A04459:43
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…
An apology or answer in defence of the Church of England with a brief and plain declaration of the true religion professed and used in the same.An apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe and plaine declaration of the true religion professed and vsed in the same.
Londini: printed by Reginald Wolfe, 1564
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And touching the keys wherewith they may either shut or open the kingdom of heaven, we with Chrysostom say, they be the knowledge of the Scriptures: with Tertullian we say, they be the interpretation of the law: and with Eusebius we call them the word of God.
And touchinge the kayes wherewith they maye either shut or open the kyngdome of heauen, wee with Chryso••om saye, they be the knowledge of the Scriptures: with Tertullian we say, they be the interpretation of the lawe: and with Eusebius we call thē the worde of God.
Moreover that Christs Disciples did receive this authority, not that they should hear private confessions of the people, and listen to their whisperings, as the common Massing priests do every where now a days, and do it so, as though in that one point lay all the virtue and use of the keys: but to the end they should goo, they should teach, they should publish abroad the Gospel, and be unto the believing a sweet savour of life unto life, and unto the unbelieving and unfaithful, a savour of death unto ⟨image 25⟩death: and that the minds of godly persons being brought low by the remorse of their former life and errors, after they once begun to look up unto the light of the Gospel, and believe in Christ, might be opened with the word of God, even as a door is opened with a key. Contrary wise, that the wicked and wilful folk, and such as would not believe nor return into the right way, should be left still as fast locked and shut up, and as S. Paul sayeth,1 wax worse and worse. This take we to be the meaning of the keys: and that after this fashion mens consciences either to be opened or shut. We say that the priest in deed is Judge in this case, but yet hath no manner of right to challenge an authority or power,2 as saith Ambrose. And therefore our Saviour Jesus Christ to reprove the negligence of the Scribes and Pharisees in teaching, did with these words rebuke them saying: Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees,