ād thy biſhop / or els (where neceſſité cōpelleth / that thou cāſt not have the miniſter of the Churche) of thy neighbour that proffeſſeth chriſt ād cō meth to cōforte the / thou heareſt theſe or ſuche like wordes / Dere beloued brotheror ſiſter ī Chriſt / I ſee you careful ād vexed ī mīd / ready to fall īto deſperatiō / to fear the wrath ād iudgemēt of God / becauſe of the ſīnes that thou perceiueſt / ād for the which nowe thou arte ſo moche vexed ād troubled / but heare ād ſtrayght waies cōceiue in mīde / ād cōmit the thīgs īto the botom of thy harte that I ſhall nowe ſay vntounto the. Ther is no cauſe why thou ſhuldeſt deſpaire / be of good cōfort. For chriſt thy lord ād ſauiour / the whych for ſīners came īto the world / that he might ſave thē hathe gevē in cōmaūdemēt / both vntounto the miniſters of the church (which for the publick miniſtratiō ſhalbe called for that purpoſe) ād alſo (where neceſſité compelleth) vntounto every priuate faithful chriſtian / that by his wordes / every mā ſhuld cōfort his neybor / ād ī his name abſoil hī frō ſīnes.
When thou heareſt this cōforte / ſee that thou receiue it with ſo great ioy of minde / wyth ſo moch gladnes ād kindnes / as though thou hardeſt it of Chriſt hī ſelf.Chriſt doth commaunde ſinnes to be remitted and alſo to be retained. So trulie he hath cōmaunded / ſaying / As my Father hath ſēt me / ſo do I ſende you / Alſo / vntounto who ſoever you remitt etc. That is to ſaye / ye ſhall take vppō you the ſame office that I do. You ſhall execute the ſame myniſtratyon that I do. If therforethou cōceyve theſe wordes of Chryſt / thā is thy harte pacified / and cōceyueth a ſubſtantial or ſure comforte / and than maiſte thou ſaye wythe a mery harte. I hauehave hearde a man that hath talked with me / ād hath cōforted me. In as moche as cōcerneth his owne propre parſon / I wold not credite the leaſt word of his ſaying / but I beleue my lorde Chryſt the which hath inſtituted this kīgdom of grace ād of remiſſion of ſynnes / ād hath geuē vntounto mē this power ād this cōmaundemēt / that in his name they ſhuld remytt ād retain ſinnes.
Wherfor / when any vtuous man is aſſaulted by the deuell and with the ſuggeſtions of Sathan / that he is a great ſinner ād therfor loſt ād condēpned / than ought he not to deſcēd īto the place of fight with Sathan / nor to reaſon or to louelove to be ſolitary / or to hide hīſelf in ſom ſecrete place without arbytrement / but let hī come vntounto ſome myniſter of the church / with whome he is accuſtomed to coūſell in the buſines apperteinīg vntounto his ſoules health / or lett hī ſend for hī / or call hī vntounto him. Or if peraduenture no miniſter of the church be preſent / let hī call vntounto him / or let hī reſorte vntounto his frēde / whome he hathe knowē to be a louer of the worde of God andvertuous / and let him complaine vntounto hī of his ſinnes / ād of what ſoeuer difficulté doth oppreſſe him / and let him poure into his boſome / all thīgs wher with he is tormented and troubled in mynde / requyrīg him of his counſell / and let him truſt vppon the wordes of Chriſt. VntoUnto who ſoeuer you ſhall remytte theyr ſynnes etc. And where two or thre ſhalbe gathered together in my name / I ſhalbe ī the middeſt of them. Truſting vppon theſe wordes / let hym aſſuredly beleue theſe things that the ſame brother or myniſter of the churche or yf he be a vertuous frēde / ſhall ſaie ī the name of the Lorde / oute of the ſcryptures. Euē as he ſhall beleue / ſo ſhalbe done vntounto him. Yf he geue credyt vntounto the abſolution / by the which he hath abſoyled hym in the name of Chryſt / then is he abſoiled / and hath remiſſiō of his ſīnes. etc.
