Reply Against Gilbert Brown, Section 16
Maiſter Gilbert Browne.
5. Our doctrine is, that the lawfull Miniſters and Prieſts of the Kirk of Chriſt, hes power giuen them by Chriſt to forgiue & to retaine ſins, Iohn. 20.23. Matth. 9. …. Matth. 16.19. Matth. 18.18.becauſe Chriſt ſayes to his Apoſtles, Receiue ye the holy Ghoſt, whoſe ſins ye ſhall forgiue, they are forgiuen them, and whoſe ſinnes ye ſhall reteine, they are reteined. And in another place, That ye may know (ſayes Chriſt) that the ſonne of man hes power in earth to forgiue ſinnes, &c with ſundrie other places, conforme to the ſame. And this is denied by the Proteſtants.
Maiſter Iohn Welſche his Reply.
As for the fifth point of your doctrine, that the lawful Miniſters of Chriſt, hes power giuen them by Chriſt to forgiue ſinnes, and to retaine them. If you meane that they hauehave this power as Gods witneſſes, Miniſters, and Embaſſadours, yea and Iudges too: (for the Apoſtle ſayes, We iudge them that are within) to teſtifie and to declare, to iudge and giuegive out iudgement according to Gods word, not only by the preaching of the Goſpell, and adminiſtration of the Sacraments ioyned therewith: but alſo by the cenſures, and diſcipline, in excommunicating the obſtinate impenitent, and abſoluing the penitent. If, I ſay, your doctrine be this, then you iniurie vsus in ſaying, we denie it: and you needed not to hauehave quoted theſe places to confirme the thing whilk we both teach, and alſo practiſe. But what is the cauſe ye would not quote the place where we deny this doctrine? But if you meane that the lawfull Miniſters of Chriſt hes an abſolute power, & full authoritie, not as Miniſters and Witneſſes onelie, but as iudges & Lords ouer our faith, to forgiue or retaine by their owne authoritie, 4. Controv. tom. …. pagand that the very pronouncing of the words of abſolution, is the cauſe of remiſsion of ſinnes, and that it ſo ſcattereth the ſinnes, and makes them to euaniſhe, as the blaſte of winde extinguiſhes the fire, and ſcatters the cloude, as Bellarmine ſayes. If you meane ſo, this we vtterlie deny vntounto you, and all men: becauſe it is onlie proper vntounto God. The whilk the Iewes ſuppoſe they were blinded did acknowledge: Mat…h. 9.and ſo not ſo blinde as yee are. For it is onlie God that forgiues in Ieſus Chriſt. It is only his death that hes merited it, & only faith that apprehends it, and onlie his ſpirit that ſeales it vp, and the word and Miniſterie that declares it, teſtifies, and confirmes it. For the Apoſtle ſayes, He hes committed to vsus the word and miniſterie of reconciliation, and we are in his ſtead to beſeech men to be reconciled to God: ſo we are but Miniſters of this. 2 Cor. 5 18.19 20. Homil. 23Auguſtine is plaine in this: It is the Spirite (ſayes he) that forgiues, and not you, meaning of the miniſters, and the Spirite is God: it is God therefore who forgiues, and not we. There is one argument: God onlie forgiues ſins, therefore not man. And againe, What is man but a ſicke man to be healed himſelf? Would thou be a phyſitian to mee, with me ſeike the phyſitian thy ſelfe. Heir an other argument, He cannot be a Phyſitian to others, who needes a Phyſition himſelfe. Further, hee ſayes, He that can forgiue by man, can alſo forgiue without man: for he may aſwell forgiue by him, as by another. But to what purpoſe doe ye quote the 9. of Matthew, That the ſonne of man hes power to forgiue ſinnes, for will you ſay, that the Miniſters of the Kirk hes that abſolute authoritie that he had? the whilk if ye doe, then are ye blaſphemous. As for the word Prieſt, wherwith ye ſtile the Miniſters of the Kirk, I know that you and your Kirk takes more pleaſure in this ſoyle, nor in all the ſtiles whilk the holy Ghoſt hes giuen to the Miniſters of the Kirk in the new Teſtament: for amongeſt the manifolde ſtyles whilk are giuen to his Miniſters, yet hes he neuer giuen this ſtyle of a ſacrificing Prieſt, as proper to them, throughout the whole newe Teſtament. But as your office of Prieſt-hoode is not written in Chriſt his latter Teſtament, ſo neither is your ſtile of ſacrificing Prieſts contained in the ſame. But new offices muſt hauehave newe ſtiles.