Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 18 · Section 10
The remiſſion of ſinnes.
44 VntoUnto the former article of the coniunction and vnion of the faithfull, into one bodie of the church; now is aptlie added the doctrine of faith, and remiſſion of ſinnes, which is no where elſe to be hoped for, but in the church. The remiſſion of ſins is onelie incident to the church.For although the ſame be granted vntounto vsus, by the onelie liberalitie and grace of GOD; yet can we not obteine the ſame, but onelie in the name of Chriſt. Whoſoeuer therefore ſhall not come into this fellowſhip, can by no meanes be partaker thereof; ſéeing it is onelie granted vntounto them which by faith are vnited vntounto Chriſt, the head of the church. Whereof it may be ſoundlie concluded, that it is a peculiar gift for them, which be true members of this bodie vnderunder the head Chriſt. And this treatiſe of the remiſſion of ſinnes, we will for the eaſier vnderſtanding diuide into thrée points to be conſidered. Three things to be conſidered.Of which the firſt is; that we, by the grace and ſpirit of Chriſt, be made partakers of the remiſſion of our ſinnes. But here muſt we ſée, by what waie and means the Lord is woont to giuegive this grace and ſpirit: the which we cannot otherwiſe define, than by faith. For the benefits, which God offereth vntounto vsus, are méet to be receiued of him that will inioie them. And faith is nothing elſe, but a receiuing of the merciemercy of GOD, which is offered vntounto vsus by him.
Whervnto there be two things neceſſarilie required; Two things neceſſarilie required in faith.one is, that that be offered to vsus which is good; the other, that we giuegive our conſent. But to receiuing & conſent, we hauehave néed of the ſpirit that ſhould inwardlie perſuade the mind: for otherwiſe a man, by reaſon of his naturall corruption, would turne awaie himſelfe; as to whome theſe promiſes of God, theſe mercies offered, and this remiſſion of ſinnes might naturallie ſéeme not likelie to be true, and to be of no great weight. And he would be far from the through conſideration of them; ſéeing (as the philoſophers themſelues alſo ſaie) he would no leſſe be blinded vntounto diuine things, than the mole is at the light of the ſunne. Whereof there is a teſtimonie of Paule to the Corinthians; The naturall man (ſaith he) vnderſtandeth not thoſe things, which be of God; for they be fooliſhneſſe vntounto him: that we may hauehave néed of that inward moouing, leaſt we ſhould refuſe the benefit which is offered vntounto vsus. And indéed in this moouing, there be two excellent gifts. The firſt is, that we acknowledge the gift and merciemercy of God offered vntounto vsus. The ſecond, that the things which be offered, ſhould be pleaſing vntounto vsus; and that by giuing our aſſent, we receiue and imbrace them.
Which for the moſt part is granted vntounto vsus none otherwiſe to be vſed, but as it is ſet forth to vsus by the word of God; how excellent and great ſoeuer the merciemercy of God is, by the which he fréelie forgiueth our ſinnes. Acts 10, 44.Wherefore it is written in the Acts of the apoſtles; While Peter yet ſpake, the holie Ghoſt fell downe vponupon them which heard him. Rom. 10, 17.And by Paule vntounto the Romans it is ſaid; that Faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So as the church, preaching continuallie the word of God by hir miniſters, and in ſuch ſort offering in hir ſermons reconciliatiō by Chriſt, it giueth remiſſion of ſinnes; in that by the outward miniſterie, it pronounceth the ſame out of the words of the ſcripture: by the which, through attentiue ears, as through a conduit, both the grace and ſpirit of Chriſt doo ſlowe in, euen vntounto our hart. Wherfore it is moſt firmelie concluded, that the word of God, by the verie ſame means, which I hauehave ſpoken, is the originall of the remiſſion of ſins. Which thing ſéeing it is ſet foorth in the church onelie, it followeth, that the ſinnes be forgiuen no where elſe.
Sacraments be viſible words.45 An other conſideration we will adde, which concerneth the ſacraments, the which be viſible words of this abſolution. For euen as the word ſoundeth and is heard in the voice; ſo in a viſible and euident ſigne, a ſacrament dooth ſpeake and admoniſh vsus; vntounto the which we giuing credit, obteine in verie déed that which it dooth promiſe and ſignifie. Neither doo we otherwiſe giuegive credit vntounto the ſignification hereof, than by the motion of the ſame ſpirit of Chriſt, which we hauehave aboue declared. But thinke you not, that ſinnes be forgiuen by the vertue of the worke that is wrought, through receiuing of the ſacrament: ſeeing this we obteine by faith, while we beléeue that which it viſiblie teacheth vsus, according to the inſtitution of Chriſt; to wit, that a ſacrament may be of the ſame value that the word of God is. The ſame thing is offered by the word, that is doone by the ſacraments.For euen as this word ſignifieth and giueth in verie déed vntounto the beléeuers, whatſoeuer it dooth promiſe; ſo baptiſme, being by faith receiued, both ſignifieth and giueth to the beléeuer remiſſion of ſinnes, the which it promiſeth by a viſible ſpeaking. But indéed it might be obiected vntounto me: If ſo be that ſins (as it hath béene ſaid) be forgiuen vntounto them, which beléeue the word of Chriſt, as by preaching it is ſet foorth to vsus; how can they then againe be forgiuen by baptiſme?