What it is two or thre to be gathered together in the name of Chryſte.Than trulye are two or three gathered to gether in the name of chriſt / whan they entreate amōgeſt them ſelues / not of corporall ande earthely buſynes / howe they may hauehave great gaines / howe thy may gather together great riches / by what wais ād reaſō that may be done / or of other corporall thyngs / of the whych this tēporall lyfe hath nede / but whē they ētreate amōgthem ſelues of thoſe things which do apparteine vntounto the edifying ande health of the congregation / that when in confeſſiō or elles where thou doeſt open thy vyces and temptacions / and whan he with whome thou doeſt vnlade the ſecretes of thy mynde and thy cares / doth vnderſtand ād ſe the to be feared and ſtonied with the lawe of Moſes / by thy ſynnes to be bitten / oppreſſed ād vexed and greuouſlye troubled ād tormēted with the feare of death. And when with ſyghes and vnfained ſorrowes thou doeſt lamēt and abhorre thy life / with theſe ād ſoch like wordes / which procede from thoſe that are afearde in dede. O wold to God I had not bene borne. Alſo / O wold god / wold prolōge my life / I wolde paſſe it ouer farre other wiſe and more holely / thā I hauehave don hitherto. Like as that ſeruaūt doth in the goſpel / that did owe vntounto his lord x. m. talētes ſayīg. Lord or maiſter / be patiēt towordes me / and I ſhall reſtore vntounto the all thinges.
Whan therfore the miniſter of the churche / or who ſoeuer elles ſhalbe / begynne to comforte the / not after a wordly ſorte / nor for the deſyre of lucre / (as the Pope doth / who ſayth / that he hath power ande faculté to lowſe and binde / but at no tyme but when thou ſhalt nūbre vntounto him / andwill redeme his bulles / pardons and Indulgences / ) but becauſe he ſeeth thy carefull and to be oute of all cōforte / through the feares of ſinne and death. And therfore ſaith vntounto the. Forſake and deſpiſe all / thinges that are vppon earth / as money / riches / all mennes doinges / and the life. Loke not vntounto thoſe thinges / turne thine eyes / ād all thy ſences from them / but giuegive eare vntounto theſe thinges that I nowe ſaye / faſten thoſe in thy minde. Thy harte is vexed / and thou deſireſt nothing more than to be deliuered oute of ſorrowes and care / ande thy conſcience to be cleared / ād to eſcape thoſe ſharpe hornes of Moſes that ſtryketh ſo ſore. Here I ſaye / heare what thy brother ſaith / whome thou takeſt to thy counſell / when he ſpeaketh vntounto the / this ſentence. In the name of our lorde Chriſt / who ſuffred death for the. I declare and ſaie vntounto the / that thou be of good comforte / ād beleue / ād be of a good and quiet minde / ād doubte nothing / that thy ſynnes are forgeuen vntounto the / ād that death hath no ryght vppon the.
But thou ſayeſt. Howe wilt thou proue vntounto me that it is ſo in dede? I anſwere / Chryſt oure lorde ſaide vntounto his diſciples and vntounto all the catholike congregation.I commaund and bidde that youre mytte ſynnes / or retayne them / If you ſhall do any ſoche thynge / you do it not of your ſelues / but whē ye do the ſame by my byddyng and cōmaundement / I my ſelfe do yt. For truly / the miniſter of the churche that is to ſaye / the curate of thy ſoule and Byſſhoppe / or any other who ſoeuer he be (ſo that he be vertuous) in this neceſſité / is called ande ſent therfore vntounto the / to comforte the. Therfore thou muſt as moche beleue him (ſeyng he ſeketh onelyonly the health of thy ſoule) as though Chryſt hī ſelfe beyng preſent / ſhuld ſtande by the / ād laying his hādes on the / ſhulde abſoile the from ſynne. So truly he ſaith. I do ſende you that is to ſaye. I do cōmunicate ād geue vntounto you full power ād cōmaūdemēt / to do that thing / for which I was ſēt frō my father / ād that I dyd. Wherfor yf any mā layīg his hādes vppō the / doth by this cōmaūdemēt of Chriſt declare vntounto the / thy remiſſion of ſynnes / it is as moche as though Chriſt hī ſelfe had done it / whē (I ſaye) he ſhall do it by the cōmaundemēt of Chriſt. For yf that cōmaūdemēt of Chriſt were not / thā nothīg ſhuld be done leſſe. And the mooſt mercifull lord forbid that I or any mā ſhuld be bold to attē … any ſoch thīg without his cōmaundemēt.
