An apology or answer in defence of the Church of England with a brief…An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe…

Moreover we say, that Christ hath given to his ministers power to bind, to loose, to open, to shut, and that the office of loosing consisteth in this point, that the Minister should either offer by the preaching of the gospel the merits of Christ & full pardon, to such as have lowly & contrite hearts, and do unfeignedly repent them, pronouncing unto the same a sure & undoubted ⟨image 24⟩forgiveness of their sins, & hope of everlasting salvation. Or else that the minister, when any have offended their brothers minds with a great offence, & with a notable & open tault, whereby they have as it were banished and made themselves strangers from the common fellowship, and from the body of Christ, then after perfect amendment of such persons, doth reconcile them, and bring them home again, and restore them to the company and unity of the faithful. We say also that the minister doth execute the authority of binding and shutting, as often as he shutteth up the gate of the kingdom of heaven against the unbelieving and stubborn persons, denouncing unto them Gods vengeance and everlasting punishment. Or else when he doth quite shut them out from the bosom of the Church by open ex-communicatiō. Out of doubt, what sentence so ever the Minister of God shall give in this sort, God him self doth so ⟨image 25⟩well allow of it, that what soever here in earth by their means is loosed and bound, God him self will loose & bind, and confirm the same in heaven.

Moreouer we say, yt Christ hath geuē to his ministers power to bind, to loose, to open, to shutt, and yt the office of loosing consisteth in this point, that ye Minister should either offer by ye preaching of the gospel the merits of Christe & full pardō, to suche as haue lowly & contrite hearts, and do vnfa•nedly repent thē, pronoūcing vnto ye same a sure & vndoubted ⟨image 24⟩forgeuenes of their sins, & hope of euerlasting saluation. Or els yt the minister, when any haue offended their brothers mindes with a greate offence, & with a notable & open tault, wherby they haue as it were bannyshed and made themselues straungers from the common fellowship, and from the bodye of Christe, then after perfitte amendement of suche persons, doth reconcile them, and bringe them home againe, and restore them to the company and vnitie of the faithfull. We say also that the minister dothe execute the aucthoritie of binding and shutting, as often as he shutteth vp the gate of the kingedome of heauen against the vnbeleeuing and stubborne persons, denouncing vnto them Gods vengaunce and euerlastinge punishmente. Or els when he doth quite shut them out from the bosome of the Churche by open ex-communicatiō. Out of doubt, what sentence so euer the Minister of God shall giue in this sorte, God him selfe doth so