An apology, or answer in defence of the Church of England concerning the state…An apologie, or aunswer in defence of the Church of England concerninge the state…

¹We say, that Christ hath given unto ministers authority to bind, to lose, to open and to shut. And that the office of losing doth consist herein: when that other to such as are overthrown in their own consciences and are truly returned to a better mind, the minister by the preaching of the Gospel offereth the merits of Christ and absolution, and doth assure him of the remission of his since and of the hope of eternal salvation: other when such as in any grievous and slanderous offence, & by some notable & public fault have offended their brethren's consciences, and thereby have in manner alienated themselves from the common society of the Church and from the body of Christ, after that they do return again to a better mind, he doth reconcile, gather and ⟨p. 10⟩restore home again unto the fellowship and unity of the faithful: and the authority of binding and shutting, we say, he exerciseth as often as other unto the unbelievers & stubborn persons, he shutteth up the gates of the kingdom of heaven, and threateneth unto them the revenge of God & everlasting punishment: or when he excludeth out from the bosom of the Church such as are openly excommunicated, the sentence that is given after this sort by the ministers of the Church, God doth so confirm, that whatsoever by their ministry here in earth is loosed or bound, that same will he lose and bind and make good also in heaven.² The key whereby they have power other to shut up or to open the kingdom of heaven, we say with S. Chrysostom, that it is the knowledge of the scriptures, and with Tertullian, the interpretation of the law, and with Eusebius the word of God, and that the disciples of Christ received this authority, not for to hear the secret confessions of the people, or to occupy themselves about privy whisperings (which their sacrificing Priests, at this day all of them, do in every corner, & in such sort they do it, as though the whole power and use of the keys did consist therein alone) butte to the intent they should go, they should teach, they should openly preach the Gospel, that unto such as believed they might be a saver of life unto life:

¹We say, that Christe hathe geuen vnto ministers authoritie to binde, to lose, to open and to shutte. And yt the office of losinge dothe consiste herein: when that other to suche as are ouerthrowen in their owne consciences and ar truly returned to a better minde, the minister by the preaching of ye Gospel offereth ye merites of Christ and absolucion, and doth assure him of the remission of his synnes and of the hope of eternall saluacion: other when suche as in any greuous and slauderous offence, & by some notable & publike faulte haue offended their brothrens consciences, and therby haue in manner alienated themselues from the cōmon societie of ye Church and from the body of Christe, after that thei do returne againe to a better minde, he dothe reconcile, gather and