Beholde / this is the forme ande maner to remitte ād abſoile ſinnes. That thī ge can be done by no other reaſon / nor by any other meanes / no other coūſell / no other helpe is any where in any thing. For that doctrine of the Pope / is both erronious ād blaſphemous by the which mē do profeſſe / that by their works ād propre merites they can obteine remiſſiō of their ſī nes / ād therfore doth it bind mē to ſatiſfactions and cōmaundeth thē / to take vppō thē a ſolitary life / or to make a pilgrimage vntounto. S. Iames / or to builde tēples / or to edifie great Cathedrall churches and monaſteries to ſinge Maſſes ād to buy Pardons and ſoche like. Theſe be not the wayes or meanes / wherby the remyſſyon of ſynne maye happen vntounto the. Theſe thy pilgrimages ād theſe thy workes ād goodes thou maiſte cōuerte īto ā other ād better vſe. In this buſines (as moche as apparteineth vntounto the meanes of health) they ſhall proffit the nothīg at all. For here it commeth to paſſe as it is ſaid / when muſes taketh vppō hym his hornes ande doth ſtrike the / that is to witte / when by the lawe / he doth declare vntounto the thy ſinnes ād the greatnes and multitude of thē ande ſo doth caſt the into quaking fearesand deſperation. Than arte thou no longer in that greate nombre of men that are full of ſecurité / and hauehave forgotten to ſorrowe / and can not repent / ād are obdurate / but in that litle nombre of theſe that do acknowledge theyr miſerie and ſinnes / ād do fele them / ād therfore they wepe / waile and tremble at the ruſſhyng af a leafe / and at the ſhadowe of a rede that is moued. VntoUnto thoſe a helpe is prepared. VntoUnto thoſe Chriſt ſaith I / I ſaye / hauehave inſtituted and eſtablyſſhed that kingdom of grace / which ſhal cōſume / aboliſh ſwallow vp and deſtroye ſynnes and death / ād ſhall bringe vntounto the iuſtice / and lyfe.
Saye not therfore. Where ſhall I fynde it? where ſhall I ſeke it? Muſte I take any Iornate towardes Roome or towardes Ieruſalem? Not ſo. For if thou ſhuldeſt aſcend into heauen with golden ladders / if it might be brought to paſſe / yet ſhuldeſt thou not obteyne that thinge / by this meanes / that thou deſireſt. But this thou muſt do. Beholde ād faſtē in thy minde theſe wordes ande cōmaundement of Chriſt. Who ſayth / I ſende you etc. As who ſhulde ſaye. It was nedefull that I ſhulde come fyrſt vntounto you / that I ſhuld declare vntounto you by the Goſpell or gladtidinges / the will of my father / ād that I ſhuld inſtitute ſacramentes ād abſolutiō / or elles you could not hauehave come vntounto me. Truly becauſe / I can not be corporally in all places of the woorlde vnderunder a viſyble forme / neyther ſhall I be alwaies preſent in this propre parſon / therfore do I that that my father hath done. He hath ſēt me into this litle āgle of the worlde / īto Iury / that I ſhuld teach in it. But what taught he? He taught the glad tidīges for the cōforte of miſerable ſynners / that were in Iury / he healed the ſycke and dyd reſuſcitate the dead. This was the worke and miniſterie geuen vntounto hym in commaundement. For this was he ſent from his father. There ād to this was he wholy geuen. In thoſe places was he cōuerſaunt / and dyd his offyce with faythfull intent and ſedulité / not in the Courtes of noble men / amōgeſt glotons / ſmelkitchēs theſe raueners more lyke ſwyne than mē / not with Annas and Caiphas and other Iuſticers / ryche ād wiſe before the world / ād ſoche like mēne / but amōgeſt the blīde / the lame / the diſmembred / the halting / the lepers / the deafe / the dead ād amōgeſt the myſerable ſhepe that were wretchedly ſeduced and ſtrayinge abroade. With thoſewas he preſent / thoſe dyd he make of / theſe did he helpe / curyng them both in body and ſoule / bringing vntounto them the mooſt precious ande ineſtimable treaſure of the worlde / which no creature hath (moche more can it not geue it) excepte it receaue it from him / that is to ſaye / Iuſtyce ande euerlaſting health.
Thus ſayth he here / You ſhall alſo. do it in all places wher as you ſhall come And for that ſame cauſe I ſende you / that you runne and be my Apoſtles ande meſſangers through all the worlde. And vntounto this office you ſhall ordaine ād appointe others alſo / the which maye teach ande do the ſelfe ſame thynge / vntounto the whiche I was ſent from my father. And you are ſente by me / vntyll the worldes ende ande I ſhalbe alwayes preſent with you / that you maye knowe that you are not they that do that thynge / but I by you.
