The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

Now what spirit must that be, that shall contradict the spirit of God in the mouths of so many and faithful witnesses? My good friend, mark what I will say unto you: as the patient that is sick in body willingly resigneth himself unto the sentence and direction of his skilful and faithful Physician; so must the children of God in their spiritual maladies, yield themselves unto the Physicians of their souls, so much the more, because the Lord hath given unto the ministers of his Gospel the power of binding and loosing, both¹ in the public ministry of his word, and also in the private consolation of his children. I will not speak of that which is public, although not altogether unfit unto my purpose, considering that that which is publicly spoken as unto all, hath also a particular address² unto those that are the Lords. As when the Lord saith by his Prophet, Blessed are all they that mourn in Zion. I will for the present rest in that use of this power of binding and loosing³ which is private and particular. Remember that of Saint James, who saith, that upon the prayers of the Elders of the Church, the sins of the diseased shall be forgiven him: which words can have no other sense, but that by them shall be pronounced unto him the forgiveness of sins. A most excellent practise whereof, we have in our Saviour himself, Luk. 7. where first he proveth by argument unto Simon the Pharisee, that the mourning sinner was⁴ pardoned all her sins, and therefore was now no sinner and wicked one, as he uncharitably esteemed her to be; then turning himself unto the distressed soul, first saith, Thy sins are forgiven thee; and afterward, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace. Wherein, though there be some things extraordinary in our Saviour Christ as the Son of God; yet⁵ is it that power which he hath communicated unto all his servants, saying, Whose sins you ⁶forgive, they are forgiven, &c. which is nothing else, but, whose sins upon due examination and trial of their repentance, you pronounce to be forgiven, they are forgiven. Here again remember (my dear friend) how many of the faithful and expert servants of Christ have examined your estate by conference with your self, & have found all signs unto health and salvation.