I anſwer, that as touching God, both the one and the other abſolution is all one: and as concerning our ſinnes, the remiſſion is one and the ſame. The which neuertheleſſe is as often confirmed, and renewed in vsus, as we giuegive credit vntounto the words, whereby the ſame is ſignified vntounto vsus; whether it be by word of mouth, or by viſible ſigne, it is all one. So that how often ſoeuer we either heare the word, or receiue the ſacraments in faith, the remiſſion of ſinnes is aſſured vntounto vsus; whereby no ſmall faith is inwardlie powred into vsus. A benefit of the ſacraments.And it ought to ſéeme no maruell vntounto anie man, wherefore the ſacraments be ordeined by Chriſt: ſéeing that by them his pleaſure is, that the ſtrength of the ſpirit ſhould hauehave recourſe into the beléeuers, no leſſe than by the outward word of the ſcripture, euen as we are taught by dailie experience; but yet ſo, as neither of theſe can profit anie man without faith. Wherefore we hauehave hitherto declared two meanes, by which the remiſſion of ſinnes is extant in the church; according to the two waies, whereby the word of God is ſet foorth vntounto them that beléeue. But and if thou demand, which of the ſacraments by name ſignifieth this remiſſion of ſinnes in the church? I anſwer, that it is baptiſme, in the which (we being waſhed with viſible water) is a ſigne that we by Chriſt obteine ſpirituall clenſing. And that is it which Paule teacheth vntounto the Epheſians; that God hath purged his church with the waſhing of water through the word of life.Ephe. 5, 26.
46 But now let vsus ſée, Of excommunication.what is the third meane of this remiſſion of ſinnes. The church, by the ſingular gift and grace of Chriſt, hath right and authoritie (as it hath béene alreadie ſaid) to cut off from hir, by excommunication, them that be obſtinate. The order whereof Chriſt hath deſcribed and taught vntounto hir in the Goſpell of Matthew, Mat. 18, 17.where he ſpeaketh of brotherlie correction; whereby men being admoniſhed, that vnleſſe they did repent, it ſhould procéed euen to the vttermoſt puniſhment of ſeparation: the which ſo long may ſtand in force, as contrition and repentance is deferred touching the ſinnes committed. And when repentance is performed, then alſo let an end of the puniſhment of excommunication be appointed. For which cauſe Chriſt being demanded of Peter, How oftentimes a man ſhould forgiue them that offend, Ibid. 21.whether ſeuen times (which ſéemed to be much:) anſwered; Euen ſo often as they ſhall returne againe to better life. For that be awointeth, when he ſaith; Seuentie times ſeuen. Wherefore they, which by repentance returne to the church, muſt euermore be admitted.
And leaſt peraduenture ſo often ſeparation and receiuing reiterated by the miniſterie of men, againſt one and the ſame man, ſhould ſéeme to be of ſmall importance, and reputed for ſport and mockerie, as a thing procéeding from the will of man, he addeth; that He giueth them the keies of the church: The keies of the church.that is to ſaie, the power, that Whatſoeuer ſhe ſhould bind or looſe vponupon the earth, ſhould be eſtabliſhed in heauen. And this doth the church vnderſtand in the ſame ſort, as the holie euangeliſt writeth it. By this article therefore we beléeue, that ſuch diuine authoritie is committed vntounto the church, that it may abſolue and ſet at libertie the perſons excommunicate, which repent them of their ſinnes committed; and may reconcile them to hir ſelfe: whereby they may be reſtored vntounto that place of a healed bodie, whereof Chriſt is the head. Which abſolution being performed with publike vowes and praiers in the church, no doubt but the church forgiueth them their ſinnes committed. Wherefore, after the grant of this authoritie of the keies, Matt. 18, 19 and 20.Chriſt not in vaine added; Whatſoeuer ye aske in my name, it ſhall be giuen vntounto you: And; Whereſoeuer two or three ſhall be gathered togither in my name, I am in the middeſt of them.
Whereby it is gathered, that the church is neuer preſent, either to excommunicate, or to reconcile them that be excommunicated, but that Chriſt himſelfe alſo is preſent. 2. Cor. 2, 7 8Wherfore Paule, to the Corinthians the ſecond epiſtle, writeth to the church; that forgiuing the fault of that ſinner, of whom he had made mention in his firſt epiſtle, they ſhould confirme charitie towards him, in renewing with him their old fréendſhip. Behold how we contemne not the authoritie of the church, but we denie it to be in the will and authoritie of one. We confeſſe this power therfore to be in the earth among the godlie. But euen as the multitude of beléeuers, gathered togither in Chriſt, hauehave onelie the right of excommunication; ſo hauehave they alſo of reconciling and admitting: and that, which is ſo performed by them, we beléeue alſo to be doone and confirmed in heauen. Howbeit note, that in this third meanes, is conteined the forgiueneſſe of publike ſinnes onelie. And as concerning the two former meanes, the church hath belonging vntounto it the forgiueneſſe of all ſinnes in generall. Here onelie that abſolution taketh place, which apperteineth to publike crimes; the which, through euill example, hath offended and doone harme vntounto them, to whom the knowledge thereof hath come. Wherefore, with all the hart and voice let vsus giuegive thanks vntounto God, who hath granted vntounto vsus ſo great a benefit vponupon the earth, and hath laid vp greater for vsus in heauen: as afterward we ſhall ſée.