By the force and ſtrengt… of this commaundement / we alſo hauehave obteyned power ande faculté / to comforte the ſadde and carefull conſcyences / ande to abſoyle them from ſynne. Ande we knowe when we execute this mynyſterye or exercyſe this acte / that we our ſelues do it not / but that Chryſt hym ſelfe doth it. Wherforeeuery vertuous man / in this caſe ande buſynes / muſt thynke / whē he heareth his curate or the precher ſo in the pulpitt / that he heareth not man / but God hym ſelfe ſpeakinge / than maye he be certeyn / eande appointe in his mynde / that he hath receaued full remyſſyon of all hys ſynnes / neyther is there left any ſticking or doubte any more. For trulye Chriſte hathe ſo inſtituted by his reſurrection / that if any man that is laufully called the myniſter of the Churche / or who ſoeuer fynally in extreme neceſſyté doth abſoyle from ſynnes hys neyghbour that is aſtonyed and doubtefull in mynde ande deſyrous of comforte / the ſame is of ſo moche effect and value / as though GOD him ſelfe had done it / if truly it be done by his commaundement and in his name.
Wherfore / when two after this ſorte intreate and talke betwyxt them ſelues / they are gathered to gether in the name of CHRISTE. For lyke as it is aboue ſayd vntounto vsus / none of thē both / here deſyreth or ſeketh for the goodes of the other / lyke as the Papiſtes ād gapers for advaūtage do / which do not onelyonly pol but alſo pill the Church / which do ſynge ande diſtill into the ſicke ſoche or like woordes / O man / the houre is now at hande that doth call the from hēs. Remembre howe thow wylt diſpoſe thy goodes and thy faculties / that they maye be beſtowed into vertuous or Godly vſes. The auarice or couetuouſnes of the Papiſtes.See that thou forget not thy wretched ſoule / ād ſee that thou prouide for the helth of it. Gyue vntounto vsus one parte of thy goodes / ād we ſhall praye for the / ande we ſhall do many good woorkes for the / ād the merites of all our good woorkes / ſhalbe comune vntounto the / with vsus.The ſayinge of a faithfull mynyſter vntounto the ſycke. This doth not he / which is godly in dede ſpeake vntounto the ſicke / but vſeth theſe / or ſoch like wordes. O my frēde the opportunité of the place ād time / or the caſe of thy infirmeté doth not nowe ſuffer vsus to hauehave many things to do of thy money ande of thy earthely goodes / let other men take cure of thoſe. I ſee thy harte to be troubled or ſtryken wyth the feare of death / ād that thou arte in conflict with deſperatyon / and that thou haſte not ſufficiēt helpe of thy ſelfe wherby thou mayeſt be able to rydde thy ſelfe oute of that daū ger / and confirme thy minde againſt thoſe fearfull thynges. But take a good harte vntounto the / Chriſt hath inſtituted a kīgdom in earth full of conſolation and beatitude / when he ſayde / like as my father hath ſent me ſo do I ſēd you / with theſe wordes / he hath conſecrated vsus all to be prieſtes / for this purpoſe / that one ſhuld declare vntounto other the remiſſiō of ſīnes. And therfore / I nowe come vntounto the in the name of the ſame oure lorde Ieſu Chriſt / and I bidde the to be of good comforte. There is no cauſe why thou ſhuldeſt feare. There is nothing why thou ſholdeſt quake and be of a deſperate minde / as though ther were no ſolace / helpe or counſell any where. Doeſt thou not heare that Chriſt came not for the iuſt / but for ſinners to the purpoſe to ſaue them? Wherfore take a good harte vntounto the / truſt aſſuredly / receue this glad tidinges wyth a glad minde / ād with thy harte rēdre vntounto him thākes for this tidinges whiche he bringeth vntounto the by me / without all labour / care ande charge of thy ſelfe. And beſydes this / alſo he hath geuen commaundement / that I ſhuld remytre vntounto the thy ſynnes / wherfore I forgeue all thy ſynnes vntounto the / in the name of the Father / the ſonne ande the holyghooſt. Wherfore / nowe with a glad mī de / ſaye theſe wordes O mooſt mercifull God O heauenly Father I thanke th… / that thou haſt forgeuen vntounto me my ſynnes / by thy derely beloued ſonne Ieſus Chriſt nor doubte not / but of the lorde hī ſelfe the hauenly father thou arte abſoyled of thy vniuerſall ſynnes.
Of this thou ſeeſt / that theſe wordes of the office of the keyes doth ī no wiſe cō fyrme and eſtabliſh the tirannie of the po…. For chriſt did not therfore giuegive theſe keies. He did not therfore īſtitute this miniſterie / that I ſhuld ēriche the / or thou me / or that I ſhuld be lorde ouer the / or that thou ſhuldeſt be cōpelled to be ſubiect vntounto me / as the pope doth conuerte it into wordly power / magnyfycence and dominion by the whiche acte he ſetteth forth ād doth teſtifie / mooſt manyfeſtly / that he hym ſelf is a great Rybaulde / Antechriſt hym ſelfe / mooſt wicked / full of contuma…te ād a deſpiſer of GOD / a blaſphem…s and a mocker of CHRIST ande the traitour of his Churche. For Chriſte woulde not this / as I hauehave ſayde. He hath not by theſe wordes inſtituted any wordly Kyngdome and tyranny / but he had an eye to this purpoſe / this he wolde / and therfore he dyd inſtitute it / that comming vntounto the… wraſtlyng with deſperation / and gronyng vnderunder the harde burdenof ſynnes (whether it be in the great agony of death / or any other tyme) I ſhuld ſaye vntounto the (intending to lyfte the vp with comforte or counſell) let power / money / honoures dygnityes and ryches be remoued hens farre of / nowe may there not / neither ought any reſpect to be had of thoſe thinges. But nowe muſt we betwyxt vsus entreate and talke of the Kyngdome of Chryſte / by the which onelyonly / and by none other thou canſt be delyuered frō ſynne and death.
This truly is not a forrayne ande a worldlye power and dominion / but it is an office and a miniſterie. For here truly I ſeke for nothing of the / I neither hawke nor wowe for any thinge wherby I maye be enryched / or to be lorde ouer the / and wherby I maye make the ſubiect vntounto me / ād to make the my handſeruaunt / but I ſerue ande do exhibit the greateſt offyce that maye be vntounto the. I brynge vntounto the a great ād ineſtymable treaſure / not golde or ſyluer / but where as thy harte that is oppreſſed wyth heauy care / doth covet to be comforted / delyuered ande confyrmed / ande to hauehave GOD mercyfull vntounto the in heauē. Therfore come I vntounto the brīging vntounto the / the mooſt true Goſpell or tidings that is mooſt gladdeſt / mooſt pleaſaunt and mooſt to be deſyred / not of my ſelfe / not of my good intent / or of my propre coūſell / but by the commaū demēt and meſſage of Chryſt. Who ſaith / Come you all vntounto me / that labour ād are ladē / I ſhall refreſh you. Alſo / Theſe thiges whiche ye lowſe vppon earthe / ſhalbe lowſed in heauē / or els (as he ſayth here) VntoUnto whome you ſhall remitte their ſinnes / vntounto thē are they forgeuen etc. Is not thys to ſerue? Is it not an office that is greateſt of all? and not to be compared withall for any mā to do the better / when thankfully I bringe vntounto the an ineſtimable treaſure that is heauenly ande euerlaſtynge? Whyche neyther thou / nor all the woorlde with all the goodes ād riches in it cā neither match nor buy with money? For what are the vniuerſall treaſures of all the world / the Iewelles of all kinges / crownes / goodes / golde / precious ſtones / and what ſoever it maketh mooſt of / ande doth wonder at it / what are all thoſe thī ges in comparyſon of this treaſure / that is to ſay / the remiſſiō of ſīnes / by the whyche thou arte delyuered from the tyrannye of the Devell / of death ande of hell.
And arte certyfyed that God the heauenlye Father wilbe mercyfull vntounto the / And ſo mercyfull / that for Chryſtes ſake / thou muſt be the ſonne and heyre of God / ande the brother and coheyre of Chryſte. Wherfore ſoche ande ſo great a treaſure as this is / can not be bought or ſolde / or wayed equally with money / the which thynge the ſame our Iudas Iſcarioth the pope hath done. For excepte it be geuen ande taken thanckfully / and wyth mere grace / ther is no cauſe why that thou ſhuldeſt truſt to enioye the ſame thyng / or to take by it any commodyté. For the gyfte of God is not gotten with money.
Truly I would not that any mā ſhuld thynke that I hauehave ſpoken theſe thynges as though nothynge ought to be geuen or employed vppon the mynyſters of the church which ſyncerely and trulye teach the worde of God / wherby they may nouriſh them ſelues / the which thinge at this daie certeyne parſons do gladlye in many places / which do ſo envie their curates ande miniſters of their churches / that almooſt they numbre ande meaſure everye morſell of meate that commeth within theyr Iawes / by all waies ande meanes that they can. They ſteale and pike vntounto them ſelues thoſe eccleſiaſticall goodes / wyth the which the paſtours and myniſters of the worde of God ought to be nouriſſhed. And in ſo doying they declare opēly / that theyre ſtudie is to driue the miniſters of the worde vntounto extreme pouerté ad daū ger of famyne / and ſo to dryue them from them / that there maye be none to teache / or to checke their vices. Truly what diſturbaunce hereafter ſhall come. What deſolation of the Church. What myſerie. Nowe great a barbarouſnes ſhal there of follow we ſhall proue that / and that ſhortely / excepte the magiſtrates fynde ſome remedy for this myſchefe. In no caſe therfore do I ſpeake theſe thinges / nor yet ſo theſe thinges ought to be vnderſtā de / as who ſhulde ſaye / that nothing ſhuld be geuen vntounto the miniſters of the Churche. For theſe thinges are dewe wnto thē wherby they may nouriſh ande ſuſteyne commodiouſly and eaſely / them ſelues ād their familie. For except they hauehave wherwyth to lyue / wherwith to cladde them ſelue / where to dwell / and howe to defende them ſelues / agaynſt the iniurie of colde ande heate / they can not longe do their office / but they ſhalbe compelled (forſakynge theyr offyce of teachynge) to ſekeand finde howe to kepe them ſelues. The which thinge when it cometh to paſſe / the Goſpell can noth longe remaine. The which thing the deuell doth ād ſeketh for the ſame purpoſe / that by this occaſyon he may take oure of the way and let the doctrine of the Goſpell.
A ſtypende is dewe vnro the miniſters of the Chu…ch / … the ordenaū ce of God.And that thinges are dewe vntounto them / wherby they maie aptely nouriſh thē ſelues / Chriſte doth teache that openly where he ſaith. The labourer is worthy of his reward. S. Paul alſo. He that is inſtructed / muſt cōmunicate vntounto him that doth inſtructe him in all good thinges. And he dothe adde a terme / wherby iuſtly thoſe wicked parſons ought to be feared / the which is this. God is not mocked. Alſo. 1 Timoth. the. 5. Seniour or preſtes that are righte in auctorne / or that do gouuerne well / are worthy to be had in doub… honour ſpecially thoſe that by worde ande teaching do laboure. If that therfore ſtipendes be geuen vntounto other that are publike officers in thiges that they ſerue vntounto a communalté / that by the ſame they maye with more expedition ſerue the turne wherunto they are called / moch more is it dewe vntounto the miniſters of the worde / for trulie when we hauehave wyth all diligenceand good will / geuen vntounto them all thinges / wherby they may lyue commodiouſly / yet muſt ye ſaye this. This ſtipend / this money or this grayne which we geue vntounto the curate or miniſter of the worde / we geue it not for ſermons or abſolutiō. (the which are not the propre thī ges of thoſe miniſters but of God / ande therfore they can not be ſolde of them for money) but for as moch as God hath ſo ordained / that we ſhuld heare ande receaue the worde and his Sacramentes / of menne. Therfore is it neceſſarie that they be noriſſhed of the comun charge / or of the publike treaſure / or by our comune wagis. And we ſhall geue thē with glad mide / that they maie hauehave whervppō to liue / and that by that wayes they maie wyth better expedition do theyr office. The which thinge if it were not done / they ſhulde be compelled to renounce their office / and ſo ſhulde we be ſpoiled of the doctrine of the Goſpell.
Theſe thinges are mooſt true / and in dede of neceſſyté muſt be ſo done. Further more if the doctryne of the GOSPELL ought to be Preached purely ande to be ſect ouer or left vntounto the poſterytyté pure / We muſt prouyde notonely for the miniſters of the worde a cō modious lyuyng / but we muſt beware ād watche with all care ande ſtudy alſo / that the places appointed to teache in / or ſcooles of learning / maye hauehave apte Parſons / and that wi…h oute difficulte the rulers of the ſcooles / Stipendes muſt be geuen vntounto Scoolemaſtersand the teachers of childeren may hauehave alſo meate and drincke and ſtipendes wherby they maye commodiouſly ſuſteine them ſelues / wherby thoſe maye be brought vp / which in time to come maye be not onelyonly comune preachers or onelyonly apte for that purpoſe that they maye inſtructe with the word ſome one churche / but ſoch alſo / that maye gett vntounto thē that doctryne and faculté that they maye be able not onelyonly to teache in a pulpit / but alſo to contynue and reſiſte theſe that make ſecres and madde raging ſpirites / ande ſoch as are fooliſhſly inſenſed with falſe opiniōs. For this vſe not onelyonly the Princes and magiſtrates / but alſo the Cytezēs and all the people of the countrey ought comunely to giuegive ſome parte of their faculties / that ſcoles might be preſerued / and that the church maye alwaies hauehave ſuch men / the which trulie ſhe can not lacke / if the purité of the doctrine and the health of the cōgregation or churche oughtto be maynteyned.
For of cheſe thinges that you hauehave hearde / you maye eaſely gather / howe great and howe incomparable a treaſure ande not able to be eſtemed / is the puryté ande abſolu…ō of the Goſpell / if it be hearde ād receaued in a true ſence of a right and laufull miniſter / when he commeth vntounto the being ſicke / and dothe comforte the / thou oughteſt aſſuredly to perſuade thy ſelfe / and to beleue / that Chriſt the lord him felfe doth comme vntounto the and comforte the. For no man wold euer ſo preſume to come ſo vntounto the / without the commaundement of God / neyther coulde any mā helpe the with comforte or counſell / or gyue the any ayde. Nowe trvly / ſeing thou heareſt that God hym ſelfe doth commaunde it / thou maiſt without doubte / ād with a glad mynde ſaye here chriſte him ſelf cō meth vntounto me / in my confeſſour or curate. For he doth not ſpeake his owne but the worde of god / for the whych he is ſent and the which is geuen in commaundemēt vntounto hym of God. This / whan a mā hath perſuaded with him ſelfe / that God hath ſent him / and hath cōmaunded thoſe thinges to be declared / than doth the feare and the carefulneſſe of the cōſcience decreaſeand is quenched / than is the minde erected and pacefyed wich comforte / and beginneth to hauehave a good hope / neyther is there than any cauſe why to waver ād to be in doubte ande to be in a wane hope and to ſticke in doubte. The whych thing muſt nedes be in thoſe that followe the doctrine of the pope.The Popes doctryne of abſolution. For that doctrine taught that men ought to doubte / neither dyd that abſoyle anye man from ſynnes excepte he departed with ſufficient ande due iuſtice / and full contricion / ande had cofeſſed all his ſynnes. Here was no mē cion made / not ſo moche as a worde of faith / ande of the vertue of the keyes that are inſtitute by Chriſte. Truly thys doctrine ande knowledge was ſo obſcured ande vnknowen / ande playnely buried / that I my ſelfe / euen than whan I was made doctor / (which certeynly ought by no meanes to be rude or ignoraunt in this matter) dyd thinke no otherwyſe / nor taught otherwyſe / then that than finally the ſynnes to be remitted vntounto me and vntounto other / if we had done / or had to a full ād iuſte ſorte parfect or due contrition / ande were confeſſed. But of a trueth / if oure ſynnes ſhuld not be forgeuen vntounto vsus / before that we with our cōtrition or compunction and wyth other good woorkes ſhulde waie downe the ſame / ād before that nothing might be required in them / than myght I neuer truſt for any remiſſion of ſinnes. For I can neuer determyne with my ſelfe that I hauehave done full and iuſt contrycion / and therfore accordig vntounto that / no man can abſoile / whether he be Pope or any other what ſoever he be.
So by the popyſh lyes the conſciences are miſerably ſeduced ād called awaye frō the woorde of faythe and the commaundement of God / vntounto his vncerteyne contrition and compunction of harte. And this theyr doctrine hath gotten by extortion infinite ſommes of money / and hath encreaſed them with great ample ryches and kyngdomes.The occaſyon of the popyſh power And by thys meanes alſo / ſo manye Temples monaſteries great Churches / ande Cathedrall Churches / Chappelles and Aulters are builded and indued withe large or ample gyftes ande coſtes. And at thys daye theyr are bulles and Popyſhe pardones that are ſufficiēt witneſſes of theſe thynges / and doth confyrme thoſe buyldinges ande gyftes / by the whyche the POPE hath wretchelyedeceiued all the woorlde / ande hathe by theſe faierynges / or buying and ſelligdone ſo moch harme vntounto the Church of Chriſt / that no man can compryſe wyth mynde / nor expreſſe with wordes the greatnes of that calamité and iniurie.
For that cauſe / we do often and diligētly exhorte. And let thoſe with vsus with cō tinuall ſtudie do the ſame / that in this caſe doth helpe vsus / as manie as maye / that ſcoles / cur…s ād miniſtries of the worlde / be earneſtly maintained / leaſt ſoche an other errour / or rather worſe (the which thing Sathan doth endeuour with the greateſt ſtudie that he can) crepe in againe. The meanes to conſerue the Goſpell pure.If trulye we wyll preuent and withſtande this miſchefe / that cā no otherwiſe be done better / than if the youth euen from theyr yonge ande tender age / be well ande vertuouſly taught and brought vp / the whiche ſucceding after vsus / when we are departed vntounto Chriſt / maye not onelyonly ſet forth and beate into the people diligently the pure doctrine / but alſo maie defend the ſame / againſt madde raging and erronious teachers / and put of wycked ād falſe / opiniōs For trulye it is a great benefyt of God / when ſoch parſōs are apoīted miniſters / the whiche do ſyncerely teach the wordeof GOD rightly and purely. And beſydes thoſe alſo / it is neceſſarie that ſome be that can preſerue learning / and defend the ſame / leaſt the Church be infected and corrupted with theyr poyſon and wicked errours.The neceſſyte of ſcoles. For that purpoſe it is neceſſarye / that vniuerſities or ſcooles be maynteyned / from whence ſoch men do at length come / the which may fyght or contend for the doctryne / ande preſerue the purité of the ſame.
When truly we do employ to this purpoſe either our labour or faculties / that ſoch men maye be in the Church / that maye teache purely and that may alſo cōforte the ſorrowfull ande afflicted concienſces / according vntounto the commaundemēt of Chriſt (as we hauehave ſayde) and may refraine and conuince the wolues and wicked doctours. And when thoſe hauehave well prouided for them thynges neceſſary / and large and due ſtipendes / than that ought not to be adiudged as a ſufficient recompenſe / wagis or price / for thoſe benefites which happē vntounto vsus by thē / but it muſt be thought that it is a thankfull ſacrifice / and a geuing of thankes and a due prayſe vntounto God.Praiers muſt be made for the preachers of the churche. And alſo we muſt diligently praye / lyke as Chriſte doth admoniſh vsus / that he will vouchſafe to ſende ſoch worke men into his harueſt. For why? teachers trulye ſhall alwayes be / but except he ſend them / they ſhall not be Godly / faithfull and pure.
After this forme is it ryghtly taught and beleued of the Kyngdome of Chriſte / and of the power and miniſterie of the keyes. Ande if we directe our ſelues after this forme / than remayne we Chriſtians / and than maye we parforme the offyces or dueties that we owe both vntounto God and man / and ſone dyſcharge oure ſelues from all kynde of doctrines ande opinions / and to iudge of them rightlye.
And then alſo ſhall we giuegive GOD thankes from our harte / that he hath delyuered vsus from the tormentes / ſlaughterhouſe and tyranie of the Pope / who doth cōuert the power of the keyes into a certaine clere ande infinite power / ande vproare ande a worldly dominion / when notwithſtanding the power of the keyes was appointed and ordeyned of Chryſt / The ende of the keies of Chriſt.for this ende ande vſe onelyonly that that treaſure ſhuld be offered ād exhibited vntounto all the world / the which may be waied downe ād bought with no ſommes of moneynor with no riches ſauing that we muſt teſtifie and declare our benignité piété or godlynes ande gratitude / with our benefietes / liberalité of our faculties / ād with our offices / towardes thoſe that do execute this miniſterie / the which are worthy of double honoure... Timoth. 5.
Let vsus therfore geue thākes vntounto chriſte our lord / that he hath by his reſurrection inſtitute ſoch a kingdome of grace / for this purpoſe / that we ſhuld hauehave ande finde in that in all our neceſſities ād troubles / alwayes a preſent help and a ſure cō forte / neither is this treaſure to be ſought for / oute of regiōs farre of / neither is ther moch labour or paynes to be ſpent for the ſame / neither are great coſtes to be done when we buy it vntounto vsus. For Chriſt hath geuen commaundement and full power vntounto his Apoſtles / yea / in neceſſite vntounto eueryevery vertuous mā that beleueth in Chriſt euen vntyll the worldes ende / that they maye erect ād cōfirme thoſe that are weain faith and ready to fall into deſperatiō / wyth comforte. And in his name forgiue ſynnes. etc. Of the which thing let this be ſpoken ſuffyciently.
Finis.
A faute in the .ij leafe / iij. lyne the ſcrypture reade the ſcepter was not.
End of the text · Martin Luther, Sermon on John 20 (1548)